Water quality of Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wittenberg, Loren A.; McKenzie, Stuart W.

1980-01-01

Water-quality data identify surface-water-quality problems in Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oreg., where possible, their causes or sources. Irrigation and return-flow data show pastures are sources of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci bacteria and sinks for suspended sediment and nitrite-plus-nitrate nitrogen. Bear Creek and its tributaries have dissolved oxygen and pH values that do not meet State standards. Forty to 50% of the fecal coliform and fecal streptococci concentrations were higher than 1,000 bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters during the irrigation season in the lower two-thirds of the basin. During the irrigation season, suspended-sediment concentrations, average 35 milligrams per liter, were double those for the nonirrigation season. The Ashland sewage-treatment plant is a major source of nitrite plus nitrate, ammonia, and Kjeldahl nitrogen, and orthophosphate in Bear Creek. (USGS)

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2015-08-17

This report describes the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with ClearWater Conservancy and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to develop a hydrologic model to simulate a water budget and identify areas of greater than average recharge for the Spring Creek Basin in central Pennsylvania. The model was developed to help policy makers, natural resource managers, and the public better understand and manage the water resources in the region. The Groundwater and Surface-water FLOW model (GSFLOW), which is an integration of the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) and the Modular Groundwater Flow Model (MODFLOW-NWT), was used to simulate surface water and groundwater in the Spring Creek Basin for water years 2000–06. Because the groundwater and surface-water divides for the Spring Creek Basin do not coincide, the study area includes the Nittany Creek Basin and headwaters of the Spruce Creek Basin. The hydrologic model was developed by the use of a stepwise process: (1) develop and calibrate a PRMS model and steady-state MODFLOW-NWT model; (2) re-calibrate the steady-state MODFLOW-NWT model using potential recharge estimates simulated from the PRMS model, and (3) integrate the PRMS and MODFLOW-NWT models into GSFLOW. The individually calibrated PRMS and MODFLOW-NWT models were used as a starting point for the calibration of the fully coupled GSFLOW model. The GSFLOW model calibration was done by comparing observations and corresponding simulated values of streamflow from 11 streamgages and groundwater levels from 16 wells. The cumulative water budget and individual water budgets for water years 2000–06 were simulated by using GSFLOW. The largest source and sink terms are represented by precipitation and evapotranspiration, respectively. For the period simulated, a net surplus in the water budget was computed where inflows exceeded outflows by about 1.7 billion cubic feet (0.47 inches per year over the basin area

Study design and preliminary data analysis for a streambank fencing project in the Mill Creek Basin, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galeone, Daniel G.; Koerkle, Edward H.

1996-01-01

The Pequea Creek and Mill Creek Basins within Lancaster and Chester Counties in Pennsylvania have been identified as areas needing control of nonpoint-source (NFS) pollution to improve water quality. The two basins are a total of approximately 200 square miles and are primarily underlain by carbonate bedrock. Land use is predominantly agriculture. The most common agricultural NFS pollution-control practices implemented in the Pequea Creek and Mill Creek Basins are barnyard-runoff control and Streambank fencing. To provide land managers information on the effectiveness of Streambank fencing in controlling NFS pollution, a study is being conducted in two small paired watersheds within the Mill Creek Basin.

Lacustrine deposits in rifted deep basins of Yellow Sea

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

Han, J.H.

1985-02-01

The central Yellow Sea is a typical intracratonic rifted basin that consists of 4 major depressions bounded by aligned listric faults along horst blocks of uplifted basement (Kunsan, West Kunsan, Yellow Sea sub-basins, and Central Trough). The depressions are half grabens caused by pull-apart extensional stresses. Core analysis and micropaleotologic study indicate that more than 5 km of lacustrine sediments were accumulated in the central part of the West Kunsan basin. Two distinctive sedimentary successions are recognized in the core descriptions: alternation of reddish-brown siltstones and sandstones containing evaporites and marlstones, and an overlying progradational sequence including minor limestone bedsmore » in the lower part of the sequence. The progradational sequence is interpreted as lacustrine deltaic deposits. Abundant palynofloral occurrence of freshwater green algae, Pediastrum, and absence of marine fauna such as dinoflagellates are also supporting evidence for a lacustrine environment. The lithofacies and tectonic framework of the Yellow Sea are very similar to those of Cretaceous lacustrine sediments of the Korea Peninsula onshore and Pohai coastal basin in China.« less

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

1991-01-01

The Little Lehigh Creek basin is underlain mainly by a complex assemblage of highly-deformed Cambrian and Ordovician carbonate rocks. The Leithsville Formation, Allentown Dolomite, Beekmantown Group, and Jacksonburg Limestone act as a single hydrologic unit. Ground water moves through fractures and other secondary openings and generally is under water-table conditions. Median annual ground-water discharge (base flow) to Little Lehigh Creek near Allentown (station 01451500) during 1946-86 was 12.97 inches or 82 percent of streamflow. Average annual recharge for 1975-83 was 21.75 inches. Groundwater and surface-water divides do not coincide in the basin. Ground-water underflow from the Little Lehigh Creek basin to the Cedar Creek basin in 1987 was 4 inches per year. A double-mass curve analysis of the relation of cumulative precipitation at Allentown to the flow of Schantz Spring for 1956-84 showed that cessation of quarry pumping and development of ground water for public supply in the Schantz Spring basin did not affect the flow of Schantz Spring. Ground-water flow in the Little Lehigh Creek basin was simulated using a finite-difference, two-dimensional computer model. The geologic units in the modeled area were simulated as a single water-table aquifer. The 134-squaremile area of carbonate rocks between the Lehigh River and Sacony Creek was modeled to include the natural hydrologic boundaries of the ground-water-flow system. The ground-water-flow model was calibrated under steady-state conditions using 1975-83 average recharge, evapotranspiration, and pumping rates. Each geologic unit was assigned a different hydraulic conductivity. Initial aquifer hydraulic conductivity was estimated from specific-capacity data. The average (1975-83) water budget for the Little Lehigh Creek basin was simulated. The simulated base flow from the carbonate rocks of the Little Lehigh Creek basin above gaging station 01451500 is 11.85 inches per year. The simulated ground

Dissolved-solids transport in surface water of the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerner, Steven J.

2008-01-01

Muddy Creek is located in the southeastern part of central Utah and is a tributary of the Dirty Devil River, which, in turn, is a tributary of the Colorado River. Dissolved solids transported from the Muddy Creek Basin may be stored in the lower Dirty Devil River Basin, but are eventually discharged to the Colorado River and impact downstream water users. This study used selected dissolved-solids measurements made by various local, State, and Federal agencies from the 1970s through 2006, and additional dissolved-solids data that were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during April 2004 through November 2006, to compute dissolved-solids loads, determine the distribution of dissolved-solids concentrations, and identify trends in dissolved-solids concentration in surface water of the Muddy Creek Basin. The dissolved-solids concentration values measured in water samples collected from Muddy Creek during April 2004 through October 2006 ranged from 385 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to 5,950 mg/L. The highest dissolved-solids concentration values measured in the study area were in water samples collected at sites in South Salt Wash (27,000 mg/L) and Salt Wash (4,940 to 6,780 mg/L). The mean annual dissolved-solids load in Muddy Creek for the periods October 1976 to September 1980 and October 2005 to September 2006 was smallest at a site near the headwaters (9,670 tons per year [tons/yr]) and largest at a site at the mouth (68,700 tons/yr). For this period, the mean annual yield of dissolved solids from the Muddy Creek Basin was 44 tons per square mile. During October 2005 to September 2006, direct runoff transported as much as 45 percent of the annual dissolved-solids load at the mouth of Muddy Creek. A storm that occurred during October 5?7, 2006 resulted in a peak streamflow at the mouth of Muddy Creek of 7,150 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) and the transport of an estimated 35,000 tons of dissolved solids, which is about 51 percent of the average annual dissolved

Water Quality Evaluation of the Yellow River Basin Based on Gray Clustering Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, X. Q.; Zou, Z. H.

2018-03-01

Evaluating the water quality of 12 monitoring sections in the Yellow River Basin comprehensively by grey clustering method based on the water quality monitoring data from the Ministry of environmental protection of China in May 2016 and the environmental quality standard of surface water. The results can reflect the water quality of the Yellow River Basin objectively. Furthermore, the evaluation results are basically the same when compared with the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The results also show that the overall water quality of the Yellow River Basin is good and coincident with the actual situation of the Yellow River basin. Overall, gray clustering method for water quality evaluation is reasonable and feasible and it is also convenient to calculate.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimbrough, Robert A.; Holmes, Robert R.

2015-11-25

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

Altered tuffaceous rocks of the Green River Formation in the Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griggs, Roy Lee

1968-01-01

More than 50 ash-fall tuff beds which have altered to analcitized or feldspathized rocks have been found in the upper 500-600 feet of the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation in the Piceance Creek Basin of northwestern Colorado. Similarly altered water-washed tuff occurs as tongues in the uppermost part of this member, and forms most of the lower 400-600 feet of the overlying Evacuation Creek Member of the Green River Formation. 'The altered ash-fall beds of the Parachute Creek Member are all thin and show a characteristic pattern of alteration. Most beds range in thickness from a fraction of an inch to a few inches. One bed reaches a maximum thickness of 5 feet, and, unlike the other beds, is composed of several successive ash falls. The pattern of alteration changes from the outer part to the center of the basin. Most beds in the outer part of the basin contain about 50 to 65 percent analcite,with the interstices between the crystals filled mainly by microlites of feldspar, opal, and quartz, and small amounts of carbonate. At the center of the basin .essentially all the beds -are composed of microlites of feldspar, opal, and quartz, and small amounts of carbonate. The tongues of water-washed tuff in the uppermost part of the Parachute Creek Member and the similar rocks composing the lower 400-600 feet of the Evacuation Creek Mewber are feldspathized rocks composed mainly of microlites of feldspar, opal, and quartz, varying amounts of carbonate, and in some specimens tiny subrounded crystals of analcite. The general trend in alteration of the tuffaceous rocks from analcitization near the margin to feidspathization near the center of the Piceance Creek Basin is believed to have taken place at shallow depth during diagenesis , as indicated by field observations and laboratory work. It is believed that during sedimentation and diagenesis the waters of the central part of the basin were more alkaline and following the breakdown of the original

Flood of June 4, 2002, in the Indian Creek Basin, Linn County, Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eash, David A.

2004-01-01

Severe flooding occurred on June 4, 2002, in the Indian Creek Basin in Linn County, Iowa, following thunderstorm activity over east-central Iowa. The rain gage at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recorded a 24-hour rainfall of 4.76 inches at 6:00 p.m. on June 4th. Radar indications estimated as much as 6 inches of rain fell in the headwaters of the Indian Creek Basin. Peak discharges on Indian Creek of 12,500 cubic feet per second at County Home Road north of Marion, Iowa, and 24,300 cubic feet per second at East Post Road in southeast Cedar Rapids, were determined for the flood. The recurrence interval for these peak discharges both exceed the theoretical 500-year flood as computed using flood-estimation equations developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Information about the basin and flood history, the 2002 thunderstorms and associated flooding, and a profile of high-water marks are presented for selected reaches along Indian and Dry Creeks.

Stream-temperature patterns of the Muddy Creek basin, Anne Arundel County, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pluhowski, E.J.

1981-01-01

Using a water-balance equation based on a 4.25-year gaging-station record on North Fork Muddy Creek, the following mean annual values were obtained for the Muddy Creek basin: precipitation, 49.0 inches; evapotranspiration, 28.0 inches; runoff, 18.5 inches; and underflow, 2.5 inches. Average freshwater outflow from the Muddy Creek basin to the Rhode River estuary was 12.2 cfs during the period October 1, 1971, to December 31, 1975. Harmonic equations were used to describe seasonal maximum and minimum stream-temperature patterns at 12 sites in the basin. These equations were fitted to continuous water-temperature data obtained periodically at each site between November 1970 and June 1978. The harmonic equations explain at least 78 percent of the variance in maximum stream temperatures and 81 percent of the variance in minimum temperatures. Standard errors of estimate averaged 2.3C (Celsius) for daily maximum water temperatures and 2.1C for daily minimum temperatures. Mean annual water temperatures developed for a 5.4-year base period ranged from 11.9C at Muddy Creek to 13.1C at Many Fork Branch. The largest variations in stream temperatures were detected at thermograph sites below ponded reaches and where forest coverage was sparse or missing. At most sites the largest variations in daily water temperatures were recorded in April whereas the smallest were in September and October. The low thermal inertia of streams in the Muddy Creek basin tends to amplify the impact of surface energy-exchange processes on short-period stream-temperature patterns. Thus, in response to meteorologic events, wide ranging stream-temperature perturbations of as much as 6C have been documented in the basin. (USGS)

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

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

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

Flooding and sedimentation in Wheeling Creek basin, Belmont County, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolva, J.R.; Koltun, G.F.

1987-01-01

The Wheeling Creek basin, which is located primarily in Belmont County, Ohio, experienced three damaging floods and four less severe floods during the 29-month period from February 1979 through June 1981. Residents of the basin became concerned about factors that could have affected the severity and frequency of out-of-bank floods. In response to those concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, undertook a study to estimate peak discharges and recurrence intervals for the seven floods of interest, provide information on current and historical mining-related stream-channel fill or scour, and examine storm-period subbasin contributions to the sediment load in Wheeling Creek. Streamflow data for adjacent basins, rainfall data, and, in two cases, flood-profile data were used in conjunction with streamflow data subsequently collected on Wheeling Creek to provide estimates of peak discharge for the seven floods that occurred from February 1979 through June 1981. Estimates of recurrence intervals were assigned to the Peak discharges on the basin of regional regression equations that relate selected basin characteristics to peak discharge with fixed recurrence intervals. These estimates indicate that a statistically unusual number of floods with recurrence intervals of 2 years or more occurred within that time period. Three cross sections located on Wheeling Creek and four located on tributaries were established and surveyed quarterly for approximately 2 years. No evidence of appreciable stream-channel fill or scour was observed at any of the cross sections, although minor profile changes were apparent at some locations. Attempts were made to obtain historical cross-section profile data for comparison with current cross-section profiles; however, no usable data were found. Excavations of stream-bottom materials were made near the three main-stem cross-section locations and near the mouth of Jug Run. The bottom

Hydrology of Johnson Creek Basin, a Mixed-Use Drainage Basin in the Portland, Oregon, Metropolitan Area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, John S.; Lee, Karl K.; Snyder, Daniel T.

2010-01-01

Johnson Creek forms a wildlife and recreational corridor through densely populated areas of the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area and through rural and agricultural land in unincorporated Multnomah and Clackamas Counties. Johnson Creek has had a history of persistent flooding and water-quality problems. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted streamflow monitoring and other hydrologic studies in the basin since 1941.

Status of natural resources in Redwood Creek basin, Redwood National Park

Treesearch

Milton Kolipinski; Ed Helley; Luna Leopold; Steve Viers; Gerard Witucki; Robert Ziemer

1975-01-01

Redwood Creek drains a 280 square mile basin which is located in a region of high winter rainfall and high natural rates of erosion. Forests of commercial quality formerly covered about 238 square miles of the basin. Parklands, including a portion of Redwood National Park, occupy approximately 10% of the lower basin and include, amount other values, several of the...

Sedimentary response to orogenic exhumation in the northern rocky mountain basin and range province, flint creek basin, west-central Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Portner, R.A.; Hendrix, M.S.; Stalker, J.C.; Miggins, D.P.; Sheriff, S.D.

2011-01-01

Middle Eocene through Upper Miocene sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Flint Creek basin in western Montana accumulated during a period of significant paleoclimatic change and extension across the northern Rocky Mountain Basin and Range province. Gravity modelling, borehole data, and geologic mapping from the Flint Creek basin indicate that subsidence was focused along an extensionally reactivated Sevier thrust fault, which accommodated up to 800 m of basin fill while relaying stress between the dextral transtensional Lewis and Clark lineament to the north and the Anaconda core complex to the south. Northwesterly paleocurrent indicators, foliated metamorphic lithics, 64 Ma (40Ar/39Ar) muscovite grains, and 76 Ma (U-Pb) zircons in a ca. 27 Ma arkosic sandstone are consistent with Oligocene exhumation and erosion of the Anaconda core complex. The core complex and volcanic and magmatic rocks in its hangingwall created an important drainage divide during the Paleogene shedding detritus to the NNW and ESE. Following a major period of Early Miocene tectonism and erosion, regional drainage networks were reorganized such that paleoflow in the Flint Creek basin flowed east into an internally drained saline lake system. Renewed tectonism during Middle to Late Miocene time reestablished a west-directed drainage that is recorded by fluvial strata within a Late Miocene paleovalley. These tectonic reorganizations and associated drainage divide explain observed discrepancies in provenance studies across the province. Regional correlation of unconformities and lithofacies mapping in the Flint Creek basin suggest that localized tectonism and relative base level fluctuations controlled lithostratigraphic architecture.

Basin characteristics, history of stream gaging, and statistical summary of selected streamflow records for the Rapid Creek basin, western South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Driscoll, Daniel G.; Zogorski, John S.

1990-01-01

The report presents a summary of basin characteristics affecting streamflow, a history of the U.S. Geological Survey 's stream-gaging program, and a compilation of discharge records and statistical summaries for selected sites within the Rapid Creek basin. It is the first in a series which will investigate surface-water/groundwater relations along Rapid Creek. The summary of basin characteristics includes descriptions of the geology and hydrogeology, physiography and climate, land use and vegetation, reservoirs, and water use within the basin. A recounting of the U.S. Geological Survey 's stream-gaging program and a tabulation of historic stream-gaging stations within the basin are furnished. A compilation of monthly and annual mean discharge values for nine currently operated, long-term, continuous-record, streamflow-gaging stations on Rapid Creek is presented. The statistical summary for each site includes summary statistics on monthly and annual mean values, correlation matrix for monthly values, serial correlation for 1 year lag for monthly values, percentile rankings for monthly and annual mean values, low and high value tables, duration curves, and peak-discharge tables. Records of monthend contents for two reservoirs within the basin also are presented. (USGS)

Hydrologic data for Soldier Creek Basin, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carswell, William J.

1978-01-01

Selected hydrologic data collected in the Soldier Creek basin in Kansas are available on magnetic tape in card-image format. Data on the tape include water discharge in fifteen-minute and daily time intervals; rainfall in fifteen-minute and daily time intervals; concentrations and particle sizes of suspended sediment; particle sizes of bed material; ground-water levels; and chemical quality of water in concentrations of selected constituents.

Organochlorine pesticides in the Johnson Creek Basin, Oregon, 1988-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, Dwight Q.; Lee, Karl K.

2004-01-01

Organochlorine pesticides were detected in unfiltered samples from Johnson Creek that were collected during a storm in March, 2002. Total DDT (the sum of DDT and its metabolites), as well as dieldrin, potentially exceeded Oregon chronic, freshwater criteria at all four Johnson Creek stream-sampling sites. The total DDT criterion was also potentially exceeded at a storm drain at SE 45th Avenue and Umatilla Street. The concentration of total DDT in water samples has decreased by an order of magnitude since previous sampling was done on Johnson Creek in 1989?1990. This decrease was probably due to the movement of these compounds out of the basin and to degradation processes. Concentrations and loads of the organochlorine pesticides were largest at the most upstream sampling site, Johnson Creek at Palmblad Road, which has historically been primarily affected by agricultural land cover. Concentrations and loads were smaller at downstream locations, and there were only a few detections from storm drains. For the purposes of assessing trends in total DDT concentration in Johnson Creek, data for total suspended solids (TSS) were examined, because TSS is often correlated with DDT concentrations, and TSS data are collected routinely by regulatory agencies. As an intermediate step, linear regression was used to relate TSS (measured in the recent study) and turbidity (measured both in the earlier and in the recent studies). For 77 samples, TSS (in mg/L [milligrams per liter]) = 0.88 x Turbidity (in nephleometric turbidity units). The r2 value was 0.82. The TSS concentration (measured, or estimated by the regression) was compared to the concentration of total DDT using linear regression. The TSS concentration associated with meeting the Oregon water-quality criterion for total DDT was 15 to 18 mg/L in the lower and middle part of the basin and 8 mg/L in the upper reaches of the basin. This TSS/DDT relationship is based on only one storm and may not be valid for other conditions

Flood-plain delineation for Accotink Creek Basin, Fairfax County, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soule, Pat L.

1977-01-01

Water-surface profiles of the 25-year and 100-year floods maps on which the 25-, 50-, and 100-year flood limits are delineated for streams in the Accotink Creek basin are presented in this report. Excluded are segments of Accotink Creek within the Fort Belvoir Military Reservation. The techniques used in the computation of the flood profiles and delineation of flood limits are presented, and specific hydraulic problems encountered within the study area are also included.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2005-01-01

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

Feasibility Report and Environmental Statement for Water Resources Development, Cache Creek Basin, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-02-01

classified as Porno , Lake Miwok, and Patwin. Recent surveys within the Clear Lake-Cache Creek Basin have located 28 archeological sites, some of which...additional 8,400 acre-feet annually to the Lakeport area. Porno Reservoir on Kelsey Creek, being studied by Lake County, also would supplement M&l water...project on Scotts Creek could provide 9,100 acre- feet annually of irrigation water. Also, as previously discussed, Porno Reservoir would furnish

Geochemistry of the Birch Creek Drainage Basin, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, Shawn A.; Rosentreter, Jeffrey J.; Bartholomay, Roy C.; Knobel, LeRoy L.

2003-01-01

The U.S. Survey and Idaho State University, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, are conducting studies to describe the chemical character of ground water that moves as underflow from drainage basins into the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer (ESRPA) system at and near the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and the effects of these recharge waters on the geochemistry of the ESRPA system. Each of these recharge waters has a hydrochemical character related to geochemical processes, especially water-rock interactions, that occur during migration to the ESRPA. Results of these studies will benefit ongoing and planned geochemical modeling of the ESRPA at the INEEL by providing model input on the hydrochemical character of water from each drainage basin. During 2000, water samples were collected from five wells and one surface-water site in the Birch Creek drainage basin and analyzed for selected inorganic constituents, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, tritium, measurements of gross alpha and beta radioactivity, and stable isotopes. Four duplicate samples also were collected for quality assurance. Results, which include analyses of samples previously collected from four other sites, in the basin, show that most water from the Birch Creek drainage basin has a calcium-magnesium bicarbonate character. The Birch Creek Valley can be divided roughly into three hydrologic areas. In the northern part, ground water is forced to the surface by a basalt barrier and the sampling sites were either surface water or shallow wells. Water chemistry in this area was characterized by simple evaporation models, simple calcite-carbon dioxide models, or complex models involving carbonate and silicate minerals. The central part of the valley is filled by sedimentary material and the sampling sites were wells that are deeper than those in the northern part. Water chemistry in this area was characterized by simple calcite-dolomite-carbon dioxide

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plume, R.W.

1995-01-01

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

Effects of groundwater levels and headwater wetlands on streamflow in the Charlie Creek basin, Peace River watershed, west-central Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, T.M.; Sacks, L.A.; Hughes, J.D.

2010-01-01

The Charlie Creek basin was studied from April 2004 to December 2005 to better understand how groundwater levels in the underlying aquifers and storage and overflow of water from headwater wetlands preserve the streamflows exiting this least-developed tributary basin of the Peace River watershed. The hydrogeologic framework, physical characteristics, and streamflow were described and quantified for five subbasins of the 330-square mile Charlie Creek basin, allowing the contribution of its headwaters area and tributary subbasins to be separately quantified. A MIKE SHE model simulation of the integrated surface-water and groundwater flow processes in the basin was used to simulate daily streamflow observed over 21 months in 2004 and 2005 at five streamflow stations, and to quantify the monthly and annual water budgets for the five subbasins including the changing amount of water stored in wetlands. Groundwater heads were mapped in Zone 2 of the intermediate aquifer system and in the Upper Floridan aquifer, and were used to interpret the location of artesian head conditions in the Charlie Creek basin and its relation to streamflow. Artesian conditions in the intermediate aquifer system induce upward groundwater flow into the surficial aquifer and help sustain base flow which supplies about two-thirds of the streamflow from the Charlie Creek basin. Seepage measurements confirmed seepage inflow to Charlie Creek during the study period. The upper half of the basin, comprised largely of the Upper Charlie Creek subbasin, has lower runoff potential than the lower basin, more storage of runoff in wetlands, and periodically generates no streamflow. Artesian head conditions in the intermediate aquifer system were widespread in the upper half of the Charlie Creek basin, preventing downward leakage from expansive areas of wetlands and enabling them to act as headwaters to Charlie Creek once their storage requirements were met. Currently, the dynamic balance between wetland

Numerical simulation of ground-water flow in lower Satus Creek Basin, Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prych, E.A.

1983-01-01

A multilayer numerical model of steady-state ground-water flow in lower Satus Creek basin was constructed, calibrated using time-averaged data, and used to estimate the long-term effects of proposed irrigation-water management plans on ground-water levels in the area. Model computations showed that irrigation of new lands in the Satus uplands would raise ground-water levels in lower Satus Creek basin and thereby increase the size of the waterlogged areas. The model also demonstrated that pumping water from wells, reducing the amount of irrigation water used in the lowlands, and stopping leakage from Satus No. 2 and 3 Pump Canals were all effective methods to alleviate present waterlogging in some parts of the basin and to counteract some of the anticipated ground-water-level rises that would be caused by irrigating the uplands. The proposed changes in water use affected model-computed ground-water levels most in the eastern part of the basin between Satus No. 2 and No. 3 Pump Canals. The effects on ground-water levels in the western part of the basin between Satus Creek and Satus No. 2 Pump Canal were smaller. (USGS)

Hydrologic and water-quality conditions in the Horse Creek Basin, west-central Florida, October 1992-February 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewelling, B.R.

1997-01-01

A baseline study of the 241-square-mile Horse Creek basin was undertaken from October 1992 to February 1995 to assess the hydrologic and water-quality conditions of one of the last remaining undeveloped basins in west-central Florida. During the period of the study, much of the basin remained in a natural state, except for limited areas of cattle and citrus production and phosphate mining. Rainfall in 1993 and 1994 in the Horse Creek basin was 8 and 31 percent, respectively, above the 30-year long-term average. The lowest and highest maximum instantaneous peak discharge of the six daily discharge stations occurred at the Buzzard Roost Branch and the Horse Creek near Arcadia stations with 185 to 4,180 cubic feet per second, respectively. The Horse Creek near Arcadia station had the lowest number of no-flow days with zero days and the Brushy Creek station had the highest number with 113 days. During the study, the West Fork Horse Creek subbasin had the highest daily mean discharge per square mile with 30.6 cubic feet per second per square mile, and the largest runoff coefficient of 43.7 percent. The Buzzard Roost Branch subbasin had the lowest daily mean discharge per square mile with 5.05 cubic feet per second per square mile, and Brushy Creek and Brandy Branch shared the lowest runoff coefficient of 0.6 percent. Brandy Branch had the highest monthly mean runoff in both 1993 and 1994 with 11.48 and 19.28 inches, respectively. During the high-baseflow seepage run, seepage gains were 8.87 cubic feet per second along the 43-mile Horse Creek channel. However, during the low-baseflow seepage run, seepage losses were 0.88 cubic foot per second. Three methods were used to estimate average annual ground-water recharge in the Horse Creek basin: (1) well hydrograph, (2) chloride mass balance, and (3) streamflow hydrograph. Estimated average annual recharge using these three methods ranged from 3.6 to 8.7 inches. The high percentage of carbonate plus bicarbonate analyzed at

Watershed scale response to climate change--Clear Creek Basin, Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christiansen, Daniel E.; Hay, Lauren E.; Markstrom, Steven L.

2012-01-01

Fourteen basins for which the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System has been calibrated and evaluated were selected as study sites. Precipitation Runoff Modeling System is a deterministic, distributed parameter watershed model developed to evaluate the effects of various combinations of precipitation, temperature, and land use on streamflow and general basin hydrology. Output from five General Circulation Model simulations and four emission scenarios were used to develop an ensemble of climate-change scenarios for each basin. These ensembles were simulated with the corresponding Precipitation Runoff Modeling System model. This fact sheet summarizes the hydrologic effect and sensitivity of the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System simulations to climate change for the Clear Creek Basin, near Coralville, Iowa.

Watershed scale response to climate change--Sagehen Creek Basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Markstrom, Steven L.; Hay, Lauren E.; Regan, R. Steven

2012-01-01

Fourteen basins for which the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System has been calibrated and evaluated were selected as study sites. Precipitation Runoff Modeling System is a deterministic, distributed parameter watershed model developed to evaluate the effects of various combinations of precipitation, temperature, and land use on streamflow and general basin hydrology. Output from five General Circulation Model simulations and four emission scenarios were used to develop an ensemble of climate-change scenarios for each basin. These ensembles were simulated with the corresponding Precipitation Runoff Modeling System model. This fact sheet summarizes the hydrologic effect and sensitivity of the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System simulations to climate change for the Sagehen Creek Basin near Truckee, California.

75 FR 8895 - Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Deer Creek Station

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-26

.... The purpose of the proposed Project is to help serve increased load demand for electric power in the... Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Deer Creek Station AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. ACTION...) and the Western Area Power Administration (Western) have issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement...

75 FR 43915 - Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Deer Creek Station

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

... factors that could be affected by the proposed Project were evaluated in detail in the EIS. These issues... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Deer Creek... Energy Facility project (Project) in Brookings and Deuel Counties, South Dakota. The Administrator of RUS...

Evaluation of ecological instream flow considering hydrological alterations in the Yellow River basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Zongjiao; Shi, Peijun; Singh, Vijay P.; Gu, Xihui

2018-01-01

The Yellow River is the second largest river in China and is the important source for water supply in the northwestern and northern China. It is often regarded as the mother river of China. Owing to climatic change and intensifying human activities, such as increasing withdrawal of water for meeting growing agricultural irrigation needs since 1986, the flow of Yellow River has decreased, with serious impacts on the ecological environment. Using multiple hydrological indicators and Flow Duration Curve (DFC)-based ecodeficit and ecosurplus, this study investigates the impact of hydrological alterations, such as the impact of water reservoirs or dams, on downstream ecological instream flow. Results indicate that: (1) due to the impoundment and hydrological regulations of water reservoirs, occurrence rates and magnitudes of high flow regimes have decreased and the decrease is also found in the magnitudes of low flow events. These changes tend to be more evident from the upper to the lower Yellow River basin; (2) human activities tend to enhance the instream flow variability, particularly after the 1980s;(3) the ecological environment in different parts of the Yellow River basin is under different degrees of ecological risk. In general, lower to higher ecological risk can be detected due to hydrological alterations from the upper to the lower Yellow River basin. This shows that conservation of ecological environment and river health is facing a serious challenge in the lower Yellow River basin; (4) ecological instream flow indices, such as ecodeficit and ecosurplus, and IHA32 hydrological indicators are in strong relationships, suggesting that ecodeficit and ecosurplus can be regarded as appropriate ecological indicators for developing measures for mitigating the adverse impact of human activities on the conservation of ecological environment in the Yellow River basin.

1976 water-quality data in Bear Creek basin, Medford, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKenzie, Stuart W.; Wittenberg, Loren A.

1977-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Rogue Valley Council of Governments, is studying surface-water-quality problems and their causes in the Bear Creek basin of southwestern Oregon. Two specific areas of investigation include: measurements of the quality and quantity of water in the irrigation canals and drainage system and the diel (during a 24-hour period) variation of water-quality parameters in the main stem of Bear Creek. The irrigation and drainage study involves 25 sites in canals and natural drainageways. One hundred thirty-three samples were collected for analysis, and discharge was determined at the time of collection. The diel study includes six sites on Bear Creek. On August 23-24, four parameters were monitored at all six sites during a 24-hour period.

Geohydrology of the French Creek basin and simulated effects of droughtand ground-water withdrawals, Chester County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, Ronald A.

2004-01-01

This report describes the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Delaware River Basin Commission, to develop a regional ground-water-flow model of the French Creek Basin in Chester County, Pa. The model was used to assist water-resource managers by illustrating the interconnection between ground-water and surface-water systems. The 70.7-mi2 (square mile) French Creek Basin is in the Piedmont Physiographic Province and is underlain by crystalline and sedimentary fractured-rock aquifers. Annual water budgets were calculated for 1969-2001 for the French Creek Basin upstream of streamflow measurement station French Creek near Phoenixville (01472157). Average annual precipitation was 46.28 in. (inches), average annual streamflow was 20.29 in., average annual base flow determined by hydrograph separation was 12.42 in., and estimated average annual ET (evapotranspiration) was 26.10 in. Estimated average annual recharge was 14.32 in. and is equal to 31 percent of the average annual precipitation. Base flow made up an average of 61 percent of streamflow. Ground-water flow in the French Creek Basin was simulated using the finite-difference MODFLOW-96 computer program. The model structure is based on a simplified two-dimensional conceptualization of the ground-water-flow system. The modeled area was extended outside the French Creek Basin to natural hydrologic boundaries; the modeled area includes 40 mi2 of adjacent areas outside the basin. The hydraulic conductivity for each geologic unit was calculated from reported specific-capacity data determined from aquifer tests and was adjusted during model calibration. The model was calibrated for aboveaverage conditions by simulating base-flow and water-level measurements made on May 1, 2001, using a recharge rate of 20 in/yr (inches per year). The model was calibrated for below-average conditions by simulating base-flow and water-level measurements made on September 11 and 17, 2001, using a

Characteristics of Holocene sediments in the Gunsan Basin, central Yellow Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, H. J.; Huh, S.; Jeong, K. S.; Lee, J. H.; Ham, A.; Kang, J.

2016-12-01

The Gunsan Basin, in the eastern part of the South Yellow Sea Basin, is filled by terrestrial sedimentary rocks, maximally up to 8 km deep on the basement of metamorphic rocks that constitutes the Yangtze Platform. The uppermost sedimentary layer (generally less than 1 km) appears to have formed experiencing the repeated marine environments since the middle Miocene. This study is to investigate the characteristics of Holocene sediments in the Gunsan Basin, based on interpretation of core sediments and high-resolution shallow (Sparker and Chirp) seismic profiles. The surface sediments in the basin consist of sand (56.6% on the average), silt (18.4%), and clay (25.0%) with a mean grain size of 1.5 to 7.8 Ø. Sand is prevalent (63.8 to 98.3%) in and around the Yellow Sea Trough lying in the eastern part of the basin. The sandy sediments are regarded as relict sediments deposited in the last glacial maximum (LGM). The sedimentary environments are classified, based on the acoustic and morphological characters of high-resolution shallow (Sparker and Chirp) seismic profiles, into mud zone, deformed zone, and sand ridges with sand waves zone from the west to the east in the Gunsan Basin. The deformed zone in the central Yellow Sea is a mixing area of sediments derived from China and Korea, where there are a number of paleochannels and erosional surfaces in the direction of northwest-southeast. The deformed zone represents non-deposition or erosion in the central Yellow Sea during the Holocene. Tidal sand ridges and sand waves are well developed along the coast of Korea. Modern sand ridges are generally moving in the northeast-southwest direction, which coincide with dominant tidal current direction. Fifteen piston cores were collected in the basin to investigate the general geological characters of the marine sedimentary sequence. In comparison with three cores in the southern basin, the sand contents tend to increase in the direction of east. 14C dates from three cores

Outline of the water resources of the Status Creek basin, Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Molenaar, Dee

1976-01-01

On the Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington, only about 5 percent of the Satus Creek basin--in the relatively flat eastern lowland adjacent to and including part of the Yakima River lowland--is agriculturally developed, mostly through irrigation. Because the basin 's streams do not contain adequate water for irrigation, most irrigation is by canal diversion from the adjoining Toppenish Creek basin. Irrigation application of as much as 9.25 acre-feet per acre per year, combined with the presence of poorly drained silt and clay layers in this area, and the natural upward discharge of ground water from deeper aquifers (water-bearing layers), has contributed to a waterlogging problem, which has affected about 10,500 acres, or about 25 percent of the irrigated area. In the upland of the basin, a large average annual base flow of about 30 cubic feet per second in Logy Creek indicates the presence of a potentially highly productive aquifer in young (shallow) basalt lavas underlying the higher western parts of the upland. This aquifer may provide a reservoir from which streamflow may be augmented by ground-water pumping or, alternatively, it may be used as a source of ground water for irrigation of upland areas directly. (Woodard-USGS)

Mineralogy and diagenesis of low-permeability sandstones of Late Cretaceous age, Piceance Creek Basin, northwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansley, Paula L.; Johnson, Ronald C.

1980-01-01

This report presents preliminary results of a mineralogic and diagenetic study of some low-permeability sandstones from measured surface sections and cores obtained from drill holes in the Piceance Creek Basin of northwestern Colorado. A documentation of the mineralogy and diagenetic history will aid in the exploration for natural gas and in the development of recovery technology in these low-permability sandstones. These sandstones are in the nonmarine upper part of the Mesaverde Formation (or Group) of Late Cretaceous age and are separated from overlying lower Tertiary rocks by a major regional unconformity. Attention is focused on the sandstone units of the Ohio Creek Member, which directly underlies the unconformity; however, comparisons between the mineralogy of the Ohio Creek strata and that of the underlying sandstone units are made whenever possible. The Ohio Creek is a member of the Hunter Canyon Formation (Mesaverde Group) in the southwestern part of the basin, and the Mesaverde Formation in the southern and central parts of the basin. The detrital mineralogy is fairly constant throughout all of these nonrnarine Cretaceous sandstone units; however, in the southeastern part of the basin, there is an increase in percentage of feldspar, quartzite, and igneous rock fragments in sandstones of the Ohio Creek Member directly underlying the unconformity. In the southwestern part of the basin, sandstones of the Ohio Creek Member are very weathered and are almost-entirely comprised of quartz, chert, and kaolinite. A complex diagenetic history, partly related to the overlying unconformity, appears to be responsible for transforming these sandstones into potential gas reservoirs. The general diagenetic sequence for the entire Upper Cretaceous interval studied is interpreted to be (early to late): early(?) calcite cement, chlorite, quartz overgrowths, calcite cement, secondary porosity, analcime (surface only), kaolinite and illite, and late carbonate cements

Hydrology of the Chicod Creek basin, North Carolina, prior to channel improvements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simmons, Clyde E.; Aldridge, Mary C.

1980-01-01

Extensive modification and excavation of stream channels in the 6-square mile Chicod Creek basin began in mid-1979 to reduce flooding and improve stream runoff conditions. The effects of channel improvements on this Coastal Pain basin 's hydrology will be determined from data collected prior to, during, and for several years following channel alternations. This report summarizes the findings of data collected prior to these improvements. During the 3-year study period, flow data collected from four stream gaging stations in the basin show that streams are dry approximately 10 percent of the time. Chemical analyses of water samples from the streams and from eight shallow groundwater observation wells indicate that water discharge from the surficial aquifer is the primary source of streamflow during rainless periods. Concentrations of Kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus were often 5 to 10 times greater at Chicod Creek sites than those at nearby baseline sites. It is probable that runoff from farming and livestock operations contributes significantly to these elevated concentrations in Chicod Creek. The only pesticides detected in stream water were low levels of DDT and dieldrin, which occurred during storm runoff. A much wider range of pesticides, however, are found associated with streambed materials. The ratio of fecal coliform counts to those of fecal streptococcus indicate that the streams receive fecal wastes from livestock and poultry operations.

Chemical quality, benthic organisms, and sedimentation in streams draining coal-mined lands in Raccoon Creek basin, Ohio, July 1984 through September 1986

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, K.S.

1988-01-01

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation, plans widespread reclamation of abandoned coal mines in the Raccoon Creek basin in southeastern Ohio. Throughout Raccoon Creek basin, chemical, biological, and suspended-sediment data were collected from July 1984 through September 1986. Chemical and biological data collected at 17 sites indicate that the East Branch, Brushy Creek, Hewett Fork, and Little Raccoon Creek subbasins, including Flint Run, are affected by drainage from abandoned coal mines. In these basins, median pH values ranged from 2.6 to 5.1, median acidity values ranged from 20 to 1,040 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as CaCo3, and median alkalinity values ranged from 0 to 4 mg/L as CaCo3. Biological data indicate that these basins do not support diverse populations because of degraded water systems. Suspended-sediment yields of 70.7 tons per square mile per year at the headwaters of Raccoon Creek and 54.5 tons per square mile per year near the month of Raccoon Creek indicate that cumulative sedimentation from erosion of abandoned-mine lands is not excessive in the basin.

Watershed scale response to climate change--Black Earth Creek Basin, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Randall J.; Walker, John F.; Westenbroek, Steven M.; Hay, Lauren E.; Markstrom, Steven L.

2012-01-01

Fourteen basins for which the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System has been calibrated and evaluated were selected as study sites. Precipitation Runoff Modeling System is a deterministic, distributed parameter watershed model developed to evaluate the effects of various combinations of precipitation, temperature, and land use on streamflow and general basin hydrology. Output from five General Circulation Model simulations and four emission scenarios were used to develop an ensemble of climate-change scenarios for each basin. These ensembles were simulated with the corresponding Precipitation Runoff Modeling System model. This fact sheet summarizes the hydrologic effect and sensitivity of the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System simulations to climate change for the Black Earth Creek Basin, Wisconsin.

Water quality, selected chemical characteristics, and toxicity of base flow and urban stormwater in the Pearson Creek and Wilsons Creek Basins, Greene County, Missouri, August 1999 to August 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richards, Joseph M.; Johnson, Byron Thomas

2002-01-01

The chemistry and toxicity of base flow and urban stormwater were characterized to determine if urban stormwater was degrading the water quality of the Pearson Creek and Wilsons Creek Basins in and near the city of Springfield, Greene County, Missouri. Potentially toxic components of stormwater (nutrients, trace metals, and organic compounds) were identified to help resource managers identify and minimize the sources of toxicants. Nutrient loading to the James River from these two basins (especially the Wilsons Creek Basin) is of some concern because of the potential to degrade downstream water quality. Toxicity related to dissolved trace metal constituents in stormwater does not appear to be a great concern in these two basins. Increased heterotrophic activity, the result of large densities of fecal indicator bacteria introduced into the streams after storm events, could lead to associated dissolved oxygen stress of native biota. Analysis of stormwater samples detected a greater number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than were present in base-flow samples. The number and concentrations of pesticides detected in both the base-flow and stormwater samples were similar.Genotoxicity tests were performed to determine the bioavilability of chemical contaminants and determine the potential harmful effects on aquatic biota of Pearson Creek and Wilsons Creek. Genotoxicity was determined from dialysates from both long-term (approximately 30 days) and storm-event (3 to 5 days) semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) samples that were collected in each basin. Toxicity tests of SPMD samples indicated evidence of genotoxins in all SPMD samples. Hepatic activity assessment of one long-term SPMD sample indicated evidence of contaminant uptake in fish. Chemical analyses of the SPMD samples found that relatively few pesticides and pesticide metabolites had been sequestered in the lipid material of the SPMD; however, numerous PAHs and

Site evaluation for U.S. Bureau of Mines experimental oil-shale mine, Piceance Creek basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ege, John R.; Leavesley, G.H.; Steele, G.S.; Weeks, J.B.

1978-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is cooperating with the U.S. Bureau of Mines in the selection of a site for a shaft and experimental mine to be constructed in the Piceance Creek basin, Rio Blanco County, Colo. The Piceance Creek basin, an asymmetric, northwest-trending large structural downwarp, is located approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of the town of Meeker in Rio Blanco County, Colo. The oil-shale, dawsonite, nahcolite, and halite deposits of the Piceance Creek basin occur in the lacustrine Green River Formation of Eocene age. In the basin the Green River Formation comprises three members. In ascending order, they are the Douglas Creek, the Garden Gulch, and the Parachute Creek Members, Four sites are presented for consideration and evaluated on geology and hydrology with respect to shale-oil economics. Evaluated criteria include: (1) stratigraphy, (2) size of site, (3) oil-shale yield, (4) representative quantities of the saline minerals dawsonite and nahcolite, which must be present with a minimum amount of halite, (5) thickness of a 'leached' saline zone, (6) geologic structure, (7) engineering characteristics of rock, (8) representative surface and ground-water conditions, with emphasis on waste disposal and dewatering, and (9) environmental considerations. Serious construction and support problems are anticipated in sinking a deep shaft in the Piceance Creek basin. The two major concerns will be dealing with incompetent rock and large inflow of saline ground water, particularly in the leached zone. Engineering support problems will include stabilizing and hardening the rock from which a certain amount of ground water has been removed. The relative suitability of the four potential oil-shale experimental shaft sites in the Piceance Creek basin has been considered on the basis of all available geologic, hydrologic, and engineering data; site 2 is preferred to sites 1, 3, and 4, The units in this report are presented in the form: metric (English). Both units of

Water-use analysis program for the Neshaminy Creek basin, Bucks and Montgomery counties, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schreffler, Curtis L.

1996-01-01

A water-use analysis computer program was developed for the Neshaminy Creek Basin to assist in managing and allocating water resources in the basin. The program was developed for IBM-compatible personal computers. Basin analysis and the methodologies developed for the Neshaminy Creek Basin can be transferred to other watersheds. The development and structure of the water-use analysis program is documented in this report. The report also serves as a user's guide. The program uses common relational database-management software that allows for water use-data input, editing, updating and output and can be used to generate a watershed water-use analysis report. The watershed-analysis report lists summations of public-supply well withdrawals; a combination of industrial, commercial, institutional, and ground-water irrigation well withdrawals; spray irrigation systems; a combination of public, industrial, and private surface-water withdrawals; wastewater-tratement-facility dishcarges; estimates of aggregate domestic ground-water withdrawals on an areal basin or subbasin basis; imports and exports of wastewater across basin or subbasin divides; imports and exports of public water supplies across basin or subbasin divides; estimates of evaporative loss and consumptive loss from produce incorporation; industrial septic-system discharges to ground water; and ground-water well-permit allocations.

Chlordane, DDT, PCB's, and other selected organic compounds in Asiatic clams and yellow bullhead in the Potomac River Basin, 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zappia, Humbert

1996-01-01

Chlordane, DDT (dichlor-diphenyl-trichloroethane), and PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls) were the most widespread organic contaminants detected during a 1992 survey of aquatic biological tissues in the Potomac River Basin. On the basis of existing U.S. Food and Drug Administration criteria, no new threats to human health were discovered, although chlordane concentrations may pose a threat to fish-eating wildlife. Chlordane exceeded the National Academy of Science and National Academy of Engineering recommended maximum concentration for the protection of fish-eating wildlife at two sites. The survey, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program, sampled Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea) and yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) at 16 sites to determine the occurrence and distribution of 29 hydrophobic organic compounds. Thirteen of these organic compounds were detected in the survey. Sites with the greatest number of compounds detected include the Potomac River near Alexandria, Va., with 6 compounds detected in Asiatic clam tissue, and Accotink Creek near Annandale, Va., with 11 compounds in yellow bullhead tissue. Chlordane was detected at six sites, with maximum concentrations of 31.1 ?g/kg (micrograms per kilograms) in Asiatic clam tissue and 127 ?g/kg in yellow bullhead whole-fish tissue. DDT was detected at five sites, with maximum concentrations of 12.9 ?g/kg in Asiatic clam tissue and 7.6 ?g/kg in yellow bullhead whole-fish tissue. PCB's were detected at nine sites, with maximum concentrations of 162 ?g/kg in Asiatic clam tissue and 146 mg/ kg in yellow bullhead whole-fish tissue.

Seismic Reflection Profiles Image the Rodgers Creek Fault and Cotati Basin Beneath Urban Santa Rosa, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, R. A.; Langenheim, V. E.; McLaughlin, R. J.; Stephenson, W. J.; Odum, J. K.

2008-12-01

The USGS in collaboration with the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) group at the University of Texas, Austin, the Sonoma County Water Agency, the city of Santa Rosa, and with support from NSF, collected 13-km of high-resolution seismic-reflection data in two profiles on the Santa Rosa Plain. The purpose of this survey was to image basin structure and stratigraphy in this seismically-active area and to provide constraints for earthquake hazard assessment. We acquired the data using a 9,990 kg minivib I truck in P-wave mode, which swept from 15 to 120 Hz, along city streets and creek-side roads. The common- midpoint spacing of these data is 2.5 m while nominal fold is 36 traces. The Rodgers Creek fault, a northward extension of the Hayward fault which passes through the city of Santa Rosa, has not been imaged previously by seismic reflection data. The east-west trending Santa Rosa Creek profile images several faults including the steeply dipping Rodgers Creek fault as it passes near Doyle Elementary School. In this vicinity the fault zone appears to consist of at least two strands with a set of arched reflectors between them. West of the Rodgers Creek fault, and in general agreement with preexisting gravity data and geologic mapping, we interpret a sedimentary basin more than 1 km deep that underlies downtown Santa Rosa, which was heavily damaged in the 1906 earthquake. This basin shallows to the west as the profile crosses the southeastern side of Trenton Ridge, a concealed basement high. Reflectors within the basin show a thickening sequence of layered strata and apparent dips of about 10 degrees east in the 400 to 800 m depth range that decrease to about 1 degree at 50 m depth. These new data will help to constrain existing seismic velocity models for this area which currently show only flat-lying basin fill.

Geologic interpretation of gravity data from the Date Creek basin and adjacent areas, west-central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Otton, James K.; Wynn, Jeffrey C.

1978-01-01

A gravity survey of the Date Creek Basin and adjacent areas was conducted in June 1977 to provide information for the interpretation of basin geology. A comparison of facies relations in the locally uraniferous Chapin Wash Formation and the position of the Anderson mine gravity anomaly in the Date Creek Basin suggested that a relationship between gravity lows and the development of thick lacustrine sections in the region might exist. A second-order residual gravity map derived from the complete Bouguer gravity map for the survey area (derived from survey data and pre-existing U.S. Department of Defense data) shows an excellent correspondence between gravity lows and sediment-filled basins and suggests considerable variation in basin-fill thickness. Using the Anderson mine anomaly as a model, gravity data and facies relations suggest that the southeastern flank of the Aguila Valley gravity low and the gravity low at the western end of the Hassayampa Plain are likely areas for finding thick sections of tuffaceous lacustrine rocks.

Water in urban planning, Salt Creek Basin, Illinois water management as related to alternative land-use practices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spieker, Andrew Maute

1970-01-01

Water management can be an integral part of urban comprehensive planning in a large metropolitan area. Water both imposes constraints on land use and offers opportunities for coordinated land and water management. Salt Creek basin in Cook and Du Page Counties of the Chicago metropolitan area is typical of rapidly developing suburban areas and has been selected to illustrate some of these constraints and opportunities and to suggest the effects of alternative solutions. The present study concentrates on the related problems of ground-water recharge, water quality, management of flood plains, and flood-control measures. Salt Creek basin has a drainage area of 150 square miles. It is in flat to. gently rolling terrain, underlain by glacial drift as much as 200 feet thick which covers a dolomite aquifer. In 1964, the population of the basin was about 400,000, and 40 percent of the land was in urban development. The population is expected to number 550,000 to 650,000 by 1990, and most of the land will be taken by urban development. Salt Creek is a sluggish stream, typical of small drainage channels in the headwaters area of northeastern Illinois. Low flows of 15 to 25 cubic feet per second in the lower part of the basin consist largely of sewage effluent. Nearly all the public water supplies in the basin depend on ground water. Of the total pumpage of 27.5 million gallons per day, 17.5 million gallons per day is pumped from the deep (Cambrian-Ordovician) aquifers and 10 million gallons per day is pumped from the shallow (Silurian dolomite and glacial drift) aquifers. The potential yield of the shallow aquifers, particularly glacial drift in the northern part of the basin, far exceeds present use. The largest concentration of pumpage from the shallow ,aquifers is in the Hinsdale-La Grange area. Salt Creek serves as an important source of recharge to these supplies, particularly just east of Hinsdale. The entire reach of Salt Creek south and east of Elmhurst can be

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Brown, Krystal D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages in the Fountain Creek basin from 2010 to 2012. Collectively, the four methods are used by local (U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program) and State monitoring programs (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) in the Fountain Creek basin to produce two distinct sample types for each program that target single-and multiple-habitats. This study found distinguishable differences between single-and multi-habitat sample types using both community similarities and multi-metric index values, while methods from each program within sample type were comparable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods were compatible with the cooperative monitoring program methods within multi-and single-habitat sample types. Comparisons between September and October samples found distinguishable differences based on community similarities for both sample types, whereas only differences were found for single-habitat samples when multi-metric index values were considered. At one site, differences between September and October index values from single-habitat samples resulted in opposing assessments of biological condition. Direct application of the results to inform the revision of the existing Fountain Creek basin U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program are discussed.

Hydrological effects of cropland and climatic changes in arid and semi-arid river basins: A case study from the Yellow River basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Huazhen; Zhang, Qiang; Singh, Vijay P.; Shi, Peijun; Sun, Peng

2017-06-01

The Yellow River basin is a typical semi-arid river basin in northern China. Serious water shortages have negative impacts on regional socioeconomic development. Recent years have witnessed changes in streamflow processes due to increasing human activities, such as agricultural activities and construction of dams and water reservoirs, and climatic changes, e.g. precipitation and temperature. This study attempts to investigate factors potentially driving changes in different streamflow components defined by different quantiles. The data used were daily streamflow data for the 1959-2005 period from 5 hydrological stations, daily precipitation and temperature data from 77 meteorological stations and data pertaining to cropland and large reservoirs. Results indicate a general decrease in streamflow across the Yellow River basin. Moreover significant decreasing streamflow has been observed in the middle and lower Yellow River basin with change points during the mid-1980s till the mid-1990s. The changes of cropland affect the streamflow components and also the cumulative effects on streamflow variations. Recent years have witnessed moderate cropland variations which result in moderate streamflow changes. Further, precipitation also plays a critical role in changes of streamflow components and human activities, i.e. cropland changes, temperature changes and building of water reservoirs, tend to have increasing impacts on hydrological processes across the Yellow River basin. This study provides a theoretical framework for the study of the hydrological effects of human activities and climatic changes on basins over the globe.

Flood of June 17, 1990, in the Clear Creek Basin, east-central Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, K.K.; Eash, D.A.

1994-01-01

A water-surface-elevation profile for the flood of June 17, 1990, in the Clear Creek Basin, east-central Iowa, is given in this report. The maximum flood-peak discharge of 10,200 cubic feet per second for the streamflow-gaging station on Clear Creek near Coralville, Iowa (station number 05454300), occurred on June 17, 1990. This discharge was approximately equal to the 80-year recurrence-interval discharge. A flood history describes rainfall conditions for floods that occurred during 1982, 1990, and 1993.

Drainage areas of the Twelvepole Creek basin, West Virginia; Big Sandy River basin, West Virginia; Tug Fork basin, Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, M.W.

1979-01-01

Drainage areas were determined for 61 basins in the Twelvepole Creek basin, West Virginia; 11 basins of the Big Sandy River Basin, West Virginia; and 210 basins in the Tug Fork basin of Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Most basins with areas greater than 5 square miles were included. Drainage areas were measured with electronic digitizing equipment, and supplementary measurements were made with a hand planimeter. Stream mileages were determined by measuring, with a graduated plastic strip, distances from the mouth of each stream to the measuring point on that stream. Mileages were reported to the nearest one-hundredth of a mile in all cases. The latitude and longitude of each measuring point was determined with electronic digitizing equipment and is reported to the nearest second. The information is listed in tabular form in downstream order. Measuring points for the basins are located in the tables by intersecting tributaries, by counties, by map quadrangles, or by latitude and longitude. (Woodard-USGS)

Effects of urbanization on water quality in the Kansas River, Shunganunga Creek Basin, and Soldier Creek, Topeka, Kansas, October 1993 through September 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, L.M.; Putnam, J.E.

1997-01-01

A study of urban-related water-qulity effects in the Kansas River, Shunganunga Creek Basin, and Soldier Creek in Topeka, Kansas, was conducted from October 1993 through September 1995. The purpose of this report is to assess the effects of urbanization on instream concentrations of selected physical and chemical constituents within the city of Topeka. A network of seven sampling sites was established in the study area. Samples principally were collected at monthly intervals from the Kansas River and from the Shunganunga Creek Basin, and at quarterly intervals from Soldier Creek. The effects of urbanization werestatistically evaluated from differences in constituent concentrations between sites on the same stream. No significant differences in median concentrations of dissolved solids, nutrients, or metals and trace elements, or median densities offecal bacteria were documented between sampling sites upstream and downstream from the major urbanized length of the Kansas River in Topeka.Discharge from the city's primary wastewater- treatment plant is the largest potential source of contamination to the Kansas River. This discharge increased concentrations of dissolved ammonia, totalphosphorus, and densities of fecal bacteria.Calculated dissolved ammonia as nitrogen concentrations in water from the Kansas River ranged from 0.03 to 1.1 milligrams per liter after receiving treatment-plant discharge. However, most of the calculated concentrations wereconsiderably less than 50 percent of Kansas Department of Health and Environment water- quality criteria, with a median value of 20 percent.Generally, treatment-plant discharge increased calculated total phosphorus concentrations in water from the Kansas River by 0.01 to 0.04 milligrams per liter, with a median percentage increase of 7.6 percent. The calculated median densities of fecal coliform and fecal Streptococci bacteria in water from the Kansas River increased from 120 and 150colonies per 100 milliliters of water

Hydrological responses to climatic changes in the Yellow River basin, China: Climatic elasticity and streamflow prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiang; Liu, Jianyu; Singh, Vijay P.; Shi, Peijun; Sun, Peng

2017-11-01

Prediction of streamflow of the Yellow River basin was done using downscaled precipitation and temperature based on outputs of 12 GCMs under RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Streamflow changes of 37 tributaries of the Yellow River basin during 2070-2099 were predicted related to different GCMs and climatic scenarios using Budyko framework. The results indicated that: (1) When compared to precipitation and temperature during 1960-1979, increasing precipitation and temperature are dominant during 2070-2099. Particularly, under RCP8.5, increase of 10% and 30% can be detected for precipitation and temperature respectively; (2) Precipitation changes have larger fractional contribution to streamflow changes than temperature changes, being the major driver for spatial and temporal patterns of water resources across the Yellow River basin; (3) 2070-2099 period will witness increased streamflow depth and decreased streamflow can be found mainly in the semi-humid regions and headwater regions of the Yellow River basin, which can be attributed to more significant increase of temperature than precipitation in these regions; (4) Distinctly different picture of streamflow changes can be observed with consideration of different outputs of GCMs which can be attributed to different outputs of GCMs under different scenarios. Even so, under RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios, 36.8% and 71.1% of the tributaries of the Yellow River basin are dominated by increasing streamflow. The results of this study are of theoretical and practical merits in terms of management of water resources and also irrigated agriculture under influences of changing climate.

The Evergreen basin and the role of the Silver Creek fault in the San Andreas fault system, San Francisco Bay region, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jachens, Robert C.; Wentworth, Carl M.; Graymer, Russell W.; Williams, Robert; Ponce, David A.; Mankinen, Edward A.; Stephenson, William J.; Langenheim, Victoria

2017-01-01

The Evergreen basin is a 40-km-long, 8-km-wide Cenozoic sedimentary basin that lies mostly concealed beneath the northeastern margin of the Santa Clara Valley near the south end of San Francisco Bay (California, USA). The basin is bounded on the northeast by the strike-slip Hayward fault and an approximately parallel subsurface fault that is structurally overlain by a set of west-verging reverse-oblique faults which form the present-day southeastward extension of the Hayward fault. It is bounded on the southwest by the Silver Creek fault, a largely dormant or abandoned fault that splays from the active southern Calaveras fault. We propose that the Evergreen basin formed as a strike-slip pull-apart basin in the right step from the Silver Creek fault to the Hayward fault during a time when the Silver Creek fault served as a segment of the main route by which slip was transferred from the central California San Andreas fault to the Hayward and other East Bay faults. The dimensions and shape of the Evergreen basin, together with palinspastic reconstructions of geologic and geophysical features surrounding it, suggest that during its lifetime, the Silver Creek fault transferred a significant portion of the ∼100 km of total offset accommodated by the Hayward fault, and of the 175 km of total San Andreas system offset thought to have been accommodated by the entire East Bay fault system. As shown previously, at ca. 1.5–2.5 Ma the Hayward-Calaveras connection changed from a right-step, releasing regime to a left-step, restraining regime, with the consequent effective abandonment of the Silver Creek fault. This reorganization was, perhaps, preceded by development of the previously proposed basin-bisecting Mount Misery fault, a fault that directly linked the southern end of the Hayward fault with the southern Calaveras fault during extinction of pull-apart activity. Historic seismicity indicates that slip below a depth of 5 km is mostly transferred from the Calaveras

Surface-water quality assessment of the Clover Creek basin, Pierce County, Washington, 1991-1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, K.A.

1996-01-01

Increasing urbanization in the 67-square-mile Clover Creek Basin has generated interest in the effects of land-use changes on local water quality. To investigate these effects, water-quality and streamflow data were collected from 19 surface-water sites in the basin over a 16-month period from January 1991 through April 1992. These data were used to understand the effects of surficial geology, land-use practices, and wastewater disposal practices on surface-water quality within the basin. The basin was divided into four drainage subbasins with dissimilar hydrogeologic, land-use, and water-quality characteristics. In the Upper Clover Creek subbasin, the high permeability of surficial geologic materials promotes infiltration of precipitation to ground water and thus attenuates the response of streams to rainfall. Significant interaction occurs between surface and ground water in this subbasin, and nitrate concentrations and specific conductance values, similar to those found historically in local ground water, indicate that sources such as subsurface waste-disposal systems and fertilizers are affecting surface- water quality in this area. In the Spanaway subbasin, the presence of Spanaway and Tule Lakes affects water quality, primarily because of the reduced velocity and long residence time of water in the lakes. Reduced water velocity and long residence times (1) cause settling of suspended materials, thereby reducing concentrations of suspended sediment and constituents that are bound to the sediment; (2) promote biological activity, which tends to trap nutrients in the lakes; and (3) allow dispersion to attenuate peaks in discharge and water-quality constituent concentrations. In the North Fork subbasin, the low permeability of surficial geologic materials and areas of intensive land development inhibit infiltration of precipitation and thus promote surface runoff to streams. Surface pathways provide little attenuation of storm runoff and result in rapid increases

Simulation of Water Quality in the Tull Creek and West Neck Creek Watersheds, Currituck Sound Basin, North Carolina and Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia, Ana Maria

2009-01-01

A study of the Currituck Sound was initiated in 2005 to evaluate the water chemistry of the Sound and assess the effectiveness of management strategies. As part of this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to simulate current sediment and nutrient loadings for two distinct watersheds in the Currituck Sound basin and to determine the consequences of different water-quality management scenarios. The watersheds studied were (1) Tull Creek watershed, which has extensive row-crop cultivation and artificial drainage, and (2) West Neck Creek watershed, which drains urban areas in and around Virginia Beach, Virginia. The model simulated monthly streamflows with Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficients of 0.83 and 0.76 for Tull Creek and West Neck Creek, respectively. The daily sediment concentration coefficient of determination was 0.19 for Tull Creek and 0.36 for West Neck Creek. The coefficient of determination for total nitrogen was 0.26 for both watersheds and for dissolved phosphorus was 0.4 for Tull Creek and 0.03 for West Neck Creek. The model was used to estimate current (2006-2007) sediment and nutrient yields for the two watersheds. Total suspended-solids yield was 56 percent lower in the urban watershed than in the agricultural watershed. Total nitrogen export was 45 percent lower, and total phosphorus was 43 percent lower in the urban watershed than in the agricultural watershed. A management scenario with filter strips bordering the main channels was simulated for Tull Creek. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool model estimated a total suspended-solids yield reduction of 54 percent and total nitrogen and total phosphorus reductions of 21 percent and 29 percent, respectively, for the Tull Creek watershed.

Pathogenic bacteria and microbial-source tracking markers in Brandywine Creek Basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 2009-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duris, Joseph W.; Reif, Andrew G.; Olson, Leif E.; Johnson, Heather E.

2011-01-01

The City of Wilmington, Delaware, is in the downstream part of the Brandywine Creek Basin, on the main stem of Brandywine Creek. Wilmington uses this stream, which drains a mixed-land-use area upstream, for its main drinking-water supply. Because the stream is used for drinking water, Wilmington is in need of information about the occurrence and distribution of specific fecally derived pathogenic bacteria (disease-causing bacteria) and their relations to commonly measured fecal-indicator bacteria (FIB), as well as information regarding the potential sources of the fecal pollution and pathogens in the basin. This study focused on five routinely sampled sites within the basin, one each on the West Branch and the East Branch of Brandywine Creek and at three on the main stem below the confluence of the West and East Branches. These sites were sampled monthly for 1 year. Targeted event samples were collected on two occasions during high flow and two occasions during normal flow. On the basis of this study, high flows in the Brandywine Creek Basin were related to increases in FIB densities, and in the frequency of selected pathogen and source markers, in the West Branch and main stem of Brandywine Creek, but not in the East Branch. Water exceeding the moderate fullbody-contact single-sample recreational water-quality criteria (RWQC) for Escherichia coli (E. coli) was more likely to contain selected markers for pathogenic E. coli (eaeA,stx1, and rfbO157 gene markers) and bovine fecal sources (E. hirae and LTIIa gene markers), whereas samples exceeding the enterococci RWQC were more likely to contain the same pathogenic markers but also were more likely to carry a marker indicative of human source (esp gene marker). On four sample dates, during high flow between October and March, the West Branch was the only observed potential contributor of selected pathogen and bovine source markers to the main stem of Brandywine Creek. Indeed, the stx2 marker, which indicates a highly

Development of a Precipitation-Runoff Model to Simulate Unregulated Streamflow in the Salmon Creek Basin, Okanogan County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

van Heeswijk, Marijke

2006-01-01

Surface water has been diverted from the Salmon Creek Basin for irrigation purposes since the early 1900s, when the Bureau of Reclamation built the Okanogan Project. Spring snowmelt runoff is stored in two reservoirs, Conconully Reservoir and Salmon Lake Reservoir, and gradually released during the growing season. As a result of the out-of-basin streamflow diversions, the lower 4.3 miles of Salmon Creek typically has been a dry creek bed for almost 100 years, except during the spring snowmelt season during years of high runoff. To continue meeting the water needs of irrigators but also leave water in lower Salmon Creek for fish passage and to help restore the natural ecosystem, changes are being considered in how the Okanogan Project is operated. This report documents development of a precipitation-runoff model for the Salmon Creek Basin that can be used to simulate daily unregulated streamflows. The precipitation-runoff model is a component of a Decision Support System (DSS) that includes a water-operations model the Bureau of Reclamation plans to develop to study the water resources of the Salmon Creek Basin. The DSS will be similar to the DSS that the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Survey developed previously for the Yakima River Basin in central southern Washington. The precipitation-runoff model was calibrated for water years 1950-89 and tested for water years 1990-96. The model was used to simulate daily streamflows that were aggregated on a monthly basis and calibrated against historical monthly streamflows for Salmon Creek at Conconully Dam. Additional calibration data were provided by the snowpack water-equivalent record for a SNOTEL station in the basin. Model input time series of daily precipitation and minimum and maximum air temperatures were based on data from climate stations in the study area. Historical records of unregulated streamflow for Salmon Creek at Conconully Dam do not exist for water years 1950-96. Instead, estimates of

Comparison of the Various Methodologies Used in Studying Runoff and Sediment Load in the Yellow River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, M., III; Liu, X.

2017-12-01

In the past 60 years, both the runoff and sediment load in the Yellow River Basin showed significant decreasing trends owing to the influences of human activities and climate change. Quantifying the impact of each factor (e.g. precipitation, sediment trapping dams, pasture, terrace, etc.) on the runoff and sediment load is among the key issues to guide the implement of water and soil conservation measures, and to predict the variation trends in the future. Hundreds of methods have been developed for studying the runoff and sediment load in the Yellow River Basin. Generally, these methods can be classified into empirical methods and physical-based models. The empirical methods, including hydrological method, soil and water conservation method, etc., are widely used in the Yellow River management engineering. These methods generally apply the statistical analyses like the regression analysis to build the empirical relationships between the main characteristic variables in a river basin. The elasticity method extensively used in the hydrological research can be classified into empirical method as it is mathematically deduced to be equivalent with the hydrological method. Physical-based models mainly include conceptual models and distributed models. The conceptual models are usually lumped models (e.g. SYMHD model, etc.) and can be regarded as transition of empirical models and distributed models. Seen from the publications that less studies have been conducted applying distributed models than empirical models as the simulation results of runoff and sediment load based on distributed models (e.g. the Digital Yellow Integrated Model, the Geomorphology-Based Hydrological Model, etc.) were usually not so satisfied owing to the intensive human activities in the Yellow River Basin. Therefore, this study primarily summarizes the empirical models applied in the Yellow River Basin and theoretically analyzes the main causes for the significantly different results using

Nutrients, Select Pesticides, and Suspended Sediment in the Karst Terrane of the Sinking Creek Basin, Kentucky, 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crain, Angela S.

2010-01-01

This report presents the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, on nutrients, select pesticides, and suspended sediment in the karst terrane of the Sinking Creek Basin. Streamflow, nutrient, select pesticide, and suspended-sediment data were collected at seven sampling stations from 2004 through 2006. Concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate ranged from 0.21 to 4.9 milligrams per liter (mg/L) at the seven stations. The median concentration of nitrite plus nitrate for all stations sampled was 1.6 mg/L. Total phosphorus concentrations were greater than 0.1 mg/L, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended maximum concentration, in 45 percent of the samples. Concentrations of orthophosphates ranged from less than 0.006 to 0.46 mg/L. Concentrations of nutrients generally were larger during spring and summer months, corresponding to periods of increased fertilizer application on agricultural lands. Concentrations of suspended sediment ranged from 1.0 to 1,490 mg/L at the seven stations. Of the 47 pesticides analyzed, 14 were detected above the adjusted method reporting level of 0.01 micrograms per liter (mug/L). Although these pesticides were detected in water-quality samples, they generally were found at less than part-per-billion concentrations. Atrazine was the only pesticide detected at concentrations greater than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standard of 3 mug/L, and the maximum detected concentration was 24.6 mug/L. Loads and yields of nutrients, selected pesticides, and suspended sediment were estimated at two mainstream stations on Sinking Creek, a headwater station (Sinking Creek at Rosetta) and a station at the basin outlet (Sinking Creek near Lodiburg). Mean daily streamflow data were available for the estimation of loads and yields from a stream gage at the basin outlet station; however, only periodic instantaneous flow measurements were available for the

Reservoir heterogeneity in Carter Sandstone, North Blowhorn Creek oil unit and vicinity, Black Warrior Basin, Alabama

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

Kugler, R.L.; Pashin, J.C.

1992-05-01

This report presents accomplishments made in completing Task 3 of this project which involves development of criteria for recognizing reservoir heterogeneity in the Black Warrior basin. The report focuses on characterization of the Upper Mississippian Carter sandstone reservoir in North Blowhorn Creek and adjacent oil units in Lamar County, Alabama. This oil unit has produced more than 60 percent of total oil extracted from the Black Warrior basin of Alabama. The Carter sandstone in North Blowhorn Creek oil unit is typical of the most productive Carter oil reservoirs in the Black Warrior basin of Alabama. The first part of themore » report synthesizes data derived from geophysical well logs and cores from North Blowhorn Creek oil unit to develop a depositional model for the Carter sandstone reservoir. The second part of the report describes the detrital and diagenetic character of Carter sandstone utilizing data from petrographic and scanning electron microscopes and the electron microprobe. The third part synthesizes porosity and pore-throat-size-distribution data determined by high-pressure mercury porosimetry and commercial core analyses with results of the sedimentologic and petrographic studies. The final section of the report discusses reservoir heterogeneity within the context of the five-fold classification of Moore and Kugler (1990).« less

Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater and surface-water systems, land use, pumpage, and water budget of the Chamokane Creek basin, Stevens County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kahle, Sue C.; Taylor, William A.; Lin, Sonja; Sumioka, Steven S.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2010-01-01

A study of the water resources of the unconsolidated groundwater system of the Chamokane Creek basin was conducted to determine the hydrogeologic framework, interactions of shallow and deep parts of the groundwater system with each other and the surface-water system, changes in land use and land cover, and water-use estimates. Chamokane Creek basin is a 179 mi2 area that borders and partially overlaps the Spokane Indian Reservation in southern Stevens County in northeastern Washington State. Aquifers within the Chamokane Creek basin are part of a sequence of glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sediment that may reach total thicknesses of about 600 ft. In 1979, most of the water rights in the Chamokane Creek basin were adjudicated by the United States District Court requiring regulation in favor of the Spokane Tribe of Indians' senior water right. The Spokane Tribe, the State of Washington, and the United States are concerned about the effects of additional groundwater development within the basin on Chamokane Creek. Information provided by this study will be used to evaluate the effects of potential increases in groundwater withdrawals on groundwater and surface-water resources within the basin. The hydrogeologic framework consists of six hydrogeologic units: The Upper outwash aquifer, the Landslide Unit, the Valley Confining Unit, the Lower Aquifer, the Basalt Unit, and the Bedrock Unit. The Upper outwash aquifer occurs along the valley floors of the study area and consists of sand, gravel, cobbles, boulders, with minor silt and (or) clay interbeds in places. The Lower aquifer is a confined aquifer consisting of sand and gravel that occurs at depth below the Valley confining unit. Median horizontal hydraulic conductivity values for the Upper outwash aquifer, Valley confining unit, Lower aquifer, and Basalt unit were estimated to be 540, 10, 19, and 3.7 ft/d, respectively. Many low-flow stream discharge measurements at sites on Chamokane Creek and its tributaries

Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado, Oil Shale Geodatabase

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

This geodatabase is a digital reproduction of three legacy USGS oil shale publications--MF-958 (Pitman and Johnson, 1978), MF-1069 (Pitman, 1979), and OC-132 (Pitman and others, 1990). The database consists of 106 feature classes in three feature datasets organized by publication. Each dataset contains isopach contours, isoresource contours, isoresource polygons, and corehole and drillhole locations with resource values for 12 kerogen-rich (R) and kerogen-lean (L) oil shale zones in the Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado. The uppermost zones, Mahogany and R-6, also contain detailed structure files. The zones in descending order are: Mahogany, R-6, L-5, R-5, L-4, R-4, L-3, R-3, L-2, R-2, L-1, and R-1.

Sources and summaries of water-quality information for the Rapid Creek basin, western South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zogorski, John S.; Zogorski, E.M.; McKallip, T.E.

1990-01-01

This report provides a compilation of water quality information for the Rapid Creek basin in western South Dakota. Two types of information are included: First, past and current water quality monitoring data collected by the South Dakota Department of Water and Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and others are described. Second, a summary is included for all past water quality reports, publications, and theses that could be located during this study. A total of 62 documents were abstracted and included journal articles, abstracts, Federal agency reports and publications, university and State agency reports, local agency reports, and graduate theses. The report should be valuable to water resources managers, regulators, and others contemplating water quality research, monitoring, and regulatory programs in the Rapid Creek basin. (USGS)

Lessons Learned from Predicting the Poorly Gauged Sweetwater Creek Basin, in Central Idaho

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morehead, M. D.; Peckham, S.; Muskatirovic, J.

2005-12-01

The flow regime of a poorly gauged basin in central Idaho was modeled in response to Agency, Tribal and Irrigation District needs to provide water for irrigation while still providing flows for a healthy ecosystem in Sweetwater Creek. This modeling effort shows some strengths and weakness of our present state of knowledge in simulating the hydrology of a basin. The spring freshet of a normal and a high flow year were simulated relatively successfully. However, the low flow year and summer thunderstorm events were not simulated as well, with the model over simulating the flow rates for these events. Improvements in a number of areas would increase the accuracy of the modeled flows. Improved meteorological data collection may help considerably. It is known that storm systems are funneled up the valley of Clearwater River where the present meteorological gauging sites are. Having meteorological gauging sites further into Sweetwater Creek Basin and away from the effects of the Clearwater River would improve the input conditions. Additionally, this semi-arid watershed commonly breaks the assumption of a moist soil profile. When these soils are dry, a wetting front must establish and propagate its way through the soil before a shallow groundwater flow system can be set up. Much of the precipitation input from the intermittent summer rainstorms can be absorbed into the soil profile and evaporated without having a significant discharge signal. An improved, semiarid groundwater model is needed for this type of environment. An irrigation project exists on Sweetwater Creek near Lewiston Idaho that decreases the flows on the creek, particularly during low flow periods, including late summer and early fall. There are concerns over the effects of the operation of the irrigation system on in-stream habitat. Limited data have been collected, which would allow an evaluation of the natural flow regime of Sweetwater Creek. Due to the lack of natural flow data, a numerical model was

Hydrology of Eagle Creek Basin and effects of groundwater pumping on streamflow, 1969-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matherne, Anne Marie; Myers, Nathan C.; McCoy, Kurt J.

2010-01-01

Urban and resort development and drought conditions have placed increasing demands on the surface-water and groundwater resources of the Eagle Creek Basin, in southcentral New Mexico. The Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, obtains 60-70 percent of its water from the Eagle Creek Basin. The village drilled four production wells on Forest Service land along North Fork Eagle Creek; three of the four wells were put into service in 1988 and remain in use. Local citizens have raised questions as to the effects of North Fork well pumping on flow in Eagle Creek. In response to these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Village of Ruidoso, conducted a hydrologic investigation from 2007 through 2009 of the potential effect of the North Fork well field on streamflow in North Fork Eagle Creek. Mean annual precipitation for the period of record (1942-2008) at the Ruidoso climate station is 22.21 inches per year with a range from 12.27 inches in 1970 to 34.81 inches in 1965. Base-flow analysis indicates that the 1970-80 mean annual discharge, direct runoff, and base flow were 2,260, 1,440, and 819 acre-ft/yr, respectively, and for 1989-2008 were 1,290, 871, and 417 acre-ft/yr, respectively. These results indicate that mean annual discharge, direct runoff, and base flow were less during the 1989-2008 period than during the 1970-80 period. Mean annual precipitation volume for the study area was estimated to be 12,200 acre-feet. Estimated annual evapotranspiration for the study area ranged from 8,730 to 8,890 acre-feet. Estimated annual basin yield for the study area was 3,390 acre-ft or about 28 percent of precipitation. On the basis of basin-yield computations, annual recharge was estimated to be 1,950 acre-ft, about 16 percent of precipitation. Using a chloride mass-balance method, groundwater recharge over the study area was estimated to average 490 acre-ft, about 4.0 percent of precipitation. Because the North Fork wells began pumping in 1988, 1969

Ground-Water System in the Chimacum Creek Basin and Surface Water/Ground Water Interaction in Chimacum and Tarboo Creeks and the Big and Little Quilcene Rivers, Eastern Jefferson County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simonds, F. William; Longpre, Claire I.; Justin, Greg B.

2004-01-01

A detailed study of the ground-water system in the unconsolidated glacial deposits in the Chimacum Creek Basin and the interactions between surface water and ground water in four main drainage basins was conducted in eastern Jefferson County, Washington. The study will assist local watershed planners in assessing the status of the water resources and the potential effects of ground-water development on surface-water systems. A new surficial geologic map of the Chimacum Creek Basin and a series of hydrogeologic sections were developed by incorporating LIDAR imagery, existing map sources, and drillers' logs from 110 inventoried wells. The hydrogeologic framework outlined in the study will help characterize the occurrence of ground water in the unconsolidated glacial deposits and how it interacts with the surface-water system. Water levels measured throughout the study show that the altitude of the water table parallels the surface topography and ranges from 0 to 400 feet above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 across the basin, and seasonal variations in precipitation due to natural cycles generally are on the order of 2 to 3 feet. Synoptic stream-discharge measurements and instream mini-piezometers and piezometers with nested temperature sensors provided additional data to refine the positions of gaining and losing reaches and delineate seasonal variations. Chimacum Creek generally gains water from the shallow ground-water system, except near the community of Chimacum where localized losses occur. In the lower portions of Chimacum Creek, gaining conditions dominate in the summer when creek stages are low and ground-water levels are high, and losing conditions dominate in the winter when creek stages are high relative to ground-water levels. In the Quilcene Bay area, three drainage basins were studied specifically to assess surface water/ground water interactions. The upper reaches of Tarboo Creek generally gain water from the shallow ground-water system

Ten key questions about the management of water in the Yellow River basin.

PubMed

Barnett, Jon; Webber, Michael; Wang, Mark; Finlayson, Brian; Dickinson, Debbie

2006-08-01

Water is scarce in many regions of the world, clean water is difficult to find in most developing countries, there are conflicts between irrigation needs and urban demands, and there is wide debate over appropriate means of resolving these problems. Similarly, in China, there is limited understanding of the ways in which people, groups, and institutions contribute to, are affected by, and respond to changes in water quantity and quality. We use the example of the Yellow River basin to argue that these social, managerial, and policy dimensions of the present water problems are significant and overshadow the physical ones. Despite this, they receive relatively little attention in the research agenda, particularly of the lead agencies in the management of the Yellow River basin. To this end, we ask ten research questions needed to address the policy needs of water management in the basin, split into two groups of five. The first five relate to the importance of water in this basin and the changes that have affected water problems and will continue to do so. The second five questions represent an attempt to explore possible solutions to these problems.

Hydrogeology and water quality of the West Valley Creek Basin, Chester County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senior, Lisa A.; Sloto, Ronald A.; Reif, Andrew G.

1997-01-01

The West Valley Creek Basin drains 20.9 square miles in the Piedmont Physiographic Province of southeastern Pennsylvania and is partly underlain by carbonate rocks that are highly productive aquifers. The basin is undergoing rapid urbanization that includes changes in land use and increases in demand for public water supply and wastewater disposal. Ground water is the sole source of supply in the basin.West Valley Creek flows southwest in a 1.5-mile-wide valley that is underlain by folded and faulted carbonate rocks and trends east-northeast, parallel to regional geologic structures. The valley is flanked by hills underlain by quartzite and gneiss to the north and by phyllite and schist to the south. Surface water and ground water flow from the hills toward the center of the valley. Ground water in the valley flows west-southwest parallel to the course of the stream. Seepage investigations identified losing reaches in the headwaters area where streams are underlain by carbonate rocks and gaining reaches downstream. Tributaries contribute about 75 percent of streamflow. The ground-water and surface-water divides do not coincide in the carbonate valley. The ground-water divide is about 0.5 miles west of the surface-water divide at the eastern edge of the carbonate valley. Underflow to the east is about 1.1 inches per year. Quarry dewatering operations at the western edge of the valley may act partly as an artificial basin boundary, preventing underflow to the west. Water budgets for 1990, a year of normal precipitation (45.8 inches), and 1991, a year of sub-normal precipitation (41.5 inches), were calculated. Streamflow was 14.61 inches in 1990 and 12.08 inches in 1991. Evapotranspiration was estimated to range from 50 to 60 percent of precipitation. Base flow was about 62 percent of streamflow in both years. Exportation by sewer systems was about 3 inches from the basin and, at times, equaled base flow during the dry autumn of 1991. Recharge was estimated to be 18

Streamflow, water-quality, and biological conditions in the Big Black Creek basin, St. Clair County, Alabama, 1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Journey, Celeste A.; Clark, Amy E.; Stricklin, Victor E.

1998-01-01

In 1997 synoptic streamflow, water-quality, and biological investi- gations in the Big Black Creek Basin were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the City of Moody, St. Clair County, and the Birmingham Water Works Board. Data obtained during these synoptic investigations provide a one-time look at the streamflow and water-quality conditions in the Big Black Creek Basin during a stable, base-flow period when streamflow originated only from ground-water discharge. These data were used to assess the degree of water-quality degradation in the Big Black Creek Basin from land-use activities in the basin, including leakage of leachate from the Acmar Regional Land- fill. Biological data from the benthic invertebrate community investigation provided an assessment of the cumulative effects of stream conditions on organisms in the basin. The synoptic measurement of streamflow at 28 sites was made during a period of baseflow on August 27, 1997. Two stream reaches above the landfill lost water to the ground-water system, but those below the landfill had significantly higher ground-water gains. If significant leakage of leachate from the landfill had occurred during the measurement period, the distribution of ground-water discharge suggests that leachate would travel relatively short distances before resurfacing as ground-water discharge to the stream. Benthic invertebrate communities were sampled at four sites in the Big Black Creek Basin during July 16-17, 1997. Based on Alabama Department of Environmental Management criteria and on comparison with a nearby unimparied reference site, the benthic invertebrate communities at the sites sampled were considered unimpaired or only slightly impaired during the sample period. This would imply that landfill and coal-mining activities did not have a detrimental effect on the benthic invertebrate communities at the time of the study. Synoptic water-column samples were collected at nine sites on Big Black Creek and

Digital-model simulation of the glacial-outwash aquifer, Otter Creek-Dry Creek basin, Cortland County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cosner, O.J.; Harsh, J.F.

1978-01-01

The city of Cortland, New York, and surrounding areas obtain water from the highly productive glacial-outwash aquifer underlying the Otter Creek-Dry Creek basin. Pumpage from the aquifer in 1976 was approximately 6.3 million gallons per day and is expected to increase as a result of population growth and urbanization. A digital ground-water model that uses a finite-difference approximation technique to solve partial differential equations of flow through a porous medium was used to simulate the movement of water within the aquifer. The model was calibrated to equilibrium conditions by comparing water levels measured in the aquifer in March 1976 with those computed by the model. Then, from the simulated water-level surface for March, a transient-condition run was made to simulate the surface as measured in September 1976. Computed water levels presented as contours are generally in close agreement with potentiometric-surface maps prepared from field measurements of March and September 1976. (Woodard-USGS)

Hydrogeologic setting and hydrologic data of the Smoke Creek Desert basin, Washoe County, Nevada, and Lassen County, California, water years 1988-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maurer, D.K.

1993-01-01

Smoke Creek Desert is a potential source of water for urban development in Washoe County, Nevada. Hydrogeologic data were collected from 1988 to 1990 to learn more about surface- and ground-water flow in the basin. Impermeable rocks form a boundary to ground-water flow on the east side of the basin and at unknown depths at the base of the flow system. Permeable volcanic rocks on the west and north sides of the basin represent a previously unrecognized aquifer and provide potential avenues for interbasin flow. Geophysical data indicate that basin-fill sediments are about 2,000 feet thick near the center of the basin. The geometry of the aquifers, however, remains largely unknown. Measurements of water levels, pressure head, flow rate, water temperature, and specific conductance at 19 wells show little change from 1988 to 1990. Chemically, ground water begins as a dilute sodium and calcium bicarbonate water in the mountain blocks, changes to a slightly saline sodium bicarbonate solution beneath the alluvial fans, and becomes a briny sodium chloride water near the playa. Concentrations of several inorganic constituents in the briny water near the playa commonly exceed Nevada drinking-water standards. Ground water in the Honey Lake basin and Smoke Creek Desert basin has similar stable-isotope composition, except near Sand Pass. If interbasin flow takes place, it likely occurs at depths greater than 400-600 feet beneath Sand Pass or through volcanic rocks to the north of Sand Pass. Measure- ments of streamflow indicate that about 2,800 acre-feet/year discharged from volcanic rocks to streamflow and a minimum of 7.300 acre-feet/year infiltrated and recharged unconsolidated sediments near Smoke, Buffalo, and Squaw Creeks during the period of study. Also about 1,500 acre-feet per year was lost to evapotranspiration along the channel of Smoke Creek, and about 1,680 acre-feet per year of runoff from Smoke, Buffalo, and Squaw Creeks was probably lost to evaporation from the

Surface-Water Quality of the Skokomish, Nooksack, and Green-Duwamish Rivers and Thornton Creek, Puget Sound Basin, Washington, 1995-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Embrey, S.S.; Frans, L.M.

2003-01-01

Streamflow and surface-water-quality data were collected from November 1995 through April 1998 (water years 1996-98) from a surface-water network in the Puget Sound Basin study unit of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program. Water samples collected monthly and during storm runoff events were analyzed for nutrients, major ions, organic carbon, and suspended sediment, and at selected sites, samples were analyzed for pesticides and volatile organic compounds. Eleven sites were established in three major watersheds--two in the Skokomish River Basin, three in the Nooksack River Basin, five in the Green-Duwamish River Basin, and one site in Thornton Creek Basin, a small tributary to Lake Washington. The Skokomish River near Potlatch, Nooksack River at Brennan, and Duwamish River at Tukwila are integrators of mixed land uses with the sampling sites locally influenced by forestry practices, agriculture, and urbanization, respectively. The remaining eight sites are indicators of relatively homogeneous land use/land cover in their basins. The site on the North Fork Skokomish River is an indicator site chosen to measure reference or background conditions in the study unit. In the Nooksack River Basin, the site on Fishtrap Creek is an indicator of agriculture, and the Nooksack River at North Cedarville is an indicator site of forestry practices in the upper watershed. In the Green-Duwamish River Basin, Springbrook Creek is an urban indicator, Big Soos Creek is an indicator of a rapidly developing suburban basin; Newaukum Creek is an indicator of agriculture; and the Green River above Twin Camp Creek is an indicator of forestry practices. Thornton Creek is an indicator of high-density urban residential and commercial development. Conditions during the first 18 months of sampling were dominated by above-normal precipitation. For the Seattle-Tacoma area, water year 1997 was the wettest of the 3 years during the sample-collection period. Nearly 52

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Tom

1986-01-01

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

Application of a snowmelt-runoff model using LANDSAT data. [Dinwoody Creek Basin, Wyoming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The snowmelt-runoff model developed for two small central European watersheds simulate daily streamflow on the 228 sq km Dinwoody Creek basin in Wyoming, using snowcover extent for LANDSAT and conventionally measured temperature and precipitation. For the six-month snowmelt seasons of 1976 and 1974, the simulated seasonal runoff volumes were within 5 and 1%, respectively, of the measured runoff. Also the daily fluctuations of discharge were simulated to a high degree by the model. Thus far the limiting basin size for applying the model has not been reached, and improvements can be expected if the hydrometeorological data can be obtained from a station inside the basin. LANDSAT provides an efficient way to obtain the critical snowcover input parameter required by the model.

Geochemistry of mercury and other constituents in subsurface sediment—Analyses from 2011 and 2012 coring campaigns, Cache Creek Settling Basin, Yolo County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arias, Michelle R.; Alpers, Charles N.; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Agee, Jennifer L.; Sneed, Michelle; Morita, Andrew Y.; Salas, Antonia

2017-10-31

Cache Creek Settling Basin was constructed in 1937 to trap sediment from Cache Creek before delivery to the Yolo Bypass, a flood conveyance for the Sacramento River system that is tributary to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Sediment management options being considered by stakeholders in the Cache Creek Settling Basin include sediment excavation; however, that could expose sediments containing elevated mercury concentrations from historical mercury mining in the watershed. In cooperation with the California Department of Water Resources, the U.S. Geological Survey undertook sediment coring campaigns in 2011–12 (1) to describe lateral and vertical distributions of mercury concentrations in deposits of sediment in the Cache Creek Settling Basin and (2) to improve constraint of estimates of the rate of sediment deposition in the basin.Sediment cores were collected in the Cache Creek Settling Basin, Yolo County, California, during October 2011 at 10 locations and during August 2012 at 5 other locations. Total core depths ranged from approximately 4.6 to 13.7 meters (15 to 45 feet), with penetration to about 9.1 meters (30 feet) at most locations. Unsplit cores were logged for two geophysical parameters (gamma bulk density and magnetic susceptibility); then, selected cores were split lengthwise. One half of each core was then photographed and archived, and the other half was subsampled. Initial subsamples from the cores (20-centimeter composite samples from five predetermined depths in each profile) were analyzed for total mercury, methylmercury, total reduced sulfur, iron speciation, organic content (as the percentage of weight loss on ignition), and grain-size distribution. Detailed follow-up subsampling (3-centimeter intervals) was done at six locations along an east-west transect in the southern part of the Cache Creek Settling Basin and at one location in the northern part of the basin for analyses of total mercury; organic content; and cesium-137, which was

Flood of August 31-September 1, 1978, in Crosswicks Creek basin and vicinity, central New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vickers, Arthur A.

1980-01-01

A thunderstorm during the evening of August 31, 1978, caused flooding in a small area of south central New Jersey. Maximum peaks of record occurred on the upper Crosswicks Creek basin in the vicinity of Fort Dix, Wrightstown, and New Egypt. At New Egypt, high water crest elevations for Crosswicks Creek were approximately 4 feet higher than the previous maximum recorded on August 28, 1971. Total damages were in excess of 2 million dollars, with 70 houses and 14 businesses affected.

Groundwater-surfacewater relationships in the Bonaparte Creek basin, Okanogan County, Washington, 1979-1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Packard, F.A.; Sumioka, S.S.; Whiteman, K.J.

1983-01-01

Ground water-surface-water relationships were studied in five morphological segments in the Bonaparte Creek basin, Washington during 1979 and 1980. In one segment, kettle lakes were found to be closely associated with the ground-water system. In the other four segments, a close relationship was found between streamflow and ground water. It was concluded that additional ground-water development would adversely affect lake levels and streamflow, thereby reducing surface-water resources already closed to further appropriation. The ground-water divide between the Bonaparte and Sanpoil basins was 6 miles southeast of where it was estimated to be. (USGS)

Rock-Eval pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance results from the Sheep Creek 1 well, Susitna basin, south-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, Richard G.; Lillis, Paul G.; Pawlewicz, Mark J.; Haeussler, Peter J.

2014-01-01

We used Rock-Eval pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance to examine the petroleum source potential of rock samples from the Sheep Creek 1 well in the Susitna basin of south-central Alaska. The results show that Miocene nonmarine coal, carbonaceous shale, and mudstone are potential sources of hydrocarbons and are thermally immature with respect to the oil window. In the samples that we studied, coals are more organic-rich and more oil-prone than carbonaceous shales and silty mudstones, which appear to be potential sources of natural gas. Lithologically similar rocks may be present in the deeper parts of the subsurface Susitna basin located west of the Sheep Creek 1 well, where they may have been buried deeply enough to generate oil and (or) gas. The Susitna basin is sparsely drilled and mostly unexplored, and no commercial production of hydrocarbons has been obtained. However, the existence of potential source rocks of oil and gas, as shown by our Rock-Eval results, suggests that undiscovered petroleum accumulations may be present in the Susitna basin.

Water quality in the proposed Prosperity Reservoir area, Center Creek Basin, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barks, James H.; Berkas, Wayne R.

1979-01-01

Water in Center Creek basin, Mo., upstream from the proposed Prosperity Reservoir damsite is a calcium bicarbonate type that is moderately mineralized, hard, and slightly alkaline. Ammonia and organic nitrogen, phosphorus, total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, and bacteria increased considerably during storm runoff, probably due to livestock wastes. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations are probably high enough to cause the proposed lake to be eutrophic. Minor-element concentrations were at or near normal levels in Center and Jones Creeks. The only pesticides detected were 0.01 micrograms per liter of 2, 4, 5-T in one base-flow sample and 0.02 to 0.04 micrograms per liter of 2, 4, 5-T and 2, 4-D in all storm-runoff samples. Fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus densities ranged from 2 to 650 and 2 to 550 colonies per 100 milliliters, respectively, during base flow , but were 17,000 to 45,000 and 27,000 to 70,000 colonies per 100 milliliters, respectively, during storm runoff. Water in Center Creek about 2.5 miles downstream from the proposed damsite is similar in quality to that upstream from the damsite except for higher concentrations of sodium, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These higher concentrations are caused by fertilizer industry wastes that enter Center Creek about 1.0 mile downstream from the proposed damsite. (Woodard-USGS).

Hydrogeology and steady-state numerical simulation of groundwater flow in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arnold, L.R.

2010-01-01

The Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin (Lost Creek basin) is an important alluvial aquifer for irrigation, public supply, and domestic water uses in northeastern Colorado. Beginning in 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Lost Creek Ground Water Management District and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, collected hydrologic data and constructed a steady-state numerical groundwater flow model of the Lost Creek basin. The model builds upon the work of previous investigators to provide an updated tool for simulating the potential effects of various hydrologic stresses on groundwater flow and evaluating possible aquifer-management strategies. As part of model development, the thickness and extent of regolith sediments in the basin were mapped, and data were collected concerning aquifer recharge beneath native grassland, nonirrigated agricultural fields, irrigated agricultural fields, and ephemeral stream channels. The thickness and extent of regolith in the Lost Creek basin indicate the presence of a 2- to 7-mile-wide buried paleovalley that extends along the Lost Creek basin from south to north, where it joins the alluvial valley of the South Platte River valley. Regolith that fills the paleovalley is as much as about 190 ft thick. Average annual recharge from infiltration of precipitation on native grassland and nonirrigated agricultural fields was estimated by using the chloride mass-balance method to range from 0.1 to 0.6 inch, which represents about 1-4 percent of long-term average precipitation. Average annual recharge from infiltration of ephemeral streamflow was estimated by using apparent downward velocities of chloride peaks to range from 5.7 to 8.2 inches. Average annual recharge beneath irrigated agricultural fields was estimated by using passive-wick lysimeters and a water-balance approach to range from 0 to 11.3 inches, depending on irrigation method, soil type, crop type, and the net quantity of irrigation water applied

Effects of the proposed Prosperity Reservoir on ground water and water quality in lower Center Creek basin, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berkas, Wayne R.; Barks, James H.

1980-01-01

Effects of the proposed Prosperity Reservoir on ground water and water quality in lower Center Creek basin depend partly on the effectiveness of Grove Creek as a hydrologic boundary between the reservoir site and the Oronogo-Duenweg mining belt. Results of two dye traces indicate that Grove Creek probably is not an effective boundary. Therefore, higher water levels near the reservoir may cause more ground water to move into the mining belt and cause a greater discharge of zinc-laden mine water into Center Creek.Ground-water-level measurements and seepage runs on Center Creek indicate a relationship between ground-water levels, mine-water discharge and seepage, and base flow in Center Creek. From March to October 1979, ground-water levels generally decreased from 5 to 20 feet at higher elevations (recharge areas) and from 1 to 3 feet near Center Creek (discharge area); total mine water discharged to the surface before entering Center Creek decreased from 5.4 to 2.2 cubic feet per second; mine-water seepage directly to Center Creek decreased from an estimated 1.9 to 1.1 cubic feet per second; and the discharge of Center Creek near Carterville decreased from 184 to 42 cubic feet per second.Fertilizer industry wastes discharged into Grove Creek resulted in significant increases of nitrogen and phosphorus in lower Center Creek.

Relation between ground water and surface water in Brandywine Creek basin, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olmsted, F.H.; Hely, A.G.

1962-01-01

The relation between ground water and surface water was studied in Brandywine Creek basin, an area of 287 square miles in the Piedmont physiographic province in southeastern Pennsylvania. Most of the basin is underlain by crystalline rocks that yield only small to moderate supplies of water to wells, but the creek has an unusually well-sustained base flow. Streamflow records for the Chadds Ford, Pa., gaging station were analyzed; base flow recession curves and hydrographs of base flow were defined for the calendar years 1928-31 and 1952-53. Water budgets calculated for these two periods indicate that about two-thirds of the runoff of Brandywine Creek is base flow--a significantly higher proportion of base flow than in streams draining most other types of consolidated rocks in the region and almost as high as in streams in sandy parts of the Coastal Plain province in New Jersey and Delaware. Ground-water levels in 16 observation wells were compared with the base flow of the creek for 1952-53. The wells are assumed to provide a reasonably good sample of average fluctuations of the water table and its depth below the land surface. Three of the wells having the most suitable records were selected as index wells to use in a more detailed analysis. A direct, linear relation between the monthly average ground-water stage in the index wells and the base flow of the creek in winter months was found. The average ground-water discharge in the basin for 1952-53 was 489 cfs (316 mgd), of which slightly less than one-fourth was estimated to be loss by evapotranspiration. However, the estimated evapotranspiration from ground water, and consequently the estimated total ground-water discharge, may be somewhat high. The average gravity yield (short-term coefficient of storage) of the zone of water-table fluctuation was calculated by two methods. The first method, based on the ratio of change in ground-water storage as calculated from a witner base-flow recession curve is seasonal

Traveltime characteristics of Gore Creek and Black Gore Creek, upper Colorado River basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gurdak, Jason J.; Spahr, Norman E.; Szmajter, Richard J.

2002-01-01

In the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, major highways are often constructed in stream valleys. In the event of a vehicular accident involving hazardous materials, the close proximity of highways to the streams increases the risk of contamination entering the streams. Recent population growth has contributed to increased traffic volume along Colorado highways and has resulted in increased movement of hazardous materials, particularly along Interstate 70. Gore Creek and its major tributary, Black Gore Creek, are vulnerable to such contamination from vehicular accidents along Interstate 70. Gore Creek, major tributary of the Eagle River, drains approximately 102 square miles, some of which has recently undergone significant urban development. The headwaters of Gore Creek originate in the Gore Range in the eastern part of the Gore Creek watershed. Gore Creek flows west to the Eagle River. Beginning at the watershed boundary on Vail Pass, southeast of Vail Ski Resort, Interstate 70 parallels Black Gore Creek and then closely follows Gore Creek the entire length of the watershed. Interstate 70 crosses Gore Creek and tributaries 20 times in the watershed. In the event of a vehicular accident involving a contaminant spill into Gore Creek or Black Gore Creek, a stepwise procedure has been developed for water-resource managers to estimate traveltimes of the leading edge and peak concentration of a conservative contaminant. An example calculating estimated traveltimes for a hypothetical contaminant release in Black Gore Creek is provided. Traveltime measurements were made during May and September along Black Gore Creek and Gore Creek from just downstream from the Black Lakes to the confluence with the Eagle River to account for seasonal variability in stream discharge. Fluorometric dye injection of rhodamine WT and downstream dye detection by fluorometry were used to measure traveltime characteristics of Gore Creek and Black Gore Creek. During the May traveltime measurements

Temporal and spatial distribution of landslides in the Redwood Creek Basin, Northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madej, Mary Ann; Medley, C. Nicholas; Patterson, Glenn; Parker, Melanie J.

2011-01-01

Mass movement processes are a dominant means of supplying sediment to mountainous rivers of north coastal California, but the episodic nature of landslides represents a challenge to interpreting patterns of slope instability. This study compares two major landslide events occurring in 1964-1975 and in 1997 in the Redwood Creek basin in north coastal California. In 1997, a moderate-intensity, long-duration storm with high antecedent precipitation triggered 317 landslides with areas greater than 400 m2 in the 720-km2 Redwood Creek basin. The intensity-duration threshold for landslide initiation in 1997 was consistent with previously published values. Aerial photographs (1:6,000 scale) taken a few months after the 1997 storm facilitated the mapping of shallow debris slides, debris flows, and bank failures. The magnitude and location of the 1997 landslides were compared to the distributions of landslides generated by larger floods in 1964, 1972, and 1975. The volume of landslide material produced by the 1997 storm was an order of magnitude less than that generated in the earlier period. During both periods, inner gorge hillslopes produced many landslides, but the relative contribution of tributary basins to overall landslide production differed. Slope stability models can help identify areas susceptible to failure. The 22 percent of the watershed area classified as moderately to highly unstable by the SHALSTAB slope stability model included locations that generated almost 90 percent of the landslide volume during the 1997 storm.

"Rate and mechanics of progressive hillslope failure in the Redwood Creek basin, northwestern California"

Treesearch

D. N. Swanston; R. R. Ziemer; R. J. Janda

1995-01-01

Abstract - Both creep and earthflow processes dominate hillslope erosion over large parts of the Redwood Creek basin. The type of process and the displacement rates are largely dependent on underlying bedrock type and precipitation. Progressive creep having rates ranging from 1.0 to 2.5 mm/a dominates on slopes west of the Grogan fault underlain by sheared and...

Effects of Abandoned Coal-Mine Drainage on Streamflow and Water Quality in the Mahanoy Creek Basin, Schuylkill, Columbia, and Northumberland Counties, Pennsylvania, 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta,, Charles A.

2004-01-01

This report assesses the contaminant loading, effects to receiving streams, and possible remedial alternatives for abandoned mine drainage (AMD) within the Mahanoy Creek Basin in east-central Pennsylvania. The Mahanoy Creek Basin encompasses an area of 157 square miles (407 square kilometers) including approximately 42 square miles (109 square kilometers) underlain by the Western Middle Anthracite Field. As a result of more than 150 years of anthracite mining in the basin, ground water, surface water, and streambed sediments have been adversely affected. Leakage from streams to underground mines and elevated concentrations (above background levels) of acidity, metals, and sulfate in the AMD from flooded underground mines and (or) unreclaimed culm (waste rock) degrade the aquatic ecosystem and impair uses of the main stem of Mahanoy Creek from its headwaters to its mouth on the Susquehanna River. Various tributaries also are affected, including North Mahanoy Creek, Waste House Run, Shenandoah Creek, Zerbe Run, and two unnamed tributaries locally called Big Mine Run and Big Run. The Little Mahanoy Creek and Schwaben Creek are the only major tributaries not affected by mining. To assess the current hydrological and chemical characteristics of the AMD and its effect on receiving streams, and to identify possible remedial alternatives, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a study in 2001, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Schuylkill Conservation District. Aquatic ecological surveys were conducted by the USGS at five stream sites during low base-flow conditions in October 2001. Twenty species of fish were identified in Schwaben Creek near Red Cross, which drains an unmined area of 22.7 square miles (58.8 square kilometers) in the lower part of the Mahanoy Creek Basin. In contrast, 14 species of fish were identified in Mahanoy Creek near its mouth at Kneass, below Schwaben Creek. The diversity and abundance of fish

Preliminary thermal-maturity map of the Cameo and Fairfield or equivalent coal zone in the Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nuccio, Vito F.; Johnson, Ronald C.

1983-01-01

This map was prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy's Western Gas Sands Project and was constructed to show the thermal maturity of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Formation (or Group) in the Piceance Creek Basin. The ability of a source rock to generate oil and gas is directly related to its kerogen content and thermal maturity; hence, thermal maturity is commonly used as an exploration tool. This publication consists of two parts: a coal rank map for the basinwide Cameo and Fairfield or equivalent coal zone and three cross sections showing the variation in a coal rank for the entire Mesaverde. Structure contours on the map show the top of the Rollins Sandstone Member of the Mesaverde Formation and its equivalent the Trout Creek Sandstone Member of the Iles Formation of the Mesaverde Group, which immediately underlie the Cameo and Fairfield zone. The structure contours show the fairly strong correlation between structure and coal rank in the basin, suggesting that maximum overburden was the key factor in determining the coal ranks. Even in the southern part of the basin where extensive plutonism occurred during the Oligocene, coal ranks still generally follow structure; indicating that the plutons had little affect on the coals. On the cross sections both the top of the Rollins and Trout Creek, and the top of the Mesaverde Formation/Group are shown. A complete analysis of the entire Mesaverde in the basin would require more information than is presently available.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joseph, Robert L.; Green, W. Reed

1994-01-01

A study of the Yocum Creek Basin conducted between July 27 and August 3, 1993, described the surface- and ground-water quality of the basin and the streamflow gain and loss. Water samples were collected from 12 sites on the main stem of Yocum Creek and 2 tributaries during periods of low to moderate streamflow (less than 40 cubic feet per second). Water samples were collected from 5 wells and 12 springs located in the basin. In 14 surface- water samples, nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from 1.3 to 3.8 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Orthophosphorus concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.06 milligrams per liter as phosphorous. Fecal coliform bacteria counts ranged from 9 to 220 colonies per 100 milliliters, with a median of 49 colonies per 100 milliliters. Fecal streptococci bacteria counts ranged from 37 to 1,500 colonies per 100 milliliters with a median of 420 colonies per 100 milliliters. Analyses for selected metals collected near the mouth of Yocum Creek indicate that metals are not present in significant concen- trations in surface-water samples. Diel dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperatures were measured at two sites on the mainstem of the stream. At the upstream site, dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 6.2 to 9.9 milligrams per liter and temperatures ranged from 18.5 to 23.0 degrees Celsius. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were higher and tempentture values were lower at the upstream site than those at the downstream site. Five wells were sampled in the basin and dissolved ammonia was present in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.07 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Dissolved nitrite plus nitrate was present in wells, with concen- trations ranging from less than 0.02 to 6.0 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Volatile organic compound samples were collected at two wells and two springs. Chloroform was the only volatile organic compound found to be above the detection limit. Analysis indicated that 0.2 micrograms per liter of

Depositional environments, sequence stratigraphy, and trapping mechanisms of Fall River Formation in Donkey Creek and Coyote Creek oil fields, Powder River basin, Wyoming

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

Knox, P.R.

1989-09-01

Donkey Creek and Coyote Creek fields contain combined reserves of approximately 35 million bbl of oil and are within a trend of fields on the eastern flank of the Powder River basin that totals over 100 million bbl of reserves. The principal producing formation is the Lower Cretaceous Fall River Sandstone. A study of 45 cores and 248 logs from the three pools in the Donkey Creek and Coyote fields has shown that the Fall River is composed of three progradational deltaic units deposited during a period of rising relative sea level. These are locally eroded and are filled bymore » a fluvial point-bar complex deposited following a lowering of relative sea level. Four important depositional facies have been recognized: the delta-front and distributary-channel sandstone of the highstand deltaic sequence and the point-bar sandstone and channel-abandonment of the lowstand fluvial sequence. Stratigraphic traps in Coyote Creek and south Donkey Creek pools are the result of permeable (250 md) point-bar sandstone (250 bbl oil/day ip) bounded updip by impermeable (0.1 md) channel abandonment mudstone. Most of the oil in the central Donkey Creek pool is produced from permeable (76 md) distributary-channel sandstone (150 bbl oil/day ip), which is restricted to the western flank of a structural nose. Lesser production, on the crest and upper western flank of the structure, is obtained from the less permeable (2.8 md) delta-front sandstone (50 bbl oil/day ip). Production is possibly limited to the crest and western flank by hydrodynamic processes.« less

Impact assessment of climate change and human activities on net runoff in the Yellow River Basin from 1951 to 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, D.

2017-12-01

Runoff in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) has changed constantly during the past six decades. This study investigates the features of variations in runoff increment in the YRB and evaluates the impact of climate change and human activities on the mean annual net runoff. Residual analysis based on double mass curves (RA-DMC) was performed to quantitatively assess the separate contributions of climate change and human activities to the changes in net runoff. There was a significant downward trend in annual net runoff for each of the Yellow River sub-basins. For the basin as a whole, net runoff decreased at a rate of 0.721 × 109 m3 yr-1, with the upper, middle, and lower sub-basins separately accounting for 28.4%, 40.5% and 31.1% of the decrease. Human activities were responsible for more than 90% of the change in runoff in each separate sub-basin between 1960 and 2012. For the entire YRB, 91.7% of the change in net runoff from baseline was attributed to human activities. This indicates that human activities have become the dominant factor in net runoff changes in the Yellow River Basin. Among the upper, middle, and lower reaches, the effect of human activities was greatest in the lower reaches.

Rate and mechanics of progressive hillslope failure in the Redwood Creek basin, northwestern California

Treesearch

D. N. Swanston; R.R. Ziemerm; R.J. Janda

1995-01-01

Both creep and earthflow processes dominate hillslope erosion over large parts of the Redwood Creek basin. The type of process and the displacement rates are largely dependent on underlying bedrock type and precipitation. Progressive creep having rates ranging from 1.0 to 2.5 mm/a dominates on slopes west of the Grogan fault underlain by sheared and foliated schists....

Simulating land-use changes and stormwater-detention basins and evaluating their effect on peak streamflows and stream-water quality in Irondequoit Creek basin, New York—A user's manual for HSPF and GenScn

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coon, William F.

2003-01-01

A computer model of hydrologic and water-quality processes of the Irondequoit Creek basin in Monroe and Ontario Counties, N.Y., was developed during 2000-02 to enable water-resources managers to simulate the effects of future development and stormwater-detention basins on peak flows and water quality of Irondequoit Creek and its tributaries. The model was developed with the program Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) such that proposed or hypothetical land-use changes and instream stormwater-detention basins could be simulated, and their effects on peak flows and loads of total suspended solids, total phosphorus, ammonia-plus-organic nitrogen, and nitrate-plus-nitrite nitrogen could be analyzed, through an interactive computer program known as Generation and Analysis of Model Simulation Scenarios for Watersheds (GenScn). This report is a user's manual written to guide the Irondequoit Creek Watershed Collaborative in (1) the creation of land-use and flow-detention scenarios for simulation by the HSPF model, and (2) the use of GenScn to analyze the results of these simulations. These analyses can, in turn, aid the group in making basin-wide water-resources-management decisions.

Bacteriological water quality of Tulpehocken Creek basin, Berks and Lebanon Counties, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, James L.

1978-01-01

A four month intensive study of the bacteriological quality of water in the Tulpehocken Creek basin indicates that (1) the streams locally contain high densities of bacteria indicative of fecal contamination, (2) nonpoint waste sources, particularly livestock, are the dominant influence in the excessive bacteriological-indicator counts observed, and (3) retention time of water in the proposed Blue Marsh Lake is believed sufficient to reduce bacteria densities to acceptable levels except following intense rainfall and runoff events during normally low flow periods.

Preliminary three-dimensional geohydrologic framework of the San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin, Santa Barbara County, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cromwell, G.; Sweetkind, D. S.; O'leary, D. R.

2017-12-01

The San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin is a rural agricultural area that is heavily dependent on groundwater to meet local water demands. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with Santa Barbara County and Vandenberg Air Force Base to assess the quantity and quality of the groundwater resources within the basin. As part of this assessment, an integrated hydrologic model that will help stakeholders to effectively manage the water resources in the basin is being developed. The integrated hydrologic model includes a conceptual model of the subsurface geology consisting of stratigraphy and variations in lithology throughout the basin. The San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin is a relatively narrow, east-west oriented valley that is structurally controlled by an eastward-plunging syncline. Basin-fill material beneath the valley floor consists of relatively coarse-grained, permeable, marine and non-marine sedimentary deposits, which are underlain by fine-grained, low-permeability, marine sedimentary rocks. To characterize the system, surficial and subsurface geohydrologic data were compiled from geologic maps, existing regional geologic models, and lithology and geophysical logs from boreholes, including two USGS multiple-well sites drilled as part of this study. Geohydrologic unit picks and lithologic variations are incorporated into a three-dimensional framework model of the basin. This basin (model) includes six geohydrologic units that follow the structure and stratigraphy of the area: 1) Bedrock - low-permeability marine sedimentary rocks; 2) Careaga Formation - fine to coarse grained near-shore sandstone; 3) Paso Robles Formation, lower portion - sandy-gravely deposits with clay and limestone; 4) Paso Robles Formation, middle portion - clayey-silty deposits; 5) Paso Robles Formation, upper portion - sandy-gravely deposits; and 6) recent Quaternary deposits. Hydrologic data show that the upper and lower portions of the Paso Robles Formation are

Effects of land-use changes and stormflow-detention basins on flooding and nonpoint-source pollution, in Irondequoit Creek basin, Monroe and Ontario counties, New York--application of a precipitation-runoff model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coon, William F.; Johnson, Mark S.

2005-01-01

Urbanization of the 150-square-mile Irondequoit Creek basin in Monroe and Ontario Counties, N.Y., continues to spread southward and eastward from the City of Rochester, on the shore of Lake Ontario. Conversion of forested land to other uses over the past 40 years has increased to the extent that more than 50 percent of the basin is now developed. This expansion has increased flooding and impaired stream-water quality in the northern (downstream) half of the basin. A precipitation-runoff model of the Irondequoit Creek basin was developed with the model code HSPF (Hydrological Simulation Program--FORTRAN) to simulate the effects of land-use changes and stormflow-detention basins on flooding and nonpoint-source pollution on the basin. Model performance was evaluated through a combination of graphical comparisons and statistical tests, and indicated 'very good' agreement (mean error less than 10 percent) between observed and simulated daily and monthly streamflows, between observed and simulated monthly water temperatures, and between observed total suspended solids loads and simulated sediment loads. Agreement between monthly observed and simulated nutrient loads was 'very good' (mean error less than 15 percent) or 'good' (mean error between 15 and 25 percent). Results of model simulations indicated that peak flows and loads of sediment and total phosphorus would increase in a rural subbasin, where 10 percent of the basin was converted from forest and grassland to pervious and impervious developed areas. Subsequent simulation of a stormflow-detention basin at the mouth of this subbasin indicated that peak flows and constituent loads would decrease below those that were generated by the land-use-change scenario, and, in some cases, below those that were simulated by the original land-use scenario. Other results from model simulations of peak flows over a 30-year period (1970-2000), with and without simulation of 50-percent flow reductions at one existing and nine

Water resources of the Salmon Falls Creek basin, Idaho-Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crosthwaite, E.G.

1969-01-01

The northern part of the Salmon Falls Creek basin, referred to as the Salmon Falls tract, contains a large acreage of good agricultural land, but the surface-water supply is inadequate to develop the area fully. Attempts to develop ground water for irrigation have been successful only locally. Specific capacities of wells drilled for irrigation and for test purposes ranged from less than 0.5 to 70 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown. The surface-water supply averages 107,000 acre-feet annually, of which about 76,000 acre-feet is diverted for irrigation. The Idavada Volcanics, the most widespread and oldest water-bearing formation in the Salmon Falls tract, consists of massive, dense, thick flows and blankets of welded silicic tuff with associated fine- to coarse-grained ash, clay, silt, sand, and gravel. Fault zones and jointed rock yield large amounts of water to wells, but massive nonjointed units yield little water. Sand, tuff, and ash beds yield moderate quantities of water. Clay, sandy clay, sand, and pea gravel occur in topographic lows on the Idavada Volcanics. The finegrained sediments yield little water to wells, but the gravel yields moderate quantities. Vesicular porphyritic irregularly jointed olivine basalt flows, which overlie the Idavada Volcanics, underlie almost all the Salmon Falls tract. Lenticular fine-grained sedimentary beds as much as 15 feet thick separate some of the flows. Joints and contacts between flows yield small to moderate amounts of water to wells. Alluvial and windblown deposits blanket most of the tract. Where they occur below the water table, the alluvial deposits yield adequate supplies for stock and domestic wells. Perched water in the alluvium along Deep Creek supplies some stock and domestic wells during most years. Ground-water supplies adequate for domestic and stock use can be obtained everywhere in the tract, but extensive exploration has discovered only five local areas where pumping ground water for irrigation is

Assessment of water quality, benthic invertebrates, and periphyton in the Threemile Creek basin, Mobile, Alabama, 1999-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPherson, Ann K.; Gill, Amy C.; Moreland, Richard S.

2005-01-01

; the water chemistry at the second tributary site, Toulmins Spring Branch, was characterized by a strong calcium component without a dominant anionic species. The ratios of sodium to chloride at the tributary at Center Street were higher than typical values for seawater, indicating that sources other than seawater (such as leaking or overflowing sewer systems or industrial discharge) likely are contributors to the increased levels of sodium and chloride. Concentrations of fluoride and boron also were elevated at this site, indicating possible anthropogenic sources. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations were not always within levels established by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management; continuous monitors recorded dissolved-oxygen concentrations that were repeatedly less than the minimum criterion (3.0 milligrams per liter) at the most downstream site on Threemile Creek. Water temperature exceeded the recommended criterion (32.2 degrees Celsius) at five of six sites in the Threemile Creek basin. The pH values were within established criteria (6.0 ? 8.5) at sites on Threemile Creek; however, pH values ranged from 7.2 to 10.0 at the tributary at Center Street and from 6.6 to 9.9 at Toulmins Spring Branch. Nutrient concentrations in the Threemile Creek basin reflect the influences of both land use and the complex hydrologic systems in the lower part of the basin. Nitrite-plus-nitrate concentrations exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ecoregion nutrient criteria in 88 percent of the samples. In 45 percent of the samples, total phosphorus concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency goal of 0.1 milligram per liter for preventing nuisance aquatic growth. Ratios of nitrogen to phosphorus indicate that both nutrients have limiting effects. Median concentrations of enterococci and fecal coliform bacteria were highest at the two tributary sites and lowest at the most upstream site on Threemile Creek. In general, concentrations o

Floods in Starkweather Creek basin, Madison, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, Carl L.; Holmstrom, Barry K.

1972-01-01

The reaches evaluated are (1) Starkweather Creek and West Branch Starkweather Creek, for a distance of 6.0 river miles from the mouth at Lake Monona upstream to the U.S. Highway 51 crossing north of Truax Field; and (2) East Branch Starkweather Creek (2.8 river miles), from its confluence with the West Branch near Milwaukee Street upstream to a point near the Interstate Highway 90-94 crossing.

Streamflow and water-quality data for Little Clearfield Creek basin, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, December 1987 - November 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kostelnik, K.M.; Durlin, R.R.

1989-01-01

Streamflow and water quality data were collected throughout the Little Clearfield Creek basin, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, from December 1987 through November 1988, to determine the existing quality of surface water over a range of hydrologic conditions. This data will assist the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources during its review of coal mine permit applications. A water quality station near the mouth of Little Clearfield Creek provided continuous record of stream stage, pH, specific conductance, and water temperature. Monthly water quality samples collected at this station were analyzed for total and dissolved metals, nutrients, major cations, and suspended sediment concentrations. Seventeen partial record sites, located throughout the basin, were similarly sampled four times during the study. Streamflow and water quality data obtained at these sites during a winter base flow, a spring storm event, a low summer base flow, and a more moderate summer base flow also are presented. (Author 's abstract)

Geologic framework, regional aquifer properties (1940s-2009), and spring, creek, and seep properties (2009-10) of the upper San Mateo Creek Basin near Mount Taylor, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langman, Jeff B.; Sprague, Jesse E.; Durall, Roger A.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, examined the geologic framework, regional aquifer properties, and spring, creek, and seep properties of the upper San Mateo Creek Basin near Mount Taylor, which contains areas proposed for exploratory drilling and possible uranium mining on U.S. Forest Service land. The geologic structure of the region was formed from uplift of the Zuni Mountains during the Laramide Orogeny and the Neogene volcanism associated with the Mount Taylor Volcanic Field. Within this structural context, numerous aquifers are present in various Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary formations and the Quaternary alluvium. The distribution of the aquifers is spatially variable because of the dip of the formations and erosion that produced the current landscape configuration where older formations have been exhumed closer to the Zuni Mountains. Many of the alluvial deposits and formations that contain groundwater likely are hydraulically connected because of the solid-matrix properties, such as substantive porosity, but shale layers such as those found in the Mancos Formation and Chinle Group likely restrict vertical flow. Existing water-level data indicate topologically downgradient flow in the Quaternary alluvium and indiscernible general flow patterns in the lower aquifers. According to previously published material and the geologic structure of the aquifers, the flow direction in the lower aquifers likely is in the opposite direction compared to the alluvium aquifer. Groundwater within the Chinle Group is known to be confined, which may allow upward migration of water into the Morrison Formation; however, confining layers within the Chinle Group likely retard upward leakage. Groundwater was sodium-bicarbonate/sulfate dominant or mixed cation-mixed anion with some calcium/bicarbonate water in the study area. The presence of the reduction/oxidation-sensitive elements iron and manganese in groundwater indicates reducing

Temporal change in biological community structure in the Fountain Creek basin, Colorado, 2001-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.

2010-01-01

In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, began a study to better understand the relations between environmental characteristics and biological communities in the Fountain Creek basin in order to aide water-resource management and guide future monitoring activities. To accomplish this task, environmental (streamflow, habitat, and water chemistry) and biological (fish and macroinvertebrate) data were collected annually at 24 sites over a 6- or 8-year period (fish, 2003 to 2008; macroinvertebrates, 2001 to 2008). For this report, these data were first analyzed to determine the presence of temporal change in macroinvertebrate and fish community structure among years using nonparametric multivariate statistics. Where temporal change in the biological communities was found, these data were further analyzed using additional nonparametric multivariate techniques to determine which subset of selected streamflow, habitat, or water-chemistry variables best described site-specific changes in community structure relative to a gradient of urbanization. This study identified significant directional patterns of temporal change in macroinvertebrate and fish community structure at 15 of 24 sites in the Fountain Creek basin. At four of these sites, changes in environmental variables were significantly correlated with the concurrent temporal change identified in macroinvertebrate and fish community structure (Monument Creek above Woodmen Road at Colorado Springs, Colo.; Monument Creek at Bijou Street at Colorado Springs, Colo.; Bear Creek near Colorado Springs, Colo.; Fountain Creek at Security, Colo.). Combinations of environmental variables describing directional temporal change in the biota appeared to be site specific as no single variable dominated the results; however, substrate composition variables (percent substrate composition composed of sand, gravel, or cobble) collectively were present in 80 percent of the environmental

Prioritizing Restoration in the Hangman Creek Watershed: Predicting Baseflow through Sub-basin Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navickis-Brasch, A. S.; Fiedler, F. R.

2013-12-01

watershed. The Sheep Creek sub-basin of Hangman Creek is one of the first sites to begin restoration and potentially reestablish 2.1 miles of the tributary connectivity to Hangman Creek by realigning the creek back to its historical path. In this work we prioritize restoration efforts based on predicted baseflow responses to restoration using a subbasin model of Sheep Creek. This model will first be calibrated to the extent possible with current alignment groundwater and streamflow data. Then using available ground water and streamflow data collected after the creek is realigned, baseflow response to restoration in the newly aligned Sheep Creek will be predicted and compared to actual conditions. Additional data available for creating the subbasin model includes a newly installed weather station and stream gauge, liDar data, and recently monitored water quality conditions. This poster will present the details of the approach and initial results, and will explicitly consider how the interdisciplinary aspects of the project inform the approach.

A snapshot evaluation of stream environmental quality in the Little Conestoga Creek basin, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loper, Connie A.; Davis, Ryan C.

1998-01-01

Many Lancaster County residents are interested in stream monitoring and habitat restoration to maintain or improve stream water quality and to keep contaminants from reaching ground water used to supply drinking water. To promote resident involvement and environmental stewardship, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (ACB) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) designed this “snapshot” study of water quality and aquatic-insect communities in the Little Conestoga Creek Basin. Citizen-based restoration programs can improve water quality at a local level; such efforts will ultimately improve the ecological integrity of the Lower Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.The Little Conestoga Creek Basin was studied for several reasons. It was felt the project should benefit Lancaster County residents because funding was provided by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection funds generated in Lancaster County. The small drainage area size, 65.5 mi2 (square miles), allowed resident involvement in the necessary training and the snapshot sampling plan. Also, a previous study within south-central Pennsylvania reported the highest nutrient yields entering the Susquehanna River are contributed by the Conestoga River and its tributary subbasins, and the Basin’s location within the Conestoga River watershed made it a potential contributor of high nutrient loads. However, few data had been collected in this Basin to characterize the water quality and aquatic-insect populations. Ongoing studies by a “stream team” from Lancaster County Academy and by students and staff at Millersville University did not fully document the level of stream impairment throughout the Basin.

Steady 10Be-derived paleoerosion rates across the Plio-Pleistocene climate transition, Fish Creek-Vallecito basin, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oskin, M. E.; Longinotti, N. E.; Peryam, T. C.; Dorsey, R. J.; DeBoer, C. J.; Housen, B. A.; Blisniuk, K. D.

2017-09-01

Rates of erosion over time provide a valuable tool for gauging tectonic and climatic drivers of landscape evolution. Here we measure 10Be archived in quartz sediment from the Fish Creek-Vallecito basin to resolve a time series of catchment-averaged erosion rates and to test the hypothesis that aridity and increased climate variation after approximately 3 Ma led to an increase in erosion rates in this semiarid, ice-free setting. The Fish Creek-Vallecito basin, located east of the Peninsular Ranges in Southern California, is an ideal setting to derive a Plio-Pleistocene paleoerosion rate record. The basin has a rapid sediment accumulation rate, a detailed magnetostratigraphic age record, and its stratigraphy has been exposed through recent, rapid uplift and erosion. A well-defined source region of uniform lithology and low erosion rate provides a high, reproducible 10Be signal. We find that paleoerosion rates were remarkably consistent between 1 and 4 Ma, averaging 38 ± 24 m/Myr (2σ). Modern catchment-averaged erosion rates are similar to the paleoerosion rates. The uniformity of erosion over the past 4 Myr indicates that the landscape was not significantly affected by late Pliocene global climate change, nor was it affected by a local long-term increase in aridity.

Effects of wastewater effluent discharge on stream quality in Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jennifer L.; Foster, Guy M.

2014-01-01

Contaminants from point and other urban sources affect stream quality in Indian Creek, which is one of the most urban drainage basins in Johnson County, Kansas. The Johnson County Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin and Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facilities discharge to Indian Creek. Data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Johnson County Wastewater, during June 2004 through June 2013 were used to evaluate stream quality in Indian Creek. This fact sheet summarizes the effects of wastewater effluent discharge on physical, chemical, and biological conditions in Indian Creek downstream from the Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin and Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facilities.

Water quality in the upper Shoal Creek basin, southwestern Missouri, 1999-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schumacher, John G.

2001-01-01

Results of a water-quality investigation of the upper Shoal Creek Basin in southwestern Missouri indicate that concentrations of total nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen (NO2t+NO3t) in water samples from Shoal Creek were unusually large [mean of 2.90 mg/L (milligrams per liter), n (sample size)=60] compared to other Missouri streams (mean of 1.02 mg/L, n=1,340). A comparison of instantaneous base-flow loads of NO2t+NO3t indicates that at base-flow conditions, most NO2t+NO3t discharged by Shoal Creek is from nonpoint sources. Nearly all the base-flow instantaneous load of total phosphorus as P (Pt) discharged by Shoal Creek can be attributed to effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Samples collected from a single runoff event indicate that substantial quantities of Pt can be transported during runoff events compared to base-flow transport. Only minor quantities of NO2t+NO3t are transported during runoff events compared to base-flow transport. Fecal coliform bacteria densities at several locations exceed the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) standard of 200 col/100 mL (colonies per 100 milliliters) for whole-body contact recreation. During 13 months of monitoring at 13 stream sites, fecal coliform densities (median of 277 and 400 col/100 mL) at two sites (sites 2 and 3) on Shoal Creek exceeded the MDNR standard at base-flow conditions. The maximum fecal coliform density of 120,000 col/100 mL was detected at site 3 (MDNR monitoring site) during a runoff event in April 1999 at a peak discharge of 1,150 ft3/s (cubic feet per second). Fecal coliform densities also exceeded the MDNR standard in three tributaries with the largest densities (median of 580 col/100 mL) detected in Pogue Creek. Results of ribopattern analyses indicate that most Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in water samples from the study area probably are from nonhuman sources. The study area contains about 25,000 cattle, and has an estimated annual production of 33 million

Burial and thermal history of the Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado, and petroleum potential of the Middle Pennsylvanian Paradox Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nuccio, Vito F.; Condon, Steven M.

1996-01-01

The Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle of the Alkali Gulch interval of the Middle Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation in the Paradox Basin of Utah and Colorado contain excellent organic-rich source rocks having total organic carbon contents ranging from 0.5 to 11.0 percent. The source rocks in both intervals contain types I, II, and III organic matter and are potential source rocks for both oil and gas. Organic matter in the Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle of the Alkali Gulch interval (hereinafter referred to in this report as the ?Cane Creek cycle?) probably is more terrestrial in origin in the eastern part of the basin and is interpreted to have contributed to some of the gas produced there. Thermal maturity increases from southwest to northeast for both the Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle, following structural and burial trends throughout the basin. In the northernmost part of the basin, the combination of a relatively thick Tertiary sedimentary sequence and high basinal heat flow has produced very high thermal maturities. Although general thermal maturity trends are similar for both the Ismay?Desert Creek interval and Cane Creek cycle, actual maturity levels are higher for the Cane Creek due to the additional thickness (as much as several thousand feet) of Middle Pennsylvanian section. Throughout most of the basin, the Ismay?Desert Creek interval is mature and in the petroleum-generation window (0.10 to 0.50 production index (PI)), and both oil and gas are produced; in the south-central to southwestern part of the basin, however, the interval is marginally mature (0.10 PI) in the central part of the basin and is overmature (past the petroleum-generation window (>0.50 PI)) throughout most of the eastern part of the basin. The Cane Creek cycle generally produces oil and associated gas throughout the western and central parts of the basin and thermogenic gas in the eastern part of the basin. Burial and thermal

Preliminary report on Bureau of Mines Yellow Creek core hole No. 1, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carroll, R.D.; Coffin, D.L.; Ege, J.R.; Welder, F.A.

1967-01-01

Analysis of geologic, hydrologic , and geophysical data obtained in and around Yellow Creek core hole No. 1, Rio Blanco County, Colorado, indicate a 1,615-foot section of oil shale was penetrated by the hole. Geophysical log data indicate the presence of 25 gallons per ton shale for a thickness of 500 feet my be marginal. The richest section of oil shale is indicated to be centered around a depth of 2,260 feet. Within the oil shale the interval 1,182 to 1,737 feet is indicated to be relatively structurally incompetent and probably permeable. Extension of available regional hydrologic data indicate the oil shale section is probably water bearing and may yield as much as 1,000 gallons per minute. Hydrologic testing in the hole is recommended.

Simulation of streamflow and water quality in the White Clay Creek subbasin of the Christina River Basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 1994-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senior, Lisa A.; Koerkle, Edward H.

2003-01-01

The Christina River Basin drains 565 square miles (mi2) in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. Water from the basin is used for recreation, drinking water supply, and to support aquatic life. The Christina River Basin includes the major subbasins of Brandywine Creek, White Clay Creek, and Red Clay Creek. The White Clay Creek is the second largest of the subbasins and drains an area of 108 mi2. Water quality in some parts of the Christina River Basin is impaired and does not support designated uses of the streams. A multi-agency water-quality management strategy included a modeling component to evaluate the effects of point and nonpoint-source contributions of nutrients and suspended sediment on stream water quality. To assist in non point-source evaluation, four independent models, one for each of the three major subbasins and for the Christina River, were developed and calibrated using the model code Hydrological Simulation Program—Fortran (HSPF). Water-quality data for model calibration were collected in each of the four main subbasins and in smaller subbasins predominantly covered by one land use following a nonpoint-source monitoring plan. Under this plan, stormflow and base- flow samples were collected during 1998 at two sites in the White Clay Creek subbasin and at nine sites in the other subbasins.The HSPF model for the White Clay Creek Basin simulates streamflow, suspended sediment, and the nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, the model simulates water temperature, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and plankton as secondary objectives needed to support the sediment and nutrient simulations. For the model, the basin was subdivided into 17 reaches draining areas that ranged from 1.37 to 13 mi2. Ten different pervious land uses and two impervious land uses were selected for simulation. Land-use areas were determined from 1995 land-use data. The predominant land uses in the White Clay Creek Basin are agricultural, forested

Characterization of hydraulic conductivity of the alluvium and basin fill, Pinal Creek Basin near Globe, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Angeroth, Cory E.

2002-01-01

Acidic waters containing elevated concentrations of dissolved metals have contaminated the regional aquifer in the Pinal Creek Basin, which is in Gila County, Arizona, about 100 kilometers east of Phoenix. The aquifer is made up of two geologic units: unconsolidated stream alluvium and consolidated basin fill. To better understand how contaminants are transported through these units, a better understanding of the distribution of hydraulic conductivity and processes that affect it within the aquifer is needed. Slug tests were done in September 1997 and October 1998 on 9 wells finished in the basin fill and 14 wells finished in the stream alluvium. Data from the tests were analyzed by using either the Bouwer and Rice (1976) method, or by using an extension to the method developed by Springer and Gellhar (1991). Both methods are applicable for unconfined aquifers and partially penetrating wells. The results of the analyses show wide variability within and between the two geologic units. Hydraulic conductivity estimates ranged from 0.5 to 250 meters per day for the basin fill and from 3 to 200 meters per day for the stream alluvium. Results of the slug tests also show a correlation coefficient of 0.83 between the hydraulic conductivity and the pH of the ground water. The areas of highest hydraulic conductivity coincide with the areas of lowest pH, and the areas of lowest hydraulic conductivity coincide with the areas of highest pH, suggesting that the acidic water is increasing the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer by dissolution of carbonate minerals.

Geohydrology and ground-water quality, Big Elk Creek Basin, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and Cecil County, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, Ronald A.

2002-01-01

A study of ground-water quantity and quality was conducted in the Big Elk Creek Basin, a rural area undergoing rapid growth. The 79.4-square mile study area is in the Piedmont Physiographic Province and is underlain almost entirely by crystalline rocks. Most of the basin in Pennsylvania is underlain by Wissahickon Schist, a fractured crystalline- rock aquifer. Yields of wells in the Wissahickon Schist range from 5 to 200 gal/min (gallons per minute); the median yield is 15 gal/min. Specific capacity ranges from 0.03 to 15 (gal/min)/ft (gallons per minute per foot) of drawdown; the median specific capacity is 0.4 (gal/min)/ft.Recharge to the basin occurs by infiltration of precipitation, and ground water discharges locally to streams. The median annual ground-water discharge to streams (base flow) for 1933-99 was 10.79 in. (inches) or 0.518 (Mgal/d)/mi2 (million gallons per day per square mile), which was 63 percent of the median annual streamflow. The median annual ground-water discharge to streams ranged from 5.32 in. or 0.255 (Mgal/d)/mi2 in 1966 to 17.98 in. or 0.863 (Mgal/d)/mi2 in 1972. Estimated ground-water availability ranges from 0.127 to 0.535 (Mgal/d)/mi2, depending on the estimation method used.Annual water budgets were calculated for the Big Elk Creek Basin for 1998-99. The 1998-99 average annual streamflow was 15.38 in., change in ground-water storage was an increase of 1.32 in., ground-water exports were 0.03 in., and estimated evapotranspiration (ET) was 30.5 in. Despite a 12.27-in. difference in precipitation between 1998 and 1999, the percentage of precipitation as ET (65.6 and 64 percent, respectively) is similar. Estimated average annual recharge for 1998-99 was 12.12 in. [0.580 (Mgal/d)/mi2].For this study, water samples from 20 wells in the Big Elk Creek Basin were collected for analysis for inorganic constituents and pesticides. In addition, data were available from 44 additional wells. Major ions, in order of decreasing concentration, based

Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow in the thick regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system of Indian Creek basin, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Daniel, Charles C.; Smith, Douglas G.; Eimers, Jo Leslie

1997-01-01

The Indian Creek Basin in the southwestern Piedmont of North Carolina is one of five type areas studied as part of the Appalachian Valleys-Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System analysis. Detailed studies of selected type areas were used to quantify ground-water flow characteristics in various conceptual hydrogeologic terranes. The conceptual hydrogeologic terranes are considered representative of ground-water conditions beneath large areas of the three physiographic provinces--Valley and Ridge, Blue Ridge, and Piedmont--that compose the Appalachian Valleys-Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System Analysis area. The Appalachian Valleys-Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System Analysis study area extends over approximately 142,000 square miles in 11 states and the District of Columbia in the Appalachian highlands of the Eastern United States. The Indian Creek type area is typical of ground-water conditions in a single hydrogeologic terrane that underlies perhaps as much as 40 percent of the Piedmont physiographic province. The hydrogeologic terrane of the Indian Creek model area is one of massive and foliated crystalline rocks mantled by thick regolith. The area lies almost entirely within the Inner Piedmont geologic belt. Five hydrogeologic units occupy major portions of the model area, but statistical tests on well yields, specific capacities, and other hydrologic characteristics show that the five hydrogeologic units can be treated as one unit for purposes of modeling ground-water flow. The 146-square-mile Indian Creek model area includes the Indian Creek Basin, which has a surface drainage area of about 69 square miles. The Indian Creek Basin lies in parts of Catawba, Lincoln, and Gaston Counties, North Carolina. The larger model area is based on boundary conditions established for digital simulation of ground-water flow within the smaller Indian Creek Basin. The ground-water flow model of the Indian Creek Basin is based on the U.S. Geological Survey?s modular finite

Hydrologic budget of the Beaverdam Creek basin, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, W.C.; Andreasen, Gordon E.

1959-01-01

A hydrologic budget is a statement accounting for the water gains and losses for selected periods in an area. Weekly measurements of precipitation streamflow, surface-water storage, ground-water stage, and soil resistivity were made during a 2year period, April 1, 1950, to March 28, 1952, in the Beaverdam Creek basin, Wicomico County, Md. The hydrologic measurements are summarized in two budgets, a total budget and a ground-water budget, and in supporting tables and graphs. The results of the investigation have some potentially significant applications because they describe a method for determining the annual replenishment of the water supply of a basin and the ways of water disposal under natural conditions. The information helps to determine the 'safe' yield of water in diversion from natural to artificial discharge. The drainage basin of Beaverdam Creek was selected because it appeared to have fewer hydrologic variables than are generally found. However, the methods may prove applicable in many places under a variety of conditions. The measurements are expressed in inches of water over the area of the basin. The equation of the hydrologic cycle is the budget balance: P= R+E+ASW+ delta SW + delta SM + delta GW where P is precipitation; R is runoff; ET is evapotranspiration; delta SW is change in surface-water storage; delta SM is change in soil moisture; and delta GW is change in ground-water storage. In this report 'change' is the final quantity minus the initial quantity and thus is synonymous with 'increase.' Further, ,delta GW= delta H .x Yg, in which delta H is the change in ground-water stage and Yg is the gravity yield, or the specific yield of the sediments as measured during the short periods of declining ground-water levels characteristic of the area. The complex sum of the revised equation P ? R - delta SW ? ET - delta SM, which is equal to delta H. x Yg, has been named the 'infiltration residual'; it is equivalent to ground-water recharge. Two

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2018-05-24

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

Surface waters of Elk Creek basin in southwestern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Westfall, A.O.

1963-01-01

The purpose of this study is to (1) determine the average discharge during a period that is representative of average streamflow conditions, (2) determine the range of discharge, and (3) determine the storage required to supplement natural flows during drought periods. Elk Creek drains 587 square miles of the North Fork Red River basin. The climate is subhumid, and precipitation averages about 23 inches per year. The average discharge at the gaging station near Hobart is 50 cfs (cubic feet per second) or 36,200 acre-feet per year during a 19-year base period, water years 1938-56. The yearly average discharge ranged from 4.6 cfs in 1940 to 146 cfs in 1957. Maximum runoff generally occurs during May and June. The maximum monthly runoff was 64,520 acre-feet in May 1957. The maximum yearly runoff was 105,500 acre-feet in 1957. There is no sustained base flow in the basin. Severe droughts occurred in 1938-40 and 1952-56. The most extended drought occurred from June 1951 to March 1957, during which time there was a prolonged period of no flow of 182 days in 1954-55. A usable storage of 28,000 acre-feet would have been required to provide a regulated discharge of 1,500 acre-feet per month throughout these drought periods. (available as photostat copy only)

Nutrients and organic compounds in Deer Creek and south branch Plum Creek in southwestern Pennsylvania, April 1996 through September 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, D.R.; Clark, M.E.

2001-01-01

This report presents results of an analysis of nutrient and pesticide data from two surface-water sites and volatile organic compound (VOC) data from one of the sites that are within the Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins study unit of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. The Deer Creek site was located in a 27.0 square-mile basin within the Allegheny River Basin in Allegheny County. The primary land uses consist of small urban areas, large areas of residential housing, and some agricultural land in the upper part of the basin. The South Branch Plum Creek site was located in a 33.3 square-mile basin within the Allegheny River Basin in Indiana County. The primary land uses throughout this basin are mostly agriculture and forestland.Water samples for analysis of nutrients were collected monthly and during high-flow events from April 1996 through September 1998. Concentrations of dissolved nitrite, dissolved ammonia plus organic nitrogen, and dissolved phosphorus were less than the method detection limits in more than one-half of the samples collected. The median concentration of dissolved nitrite plus nitrate in South Branch Plum Creek was 0.937 mg/L and 0.597 mg/L in Deer Creek. The median concentration of dissolved orthophosphate was 0.01 mg/L in both streams. High loads of nitrate were measured in both streams from March to June. Concentrations of dissolved ammonia nitrogen, dissolved nitrate, and total phosphorus were lower during the summer months. Measured concentrations of nitrate nitrogen in both streams were well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L.Water samples for analysis of pesticides were collected throughout 1997 in both streams and during a storm event on August 25-26, 1998, in Deer Creek. Samples were collected monthly at both sites and more frequently during the spring and early summer months to coincide with application of pesticides. Seventy

Hydrology and model study of the proposed Prosperity Reservoir, Center Creek Basin, southwestern Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Edward Joseph; Emmett, Leo F.

1980-01-01

A dam and reservoir have been proposed for construction on Center Creek, Jasper County, in southwestern Missouri. Ground-water levels in the hills adjacent to the reservoir will rise when the impoundment is completed. One of the problems is that the proposed site of Prosperity Reservoir is a few miles upstream from the lead-zinc mining area known as the Oronogo-Duenweg belt. In this belt transmissivities are variable but appear to be higher than they are in the immediate area of the reservoir.Grove Creek lies down-gradient from the reservoir area and separates it from the mining belt. A model study indicates that inflow from the proposed reservoir to the water table could cause water level rises varying from about 20 feet near the reservoir to 0.5 to 1.0 foot in the southern part of Grove Creek drainage basin. These rises will cause significant changes to the natural ground-water flow system. Increased ground-water elevations in the reservoir area could result in increased ground-water gradients and discharge to Grove and Center Creeks. The increase in ground-water discharge to Grove Creek, and in turn Center Creek, will have the beneficial effect of diluting mine-water discharge from the Oronogo-Duenweg belt during periods of low flow.However, if Grove Creek does not act as an effective drain and if conduits extend beneath Grove Creek to transfer the increased water available to the Oronogo-Duenweg belt, the flow regimen could change in the mining belt west of Grove Creek increasing mine-water discharge to Center Creek downstream from the reservoir.Bedrock in the area is Mississippian limestone, the deeply solutioned formation that contained the ore deposits. The limestone in the mining district was greatly altered by solution prior to ore deposition while the limestone in the area of the reservoir was altered less. The extent of the alteration is related to the aquifer characteristics in that high and low values of transmissivity and storage coefficient

Trends in surface-water quality during implementation of best-management practices in Mill Creek and Muddy Run Basins, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koerkle, Edward H.

2000-01-01

Analyses of water samples collected over a 5-year period (1993-98) in the Mill Creek and Muddy Run Basins during implementation of agricultural best-management practices (BMP’s) indicate statistically significant trends in the concentrations of several nutrient species and in nonfilterable residue (suspended solids). The strongest trends identified were those indicated by a more than 50- percent decrease in the flow-adjusted concentrations of total and dissolved phosphorus and total residue in base flow in the two streams. Analyses of stormflow samples showed a 31-percent decrease in the flow-adjusted concentration of total phosphorus in Mill Creek and a 54-percent decrease in total nonfilterable residue in Muddy Run. A 58-percent increase in the flow-adjusted concentration of total ammonia nitrogen in stormflow was found at Muddy Run.Although the effects of a specific BMP on the indicated trends is uncertain, results of statistical trend tests of the data suggest that stream fencing, possibly in concert with other practices, such as stream crossings for livestock, barnyard runoff control, manure-storage facilities, and rotational grazing, was effective in improving water quality during base flow and probably low to moderate stormflow conditions. Additional improvements in water quality in the Mill Creek and Muddy Run Basins seems likely as the implementation of BMP’s is expected to continue. Thus, the full effect of BMP implementation in the two basins may not be observed for some time.

Simulation of streamflow and water quality in the Brandywine Creek subbasin of the Christina River basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 1994-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senior, Lisa A.; Koerkle, Edward H.

2003-01-01

The Christina River Basin drains 565 mi2 (square miles) in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Water from the basin is used for recreation, drinking-water supply, and to support aquatic life. The Christina River Basin includes the major subbasins of Brandywine Creek, Red Clay Creek, White Clay Creek, and Christina River. The Brandywine Creek is the largest of the subbasins and drains an area of 327 mi2. Water quality in some parts of the Christina River Basin is impaired and does not support designated uses of the streams. A multi-agency water-quality management strategy included a modeling component to evaluate the effects of point and nonpoint-source contributions of nutrients and suspended sediment on streamwater quality. To assist in nonpoint-source evaluation, four independent models, one for each of the four main subbasins of the Christina River Basin, were developed and calibrated using the model code Hydrological Simulation Program—Fortran (HSPF). Water-quality data for model calibration were collected in each of the four main subbasins and in small subbasins predominantly covered by one land use following a nonpoint-source monitoring plan. Under this plan, stormflow and base-flow samples were collected during 1998 at six sites in the Brandywine Creek subbasin and five sites in the other subbasins.The HSPF model for the Brandywine Creek Basin simulates streamflow, suspended sediment, and the nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, the model simulates water temperature, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and plankton as secondary objectives needed to support the sediment and nutrient simulations. For the model, the basin was subdivided into 35 reaches draining areas that ranged from 0.6 to 18 mi2. Three of the reaches contain regulated reservoir. Eleven different pervious land uses and two impervious land uses were selected for simulation. Land-use areas were determined from 1995 land-use data. The predominant land uses in the basin are forested

Effects of Abandoned Coal-Mine Drainage on Streamflow and Water Quality in the Shamokin Creek Basin, Northumberland and Columbia Counties, Pennsylvania, 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta,, Charles A.; Kirby, Carl S.

2003-01-01

This report assesses the contaminant loading, effects to receiving streams, and possible remedial alternatives for abandoned mine drainage (AMD) within the upper Shamokin Creek Basin in east-central Pennsylvania. The upper Shamokin Creek Basin encompasses an area of 54 square miles (140 square kilometers) within the Western Middle Anthracite Field, including and upstream of the city of Shamokin. Elevated concentrations of acidity, metals, and sulfate in the AMD from flooded underground anthracite coal mines and (or) unreclaimed culm (waste rock) piles degrade the aquatic ecosystem and water quality of Shamokin Creek to its mouth and along many of its tributaries within the upper basin. Despite dilution by unpolluted streams that more than doubles the streamflow of Shamokin Creek in the lower basin, AMD contamination and ecological impairment persist to its mouth on the Susquehanna River at Sunbury, 20 miles (32 kilometers) downstream from the mined area. Aquatic ecological surveys were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Bucknell University (BU) and the Northumberland County Conservation District (NCCD) at six stream sites in October 1999 and repeated in 2000 and 2001 on Shamokin Creek below Shamokin and at Sunbury. In 1999, fish were absent from Quaker Run and Shamokin Creek upstream of its confluence with Carbon Run; however, creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) were present within three sampled reaches of Carbon Run. During 1999, 2000, and 2001, six or more species of fish were identified in Shamokin Creek below Shamokin and at Sunbury despite elevated concentrations of dissolved iron and ironencrusted streambeds at these sites. Data on the flow rate and chemistry for 46 AMD sources and 22 stream sites throughout the upper basin plus 1 stream site at Sunbury were collected by the USGS with assistance from BU and the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance (SCRA) during low base-flow conditions in August 1999 and high baseflow

Evaluation of blue and green water resources in the upper Yellow River basin of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiaoxi; Zuo, Depeng; Xu, Zongxue; Cai, Siyang; Xianming, Han

2018-06-01

The total amount of water resources severely affects socioeconomic development of a region or watershed, which means that accurate quantification of the total amount of water resources is vital for the area, especially for the arid and semi-arid regions. Traditional evaluation of water resources only focused on the qualification of blue water, while the importance of green water was not fully considered. As the second largest river in China, the Yellow River plays an important role in socioeconomic development of the Yellow River basin. Therefore, the blue and green water resources in the upper Yellow River basin (UYRB) were evaluated by the SWAT model in this study. The results show that the average annual total amount of water resources in the UYRB was 140.5 billion m3, in which the blue water resources is 37.8 billion m3, and green water resources is 107.7 billion m3. The intra-annual variability of the blue water and green water is relatively similar during the same period. The higher temperature, the greater difference between the blue and green water. The inter-annual variability of the blue and green water shows that the trends in precipitation, blue and green water have a relatively similar characteristic. The spatial distribution of the blue and green water is characteristic with gradually decreasing from the northwest to the southeast, and the blue water around the main stream is greater than that in the other areas.

Numerical simulation of the groundwater-flow system in Chimacum Creek Basin and vicinity, Jefferson County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Joseph L.; Johnson, Kenneth H.; Frans, Lonna M.

2013-01-01

A groundwater-flow model was developed to evaluate potential future effects of growth and of water-management strategies on water resources in the Chimacum Creek Basin. The model covers an area of about 64 square miles (mi2) on the Olympic Peninsula in northeastern Jefferson County, Washington. The Chimacum Creek Basin drains an area of about 53 mi2 and consists of Chimacum Creek and its tributary East Fork Chimacum Creek, which converge near the town of Chimacum and discharge to Port Townsend Bay near the town of Irondale. The topography of the model area consists of north-south oriented, narrow, regularly spaced parallel ridges and valleys that are characteristic of fluted glaciated surfaces. Thick accumulations of peat occur along the axis of East Fork Chimacum Creek and provide rich soils for agricultural use. The study area is underlain by a north-thickening sequence of unconsolidated glacial (till and outwash) and interglacial (fluvial and lacustrine) deposits, and sedimentary and igneous bedrock units that crop out along the margins and the western interior of the model area. Six hydrogeologic units in the model area form the basis of the groundwater-flow model. They are represented by model layers UC (upper confining), UA (upper aquifer), MC (middle confining), LA (lower aquifer), LC (lower confining), and OE (bedrock). Groundwater flow in the Chimacum Creek Basin and vicinity was simulated using the groundwater-flow model, MODFLOW-2005. The finite-difference model grid comprises 245 columns, 313 rows, and 6 layers. Each model cell has a horizontal dimension of 200 × 200 feet (ft). The thickness of model layers varies throughout the model area and ranges from 5 ft in the non-bedrock units to more than 2,400 ft in the bedrock. Groundwater flow was simulated for steady-state conditions, which were simulated for calibration of the model using average recharge, discharge, and water levels for the 180-month period October 1994–September 2009. The model as

Limnology of Taylor Creek impoundment : with reference to other bodies in Upper St Johns River Basin, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goolsby, D.A.; McPherson, Benjamin F.

1978-01-01

Taylor Creek Impoundment, on the western part of the upper St. Johns basin, Fla., provides flood control and flow regulation. The 4,000-acre impoundment was first filled in 1969. The water was of relatively poor quality during the first three years of its existence, 1970-72. The impoundment is deep enough for thermal stratification, and a thermocline usually develops at 8 to 10 feet. During 1970-72 the hypolimnion remained anaerobic for more than six months. The poor water quality is attributed to the decomposition of flooded vegetation, of soil organic matter, and to heavy growths of phytoplankton and duckweed stimulated by an abundant supply of nutrients. Since 1972, the quality of the water has improved because of flushing of the impoundment and depletion of leachable nutrients and soil organic matter. The water is now similar in quality to that of nearby Wolf and Jane Green Creeks. Large releases of water may produce velocities great enough to resuspend bottom sediments several miles downstream where Taylor Creek flows into Lake Poinsett. (Woodard-USGS)

Geophysical Investigations of the Smoke Creek Desert and their Geologic Implications, Northwest Nevada and Northeast California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ponce, David A.; Glen, Jonathan M.G.; Tilden, Janet E.

2006-01-01

The Smoke Creek Desert is a large basin about 100 km (60 mi) north of Reno near the California-Nevada border, situated along the northernmost parts of the Walker Lane Belt, a physiographic region defined by diverse topographic expression consisting of northweststriking topographic features and strike-slip faulting. Because geologic and geophysical framework studies play an important role in understanding the hydrogeology of the Smoke Creek Desert, a geophysical effort was undertaken to help determine basin geometry, infer structural features, and estimate depth to basement. In the northernmost parts of the Smoke Creek Desert basin, along Squaw Creek Valley, geophysical data indicate that the basin is shallow and that granitic rocks are buried at shallow depths throughout the valley. These granitic rocks are faulted and fractured and presumably permeable, and thus may influence ground-water resources in this area. The Smoke Creek Desert basin itself is composed of three large oval sub-basins, all of which reach depths to basement of up to about 2 km (1.2 mi). In the central and southern parts of the Smoke Creek Desert basin, magnetic anomalies form three separate and narrow EW-striking features. These features consist of high-amplitude short-wavelength magnetic anomalies and probably reflect Tertiary basalt buried at shallow depth. In the central part of the Smoke Creek Desert basin a prominent EW-striking gravity and magnetic prominence extends from the western margin of the basin to the central part of the basin. Along this ridge, probably composed of Tertiary basalt, overlying unconsolidated basin-fill deposits are relatively thin (< 400 m). The central part of the Smoke Creek Desert basin is also characterized by the Mid-valley fault, a continuous geologic and geophysical feature striking NS and at least 18-km long, possibly connecting with faults mapped in the Terraced Hills and continuing southward to Pyramid Lake. The Mid-valley fault may represent a lateral

Water quality and quantity and simulated surface-water and groundwater flow in the Laurel Hill Creek Basin, southwestern Pennsylvania, 1991–2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galeone, Daniel G.; Risser, Dennis W.; Eicholtz, Lee W.; Hoffman, Scott A.

2017-07-10

Laurel Hill Creek is considered one of the most pristine waterways in southwestern Pennsylvania and has high recreational value as a high-quality cold-water fishery; however, the upper parts of the basin have documented water-quality impairments. Groundwater and surface water are withdrawn for public water supply and the basin has been identified as a Critical Water Planning Area (CWPA) under the State Water Plan. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Somerset County Conservation District, collected data and developed modeling tools to support the assessment of water-quality and water-quantity issues for a basin designated as a CWPA. Streams, springs, and groundwater wells were sampled for water quality in 2007. Streamflows were measured concurrent with water-quality sampling at main-stem sites on Laurel Hill Creek and tributaries in 2007. Stream temperatures were monitored continuously at five main-stem sites from 2007 to 2010. Water usage in the basin was summarized for 2003 and 2009 and a Water-Analysis Screening Tool (WAST) developed for the Pennsylvania State Water Plan was implemented to determine whether the water use in the basin exceeded the “safe yield” or “the amount of water that can be withdrawn from a water resource over a period of time without impairing the long-term utility of a water resource.” A groundwater and surface-water flow (GSFLOW) model was developed for Laurel Hill Creek and calibrated to the measured daily streamflow from 1991 to 2007 for the streamflow-gaging station near the outlet of the basin at Ursina, Pa. The CWPA designation requires an assessment of current and future water use. The calibrated GSFLOW model can be used to assess the hydrologic effects of future changes in water use and land use in the basin.Analyses of samples collected for surface-water quality during base-flow conditions indicate that the highest nutrient concentrations in the main stem of Laurel Hill Creek were at sites in the

Hydrologic conditions in the Chicod Creek basin, North Carolina, before and during channel modifications, 1975-81

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watkins, S.A.; Simmons, C.E.

1984-01-01

Beginning in late 1978, stream channels throughout the 60-square mile Chicod Creek basin underwent extensive modification to increase drainage efficiency and reduce flooding potential. Drainage modifications in this Coastal Plain basin, consisting primarily of channel excavation and clearing of channel blockages, were completed in December 1981. The hydrologic condition of the basin before and during modification was determined from observed data. Observed data indicate hydrologic changes occurred in selected basin characteristics. For example, water levels in the surficial aquifer within 250 feet of Juniper Branch declined as much as 0.4 feet during modifications; at distances greater than 250 feet from the stream, ground-water levels did not change. Base flows increased, and suspended-sediment concentrations for high flows were several times greater than before channel modifications. Increases in selected chemical constituent concentrations in stream water during modifications were as follows: calcium, 12 percent; sodium, 18 percent; bicarbonate, 84 percent; and phosphorous, 80 percent. Significant changes were not found in either pesticide concentrations or coliform bacteria counts.

Impacts of Change in Irrigation Water Availability on Food Production in the Yellow River Basin under Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Y. Y.; Tang, Q.

2014-12-01

Approximately 9 percent of China's population and 17 percent of its agricultural area are settled in the Yellow River Basins. Irrigation, which plays an important role in agricultural production, occupies the largest share of human consumptive water use in the basin. Given increasing water demands, the basin faces acute water scarcity. Previous studies have suggested that decrease in irrigation water availability under climate change might have an overall adverse impact on the food production of the basin. The timing and area that would face severe water stress are yet to be identified. We used a land surface hydrological model forced with the bias-corrected climatic variables from 5 climate models under 4 Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) to estimate total water availability in the sub-basins of the Yellow River basin. The future socioeconomic conditions, the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), were used to estimate the water requirement in the nonagricultural water use sectors. The irrigation water availability was estimated from the total water availability and nonagricultural water use, and the irrigation water demands were estimated based on the current irrigation project efficiencies. The timing and area of irrigation water shortage were shown and the implication of change in irrigation water availability on food production was assessed. The results show that the sub-basins with high population density and gross domestic product (GDP) are likely to confront severe water stress and reduction in food production earlier because irrigation water was to be appropriated by the rapid increase in nonagricultural water use sectors. The study stresses the need for adaptive management of water to balance agriculture and nonagricultural demands in northern China.

Continuous hydrologic simulation of runoff for the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Beargrass Creek basin in Jefferson County, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jarrett, G. Lynn; Downs, Aimee C.; Grace-Jarrett, Patricia A.

1998-01-01

The Hydrological Simulation Pro-gram-FORTRAN (HSPF) was applied to an urban drainage basin in Jefferson County, Ky to integrate the large amounts of information being collected on water quantity and quality into an analytical framework that could be used as a management and planning tool. Hydrologic response units were developed using geographic data and a K-means analysis to characterize important hydrologic and physical factors in the basin. The Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN Expert System (HSPEXP) was used to calibrate the model parameters for the Middle Fork Beargrass Creek Basin for 3 years (June 1, 1991, to May 31, 1994) of 5-minute streamflow and precipitation time series, and 3 years of hourly pan-evaporation time series. The calibrated model parameters were applied to the South Fork Beargrass Creek Basin for confirmation. The model confirmation results indicated that the model simulated the system within acceptable tolerances. The coefficient of determination and coefficient of model-fit efficiency between simulated and observed daily flows were 0.91 and 0.82, respectively, for model calibration and 0.88 and 0.77, respectively, for model confirmation. The model is most sensitive to estimates of the area of effective impervious land in the basin; the spatial distribution of rain-fall; and the lower-zone evapotranspiration, lower-zone nominal storage, and infiltration-capacity parameters during recession and low-flow periods. The error contribution from these sources varies with season and antecedent conditions.

Water Quality of Camp Creek, Costello Creek, and Other Selected Streams on the South Side of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabets, Timothy P.; Whitman, Matthew S.

2002-01-01

The Camp and Costello Creek watersheds are located on the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve. The Dunkle Mine, an abandoned coal mine, is located near the mouth of Camp Creek. Due to concern about runoff from the mine and its possible effects on the water quality and aquatic habitat of Camp Creek and its receiving stream, Costello Creek, these two streams were studied during the summer runoff months (June to September) in 1999 and 2000 as part of a cooperative study with the National Park Service. Since the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve is part of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment Cook Inlet Basin study unit, an additional part of this study included analysis of existing water-quality data at 23 sites located throughout the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve to compare with the water quality of Camp and Costello Creeks and to obtain a broader understanding of the water quality in this area of the Cook Inlet Basin. Analysis of water column, bed sediment, fish, invertebrate, and algae data indicate no effects on the water quality of Camp Creek from the Dunkle Mine. Although several organic compounds were found in the streambed of Camp Creek, all concentrations were below recommended levels for aquatic life and most of the concentrations were below the minimum reporting level of 50 ?g/kg. Trace element concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and nickel in the bed sediments of Camp Creek exceeded threshold effect concentrations (TEC), but concentrations of these trace elements were also exceeded in streambed sediments of Costello Creek above Camp Creek. Since the percent organic carbon in Camp Creek is relatively high, the toxicity quotient of 0.55 is only slightly above the threshold value of 0.5. Costello Creek has a relatively low organic carbon content and has a higher toxicity quotient of 1.19. Analysis of the water-quality data for other streams located in the south side of Denali National Park

Tertiary geology and oil-shale resources of the Piceance Creek basin between the Colorado and White Rivers, northwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnell, John R.

1961-01-01

The area of the Piceance Creek basin between the Colorado and White Rivers includes approximately 1,600 square miles and is characterized by an extensive plateau that rises 1,000 to more than 4,000 feet above the surrounding lowlands. Relief is greatest in Naval Oil-Shale Reserves Nos. 1 and 3 near the south margin of the area, where the spectacular Roan Cliffs tower above the valley of the Colorado River. The oldest rocks exposed in the mapped area are sandstone, shale, and coal beds of the Mesaverde group of Late Cretaceous age, which crop out along the east margin of the area. Overlying the Mesaverde is an unnamed sequence of dark-colored sandstone and shale, Paleocene in age. The Ohio Creek conglomerate, composed of black and red chert and quartzite pebbles in a white sandstone matrix, is probably the basal unit in the Paleocene sequence. The Wasatch formation of early Eocene age overlies the Paleocene sedimentary rocks. It is composed of brightly colored shale, lenticular beds of sandstone, and a few thin beds of fresh-water limestone. The Kasatch formation interfingers with and is overlain by the Green River formation of middle Eocene age. The Green River formation has been divided into the Douglas Creek, Garden Gulch, Anvil Points, Parachute Creek, and Evacuation Creek members. The basal and uppermost members, the Douglas Creek and Evacuation Creek, respectively, are predominantly sandy units. The two middle members, the Garden Gulch and Parachute Creek, are composed principally of finer clastic rocks. The Anvil Points member is present only on the southeast, east, and northeast margins of the area. It is a nearshore facies composed principally of sandstone and is the equivalent of the Douglas Creek, Garden Gulch, and the lower part of the Parachute Creek members. All of the richer exposed oil-shale beds are found in the Parachute Creek member, which is divided into two oil-shale zones by a series of low-grade oilshale beds. The upper oil-shale zone has

Hydrogeochemical Investigation of the Standard Mine Vicinity, Upper Elk Creek Basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manning, Andrew H.; Verplanck, Philip L.; Mast, M. Alisa; Wanty, Richard B.

2008-01-01

Ground- and surface-water samples were collected in the vicinity of the Standard Mine in west-central Colorado in order to characterize the local ground-water flow system, determine metal concentrations in local ground water, and better understand factors controlling the discharge of metal-rich waters from the mine. The sampling program included a one-time sampling of springs, mine adits, and exploration pits in Elk Basin and Redwell Basin; repeated sampling throughout one year of Standard Mine Level 1 discharge and Elk Creek near its confluence with Coal Creek; and a one-time sampling of underground sites in Levels 3 and 5 of the Standard Mine. Samples were analyzed for major ions and trace elements, stable isotopes of hydrogen (2H/1H) and oxygen (18O/16O), strontium isotopes, and tritium and dissolved noble gases (including helium isotopes) for tritium/helium-3 age dating. No clear correlations were observed between natural ground-water discharge locations and map-scale faults and lithology. Surface observations and the location of ground-water discharge suggest that simple topography, rather than large-scale geologic features, primarily controls the occurrence and flow of shallow ground water in Elk Basin. Discrete inflows from cross faults or other features were not observed in Levels 3 and 5 of the Standard Mine. Instead, water entered the mine as relatively persistent dripping from gouge and breccia within the Standard fault, which both tunnels follow. Therefore, the Standard fault itself is probably the main pathway of ground-water flow from the shallow subsurface to the mine workings. Low pH (as low as 3.2) and elevated concentrations of zinc, lead, cadmium, copper, and manganese (commonly exceeding water-quality standards for Elk Creek) were measured in samples located within or immediately downgradient of areas where sulfides are abundant, including the Standard fault, the Elk Lode portal, and the breccia pipe in Redwell Basin. Concentrations of these

Simulation of groundwater and surface-water resources and evaluation of water-management alternatives for the Chamokane Creek basin, Stevens County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ely, D. Matthew; Kahle, Sue C.

2012-01-01

A three-dimensional, transient numerical model of groundwater and surface-water flow was constructed for Chamokane Creek basin to better understand the groundwater-flow system and its relation to surface-water resources. The model described in this report can be used as a tool by water-management agencies and other stakeholders to quantitatively evaluate the effects of potential increases in groundwater pumping on groundwater and surface-water resources in the basin. The Chamokane Creek model was constructed using the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) integrated model, GSFLOW. GSFLOW was developed to simulate coupled groundwater and surface-water resources. The model uses 1,000-foot grid cells that subdivide the model domain by 102 rows and 106 columns. Six hydrogeologic units in the model are represented using eight model layers. Daily precipitation and temperature were spatially distributed and subsequent groundwater recharge was computed within GSFLOW. Streamflows in Chamokane Creek and its major tributaries are simulated in the model by routing streamflow within a stream network that is coupled to the groundwater-flow system. Groundwater pumpage and surface-water diversions and returns specified in the model were derived from monthly and annual pumpage values previously estimated from another component of this study and new data reported by study partners. The model simulation period is water years 1980-2010 (October 1, 1979, to September 30, 2010), but the model was calibrated to the transient conditions for water years 1999-2010 (October 1, 1998, to September 30, 2010). Calibration was completed by using traditional trial-and-error methods and automated parameter-estimation techniques. The model adequately reproduces the measured time-series groundwater levels and daily streamflows. At well observation points, the mean difference between simulated and measured hydraulic heads is 7 feet with a root-mean-square error divided by the total difference in water levels

Water resources and effects of potential surface coal mining on dissolved solids in Hanging Woman Creek basin, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, M.R.

1989-01-01

Groundwater resources of the Hanging Woman Creek basin, Montana include Holocene and Pleistocene alluvial aquifers and sandstone , coal, and clinker aquifers in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation. Surface water resources are composed of Hanging Woman Creek, its tributaries, and small stock ponds. Dissolved-solids concentrations in groundwater ranged from 200 to 11,00 mg/L. Generally, concentrations were largest in alluvial aquifers and smallest in clinker aquifers. Near its mouth, Hanging Woman Creek had a median concentration of about 1,800 mg/L. Mining of the 20-foot to 35-foot-thick Anderson coal bed and 3-foot to 16-foot thick Dietz coal bed could increase dissolved-solids concentrations in shallow aquifers and in Hanging Woman Creek because of leaching of soluble minerals from mine spoils. Analysis of saturated-paste extracts from 158 overburden samples indicated that water moving through mine spoils would have a median increase in dissolved-solids concentration of about 3,700 mg/L, resulting in an additional dissolved-solids load to Hanging Woman Creek of about 3.0 tons/day. Hanging Woman Creek near Birney could have an annual post-mining dissolved-solids load of 3,415 tons at median discharge, a 47% increase from pre-mining conditions load. Post-mining concentrations of dissolved solids, at median discharge, could range from 2,380 mg/L in March to 3,940 mg/L in August, compared to mean pre-mining concentrations that ranged from 1,700 mg/L in July, November, and December to 2,060 mg/L in May. Post-mining concentrations and loads in Hanging Woman Creek would be smaller if a smaller area were mined. (USGS)

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2009-01-01

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

Year-Round Monitoring of Contaminants in Neal and Rogers Creeks, Hood River Basin, Oregon, 2011-12, and Assessment of Risks to Salmonids.

PubMed

Hapke, Whitney B; Morace, Jennifer L; Nilsen, Elena B; Alvarez, David A; Masterson, Kevin

2016-01-01

Pesticide presence in streams is a potential threat to Endangered Species Act listed salmonids in the Hood River basin, Oregon, a primarily forested and agricultural basin. Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were simultaneously deployed at four sites in the basin during Mar. 2011-Mar. 2012 to measure the presence of pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The year-round use of passive samplers is a novel approach and offers several new insights. Currently used pesticides and legacy contaminants, including many chlorinated pesticides and PBDEs, were present throughout the year in the basin's streams. PCBs were not detected. Time-weighted average water concentrations for the 2-month deployment periods were estimated from concentrations of chemicals measured in the passive samplers. Currently used pesticide concentrations peaked during spring and were detected beyond their seasons of expected use. Summed concentrations of legacy contaminants in Neal Creek were highest during July-Sept., the period with the lowest streamflows. Endosulfan was the only pesticide detected in passive samplers at concentrations exceeding Oregon or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality thresholds. A Sensitive Pesticide Toxicity Index (SPTI) was used to estimate the relative acute potential toxicity among sample mixtures. The acute potential toxicity of the detected mixtures was likely greater for invertebrates than for fish and for all samples in Neal Creek compared to Rogers Creek, but the indices appear to be low overall (<0.1). Endosulfans and pyrethroid insecticides were the largest contributors to the SPTIs for both sites. SPTIs of some discrete (grab) samples from the basin that were used for comparison exceeded 0.1 when some insecticides (azinphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, malathion) were detected at concentrations near or exceeding

AmeriFlux US-ICh Imnavait Creek Watershed Heath Tundra

DOE Data Explorer

Bret-Harte, Syndonia [University of Alaska Fairbanks; Euskirchen, Eugenie [University of Alaska Fairbanks; Shaver, Gaius [Marine Biological Laboratory

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-ICh Imnavait Creek Watershed Heath Tundra. Site Description - The Imnavait Creek Watershed Heath Tundra (Ridge Station) is located near Imnavait Creek in Alaska, north of the Brooks Range in the Kuparuk basin near Lake Toolik and the Toolik Field Station. The Kuparuk River has its headwaters in the Brooks Range and drains through northern Alaska into the Arctic Ocean. Within these headwaters lies the Imnavait basin at an average elevation of 930 m. Water tracks run down the hill in parallel zones with a spacing of approximately 10 m. The Ridge Station was deployed at the end of Summer 2007.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crain, Angela S.

2006-01-01

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

Mercury and Methylmercury concentrations and loads in Cache Creek Basin, California, January 2000 through May 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Alpers, Charles N.; Slotton, Darrell G.; Suchanek, Thomas H.; Ayers, Shaun M.

2004-01-01

Concentrations and mass loads of total mercury and methylmercury in streams draining abandoned mercury mines and near geothermal discharge in Cache Creek Basin, California, were measured during a 17-month period from January 2000 through May 2001. Rainfall and runoff averages during the study period were lower than long-term averages. Mass loads of mercury and methylmercury from upstream sources to downstream receiving waters, such as San Francisco Bay, were generally the highest during or after winter rainfall events. During the study period, mass loads of mercury and methylmercury from geothermal sources tended to be greater than those from abandoned mining areas because of a lack of large precipitation events capable of mobilizing significant amounts of either mercury-laden sediment or dissolved mercury and methylmercury from mine waste. Streambed sediments of Cache Creek are a source of mercury and methylmercury to downstream receiving bodies of water such as the Delta of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. Much of the mercury in these sediments was deposited over the last 150 years by erosion and stream discharge from abandoned mines or by continuous discharges from geothermal areas. Several geochemical constituents were useful as natural tracers for mining and geothermal areas. These constituents included aqueous concentrations of boron, chloride, lithium, and sulfate, and the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water. Stable isotopes of water in areas draining geothermal discharges were enriched with more oxygen-18 relative to oxygen-16 than meteoric waters, whereas the enrichment by stable isotopes of water from much of the runoff from abandoned mines was similar to that of meteoric water. Geochemical signatures from stable isotopes and trace-element concentrations may be useful as tracers of total mercury or methylmercury from specific locations; however, mercury and methylmercury are not conservatively transported. A distinct mixing trend of

Water quality of streams in the Neshaminy Creek basin, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarren, Edward F.

1972-01-01

The Neshaminy has carved a scenic route on its way to the Delaware River, thereby helping to increase the value of land. The unabated growth of nearby metropolitan areas and the multiplying needs for water and open space for water storage and recreation in southeastern Pennsylvania have become impelling forces that mark the Neshaminy valley watershed for continued development of its land and water resources. Toward this end the Neshaminy Valley Watershed Association, Inc., which came into existence June 13, 1956, is one of several organizations dedicated to land and water-resources development in the Neshaminy Creek basin. The principal objectives of the Neshaminy Valley Watershed Association are (1) to provide for future water-supply and recreation needs, (2) to safeguard against flood and drought damage, (3) to decrease stream pollution, (4) to preserve wildlife and natural beauty, (5) to reduce soil erosion and siltation, 96) to reforest marginal land, and (7) to improve and protect existing woodland. This study shows that there is a wide variance in water quality between the West Branch and the North Branch of the Neshaminy. However, the study shows no significant difference between the chemical composition of the Little Neshaminy Creek and the main stream before they come together at Rushland. Just beyond their confluence the main stream has drained more than half its total drainage area. The average flow of the stream at this location is about 85 percent of the average flow at Langhorne. The continued presence of game fish in most of Neshaminy Creek indicates a degree of water purity that characterizes this stream as suitable for recreation. However, during the summer and early fall, several small streams feeding the Neshaminy go dry. The diminished flow during these periods and during prolonged drought impairs stream quality by causing a greater concentration of dissolved solids in water. The relatively inferior water during low-flow periods, therefore

Arsenic, metals, and nutrients in runoff from two detention basins to Raccoon Creek, New Jersey Coastal Plain, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, Julia L.; Szabo, Zoltan; Bonin, Jennifer L.; McGee, Craig K.

2011-01-01

Arsenic (As) concentrations in the waters of Raccoon Creek in southern New Jersey commonly exceed the State\\'s Surface Water Quality Standard (SWQS) for freshwater of 0.017 microgram per liter (mu or ug/L). In order to assess contributions of As from residential runoff to the creek, samples of runoff water were collected from a detention basin in each of two residential developments underlain by different geologic formations and at the outlets of those basins. Samples of streamwater also were collected from Raccoon Creek adjacent to the developments. The samples were analyzed to determine concentrations of As, selected metals, organic carbon, and nutrients. Soil samples in and downgradient from the basins also were collected and analyzed. Concentrations of As in unfiltered water samples of runoff from the basin underlain by glauconitic clays generally were higher (up to 4.35 mu or ug/L) than in runoff from the basin underlain by predominantly quartz sands and silts (up to 2.68 mu or ug/L). Chromium (Cr) concentrations also were higher in runoff from the basin underlain by glauconitic clays than in runoff from the basin underlain by quartz sand and silt. In addition, Cr concentrations were higher in the glauconitic soils than in the quartz-rich soils. Metals such as aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn) in the runoff and in the streamwater were mostly in particulate form. Arsenic, most metals, and phosphorus (P) however, were mostly in dissolved form in runoff but in particulate form in the streamwater. Total organic carbon concentrations in the runoff ranged from about 10 to nearly 16 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Given such levels of organic carbon and strong correlations between concentrations of some metals and organic carbon, it may be that many of the metals were complexed with dissolved organic carbon and transported in that form in the runoff. Although underlying geologic materials and soils appear to be major contributors of As to the

Geologic sources and concentrations of selenium in the West-Central Denver Basin, including the Toll Gate Creek watershed, Aurora, Colorado, 2003-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paschke, Suzanne S.; Walton-Day, Katherine; Beck, Jennifer A.; Webbers, Ank; Dupree, Jean A.

2014-01-01

Toll Gate Creek, in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, is a perennial stream in which concentrations of dissolved selenium have consistently exceeded the Colorado aquatic-life standard of 4.6 micrograms per liter. Recent studies of selenium in Toll Gate Creek identified the Denver lignite zone of the non-marine Cretaceous to Tertiary-aged (Paleocene) Denver Formation underlying the watershed as the geologic source of dissolved selenium to shallow ground-water and surface water. Previous work led to this study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Aurora Utilities Department, which investigated geologic sources of selenium and selenium concentrations in the watershed. This report documents the occurrence of selenium-bearing rocks and groundwater within the Cretaceous- to Tertiary-aged Denver Formation in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, including the Toll Gate Creek watershed. The report presents background information on geochemical processes controlling selenium concentrations in the aquatic environment and possible geologic sources of selenium; the hydrogeologic setting of the watershed; selenium results from groundwater-sampling programs; and chemical analyses of solids samples as evidence that weathering of the Denver Formation is a geologic source of selenium to groundwater and surface water in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, including Toll Gate Creek. Analyses of water samples collected from 61 water-table wells in 2003 and from 19 water-table wells in 2007 indicate dissolved selenium concentrations in groundwater in the west-central Denver Basin frequently exceeded the Colorado aquatic-life standard and in some locations exceeded the primary drinking-water standard of 50 micrograms per liter. The greatest selenium concentrations were associated with oxidized groundwater samples from wells completed in bedrock materials. Selenium analysis of geologic core samples indicates that total selenium

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungers, M.; Heimsath, A. M.

2013-12-01

Periods of transient erosion during landscape evolution are most commonly attributed to fluvial systems' responses to changes in tectonic or climatic forcing. Dramatic changes in base level and sudden increases in drainage area associated with drainage reorganization can, however, drive punctuated events of incision and erosion equal in magnitude to those driven by tectonics or climate. In southeastern Arizona's Basin and Range, a mature portion of the North American physiographic province, the modern Gila River system integrates a network of previously internally drained structural basins. One basin in particular, Aravaipa Creek, is the most recent to join the broader Gila River fluvial network. Following drainage integration, Aravaipa Creek rapidly incised to equilibrate with its new, much lower, base level. In doing so, it carved Aravaipa Canyon, excavated a large volume of sedimentary basin fill, and captured drainage area from the still internally drained Sulphur Springs basin. Importantly, this dramatic episode of transient incision and erosion was the result of drainage integration alone. We hypothesize that the adjustment time for Aravaipa Creek was shorter than the timescale of any climate forcing, and regional extensional tectonics were quiescent at the time of integration. We can, therefore, explicitly quantify the magnitude of transient incision and erosion driven by drainage reorganization. We use remnants of the paleo-basin surface and modern landscape elevations to reconstruct the pre-drainage integration topography of Aravaipa Creek basin. Doing so enables us to quantify the magnitude of incision driven by drainage reorganization as well as the volume of material eroded from the basin subsequent to integration. Key control points for our landscape reconstruction are: (1) the inferred elevation of the spillover point between Aravaipa Creek and the San Pedro River; (2) Quaternary pediment-capping gravels above Aravaipa Canyon (3) perched remnants of

Fisheries and aquatic resources of Prairie Creek, Redwood National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilzbach, Peggy; Ozaki, Vicki

2017-01-01

This report synthesizes information on the status of fisheries and aquatic resources in the Prairie Creek sub-basin of Redwood Creek in Humboldt County in northern California, founded on a bibliographic search we conducted of historic and current datasets, unpublished reports, theses, and publications. The compiled Prairie Creek Fisheries Bibliography is available at https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/. This report describes life histories and population status of the salmonid fishes, and species occurrence of non-salmonid fishes, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, and common benthic algae in Prairie Creek. We assessed habitat conditions that may limit salmonid production in relation to recovery targets established by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the State of California. Although salmon abundance has decreased from historic levels, production of juvenile salmonids in Prairie Creek is relatively stable and robust in comparison with the rest of the Redwood Creek Basin. Carrying capacity likely differs between the undisturbed upper reaches of Prairie Creek and reaches in the lower creek, the latter of which are affected by legacy impacts from timber and agricultural activities. Increased sediment supply and lack of channel structure and floodplain connection in lower Prairie Creek appear to be the greatest stressors to salmonid production. Existing datasets on aquatic resources and environmental variables are listed, and subject areas where few data are available are identified.

Estimated suspended-sediment loads and yields in the French and Brandywine Creek Basins, Chester County, Pennsylvania, water years 2008-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, Ronald A.; Olson, Leif E.

2011-01-01

Turbidity and suspended-sediment concentration data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at four stream stations--French Creek near Phoenixville, West Branch Brandywine Creek near Honey Brook, West Branch Brandywine Creek at Modena, and East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown--in Chester County, Pa. Sedimentation and siltation is the leading cause of stream impairment in Chester County, and these data are critical for quantifying sediment transport. This study was conducted by the USGS in cooperation with the Chester County Water Resources Authority and the Chester County Health Department. Data from optical turbidity sensors deployed at the four stations were recorded at 15- or 30-minute intervals by a data logger and uploaded every 1 to 4 hours to the USGS database. Most of the suspended-sediment samples were collected using automated samplers. The use of optical sensors to continuously monitor turbidity provided an accurate estimate of sediment fluctuations without the collection and analysis costs associated with intensive sampling during storms. Turbidity was used as a surrogate for suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), which is a measure of sedimentation and siltation. Regression models were developed between SSC and turbidity for each of the monitoring stations using SSC data collected from the automated samplers and turbidity data collected at each station. Instantaneous suspended-sediment loads (SSL) were computed from time-series turbidity and discharge data for the 2008 and 2009 water years using the regression equations. The instantaneous computations of SSL were summed to provide daily, storm, and water year annual loads. The annual SSL contributed from each basin was divided by the upstream drainage area to estimate the annual sediment yield. For all four basins, storms provided more than 96 percent of the annual SSL. In each basin, four storms generally provided over half the annual SSL each water year. Stormflows with the

AmeriFlux US-ICt Imnavait Creek Watershed Tussock Tundra

DOE Data Explorer

Bret-Harte, Syndonia [University of Alaska Fairbanks; Euskirchen, Eugenie [University of Alaska Fairbanks; Shaver, Gaius [Marine Biological Laboratory

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-ICt Imnavait Creek Watershed Tussock Tundra. Site Description - The Imnavait Creek Watershed Tussock Tundra (Biocomplexity Station) is located near Imnavait Creek in Alaska, north of the Brooks Range in the Kuparuk basin near Lake Toolik and the Toolik Field Station. The Kuparuk River has its headwaters in the Brooks Range and drains through northern Alaska into the Arctic Ocean. Within these headwaters lies the Imnavait basin at an average elevation of 930 m. Water tracks run down the hill in parallel zones with a spacing of approximately 10 m. The Biocomplexity Station was deployed in 2004, and it has been in operation during the melt seasons ever since.

CTUIR Grande Ronde River Basin Watershed Restoration Program McCoy Creek/McIntyre Creek Road Crossing, 1996-1998 Progress Report.

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

Childs, Allen B.

1999-07-01

This Annual Report provides a detailed overview of watershed restoration accomplishments achieved by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and project partners in the Upper Grande Ronde River Basin under contract with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) during the period July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998. The Contract Agreement entitled McCoy Meadows Watershed Restoration Project (Project No.96-83-01) includes habitat restoration planning, design, and implementation in two project areas--the McCoy Meadows Ranch located in the Meadow, McCoy, and McIntyre Creek subbasins on private land and the Mainstem Grande Ronde River Habitat Enhancement Project located on private andmore » National Forest System lands near Bird Tract Springs along the Grande Ronde River. During the contract period, the CTUIR and partners (Mark and Lorna Tipperman, landowners), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) initiated phase 1 construction of the McCoy Meadows Restoration Project. Phase 1 involved reintroduction of a segment of McCoy Creek from its existing channelized configuration into a historic meander channel. Project efforts included bioengineering and tree/shrub planting and protection, transporting salvaged cottonwood tree boles and limbs from offsite source to the project area for utilization by resident beaver populations for forage and dam construction materials, relocation of existing BPA/ODFW riparian corridor fencing to outer edges of meadow floodplain, establishment of pre-project photo points, and coordination of other monitoring and evaluation efforts being led by other project partners including groundwater monitoring wells, channel cross sections, water quality monitoring stations, juvenile population sampling index sites, redd surveys, and habitat surveys. Project activities also

AmeriFlux US-ICs Imnavait Creek Watershed Wet Sedge Tundra

DOE Data Explorer

Bret-Harte, Syndonia [University of Alaska Fairbanks; Euskirchen, Eugenie [University of Alaska Fairbanks; Shaver, Gaius [Marine Biological Laboratory

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-ICs Imnavait Creek Watershed Wet Sedge Tundra. Site Description - The Imnavait Creek Watershed Wet Sedge Tundra (Fen Station) is located near Imnavait Creek in Alaska, north of the Brooks Range in the Kuparuk basin near Lake Toolik and the Toolik Field Station. The Kuparuk River has its headwaters in the Brooks Range and drains through northern Alaska into the Arctic Ocean. Within these headwaters lies the Imnavait basin at an average elevation of 930 m. Water tracks run down the hill in parallel zones with a spacing of approximately 10 m. The Fen Station was deployed at the end of Summer 2007.

An Assessment of Cultural Resources in the Salt Creek Basin, Butler, Cass, Lancaster, Saunders, and Seward Counties, Nebraska.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

modified over time by various forms of erosion and other geomorphological activities. The stream gradient is low and the stream pattern is a dendritic... megafauna (Sanders and Marino 1970:27). The Paleoindian period is subdivided into three phases, which S..o are recognized by stylistic and technological...9,000 - 10,000 B.C. The Pleistocene megafauna became extinct during this increasingly drier shift in the climate. Two sites in the Salt Creek basin

Evaluation of the precipitation-runoff modeling system, Beaver Creek basin, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bower, D.E.

1985-01-01

The Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) was evaluated with data from Cane branch and Helton Branch in the Beaver Creek basin of Kentucky. Because of previous studies, 10.6 years of record were available to establish a data base for the basin including 60 storms for Cane Branch and 50 storms for Helton Branch. The model was calibrated initially using data from the 1956-58 water years. Runoff predicted by the model was 94.7% of the observed runoff at Cane Branch (mined area) and 96.9% at Helton Branch (unmined area). After the model and data base were modified, the model was refitted to the 1956-58 data for Helton Branch. It then predicted 98.6% of the runoff for the 10.6-year period. The model parameters from Helton Branch were then used to simulate the Cane Branch runoff and discharge. The model predicted 102.6% of the observed runoff at Cane Branch for the 10.6 years. The simulations produced reasonable storm volumes and peak discharges. Sensitivity analysis of model parameters indicated the parameters associated with soil moisture are the most sensitive. The model was used to predict sediment concentration and daily sediment load for selected storm periods. The sediment computations indicated the model can be used to predict sediment concentrations during storm events. (USGS)

National Dam Inspection Program. Ingham Creek (Aquetong Lake) Dam (NDI ID PA 00224, PA DER 9-49) Delaware River Basin, Ingham Creek, Pennsylvania. Phase I Inspection Report,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

Delaware River Basing Ingham Justif icaticn--- L Creek, Pennsylvania. Phase I Inspection Do DEL-AWARE RIVER BASIN Availabilit T Co~es Avail and/or D...about 1.5H:IV and an unknown upstream slope below the water surface. The dam impounds a reservoir with a normal pool surface area of 12.4 acres and a...deep. It was once used to direct water to a mill downstream of the dam and is now in poor condition. The spillway Design Flood (SDF) chosen for this

Spatial variability of hillslope water balance, wolf creek basin, subarctic yukon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, Sean K.; Woo, Ming-Ko

2001-11-01

A hydrological study was conducted between 1997 and 1999 in the subalpine open woodland of the Wolf Creek Basin, Yukon, to assess the interslope water balance variability. The water balance during the snowmelt and summer periods on four hillslopes revealed strong contrasts in process magnitudes and highlighted important factors including frost, vegetation, soils and microclimate that controlled vertical and lateral fluxes of water. Snow accounted for approximately half the annual water input, while differences in accumulation among hillslopes were related to interception properties of vegetation. Available energy at the snow surface controlled the melt sequence and the snow on some slopes disappeared up to two months earlier than others. Snowmelt runoff was confined to slopes with ice-rich substrates that inhibited deep percolation, with the runoff magnitude governed by the snow storage and the antecedent moisture of the desiccated organic soils prior to melt. During summer, evapotranspiration exceeded rainfall, largely sustained by water from the soil moisture reservoir recharged during the melt period. Differences in net radiation on slopes controlled the potential evapotranspiration, with the actual rates limited by the phenology of the deciduous forests and shrubs. Evapotranspiration was further suppressed on slopes where the organic soils became dry in late summer. Summer runoff was confined to slopes with porous organic layers overlying mineral soils to form a two-layer flow system: (1) quickflow in the surface organic layer and (2) slowflow in the mineral soil. Differences in the rates of flow were related to the position of the water table which may rise into the organic layer to activate quickflow. The presence of ice-rich frost and permafrost impeded vertical drainage and indirectly regulated the position of the water table. The location of the hillslope within a basin influenced recharge and discharge dynamics. Slope segments with large inflows sustained

Year-round monitoring of contaminants in Neal and Rogers Creeks, Hood River Basin, Oregon, 2011-12, and assessment of risks to salmonids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Temple, Whitney B.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Nilsen, Elena B.; Alvarez, David; Masterson, Kevin

2016-01-01

Pesticide presence in streams is a potential threat to Endangered Species Act listed salmonids in the Hood River basin, Oregon, a primarily forested and agricultural basin. Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were simultaneously deployed at four sites in the basin during Mar. 2011–Mar. 2012 to measure the presence of pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The year-round use of passive samplers is a novel approach and offers several new insights. Currently used pesticides and legacy contaminants, including many chlorinated pesticides and PBDEs, were present throughout the year in the basin’s streams. PCBs were not detected. Time-weighted average water concentrations for the 2-month deployment periods were estimated from concentrations of chemicals measured in the passive samplers. Currently used pesticide concentrations peaked during spring and were detected beyond their seasons of expected use. Summed concentrations of legacy contaminants in Neal Creek were highest during July–Sept., the period with the lowest streamflows. Endosulfan was the only pesticide detected in passive samplers at concentrations exceeding Oregon or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality thresholds. A Sensitive Pesticide Toxicity Index (SPTI) was used to estimate the relative acute potential toxicity among sample mixtures. The acute potential toxicity of the detected mixtures was likely greater for invertebrates than for fish and for all samples in Neal Creek compared to Rogers Creek, but the indices appear to be low overall (<0.1). Endosulfans and pyrethroid insecticides were the largest contributors to the SPTIs for both sites. SPTIs of some discrete (grab) samples from the basin that were used for comparison exceeded 0.1 when some insecticides (azinphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, malathion) were detected at concentrations near or

Year-Round Monitoring of Contaminants in Neal and Rogers Creeks, Hood River Basin, Oregon, 2011-12, and Assessment of Risks to Salmonids

PubMed Central

Hapke, Whitney B.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Nilsen, Elena B.; Alvarez, David A.; Masterson, Kevin

2016-01-01

Pesticide presence in streams is a potential threat to Endangered Species Act listed salmonids in the Hood River basin, Oregon, a primarily forested and agricultural basin. Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were simultaneously deployed at four sites in the basin during Mar. 2011–Mar. 2012 to measure the presence of pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The year-round use of passive samplers is a novel approach and offers several new insights. Currently used pesticides and legacy contaminants, including many chlorinated pesticides and PBDEs, were present throughout the year in the basin’s streams. PCBs were not detected. Time-weighted average water concentrations for the 2-month deployment periods were estimated from concentrations of chemicals measured in the passive samplers. Currently used pesticide concentrations peaked during spring and were detected beyond their seasons of expected use. Summed concentrations of legacy contaminants in Neal Creek were highest during July–Sept., the period with the lowest streamflows. Endosulfan was the only pesticide detected in passive samplers at concentrations exceeding Oregon or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality thresholds. A Sensitive Pesticide Toxicity Index (SPTI) was used to estimate the relative acute potential toxicity among sample mixtures. The acute potential toxicity of the detected mixtures was likely greater for invertebrates than for fish and for all samples in Neal Creek compared to Rogers Creek, but the indices appear to be low overall (<0.1). Endosulfans and pyrethroid insecticides were the largest contributors to the SPTIs for both sites. SPTIs of some discrete (grab) samples from the basin that were used for comparison exceeded 0.1 when some insecticides (azinphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, malathion) were detected at concentrations near or

Integrated numerical modeling for basin-wide water management: The case of the Rattlesnake Creek basin in south-central Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sophocleous, M.A.; Koelliker, J.K.; Govindaraju, R.S.; Birdie, T.; Ramireddygari, S.R.; Perkins, S.P.

1999-01-01

The objective of this article is to develop and implement a comprehensive computer model that is capable of simulating the surface-water, ground-water, and stream-aquifer interactions on a continuous basis for the Rattlesnake Creek basin in south-central Kansas. The model is to be used as a tool for evaluating long-term water-management strategies. The agriculturally-based watershed model SWAT and the ground-water model MODFLOW with stream-aquifer interaction routines, suitably modified, were linked into a comprehensive basin model known as SWATMOD. The hydrologic response unit concept was implemented to overcome the quasi-lumped nature of SWAT and represent the heterogeneity within each subbasin of the basin model. A graphical user-interface and a decision support system were also developed to evaluate scenarios involving manipulation of water fights and agricultural land uses on stream-aquifer system response. An extensive sensitivity analysis on model parameters was conducted, and model limitations and parameter uncertainties were emphasized. A combination of trial-and-error and inverse modeling techniques were employed to calibrate the model against multiple calibration targets of measured ground-water levels, streamflows, and reported irrigation amounts. The split-sample technique was employed for corroborating the calibrated model. The model was run for a 40 y historical simulation period, and a 40 y prediction period. A number of hypothetical management scenarios involving reductions and variations in withdrawal rates and patterns were simulated. The SWATMOD model was developed as a hydrologically rational low-flow model for analyzing, in a user-friendly manner, the conditions in the basin when there is a shortage of water.

An annotated list of the mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies of the Sand Creek basin, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, 2004 and 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Kondratieff, Boris C.; Ruiter, David E.; Thorp, Richard A.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in conjunction with the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and its cooperators, did an extensive inventory of certain targeted aquatic-insect groups in the Sand Creek Basin, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, to establish a species list for future monitoring efforts. Study sites were established to monitor these groups following disturbance events. Such potential disturbances may include, but are not limited to, chemical treatment of perennial stream reaches to remove nonnative fishes and the subsequent reintroduction of native fish species, increased public use of backcountry habitat (such as hiking and fishing), and natural disturbances such as fire. This report is an annotated list of the mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies found in the Sand Creek Basin, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 2004 and 2005. The primary objective of the study was to qualitatively inventory target aquatic-insect groups in perennial streams, and selected unique standing-water habitats, such as springs, and wetlands associated with the Sand Creek Basin. Efforts focused on documenting the presence of aquatic-insect species within the following taxonomic groups: Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies). These insect orders were chosen because published species accounts, geographic distribution, and identification keys exist for many Colorado species. Given the extent of available information for these groups, there existed a potential for identifying new species and documenting range extensions of known species.

Wolf Creek Research Basin Cold REgion Process Studies - 1992-2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janowicz, R.; Hedstrom, N.; Pomeroy, J.; Granger, R.; Carey, S.

2004-12-01

The development of hydrological models in northern regions are complicated by cold region processes. Sparse vegetation influences snowpack accumulation, redistribution and melt, frozen ground effects infiltration and runoff and cold soils in the summer effect evapotranspiration rates. Situated in the upper Yukon River watershed, the 195 km2 Wolf Creek Research Basin was instrumented in 1992 to calibrate hydrologic flow models, and has since evolved into a comprehensive study of cold region processes and linkages, contributing significantly to hydrological and climate change modelling. Studies include those of precipitation distribution, snowpack accumulation and redistribution, energy balance, snowmelt infiltration, and water balance. Studies of the spatial variability of hydrometeorological data demonstrate the importance of physical parameters on their distribution and control on runoff processes. Many studies have also identified the complex interaction of several of the physical parameters, including topography, vegetation and frozen ground (seasonal or permafrost) as important. They also show that there is a fundamental, underlying spatial structure to the watershed that must be adequately represented in parameterization schemes for scaling and watershed modelling. The specific results of numerous studies are presented.

Storm-water data for Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oregon 1977-78

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wittenberg, Loren A.

1978-01-01

Storm-water-quality samples were collected from four subbasins in the Bear Creek basin in southern Oregon. These subbasins vary in drainage size, channel slope, effective impervious area, and land use. Automatic waterquality samplers and precipitation and discharge gages were set up in each of the four subbasins. During the period October 1977 through May 1978, 19 sets of samples, including two base-flow samples, were collected. Fecal coliform bacteria colonies per 100-milliliter sample ranged from less than 1,000 to more than 1,000,000. Suspended-sediment concentrations ranged from less than 1 to more than 2,300 milligrams per liter. One subbasin consisting of downtown businesses and streets with heavy vehicular traffic was monitored for lead. Total lead values ranging from 100 to 1,900 micrograms per liter were measured during one storm event.

Evaluating uncertainty in predicting spatially variable representative elementary scales in fractured aquifers, with application to Turkey Creek Basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wellman, Tristan P.; Poeter, Eileen P.

2006-01-01

Computational limitations and sparse field data often mandate use of continuum representation for modeling hydrologic processes in large‐scale fractured aquifers. Selecting appropriate element size is of primary importance because continuum approximation is not valid for all scales. The traditional approach is to select elements by identifying a single representative elementary scale (RES) for the region of interest. Recent advances indicate RES may be spatially variable, prompting unanswered questions regarding the ability of sparse data to spatially resolve continuum equivalents in fractured aquifers. We address this uncertainty of estimating RES using two techniques. In one technique we employ data‐conditioned realizations generated by sequential Gaussian simulation. For the other we develop a new approach using conditioned random walks and nonparametric bootstrapping (CRWN). We evaluate the effectiveness of each method under three fracture densities, three data sets, and two groups of RES analysis parameters. In sum, 18 separate RES analyses are evaluated, which indicate RES magnitudes may be reasonably bounded using uncertainty analysis, even for limited data sets and complex fracture structure. In addition, we conduct a field study to estimate RES magnitudes and resulting uncertainty for Turkey Creek Basin, a crystalline fractured rock aquifer located 30 km southwest of Denver, Colorado. Analyses indicate RES does not correlate to rock type or local relief in several instances but is generally lower within incised creek valleys and higher along mountain fronts. Results of this study suggest that (1) CRWN is an effective and computationally efficient method to estimate uncertainty, (2) RES predictions are well constrained using uncertainty analysis, and (3) for aquifers such as Turkey Creek Basin, spatial variability of RES is significant and complex.

Mass movement and storms in the drainage basin of Redwood Creek, Humboldt County, California: a progress report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harden, Deborah Reid; Janda, Richard J.; Nolan, K. Michael

1978-01-01

Numerous active landslides are clearly significant contributors to high sediment loads in the Redwood Creek basin. Field and aerial-photograph inspections indicate that large mass-movement features, such as earthflows and massive streamside debris slides, occur primarily in terrain underlain by unmetamorphosed or slightly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. These features cannot account for stream sediment derived from schist. Observed lithologic heterogeneity of stream sediment therefore suggests that large-scale mass movement is only one part of a complex suite of processes supplying sediment to streams in this basin. Other significant sediment contributors include various forms of fluvial erosion and small-scale discrete mass failures, particularly on oversteepened hillslopes adjacent to perennial streams. Photo-interpretive studies of landslide and timber-harvest history adjacent to Redwood Creek, together with analysis of regional precipitation and runoff records for six flood-producing storms between 1953 and 1975, indicate that loci and times of significant streamside landsliding are influenced by both local storm intensity and streamside logging. Analysis of rainfall records and historic accounts indicates that the individual storms comprising a late-19th-century series of storms in northwestern California were similar in magnitude and spacing to those of the past 25 years. The recent storms apparently initiated more streamside landslides than comparable earlier storms, which occurred prior to extensive road construction and timber harvest. Field observations and repeated surveys of stake arrays at 10 sites in the basin indicate that earthflows are especially active during prolonged periods of moderate rainfall; but that during brief intense storms, fluvial processes are the dominant erosion mechanism. Stake movement occurs mostly during wet winter months. Spring and summer movement was detected at some moist streamside sites. Surveys of stake arrays in two

Hydrologic characteristics and possible effects of surface mining in the northwestern part of West Branch Antelope Creek basin, Mercer County, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crawley, Mark E.; Emerson, Douglas G.

1981-01-01

Lignite beds and abundant discontinuous sandstone beds of the Paleocene Sentinel Butte Member of the Fort Union Formation and sand and gravel beds in the Quarternary glaciofluvial deposits (Antelope Creek aquifer) are the most important aquifers for domestic and livestock water supplies in the West Branch Antelope Creek basin. In the Beulah-Zap lignite, ground water moves from highland area in the west toward the Antelope Creek aquifer. Water levels in the basal Sentinel Butte sandstone appear to be controlled by the level of Lake Sakakawea. In the glaciofluvial deposits of the Antelope Creek aquifer water moves from a ground-water divide northwestward to Lake Sakakawea and southeastward toward the Knife River. Large water-level declines in wells completed in the lignite and shallower aquifers could be expected with mining. The effects probably would be limited to within 1 to 2 miles of an active mine. Surface-runoff duration could be altered by increased infiltration and retention in the reclaimed are and possible temporal extension of base flow could occur. Shallow ground water beneath mine sites would be expected to increase in dissolved solids and locally to contain large sodium and sulfate concentrations. In some locations movement of poor quality water toward the Antelope Creek aquifer would be expected. (USGS)

Effects of potential surface coal mining on dissolved solids in Otter Creek and in the Otter Creek alluvial aquifer, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, M.R.

1985-01-01

Otter Creek drains an area of 709 square miles in the coal-rich Powder River structural basin of southeastern Montana. The Knobloch coal beds in the Tongue River Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation is a shallow aquifer and a target for future surface mining in the downstream part of the Otter Creek basin. A mass-balance model was used to estimate the effects of potential mining on the dissolved solids concentration in Otter Creek and in the alluvial aquifer in the Otter Creek valley. With extensive mining of the Knobloch coal beds, the annual load of dissolved solids to Otter Creek at Ashland at median streamflow could increase by 2,873 tons, or a 32-percent increase compared to the annual pre-mining load. Increased monthly loads of Otter Creek, at the median streamflow, could range from 15 percent in February to 208 percent in August. The post-mining dissolved solids load to the subirrigated part of the alluvial valley could increase by 71 percent. The median dissolved solids concentration in the subirrigated part of the valley could be 4,430 milligrams per liter, compared to the pre-mining median concentration of 2,590 milligrams per liter. Post-mining loads from the potentially mined landscape were calculated using saturated-paste-extract data from 506 overburdened samples collected from 26 wells and test holes. Post-mining loads to the Otter Creek valley likely would continue at increased rates for hundreds of years after mining. If the actual area of Knobloch coal disturbed by mining were less than that used in the model, post-mining loads to the Otter Creek valley would be proportionally smaller. (USGS)

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles

2006-01-01

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

The Wells Creek Meteorite Impact Site and Changing Views on Impact Cratering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, J. R. H.; Orchiston, Wayne; Clendening, Ron

2012-11-01

Wells Creek is a confirmed meteorite impact site in Tennessee, USA. The Wells Creek structure was first noticed by railroad surveyors around 1855 and brought to the attention of J.M. Safford, Tennessee's State Geologist. He included an insert in the 1869 Geologic Map of Tennessee, which is the first known map to include the structure. The origin of the Wells Creek structure was controversial, and was interpreted as being either the result of volcanic steam explosion or meteorite impact. It was only in the 1960s that Wilson and Stearns were able to state that the impact hypothesis was preferred. Evidence for a Wells Creek meteorite impact includes drill core results, extreme brecciation and shatter cones, while a local lack of volcanic material is telling. Just to the north of the Wells Creek Basin are three small basins that Wilson concluded were associated with the Wells Creek impact event, but evidence regarding the origin of the Austin, Indian Mound and Cave Spring Hollow sites is not conclusive.

Chemistry and age of groundwater in bedrock aquifers of the Piceance and Yellow Creek watersheds, Rio Blanco County, Colorado, 2010-12

USGS Publications Warehouse

McMahon, P.B.; Thomas, J.C.; Hunt, A.G.

2013-01-01

Fourteen monitoring wells completed in the Uinta and Green River Formations in the Piceance Creek and Yellow Creek watersheds in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, were sampled for chemical, isotopic, and groundwater-age tracers to provide information on the overall groundwater quality, the occurrence and distribution of chemicals that could be related to the development of underlying natural-gas reservoirs, and to better understand groundwater residence times in the flow system. Methane concentrations in groundwater ranged from less than 0.0005 to 387 milligrams per liter. The methane was predominantly biogenic in origin, although the biogenic methane was mixed with thermogenic methane in water from seven wells. Three BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene) were detected in water from six of the wells, but none of the concentrations exceeded Federal drinking-water standards. The presence of thermogenic methane in the aquifers indicates a connection and vulnerability to chemicals in deeper geologic units. Helium-4 data indicate that groundwater had ages ranging from less than 1,000 years to greater than 50,000 years. The presence of old groundwater in parts of the aquifers indicates that these aquifers may not be useful for large-scale water supply because of low recharge rates.

Highly Seasonal and Perennial Fluvial Facies: Implications for Climatic Control on the Douglas Creek and Parachute Creek Members, Green River Formation, Southeastern Uinta Basin, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gall, Ryan D.

The early to middle Eocene Green River Formation consists of continental strata deposited in Laramide ponded basins in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. This study (1) documents fluvial and lacustrine strata from the Douglas Creek and Parachute Creek Members of the middle Green River Formation, southeastern Uinta Basin, Utah, and (2) uses new interpretations of the link between climate and fluvial sedimentary expression to interpret the terrestrial evolution of early Eocene climate. The stratigraphy was analyzed via outcrops along a 10 km transect in Main Canyon on the Tavaputs Plateau, and is divided into three distinct, stratigraphically separated depositional settings: (1) the lowermost Interval 1 is dominated by amalgamated sandstone channels that contain 70-100% upper flow regime sedimentary structures. The channels are interpreted to represent fluvial deposits controlled by a highly seasonal climate, where most deposition was limited to seasonal flooding events. (2) Interval 2 is dominated by alternating siliciclastic and carbonate lacustrine deposits, interpreted as local pulsed fluvial siliciclastic input into shallow Lake Uinta, and periods of fluvial quiescence represented by littoral carbonate deposition. (3) The uppermost Interval 3 is dominated by erosively-based, trough cross bedded sandstone channels interbedded with littoral lacustrine and deltaic deposits. The Interval 3 sandstone channels are interpreted as perennial fluvial deposits with relatively little variation in annual discharge, akin to modern humid-temperate fluvial systems. The stratigraphic transition from seasonally-controlled (Interval 1) to perennial (Interval 3) fluvial deposits is interpreted to represent a fundamental shift in Eocene climate, from the peak hyperthermal regime of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) to a more stable post-EECO climate.

Evaluation of organic compounds and trace elements in Amazon Creek Basin, Oregon, September 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rinella, F.A.

1993-01-01

Water and bottom sediment were collected from Amazon Creek, Oregon during a summer low-flow condition and analyzed for different classes of organic compounds, including many from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's priority pollutant list. Bottom sediment also was analyzed for trace elements typically associated with urban runoff. Trace-element concentrations in the less than 63 micrometer fraction of Amazon Creek bottom-sediment samples were compared with baseline concentrations (expected 95 percent confidence range) for soils from the Western United States and with concen- trations found in bottom sediment from the Willamette River Basin. Total-digestion concentrations of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, silver, titanium, and zinc were enriched at some or all sites sampled. Whole-water samples from some sites contained concentrations of several chlorophenoxy-acid herbicides, the organophosphorus insecticide diazinon, and several semivolatile priority pollutants. Classes of compounds not detected in whole-water samples included carbamate insecticides, triazine and other nitrogen-containing herbicides, and purgeable organic compounds. Bottom-sediment samples contained many organochlorine compounds, including chlordane, DDT plus metabolites, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor epoxide (a metabolite of heptachlor), and PCBs at some or all sites sampled. Twenty-four of 54 semivolatile compounds were detected in bottom- sediment samples at some or all sites sampled.

Predicting yellow toadflax infestations in the Flat Tops Wilderness of Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sutton, J.R.; Stohlgren, T.J.; Beck, K.G.

2007-01-01

Understanding species-environment relationships is important to predict the spread of non-native species. Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris Mill.) is an invasive perennial recently found in the Flat Tops Wilderness of the White River National Forest on the western slope of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. We hypothesized yellow toadflax occurrence could be predicted from easily measured site characteristics. We used logistic regression with stepwise selection to generate a model to predict yellow toadflax occurrence on a particular plot based on that site's physical characteristics. The experimental design was a paired-plot study in two locations using circular 1,018-m2 plots. Sixty-eight plots that did not contain yellow toadflax and 65 plots that contained yellow toadflax were sampled at the Ripple Creek site in 1999. In 2000, 54 non-toadflax plots and 55 toadflax-containing plots were sampled in the Marvine Creek site. Site characteristics sampled included: vegetation type; under-canopy light level; slope; aspect; soil properties; presence of disturbance, trails, and/or water; and total species richness. A model that correctly classified >90% of the 242 plots sampled included two vegetation type parameters, the presence of trails, and total species richness. Yellow toadflax is most often found in areas that were open-canopy sites, along trails, and with higher species diversity plots (>23 species). This approach can be used for other species in other areas to rapidly identify areas vulnerable to invasion. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Simulation of streamflow and water quality in the Red Clay Creek subbasin of the Christina River Basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 1994-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senior, Lisa A.; Koerkle, Edward H.

2003-01-01

The Christina River Basin drains 565 square miles (mi2) in Pennsylvania and Delaware and includes the major subbasins of Red Clay Creek, White Clay Creek, Brandywine Creek, and Christina River. The Red Clay Creek is the smallest of the subbasins and drains an area of 54 mi2. Streams in the Christina River Basin are used for recreation, drinking-water supply, and to support aquatic life. Water quality in some parts of the Christina River Basin is impaired and does not support designated uses of the stream. A multi-agency, waterquality management strategy included a modeling component to evaluate the effects of point and nonpointsource contributions of nutrients and suspended sediment on stream water quality. To assist in nonpointsource evaluation, four independent models, one for each of the four main subbasins of the Christina River Basin, were developed and calibrated using the model code Hydrological Simulation Program?Fortran (HSPF). Water-quality data for model calibration were collected in each of the four main subbasins and in smaller subbasins predominantly covered by one land use following a nonpoint-source monitoring plan. Under this plan, stormflow and base-flow samples were collected during 1998 at 1 site in the Red Clay Creek subbasin and at 10 sites elsewhere in the Christina River Basin.The HSPF model for the Red Clay Creek subbasin simulates streamflow, suspended sediment, and the nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, the model simulates water temperature, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and plankton as secondary objectives needed to support the sediment and nutrient simulations. For the model, the basin was subdivided into nine reaches draining areas that ranged from 1.7 to 10 mi2. One of the reaches contains a regulated reservoir. Ten different pervious land uses and two impervious land uses were selected for simulation. Land-use areas were determined from 1995 land-use data. The predominant land uses in the Red Clay Creek

Movement ecology and seasonal distribution of mountain yellow-legged frogs, Rana muscosa, in a high-elevation Sierra Nevada basin.

Treesearch

K.L. Pope; K.R. Matthews

2001-01-01

Movement ecology and seasonal distribution of mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) in Dusy Basin (3470 m), Kings Canyon National Park, California, were characterized using passive integrated transponder (PIT) surveys and visual encounter surveys. We individually PIT-tagged 500 frogs during the summers of 1997 and 1998 and monitored these individuals during seven...

BANNOCK CREEK, POWER COUNTY, IDAHO - WATER QUALITY STATUS REPORT, 1980 - 1981

EPA Science Inventory

Bannock Creek, Idaho (17040206) is a small agricultural watershed. The basin is partially on the Fort Hall Reservation. Several large farms and leases of reservation land are active in the watershed. Bannock Creek and its tributaries were sampled for suspended sediment load an...

Data on surface-water quality and quantity, lower Edgewood Creek basin, Douglas County, Nevada, 1984-85

USGS Publications Warehouse

La Camera, R. J.; Browning, S.B.

1988-01-01

Selected hydrologic data were collected from August 1984 through July 1985 at three sites on the lower part of Edgewood Creek, and at a recently constructed sediment-catchment basin that captures and retains runoff from developed areas in the lower Edgewood Creek drainage. The data were collected to quantify the discharge of selected constituents downstream from recent and planned watershed restoration projects, and to Lake Tahoe. Contained in this report are the results of quantitative analyses of 39 water samples for: total and dissolved ammonium, organic nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, phosphorus, and orthophosphorus; suspended sediment; total iron, manganese, and zinc; and dissolved temperature, specific conductance, pH, and dissolved oxygen; summary statistics (means and standard deviations), and computations of instantaneous loads. On the basis of mean values, about 80% of the total nitrogen load at each of the three Edgewood Creek sites is in the form of organic nitrogen, 12% is in the form of nitrate nitrogen, 7% is in the form of ammonium nitrogen, and 1% is in the form of nitrite nitrogen. The percentage of total phosphorus load in the form of orthophosphorus at the three stream sites varies somewhat with time, but is generally greater at the two downstream sites than at the upstream site. In addition, the percentage of the total phosphorus load that is present in the dissolved state generally is greater at the two downstream sites than at the upstream site. (Lantz-PTT)

Flood of May 6, 2007, Willow Creek, west-central Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fischer, Edward E.; Eash, David A.

2008-01-01

Major flooding occurred May 6, 2007, in the Willow Creek drainage basin in Harrison County following severe thunderstorm activity over west-central Iowa. More than 7 inches of rain were recorded for the 72-hour period ending 7 a.m., May 6, at the Logan, Iowa weather station. The peak discharge in Willow Creek at Medford Avenue near Missouri Valley, Iowa, was 17,000 cubic feet per second. The recurrence interval of the flood is 160 years, which was estimated using regional regression equations. Information about the basin, the storms, the flooding, and a profile of high-water marks measured at 10 locations along Willow Creek between the mouth at the Boyer River and State Highway 37 in Monona County, a distance of almost 33 river miles, are presented in this report.

Streamflow characteristics of small tributaries of Rock Creek, Milk River basin, Montana, base period water years 1983-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles; Hull, J.A.

1990-01-01

Five streamflow-gaging stations were installed in the Rock Creek basin north of the Milk River near Hinsdale, Montana. Streamflow was monitored at these stations and at an existing gaging station upstream on Rock Creek from May 1983 through September 1987. The data collected were used to describe the flow characteristics of four small tributary streams. Annual mean streamflow ranges from 2.8 to 57 cu ft/sec in the mainstem and from 0 to 0.60 cu ft/sec in the tributaries. Monthly mean streamflow ranged from 0 to 528 cu ft/sec in Rock Creek and from zero to 5.3 cu ft/sec in the four tributaries. The six gaged sites show similar patterns of daily mean streamflow during periods of large runoff, but substantial individual variations during periods of lesser runoff. During periods of lesser runoff , the small tributaries may have small daily mean streamflows. At other times, daily mean streamflow at the two mainstem sites decreased downstream. Daily mean streamflow in the tributaries appears to be closely related to daily mean streamflow in the mainstem only during periods of substantial area-wide runoff. Thus, streamflow in the tributaries resulting from local storms or local snowmelt may not contribute to streamflow in the mainstem. (USGS)

Hydrogeology, water quality, water budgets, and simulated responses to hydrologic changes in Santa Rosa and San Simeon Creek ground-water basins, San Luis Obispo County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yates, Eugene B.; Van Konyenburg, Kathryn M.

1998-01-01

Santa Rosa and San Simeon Creeks are underlain by thin, narrow ground-water basins that supply nearly all water used for local agricultural and municipal purposes. The creeks discharge to the Pacific Ocean near the northwestern corner of San Luis Obispo County, California. The basins contain heterogeneous, unconsolidated alluvial deposits and are underlain by relatively impermeable bedrock. Both creeks usually stop flowing during the summer dry season, and most of the pumpage during that time is derived from ground-water storage. Annual pumpage increased substantially during 1956?88 and is now a large fraction of basin storage capacity. Consequently, dry-season water levels are lower and the water supply is more vulnerable to drought. The creeks are the largest source of ground-water recharge, and complete basin recharge can occur within the first few weeks of winter streamflow. Agricultural and municipal pumpages are the largest outflows and cause dry-season water-level declines throughout the San Simeon Basin. Pumping effects are more localized in the Santa Rosa Basin because of subsurface flow obstructions. Even without pumpage, a large quantity of water naturally drains out of storage at the upper ends of the basins during the dry season. Ground water is more saline in areas close to the coast than in inland areas. Although seawater intrusion has occurred in the past, it probably was not the cause of high salinity in 1988?89. Ground water is very hard, and concentrations of dissolved solids, chloride, iron, and manganese exceed drinking-water standards in some locations. Probability distributions of streamflow were estimated indirectly from a 120-year rainfall record because the periods of record for local stream-gaging stations were wetter than average. Dry-season durations with recurrence intervals between 5 and 43 years are likely to dry up some wells but not cause seawater intrusion. A winter with no streamflow is likely to occur about every 32 years and to

Geochemical Evolution of Groundwater in the Medicine Lodge Creek Drainage Basin with Implications for the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Eastern Idaho

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginsbach, M. L.; Rattray, G. W.; McCurry, M. O.; Welhan, J. A.

2012-12-01

The eastern Snake River Plain aquifer (ESRPA) is an unconfined, continuous aquifer located in a northeast-trending structural basin filled with basaltic lava flows and sedimentary interbeds in eastern Idaho. The ESPRA is not an inert transport system, as it acts as both a sink and source for solutes found in the water. More than 90% of the water recharged naturally to the ESRPA is from the surrounding mountain drainage basins. Consequently, in order to understand the natural geochemistry of water within the ESRPA, the chemistry of the groundwater from the mountain drainage basins must be characterized and the processes that control the chemistry need to be understood. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and Idaho State University, has been studying these mountain drainage basins to help understand the movement of waste solutes in the ESRPA at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in eastern Idaho. This study focuses on the Medicine Lodge Creek drainage basin, which originates in the Beaverhead Mountains, extends onto the eastern Snake River Plain, and contributes recharge to the ESRPA beneath the INL as underflow along the northeastern INL boundary. Water and rock samples taken from the Medicine Lodge Creek drainage basin were analyzed to better understand water/rock interactions occurring in this system and to define the groundwater geochemistry of this drainage basin. Water samples were collected at 10 locations in the drainage basin during June 2012: 6 groundwater wells used for agricultural irrigation or domestic use and 4 springs. These water samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, trace metals, isotopes, and dissolved gasses. Samples of rock representative of the basalt, rhyolite, and sediments that occur within the drainage basin also were collected. These samples were analyzed using x-ray diffraction and petrographic study to determine the mineralogical constituents of the rock and the presence and

Instream habitat restoration and stream temperature reduction in a whirling disease-positive Spring Creek in the Blackfoot River Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierce, Ron; Podner, Craig; Marczak, Laurie B; Jones, Leslie A.

2014-01-01

Anthropogenic warming of stream temperature and the presence of exotic diseases such as whirling disease are both contemporary threats to coldwater salmonids across western North America. We examined stream temperature reduction over a 15-year prerestoration and postrestoration period and the severity of Myxobolus cerebralisinfection (agent of whirling disease) over a 7-year prerestoration and postrestoration period in Kleinschmidt Creek, a fully reconstructed spring creek in the Blackfoot River basin of western Montana. Stream restoration increased channel length by 36% and reduced the wetted surface area by 69% by narrowing and renaturalizing the channel. Following channel restoration, average maximum daily summer stream temperatures decreased from 15.7°C to 12.5°C, average daily temperature decreased from 11.2°C to 10.0°C, and the range of daily temperatures narrowed by 3.3°C. Despite large changes in channel morphology and reductions in summer stream temperature, the prevalence and severity of M. cerebralis infection for hatchery Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss remained high (98–100% test fish with grade > 3 infection) versus minimal for hatchery Brown Trout Salmo trutta (2% of test fish with grade-1 infection). This study shows channel renaturalization can reduce summer stream temperatures in small low-elevation, groundwater-dominated streams in the Blackfoot basin to levels more suitable to native trout. However, because of continuous high infections associated with groundwater-dominated systems, the restoration of Kleinschmidt Creek favors brown trout Salmo trutta given their innate resistance to the parasite and the higher relative susceptibility of other salmonids.

Low-flow water-quality characterization of the Gore Creek watershed, upper Colorado River basin, Colorado, August 1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wynn, Kirby H.; Spahr, Norman E.

1998-01-01

The Upper Colorado River Basin (UCOL) is one of 59 National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) study units designed to assess the status and trends of the Nation?s water quality (Leahy and others, 1990). The UCOL study unit began operation in 1994, and surface-water-quality data collection at a network of 14 sites began in October 1995 (Apodaca and others, 1996; Spahr and others, 1996). Gore Creek, which flows through Vail, Colorado, originates in pristine alpine headwaters and is designated a gold-medal trout fishery. The creek drains an area of about 102 square miles and is a tributary to the Eagle River. Gore Creek at the mouth near Minturn (site 13 in fig. 1) is one of the 14 sites in the UCOL network. This site was selected to evaluate water quality resulting from urban development and recreational land use. The Gore Creek watershed has undergone rapid land-use changes since the 1960?s as the Vail area shifted from traditional mountain ranchlands to a four-season resort community. Residential, recreational, commercial, and transportation development continues near Gore Creek and its tributaries to support the increasing permanent and tourist population of the area. Interstate 70 runs through the watershed from Vail Pass near site 14, along the eastern side of Black Gore Creek, and along the northern side of the main stem of Gore Creek to the mouth of the watershed (fig. 1). A major local concern is how increasing urbanization/recreation affects the water quality, gold-medal trout fishery, and aesthetic values of Gore Creek. An evaluation of the spatial characteristics of water quality in the watershed upstream from site 13 at the mouth of Gore Creek (fig. 1) can provide local water and land managers with information necessary to establish water policy and make land-use planning decisions to maintain or improve water quality. Historical data collected at the mouth of Gore Creek provide information about water quality resulting from land use, but a synoptic

The origin of groundwater composition in the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, Argentina.

PubMed

Zabala, M E; Manzano, M; Vives, L

2015-06-15

The Pampean plain is the most productive region in Argentina. The Pampeano Aquifer beneath the Pampean plain is used mostly for drinking water. The study area is the sector of the Pampeano Aquifer underlying the Del Azul Creek basin, in Buenos Aires province. The main objective is to characterize the chemical and isotopic compositions of groundwater and their origin on a regional scale. The methodology used involved the identification and characterization of potential sources of solutes, the study of rain water and groundwater chemical and isotopic characteristics to deduce processes, the development of a hydrogeochemical conceptual model, and its validation by hydrogeochemical modelling with PHREEQC. Groundwater samples come mostly from a two-depth monitoring network of the "Dr. Eduardo J. Usunoff" Large Plains Hydrology Institute (IHLLA). Groundwater salinity increases from SW to NE, where groundwater is saline. In the upper basin groundwater is of the HCO3-Ca type, in the middle basin it is HCO3-Na, and in the lower basin it is ClSO4-NaCa and Cl-Na. The main processes incorporating solutes to groundwater during recharge in the upper basin are rain water evaporation, dissolution of CO2, calcite, dolomite, silica, and anorthite; cationic exchange with Na release and Ca and Mg uptake, and clay precipitation. The main processes modifying groundwater chemistry along horizontal flow at 30 m depth from the upper to the lower basin are cationic exchange, dissolution of silica and anorthite, and clay precipitation. The origin of salinity in the middle and lower basin is secular evaporation in a naturally endorheic area. In the upper and middle basins there is agricultural pollution. In the lower basin the main pollution source is human liquid and solid wastes. Vertical infiltration through the boreholes annular space during the yearly flooding stages is probably the pollution mechanism of the samples at 30 m depth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of the Onion Creek salt diapir on the late Cenozoic history of Fisher Valley, southeastern Utah.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, Steven M.

1983-01-01

Apparently, several pulses of salt flowed into the diapir between about 2-3 and 0.25Myr ago, and the diapir may still be active. The rising salt diapir impeded the flow of ancestral Fisher Creek, causing deposition of more than 125m of basin-fill sediments, and eventually diverted the creek down Cottonwood graben to the Dolores River about 0.25Myr ago. Onion Creek has eroded headward from the Colorado River, through both the diapir and the basin-fill sediments, and is about to capture Fisher Creek, restoring the original drainage course. -from Author

Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater movement, and water budget in the Chimacum Creek basin and vicinity, Jefferson County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Joseph L.; Welch, Wendy B.; Frans, Lonna M.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2011-01-01

This report presents information used to characterize the groundwater flow system in the Chimacum Creek basin. It includes descriptions of the geology and hydrogeologic framework; groundwater recharge and discharge; groundwater levels and flow directions; seasonal fluctuations in groundwater level; interactions between aquifers and the surface-water system; and a groundwater budget. The study area covers 124 square miles in northeastern Jefferson County, Washington, and includes the Chimacum Creek basin, which drains an area of about 37 square miles. The area is underlain by a north-thickening sequence of unconsolidated glacial and interglacial deposits that overlie sedimentary and igneous bedrock units that crop out along the margins and western interior of the study area. Six hydrogeologic units consisting of unconsolidated aquifers and confining units, along with an underlying bedrock unit, were identified. A surficial hydrogeologic map was developed and used with well information from 187 drillers' logs to construct 4 hydrogeologic sections, and maps showing the extent and thickness of the units. Natural recharge was estimated using precipitation-recharge relation regression equations developed for western Washington, and estimates were calculated for return flow from data on domestic indoor and outdoor use and irrigated agriculture. Results from synoptic streamflow measurements and water table elevations determined from monthly measurements at monitoring wells are presented and compared with those from a study conducted during 2002-03. A water budget was calculated comprising long-term average recharge, domestic public-supply withdrawals and return flow, self-supplied domestic withdrawals and return flow, and irrigated agricultural withdrawals and return flow.

Geographic information system datasets of regolith-thickness data, regolith-thickness contours, raster-based regolith thickness, and aquifer-test and specific-capacity data for the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arnold, L. Rick

2010-01-01

These datasets were compiled in support of U.S. Geological Survey Scientific-Investigations Report 2010-5082-Hydrogeology and Steady-State Numerical Simulation of Groundwater Flow in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. The datasets were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Lost Creek Ground Water Management District and the Colorado Geological Survey. The four datasets are described as follows and methods used to develop the datasets are further described in Scientific-Investigations Report 2010-5082: (1) ds507_regolith_data: This point dataset contains geologic information concerning regolith (unconsolidated sediment) thickness and top-of-bedrock altitude at selected well and test-hole locations in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. Data were compiled from published reports, consultant reports, and from lithologic logs of wells and test holes on file with the U.S. Geological Survey Colorado Water Science Center and the Colorado Division of Water Resources. (2) ds507_regthick_contours: This dataset consists of contours showing generalized lines of equal regolith thickness overlying bedrock in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. Regolith thickness was contoured manually on the basis of information provided in the dataset ds507_regolith_data. (3) ds507_regthick_grid: This dataset consists of raster-based generalized thickness of regolith overlying bedrock in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties, Colorado. Regolith thickness in this dataset was derived from contours presented in the dataset ds507_regthick_contours. (4) ds507_welltest_data: This point dataset contains estimates of aquifer transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity at selected well locations in the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, Weld, Adams, and

Erosion processes, fluvial sediment transport, and reservoir sedimentation in a part of the Newell and Zayante Creek basins, Santa Cruz County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, W. M.

1973-01-01

The drainage basins upstream from Loch Lomond, a water-supply reservoir on Newell Creek, and a proposed reservoir site on Zayante Creek were investigated for their characteristics with respect to the erosion, transportation, and deposition of sediment. The study area is underlain predominantly by sandstone, siltstone, and shale of Tertiary age that decompose readily into moderately deep soils, friable colluvium, and easily transported sediment particles. The Rices Mudstone and Twobar, Shale Members of the San Lorenzo Formation of Brabb (1964) underlie steep dip slopes in the study area, and probably are the most highly erodible of the several geologic units present there. However, nearly all of the geologic units have shown a propensity for accelerated erosion accompanying the disturbance of the land surface by the roadbuilding practices that predominate over other types of sediment-producing land-use activities in the study area. Sediment transport in the study area was estimated from (1) a reservoir survey of Loch Lomond in 1971 that was compared with a preconstruction survey of 1960, and (2) sampling of sediment transported in suspension by Zayante Creek during the 1970 and 1971 water years. At least 46 acre-feet of sediment accumulated in Loch Lomond in a 10-year period, and an unmeasured quantity of very fine sediment in the form of a thin layer over much of the reservoir bottom was observed. The measured quantity of deposited sediment in a 10-year period represented a sediment yield of about 1,100 tons annually per square mile of drainage basin upstream from the reservoir arms where the major deposition occurred. This sediment occupied less than i percent of the original capacity of Loch Lomond, but the volume of measured sediment deposition is probably conservative in view of the unmeasured deposits observed and a reservoir trap efficiency of about 95 percent. Sediment sampling on Zayante Creek indicated suspended-sediment yields of about 4,570 and 570 tons

Connections between meteorological and hydrological droughts in a semi-arid basin of the middle Yellow River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Binquan; Zhu, Changchang; Liang, Zhongmin; Wang, Guoqing; Zhang, Yu

2018-06-01

Differences between meteorological and hydrological droughts could reflect the regional water consumption by both natural elements and human water-use. The connections between these two drought types were analyzed using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI), respectively. In a typical semi-arid basin of the middle Yellow River (Qingjianhe River basin), annual precipitation and air temperature showed significantly downward and upward trends, respectively, with the rates of -2.37 mm yr-1 and 0.03 °C yr-1 (1961-2007). Under their synthetic effects, water balance variable (represented by SPEI) showed obviously downward (drying) trend at both upstream and whole basin areas. For the spatial variability of precipitation, air temperature and the calculated SPEI, both upstream and downstream areas experienced very similar change characteristics. Results also suggested that the Qingjianhe River basin experienced near normal condition during the study period. As a whole, this semi-arid basin mainly had the meteorological drought episodes in the mid-1960s, late-1990s and the 2000s depicted by 12-month SPEI. The drying trend could also be depicted by the hydrological drought index (12-month SSI) at both upstream and downstream stations (Zichang and Yanchuan), but the decreasing trends were not significant. A correlation analysis showed that hydrological system responds rapidly to the change of meteorological conditions in this semi-arid region. This finding could be an useful implication to drought research for those semi-arid basins with intensive human activities.

Spatiotemporal variability of inorganic nutrients during wastewater effluent dominated streamflow conditions in Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, 2012–15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, Guy M.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Williams, Thomas J.; King, Lindsey R.

2016-10-31

Nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, are a leading cause of water-quality impairment in Kansas and the Nation. Indian Creek is one of the most urban drainage basins in Johnson County, Kansas, and environmental and biological conditions are affected by contaminants from point and other urban sources. The Johnson County Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin (hereinafter Middle Basin) wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) is the largest point-source discharge on Indian Creek. A second facility, the Tomahawk Creek WWTF, discharges into Indian Creek approximately 11.6 kilometers downstream from the Middle Basin WWTF. To better characterize the spatiotemporal variability of nutrients in Indian Creek, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Johnson County Wastewater, collected high-resolution spatial and temporal (a large number of samples collected over the entire reach or at single locations over a long period of time) inorganic nutrient (nitrate plus nitrite and orthophosphorus) data using a combination of discrete samples and sensor-measured data during 2012 through 2015.Nutrient patterns observed in Indian Creek along the upstream-downstream gradient during wastewater effluent dominated streamflow conditions were largely affected by the WWTFs and by travel time of the parcels of water. Nitrate plus nitrite concentrations in the Middle Basin WWTF effluent and at downstream sites varied by as much as 6 milligrams per liter over a 24-hour period. The cyclical variability in the Middle Basin WWTF effluent generated a nitrate plus nitrite pulse that could be tracked for approximately 11.5 kilometers downstream in Indian Creek, until the effect was masked by the Tomahawk Creek WWTF effluent discharge. All longitudinal surveys showed the same general patterns along the upstream-downstream gradient, though streamflows, wastewater effluent contributions to streamflow, and nutrient concentrations spanned a wide

Effects of coal-mine drainage on stream water quality in the Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins-Sulfate transport and trends

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sams, James I.; Beer, Kevin M.

2000-01-01

In 1980, the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers transported a sulfate load of 1.2 million and 1.35 million tons, respectively, to the Ohio River at Pittsburgh. The Monongahela River Basin had a sulfate yield of 184 tons per square mile per year compared to 105 tons per square mile per year for the Allegheny River Basin. Within the large Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins, the subbasins with the highest sulfate yields in tons per square mile per year were those of Redstone Creek (580), Blacklick Creek (524), Conemaugh River (292), Buffalo Creek (247), Stonycreek River (239), Two Lick Creek (231), Dunkard Creek (212), and Loyalhanna Creek (196). These basins have been extensively mined. The sulfate yields of Brokenstraw and Conewango Creeks, which are outside the area underlain by coal and thus contain no coal mines, were 25 and 24 tons per square mile per year, respectively.Within the Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins, seven sites showed significant trends in sulfate concentration from 1965 to 1995. Dunkard Creek and Stonycreek River show significant upward trends in sulfate concentration. These trends appear to be related to increases in coal production in the two basins from 1965 to 1995. Blacklick Creek at Josephine and Loyalhanna Creek at Loyalhanna Dam show significant downward trends in sulfate concentration between 1965 and 1995. Blacklick Creek had a 50-percent decrease in sulfate concentration. Coal production in the Blacklick Creek Basin, which reached its peak at almost 4 million tons per year in the 1940's, dropped to less than 1 million tons per year by 1995. In the Loyalhanna Creek Basin, which had a 41-percent decrease in sulfate concentration, coal-production rates dropped steadily from more than 1.5 million tons per year in the 1940's to less than 200,000 tons per year in 1995.

Sedimentological characterization of flood-tidal delta deposits in the Sego Sandstone, subsidence analysis in the Piceance Creek Basin, and uranium-lead geochronology (NW Colorado, USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

York, Carly C.

The Sego Sandstone located in western Colorado is a member of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group and is considered an analogue of the Canadian heavy oil sands. Deposition of the Sego Sandstone occurred during the Upper Campanian (~78 Ma) at the end of the Sevier Orogeny and the beginning of the Laramide Orogeny on the western edge of the Cretaceous Interior Seaway. Although regional studies have detailed time equivalent deposits in the Book Cliffs, UT, the tidally influenced and marginal marine lithofacies observed north of Rangely, CO are distinctly different from the dominately fluvial and tidally-influenced delta facies of Book Cliff outcrops to the southwest. This study characterized flood-tidal delta deposits within the Sego Sandstone, the subsidence history of the Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks within the present day Piceance Creek Basin in NW Colorado, and the detrital zircon signal and oldest depositional age of the Sego Sandstone. The goals of this study are to (i) identify relative controls on reservoir characteristics of marginal marine deposits, specifically in flood-tidal delta deposits; (ii) identify the possible mechanisms responsible for subsidence within the present day Piceance Creek Basin during the Late Cretaceous; and (iii) better constrain the provenance and maximum depositional age of the Sego Sandstone. In this study I compared grain size diameter, grain and cement composition, and the ratio of pore space/cement from thin sections collected in tidal, shoreface, and flood-tidal delta facies recognized along detailed measured stratigraphic sections. This analysis provides a detailed comparison between different depositional environments and resultant data showed that grain size diameter is different between tidal, shoreface, and flood-tidal delta facies. Identifying the subsidence mechanisms affecting the Piceance Creek Basin and sediment source of the Late Cretaceous sediments, on the other hand, is important for evaluation of controls

Hydrology and water quality of Little Cross Creek, Cumberland County, North Carolina, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giorgino, Mary J.; Middleton, Terry L.

2000-01-01

Little Cross Creek is a small stream located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, in the Sand Hills area of the Coastal Plain Province. From August 1996 through August 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey collected streamflow, water-quality, and time-of-travel data at 10 sites in Little Cross Creek Basin to assess ambient conditions and compute loads of suspended sediment, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total organic carbon. Streamflows in the Little Cross Creek Basin responded to climatic factors and to human activities such as water withdrawals and controlled releases from impoundments. Peak streamflows were observed during the passages of Hurricane Fran in September 1996 and Hurricane Josephine in October 1996. Streamflows generally were lowest during the summer and early fall of 1997, reflecting drought conditions associated with a prevailing El Nino. At most sites, average streamflow per unit drainage area, or yield, was higher than yields reported previously for the Sand Hills. High yields may have resulted from unidentified inputs of water to the study basins or from underestimation of the contributing drainage area. Bonnie Doone Lake, Kornbow Lake, Mintz Pond, and Glenville Lake, four impoundments of Little Cross Creek, notably influence hydrology and water quality in the basin. Streamflow records indicate that these impoundments dampen peak stormflows and delay the downstream release of stormwater. Time of travel also is affected by seasonal stratification in the reservoirs. In general, sites downstream from reservoirs have lower concentrations of suspended sediment, turbidity, and total phosphorus than sites upstream from reservoirs or sites that receive stormwater runoff. Few water-quality problems were observed in the Little Cross Creek Basin for the constituents that were sampled. However, fecal coliform bacteria commonly exceeded 200 colonies per 100 milliliters at two of the seven monitored sites during the study. Relatively high concentrations

Effects of Jefferson Road stormwater-detention basin on loads and concentrations of selected chemical constituents in East Branch of Allen Creek at Pittsford, Monroe County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherwood, Donald A.

2004-01-01

Discharge and water-quality data collection at East Branch Allen Creek from 1990 through 2000 provide a basis for estimating the effect of the Jefferson Road detention basin on loads and concentrations of chemical constituents downstream from the basin. Mean monthly flow for the 5 years prior to construction of the detention basin (8.71 ft3/s) was slightly lower than after (9.08 ft3/s). The slightly higher mean monthly flow after basin construction may have been influenced by the peak flow for the period of record that occurred in July 1998 or variations in flow diverted from the canal. No statistically significant difference in average monthly mean flow before and after basin installation was indicated.Total phosphorus was the only constituent to show no months with significant differences in load after basin construction. Several constituents showed months with significantly smaller loads after basin construction than before, whereas some constituents showed certain months with smaller and some months with greater loads, after basin construction. Statistical analysis of the "mean monthly load" for all months before and all months after construction of the detention basin showed only one constituent (ammonia + organic nitrogen) with a significantly lower load after construction and none with higher loads.Median concentrations of ammonia + organic nitrogen showed a statistically significant decrease (from 0.78 mg/L to 0.60 mg/L) after basin installation, as did nitrite + nitrate (from 1.50 mg/L to 0.96 mg/L); in contrast, the median concentration of dissolved chloride increased from 95.5 mg/L before basin installation to 109 mg/L thereafter. A trend analysis of constituent concentrations before and after installation of the detention basin showed that total phosphorus had a downward trend after installation.Analysis of the data collected at East Branch Allen Creek indicates that the Jefferson Road detention basin, in some cases, provides an improvement (reduction

Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the West Korea Bay–North Yellow Sea Basin, North Korea and China, 2017

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, Christopher J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Hawkins, Sarah J.; Finn, Thomas M.; Gaswirth, Stephanie B.; Marra, Kristen R.; Klett, Timothy R.; Le, Phuong A.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.; Woodall, Cheryl A.

2017-07-11

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional resources of 1.1 billion barrels of oil and 2.2 trillion cubic feet of gas in the West Korea Bay–North Yellow Sea Basin, North Korea and China.

EAARL topography-Potato Creek watershed, Georgia, 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonisteel-Cormier, J.M.; Nayegandhi, Amar; Fredericks, Xan; Jones, J.W.; Wright, C.W.; Brock, J.C.; Nagle, D.B.

2011-01-01

This DVD contains lidar-derived first-surface (FS) and bare-earth (BE) topography GIS datasets of a portion of the Potato Creek watershed in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin, Georgia. These datasets were acquired on February 27, 2010.

Hydrology and Flood Profiles of Duck Creek and Jordan Creek Downstream from Egan Drive, Juneau, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curran, Janet H.

2007-01-01

Hydrologic and hydraulic updates for Duck Creek and the lower part of Jordan Creek in Juneau, Alaska, included computation of new estimates of peak streamflow magnitudes and new water-surface profiles for the 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year floods. Computations for the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-year recurrence interval flood magnitudes for both streams used data from U.S. Geological Survey stream-gaging stations weighted with regional regression equations for southeast Alaska. The study area for the hydraulic model consisted of three channels: Duck Creek from Taku Boulevard near the stream's headwaters to Radcliffe Road near the end of the Juneau International Airport runway, an unnamed tributary to Duck Creek from Valley Boulevard to its confluence with Duck Creek, and Jordan Creek from a pedestrian bridge upstream from Egan Drive to Crest Street at Juneau International Airport. Field surveys throughout the study area provided channel geometry for 206 cross sections, and geometric and hydraulic characteristics for 29 culverts and 15 roadway, driveway, or pedestrian bridges. Hydraulic modeling consisted of application of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) for steady-state flow at the selected recurrence intervals using an assumed high tide of 20 feet and roughness coefficients refined by calibration to measured water-surface elevations from a 2- to 5-year flood that occurred on November 21, 2005. Model simulation results identify inter-basin flow from Jordan Creek to the southeast at Egan Drive and from Duck Creek to Jordan Creek downstream from Egan Drive at selected recurrence intervals.

Sediment Loads and Yield, and Selected Water-Quality Parameters in Clear Creek, Carson City and Douglas County, Nevada, Water Years 2004-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, Ralph L.; Wood, James L.

2009-01-01

Some reaches of Clear Creek above U.S. Highway 395 have experienced severe erosion as a result of fires, extreme precipitation events, and past and current human activities in the basin. Previous evaluations of erosion in the basin have concluded that most of the sediment produced and transported in the basin was associated with U.S. Highway 50, a four-lane highway that roughly parallels Clear Creek through much of the basin. During this study (water years 2004-07), construction of roads and a large residential area and golf course in the area began and are likely to affect water quality and sediment transport in the basin. Sediment data were collected between October 2003 and September 2007 (water years 2004-07) from three sites along Clear Creek. Annual suspended-sediment load was estimated to range from 1,456 tons in water year 2006 to only 100 tons in water year 2004, which corresponds to suspended-sediment yields of 93.9 tons per square mile per year in 2006 to 6.4 tons per square mile per year in 2004. In water year 2006, the suspended-sediment load on December 31, 2005, alone exceeded the combined annual load for water years 2004, 2005, and 2007. Bedload sediment was estimated to comprise 73 percent of total sediment load in the creek. Mean annual suspended-sediment yield in Clear Creek basin was much greater than yields in the Logan House, Edgewood, and Glenbrook Creek basins in the adjacent Lake Tahoe basin. Comparison of data collected during this study with data collected by university researchers in the 1970s is inconclusive as to whether fundamental changes in basin sediment characteristics have occurred during the 30-year period because different methods and sampling locations were used in the earlier studies.

Water resources of the Clarion River and Redbank Creek basins, northwestern Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buckwalter, Theodore F.; Dodge, C.H.; Schiner, G.R.; Koester, H.F.

1981-01-01

The Clarion River and Redbank Creek basin occupy 1,280 and 545 square miles, respectively, in northwatern Pennsylvania. The area is mostly in Clerion, Elk, and Jefferson Counties and is approximately 70 miles long and 30 miles wide. All drainage is to the Allegheny River. Sedimentary rocks of Late Devionian Early Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian age underlie the area. Rocks of Late Devonian age underlie the entire area and crop out in the deep stream valleys in the north. Lower Mississippian rocks generally crop out in strips along major stream valleys; the strips are narrow in the south and broaden northward. Pennsylvanian rocks cover most of the interfluvial areas between major streams. The Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian rocks are composed mostly of alternating sandstone and shale. Sandstone may intertongue laterally with shale. The Pennsylvanian rocks are most heterogeneous and contain many commercial coal beds. The major mineral resources are bituminous coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Narly all coal production is from strip mining in Clarion, Elk, and Jefferson Counties. Total coal production exceeded 8 million short tons in 1976. The basins are south and east of the major oil-producing regions in Pennsylvania, but more than 50,000 barrels of crude oil were produced here in 1975. Commercial quantities of natural gas are also obtained. Thirty-three public water-supply systems furnish about two-thirds of the water for domestic use. Surface water is the source of about 90 percent of public-supply water. The remainder is from wells and springs. In an average year, 64 percent of the precipitation in the Clarion River basin and 60 percent in the Redbank Creek basin leave the area as streamflow. The percentage of annuual discharge from each basin that is base runoff averaged 53 and 51 percent, respectively, during 1972-75. Only 4 of 10 stream-gaging stations recorded an average 10-year, 7-consecutive day low flow of at least 0.15 cubic feet per second per

Water resources of Monroe County, New York, water years 1989-93, with emphasis on water quality in the Irondequoit Creek Basin; Part 2, Atmospheric deposition, ground water, streamflow, trends in water quality, and chemical loads to Irondequoit Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherwood, Donald A.

1999-01-01

Irondequoit Creek, which drains 169 square miles in the eastern part of Monroe County, has been recognized as a source of contaminants that contribute to the eutrophication of Irondequoit Bay on Lake Ontario. The discharge from sewage-treatment plants to the creek and its tributaries was eliminated in 1979 by diversion to another wastewater-treatment facility, but sediment and nonpoint-source pollution remain a concern. This report presents data from five surface-water sites in the Irondequoit Creek basin. Irondequoit Creek at Railroad Mills, East Branch Allen Creek, Allen Creek near Rochester, Irondequoit Creek at Blossom Road, and Irondequoit Creek at Empire Boulevard, to supplement published data from 1984-88. Data from Northrup Creek, which drains 11.7 square miles in western Monroe County, provide information on surface-water quality west of the Genesee River. Also presented are water-level and water-quality data from 12 observation-well sites in Ellison and Powdermill Parks and atmospheric-deposition data from 1 site (Mendon Ponds). Concentrations of several chemical constituents in streams of the Irondequoit Creek basin showed statistically significant trends during 1989-93. Concentrations of total suspended-solids and volatile suspended-solids in Irondequoit Creek at Blossom Road decreased 13.5 and 12.5 percent per year, respectively, and those at Empire Boulevard decreased 33.5 and 22 percent per year, respectively. Concentrations of ammonia plus organic nitrogen increased 17.6 percent per year at one site in the basin, but decreased 8.5 and 22.3 percent per year at two sites. Nitrite plus nitrate decreased at only one site (3.5 percent per year). Concentrations of total phosphorus increased at two sites (about 7 percent per year) and decreased at two other sites (7.6 and 29.9 percent per year), and orthophosphate concentrations increased at one site (10.8 percent per year). Dissolved chloride increased at three sites (1.7 to 10.9 percent per year), and

Quality of water and time of travel in part of Tillatoba Creek basin, Mississippi, October 1974 to September 1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bednar, Gene A.

1981-01-01

A 6-year quality-of-water and time-of-travel study was conducted during the construction phase of a flood-water protection and flood prevention project in a 118 square mile area of Tillatoba Creek basin in northwest Mississippi. Weekly suspended sediment, daily discharge, time of travel, nutrient, biochemical oxygen demand, bacteria and field data were collected. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service. The results of the study are presented in graphs and tables without interpretation. (USGS)

Petrophysical Properties of Cody, Mowry, Shell Creek, and Thermopolis Shales, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, P. H.

2013-12-01

The petrophysical properties of four shale formations are documented from well-log responses in 23 wells in the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming. Depths of the examined shales range from 4,771 to 20,594 ft. The four formations are the Thermopolis Shale (T), the Shell Creek Shale (SC), the Mowry Shale (M), and the lower part of the Cody Shale (C), all of Cretaceous age. These four shales lie within a 4,000-ft, moderately overpressured, gas-rich vertical interval in which the sonic velocity of most rocks is less than that of an interpolated trendline representing a normal increase of velocity with depth. Sonic velocity, resistivity, neutron, caliper, and gamma-ray values were determined from well logs at discrete intervals in each of the four shales in 23 wells. Sonic velocity in all four shales increases with depth to a present-day depth of about 10,000 ft; below this depth, sonic velocity remains relatively unchanged. Velocity (V), resistivity (R), neutron porosity (N), and hole diameter (D) in the four shales vary such that: VM > VC > VSC > VT, RM > RC > RSC > RT, NT > NSC ≈ NC > NM, and DT > DC ≈ DSC > DM. These orderings can be partially understood on the basis of rock compositions. The Mowry Shale is highly siliceous and by inference comparatively low in clay content, resulting in high sonic velocity, high resistivity, low neutron porosity, and minimal borehole enlargement. The Thermopolis Shale, by contrast, is a black fissile shale with very little silt--its high clay content causes low velocity, low resistivity, high neutron response, and results in the greatest borehole enlargement. The properties of the Shell Creek and lower Cody Shales are intermediate to the Mowry and Thermopolis Shales. The sonic velocities of all four shales are less than that of an interpolated trendline that is tied to velocities in shales above and below the interval of moderate overpressure. The reduction in velocity varies among the four shales, such that the amount of offset (O) from

Gravity, magnetic, and physical property data in the Smoke Creek Desert area, northwest Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tilden, Janet E.; Ponce, David A.; Glen, Jonathan M.G.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Tushman, Kira; Duvall, Alison

2006-01-01

The Smoke Creek Desert, located approximately 100 km (60 mi) north of Reno near the California-Nevada border, is a large basin situated along the northernmost parts of the Walker Lane Belt (Stewart, 1988), a physiographic province defined by northwest-striking topographic features and strike-slip faulting. Because geologic framework studies play an important role in understanding the hydrology of the Smoke Creek Desert, a geologic and geophysical effort was begun to help determine basin geometry, infer structural features, and estimate depth to Pre-Cenozoic rocks, or basement. In May and June of 2004, and June of 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected 587 new gravity stations, more than 160 line-kilometers (100 line-miles) of truck-towed magnetometer data, and 111 rock property samples in the Smoke Creek Desert and vicinity in northwest Nevada, as part of an effort to characterize its hydrogeologic framework. In the Smoke Creek Desert area, gravity highs occur over rocks of the Skedaddle Mountains, Fox Range, Granite Range, and over portions of Tertiary volcanic rocks in the Buffalo Hills. These gravity highs likely reflect basement rocks, either exposed at the surface or buried at shallow depths. The southern Smoke Creek Desert corresponds to a 25-mGal isostatic gravity low, which corresponds with a basin depth of approximately 2 km. Magnetic highs are likely due to granitic, andesitic, and metavolcanic rocks, whereas magnetic lows are probably associated with less magnetic gneiss and metasedimentary rocks in the region. Three distinctive patterns of magnetic anomalies occur throughout the Smoke Creek Desert and Squaw Creek Valley, likely reflecting three different geological and structural settings.

Fifteenmile Basin Habitat Enhancement Project: Annual Report FY 1988.

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

Smith, Roger C.; Marx, Steven D.

1989-04-01

The goal of the Fifteenmile Creek Habitat Enhancement Project is to improve wild winter steelhead in the Fifteenmile Creek Basin under the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The project is funded by through the Bonneville Power Administration. Cooperators in the habitat enhancement project include the USDA Forest Service, Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Confederated Tribes of the Warms Springs. Installation of instream fish habitat structures was completed on four miles of Ramsey Creek and on one mile of Fifteenmile Creek. One hundred thirty-five structures were installed in treatment areas. Construction materials included logs andmore » rock. Riparian protection fencing was completed on Dry Creek and Ramsey Creek worksites. Five and one-half miles of new fence was added to existing fence on Ramsey Creek to afford riparian protection to four miles of stream. Six miles of stream on Dry Creek will be afforded riparian protection by constructing 4.5 miles of fence to complement existing fence. 2 refs., 5 figs.« less

Test-well drilling in the upper Satus Creek basin, Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearson, H.E.

1977-01-01

Two test wells were drilled in the upper Satus Creek basin of the Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington, using the air-rotary method. At site 1 the well penetrated a young basalt and 175 feet of the Yakima Basalt, and at site 2 the well penetrated the young basalt. The well at site 1 was drilled to a depth of 350 feet. Tests for drawdown and yield indicated a specific capacity of about 11 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown. The potential yield of this well may be about 1,000 gallons per minute. The well at site 2 was drilled to a depth of 500 feet. Only a small quantity of water was encountered and no test for yield was made. Data from these wells, including chemical analysis of the water from the well at site 1, will provide information useful in the development and management of the ground-water resources in this part of the Yakima Indian Reservation. (Woodard-USGS)

Summer food habits and trophic overlap of roundtail chub and creek chub in Muddy Creek, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Quist, M.C.; Bower, M.R.; Hubert, W.A.

2006-01-01

Native fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin have experienced substantial declines in abundance and distribution, and are extirpated from most of Wyoming. Muddy Creek, in south-central Wyoming (Little Snake River watershed), contains sympatric populations of native roundtail chub (Gila robusta), bluehead sucker, (Catostomus discobolus), and flannelmouth sucker (C. tatipinnis), and represents an area of high conservation concern because it is the only area known to have sympatric populations of all 3 species in Wyoming. However, introduced creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) are abundant and might have a negative influence on native fishes. We assessed summer food habits of roundtail chub and creek chub to provide information on the ecology of each species and obtain insight on potential trophic overlap. Roundtail chub and creek chub seemed to be opportunistic generalists that consumed a diverse array of food items. Stomach contents of both species were dominated by plant material, aquatic and terrestrial insects, and Fishes, but also included gastropods and mussels. Stomach contents were similar between species, indicating high trophic, overlap. No length-related patterns in diet were observed for either species. These results suggest that creek chubs have the potential to adversely influence the roundtail chub population through competition for food and the native fish assemblage through predation.

Water and sediment quality of the Lake Andes and Choteau Creek basins, South Dakota, 1983-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sando, Steven Kent; Neitzert, Kathleen M.

2003-01-01

The Bureau of Reclamation has proposed construction of the Lake Andes/Wagner Irrigation Demonstration Project to investigate environmental effects of irrigation of glacial till soils substantially derived from marine shales. During 1983-2000, the U.S. Geological Survey collected hydrologic, water-quality, and sediment data in the Lake Andes and Choteau Creek Basins, and on the Missouri River upstream and downstream from Choteau Creek, to provide baseline information in support of the proposed demonstration project. Lake Andes has a drainage area of about 230 mi2 (square miles). Tributaries to Lake Andes are ephemeral. Water-level fluctuations in Lake Andes can be large, and the lake has been completely dry on several occasions. The outlet aqueduct from Lake Andes feeds into Garden Creek, which enters Lake Francis Case just upstream from Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River. For Lake Andes tributary stations, calcium, magnesium, and sodium are approximately codominant among the cations, and sulfate is the dominant anion. Dissolved-solids concentrations typically range from about 1,000 mg/L (milligrams per liter) to about 1,700 mg/L. Major-ion concentrations for Lake Andes tend to be higher than the tributaries and generally increase downstream in Lake Andes. Proportions of major ions are similar among the different lake units (with the exception of Owens Bay), with calcium, magnesium, and sodium being approximately codominant among cations, and sulfate being the dominant anion. Owens Bay is characterized by a calcium sulfate water type. Dissolved-solids concentrations for Lake Andes typically range from about 1,400 to 2,000 mg/L. Whole-water nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations are similar among the Lake Andes tributaries, with median whole-water nitrogen concentrations ranging from about 1.6 to 2.4 mg/L, and median whole-water phosphorus concentrations ranging from about 0.5 to 0.7 mg/L. Whole-water nitrogen concentrations in Lake Andes are similar among the

Assessment of Air Temperature Trends in the Source Region of Yellow River and Its Sub-Basins, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iqbal, Mudassar; Wen, Jun; Wang, Xin; Lan, Yongchao; Tian, Hui; Anjum, Muhammad Naveed; Adnan, Muhammad

2018-02-01

Changes in climatic variables at the sub-basins scale (having different features of land cover) are crucial for planning, development and designing of water resources infrastructure in the context of climate change. Accordingly, to explore the features of climate changes in sub-basins of the Source Region of Yellow River (SRYR), absolute changes and trends of temperature variables, maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), mean temperature (Tavg) and diurnal temperature range (DTR), were analyzed annually and seasonally by using daily observed air temperature dataset from 1965 to 2014. Results showed that annual Tmax, Tmin and Tavg for the SRYR were experiencing warming trends respectively at the rate of 0.28, 0.36 and 0.31°C (10 yr)-1. In comparison with the 1st period (1965-1989), more absolute changes and trends towards increasing were observed during the 2nd period (1990-2014). Apart from Tangnaihai (a low altitude sub-basin), these increasing trends and changes seemed more significant in other basins with highest magnitude during winter. Among sub-basins the increasing trends were more dominant in Huangheyan compared to other sub-basins. The largest increase magnitude of Tmin, 1.24 and 1.18°C (10 yr)-1, occurred in high altitude sub-basins Jimai and Huangheyan, respectively, while the smallest increase magnitude of 0.23°C (10 yr)-1 occurred in a low altitude sub-basin Tangnaihai. The high elevation difference in Tangnaihai probably was the main reason for the less increase in the magnitude of Tmin. In the last decade, smaller magnitude of trend for all temperature variables signified the signal of cooling in the region. Overall, changes of temperature variables had significant spatial and seasonal variations. It implies that seasonal variations of runoff might be greater or different for each sub-basin.

Historical Causes and Future Projections of Hydrological Drought Change over a Semi-arid Watershed in the Yellow River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, Y.; Yuan, X.; Yang, D.

2017-12-01

During the past five decades, significant decreasing trends in streamflow records were observed at many hydrological gauges within the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin, China, leading to an intensified water resource shortage and a rising hydrological drought risk. This phenomenon is generally considered as a consequence of climate changes and human interventions, such as greenhouse gas emissions, regional land use/cover changes, dam and reservoir constructions and direct water withdrawals. There are many studies on the attribution of streamflow decline and hydrological drought change in this region, while a consolidated conclusion is missing.In this study, we focus on historical and future hydrological drought characteristics over a semi-arid watershed located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin. Daily climate simulations from several IPCC CMIP5 models were collected to drive a newly developed eco-hydrological model CLM-GBHM with detailed description of river network and sub-basin topological relationship, to simulate streamflow series under different forcings and scenarios. The standard streamflow index was calculated and used to figure out the characteristics (e.g., frequency, duration and severity) of both historical and future hydrological droughts. The causes and contributions in terms of natural and anthropogenic influences will be investigated based on an optimal fingerprinting method, and the relative importance of internal variability, model and scenario uncertainties for future projections will also be estimated using a separation method. This study will facilitate the implementation of adaptation strategies for hydrological drought over the semi-arid watershed in a changing environment.

The Influence of Climate Change on Irrigated Water Demands and Surface Water Availability of the Yellow River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troy, T. J.; Zhang, J.

2017-12-01

Balancing irrigated water demands and surface water availability is critical for sustainable water resources management. In China, irrigation is the largest water user, and there is concern that irrigated water demands will be affected by climate change. If the relationship between climate change, irrigated water demands and surface water availability is quantified, then effective measures can be developed to maintain food production while ensuring water sustainability. This research focuses on the Yellow River, the second longest in China, and analyzes the impact of historical and projected climate change on agricultural water demands and surface water availability. Corn and wheat are selected as representative crops to estimate the effect of temperature and precipitin changes on irrigated water demands. The VIC model is used to simulate daily streamflow throughout the Yellow River, providing estimates of surface water availability. Overall, results indicate the irrigated water need and surface water availability are impacted by climate change, with spatially varying impacts depending on spatial patterns of climate trends and river network position. This research provides insight into water security in the Yellow River basin, indicating where water efficiency measures are needed and where they are not.

Horizontal drilling potential of the Cane Creek Shale, Paradox Formation, Utah

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

Morgan, C.D.; Chidsey, T.C.

1991-06-01

The Cane Creek shale of the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation is a well-defined target for horizontal drilling. This unit is naturally fractures and consists of organic-rich marine shale with interbedded dolomitic siltstone and anhydrite. Six fields have produced oil from the Cane Creek shale in the Paradox basin fold-and-fault belt. The regional structural trend is north-northwest with productive fractures occurring along the crest and flanks of both the larger and more subtle smaller anticlines. The Long Canyon, Cane Creek, Bartlett Flat, and Shafer Canyon fields are located on large anticlines, while Lion Mesa and Wilson Canyon fields produce from subtle structuralmore » noses. The Cane Creek shale is similar to the highly productive Bakken Shale in the Williston basin. Both are (1) proven producers of high-gravity oil, (2) highly fractured organic-rich source rocks, (3) overpressured, (4) regionally extensive, and (5) solution-gas driven with little or no associated water. Even though all production from the Cane Creek shale has been from conventional vertical wells, the Long Canyon 1 well has produced nearly 1 million bbl of high-gravity, low-sulfur oil. Horizontal drilling may result in the development of new fields, enhance recovery in producing fields, and revive production in abandoned fields. In addition, several other regionally extensive organic-rich shale beds occur in the Paradox Formation. The Gothic and Chimney Rock shales for example, offer additional potential lying above the Cane Creek shale.« less

Sediment-source data for four basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada; August 1983-June 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, B.R.; Hill, J.R.; Nolan, K.M.

1990-01-01

Data were collected during a 5-year study of sediment sources in four drainage basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada. The study areas include the Blackwood Creek, General Creek, Edgewood Creek, and Logan House Creek basins. Data include changes in bank and bed positions at channel cross sections; results of stream-channel inventories; analyses of bank and bed material samples; tabulations of bed-material pebble counts; measured rates of hillslope erosion; dimensions of gullies; suspended-sediment data collected during synoptic snowmelt sampling; and physiographic data for the four study basins. (USGS)

The Quaternary Silver Creek Fault Beneath the Santa Clara Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wentworth, Carl M.; Williams, Robert A.; Jachens, Robert C.; Graymer, Russell W.; Stephenson, William J.

2010-01-01

The northwest-trending Silver Creek Fault is a 40-km-long strike-slip fault in the eastern Santa Clara Valley, California, that has exhibited different behaviors within a changing San Andreas Fault system over the past 10-15 Ma. Quaternary alluvium several hundred meters thick that buries the northern half of the Silver Creek Fault, and that has been sampled by drilling and imaged in a detailed seismic reflection profile, provides a record of the Quaternary history of the fault. We assemble evidence from areal geology, stratigraphy, paleomagnetics, ground-water hydrology, potential-field geophysics, and reflection and earthquake seismology to determine the long history of the fault in order to evaluate its current behavior. The fault formed in the Miocene more than 100 km to the southeast, as the southwestern fault in a 5-km-wide right step to the Hayward Fault, within which the 40-km-long Evergreen pull-apart basin formed. Later, this basin was obliquely cut by the newly recognized Mt. Misery Fault to form a more direct connection to the Hayward Fault, although continued growth of the basin was sufficient to accommodate at least some late Pliocene alluvium. Large offset along the San Andreas-Calaveras-Mt Misery-Hayward Faults carried the basin northwestward almost to its present position when, about 2 Ma, the fault system was reorganized. This led to near abandonment of the faults bounding the pull-apart basin in favor of right slip extending the Calaveras Fault farther north before stepping west to the Hayward Fault, as it does today. Despite these changes, the Silver Creek Fault experienced a further 200 m of dip slip in the early Quaternary, from which we infer an associated 1.6 km or so of right slip, based on the ratio of the 40-km length of the strike-slip fault to a 5-km depth of the Evergreen Basin. This dip slip ends at a mid-Quaternary unconformity, above which the upper 300 m of alluvial cover exhibits a structural sag at the fault that we interpret as

The uranium deposit at the Yellow Canary claims, Daggett County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilmarth, V.R.; Vickers, R.C.; McKeown, F.A.; Beroni, E.P.

1952-01-01

The Yellow Canary claims uranium deposit is on the west side of Red Creek Canyon in the northern part of the Uinta Mountains, Daggett County, Utah. The claims have been developed by two adits, three open cuts, and several hundred deep of bulldozer trenches. No uranium ore has been produced from this deposit. The uranium deposit at the Yellow Canary claims is in the Red Creek quartzite of pre-Cambrian age. The formation is composed of intercalated beds of quartzite, hornblendite, garnet schist, staurolite schist, and quartz-mica schist and is intruded by diorite dikes. A thick unit of highly fractured white quatrzite at the top of the formation contains tyutamunite as coatings on fracture surfaces. The tyutamunite is associated with carnotite, volborthite, iron oxides, azurite, malachite, brochantite, and hyalite. The secondary uranium and vanadium minerals are believed to be alteration products of primary minerals. The uranium content of 15 samples from this property ranged from 0.000 to 0.57 percent.

Estimation of potential runoff-contributing areas in the Kansas-Lower Republican River Basin, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.

1999-01-01

Digital soils and topographic data were used to estimate and compare potential runoff-contributing areas for 19 selected subbasins representing soil, slope, and runoff variability within the Kansas-Lower Republican (KLR) River Basin. Potential runoff-contributing areas were estimated separately and collectively for the processes of infiltration-excess and saturation-excess overland flow using a set of environmental conditions that represented high, moderate, and low potential runoff. For infiltration-excess overland flow, various rainfall intensities and soil permeabilities were used. For saturation-excess overland flow, antecedent soil-moisture conditions and a topographic wetness index were used. Results indicated that the subbasins with relatively high potential runoff are located in the central part of the KLR River Basin. These subbasins are Black Vermillion River, Clarks Creek, Delaware River upstream from Muscotah, Grasshopper Creek, Mill Creek (Wabaunsee County), Soldier Creek, Vermillion Creek (Pottawatomie County), and Wildcat Creek. The subbasins with relatively low potential runoff are located in the western one-third of the KLR River Basin, with one exception, and are Buffalo Creek, Little Blue River upstream from Barnes, Mill Creek (Washington County), Republican River between Concordia and Clay Center, Republican River upstream from Concordia, Wakarusa River downstream from Clinton Lake (exception), and White Rock Creek. The ability to distinguish the subbasins as having relatively high or low potential runoff was possible mostly due to the variability of soil permeability across the KLR River Basin.

Geohydrology and simulation of ground-water flow in the Red Clay Creek Basin, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and New Castle County, Delaware

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vogel, Karen L.; Reif, Andrew G.

1993-01-01

The 54-square-mile Red Clay Creek Basin, located in the lower Delaware River Basin, is underlain primarily by metamorphic rocks that range from Precambrian to Lower Paleozoic in age. Ground water flows through secondary openings in fractured crystalline rock and through primary openings below the water table in the overlying saprolite. Secondary porosity and permeability vary with hydrogeologic unit, topographic setting, and depth. Thirty-nine percent of the water-bearing zones are encountered within 100 feet of the land surface, and 79 percent are within 200 feet. The fractured crystalline rock and overlying saprolite act as a single aquifer under unconfined conditions. The water table is a subdued replica of the land surface. Local ground-water flow systems predominate in the basin, and natural ground-water discharge is to streams, comprising 62 to 71 percent of streamflow. Water budgets for 1988-90 for the 45-square-mile effective drainage area above the Woodale, Del., streamflow-measurement station show that annual precipitation ranged from 43.59 to 59.14 inches and averaged 49.81 inches, annual streamflow ranged from 15.35 to 26.33 inches and averaged 20.24 inches, and annual evapotranspiration ranged from 27.87 to 30.43 inches and averaged 28.98 inches. The crystalline rocks of the Red Clay Creek Basin were simulated two-dimensionally as a single aquifer under unconfined conditions. The model was calibrated for short-term steady-state conditions on November 2, 1990. Recharge was 8.32 inches per year. Values of aquifer hydraulic conductivity in hillside topographic settings ranged from 0.07 to 2.60 feet per day. Values of streambed hydraulic conductivity ranged from 0.08 to 26.0 feet per day. Prior to simulations where ground-water development was increased, the calibrated steady-state model was modified to approximate long-term average conditions in the basin. Base flow of 11.98 inches per year and a ground-water evapotranspiration rate of 2.17 inches per

Microsatellite analyses of San Franciscuito Creek rainbow trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nielsen, Jennifer L.

2000-01-01

Microsatellite genetic diversity found in San Francisquito Creek rainbow trout support a close genetic relationship with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from another tributary of San Francisco Bay, Alameda Creek, and coastal trout found in Lagunitas Creek, Marin County, California. Fish collected for this study from San Francisquito Creek showed a closer genetic relationship to fish from the north-central California steelhead ESU than for any other listed group of O. mykiss. No significant genotypic or allelic frequency associations could be drawn between San Francisquito Creek trout and fish collected from the four primary rainbow trout hatchery strains in use in California, i.e. Whitney, Mount Shasta, Coleman, and Hot Creek hatchery fish. Indeed, genetic distance analyses (δµ2) supported separation between San Francisquito Creek trout and all hatchery trout with 68% bootstrap values in 1000 replicate neighbor-joining trees. Not surprisingly, California hatchery rainbow trout showed their closest evolutionary relationships with contemporary stocks derived from the Sacramento River. Wild collections of rainbow trout from the Sacramento-San Joaquin basin in the Central Valley were also clearly separable from San Francisquito Creek fish supporting separate, independent ESUs for two groups of O. mykiss (one coastal and one Central Valley) with potentially overlapping life histories in San Francisco Bay. These data support the implementation of management and conservation programs for rainbow trout in the San Francisquito Creek drainage as part of the central California coastal steelhead ESU.

Flood of May 19, 1990, along Perry Creek in Plymouth and Woodbury counties, Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eash, D.A.

1996-01-01

A water-surface-elevation profile and peak discharges for the flood of May 19, 1990, along Perry Creek in Plymouth and Woodbury Counties, Iowa, are presented in this report. The peak discharge for the May 19,1990, flood on Perry Creek at 38th Street, Sioux City (06600000) is the second largest flood-peak discharge recorded at the streamflow-gaging station for the period 1939-95. The peak discharge for May 19, 1990, of 8,670 cubic feet per second, is approximately equal to the 35-year recurrence-interval discharge. The report provides information on flood stages and discharges and floodflow frequencies for streamflow-gaging stations in the Perry Creek Basin using flood information collected during 1939-95. Information on temporary bench marks and reference points established in the Perry Creek Basin during 1990-93 is also included in the report. A flood history describes rainfall conditions for the three largest floods that occurred during 1939-95 (July 1944, September 1949, and May 1990).

Chemistry of runoff and shallow ground water at the Cattlemans Detention basin site, South Lake Tahoe, California, August 2000-November 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.; Sager, Sienna J.; Wood, James L.; Henkelman, Katherine K.; Caskey, Rachel M.

2005-01-01

A study at the Cattlemans detention basin site began in November 2000. The site is adjacent to Cold Creek in South Lake Tahoe, California. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of the detention basin on ground-water discharge and changes in nutrient loads to Cold Creek, a tributary to Trout Creek and Lake Tahoe. The study is being done in cooperation with the Tahoe Engineering Division of the El Dorado County Department of Transportation. This report summarizes data collected prior to and during construction of the detention basin and includes: (1) nutrient and total suspended solid concentrations of urban runoff; (2) distribution of unconsolidated deposits; (3) direction of ground-water flow; and (4) chemistry of shallow ground water and Cold Creek. Unconsolidated deposits in the area of the detention basin were categorized into three classes: fill material consisting of a red-brown loamy sand with some gravel and an occasional cobble that was placed on top of the meadow; meadow deposits consisting of gray silt and sand with stringers of coarse sand and fine gravel; and a deeper brown to yellow-brown sand and gravel with lenses of silt and sand. Prior to construction of the detention basin, ground water flowed west-northwest across the area of the detention basin toward Cold Creek. The direction of ground-water flow did not change during construction of the detention basin. Median concentrations of dissolved iron and chloride were 500 and 30 times higher, respectively, in ground water from the meadow deposits than dissolved concentrations in Cold Creek. Median concentration of sulfate in ground water from the meadow deposits was 0.4 milligrams per liter and dissolved oxygen was below the detection level of 0.3 milligrams per liter. The relatively high concentrations of iron and the lack of sulfate in the shallow ground water likely are caused by chemical reactions and biological microbial oxidation of organic matter in the unconsolidated deposits

Influence of land use and open-water wetlands on water quality in the Lake Wallenpaupack basin, northeastern Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sams, James I.; Day, Rick L.; Stiteler, John M.

1999-01-01

The recreational value of Lake Wallenpaupack, along with its proximity to the New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas, has resulted in residential development in parts of the watershed. Some of these developments encroach on existing ponds, lakes, and wetlands and result in the conversion of forest land to residential areas. Sediment and nutrients in runoff from these residential areas, and inputs from agricultural areas, sewage treatment plants, and atmospheric deposition, have had a significant effect on water quality in Lake Wallenpaupack.Water-quality data collected in the Lake Wallenpaupack watershed from 1991 through 1994 indicate the influence of land use on water resources. Water samples collected from a forested undeveloped basin contained lower concentrations of suspended sediment, nitrogen, and total phosphorus than samples collected from the basins of Ariel Creek and Purdy Creek that drain areas having mixed land use with residential developments. Sediment yields were three to four times higher in the developed basins of Purdy and Ariel Creeks compared to the forested undeveloped basin. Annual yields for total nitrogen for Ariel Creek and Purdy Creek were between three to five times greater than yields from the forested basin. For the 1993 water year, the annual yield for dissolved nitrate plus nitrite (as nitrogen) from Ariel Creek Basin was 1,410 pounds per square mile, or about 60 times greater than the 24 pounds per square mile from the undeveloped basin. The total-phosphorus yield from the Ariel Creek Basin was 216 pounds per square mile for the 1994 water year. This was about three times greater than the 74 pounds per square mile from the forested basin. The total-phosphorus yield for the Purdy Creek Basin was 188 pounds per square mile for the 1994 water year, or 2.5 times greater than the yield from the undeveloped forested basin. Only slight differences were observed in dissolved orthophosphate phosphorus loadings between the basins. All

A telemetric study of the movement patterns and habitat use of Rana muscosa, the mountain yellow-legged frog, in a high-elevation basin in Kings Canyon National Park, California

Treesearch

K.R. Matthews; K.L. Pope

1999-01-01

ABSTRACTS.–In a high-elevation (3470 m) lake basin (upper Dusy Basin) in Kings Canyon National Park, California, we used radio transmitters on 24 mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) to gather basic information on their movement patterns. Rana muscosa have declined throughout their range in the Sierra Nevada and restoration plans require information on their...

Effect of human activities on overall trend of sedimentation in the lower Yellow River, China.

PubMed

Jiongxin, Xu

2004-05-01

The Yellow River has been intensively affected by human activities, particularly in the past 50 years, including soil-water conservation in the upper and middle drainage basin, flood protection in the lower reaches, and flow regulation and water diversion in the whole drainage basin. All these changes may impact sedimentation process of the lower Yellow River in different ways. Assessing these impacts comprehensively is important for more effective environmental management of the drainage basin. Based on the data of annual river flow, sediment load, and channel sedimentation in the lower Yellow River between 1950 and 1997, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the overall trend of channel sedimentation rate at a time scale of 50 years, and its formative cause. It was found in this study that erosion control measures and water diversion have counteractive impacts on sedimentation rate in the lower Yellow River. Although both annual river flow and sediment decreased, there was no change in channel sedimentation rate. A regression analysis indicated that the sedimentation in the lower Yellow River decreased with the sediment input to the lower Yellow River but increased with the river flow input. In the past 30-40 years, the basin-wide practice of erosion and sediment control measures resulted in a decline in sediment supply to the Yellow River; at the same time, the human development of water resources that required river flow regulation and water diversion caused great reduction in river flow. The former may reduce the sedimentation in the lower Yellow River, but the reduction of river flow increased the sedimentation. When their effects counterbalanced each other, the overall trend of channel sedimentation in the lower Yellow River remained unchanged. This fact may help us to better understand the positive and negative effects of human activities in the Yellow River basin and to pay more attention to the negative effect of the development of water resources. The

Hillslope hydrology research at Caspar Creek

Treesearch

Elizabeth T. Keppeler; Peter H. Cafferata

1991-01-01

As part of the ongoing Caspar Creek Watershed Study on Jackson Demonstration State Forest, researchers from the US Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection are investigating subsurface drainage in the headwaters of the basin. In order to predict how land use practices will impact stream systems, and hence habitats for aquatic...

Application of a calibrated/validated Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender model to assess sediment and nutrient delivery from the Wildcat Creek Mississippi River Basin Initiative – Cooperative Conservation Partnership

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Wildcat Creek, a tributary to the Wabash River was identified by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as a priority watershed for its high sediment and nutrient loading contributions to the Mississippi River. As part of the Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI), the incorpo...

Potential impact of climate change to the future streamflow of Yellow River Basin based on CMIP5 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaoli; Zheng, Weifei; Ren, Liliang; Zhang, Mengru; Wang, Yuqian; Liu, Yi; Yuan, Fei; Jiang, Shanhu

2018-02-01

The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is the largest river basin in northern China, which has suffering water scarcity and drought hazard for many years. Therefore, assessments the potential impacts of climate change on the future streamflow in this basin is very important for local policy and planning on food security. In this study, based on the observations of 101 meteorological stations in YRB, equidistant CDF matching (EDCDFm) statistical downscaling approach was applied to eight climate models under two emissions scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) from phase five of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model with 0.25° × 0.25° spatial resolution was developed based on downscaled fields for simulating streamflow in the future period over YRB. The results show that with the global warming trend, the annual streamflow will reduced about 10 % during the period of 2021-2050, compared to the base period of 1961-1990 in YRB. There should be suitable water resources planning to meet the demands of growing populations and future climate changing in this region.

Regulating N application for rice yield and sustainable eco-agro development in the upper reaches of Yellow River basin, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Aiping; Liu, Ruliang; Gao, Ji; Yang, Shiqi; Chen, Zhe

2014-01-01

High N fertilizer and flooding irrigation applied to rice on anthropogenic-alluvial soil often result in N leaching and low recovery of applied fertilizer N from the rice fields in Ningxia irrigation region in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, which threatens ecological environment, food security, and sustainable agricultural development. This paper reported the regulating N application for rice yield and sustainable Eco-Agro development in the upper reaches of Yellow River basin. The results showed that reducing and postponing N application could maintain crop yields while substantially reducing N leaching losses to the environment and improving the nitrogen use efficiency. Considering the high food production, the minimum environmental threat, and the low labor input, we suggested that regulating N application is an important measure to help sustainable agricultural development in this region.

Flocculation and sediment deposition in a hypertidal creek

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Laughlin, C.; van Proosdij, D.; Milligan, T. G.

2014-07-01

In the hypertidal Bay of Fundy, environmental impacts in response to commercial-scale tidal power development remain to be fully understood. The extraction of tidal energy may impact sediment dynamics in far-field environments, such as the intertidal zone, through potential alterations to tidal amplitude in the Minas Basin. Tidal conditions (e.g. current velocity, turbulence, suspended sediment concentration) were monitored in a sheltered salt marsh creek over 18 tidal cycles in various stages of the spring-neap cycle. Samples of deposited and suspended sediments were collected and analyzed for grain size using a Beckman Coulter Multisizer III. Results suggest that the flocculated component of both deposited and suspended sediment is consistently high over a wide range of tidal conditions. A routinely high incoming concentration of highly-flocculated material results in large amounts of sediment deposition in tidal creeks in response to individual tidal cycles. Resuspension and removal of newly deposited material is shown to vary with over-marsh, bankfull and channel-restricted tides. Disruption of the tidal regime due to a reduction in Minas Basin tidal amplitude may lessen the cumulative export capacity of tidal channels over time, potentially leading to gradual infilling of tidal creeks. The long-term effects of tidal power development on intertidal areas are generally unknown.

Geologic map of the Lacamas Creek quadrangle, Clark County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evarts, R.C.

2006-01-01

The Lacamas Creek 7.5 minute quadrangle is in southwestern Washington, approximately 25 km northeast of Portland, Oregon, along the eastern margin of the Portland Basin, which is part of the Puget-Willamette Lowland that separates the Cascade Range from the Oregon Coast Range. Since late Eocene time, the Cascade Range has been the locus of an episodically active volcanic arc associated with underthrusting of oceanic lithosphere beneath the North American continent along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Lava flows that erupted early in the history of the arc underlie the eastern half of the Lacamas Creek quadrangle, forming a dissected terrain, with elevations as high as 2050 ft (625 m), that slopes irregularly but steeply to the southwest. These basalt and basaltic andesite flows erupted in early Oligocene time from one or more vents located outside the map area. The flows dip gently (less than 5 degrees) west to southwest. In the western part of the map area, volcanic bedrock is unconformably overlain by middle Miocene to early Pleistocene(?) sediments that accumulated as the Portland Basin subsided. These sediments consist mostly of detritus carried into the Portland Basin by the ancestral Columbia River. Northwest-striking faults offset the Paleogene basin floor as well as the lower part of the basin fill. In middle Pleistocene time, basalt and basaltic andesite erupted from three small volcanoes in the southern half of the map area. These vents are in the northern part of the Boring volcanic field, which comprises several dozen late Pliocene and younger monogenetic volcanoes scattered throughout the greater Portland region. In latest Pleistocene time, the Missoula floods of glacial-outburst origin inundated the Portland Basin. The floods deposited poorly sorted gravels in the southwestern part of the Lacamas Creek quadrangle that grade northward into finer grained sediments. This map is a contribution to a program designed to improve geologic knowledge of the

Geology and ground-water resources of the lower Lodgepole Creek drainage basin, Nebraska, with a section on chemical quality of the water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bjorklund, Louis Jay; Jochens, Eugene R.

1957-01-01

The area described is almost wholly in Nebraska and is the drainage basin of Lodgepole Creek from the Wyoming State line to the Colorado State line, a distance along the stream valley of about 95 miles. It covers about 1,950 square miles. The purposes of the study were to ascertain the characteristics, thickness, and extent of the water-bearing formations and to obtain and interpret data on the origin, quality, quantity, movement, availability, and use of ground water in the area. The rocks exposed in the drainage basin are the Brule formation of Oligocene (Tertiary) age, the Ogallala formation of Pliocene (Tertiary) age, and alluvium of Pleistocene and Recent (Quaternary) age. The Brule formation is mainly a siltstone, which yields an average of 950 gallons per minute (gpm) to irrigation wells tapping its fractured zones or reworked material; the maximum reported discharge is 2,200 gpm. The Ogallala formation underlies most of the area. It consists of lenticular beds of clayey, silty, sandy, and gravelly materials and supplies water to all wells on the upland, including a few large-discharge wells, and to many irrigation and public-supply wells in the valley of Lodgepole Creek. The yield of irrigation wells tapping the Ogallala formation ranges from 90 to 1,600 gpm and averages about 860 gpm. The alluvium is present in the valleys of Lodgepole Creek and its tributaries and consists mainly of heterogeneous . mixtures of silt, sand, and gravel, and lenticular bodies of these materials. Between the Colorado State line and Chappell, Nebr., irrigation wells derive most of their water from the alluvium. However, between Chappell and Sidney most of the irrigation wells tap both the alluvium and permeable zones in the underlying Brule formation, and in much of the valley west of Sidney, where the water table is beneath the bottom of the alluvium, irrigation wells derive water from the underlying Brule or Ogallala formations. Irrigation wells obtaining water chiefly from

Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for Escondido Creek, San Antonio River basin, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reddy, D.R.

1971-01-01

IntroductionHistory of Small Watershed Projects in TexasThe U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of the "Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and "Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The Soil Conservation Service has found a total of approximately 3,500 floodwater-retarding structures to be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1970, 1,439 of these structures had been built.This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the surface and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data under natural and developed conditions are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on the yield and mode of occurrence of runoff.Hydrologic investigations of these small watersheds were begun by the Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 12 study areas (fig. 1). These investigations are being made in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 12 study areas were chosen to sample watershed having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In five of the study areas, (North, Little Elm, Mukewater, little Pond-North Elm, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses of the conditions "before and after" development. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures in each study areas of September 30, 1970, is shown in table 1.Objectives of the Texas Small Watersheds ProjectThe purpose of these investigations is to collect sufficient data to meeting the

Phosphorus and E. coli in the Fanno and Bronson Creek subbasins of the Tualatin River basin, Oregon, during summer low-flow conditions, 1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, Kathleen A.

2000-01-01

As part of an ongoing cooperative study between the Unified Sewerage Agency of Washington County, Oregon, and the U.S. Geological Survey, phosphorus and Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations were measured in the Fanno and Bronson Creek subbasins of the Tualatin River Basin during September 1996. Data were collected at 19 main-stem and 22 tributary sites in the Fanno Creek subbasin, and at 14 main-stem and 4 tributary sites in the Bronson Creek subbasin. These data provided the following information on summer base-flow conditions in the subbasins. Concentrations of total phosphorus at 70% of the sites sampled in the Fanno Creek subbasin were between 0.1 and 0.2 mg/L (milligrams per liter), very near the estimated background level of 0.14 mg/L attributed to ground-water base flow. These data indicate that ground-water discharge could account for the phosphorus measured at most sites in this subbasin.Concentrations of phosphorus at all but one of the sites sampled in the Bronson Creek subbasin were also between 0.1 and 0.2 mg/L, indicating that ground-water discharge could account for the phosphorus measured at most sites in this subbasin.A few sites in the Fanno Creek subbasin had phosphorus concentrations above background levels, indicating a source other than ground water. Some of these sites- Pendleton Creek and the tributary near Gemini, for example-were probably affected by the decomposition of avian waste materials and the release of phosphorus from bottom sediments in nearby ponds.Concentrations of E. coli--an indicator of fecal contamination and the potential presence of bacterial pathogens-exceeded the current single-sample criterion for recreational contact in freshwater (406 organisms/100 mL [organisms per 100 milliliters]) at 70% of the sites sampled in the Fanno Creek subbasin.Concentrations of E. coli in the Bronson Creek subbasin exceeded the single-sample criterion at one-third of the sites sampled.Most occurrences of elevated E. coli levels were

Update on coal in Big Horn basin, Montana and Wyoming

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

Jones, R.W.

1983-08-01

The Big Horn Coal basin is located within the topographic and structural basin of the same name and is defined by the limits of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Formation in northwestern Wyoming and the Eagle Sandstone in south-central Montana. The coal in this basin ranges in rank from high volatile C bituminous (based primarily on resistance to weathering) to subbituminous B coal. In general, the Mesaverde and Eagle coals are highest in heat content, averaging over 10,500 Btu/lb; the Fort Union coals in the Red Lodge-Bear Creek and Grass Creek fields average about 10,200 Btu/lb and are second highest inmore » heating value. The Meeteetse Formation contains coals that average 9,800 Btu/lb, the lowest heating values in the basin. An average heating value for all coal in the basin is slightly less than 10,000 But/lb. The average sulfur content of all coals in this basin is less than 1%, with a range of 0.4 to 2.2%. Coal mining in the Big Horn Coal basin began in the late 1880s in the Red Lodge field and has continued to the present. Almost 53 million tons of coal have been mined in the basin; nearly 78% of this production (41 million tons) is from bituminous Fort Union coal beds in the Red Lodge-Bear Creek and Bridger coal fields, Montana. Original in-place resources for the Big Horn Coal basin are given by rank of coal: 1,265.12 million tons of bituminous coal resources have been calculated for the Silvertip field, Wyoming, and the Red Lodge-Bear Creek and Bridger fields, Montana; 563.78 million tons of subbituminous resources have been calculated for the remaining Wyoming coal fields.« less

Discharge, sediment, and water chemistry in Clear Creek, western Nevada, water years 2013–16

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huntington, Jena M.; Riddle, Daniel J.; Paul, Angela P.

2018-05-01

Clear Creek is a small stream that drains the eastern Carson Range near Lake Tahoe, flows roughly parallel to the Highway 50 corridor, and discharges to the Carson River near Carson City, Nevada. Historical and ongoing development in the drainage basin is thought to be affecting Clear Creek and its sediment-transport characteristics. Previous studies from water years (WYs) 2004 to 2007 and from 2010 to 2012 evaluated discharge, selected water-quality parameters, and suspended-sediment concentrations, loads, and yields at three Clear Creek sampling sites. This report serves as a continuation of the data collection and analyses of the Clear Creek discharge regime and associated water-chemistry and sediment concentrations and loads during WYs 2013–16.Total annual sediment loads ranged from 870 to 5,300 tons during WYs 2004–07, from 320 to 1,770 tons during WYs 2010–12, and from 50 to 200 tons during WYs 2013–16. Ranges in annual loads during the three study periods were not significantly different; however, total loads were greater during 2004–07 than they were during 2013–16. Annual suspended-sediment loads in WYs 2013–16 showed no significant change since WYs 2010–12 at sites 1 (U.S. Geological Survey reference site 10310485; Clear Creek above Highway 50, near Spooner Summit, Nevada) or 2 (U.S. Geological Survey streamgage 10310500; Clear Creek above Highway 50, near Spooner Summit, Nevada), but significantly lower loads at site 3 (U.S. Geological Survey site 10310518; Clear Creek at Fuji Park, at Carson City, Nevada), supporting the theory of sediment deposition between sites 2 and 3 where the stream gradient becomes more gradual. Currently, a threshold discharge of about 3.3 cubic feet per second is required to mobilize streambed sediment (bedload) from site 2 in Clear Creek. Mean daily discharge was significantly lower in 2010–12 than in 2004–07 and also significantly lower in 2013–16 than in 2010–12. During this study, lower bedload, and

Multiple-Purpose Project, Osage River Basin, Hundred and Ten Mile Creek Kansas, Pomona Lake, Operation and Maintenance Manual. Appendix VII. Construction Foundation Report. Revision.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

Rock, from required excavation, was utilized in the embankment. Amonium nitrate and 60 percent dynamite were used. No blasting records were kept...AD A135 578 MULTPLE-PURPOSE PROJECT OSAGE RIVER BASIN HUNDRED AND 1;TEN MILE CREEK KAA U) CORPS OF ENGINEERS KANSASOASS DS C C ES C IT UNCLASIFE D ...ADDRESS 12. REPORT DATE Estimates & Specifications Section (MRKED-DE), 1977 Revised October 1983 Design Branch (MRKED- D ), Kansas City District, 13

Irrigation-water quality during 1976 irrigation season in the Sulphur Creek basin, Yakima and Benton counties, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boucher, P.R.; Fretwell, M.O.

1982-01-01

A water-quality-sampling network was designed for the Sulphur Creek basin to observe the effects of farming practices on irrigation. Sediment and nutrient yield, discharge, and water temperature data were collected during the 1976 irrigation season and the following fall and winter. The suspended-sediment yield of the basin during this period was 2.0 tons per acre of irrigated cropland. Only about 3% of the net outflow of sediment occurred during the nonirrigation season. The yield computed by subbasin ranged from 0.7 to 7 tons per acre, depending mainly on land slope, but a high percentage of orchard land in the subbasins was probably also significant in reducing loads. Nutrient outflows during the study period were 1,180,000 pounds of nitrogen and 120,000 pounds of phosphorous. Nitrate-plus-nitrite represent 70% of the nitrogen outflow in the irrigation season and 84% in the nonirrigation season. The monitoring network was discontinued at the end of the study period, due largely to insufficient farmer participation. Network sensitivity in the control subbasins was inadequate to detect the effects of a planned demonstration program of best management practices. (USGS)

Hydrologic data for North Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1975

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kidwell, C.C.

1977-01-01

This report contains the rainfall, runoff, and storage data collected during the 1975 water year for the 21.6-square-mile area above the stream-gaging station North Creek near Jacksboro, Texas. The weighted-mean rainfall in the study area during the water year was 39.01 inches, which is greater than the 18-year average of 30.21 inches for the period 1958-75. Monthly rainfall totals ranged from 1.04 inches in November to 7.94 inches in May. The mean discharge for 1975 at the stream-gaging station was 5.98 cfs, compared with the 14-year (1957-70) average of 5.75 cfs. The annual runoff from the basin above the stream-gaging station was 4,330 acre-feet or 3.76 inches. Three storms were selected for detailed computations for the 1975 water year. The storms occurred on Oct. 30-31, 1974, May 2, 1975 , and Aug. 26, 1975. Rainfall and discharge were computed on the basis of a refined time breakdown. Patterns of the storms are illustrated by hydrographs and mass curves. A summary of rainfall-runoff data is tabulated. There are five floodwater-retarding structures in the study area. These structures have a total capacity of 4,425 acre-feet below flood-spillway crests and regulate streamflow from 16.3 square miles, or 75 percent of the study area. A summary of the physical data at each of the floodwater-retarding structures is included. (Woodard-USGS)

Regulating N Application for Rice Yield and Sustainable Eco-Agro Development in the Upper Reaches of Yellow River Basin, China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Aiping; Liu, Ruliang; Gao, Ji; Yang, Shiqi; Chen, Zhe

2014-01-01

High N fertilizer and flooding irrigation applied to rice on anthropogenic-alluvial soil often result in N leaching and low recovery of applied fertilizer N from the rice fields in Ningxia irrigation region in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, which threatens ecological environment, food security, and sustainable agricultural development. This paper reported the regulating N application for rice yield and sustainable Eco-Agro development in the upper reaches of Yellow River basin. The results showed that reducing and postponing N application could maintain crop yields while substantially reducing N leaching losses to the environment and improving the nitrogen use efficiency. Considering the high food production, the minimum environmental threat, and the low labor input, we suggested that regulating N application is an important measure to help sustainable agricultural development in this region. PMID:25045728

Fish Creek Rim Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 50

Treesearch

Reid Schuller; Ian Grinter

2016-01-01

This guidebook describes major biological and physical attributes of the 3531-ha (8,725-ac) Fish Creek Rim Research Natural Area located within the Northern Basin and Range ecoregion and managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Lakeview District (USDI BLM 2003).

Prediction method of sediment discharge from forested basin

Treesearch

Kazutoki Abe; Ushio Kurokawa; Robert R. Ziemer

2000-01-01

An estimation model for sediment discharge from a forested basin using Universal Soil Loss Equation and delivery ratio was developed. Study basins are North fork and South fork in Caspar Creek, north California, where Forest Service, USDA has been using water and sediment discharge from both basins since 1962. The whole basin is covered with the forest, mainly...

A precipitation-runoff model for part of the Ninemile Creek Watershed near Camillus, Onondaga County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zarriello, Phillip J.

1999-01-01

A precipitation-runoff model, HSPF (Hydrologic Simulation Program Fortran), of a 41.7 square mile part of the Ninemile Creek watershed near Camillus, in central New York, was developed and calibrated to predict the hydrological effects of future suburban development on streamflow, and the effects of stormwater detention on flooding of Ninemile Creek at Camillus. Development was represented in the model in two ways: (1) as a pervious area (open and residential land) that simulates the hydrologic response from mixed pervious and impervious areas that drain to pervious areas, or (2) as an impervious area that drains to channels. Simulations indicate that peak discharges for 30 non-winter storms in 1995-96 would increase by an average of 10 to 37 percent in response to a 10- to 100-percent buildup of developable land represented as open/residential land and by 40 to 68 percent in response to 10 to 100 percent buildup of developable area represented as impervious area. A 10 to 100 percent buildup of developable area represents an impervious area of about 1 to 7 percent of the watershed. A log Pearson Type-III analysis of peak annual discharge for October 1989 through September 1996 for simulations with full development represented as impervious area indicates that stormflows that formerly occurred once every 2 years on average will occur once every 1.5 years, and stormflows that formerly occurred once every 5 years will occur once every 3.3 years.Simulations of a hypothetical 147-acre residential development in the lower part of the watershed with and without stormwater detention indicate that detention basins could cause either increase or decrease downstream flooding of Ninemile Creek at Camillus, depending on the basin.s available storage relative to its inflows and, hence, the timing of its peak outflow in relation to that of the peak discharge in Ninemile Creek; and the degree of flow retention by wetlands and other channel storage that affect the timing of peak

Environmental Setting of the Sugar Creek and Leary Weber Ditch Basins, Indiana, 2002-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lathrop, Timothy R.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates streamflow-gaging stations at Sugar Creek at New Palestine and at Leary Weber Ditch at Mohawk within the study area. Mean daily streamflow for Sugar Creek is higher than streamflow at Leary Weber Ditch. Through most of its length, Sugar Creek is a gaining stream and base flow is supported by ground-water sources. At Leary Weber Ditch, there is little to no streamflow when tile drains are dry. Modifications to the natural hydrology of the study area include a large system of tile drains, the intersection of Sugar Creek by several major roads, and outflows from nearby wastewater-treatment plants. Leary Weber Ditch is affected only by tile drains.

Evaluating the applicability of four recent satellite–gauge combined precipitation estimates for extreme precipitation and streamflow predictions over the upper Yellow river basin in China

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study aimed to statistically and hydrologically assess the performance of four latest and widely used satellite–gauge combined precipitation estimates (SGPEs), namely CRT, BLD, 3B42CDR, and 3B42 for the extreme precipitation and stream'ow scenarios over the upper Yellow river basin (UYRB) in ch...

Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 5. Well installation, water-level data, and surface- and ground-water geochemistry in the Straight Creek drainage basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2001-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naus, Cheryl A.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Donohoe, Lisa C.; Hunt, Andrew G.; Paillet, Frederick L.; Morin, Roger H.; Verplanck, Philip L.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Mexico Environment Department, is investigating the pre-mining ground-water chemistry at the Molycorp molybdenum mine in the Red River Valley, northern New Mexico. The primary approach is to determine the processes controlling ground-water chemistry at an unmined, off-site, proximal analog. The Straight Creek drainage basin, chosen for this purpose, consists of the same quartz-sericite-pyrite altered andesitic and rhyolitic volcanic rock of Tertiary age as the mine site. The weathered and rugged volcanic bedrock surface is overlain by heterogeneous debris-flow deposits that interfinger with alluvial deposits near the confluence of Straight Creek and the Red River. Pyritized rock in the upper part of the drainage basin is the source of acid rock drainage (pH 2.8-3.3) that infiltrates debris-flow deposits containing acidic ground water (pH 3.0-4.0) and bedrock containing water of circumneutral pH values (5.6-7.7). Eleven observation wells were installed in the Straight Creek drainage basin. The wells were completed in debris-flow deposits, bedrock, and interfingering debris-flow and Red River alluvial deposits. Chemical analyses of ground water from these wells, combined with chemical analyses of surface water, water-level data, and lithologic and geophysical logs, provided information used to develop an understanding of the processes contributing to the chemistry of ground water in the Straight Creek drainage basin. Surface- and ground-water samples were routinely collected for determination of total major cations and selected trace metals; dissolved major cations, selected trace metals, and rare-earth elements; anions and alkalinity; and dissolved-iron species. Rare-earth elements were determined on selected samples only. Samples were collected for determination of dissolved organic carbon, mercury, sulfur isotopic composition (34S and 18O of sulfate), and water isotopic composition (2H and 18O) during

Analytical Results for 35 Mine-Waste Tailings Cores and Six Bed-Sediment Samples, and An Estimate of the Volume of Contaminated Material at Buckeye Meadow on Upper Basin Creek, Northern Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fey, David L.; Church, Stan E.; Finney, Christopher J.

1999-01-01

Metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River basin study area in northern Jefferson County, Montana have been implicated in their detrimental effects on water quality with regard to acid-generation and toxic-metal solubilization. Flotation-mill tailings in the meadow below the Buckeye mine, hereafter referred to as the Buckeye mill-tailings site, have been identified as significant contributors to water quality degradation of Basin Creek, Montana. Basin Creek is one of three tributaries to the Boulder River in the study area; bed sediments and waters draining from the Buckeye mine have also been implicated. Geochemical analysis of 35 tailings cores and six bed-sediment samples was undertaken to determine the concentrations of Ag, As, Cd, Cu, Pb,and Zn present in these materials. These elements are environmentally significant, in that they can be toxic to fish and/or the invertebrate organisms that constitute their food. A suite of one-inch cores of dispersed flotation-mill tailings and underlying premining material was taken from a large, flat area north of Basin Creek near the site of the Buckeye mine. Thirty-five core samples were taken and divided into 204 subsamples. The samples were analyzed by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy) using a mixed-acid digestion. Results of the core analyses show that the elements listed above are present at moderate to very high concentrations (arsenic to 63,000 ppm, silver to 290 ppm, cadmium to 370 ppm, copper to 4,800 ppm, lead to 93,000 ppm, and zinc to 23,000 ppm). Volume calculations indicate that an estimated 8,400 metric tons of contaminated material are present at the site. Six bed-sediment samples were also subjected to the mixed-acid total digestion, and a warm (50°C) 2M HCl-1% H2O2 leach and analyzed by ICP-AES. Results indicate that bed sediments of Basin Creek are only slightly impacted by past mining above the Buckeye-Enterprise complex, moderately impacted at the upper (eastern

Stream profile analysis using a step backwater model for selected reaches in the Chippewa Creek basin in Medina, Wayne, and Summit Counties, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Straub, David E.; Ebner, Andrew D.

2011-01-01

The USGS, in cooperation with the Chippewa Subdistrict of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, performed hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for selected reaches of three streams in Medina, Wayne, Stark, and Summit Counties in northeast Ohio: Chippewa Creek, Little Chippewa Creek, and River Styx. This study was done to facilitate assessment of various alternatives for mitigating flood hazards in the Chippewa Creek basin. StreamStats regional regression equations were used to estimate instantaneous peak discharges approximately corresponding to bankfull flows. Explanatory variables used in the regression equations were drainage area, main-channel slope, and storage area. Hydraulic models were developed to determine water-surface profiles along the three stream reaches studied for the bankfull discharges established in the hydrologic analyses. The HEC-RAS step-backwater hydraulic analysis model was used to determine water-surface profiles for the three streams. Starting water-surface elevations for all streams were established using normal depth computations in the HEC-RAS models. Cross-sectional elevation data, hydraulic-structure geometries, and roughness coefficients were collected in the field and (along with peak-discharge estimates) used as input for the models. Reach-averaged reductions in water-surface elevations ranged from 0.11 to 1.29 feet over the four roughness coefficient reduction scenarios.

Well installation, single-well testing, and particle-size analysis for selected sites in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, north-central Colorado, 2003-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beck, Jennifer A.; Paschke, Suzanne S.; Arnold, L. Rick

2011-01-01

This report describes results from a groundwater data-collection program completed in 2003-2004 by the U.S. Geological Survey in support of the South Platte Decision Support System and in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Two monitoring wells were installed adjacent to existing water-table monitoring wells. These wells were installed as well pairs with existing wells to characterize the hydraulic properties of the alluvial aquifer and shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin. Single-well tests were performed in the 2 newly installed wells and 12 selected existing monitoring wells. Sediment particle size was analyzed for samples collected from the screened interval depths of each of the 14 wells. Hydraulic-conductivity and transmissivity values were calculated after the completion of single-well tests on each of the selected wells. Recovering water-level data from the single-well tests were analyzed using the Bouwer and Rice method because test data most closely resembled those obtained from traditional slug tests. Results from the single-well test analyses for the alluvial aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.8 x 10-5 feet per second and geometric mean hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.4 x 10-5 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values in the alluvial aquifer were 8.6 x 10-4 feet squared per second and 4.9 x 10-4 feet squared per second, respectively. Single-well test results for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 5.4 x 10-6 feet per second and geometric mean value of 4.9 x 10-6 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer were 4.0 x 10-5 feet squared per second and 5.9 x 10-5 feet squared per second, respectively. Hydraulic-conductivity values for the alluvial aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated

Assessment of hydrology, water quality, and trace elements in selected placer-mined creeks in the birch creek watershed near central, Alaska, 2001-05

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Ben W.; Langley, Dustin E.

2007-01-01

, less than 10 milligrams per liter, in median suspended-sediment concentration for either basin. During low-flow conditions in 2004 and 2005, previously mined areas investigated on Harrison Creek and on Frying Pan Creek did not contribute substantial suspended sediments to sample sites downstream from the mined areas. No substantial mining-related water- or sediment-quality problems were detected at any of the sites investigated in the upper Birch Creek watershed during low-flow conditions. Average annual streamflow and precipitation were near normal in 2002 and 2003. Drought conditions, extreme forest fire impact, and low annual streamflow set apart the 2004 and 2005 summer seasons. Daily mean streamflow for upper Birch Creek varied throughout the period of record-from maximums of about 1,000 cubic feet per second to minimums of about 20 cubic feet per second. Streamflow increased and decreased rapidly in response to rainfall and rapid snowmelt events because the steep slopes, thin soil cover, and permafrost areas in the watershed have little capacity to retain runoff. Median suspended-sediment concentrations for the 115 paired samples from Frying Pan Creek and 101 paired samples from Harrison Creek were less than the 20 milligrams per liter total maximum daily load. The total maximum daily load was set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the upper Birch Creek basin in 1996. Suspended-sediment paired-sample data were collected using automated samplers in 2004 and 2005, primarily during low-flow conditions. Suspended-sediment concentrations in grab samples from miscellaneous sites ranged from less than 1 milligram per liter during low-flow conditions to 1,386 milligrams per liter during a high-flow event on upper Birch Creek. Streambed-sediment samples were collected at six sites on Harrison Creek, two sites on Frying Pan Creek, and one site on upper Birch Creek. Trace-element concentrations of mercury, lead, and zinc in streambed sedimen

Use of stable isotopes of nitrogen and water to identify sources of nitrogen in three urban creeks of Durham, North Carolina, 2011-12

USGS Publications Warehouse

McSwain, Kristen Bukowski; Young, Megan B.; Giorgino, Mary L.

2014-01-01

A preliminary assessment of nitrate sources was conducted in three creeks that feed nutrient impaired Falls and Jordan Lakes in the vicinity of Durham County, North Carolina, from July 2011 to June 2012. Cabin Branch, Ellerbe Creek, and Third Fork Creek were sampled monthly to determine if sources of nitrate in surface water could be identified on the basis of their stable isotopic compositions. Land use differs in the drainage basins of the investigated creeks—the predominant land use in Cabin Branch Basin is forest, and the Ellerbe and Third Fork Creek Basins are predominantly developed urban areas. Total nutrient concentrations were below 1 milligram per liter (mg/L). All measured nitrate plus nitrite concentrations were below the North Carolina standard of 10 mg/L as nitrogen with the highest concentration of 0.363 mg/L measured in Third Fork Creek. Concentrations of ammonia were generally less than 0.1 mg/L as nitrogen in all creek samples. More than 50 percent of the total nitrogen measured in the creeks was in the form of organic nitrogen. Total phosphorus and orthophosphate concentrations in all samples were generally less than 0.2 mg/L as phosphorus. The isotopic composition of surface water (δ2HH20 and δ18OH2O) is similar to that of modern-day precipitation. During July and August 2011 and May and June 2012, surface-water samples displayed a seasonal difference in isotopic composition, indicating fractionation of isotopes as a result of evaporation and, potentially, mixing with local and regional groundwater. The dominant source of nitrate to Cabin Branch, Ellerbe Creek, and Third Fork Creek was the nitrification of soil nitrogen. Two stormflow samples in Ellerbe Creek and Third Fork Creek had nitrate sources that were a mixture of the nitrification of soil nitrogen and an atmospheric source that had bypassed some soil contact through impermeable surfaces within the drainage basin. No influence of a septic or wastewater source was found in Cabin

Simulations of the effects of U.S. Highway 231 and the proposed Montgomery outer loop on flooding in the Catoma Creek and Little Catoma Creek Basins near Montgomery, Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedgecock, T. Scott

1999-01-01

A two-dimensional finite-element surface-water model was used to study the effects of U.S. Highway 231 and the proposed Montgomery Outer Loop on the water-surface elevations and flow distributions during flooding in the Catoma Creek and Little Catoma Creek Basins southeast of Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama. The effects of flooding were simulated for two scenarios--existing and proposed conditions--for the 100- and 500-year recurrence intervals. The first scenario was to model the existing bridge and highway configuration for U.S. Highway 231 and the existing ponds that lie just upstream from this crossing. The second scenario was to model the proposed bridge and highway configuration for the Montgomery Outer Loop and the Montgomery Loop Interchange at U.S. Highway 231 as well as the proposed modifications to the ponds upstream. Simulation of floodflow for Little Catoma Creek for the existing conditions at U.S. Highway 231 indicates that, for the 100-year flood, 54 percent of the flow (8,140 cubic feet per second) was conveyed by the northernmost bridge, 21 percent (3,130 cubic feet per second) by the middle bridge, and 25 percent (3,780 cubic feet per second) by the southernmost bridge. No overtopping of U.S. Highway 231 occurred. However, the levees of the catfish ponds immediately upstream from the crossing were completely overtopped. The average water- surface elevations for the 100-year flood at the upstream limits of the study reach for Catoma Creek and Little Catoma Creek were 216.9 and 218.3 feet, respectively. For the 500-year flood, the simulatin indicates that 51 percent of the flow (11,200 cubic feet per second) was conveyed by the northernmost bridge, 25 percent (5,480 cubic feet per second) by the middle bridge, and 24 percent (5,120 cubic feet per second) by the southernmost bridge. The average water0surface elevations for the 500-year flood at the upstream limits of the study reach for Catoma Creek and Little Catoma Creek were 218.2 and 219

Flood of April 2-3, 2005, Esopus Creek Basin, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Suro, Thomas P.; Firda, Gary D.

2007-01-01

On April 2-3, 2005, heavy rain moved into southern New York and delivered rainfall amounts that ranged from about 2 in. to almost 6 in. within a 36-hour period. Significant flooding occurred on many small streams and tributaries in the area, and extensive flooding occurred on the Esopus and Roundout Creeks in Ulster and Greene Counties, New York. The flooding damaged many homes, caused millions of dollars worth of damage, and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes. A total of 20 New York counties were declared Federal disaster areas. Disaster recovery assistance for those people affected stands at almost $35 million, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as more than 3,400 New Yorkers registered for Federal aid. U.S. Geological Survey stream-gaging stations on the Esopus Creek above the Ashokan Reservoir at Allaben, N.Y., and below the Ashokan Reservoir at Mount Marion, N.Y., each recorded a new record maximum water-surface elevation and discharge for the respective periods of record as a result of this storm. The peak water-surface elevation and discharge recorded during the April 2-3, 2005, storm at the U.S. Geological Survey stream-gaging station on the Esopus Creek at Cold Brook, N.Y. were the third highest elevation and discharge since the station was put into operation in 1914. Most of the study sites along the Esopus Creek indicated water-surface elevations near the 50-year flood elevations, as documented in flood-insurance studies by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bruce, James F.

2002-01-01

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

Summit Lake landslide and geomorphic history of Summit Lake basin, northwestern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curry, B. Brandon; Melhorn, W.N.

1990-01-01

The Summit Lake landslide, northwestern Nevada, composed of Early Miocene pyroclastic debris, Ashdown Tuff, and basalt and rhyolite of the Black Rock Range, blocked the upper Soldier Creek-Snow Creek drainage and impounded Summit Lake sometimes prior to 7840 yr B.P. The slide covers 8.2 km2 and has geomorphic features characteristic of long run-out landslides, such as lobate form, longitudinal and transverse ridges, low surface gradient (7.1 ??), and preservation of original stratigraphic position of transported blocks. However, estimated debris volume is the smallest reported (2.5 ?? 105 m3) for a landslide of this type. The outflow channel of the Summit Lake basin was a northward-flowing stream valley entrenched by Mahogany Creek. Subsequent negative tectonic adjustment of the basin by about 35 m, accompanied by concommitant progradation of a prominent alluvial fan deposited by Mahogany Creek, argues for a probable diversion of drainage from the Alvord basin southward into the Lahontan basin. The landslide occurred while the creek flowed southward, transferring about 147 km2 of watershed from the Lahontan basin back to the Alvord basin. Overflow northward occurred during high stands of Pluvial Lake Parman in the basin; otherwise, under drier climates, the Summit Lake basin has been closed. Within large depressions on the slide surface, the ca. 6800 yr old Mazama Bed and other sediments have buried a weakly developed soil. Disseminated humus in the soil yields an age of 7840 ?? 310 yr B.P. Absence of older tephra (such as St. Helens M) brackets the slide age between 7840 and 19,000 yr B.P. Projectile points found on the highest strandlines of Pluvial Lake Parman suggest a ca 8700 yr B.P. age by correlation with cultural artifacts and radiocarbon ages from nearby Last Supper Cave, Nevada. Organic matter accumulation in landslide soils suggests ages ranging from 9100 to 16,250 yr B.P. Estimation of the age of the slide from morphologic data for the isolated Summit

Scotch Creek Wildlife Area 2007-2008 Annual Report.

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

Olson, Jim

The Scotch Creek Wildlife Area is a complex of 6 separate management units located in Okanogan County in North-central Washington State. The project is located within the Columbia Cascade Province (Okanogan sub-basin) and partially addresses adverse impacts caused by the construction of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee hydroelectric dams. With the acquisition of the Eder unit in 2007, the total size of the wildlife area is now 19,860 acres. The Scotch Creek Wildlife Area was approved as a wildlife mitigation project in 1996 and habitat enhancement efforts to meet mitigation objectives have been underway since the spring of 1997 onmore » Scotch Creek. Continuing efforts to monitor the threatened Sharp-tailed grouse population on the Scotch Creek unit are encouraging. The past two spring seasons were unseasonably cold and wet, a dangerous time for the young of the year. This past spring, Scotch Creek had a cold snap with snow on June 10th, a critical period for young chicks just hatched. Still, adult numbers on the leks have remained stable the past two years. Maintenance of BPA funded enhancements is necessary to protect and enhance shrub-steppe and to recover and sustain populations of Sharp-tailed grouse and other obligate species.« less

Relation of urban land-use and land-surface characteristics to quantity and quality of storm runoff in two basins in California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sylvester, Marc A.; Brown, William M.

1978-01-01

Two basins (Castro Valley Creek, in Alameda County, and Strong Ranch Slough, in Sacramento County) in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region (Bay-Delta region) were sampled intensively (3-15 minute intervals) during three storms between October 1974 and April 1975. Both basins are primarily residential, but the Strong Ranch Slough basin is almost entirely urbanized and nearly flat, while the Castro Valley Creek basin possesses some rural areas and slopes greater than 70 percent in the headwaters. Water discharge and concentrations of suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, 5-day biochemical oxygen demand, nitrite and nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total orthophosphorus, and settleable matter were usually greater at the Castro Valley Creek basin than at the Strong Ranch Slough basin. Concentrations of these constituents and water discharge changed more rapidly at the Castro Valley Creek basin than at the Strong Ranch Slough basin. Of the four subbasins sampled (two in each basin), constituent concentrations in runoff from a residential subbasin were usually greatest. Quantity and quality of runoff were related to environmental characteristics such as slope, perviousness, residential development and maintenance, and channel conditions. Greater water discharge and concentrations of constituents in the Castro Valley Creek basin seem to be partly due to steeper slopes, less perviousness, and smaller residential lot sizes than are in the Strong Ranch Slough basin. Erosion of steep slopes disturbed by grazing and residential development, poorly maintained dwellings and lots, and a mostly earthen drainage channel in the Castro Valley Creek basin are probably responsible for the greater concentrations of suspended solids and settleable matter in runoff from this basin. In both basins, the highest observed concentrations of suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, 5-day biochemical oxygen demand, settleable matter, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and

Yellow Canary uranium deposits, Daggett County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilmarth, Verl Richard

1953-01-01

The Yellow Canary uranium deposit is on the west side of Red Creek Canyon in the northern part of the Uinta Mountains, Daggett County, Utah. Two claims have been developed by means of an adit, three opencuts, and several hundred feet of bulldozer trenches. No uranium ore has been produced from this deposit. The deposit is in the pre-Cambrian Red Creek quartzite. This formation is composed of intercalated beds of quartzite, hornblendite, garnet schist, staurolite schist, and quartz-mica schist and is intruded by dioritic dikes. A thick unit of highly fractured white quartzite near the top of the formation contains tyuyamunite as coatings on fracture surfaces. The tyuyamunite is associated with carnotite, volborthite, iron oxides, azurite, malachite, brochantite, and hyalite. The uranium and vanadium minerals are probably alteration products of primary minerals. The uranium content of 15 samples from this property ranged from 0.000 to 0.57 percent.

Effects of channel modifications on the hydrology of Chicod Creek basin, North Carolina, 1975-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mason, R.R.; Simmons, C.E.; Watkins, S.A.

1990-01-01

Drainage modifications in this Coastal Plain basin from 1978 to 1981 consisted of channel excavation and clearing of blockages. A study was begun in 1975 to define hydrologic conditions of the basin before, during, and after modifications and to determine what changes were attributed to modifications. Surface-water conditions were altered during and following modifications. Minimum flow at Juniper Branch was increased from less than 0.1 cu ft/sec to 0.4 cu ft/second;streamflow variability was reduced from an index of 0.87 to 0.49. In-channel velocity at Chicod Creek was increased from a mean of 0.4 ft/sec to 1.5 ft/sec. Substantial groundwater level declines were observed in wells 180 and 250 ft from Juniper Branch during the modifications phase;these were 0.4 and 0.2 ft, respectively. However, most surface-water and groundwater conditions returned nearly to premodification levels by 1987. Water-quality characteristics monitored during the investigation included physical, chemical, and bacteriological characteristics. Physical characteristics monitored were suspended sediment, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH. Of these physical characteristics, only sediment concentrations increased substantially during channel modifications. Chemical characteristics studied were major dissolved constituents, nutrients, trace metals, and pesticides. Substantial changes ranged from a decline in total iron concentrations of 77% to an increase in total nitrite concentrations of 130%. Changes in many chemical characteristics persisted following channel modifications. Bacterial counts did not change substantially.

Hydrologic conditions and water-quality conditions following underground coal mining in the North Fork of the Right Fork of Miller Creek drainage basin, Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah, 2004-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilkowske, C.D.; Cillessen, J.L.; Brinton, P.N.

2007-01-01

In 2004 and 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, reassessed the hydrologic system in and around the drainage basin of the North Fork of the Right Fork (NFRF) of Miller Creek, in Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah. The reassessment occurred 13 years after cessation of underground coal mining that was performed beneath private land at shallow depths (30 to 880 feet) beneath the NFRF of Miller Creek. This study is a follow-up to a previous USGS study of the effects of underground coal mining on the hydrologic system in the area from 1988 to 1992. The previous study concluded that mining related subsidence had impacted the hydrologic system through the loss of streamflow over reaches of the perennial portion of the stream, and through a significant increase in dissolved solids in the stream. The previous study also reported that no substantial differences in spring-water quality resulted from longwall mining, and that no clear relationship between mining subsidence and spring discharge existed.During the summers of 2004 and 2005, the USGS measured discharge and collected water-quality samples from springs and surface water at various locations in the NFRF of Miller Creek drainage basin, and maintained a streamflow-gaging station in the NFRF of Miller Creek. This study also utilized data collected by Cyprus–Plateau Mining Corporation from 1992 through 2001.Of thirteen monitored springs, five have discharge levels that have not returned to those observed prior to August 1988, which is when longwall coal mining began beneath the NFRF of Miller Creek. Discharge at two of these five springs appears to fluctuate with wet and dry cycles and is currently low due to a drought that occurred from 1999–2004. Discharge at two other of the five springs did not increase with increased precipitation during the mid-1990s, as was observed at other monitored springs. This suggests that flowpaths to these springs may have been altered by

A Synoptic Study of Fecal-Indicator Bacteria in the Wind River, Bighorn River, and Goose Creek Basins, Wyoming, June-July 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Melanie L.; Gamper, Merry E.

2003-01-01

A synoptic study of fecal-indicator bacteria was conducted during June and July 2000 in the Wind River, Bighorn River, and Goose Creek Basins in Wyoming as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program for the Yellowstone River Basin. Fecal-coliform concentrations ranged from 2 to 3,000 col/100 mL (colonies per 100 milliliters) for 100 samples, and Escherichia coli concentrations ranged from 1 to 2,800 col/100 mL for 97 samples. Fecal-coliform concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit for a single sample for recreational contact with water in 37.0 percent of the samples. Escherichia coli concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit for a single sample for moderate use, full-body recreational contact with water in 38.1 percent of the samples and the recommended limit for infrequent use, full-body recreational contact with water in 24.7 percent of the samples. Fecal-indicator-bacteria concentrations varied by basin. Samples from the Bighorn River Basin had the highest median concentrations for fecal coliform of 340 col/100 mL and for Escherichia coli of 300 col/100 mL. Samples from the Wind River Basin had the lowest median concentrations for fecal coliform of 50 col/100 mL and for Escherichia coli of 62 col/100 mL. Fecal-indicator-bacteria concentrations varied by land cover. Samples from sites with an urban land cover had the highest median concentrations for fecal coliform of 540 col/100 mL and for Escherichia coli of 420 col/100 mL. Maximum concentrations for fecal coliform of 3,000 col/100 mL and for Escherichia coli of 2,800 col/100 mL were in samples from sites with an agricultural land cover. The lowest median concentrations for fecal coliform of 130 col/100 mL and for Escherichia coli of 67 col/100 mL were for samples from sites with a forested land cover. A strong and positive relation existed between fecal coliform and Escherichia coli

Rapid geomorphic change caused by glacial outburst floods and debris flows along Tahoma Creek, Mount Rainier, Washington, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walder, J.S.; Driedger, C.L.

1994-01-01

As part of a hazards-assessment study, we examined the nature and rate of geomorphic change caused by outburst floods and debris flows along Tahoma Creek. Mount Rainier, since 1967. Archival aerial photographs of the area proved to be a rich source of qualitative geomorphic information. On the basis of limited direct evidence and considerations of stream hydrology, we conclude that nearly all of these debris flows began as outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier. The water floods transformed to debris flows by incorporating large masses of sediment in a 2-km-long channel reach where the stream has incised proglacial sediments and debris-rich, stagnant glacier ice. Comparison of topographic maps for 1970 and 1991 shows that the average sediment flux out of the incised reach has been about 2 to 4 × 105 m3 a-1 corresponding to an average denudation rate in the upper part of the Tahoma Creek drainage basin of about 20 to 40 mm a-1, a value exceeded only rarely in basins affected by debris flows. However, little of this sediment has yet passed out of the Tahoma Creek basin. Comparison of geomorphic change at Tahoma Creek to that in two other alpine basins affected by outburst floods suggests that debris-rich stagnant ice can be an important source of sediment for debris flows as long as floods are frequent or channel slope is great.

Reproductive health of yellow perch Perca flavescens in selected tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay.

PubMed

Blazer, Vicki S; Pinkney, Alfred E; Jenkins, Jill A; Iwanowicz, Luke R; Minkkinen, Steven; Draugelis-Dale, Rassa O; Uphoff, James H

2013-03-01

Reduced recruitment of yellow perch has been noted for a number of years in certain urbanized watersheds (South and Severn Rivers) of the Chesapeake Bay. Other rapidly developing watersheds such as Mattawoman Creek are more recently showing evidence of reduced recruitment of anadromous fishes. In this study, we used a battery of biomarkers to better document the reproductive health of adult yellow perch collected during spring spawning in 2007-2009. Perch were collected in the South and Severn Rivers, Mattawoman Creek and the less developed Choptank and Allen's Fresh watersheds for comparison. Gonadosomatic indices, plasma reproductive hormone concentrations, plasma vitellogenin concentrations and gonad histology were evaluated in mature perch of both sexes. In addition, sperm quantity (cell counts) and quality (total and progressive motility, spermatogenic stage and DNA integrity), were measured in male perch. Many of these biomarkers varied annually and spatially, with some interesting statistical results and trends. Male perch from the Choptank and Allen's Fresh had generally higher sperm counts. In 2008 counts were significantly lower in the perch from the Severn when compared to other sites. The major microscopic gonadal abnormality in males was the proliferation of putative Leydig cells, observed in testes from Severn and less commonly, Mattawoman Creek perch. Observations that could significantly impact egg viability were an apparent lack of final maturation, abnormal yolk and thin, irregular zona pellucida. These were observed primarily in ovaries from Severn, South and less commonly Mattawoman Creek perch. The potential association of these observations with urbanization, impervious surface and chemical contaminants is discussed. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Reproductive health of yellow perch Perca flavescens in selected tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blazer, Vicki; Pinkney, Alfred E.; Jenkins, Jill A.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Minkkinen, Steven; Draugelis-Dale, Rassa O.; Uphoff, James H.

2013-01-01

Reduced recruitment of yellow perch has been noted for a number of years in certain urbanized watersheds (South and Severn Rivers) of the Chesapeake Bay. Other rapidly developing watersheds such as Mattawoman Creek are more recently showing evidence of reduced recruitment of anadromous fishes. In this study, we used a battery of biomarkers to better document the reproductive health of adult yellow perch collected during spring spawning in 2007–2009. Perch were collected in the South and Severn Rivers, Mattawoman Creek and the less developed Choptank and Allen's Fresh watersheds for comparison. Gonadosomatic indices, plasma reproductive hormone concentrations, plasma vitellogenin concentrations and gonad histology were evaluated in mature perch of both sexes. In addition, sperm quantity (cell counts) and quality (total and progressive motility, spermatogenic stage and DNA integrity), were measured in male perch. Many of these biomarkers varied annually and spatially, with some interesting statistical results and trends. Male perch from the Choptank and Allen's Fresh had generally higher sperm counts. In 2008 counts were significantly lower in the perch from the Severn when compared to other sites. The major microscopic gonadal abnormality in males was the proliferation of putative Leydig cells, observed in testes from Severn and less commonly, Mattawoman Creek perch. Observations that could significantly impact egg viability were an apparent lack of final maturation, abnormal yolk and thin, irregular zona pellucida. These were observed primarily in ovaries from Severn, South and less commonly Mattawoman Creek perch. The potential association of these observations with urbanization, impervious surface and chemical contaminants is discussed.

Flood hydrology for Dry Creek, Lake County, Northwestern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, C.; Jarrett, R.D.

2004-01-01

Dry Creek drains about 22.6 square kilometers of rugged mountainous terrain upstream from Tabor Dam in the Mission Range near St. Ignatius, Montana. Because of uncertainty about plausible peak discharges and concerns regarding the ability of the Tabor Dam spillway to safely convey these discharges, the flood hydrology for Dry Creek was evaluated on the basis of three hydrologic and geologic methods. The first method involved determining an envelope line relating flood discharge to drainage area on the basis of regional historical data and calculating a 500-year flood for Dry Creek using a regression equation. The second method involved paleoflood methods to estimate the maximum plausible discharge for 35 sites in the study area. The third method involved rainfall-runoff modeling for the Dry Creek basin in conjunction with regional precipitation information to determine plausible peak discharges. All of these methods resulted in estimates of plausible peak discharges that are substantially less than those predicted by the more generally applied probable maximum flood technique. Copyright ASCE 2004.

Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport along Hunter Creek, southwestern Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Krista L.; Wallick, J. Rose; O'Connor, Jim E.; Keith, Mackenzie K.; Mangano, Joseph F.; Risley, John C.

2011-01-01

This preliminary assessment of (1) bed-material transport in the Hunter Creek basin, (2) historical changes in channel condition, and (3) supplementary data needed to inform permitting decisions regarding instream gravel extraction revealed the following: Along the lower 12.4 km (kilometers) of Hunter Creek from its confluence with the Little South Fork Hunter Creek to its mouth, the river has confined and unconfined segments and is predominately alluvial in its lowermost 11 km. This 12.4-km stretch of river can be divided into two geomorphically distinct study reaches based primarily on valley physiography. In the Upper Study Reach (river kilometer [RKM] 12.4-6), the active channel comprises a mixed bed of bedrock, boulders, and smaller grains. The stream is confined in the upper 1.4 km of the reach by a bedrock canyon and in the lower 2.4 km by its valley. In the Lower Study Reach (RKM 6-0), where the area of gravel bars historically was largest, the stream flows over bed material that is predominately alluvial sediments. The channel alternates between confined and unconfined segments. The primary human activities that likely have affected bed-material transport and the extent and area of gravel bars are (1) historical and ongoing aggregate extraction from gravel bars in the study area and (2) timber harvest and associated road construction throughout the basin. These anthropogenic activities likely have varying effects on sediment transport and deposition throughout the study area and over time. Although assessing the relative effects of these anthropogenic activities on sediment dynamics would be challenging, the Hunter Creek basin may serve as a case study for such an assessment because it is mostly free of other alterations to hydrologic and geomorphic processes such as flow regulation, dredging, and other navigation improvements that are common in many Oregon coastal basins. Several datasets are available that may support a more detailed physical assessment

Preliminary geochemical assessment of water in selected streams, springs, and caves in the Upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paul, Angela P.; Thodal, Carl E.; Baker, Gretchen M.; Lico, Michael S.; Prudic, David E.

2014-01-01

Water in caves, discharging from springs, and flowing in streams in the upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages are important natural resources in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. Water and rock samples were collected from 15 sites during February 2009 as part of a series of investigations evaluating the potential for water resource depletion in the park resulting from the current and proposed groundwater withdrawals. This report summarizes general geochemical characteristics of water samples collected from the upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages for eventual use in evaluating possible hydrologic connections between the streams and selected caves and springs discharging in limestone terrain within each watershed.Generally, water discharging from selected springs in the upper Baker and Snake Creek watersheds is relatively young and, in some cases, has similar chemical characteristics to water collected from associated streams. In the upper Baker Creek drainage, geochemical data suggest possible hydrologic connections between Baker Creek and selected springs and caves along it. The analytical results for water samples collected from Wheelers Deep and Model Caves show characteristics similar to those from Baker Creek, suggesting a hydrologic connection between the creek and caves, a finding previously documented by other researchers. Generally, geochemical evidence does not support a connection between water flowing in Pole Canyon Creek to that in Model Cave, at least not to any appreciable extent. The water sample collected from Rosethorn Spring had relatively high concentrations of many of the constituents sampled as part of this study. This finding was expected as the water from the spring travelled through alluvium prior to being discharged at the surface and, as a result, was provided the opportunity to interact with soil minerals with which it came into contact. Isotopic evidence does not preclude a connection between Baker Creek and the water discharging from

Changes in biological communities of the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2003–2016, in relation to antecedent streamflow, water quality, and habitat

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2018-01-08

The analysis described in this report is part of a longterm project monitoring the biological communities, habitat, and water quality of the Fountain Creek Basin. Biology, habitat, and water-quality data have been collected at 10 sites since 2003. These data include annual samples of aquatic invertebrate communities, fish communities, water quality, and quantitative riverine habitat. This report examines trends in biological communities from 2003 to 2016 and explores relationships between biological communities and abiotic variables (antecedent streamflow, physical habitat, and water quality). Six biological metrics (three invertebrate and three fish) and four individual fish species were used to examine trends in these data and how streamflow, habitat, and (or) water quality may explain these trends. The analysis of 79 trends shows that the majority of significant trends decreased over the trend period. Overall, 19 trends before adjustments for streamflow in the fish (12) and invertebrate (7) metrics were all decreasing except for the metric Invertebrate Species Richness at the most upstream site in Monument Creek. Seven of these trends were explained by streamflow and four trends were revealed that were originally masked by variability in antecedent streamflow. Only two sites (Jimmy Camp Creek at Fountain, CO and Fountain Creek near Pinon, CO) had no trends in the fish or invertebrate metrics. Ten of the streamflow-adjusted trends were explained by habitat, one was explained by water quality, and five were not explained by any of the variables that were tested. Overall, from 2003 to 2016, all the fish metric trends were decreasing with an average decline of 40 percent, and invertebrate metrics decreased on average by 9.5 percent. A potential peak streamflow threshold was identified above which there is severely limited production of age-0 flathead chub (Platygobio gracilis).

Sediment-transport characteristics of Cane Creek, Lauderdale County, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carey, W.P.

1993-01-01

An investigation of the sediment-transport characteristics of Cane Creek in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, was conducted from 1985-88 to evaluate the potential for channel erosion induced by modifications (realignment and enlargement) and the potential ability of different flows to move bed and bank stabilizing material. Frequently occurring flows in Cane Creek are capable of moving sand-size material (0.0625 - 4.0 millimeters). During floods that equal or exceed the 2-year flood, Cane Creek is capable of moving very coarse gravel (32 - 64 millimeters). Boundary-shear values at bridges, where flow contractions occur, correspond to critical diameters in excess of 100 millimeters. Thus, the areas near bridges, where channel stability is most critical, are the areas where erosive power is greatest. Deepening and widening of Cane Creek has exposed large areas of channel boundary that are a significant source of raindrop-detached sediment during the early stages of a storm before stream flow increases signifi- cantly. This causes suspended-sediment concentration to peak while the flow hydrograph is just beginning to rise. For basins like Cane Creek, where runoff events commonly last less than a day and where variation in discharge and sediment concentrations are large, an estimate of sediment yield based on periodic observations of instantaneous values is subject to considerable uncertainty.

Detection of Hydrologic Response at the River Basin Scale Caused by Land Use Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormick, B. C.; Eshleman, K. N.; Griffith, J. L.; Townsend, P. A.

2008-05-01

The 187.5 km2 Georges Creek watershed, located on the Appalachian Plateau in western Maryland (USA), has experienced significant land use change due to surface mining of bituminous coal. We estimate that over 17% of the Georges Creek watershed is being actively surface-mined or was mined and reclaimed previously. The adjacent Savage River watershed (127.2 km2) is completely unaffected by surface mining. Both watersheds have long (>60 year) streamflow records maintained by USGS that were analyzed as part of this project, using Savage River as a control. Temporal analysis of the moments of the flood frequency distributions using a moving-window technique indicated that climatic variability affected both watersheds equally. Normalizing annual maximum flows by antecedent streamflow and causative precipitation allowed trends in the Georges Creek watershed flooding response to become more evident. An analysis of sixteen contemporary warm season storm events based on hourly streamflow and NEXRAD Stage III derived precipitation data provided clear evidence of differences in watershed response to rainfall. Georges Creek events (normalized by basin area and precipitation) are, on average, characterized by slightly greater (7%) peak runoff and shorter (3 hr) centroid lags than Savage River, even though the opposite was expected considering relative basin areas. These differences in stormflow response are most likely attributable to differences in current land use in the basins, particularly the large area of reclaimed minelands in Georges Creek. Interestingly, we found that Georges Creek events produce, on average, only 2/3 of the stormflow volume as Savage River, apparently due to infiltration of water into abandoned deep mine workings and an associated trans-basin drainage system that dates to the early 20th century. Long-term trend analysis at the river basin scale using empirical hydrologic methods is thus complicated by climatic variability and the legacy of deep mining

Historical and future changes of frozen ground in the upper Yellow River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Taihua; Yang, Dawen; Qin, Yue; Wang, Yuhan; Chen, Yun; Gao, Bing; Yang, Hanbo

2018-03-01

Frozen ground degradation resulting from climate warming on the Tibetan Plateau has aroused wide concern in recent years. In this study, the maximum thickness of seasonally frozen ground (MTSFG) is estimated by the Stefan equation, which is validated using long-term frozen depth observations. The permafrost distribution is estimated by the temperature at the top of permafrost (TTOP) model, which is validated using borehole observations. The two models are applied to the upper Yellow River Basin (UYRB) for analyzing the spatio-temporal changes in frozen ground. The simulated results show that the areal mean MTSFG in the UYRB decreased by 3.47 cm/10 a during 1965-2014, and that approximately 23% of the permafrost in the UYRB degraded to seasonally frozen ground during the past 50 years. Using the climate data simulated by 5 General Circulation Models (GCMs) under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5, the areal mean MTSFG is projected to decrease by 1.69 to 3.07 cm/10 a during 2015-2050, and approximately 40% of the permafrost in 1991-2010 is projected to degrade into seasonally frozen ground in 2031-2050. This study provides a framework to estimate the long-term changes in frozen ground based on a combination of multi-source observations at the basin scale, and this framework can be applied to other areas of the Tibetan Plateau. The estimates of frozen ground changes could provide a scientific basis for water resource management and ecological protection under the projected future climate changes in headwater regions on the Tibetan Plateau.

Sensitivity and uncertainty in crop water footprint accounting: a case study for the Yellow River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuo, L.; Mekonnen, M. M.; Hoekstra, A. Y.

2014-06-01

Water Footprint Assessment is a fast-growing field of research, but as yet little attention has been paid to the uncertainties involved. This study investigates the sensitivity of and uncertainty in crop water footprint (in m3 t-1) estimates related to uncertainties in important input variables. The study focuses on the green (from rainfall) and blue (from irrigation) water footprint of producing maize, soybean, rice, and wheat at the scale of the Yellow River basin in the period 1996-2005. A grid-based daily water balance model at a 5 by 5 arcmin resolution was applied to compute green and blue water footprints of the four crops in the Yellow River basin in the period considered. The one-at-a-time method was carried out to analyse the sensitivity of the crop water footprint to fractional changes of seven individual input variables and parameters: precipitation (PR), reference evapotranspiration (ET0), crop coefficient (Kc), crop calendar (planting date with constant growing degree days), soil water content at field capacity (Smax), yield response factor (Ky) and maximum yield (Ym). Uncertainties in crop water footprint estimates related to uncertainties in four key input variables: PR, ET0, Kc, and crop calendar were quantified through Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that the sensitivities and uncertainties differ across crop types. In general, the water footprint of crops is most sensitive to ET0 and Kc, followed by the crop calendar. Blue water footprints were more sensitive to input variability than green water footprints. The smaller the annual blue water footprint is, the higher its sensitivity to changes in PR, ET0, and Kc. The uncertainties in the total water footprint of a crop due to combined uncertainties in climatic inputs (PR and ET0) were about ±20% (at 95% confidence interval). The effect of uncertainties in ET0was dominant compared to that of PR. The uncertainties in the total water footprint of a crop as a result of combined key input

Hydrologic disturbance and response of aquatic biota in Big Darby Creek basin, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hambrook, J.A.; Koltun, G.F.; Palcsak, B.B.; Tertuliani, J.S.

1997-01-01

Washout and recolonization of macroinvertebrates and algae associated with a spring and summer storm were measured at three sites in Ohio's Big Darby Creek Basin. Related factors, such as streamflow magnitude, shear stress, and streamed disturbance were considered when interpreting observed changes in densities and community structure of macroinvertebrates and algae. During the study, 184 macroinvertebrate taxa and 202 algal taxa were identified. The major taxonomic groups for macroinvertebrates were midges and other true flies (Diptera), caddisflies (Trichoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), mayflies (Ephemeroptera), and stoneflies (Plecoptera). Diatoms were the dominant algae (in terms of percentage of total taxa found) followed by green algae, blue-green algae, euglenoids, golden flagellates, and freshwater red algae. Streamflows associated with the storm events that occurred during April 6-16 and June 23-July 5, 1994, probably had little effect on streambed elevations, but streambed disturbance was documented in the form of shifts in the median particle-size diameters of the subsurface bed materials. The streamflow magnitudes did not correlate well with the magnitude of observed changes in macroinvertebrate and algal-cell densities, but reductions in macroinvertebrate and algal-cell densities generally did occur. Local minima of macroinvertebrate density did not generally correspond to the first sample after the storms, but instead lagged by about 1 to 3 weeks. Other biotic factors, such as emergence of Diptera, probably affected the observed mid-July depression in macroinvertebrate densities. Evaluation of pre-event macroinvertebrate community structure in terms of functional feeding groups and flow-exposure groups showed that, on the basis of percentage of total taxa found, gatherers were the dominant feeding group and flow-facultative taxa were the dominant flow-exposure group. Densities of gatherers decreased from pre-event levels following all the storm events

77 FR 42714 - Eagle Creek Hydropower, LLC, Eagle Creek Land Resources, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-20

... Hydropower, LLC, Eagle Creek Land Resources, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC; Notice of Application...: Eagle Creek Hydropower, LLC; Eagle Creek Land Resources, LLC; and Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC. e... Contact: Robert Gates, Senior Vice President-- Operations, Eagle Creek Hydropower, LLC, Eagle Creek Water...

Geologic setting and water quality of selected basins in the active coal-mining areas of Ohio, 1987-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sedam, A.C.

1991-01-01

This report presents hydrologic data from selected drainage basins in the active coal-mining areas of Ohio from July 1987 through October 1988. The study area is mostly within the unglaciated part of eastern Ohio along the western edge of the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province. The 1987-88 work is the second phase of a 7-year study to assess baseline water quality in Ohio's coal region. The data collection network consisted of 41 long-term surface-water sites in 21 basins. The sites were measured and sampled twice yearly at low flow. In addition, six individual basins (three each year) selected for a more detailed representation of surface-water and ground-water quality. In 1987, the Sandy Creek, Middle Tuscarawas River and Sugar Creek, and Lower Tuscarawas River basins were chosen. In 1988, the Short and Wheeling Creeks, Upper Wills Creek, and Upper Raccoon Creek basins were chosen. Because of their proximity to the glaciated region and outwash drainage, the basins studied intensively in 1987 contain more shallow productive aquifers than do the basins studied in detail for 1988, in which shallow ground-water sources are very localized. Chemical analyses for 202 surface-water and 24 ground-water samples are presented. For field measurements made at surface-water sites, the specific conductance ranged from 295 to 3150 ? S/cm (microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius). For pH, the range was 2.8 to 8.6. Alkalinity ranged from 5 to 305 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as CaCO3.

Transient calibration of a groundwater-flow model of Chimacum Creek Basin and vicinity, Jefferson County, Washington: a supplement to Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5160

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Joseph L.; Johnson, Kenneth H.

2013-01-01

A steady-state groundwater-flow model described in Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5160, ”Numerical Simulation of the Groundwater-Flow System in Chimacum Creek Basin and Vicinity, Jefferson County, Washington” was developed to evaluate potential future impacts of growth and of water-management strategies on water resources in the Chimacum Creek Basin. This supplement to that report describes the unsuccessful attempt to perform a calibration to transient conditions on the model. The modeled area is about 64 square miles on the Olympic Peninsula in northeastern Jefferson County, Washington. The geologic setting for the model area is that of unconsolidated deposits of glacial and interglacial origin typical of the Puget Sound Lowlands. The hydrogeologic units representing aquifers are Upper Aquifer (UA, roughly corresponding to recessional outwash) and Lower Aquifer (LA, roughly corresponding to advance outwash). Recharge from precipitation is the dominant source of water to the aquifer system; discharge is primarily to marine waters below sea level and to Chimacum Creek and its tributaries. The model is comprised of a grid of 245 columns and 313 rows; cells are a uniform 200 feet per side. There are six model layers, each representing one hydrogeologic unit: (1) Upper Confining unit (UC); (2) Upper Aquifer unit (UA); (3) Middle Confining unit (MC); (4) Lower Aquifer unit (LA); (5) Lower Confining unit (LC); and (6) Bedrock unit (OE). The transient simulation period (October 1994–September 2009) was divided into 180 monthly stress periods to represent temporal variations in recharge, discharge, and storage. An attempt to calibrate the model to transient conditions was unsuccessful due to instabilities stemming from oscillations in groundwater discharge to and recharge from streamflow in Chimacum Creek. The model as calibrated to transient conditions has mean residuals and standard errors of 0.06 ft ±0.45 feet for groundwater levels and 0.48 ± 0.06 cubic

Transformation of Raindrop characteristics (Nov 24, 2015) of natural rainfall of Yellow River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Zhenzhou; Liu, Ke; Wu, Zhiqiang; Liu, Jun; Qi, Kuan; Niu, Xinnian; Wang, Guiying; Yao, Wenyi

2018-02-01

Raindrop characteristics, including speed and size of raindrops, in Zhengzhou city of Yellow River basin were analyzed through a natural rainfall on the loess slope. Results showed that the process of natural rainfall belonged to a parabola and counts, size and terminal velocity would increase with the rainfall intensity rising. Besides, the size and terminal velocity of natural raindrops were relatively scattered; In the process of individual rainfall, the terminal velocity and its peak value were mainly focused between 1∼3.4m/s and 1.4m/s, respectively. Size of raindrops were mainly consisted of 0.125-0.75mm, among which the terminal velocity of raindrops with a size of 0.125mm, 0.25mm, 0.375mm, 0.5mm and 0.75mm were primarily 1-3.4m/s, 1-4.2m/s, 0.8-3.4m/s, 0.8-3.4m/s, 1-2.6m/s, respectively.

An experimental seasonal hydrological forecasting system over the Yellow River basin – Part 2: The added value from climate forecast models

DOE PAGES

Yuan, Xing

2016-06-22

This is the second paper of a two-part series on introducing an experimental seasonal hydrological forecasting system over the Yellow River basin in northern China. While the natural hydrological predictability in terms of initial hydrological conditions (ICs) is investigated in a companion paper, the added value from eight North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) climate forecast models with a grand ensemble of 99 members is assessed in this paper, with an implicit consideration of human-induced uncertainty in the hydrological models through a post-processing procedure. The forecast skill in terms of anomaly correlation (AC) for 2 m air temperature and precipitation does not necessarily decrease overmore » leads but is dependent on the target month due to a strong seasonality for the climate over the Yellow River basin. As there is more diversity in the model performance for the temperature forecasts than the precipitation forecasts, the grand NMME ensemble mean forecast has consistently higher skill than the best single model up to 6 months for the temperature but up to 2 months for the precipitation. The NMME climate predictions are downscaled to drive the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) land surface hydrological model and a global routing model regionalized over the Yellow River basin to produce forecasts of soil moisture, runoff and streamflow. And the NMME/VIC forecasts are compared with the Ensemble Streamflow Prediction method (ESP/VIC) through 6-month hindcast experiments for each calendar month during 1982–2010. As verified by the VIC offline simulations, the NMME/VIC is comparable to the ESP/VIC for the soil moisture forecasts, and the former has higher skill than the latter only for the forecasts at long leads and for those initialized in the rainy season. The forecast skill for runoff is lower for both forecast approaches, but the added value from NMME/VIC is more obvious, with an increase of the average AC by 0.08–0.2. To compare with

An experimental seasonal hydrological forecasting system over the Yellow River basin – Part 2: The added value from climate forecast models

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

Yuan, Xing

This is the second paper of a two-part series on introducing an experimental seasonal hydrological forecasting system over the Yellow River basin in northern China. While the natural hydrological predictability in terms of initial hydrological conditions (ICs) is investigated in a companion paper, the added value from eight North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) climate forecast models with a grand ensemble of 99 members is assessed in this paper, with an implicit consideration of human-induced uncertainty in the hydrological models through a post-processing procedure. The forecast skill in terms of anomaly correlation (AC) for 2 m air temperature and precipitation does not necessarily decrease overmore » leads but is dependent on the target month due to a strong seasonality for the climate over the Yellow River basin. As there is more diversity in the model performance for the temperature forecasts than the precipitation forecasts, the grand NMME ensemble mean forecast has consistently higher skill than the best single model up to 6 months for the temperature but up to 2 months for the precipitation. The NMME climate predictions are downscaled to drive the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) land surface hydrological model and a global routing model regionalized over the Yellow River basin to produce forecasts of soil moisture, runoff and streamflow. And the NMME/VIC forecasts are compared with the Ensemble Streamflow Prediction method (ESP/VIC) through 6-month hindcast experiments for each calendar month during 1982–2010. As verified by the VIC offline simulations, the NMME/VIC is comparable to the ESP/VIC for the soil moisture forecasts, and the former has higher skill than the latter only for the forecasts at long leads and for those initialized in the rainy season. The forecast skill for runoff is lower for both forecast approaches, but the added value from NMME/VIC is more obvious, with an increase of the average AC by 0.08–0.2. To compare with

Geology of the Holocene surficial uranium deposit of the north fork of Flodelle Creek, northeastern Washington ( USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, S.Y.; Otton, J.K.; Macke, D.L.

1987-01-01

The N fork of Flodelle Creek drainage basin in NE Washington contains the first surficial U deposit to be mined in the US. The U was leached from granitic bedrock and fixed in organic-rich pond sediments. The distribution of these pond sediments and, therefore, the U has been strongly influenced by relict glacial topography, slope proceses, and beaver activity. Ponds in the drainage basin have been sinks for fine-grained, organic-rich sediments. These organic-rich sediments provide a suitable geochemical environment for precipitation and adsorption of uranium leached from granitic bedrock into ground, spring, and surface waters. Processes of pond formation have thus been important in the development of surficial U deposits in the N fork of Flodelle Creek drainage basin and may have similar significance in other areas.-from Authors

Depositional setting and diagenetic evolution of some Tertiary unconventional reservoir rocks, Uinta Basin, Utah.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pitman, Janet K.; Fouch, T.D.; Goldhaber, M.B.

1982-01-01

The Douglas Creek Member of the Tertiary Green River Formation underlies much of the Uinta basin, Utah, and contains large volumes of oil and gas trapped in a complex of fractured low-permeability sandstone reservoirs. In the SE part of the basin at Pariette Bench, the Eocene Douglas Creek Member is a thick sequence of fine- grained alluvial sandstone complexly intercalated with lacustrine claystone and carbonate rock. Sediments were deposited in a subsiding intermontane basin along the shallow fluctuating margin of ancient Lake Uinta. Although the Uinta basin has undergone postdepositional uplift and erosion, the deepest cored rocks at Pariette Bench have never been buried more than 3000m.-from Authors

Flood-plain delineation for Occoquan River, Wolf Run, Sandy Run, Elk Horn Run, Giles Run, Kanes Creek, Racoon Creek, and Thompson Creek, Fairfax County, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soule, Pat LeRoy

1978-01-01

Water-surface profiles of the 25-, 50-, and 100-year recurrence interval discharges have been computed for all streams and reaches of channels in Fairfax County, Virginia, having a drainage area greater than 1 square mile except for Dogue Creek, Little Hunting Creek, and that portion of Cameron Run above Lake Barcroft. Maps having a 2-foot contour interval and a horizontal scale of 1 inch equals 100 feet were used for base on which flood boundaries were delineated for 25-, 50-, and 100-year floods to be expected in each basin under ultimate development conditions. This report is one of a series and presents a discussion of techniques employed in computing discharges and profiles as well as the flood profiles and maps on which flood boundaries have been delineated for the Occoquan River and its tributaries within Fairfax County and those streams on Mason Neck within Fairfax County tributary to the Potomac River. (Woodard-USGS)

Water resources of the Yellow Medicine River Watershed, Southwestern Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Novitzki, R.P.; Van Voast, Wayne A.; Jerabek, L.A.

1969-01-01

The Yellow Medicine and Minnesota Rivers are the major sources of surface water. For physiographic regions – Upland Plain, Slope, Lowland Plain, and Minnesota River Flood Plain – influence surface drainage, and the flow of ground water through the aquifers. The watershed comprises 1070 square miles, including the drainage basin of the Yellow Medicine River (665 square miles) and 405 square miles drained by small streams tributary to the Minnesota River.

Pilot project for a hybrid road-flooding forecasting system on Squaw Creek.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

A network of 25 sonic stage sensors were deployed in the Squaw Creek basin upstream from Ames Iowa to determine : if the state-of-the-art distributed hydrological model CUENCAS can produce reliable information for all road crossings : including those...

Simulation of ground-water flow and rainfall runoff with emphasis on the effects of land cover, Whittlesey Creek, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lenz, Bernard N.; Saad, David A.; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.

2003-01-01

The effects of land cover on flooding and base-flow characteristics of Whittlesey Creek, Bayfield County, Wis., were examined in a study that involved ground-water-flow and rainfall-runoff modeling. Field data were collected during 1999-2001 for synoptic base flow, streambed head and temperature, precipitation, continuous streamflow and stream stage, and other physical characteristics. Well logs provided data for potentiometric-surface altitudes and stratigraphic descriptions. Geologic, soil, hydrography, altitude, and historical land-cover data were compiled into a geographic information system and used in two ground-water-flow models (GFLOW and MODFLOW) and a rainfall-runoff model (SWAT). A deep ground-water system intersects Whittlesey Creek near the confluence with the North Fork, producing a steady base flow of 17?18 cubic feet per second. Upstream from the confluence, the creek has little or no base flow; flow is from surface runoff and a small amount of perched ground water. Most of the base flow to Whittlesey Creek originates as recharge through the permeable sands in the center of the Bayfield Peninsula to the northwest of the surface-water-contributing basin. Based on simulations, model-wide changes in recharge caused a proportional change in simulated base flow for Whittlesey Creek. Changing the simulated amount of recharge by 25 to 50 percent in only the ground-water-contributing area results in relatively small changes in base flow to Whittlesey Creek (about 2?11 percent). Simulated changes in land cover within the Whittlesey Creek surface-water-contributing basin would have minimal effects on base flow and average annual runoff, but flood peaks (based on daily mean flows on peak-flow days) could be affected. Based on the simulations, changing the basin land cover to a reforested condition results in a reduction in flood peaks of about 12 to 14 percent for up to a 100-yr flood. Changing the basin land cover to 25 percent urban land or returning basin

Decreasing Agricultural Irrigation has not reversed Groundwater Depletion in the Yellow River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Z.; Xie, X.; Zhu, B.

2017-12-01

Agricultural irrigation is considered as the major water use sector accounting for over 60% of the global freshwater withdrawals. Especially in the arid and semiarid areas, irrigation from groundwater storage substantially sustain crop growth and food security. China's Yellow River Basin (YRB) is a typical arid and semiarid area with average annual precipitation about 450 mm. In this basin, more than 52 million hm2 of arable land needs irrigation for planting wheat, cotton, paddy rice etc, and groundwater contributes over one-third irrigation water. However, agricultural irrigation remained a certain level or decreased to some degree due to water-saving technologies and returning farmland to forest projects. Then an interesting question arises: has the groundwater storage (GWS) in YRB kept a consistent variation with the agricultural irrigation? In this study, to address this question, we employed multi-source data from ground measurements, remote sensing monitoring and large-scale hydrological modeling. Specifically, groundwater storage variation was identified using Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data and ground observations, and groundwater recharge was estimated based on the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) modeling. Results indicated that GWS in YRB still holds a significant depletion with a rate of about -3 mm per year during the past decade, which was consistently demonstrated by the GRACE and the ground observations. Ground water recharge shows negligible upward trends despite climate change. The roles of different sectors contributing to groundwater depletion have changed. Agricultural irrigation accounting for over 60% of groundwater depletion, but its impact decreased. However, the domestic and the industrial purposes play an increasing role in shaping groundwater depletion.

Hydrochemical simulation of a mountain basin under hydrological variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montserrat, S.; Trewhela, T. A.; Navarro, L.; Navarrete, A.; Lagos Zuniga, M. A.; Garcia, A.; Caraballo, M.; Niño, Y.; McPhee, J. P.

2016-12-01

Water quality and the comprehension of hydrochemical phenomena in natural basins should be of complete relevance under hydrological uncertainties. The importance of identifying the main variables that are controlling a natural system and finding a way to predict their behavior under variable scenarios is mandatory to preserve these natural basins. This work presents an interdisciplinary model for the Yerba Loca watershed, a natural reserve basin in the Chilean central Andes. Based on different data sets, provided by public and private campaigns, a natural hydrochemical regime was identified. Yerba Loca is a natural reserve, characterized by the presence of several glaciers and wide sediment deposits crossed by a small low-slope creek in the upper part of the basin that leads to a high-slope narrow channel with less sediment depositions. Most relevant is the geological context around the glaciers, considering that most of them cover hydrothermal zones rich in both sulfides and sulfates, a situation commonly found in the Andes due to volcanic activity. Low pH (around 3), calcium-sulfate water with high concentrations of Iron, Copper and Zinc are found in the upper part of the basin in summer. These values can be attributed to the glaciers melting down and draining of the mentioned country rocks, which provide most of the creek flow in the upper basin. The latter clearly contrasts with the creek outlet, located 18 km downstream, showing near to neutral pH values and lower concentrations of the elements already mentioned. The scope of the present research is to account for the sources of the different hydrological inlets (e.g., rainfall, snow and/or glacier melting) that, depending on their location, may interact with a variety of reactive minerals and generate acid rock drainage (ARD). The inlet water is modeled along the creek using the softwares HEC-RAS and PHREEQC coupled, in order to characterize the water quality and to detect preferred sedimentation sections

Southeastern extension of the Lake Basin fault zone in south- central Montana: implications for coal and hydrocarbon exploration ( USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, L.N.; Barnum, B.E.

1986-01-01

The Lake Basin fault zone consists mainly of en echelon NE-striking normal faults that have been interpreted to be surface expressions of left-lateral movement along a basement wrench fault. Information gathered from recent field mapping of coal beds and from shallow, closely-spaced drill holes resulted in detailed coal bed correlations, which revealed another linear zone of en echelon faulting directly on the extended trend of the Lake Basin fault zone. This faulted area, referred to as the Sarpy Creek area, is located 48 km E of Hardin, Montana. It is about 16 km long, 13 km wide, and contains 21 en echelon normal faults that have an average strike of N 63oE. We therefore extend the Lake Basin fault zone 32 km farther SE than previously mapped to include the Sarpy Creek area. The Ash Creek oil field, Wyoming, 97 km due S of the Sarpy Creek area, produces from faulted anticlinal structues that have been interpreted to be genetically related to the primary wrench-fault system known as the Nye-Bowler fault zone. The structural similarities between the Sarpy Creek area and the Ash Creek area indicate that the Sarpy Creek area is a possible site for hydrocarbon accumulation.-from Authors

Flood profiles in the Calapooya Creek basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friday, John

1982-01-01

Water-surface profiles were computed for a 19.4-mile reach of Calapooya Creek in Douglas County, Oregon. The data will enable the county to evaluate flood hazards in the floodprone areas in the reach. Profiles for floods having recurrence intervals of 2, 10, 50, 100, and 500 years are shown in graphic and tabular form. A floodway, allowing encroachment of the 100-year floods, was designed with a maximum 1.0-foot surcharge limitation. A profile for a flood that occurred in November 1961 is also presented. All data were derived from a digital computer model developed for the study.

Climate change impacts on the Lehman-Baker Creek drainage in the Great Basin National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volk, J. M.

2013-12-01

Global climate models (GCMs) forced by increased CO2 emissions forecast anomalously dry and warm trends over the southwestern U.S. for the 21st century. The effect of warmer conditions may result in decreased surface water resources within the Great Basin physiographic region critical for ecology, irrigation and municipal water supply. Here we use downscaled GCM output from the A2 and B1 greenhouse gas emission scenarios to force a Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) watershed model developed for the Lehman and Baker Creeks Drainage (LBCD) in the Great Basin National Park, NV for a century long time period. The goal is to quantify the effects of rising temperature to the water budget in the LBCD at monthly and annual timescales. Dynamically downscaled GCM projections are attained from the NSF EPSCoR Nevada Infrastructure for Climate Change Science, Education, and Outreach project and statistically downscaled output is retrieved from the "U.S. Bias Corrected and Downscaled WCRP CMIP3 Climate Projections". Historical daily climate and streamflow data have been collected simultaneously for periods extending 20 years or longer. Mann-Kendal trend test results showed a statistically significant (α= 0.05) long-term rising trend from 1895 to 2012 in annual and monthly average temperatures for the study area. A grid-based, PRMS watershed model of the LBCD has been created within ArcGIS 10, and physical parameters have been estimated at a spatial resolution of 100m. Simulation results will be available soon. Snow cover is expected to decrease and peak runoff to occur earlier in the spring, resulting in increased runoff, decreased infiltration/recharge, decreased baseflows, and decreased evapo-transpiration.

The Effectiveness of Cattlemans Detention Basin, South Lake Tahoe, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, Jena M.

2006-01-01

Lake Tahoe (Nevada-California) has been designated as an 'outstanding national water resource' by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in part, for its exceptional clarity. Water clarity in Lake Tahoe, however, has been declining at a rate of about one foot per year for more than 35 years. To decrease the amount of sediment and nutrients delivered to the lake by way of alpine streams, wetlands and stormwater detention basins have been installed at several locations around the lake. Although an improvement in stormwater and snowmelt runoff quality has been measured, the effectiveness of the detention basins for increasing the clarity of Lake Tahoe needs further study. It is possible that poor ground-water quality conditions exist beneath the detention basins and adjacent wetlands and that the presence of the basins has altered ground-water flow paths to nearby streams. A hydrogeochemical and ground-water flow modeling study was done at Cattlemans detention basin, situated adjacent to Cold Creek, a tributary to Lake Tahoe, to determine whether the focusing of storm and snowmelt runoff into a confined area has (1) modified the ground-water flow system beneath the detention basin and affected transport of sediment and nutrients to nearby streams and (2) provided an increased source of solutes which has changed the distribution of nutrients and affected nutrient transport rates beneath the basin. Results of slug tests and ground-water flow modeling suggest that ground water flows unrestricted northwest across the detention basin through the meadow. The modeling also indicates that seasonal flow patterns and flow direction remain similar from year to year under transient conditions. Model results imply that about 34 percent (0.004 ft3/s) of the total ground water within the model area originates from the detention basin. Of the 0.004 ft3/s, about 45 percent discharges to Cold Creek within the modeled area downstream of the detention basin. The remaining 55 percent

Estimated probabilities, volumes, and inundation areas depths of potential postwildfire debris flows from Carbonate, Slate, Raspberry, and Milton Creeks, near Marble, Gunnison County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stevens, Michael R.; Flynn, Jennifer L.; Stephens, Verlin C.; Verdin, Kristine L.

2011-01-01

During 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Gunnison County, initiated a study to estimate the potential for postwildfire debris flows to occur in the drainage basins occupied by Carbonate, Slate, Raspberry, and Milton Creeks near Marble, Colorado. Currently (2010), these drainage basins are unburned but could be burned by a future wildfire. Empirical models derived from statistical evaluation of data collected from recently burned basins throughout the intermountain western United States were used to estimate the probability of postwildfire debris-flow occurrence and debris-flow volumes for drainage basins occupied by Carbonate, Slate, Raspberry, and Milton Creeks near Marble. Data for the postwildfire debris-flow models included drainage basin area; area burned and burn severity; percentage of burned area; soil properties; rainfall total and intensity for the 5- and 25-year-recurrence, 1-hour-duration-rainfall; and topographic and soil property characteristics of the drainage basins occupied by the four creeks. A quasi-two-dimensional floodplain computer model (FLO-2D) was used to estimate the spatial distribution and the maximum instantaneous depth of the postwildfire debris-flow material during debris flow on the existing debris-flow fans that issue from the outlets of the four major drainage basins. The postwildfire debris-flow probabilities at the outlet of each drainage basin range from 1 to 19 percent for the 5-year-recurrence, 1-hour-duration rainfall, and from 3 to 35 percent for 25-year-recurrence, 1-hour-duration rainfall. The largest probabilities for postwildfire debris flow are estimated for Raspberry Creek (19 and 35 percent), whereas estimated debris-flow probabilities for the three other creeks range from 1 to 6 percent. The estimated postwildfire debris-flow volumes at the outlet of each creek range from 7,500 to 101,000 cubic meters for the 5-year-recurrence, 1-hour-duration rainfall, and from 9,400 to 126,000 cubic meters for

Occurrence, distribution, and transport of pesticides in agricultural irrigation-return flow from four drainage basins in the Columbia Basin Project, Washington, 2002-04, and comparison with historical data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Richard J.; Frans, Lonna M.; Huffman, Raegan L.

2006-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from sites in four irrigation return-flow drainage basins in the Columbia Basin Project from July 2002 through October 2004. Ten samples were collected throughout the irrigation season (generally April through October) and two samples were collected during the non-irrigation season. Samples were analyzed for temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and a suite of 107 pesticides and pesticide metabolites (pesticide transformation products) and to document the occurrence, distribution, and pesticides transport and pesticide metabolites. The four drainage basins vary in size from 19 to 710 square miles. Percentage of agricultural cropland ranges from about 35 percent in Crab Creek drainage basin to a maximum of 75 percent in Lind Coulee drainage basin. More than 95 percent of cropland in Red Rock Coulee, Crab Creek, and Sand Hollow drainage basins is irrigated, whereas only 30 percent of cropland in Lind Coulee is irrigated. Forty-two pesticides and five metabolites were detected in samples from the four irrigation return-flow drainage basins. The most compounds detected were in samples from Sand Hollow with 37, followed by Lind Coulee with 33, Red Rock Coulee with 30, and Crab Creek with 28. Herbicides were the most frequently detected pesticides, followed by insecticides, metabolites, and fungicides. Atrazine, bentazon, diuron, and 2,4-D were the most frequently detected herbicides and chlorpyrifos and azinphos-methyl were the most frequently detected insecticides. A statistical comparison of pesticide concentrations in surface-water samples collected in the mid-1990s at Crab Creek and Sand Hollow with those collected in this study showed a statistically significant increase in concentrations for diuron and a statistically significant decrease for ethoprophos and atrazine in Crab Creek. Statistically significant increases were in concentrations of bromacil, diuron, and

Ground-water hydrology of the Lower Milliken-Sarco-Tulucay Creeks area, Napa County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Michael J.

1977-01-01

Recharge within the area is generally inadequate to marginal under 1975 demand. There is insufficient recharge in the Milliken and Sarco Creeks area to support 1975 pumpage. Long-term changes in the seasonal peak water levels indicate an average decline of 1.5 feet per year (0.5 meter per year). By 1975 annual pumpage was not exceeding recharge in the Tulucay Creek area. Although a downward trend in water levels was noted in the western part of this basin in the late 1940's, the pumping distribution and its stress on the ground-water system have since changed, and no overall downward trend was evident in the Tulucay Creek area in 1975.

77 FR 13592 - AER NY-Gen, LLC; Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC, Eagle Creek Land...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-07

...; Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC, Eagle Creek Land Resources, LLC; Notice... 24, 2012, AER NY-Gen, LLC (transferor), Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources.... Cherry, Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC, and Eagle Creek Land Resources...

Application of isostatic gravity anomaly in the Yellow Sea area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Z.; Qin, J.; Huang, W.; Wu, X.

2017-12-01

In order to study the deep crustal structure of the Yellow Sea area, we used the Airy-Heiskanen model to calculate the isostatic gravity anomaly of this area. Based on the Bouguer gravity anomaly and water depth data of this area, we chose the calculating parameters as standard crustal thickness 30 km, crust-mantle density difference 0.6g/cm3and grid spacing 0.1°×0.1°. This study reveals that there are six faults and four isostatic negative anomalies in the study area. The isostatic anomalies in much of Yellow Sea areas give priority to those with positive anomalies. The isostatic anomalies in North Yellow Sea are higher than South Yellow Sea with Jiashan-Xiangshui fault as the boundary. In the north of the study area, isostatic anomalies are characterized by large areas of positive anomaly. The change is relatively slow, and the trends give priority to the trend NE or NEE. In the middle of the north Yellow Sea basin, there is a local negative anomaly, arranged as a string of beads in NE to discontinuous distribution. Negative anomaly range is small, basically corresponds to the region's former Cenozoic sedimentary basin position. To the south of Jiashan-Xiangshui fault and west of Yellow Sea eastern margin fault, including most of the south Yellow Sea and Jiangsu province, the isostatic anomalies are lower. And the positive and negative anomalies are alternative distribution, and negative anomaly trap in extensive development. The trends give priority to NE, NEE, both to the NW. On the basis of the characteristics of isostatic gravity anomalies, it is concluded that the Yellow Sea belongs to continental crustal isostatic area whose isostatic anomalies is smooth and slow. ReferencesHeiskanen, W. A., F. A. V. Meinesz, and S. A. Korff (1958), The Earth and Its Gravity Field, McGraw-Hill, New York. Meng, X. J., X. H. Zhang, and J. Y. Yang (2014), Geophysical survey in eastern China seas and the characteristics of gravity and magnetic fields, Marine Geoglogy

75 FR 27332 - AER NY-Gen, LLC; Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC; Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC; Eagle Creek Land...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-14

... 9690-106] AER NY-Gen, LLC; Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC; Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC; Eagle Creek... Power, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC, and Eagle Creek Land Resources, LLC (transferees) filed an.... Paul Ho, Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC, Eagle Creek Water Resources, LLC, and Eagle Creek Land Resources...

Sediment transport by irrigation return flows in four small drains within the DID-18 drainage of the Sulphur Creek basin, Yakima County, Washington, April 1979 to October 1981

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boucher, P.R.

1984-01-01

Suspended sediment, water discharges, and water temperatures were monitored in four small drains in the DID-18 basin of the Sulphur Creek basin, a tributary to the Yakima River, Washington. Water outflow, inflow, and miscellaneous sites were also monitored. The information was used to evaluate the effectiveness of management practices in reducing sediment loads in irrigated areas. This study was one of seven Model Implementation Plan projects selected by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to demonstrate the effectiveness of institutional and administrative implementation of management plans. Sediment discharges from the four basins could not be correlated with changes in management practices, because Imhoff Cone readings collected for the study showed no statistical differences between the three irrigation seasons. However, one drain acted as a sink for sediment where more lands were sprinkler irrigated; this drain had a smaller proportion of row crops than did the other three drains. (USGS)

Estimating Low-Flow Frequency Statistics and Hydrologic Analysis of Selected Streamflow-Gaging Stations, Nooksack River Basin, Northwestern Washington and Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curran, Christopher A.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2009-01-01

Low-flow frequency statistics were computed at 17 continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations and 8 miscellaneous measurement sites in and near the Nooksack River basin in northwestern Washington and Canada, including the 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 consecutive-day low flows with recurrence intervals of 2 and 10 years. Using these low-flow statistics, 12 regional regression equations were developed for estimating the same low-flow statistics at ungaged sites in the Nooksack River basin using a weighted-least-squares method. Adjusted R2 (coefficient of determination) values for the equations ranged from 0.79 to 0.93 and the root-mean-squared error (RMSE) expressed as a percentage ranged from 77 to 560 percent. Streamflow records from six gaging stations located in mountain-stream or lowland-stream subbasins of the Nooksack River basin were analyzed to determine if any of the gaging stations could be removed from the network without significant loss of information. Using methods of hydrograph comparison, daily-value correlation, variable space, and flow-duration ratios, and other factors relating to individual subbasins, the six gaging stations were prioritized from most to least important as follows: Skookum Creek (12209490), Anderson Creek (12210900), Warm Creek (12207750), Fishtrap Creek (12212050), Racehorse Creek (12206900), and Clearwater Creek (12207850). The optimum streamflow-gaging station network would contain all gaging stations except Clearwater Creek, and the minimum network would include Skookum Creek and Anderson Creek.

Structural styles of the paradox basin: Something to consider in a basin dominated by stratigraphic traps

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

Stevenson, G.M.

1993-08-01

The Paradox basin has produced a considerable amount of oil and gas from Pennsylvanian and Mississippian reservoirs. Most of the production has been from stratigraphic traps associated with subtle rejuvenated basement structures. Only the Blanding sub-basin and west flank of the salt anticlines (Lisbon Valley to Salt Wash fields) have been explored in sufficient quantity to classify as the mature parts of the basin, and even in these areas, new fields are currently being discovered. The majority of the basin still remains an exploration frontier. Certainly, structural and stratigraphic conditions analogous to those in the proven areas exist in muchmore » of these underexplored parts of the Paradox basin, but the potential for new and different types of hydrocarbon traps should not be overlooked. Structural styles present in the Paradox basin range from high-angle reverse, to normal, to inverted, which records different periods of crustal shortening and extension. To provide a full appreciation of the variety and complexities of structural styles in the Paradox basin and their influence on the orientation and distribution of different stratigraphic mechanisms, comparisons are made in the following areas: the Uncompahgre frontal fault zone, salt anticlines, Cane Creek anticline, Nequoia arch, Blanding basin, and Hogback monocline. To demonstrate the episodic nature of tectonism throughout the entire Phanerozoic Era, potential and proven hydrocarbon trapping styles are illustrated in strata ranging from Devonian to Late Pennsylvanian age. In particular, the Pennsylvanian Paradox evaporites and equivalent shelf carbonates and siliciclastics provide an excellent example of chronostratigraphic and glacioeustatic relationships. Due to the proven prolific nature of these Pennsylvanian reservoirs, the interrelationships of structure to stratigraphy in the Blanding basin and along the Cane Creek anticline will be emphasized.« less

Herbicide Transport and Transformations in the Unsaturated Zone of Three Small Agricultural Basins with Corn and Soybean Row Crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancock, T. C.; Vogel, J. R.; Sandstrom, M. W.; Capel, P. D.; Bayless, R. E.; Webb, R. M.

2006-05-01

In the United States, herbicides are among the most significant nonpoint-source pollutants and were applied to 95% of all fields in corn production and 97% of all fields in soybean production in 2003 and 2004. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted a study on select herbicides in the unsaturated zone under corn and soybean fields in three predominantly agricultural basins: Morgan Creek (Maryland), Leary Weber Ditch within Sugar Creek (Indiana), and Maple Creek (Nebraska). In 2004, the Morgan Creek and Leary Weber Ditch fields were in soybeans and the Maple Creek fields were in corn. The Maple Creek fields were irrigated, whereas those in Morgan Creek and Leary Weber Ditch were not. Similarities and differences in agricultural management practices, climatic conditions, and natural features, such as soil types and geology, were evaluated as part of the study. In general, the amounts of herbicides entering the unsaturated zone from rain in these basins were minor (1%) compared to amounts commonly applied to the land surface during agricultural practices. Few herbicides were detected on solid core samples from the unsaturated zones of these basins. An exception was found at a Morgan Creek site in an upland recharge area with sandier soils. Here, atrazine concentrations were highest in the near surface solids and decreased with depth. In the unsaturated-zone porewater of the Morgan Creek Basin, parent triazine and acetanilide herbicides were detected and only at the site in the upland recharge area at relatively low concentrations at depths greater than 4 meters, probably because these compounds had not been applied for several years. At the Morgan Creek and Leary Weber Ditch sites, acetanilide metabolites were frequently detected in the unsaturated-zone porewater. In general, the fraction of metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid (ESA) relative to the total mass of parent and metabolites increased with depth overall and at several individual sampling

Scaling up watershed model parameters--Flow and load simulations of the Edisto River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Feaster, Toby D.; Benedict, Stephen T.; Clark, Jimmy M.; Bradley, Paul M.; Conrads, Paul

2014-01-01

The Edisto River is the longest and largest river system completely contained in South Carolina and is one of the longest free flowing blackwater rivers in the United States. The Edisto River basin also has fish-tissue mercury concentrations that are some of the highest recorded in the United States. As part of an effort by the U.S. Geological Survey to expand the understanding of relations among hydrologic, geochemical, and ecological processes that affect fish-tissue mercury concentrations within the Edisto River basin, analyses and simulations of the hydrology of the Edisto River basin were made with the topography-based hydrological model (TOPMODEL). The potential for scaling up a previous application of TOPMODEL for the McTier Creek watershed, which is a small headwater catchment to the Edisto River basin, was assessed. Scaling up was done in a step-wise process beginning with applying the calibration parameters, meteorological data, and topographic wetness index data from the McTier Creek TOPMODEL to the Edisto River TOPMODEL. Additional changes were made with subsequent simulations culminating in the best simulation, which included meteorological and topographic wetness index data from the Edisto River basin and updated calibration parameters for some of the TOPMODEL calibration parameters. Comparison of goodness-of-fit statistics between measured and simulated daily mean streamflow for the two models showed that with calibration, the Edisto River TOPMODEL produced slightly better results than the McTier Creek model, despite the significant difference in the drainage-area size at the outlet locations for the two models (30.7 and 2,725 square miles, respectively). Along with the TOPMODEL hydrologic simulations, a visualization tool (the Edisto River Data Viewer) was developed to help assess trends and influencing variables in the stream ecosystem. Incorporated into the visualization tool were the water-quality load models TOPLOAD, TOPLOAD-H, and LOADEST

Scaling the sublethal effects of methylmercury to yellow perchs population dynamics using adverse outcome pathway framework

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study sought to evaluate the effects of environmentally relevant dietary MeHg exposures on adult female yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) reproduction. Yellow perch were used in the study for their socioeconomic and ecological importance within the Great Lakes basin, a...

Sediment transport by streams in the Walla Walla basin, Washington and Oregon, July 1962-June 1965

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mapes, B.E.

1969-01-01

The Walla Walla River basin covers about 1,760 square miles in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. From the 6,000-foot crest of the Blue Mountains on the east to the 340-foot altitude of Lake Wallula (Columbia River) on the west, the basin is drained by the Touchet River and Dry Creek, entirely within Washington, and by Mill Creek, North and South Forks Walla Walla River, and Pine Creek-Dry Creek, which all head in Oregon. The central lowland of the basin is bordered on the north by Eureka Flat, Touchet slope, and Skyrocket Hills, on the east by the Blue Mountains, and on the south by the Horse Heaven Hills. The basin is underlain by basalt of the Columbia River Group, which .is the only consolidated rock to crop out in the region. Various unconsolidated fluviatile, lacustrine, and eolian sediments cover the basalt. In the western part of the basin the basalt is overlain by lacustrine deposits of silt and sand which in places are mantled by varying thicknesses of loessal deposits. In the northern and central parts of the basin the loess is at least 100 feet thick. The mountainous eastern part of the basin is underlain at shallow depth by basalt which has a residual soil mantle weathered from the rock. The slopes of the mountains are characterized by alluvial fans and deeply cut stream valleys ,filled with alluvium of sand, gravel, and cobbles. Average annual precipitation in the basin ranges from less than 10 inches in the desert-like areas of the west to more than 45 inches in the timbered mountains of the east; 65 percent of the precipitation occurs from October through March. The average runoff from the basin is about 4.8 inches per year. Most of the runoff occurs during late winter and early spring. Exceptionally high runoff generally results from rainfall and rapid melting of snow on partially frozen ground. During the study period, July 1964-June 1965, average annual sediment yields in the basin ranged from 420 tons per square mile in the

Late Laramide thrust-related and evaporite-domed anticlines in the southern Piceance Basin, northeastern Colorado Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grout, M.A.; Abrams, G.A.; Tang, R.L.; Hainsworth, T.J.; Verbeek, E.R.

1991-01-01

New seismic and gravity data across the hydrocarbon-producing Divide Creek and Wolf Creek anticlines in the southern Piceance basin reveal contrasting styles of deformation within two widely separated time frames. Seismic data indicate that prebasin Paleozoic deformation resulted in block faulting of the Precambrian crystalline basement rocks and overlying Cambrian through Middle Pennsylvanian strata. Movement along these block faults throughout much of Pennsylvanian time, during northeast-southwest crustal extension, likely influenced distribution of the Middle Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) evaporite-rich facies. Younger rocks, including the thick succession of Cenozoic basin strata, then buried the Paleozoic structures. Gravity data confirm that excess material of relatively low density exists beneath the Wolf Creek structure, whereas material of relatively higher density (overthickened shale) is found beneath the Divide Creek Anticline. -from Authors

Hydraulic characteristics and nutrient transport and transformation beneath a rapid infiltration basin, Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sumner, D.M.; Bradner, L.A.

1996-01-01

The Reedy Creek Improvement District disposes of about 7.5 million gallons per day (1992) of reclaimed water through 85 1-acre rapid infiltration basins within a 1,000-acre area of sandy soils in Orange County, Florida. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted field experiments in 1992 at an individual basin to examine and better understand the hydraulic characteristics and nutrient transport and transformation of reclaimed water beneath a rapid infiltration basin. At the time, concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in reclaimed water were about 3 and 0.25 milligrams per liter, respectively. A two-dimensional, radial, unsaturated/saturated numerical flow model was applied to describe the flow system beneath a rapid infiltration basin under current and hypothetical basin loading scenarios and to estimate the hydraulic properties of the soil and sediment beneath a basin. The thicknesses of the unsaturated and saturated parts of the surficial aquifer system at the basin investigated were about 37 and 52 feet, respectively. The model successfully replicated the field-monitored infiltration rate (about 5.5 feet per day during the daily flooding periods of about 17 hours) and ground-water mounding response during basin operation. Horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity of the saturated part of the surficial aquifer system were estimated to be 150 and 45 feet per day, respectively. The field-saturated vertical hydraulic conductivity of the shallow soil, estimated to be about 5.1 feet per day, was considered to have been less than the full- saturation value because of the effects of air entrapment. Specific yield of the surficial aquifer was estimated to be 0.41. The upper 20 feet of the basin subsurface profile probably served as a system control on infiltration because of the relatively low field-saturated, vertical hydraulic conductivity of the sediments within this layer. The flow model indicates that, in the vicinity of the basin, flow in the deeper

Problems in determining the return of a watershed to pretreatment conditions: techniques applied to a study at Caspar Creek, California

Treesearch

Robert B. Thomas

1990-01-01

Using a previously treated basin as a control in subsequent paired watershed studies requires the control to be stable. Basin stability can be assessed in many ways, some of which are investigated for the South Fork of Caspar Creek in northern California. This basin is recovering from logging and road building in the early 1970s. Three storm-based discharge...

Air and Ground Surface Temperature Relations in a Mountainous Basin, Wolf Creek, Yukon Territory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roadhouse, Emily A.

The links between climate and permafrost are well known, but the precise nature of the relationship between air and ground temperatures remains poorly understood, particularly in complex mountain environments. Although previous studies indicate that elevation and potential incoming solar radiation (PISR) are the two leading factors contributing to the existence of permafrost at a given location, additional factors may also contribute significantly to the existence of mountain permafrost, including vegetation cover, snow accumulation and the degree to which individual mountain landscapes are prone to air temperature inversions. Current mountain permafrost models consider only elevation and aspect, and have not been able to deal with inversion effects in a systematic fashion. This thesis explores the relationship between air and ground surface temperatures and the presence of surface-based inversions at 27 sites within the Wolf Creek basin and surrounding area between 2001 and 2006, as a first step in developing an improved permafrost distribution TTOP model. The TTOP model describes the relationship between the mean annual air temperature and the temperature at the top of permafrost in terms of the surface and thermal offsets (Smith and Riseborough, 2002). Key components of this model are n-factors which relate air and ground climate by establishing the ratio between air and surface freezing (winter) and thawing (summer) degree-days, thus summarizing the surface energy balance on a seasonal basis. Here we examine (1) surface offsets and (2) freezing and thawing n-factor variability at a number of sites through altitudinal treeline in the southern Yukon. Thawing n-factors (nt) measured at individual sites remained relatively constant from one year to the next and may be related to land cover. During the winter, the insulating effect of a thick snow cover results in higher surface temperatures, while thin snow cover results in low surface temperatures more closely

Water Budget Closure Based on GRACE Measurements and Reconstructed Evapotranspiration Using GLDAS and Water Use Data over the Yellow River and Changjiang River Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, M.; Ma, Z.; Yuan, X.

2017-12-01

It is important to evaluate the water budget closure on the basis of the currently available data including precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET), runoff, and GRACE-derived terrestrial water storage change (TWSC) before using them to resolve water-related issues. However, it remains challenging to achieve the balance without the consideration of human water use (e.g., inter-basin water diversion and irrigation) for the estimation of other water budget terms such as the ET. In this study, the terrestrial water budget closure is tested over the Yellow River Basin (YRB) and Changjiang River Basin (CJB, Yangtze River Basin) of China. First, the actual ET is reconstructed by using the GLDAS-1 land surface models, the high quality observation-based precipitation, naturalized streamflow, and the irrigation water (hereafter, ETrecon). The ETrecon, evaluated using the mean annual water-balance equation, is of good quality with the absolute relative errors less than 1.9% over the two studied basins. The total basin discharge (Rtotal) is calculated as the residual of the water budget among the observation-based precipitation, ETrecon, and the GRACE-TWSC. The value of the Rtotal minus the observed total basin discharge is used to evaluate the budget closure, with the consideration of inter-basin water diversion. After the ET reconstruction, the mean absolute imbalance value reduced from 3.31 cm/year to 1.69 cm/year and from 15.40 cm/year to 1.96 cm/year over the YRB and CJB, respectively. The estimation-to-observation ratios of total basin discharge improved from 180.8% to 86.8% over the YRB, and from 67.0% to 101.1% over the CJB. The proposed ET reconstruction method is applicable to other human-managed river basins to provide an alternative estimation.

Ground-water flow and numerical simulation of recharge from streamflow infiltration near Pine Nut Creek, Douglas County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maurer, Douglas K.

2002-01-01

Ground-water flow and recharge from infiltration near Pine Nut Creek, east of Gardnerville, Nevada, were simulated using a single-layer numerical finite-difference model as part of a study made by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Carson Water Subconservancy District. The model was calibrated to 190 water-level measurements made in 27 wells in December 2000, and in 9 wells from August 1999 through April 2001. The purpose of this study was to estimate reasonable limits for the approximate volume of water that may be stored by recharge through infiltration basins, and the rate at which recharged water would dissipate or move towards the valley floor. Measured water levels in the study area show that infiltration from the Allerman Canal and reservoir has created a water-table mound beneath them that decreases the hydraulic gradient east of the canal and increases the gradient west of the canal. North of Pine Nut Creek, the mound causes ground water to flow toward the northern end of the reservoir. South of Pine Nut Creek, relatively high water levels probably are maintained by the mound beneath the Allerman Canal and possibly by greater rates of recharge from the southeast. Water-level declines near Pine Nut Creek from August 1999 through April 2001 probably are caused by dissipation of recharge from infiltration of Pine Nut Creek streamflow in the springs of 1998 and 1999. Using the calibrated model, a simulation of recharge through a hypothetical infiltration basin covering 12.4 acres near Pine Nut Creek applied 700 acre-feet per year of recharge over a six-month period, for a total of 3,500 acre-feet after 5 consecutive years. This recharge requires a diversion rate of about 2 cubic feet per second and an infiltration rate of 0.3 foot per day. The simulations showed that recharge of 3,500 acre-feet caused water levels near the basin to rise over 70 feet, approaching land surface, indicating 3,500 acre-feet is the maximum that may be stored in a 5

Alternative spatial configurations to reflect landscape structure in a hydrological model: SUMMA applications to the Reynolds Creek Watershed and the Columbia River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nijssen, Bart; Clark, Martyn; Mizukami, Naoki; Chegwidden, Oriana

2016-04-01

Most existing hydrological models use a fixed representation of landscape structure. For example, high-resolution, spatially-distributed models may use grid cells that exchange moisture through the saturated subsurface or may divide the landscape into hydrologic response units that only exchange moisture through surface channels. Alternatively, many regional models represent the landscape through coarse elements that do not model any moisture exchange between these model elements. These spatial organizations are often represented at a low-level in the model code and its data structures, which makes it difficult to evaluate different landscape representations using the same hydrological model. Instead, such experimentation requires the use of multiple, different hydrological models, which in turn complicates the analysis, because differences in model outcomes are no longer constrained by differing spatial representations. This inflexibility in the representation of landscape structure also limits a model's capability for scaling local processes to regional outcomes. In this study, we used the Structure for Unifying Multiple Modeling Alternatives (SUMMA) to evaluate different model spatial configurations to represent landscape structure and to evaluate scaling behavior. SUMMA can represent the moisture exchange between arbitrarily shaped landscape elements in a number of different ways, while using the same model parameterizations for vertical fluxes. This allows us to isolate the effects of changes in landscape representations on modeled hydrological fluxes and states. We examine the effects of spatial configuration in Reynolds Creek, Idaho, USA, which is a research watershed with gaged areas from 1-20 km2. We then use the same modeling system to evaluate scaling behavior in simulated hydrological fluxes in the Columbia River Basin, Pacific Northwest, USA. This basin drains more than 500,000 km2 and includes the Reynolds Creek Watershed.

Old groundwater influence on stream hydrochemistry and catchment response times in a small Sierra Nevada catchment: Sagehen Creek, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rademacher, Laura K.; Clark, Jordan F.; Clow, David W.; Bryant, Hudson G.

2005-01-01

The relationship between the chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater and residence times was used to understand the temporal variability in stream hydrochemistry in Sagehen basin, California. On the basis of the relationship between groundwater age and [Ca2+], the mean residence time of groundwater feeding Sagehen Creek during base flow is approximately 28 years. [Cl−]:[Ca2+] ratios in Sagehen Creek can be used to distinguish between two important processes: changes in the apparent age of groundwater discharging into the creek and dilution with snowmelt. The mean residence time of groundwater discharging into the creek is approximately 15 years during snowmelt periods. The results from this study have implications for hydrograph separation studies as groundwater is not a single, well‐mixed chemical component but rather is a variable parameter that predictably depends on groundwater residence time. Most current models of catchment hydrochemistry do not account for chemical and isotopic variability found within the groundwater reservoir. In addition, this study provides valuable insight into the long‐term hydrochemical response of a catchment to perturbations as catchment‐flushing times are related to the mean residence time of water in a basin.

Characterization of rainfall-runoff response and estimation of the effect of wetland restoration on runoff, Heron Lake Basin, southwestern Minnesota, 1991-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Perry M.; Winterstein, Thomas A.

2000-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Heron Lake Watershed District, conducted a study to characterize the rainfall-runoff response and to examine the effects of wetland restoration on the rainfall-runoff response within the Heron Lake Basin in southwestern Minnesota. About 93 percent of the land cover in the Heron Lake Basin consists of agricultural lands, consisting almost entirely of row crops, with less than one percent consisting of wetlands. The Hydrological Simulation Program – Fortran (HSPF), Version 10, was calibrated to continuous discharge data and used to characterize rainfall-runoff responses in the Heron Lake Basin between May 1991 and August 1997. Simulation of the Heron Lake Basin was done as a two-step process: (1) simulations of five small subbasins using data from August 1995 through August 1997, and (2) simulations of the two large basins, Jack and Okabena Creek Basins, using data from May 1991 through September 1996. Simulations of the five small subbasins was done to determine basin parameters for the land segments and assess rainfall-runoff response variability in the basin. Simulations of the two larger basins were done to verify the basin parameters and assess rainfall-runoff responses over a larger area and for a longer time period. Best-fit calibrations of the five subbasin simulations indicate that the rainfall-runoff response is uniform throughout the Heron Lake Basin, and 48 percent of the total rainfall for storms becomes direct (surface and interflow) runoff. Rainfall-runoff response variations result from variations in the distribution, intensity, timing, and duration of rainfall; soil moisture; evapotranspiration rates; and the presence of lakes in the basin. In the spring, the amount and distribution of rainfall tends to govern the runoff response. High evapotranspiration rates in the summer result in a depletion of moisture from the soils, substantially

Salmonid Gamete Preservation in the Snake River Basin, 2001 Annual Report.

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

Armstrong, Robyn; Kucera, Paul

2002-06-01

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations in the Northwest are decreasing. Genetic diversity is being lost at an alarming rate. Along with reduced population and genetic variability, the loss of biodiversity means a diminished environmental adaptability. The Nez Perce Tribe (Tribe) strives to ensure availability of genetic samples of the existing male salmonid population by establishing and maintaining a germplasm repository. The sampling strategy, initiated in 1992, has been to collect and preserve male salmon and steelhead genetic diversity across the geographic landscape by sampling within the major river subbasins in the Snake River basin, assuming amore » metapopulation structure existed historically. Gamete cryopreservation conserves genetic diversity in a germplasm repository, but is not a recovery action for listed fish species. The Tribe was funded in 2001 by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) to coordinate gene banking of male gametes from Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed steelhead and spring and summer chinook salmon in the Snake River basin. In 2001, a total of 398 viable chinook salmon semen samples from the Lostine River, Catherine Creek, upper Grande Ronde River, Lookingglass Hatchery (Imnaha River stock), Lake Creek, the South Fork Salmon River weir, Johnson Creek, Big Creek, Capehorn Creek, Marsh Creek, Pahsimeroi Hatchery, and Sawtooth Hatchery (upper Salmon River stock) were cryopreserved. Also, 295 samples of male steelhead gametes from Dworshak Hatchery, Fish Creek, Grande Ronde River, Little Sheep Creek, Pahsimeroi Hatchery and Oxbow Hatchery were also cryopreserved. The Grande Ronde chinook salmon captive broodstock program stores 680 cryopreserved samples at the University of Idaho as a long-term archive, half of the total samples. A total of 3,206 cryopreserved samples from Snake River basin

CTUIR Grande Ronde River Watershed Restoration Program McCoy Creek/McIntyre Creek Road Crossing, 1995-1999 Progress Report.

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

Childs, Allen B.

2000-08-01

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) entered into a contract agreement beginning in 1996 to fund watershed restoration and enhancement actions and contribute to recovery of fish and wildlife resources and water quality in the Grande Ronde River Basin. The CTUIR's habitat program is closely coordinated with the Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program and multiple agencies and organizations within the basin. The CTUIR has focused during the past 4 years in the upper portions of the Grande Ronde Subbasin (upstream of LaGrande, Oregon) on several major project areas in the Meadow, McCoy,more » and McIntyre Creek watersheds and along the mainstem Grande Ronde River. This Annual Report provides an overview of individual projects and accomplishments.« less

Summer precipitation prediction in the source region of the Yellow River using climate indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, F.

2016-12-01

The source region of the Yellow River contributes about 35% of the total water yield in the Yellow River basin playing an important role in meeting downstream water resources requirements. The summer precipitation from June to September in the source region of the Yellow River accounts for about 70% of the annual total, and its decrease would cause further water shortage problems. Consequently, the objectives of this study are to improve the understanding of the linkages between the precipitation in the source region of the Yellow River and global teleconnection patterns, and to predict the summer precipitation based on revealed teleconnections. Spatial variability of precipitation was investigated based on three homogeneous sub-regions. Principal component analysis and singular value decomposition were used to find significant relations between the precipitation in the source region of the Yellow River and global teleconnection patterns using climate indices. A back-propagation neural network was developed to predict the summer precipitation using significantly correlated climate indices. It was found that precipitation in the study area is positively related to North Atlantic Oscillation, West Pacific Pattern and El Nino Southern Oscillation, and inversely related to Polar Eurasian pattern. Summer precipitation was overall well predicted using these significantly correlated climate indices, and the Pearson correlation coefficient between predicted and observed summer precipitation was in general larger than 0.6. The results are useful for integrated water resources management in the Yellow River basin.

Pesticide Occurrence and Distribution in the Lower Clackamas River Basin, Oregon, 2000-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carpenter, Kurt D.; Sobieszczyk, Steven; Arnsberg, Andrew J.; Rinella, Frank A.

2008-01-01

Pesticide occurrence and distribution in the lower Clackamas River basin was evaluated in 2000?2005, when 119 water samples were analyzed for a suite of 86?198 dissolved pesticides. Sampling included the lower-basin tributaries and the Clackamas River mainstem, along with paired samples of pre- and post-treatment drinking water (source and finished water) from one of four drinking water-treatment plants that draw water from the lower river. Most of the sampling in the tributaries occurred during storms, whereas most of the source and finished water samples from the study drinking-water treatment plant were obtained at regular intervals, and targeted one storm event in 2005. In all, 63 pesticide compounds were detected, including 33 herbicides, 15 insecticides, 6 fungicides, and 9 pesticide degradation products. Atrazine and simazine were detected in about half of samples, and atrazine and one of its degradates (deethylatrazine) were detected together in 30 percent of samples. Other high-use herbicides such as glyphosate, triclopyr, 2,4-D, and metolachlor also were frequently detected, particularly in the lower-basin tributaries. Pesticides were detected in all eight of the lower-basin tributaries sampled, and were also frequently detected in the lower Clackamas River. Although pesticides were detected in all of the lower basin tributaries, the highest pesticide loads (amounts) were found in Deep and Rock Creeks. These medium-sized streams drain a mix of agricultural land (row crops and nurseries), pastureland, and rural residential areas. The highest pesticide loads were found in Rock Creek at 172nd Avenue and in two Deep Creek tributaries, North Fork Deep and Noyer Creeks, where 15?18 pesticides were detected. Pesticide yields (loads per unit area) were highest in Cow and Carli Creeks, two small streams that drain the highly urban and industrial northwestern part of the lower basin. Other sites having relatively high pesticide yields included middle Rock Creek and

Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fsh Habitat Enhancement Project : 2000 Annual Report.

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

Shaw, R. Todd

2001-12-31

The Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project continued to identify impacted stream reaches throughout the Umatilla River Basin for habitat improvements during the 2000 project period. Public outreach efforts, biological and physical monitoring, and continued development of a Umatilla River Basin Watershed Assessment assisted the project in fostering public cooperation, targeting habitat deficiencies and determining habitat recovery measures. Habitat enhancement projects continued to be maintained on 44 private properties, four riparian easements and one in-stream enhancement agreement were secured, two new projects implemented and two existing projects improved to enhance anadromous fish habitat and natural fisheries production capabilitiesmore » in the Umatilla River Basin. New project locations included sites on the mid Umatilla River and Buckaroo Creek. Improvements were implemented at existing project sites on the upper Umatilla River and Wildhorse Creek. A stream bank stabilization project was implemented at approximately River Mile 37.4 Umatilla River to stabilize 760 feet of eroding stream bank and improve in-stream habitat diversity. Habitat enhancements at this site included construction of six rock barbs with one large conifer root wad incorporated into each barb, stinging approximately 10,000 native willow cuttings, planting 195 tubling willows and 1,800 basin wildrye grass plugs, and seeding 40 pounds of native grass seed. Staff time to assist in development of a subcontract and fence materials were provided to establish eight spring sites for off-stream watering and to protect wetlands within the Buckaroo Creek Watershed. A gravel bar was moved and incorporated into an adjacent point bar to reduce stream energy and stream channel confinement within the existing project area at River Mile 85 Umatilla River. Approximately 10,000 native willow cuttings were stung and trenched into the stream channel margins and stream banks, and

Low-flow characteristics and profiles for the Rocky River in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River basin, North Carolina, through 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weaver, J. Curtis; Fine, Jason M.

2003-01-01

lower half of the basin underlain by the Carolina Slate Belt. Assessment of these 18 sites indicates that streams that have drainage areas less than about 25 square miles are likely to have minimal or zero 7Q10 discharges. No drainage-area threshold for minimal or zero 7Q10 discharges was identified for the upper half of the basin, which is underlain by the Charlotte Belt. Tributaries to the Rocky River include the West Branch Rocky River (22.8 mi2), Clarke Creek (28.2 mi2), Mallard Creek (41.2 mi2), Coddle Creek (78.8 mi2), Reedy Creek (43.0 mi2), Irish Buffalo/Coldwater Creeks (110 mi2), Dutch Buffalo Creek (99 mi2), Long Creek (200 mi2), Richardson Creek (234 mi2), and Lanes Creek (135 mi2). In the 20-mile reach upstream from the mouth (about 22 percent of the river length), the drainage area increases by 648 mi2, or about 46 percent of the total drainage area as a result of the confluences with Long Creek, Richardson Creek, and Lanes Creek. Low-flow discharge profiles for the Rocky River include 7Q10, 30Q2, W7Q10, and 7Q2 discharges in a continuous profile with contributions from major tributaries included. At the gaging stations above Irish Buffalo Creek and near Stanfield, the 7Q10 discharges are 25.2 and 42.3 cubic feet per second, corresponding to 0.09 and 0.07 cubic feet per second per square mile, respectively. At the gaging station near Norwood, the 7Q10 discharge is 45.8 cubic feet per second, equivalent to 0.03 cubic foot per second per square mile. Low-flow discharge profiles reflect the presence of several major flow diversions in the reaches upstream from Stanfield and an apparent losing reach between the continuous-record gaging stations near Stanfield and Norwood, North Carolina.

Seismic Velocities and Thicknesses of Alluvial Deposits along Baker Creek in the Great Basin National Park, East-Central Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allander, Kip K.; Berger, David L.

2009-01-01

To better understand how proposed large-scale water withdrawals in Snake Valley may affect the water resources and hydrologic processes in the Great Basin National Park, the National Park Service needs to have a better understanding of the relations between streamflow and groundwater flow through alluvium and karst topography of the Pole Canyon Limestone. Information that is critical to understanding these relations is the thickness of alluvial deposits that overlay the Pole Canyon Limestone. In mid-April 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service used seismic refraction along three profiles adjacent to Baker Creek to further refine understanding of the local geology. Two refractors and three distinct velocity layers were detected along two of the profiles and a single refractor and two distinct velocity layers were detected along a third profile. In the unsaturated alluvium, average velocity was 2,000 feet per second, thickness ranged from about 7 to 20 feet along two profiles downstream of the Narrows, and thickness was at least 100 feet along a single profile upstream of the Narrows. Saturated alluvium was only present downstream of the Narrows - average velocity was 4,400 feet per second, and thickness ranged from about 40 to 110 feet. The third layer probably represented Pole Canyon Limestone or Tertiary granitic rock units with an average velocity of 12,500 feet per second. Along the upstream and middle profiles (profiles 3 and 1, respectively), the depth to top of the third layer ranged from at least 60 to 110 feet below land surface and is most likely the Pole Canyon Limestone. The third layer at the farthest downstream profile (profile 2) may be a Tertiary granitic rock unit. Baker Creek is disconnected from the groundwater system along the upstream profile (profile 3) and streamflow losses infiltrate vertically downward to the Pole Canyon Limestone. Along the downstream and middle profiles (profiles 2 and 1, respectively), the presence of

Effects of wastewater effluent discharge and treatment facility upgrades on environmental and biological conditions of Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, June 2004 through June 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jennifer L.; Stone, Mandy L.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Foster, Guy M.; Poulton, Barry C.; Paxson, Chelsea R.; Harris, Theodore D.

2014-01-01

Indian Creek is one of the most urban drainage basins in Johnson County, Kansas, and environmental and biological conditions of the creek are affected by contaminants from point and other urban sources. The Johnson County Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin (hereafter referred to as the “Middle Basin”) and Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTFs) discharge to Indian Creek. In summer 2010, upgrades were completed to increase capacity and include biological nutrient removal at the Middle Basin facility. There have been no recent infrastructure changes at the Tomahawk Creek facility; however, during 2009, chemically enhanced primary treatment was added to the treatment process for better process settling before disinfection and discharge with the added effect of enhanced phosphorus removal. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Johnson County Wastewater, assessed the effects of wastewater effluent on environmental and biological conditions of Indian Creek by comparing two upstream sites to four sites located downstream from the WWTFs using data collected during June 2004 through June 2013. Environmental conditions were evaluated using previously and newly collected discrete and continuous data and were compared with an assessment of biological community composition and ecosystem function along the upstream-downstream gradient. This study improves the understanding of the effects of wastewater effluent on stream-water and streambed sediment quality, biological community composition, and ecosystem function in urban areas. After the addition of biological nutrient removal to the Middle Basin WWTF in 2010, annual mean total nitrogen concentrations in effluent decreased by 46 percent, but still exceeded the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) wastewater effluent permit concentration goal of 8.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L); however, the NPDES wastewater effluent permit total phosphorus concentration goal of 1.5 mg/L or less was

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Melanie L.; Mason, Jon P.

2007-01-01

Tongue River to 1,460 ?S/cm at 25?C on Prairie Dog Creek. The Tongue River drainage basin has the largest percentage of area underlain by Mesozoic-age and older rocks and by more resistant rocks. In addition, the higher annual precipitation and a steeper gradient in this basin compared to basins in the plains produce relatively fast stream velocities, which result in a short contact time between stream waters and basin materials. The Powder River drainage basin, which has the largest drainage area and most diverse site conditions, had the largest range of median specific-conductance values among the four major drainage basins. Median values in that basin ranged from 680 ?S/cm at 25?C on Clear Creek to 5,950 ?S/cm at 25?C on Salt Creek. Median specific-conductance values among sites in the Cheyenne River drainage basin ranged from 1,850 ?S/cm at 25?C on Black Thunder Creek to 4,680 ?S/cm at 25?C on the Cheyenne River. The entire Cheyenne River drainage basin is in the plains, which have low precipitation, soluble geologic materials, and relatively low gradients that produce slow stream velocities and long contact times. Median specific-conductance values among sites in the Belle Fourche River drainage basin ranged from 1,740 ?S/cm at 25?C on Caballo Creek to 2,800 ?S/cm at 25?C on Donkey Creek. Water in the study area ranged from a magnesium-calcium-bicarbonate type for some sites in the Tongue River drainage basin to a sodium-sulfate type at many sites in the Powder, Cheyenne, and Belle Fourche River drainage basins. Little Goose Creek, Goose Creek, and the Tongue River in the Tongue River drainage basin, and Clear Creek in the Powder River drainage basin, which have headwaters in the Bighorn Mountains, consistently had the smallest median dissolved-sodium concentrations, sodium-adsorption ratios, dissolved-sulfate concentrations, and dissolved-solids concentrations. Salt Creek, Wild Horse Creek, Little Powder River, and the Cheyenne River, which have headwat

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic igneous intrusions and related sediment-dominated hydrothermal activities in the South Yellow Sea Basin, the Western Pacific continental margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yumao, Pang; Xunhua, Zhang; Guolin, Xiao; Luning, Shang; Xingwei, Guo; Zhenhe, Wen

2018-04-01

Various igneous complexes were identified in multi-channel seismic reflection profiles from the South Yellow Sea Basin. It is not rare that magmatic intrusions in sedimentary basins cause strong thermal perturbations and hydrothermal activities. Some intrusion-related hydrothermal vent complexes have been identified and they are considered to originate from the deep sedimentary contact aureole around igneous intrusions and terminate in upper vents structures, and are linked by a vertical conduit system. The upper vent complexes are usually eye-shaped, dome-shaped, fault-related, crater-shaped or pock-shaped in seismic profiles. A schematic model was proposed to illustrate the structures of different types of hydrothermal vent complexes. A conceptual conduit model composed of an upper pipe-like part and a lower branching part was also derived. Hydrothermal vent complexes mainly developed during the Middle-Late Cretaceous, which is coeval with, or shortly after the intrusion. The back-arc basin evolution of the area which is related to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic may be the principal factor for voluminous igneous complexes and vent complexes in this area. It is significant to study the characteristics of igneous complexes and related hydrothermal vent complexes, which will have implications for the future study of this area.

Estimated flood peak discharges on Twin, Brock, and Lightning creeks, Southwest Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 8, 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tortorelli, R.L.

1996-01-01

The flash flood in southwestern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 8, 1993, was the result of an intense 3-hour rainfall on saturated ground or impervious surfaces. The total precipitation of 5.28 inches was close to the 3-hour, 100-year frequency and produced extensive flooding. The most serious flooding was on Twin, Brock, and Lightning Creeks. Four people died in this flood. Over 1,900 structures were damaged along the 3 creeks. There were about $3 million in damages to Oklahoma City public facilities, the majority of which were in the three basins. A study was conducted to determine the magnitude of the May 8, 1993, flood peak discharge in these three creeks in southwestern Oklahoma City and compare these peaks with published flood estimates. Flood peak-discharge estimates for these creeks were determined at 11 study sites using a step-backwater analysis to match the flood water-surface profiles defined by high-water marks. The unit discharges during peak runoff ranged from 881 cubic feet per second per square mile for Lightning Creek at SW 44th Street to 3,570 cubic feet per second per square mile for Brock Creek at SW 59th Street. The ratios of the 1993 flood peak discharges to the Federal Emergency Management Agency 100-year flood peak discharges ranged from 1.25 to 3.29. The water-surface elevations ranged from 0.2 foot to 5.9 feet above the Federal Emergency Management Agency 500-year flood water-surface elevations. The very large flood peaks in these 3 small urban basins were the result of very intense rainfall in a short period of time, close to 100 percent runoff due to ground surfaces being essentially impervious, and the city streets acting as efficient conveyances to the main channels. The unit discharges compare in magnitude to other extraordinary Oklahoma urban floods.

Specific Conductance and Dissolved-Solids Characteristics for the Green River and Muddy Creek, Wyoming, Water Years 1999-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Melanie L.; Davidson, Seth L.

2009-01-01

Southwestern Wyoming is an area of diverse scenery, wildlife, and natural resources that is actively undergoing energy development. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative is a long-term science-based effort to assess and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale, while facilitating responsible energy development through local collaboration and partnerships. Water-quality monitoring has been conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey on the Green River near Green River, Wyoming, and Muddy Creek near Baggs, Wyoming. This monitoring, which is being conducted in cooperation with State and other Federal agencies and as part of the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative, is in response to concerns about potentially increased dissolved solids in the Colorado River Basin as a result of energy development. Because of the need to provide real-time dissolved-solids concentrations for the Green River and Muddy Creek on the World Wide Web, the U.S. Geological Survey developed regression equations to estimate dissolved-solids concentrations on the basis of continuous specific conductance using relations between measured specific conductance and dissolved-solids concentrations. Specific conductance and dissolved-solids concentrations were less varied and generally lower for the Green River than for Muddy Creek. The median dissolved-solids concentration for the site on the Green River was 318 milligrams per liter, and the median concentration for the site on Muddy Creek was 943 milligrams per liter. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 187 to 594 milligrams per liter in samples collected from the Green River during water years 1999-2008. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 293 to 2,485 milligrams per liter in samples collected from Muddy Creek during water years 2006-08. The differences in dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected from the Green River compared to samples collected from Muddy

Inter- and intra-annual variation of water footprint of crops and blue water scarcity in the Yellow River basin (1961-2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuo, La; Mekonnen, Mesfin M.; Hoekstra, Arjen Y.; Wada, Yoshihide

2016-01-01

The Yellow River Basin (YRB), the second largest river basin of China, has experienced a booming agriculture over the past decades. But data on variability of and trends in water consumption, pollution and scarcity in the YRB are lacking. We estimate, for the first time, the inter- and intra-annual water footprint (WF) of crop production in the YRB for the period 1961-2009 and the variation of monthly scarcity of blue water (ground and surface water) for 1978-2009, by comparing the blue WF of agriculture, industry and households in the basin to the maximum sustainable level. Results show that the average overall green (from rainfall) and blue (from irrigation) WFs of crops in the period 2001-2009 were 14% and 37% larger, respectively, than in the period 1961-1970. The annual nitrogen- and phosphorus-related grey WFs (water required to assimilate pollutants) of crop production grew by factors of 24 and 36, respectively. The green-blue WF per ton of crop reduced significantly due to improved crop yields, while the grey WF increased because of the growing application of fertilizers. The ratio of blue to green WF increased during the study period resulting from the expansion of irrigated agriculture. In the period 1978-2009, the annual total blue WFs related to agriculture, industry and households varied between 19% and 52% of the basin's natural runoff. The blue WF in the YRB generally peaks around May-July, two months earlier than natural peak runoff. On average, the YRB faced moderate to severe blue water scarcity during seven months (January-July) per year. Even in the wettest month in a wet year, about half of the area of the YRB still suffered severe blue water scarcity, especially in the basin's northern part.

Water resources of Monroe County, New York, water years 1997-99, with emphasis on water quality in the Irondequoit Creek basin—Atmospheric deposition, ground water, streamflow, trends in water quality, and chemical loads to Irondequoit Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherwood, Donald A.

2003-01-01

Irondequoit Creek drains 169 square miles in the eastern part of Monroe County. Over time, nutrients transported by Irondequoit Creek to Irondequoit Bay on Lake Ontario have contributed to the eutrophication of the bay. Sewage-treatment-plant effluent, a major source of nutrients to the creek and its tributaries, was eliminated from the basin in 1979 by diversion to a regional wastewater-treatment facility, but sediment and contaminants from nonpoint sources continue to enter the creek and Irondequoit Bay.This report, the fourth in a series of reports that present interpretive analyses of the hydrologic data collected in Monroe County since 1984, interprets data from four surface-water monitoring sites in the Irondequoit Creek basin—Irondequoit Creek at Railroad Mills, East Branch Allen Creek at Pittsford, Allen Creek near Rochester, and Irondequoit Creek at Blossom Road. It also interprets data from three sites in the the Genesee River basin—Oatka Creek at Garbutt, Honeoye Creek at Honeoye Falls, and Black Creek at Churchville—as well as the Genesee River at Charlotte Pump Station, and also from a site on Northrup Creek at North Greece. The Northrup Creek site drains a 23.5-square-mile basin in western Monroe County, and provides information on surface-water quality in streams west of the Genesee River and on loads of nutrients delivered to Long Pond, a small eutrophic embayment of Lake Ontario. The report also includes water-level and water-quality data from nine observation wells in Ellison Park, and atmospheric-deposition data from a collection site at Mendon Ponds County Park.Average annual loads of some chemical constituents in atmospheric deposition for 1997–99 differed considerably from those for the long-term period 1984–96. Ammonia and potassium loads for 1997-99 were 144 and 118 percent greater, respectively, than for the previous period. Sodium and ammonia + organic nitrogen loads were 87 and 60 percent greater, respectively. Average annual

Stable isotopes in yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) fossils reveal environmental stability in the late Quaternary of the Colorado Rocky Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynard, Linda M.; Meltzer, David J.; Emslie, Steven D.; Tuross, Noreen

2015-03-01

High elevation plant and animal communities are considered extremely sensitive to environmental change. We investigated an exceptional fossil record of yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) specimens that was recovered from Cement Creek Cave (elev. 2860 m) and ranged in age from radiocarbon background circa 49.8 cal ka BP to ~ 1 cal ka BP. We coupled isotopic and radiocarbon measurements (δ18O, δD, δ15N, δ13C, and 14C) of bone collagen from individually-AMS dated specimens of marmots to assess ecological responses by this species to environmental change over time in a high elevation basin in the Rocky Mountains of southwestern Colorado, USA. We find little change in all four isotope ratios over time, demonstrating considerable environmental stability during periods when the marmots were present. The stable ecology and the apparent persistence of the small mammal community in the cave fauna throughout the late Quaternary are in marked contrast to the changes that occurred in the large mammal community, including local extirpation and extinction, at the end of the Pleistocene.

33 CFR 110.79c - Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin. 110.79c Section 110.79c Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.79c Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek...

33 CFR 110.79c - Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin. 110.79c Section 110.79c Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.79c Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek...

33 CFR 110.79c - Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin. 110.79c Section 110.79c Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.79c Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek...

33 CFR 110.79c - Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin. 110.79c Section 110.79c Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.79c Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek...

33 CFR 110.79c - Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek, Wisconsin. 110.79c Section 110.79c Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.79c Fish Creek Harbor, Fish Creek...

Groundwater and surface-water interaction and potential for underground water storage in the Buena Vista-Salida Basin, Chaffee County, Colorado, 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watts, Kenneth R.; Ivahnenko, Tamara I.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Bruce, James F.

2014-01-01

By 2030, the population of the Arkansas Headwaters Region, which includes all of Chaffee and Lake Counties and parts of Custer, Fremont, and Park Counties, Colorado, is forecast to increase about 73 percent. As the region’s population increases, it is anticipated that groundwater will be used to meet much of the increased demand. In September 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District and with support from the Colorado Water Conservation Board; Chaffee, Custer, and Fremont Counties; Buena Vista, Cañon City, Poncha Springs, and Salida; and Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District, began a 3-year study of groundwater and surface-water conditions in the Buena Vista-Salida Basin. This report presents results from the study of the Buena Vista-Salida Basin including synoptic gain-loss measurements and water budgets of Cottonwood, Chalk, and Browns Creeks, changes in groundwater storage, estimates of specific yield, transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity from aquifer tests and slug tests, an evaluation of areas with potential for underground water storage, and estimates of stream-accretion response-time factors for hypothetical recharge and selected streams in the basin. The four synoptic measurements of flow of Cottonwood, Chalk, and Browns Creeks, suggest quantifiable groundwater gains and losses in selected segments in all three perennial streams. The synoptic measurements of flow of Cottonwood and Browns Creeks suggest a seasonal variability, where positive later-irrigation season values in these creeks suggest groundwater discharge, possibly as infiltrated irrigation water. The overall sum of gains and losses on Chalk Creek does not indicate a seasonal variability but indicates a gaining stream in April and August/September. Gains and losses in the measured upper segments of Chalk Creek likely are affected by the Chalk Cliffs Rearing Unit (fish hatchery). Monthly water budgets were estimated for

Effects of historical land-cover changes on flooding and sedimentation, North Fish Creek, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Knox, James C.; Whitman, Heather E.

1999-01-01

Results from hydrologic and sediment-transport modeling indicate that modern flood peaks and sediment loads in North Fish Creek may be double that expected under pre-settlement forest cover. During maximum agricultural activity in the mid-1920's to mid-1930's, flood peaks probably were about 3 times larger and sediment loads were about 5 times larger than expected under pre-settlement forest cover. These results indicate that future changes from pasture or cropland to forest will help reduce flood peaks, thereby reducing erosion and sedimentation. The addition of detention basins (to decrease flood peaks) on tributaries to North Fish Creek, or bank and instream restoration (to decrease erosion) in the upper main stem, also may help reduce the contribution of sediment from the upper main stem to the transitional section and lower main stem of the creek.

Water-quality and algal conditions in the Clackamas River basin, Oregon, and their relations to land and water management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carpenter, Kurt D.

2003-01-01

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled the Clackamas River, its major tributaries, and reservoirs to characterize basic water quality (nutrients, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and conductance), water quantity (water sources within the basin), and algal conditions (biomass and species composition). Sampling locations reflected the dominant land uses in the basin (forest management, agriculture, and urban development) as well as the influence of hydroelectric projects, to examine how these human influences might be affecting water quality and algal conditions. Nuisance algal growths, with accompanying negative effects on water quality, were observed at several locations in the basin during this study. Algal biomass in the lower Clackamas River reached a maximum of 300 mg/m2 chlorophyll a, producing nuisance algal conditions, including fouled stream channels and daily fluctuations in pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations to levels that did not meet water-quality standards. Algal biomass was highest at sites immediately downstream from the hydroelectric project's reservoirs and/or powerhouses. Nuisance algal conditions also were observed in some of the tributaries, including the North Fork of the Clackamas River, Clear Creek, Rock Creek, and Sieben Creek. High amounts of drifting algae increased turbidity levels in the Clackamas River during June, which coincided with a general increase in the concentration of disinfection by-products found in treated Clackamas River water used for drinking, presumably due to the greater amounts of organic matter in the river. The highest nutrient concentrations were found in the four lowermost tributaries (Deep, Richardson, Rock, and Sieben Creeks), where most of the agriculture and urban development is concentrated. Of these, the greatest load of nutrients came from Deep Creek, which had both high nutrient concentrations and relatively high streamflow. Streams draining forestland in the upper basin (upper Clackamas River

The biology of Salt Wells Creek and its tributaries, southwestern Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engelke, Morris J.

1978-01-01

A description of aquatic organisms and biological communities is presented for Salt Wells Creek, a plains stream in the Green River basin. The description includes seasonal population fluctuations of benthic organisms and algae, the food pyramid, and nutrient relations between various types of plants and animals. The algae and stream invertebrates were studied to determine baseline data and biological indicators of water quality. (Woodard-USGS).

Effect of detention basin release rates on flood flows - Application of a model to the Blackberry Creek Watershed in Kane County, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soong, David T.; Murphy, Elizabeth A.; Straub, Timothy D.

2009-01-01

The effects of stormwater detention basins with specified release rates are examined on the watershed scale with a Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN (HSPF) continuous-simulation model. Modeling procedures for specifying release rates from detention basins with orifice and weir discharge configurations are discussed in this report. To facilitate future detention modeling as a tool for watershed management, a chart relating watershed impervious area to detention volume is presented. The report also presents a case study of the Blackberry Creek watershed in Kane County, Ill., a rapidly urbanizing area seeking to avoid future flood damages from increased urbanization, to illustrate the effects of various detention basin release rates on flood peaks and volumes and flood frequencies. The case study compares flows simulated with a 1996 land-use HSPF model to those simulated with four different 2020 projected land-use HSPF model scenarios - no detention, and detention basins with release rates of 0.08, 0.10, and 0.12 cubic feet per second per acre (ft3/s-acre), respectively. Results of the simulations for 15 locations, which included the downstream ends of all tributaries and various locations along the main stem, showed that a release rate of 0.10 ft3/s-acre, in general, can maintain postdevelopment 100-year peak-flood discharge at a similar magnitude to that of 1996 land-use conditions. Although the release rate is designed to reduce the 100-year peak flow, reduction of the 2-year peak flow is also achieved for a smaller proportion of the peak. Results also showed that the 0.10 ft3/s-acre release rate was less effective in watersheds with relatively high percentages of preexisting (1996) development than in watersheds with less preexisting development.

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

Treesearch

Patricia A. Flebbe

1999-01-01

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

Geomorphic change caused by outburst floods and debris flows at Mount Rainier, Washington, with emphasis on Tahoma Creek valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walder, J.S.; Driedger, C.L.

1994-01-01

Debris flows have caused rapid geomorphic change in several glacierized drainages on Mount Rainier, Washington. Nearly all of these flows began as glacial outburst floods, then transformed to debris flows by incorporating large masses of sediment in channel reaches where streams have incised proglacial sediments and stagnant glacier ice. This stagnant ice is a relic of advanced glacier positions achieved during the mid-nineteenth century Little Ice Age maximum and the readvance of the 1960's and 1970's. Debris flows have been especially important agents of geomorphic change along Tahoma Creek, which drains South Tahoma Glacier. Debris flows in Tahoma Creek valley have transported downstream about 107 m3 Of sediment since 1967, causing substantial aggradation and damage to roads and facilities in Mount Rainier National Park. The average denudation rate in the upper part of the Tahoma Creek drainage basin in the same period has been extraordinarily high: more than 20 millimeters per year, a value exceeded only rarely in basins affected by debris flows. However, little or none of this sediment has yet passed out of the Tahoma Creek drainage basin. Outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier form by release of subglacially stored water. The volume of stored water discharged during a typical outburst flood would form a layer several tens of millimeters thick over the bed of the entire glacier, though it is more likely that large linked cavities account for most of the storage. Statistical analysis shows that outburst floods usually occur during periods of atypically hot or rainy weather in summer or early autumn, and that the probability of an outburst increases with temperature (a proxy measure of ablation rate) or rainfall rate. On the basis of these results, we suggest that outburst floods are triggered when rapid input of water to the glacier bed causes transient increase in water pressure, thereby destabilizing the linked-cavity system. The probabilistic nature of

Simulation of rain floods on Willow Creek, Valley County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles

1986-01-01

The Hydrologic Engineering Center-1 rainfall-runoff simulation model was used to assess the effects of a system of reservoirs and waterspreaders in the 550-sq mi Willow Creek Basin in northeastern Montana. For simulation purposes, the basin was subdivided into 100 subbasins containing 84 reservoirs and 14 waterspreaders. Precipitation input to the model was a 24-hr duration, 100-yr frequency synthetic rainstorm developed from National Weather Service data. Infiltration and detention losses were computed using the U.S. Soil Conservation Service Curve Number concept, and the dimensionless unit hydrograph developed by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service was used to compute runoff. Channel and reservoir flow routing was based on the modified Puls storage routing procedure. Waterspreaders were simulated by assuming that each dike in a spreader system functions as a reservoir, with only an emergency spillway discharging directly into the next dike. Waterspreader and reservoir volumes were calculated from surface areas measured on maps. The first simulation run was made with no structures in place, and resulted in a 100-yr frequency peak at the mouth of Willow Creek of 22,700 cu ft/sec. With all structures in place, the 100-yr frequency peak was decreased by 74% to 5,870 cu ft/sec. (USGS)

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wasiolek, Maryann

1995-01-01

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

Water quality, sediment quality, and stream-channel classification of Rock Creek, Washington, D.C., 1999-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Anita L.; Miller, Cherie V.; Olsen, Lisa D.; Doheny, Edward J.; Phelan, Daniel J.

2002-01-01

Rock Creek Park is within the National Capital Region in Washington, D.C., and is maintained by the National Park Service. Part of Montgomery County, Maryland, and part of the District of Columbia drain into Rock Creek, which is a tributary of the Potomac River. Water quality in Rock Creek is important to biotic life in and near the creek, and in the Potomac River Basin and the Chesapeake Bay. The water quality of the Rock Creek Basin has been affected by continued urban and agricultural growth and development. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, investigated water quality and sediment quality in Rock Creek over a 2-year period (1998?2000), and performed a stream-channel classification to determine the distribution of bottom sediment in Rock Creek. This report presents and evaluates water quality and bottom sediment in Rock Creek for water years 1999 (October 1, 1998 to September 30, 1999) and 2000 (October 1, 1999 to September 30, 2000). A synoptic surface-water assessment was conducted at five stations from June 23 to June 25, 1999, a temporal surface-water assessment was conducted at one station from February 18, 1999 to September 26, 2000, and bed-sediment samples were collected and assessed from three stations from August 17 to August 19, 1999. The synoptic surface-water assessment included pesticides (parent compounds and selected transformation products), field parameters, nutrients, and major ions. The temporal surface-water assessment included pesticides (parent compounds and selected transformation products) and field parameters. The bed-sediment assessment included trace elements and organic compounds (including low- and high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, poly-chlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, and phthalates). Some, but not all, of the pesticides known to be used in the area were included in the synoptic water-quality assessment, the temporal water-quality assessment, and the bed

Water-quality conditions and streamflow gain and loss of the South Prong of Spavinaw Creek basin, Benton County, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joseph, Robert L.; Green, W. Reed

1994-01-01

A study of the South Prong of Spavinaw Creek Basin conducted baween July 14 and July 23. 1993. described the surface- and ground-water quality of the basin and the streamflow gain and loss. Water samples were collected from 10 sites on the mainstem of the South Prong of Spavinaw Creek and from 4 sites on tributaries during periods of low to moderate streamflow (less than 11 cubic feet per second). Water samples were collected from 4 wells and 10 springs located in the basin. In 14 surface-water samples, nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from 0.75 to 4.2 milligrams per liter as nitrogen (mg/L). Orthophosphorus concentrations ranged from 0 03 to O. 15 mg/L as phosphorus. Fecal coliform bacteria counts ranged from 61 to 1,400 colonies per 100 milliliters (col/lOO mL), with a median of 120 col/100 mL. Fecal streptococci bacteria counts ranged from 70 to greater than 2,000 col/100 mL with a median of 185 col/lOO mL. Analysis for selected metals collected at one surface-water sites indicates that concentrations were usually below the reporting limit. Diel dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperatures were measured at an upstream and downstream site on the mainstem of the stream. At the upstream site, dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 7.2 to 83 mg/L and temperatures ranged from 15.5 to 17.0 C. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were higher and temperature values were lower at lhe upstream site, which is located close to two springs that produce all of the flow at that site. Dissolved nitrite plus nitrate was present in all four wells sampled in the basin with concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 3.5 mg/L as nitrogen. Orthophosphorus was present in concentrations ranging from less than 0.01 to 0.07 mg/L as phosphorus. Volatile organic compound analyses in two wells indicate that toluene was present in both wells and chloroform was present in one well. All other volatile organic compounds were found to be below the reporting limits. Analysis for common

Raindrop characteristics analysis (Oct 25, 2015) of natural rainfall in Zhengzhou city of Yellow River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Nana; Lin, Jing; Che, Shuhong; Yang, Xueqin; Li, Weiwei; Shen, Zhenzhou

2018-03-01

Raindrop characteristics, including speed and size of raindrops, in Zhengzhou city of Yellow River basin were analyzed through a natural rainfall on the loess slope. Results showed that the process of natural rainfall belonged to a parabola and counts, size and terminal velocity would increase with the rainfall intensity rising. Besides, the size and terminal velocity of natural raindrops were relatively scattered; In the process of individual rainfall, the terminal velocity and its peak value were mainly focused between 1∼5m/s and 3.4m/s, respectively. Size of raindrops were mainly consisted of 0.125-1.25mm, among which the terminal velocity of raindrops with a size of 0.125mm, 0.25mm, 0.375mm, 0.5mm, 0.75mm and 1mm were primarily 0.8-2.6m/s, 1-3.4m/s, 1.4-3.4m/s, 1.8-3.4m/s, 3-4.2m/s and 3.4-5m/s, respectively.

Reconnaissance investigation of high-calcium marble in the Beaver Creek area, St. Lawrence County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, C. Ervin

1978-01-01

Three belts of marble of the Grenville Series were mapped in the Beaver Creek drainage basin, St. Lawrence County, N.Y. One of these, on the west side of Beaver Creek, consists of coarsely crystalline pure calcitic marble that occurs in a zone at least 10 by 0.8 km in extent. Samples of marble show CaCO3 content to be greater than 93 percent, and some samples contain greater than 96 percent, and only small amounts of MgO and Fe203 are present. Marble in two other belts to the east of Beaver Creek are variable in composition, but locally have high content of calcium carbonate material. The marble deposit west of Beaver Creek has a chemical composition favorable for specialized chemical, industrial, and metallurgical uses. Another favorable aspect of the deposit is its proximity to inexpensive water transportation on the St. Lawrence Seaway only 27.5 km away by road, at Ogdensburg, N.Y.

Compilation of hydrologic data, Little Elm Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1968

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1972-01-01

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act ot 1936 and 1944" and ''Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. In June 1968, the Soil Conservation Service estimated approximately 3,500 structures to be physically and economically feasible for installation in Texas. As of September 30, 1968, 1,271 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on water yield and the mode of occurrence of runoff. Hydrologic investigations of these small watersheds were begun by the Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 11 areas (fig. 1). These studies are being made in cooperation with t he Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 11 study areas were choson to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In four of the study areas (Mukewater, North, Little Elm, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses to the conditions before and after" development. Structures have now been built in three of these study areas. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures on each study area as of September 30, 1968, is shown in table 1.

Multiple resource evaluations on the Beaver Creek watershed: An Annotated Bibliography (1956-1996)

Treesearch

M. B. Baker; P. F. Ffolliott

1998-01-01

The Beaver Creek experimental watershed, located in north-central Arizona, was established in 1956 in response to public concerns that the flow of streams and the amount of livestock forage on watersheds in the Salt-Verde River Basins were being reduced by increasing densities of ponderosa pine saplings and pinyon-juniper trees. Natural resource responses to the...

25. DIVERSION STRUCTURE EAST OF FORMER BASIN F IN SECTION ...

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

25. DIVERSION STRUCTURE EAST OF FORMER BASIN F IN SECTION 26. - Highline Canal, Sand Creek Lateral, Beginning at intersection of Peoria Street & Highline Canal in Arapahoe County (City of Aurora), Sand Creek lateral Extends 15 miles Northerly through Araphoe County, City & County of Denver, & Adams County to its end point, approximately 1/4 mile Southest of intersectioin of D Street & Ninth Avenue in Adams County (Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Commerce City Vicinity), Commerce City, Adams County, CO

26. DIVERSION STRUCTURE WITH FORMER BASIN F IN DISTANCE (SECTION ...

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

26. DIVERSION STRUCTURE WITH FORMER BASIN F IN DISTANCE (SECTION 26). - Highline Canal, Sand Creek Lateral, Beginning at intersection of Peoria Street & Highline Canal in Arapahoe County (City of Aurora), Sand Creek lateral Extends 15 miles Northerly through Araphoe County, City & County of Denver, & Adams County to its end point, approximately 1/4 mile Southest of intersectioin of D Street & Ninth Avenue in Adams County (Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Commerce City Vicinity), Commerce City, Adams County, CO

Investigation of acidity and other water-quality characteristics of Upper Oyster Creek, Ocean County, New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fusillo, Thomas V.; Schornick, J.C.; Koester, H.E.; Harriman, D.A.

1980-01-01

Water-quality data collected in the upper Oyster Creek drainage basin, Ocean County, N.J., indicate that the stream has excellent water quality except for a persistently low pH. The mean concentrations of the major inorganic ions were all less than 6.0 milligrams per liter. Mean concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were 0.15 mg/L and 0.01 mg/L, respectively. Dissolved oxygen averaged 8.7 mg/L and 81% saturation. Low pH levels are typical of streams draining cedar swamps. In Oyster Creek, the pH tended to decrease downstream due to chemical and biological processes. The pH levels in swamps were one-half unit or more lower than the pH levels in the adjacent stream. Sharp declines in stream pH were noted during runoff periods as the result of the mixing of poorly-buffered stream water with more highly acidic water from surrounding swamp areas. The quality of ground water within the study area was similar to the quality of streamflow, except for higher iron and ammonia-nitrogen concentrations and a higher pH range of 4.9 to 6.5. Precipitation represented a major source of many chemical constituents in the ground- and surface-waters of the Oyster Creek basin. (USGS)

New vitrinite reflectance data for the Wind River Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pawlewicz, Mark J.; Finn, Thomas M.

2013-01-01

The Wind River Basin is a large Laramide (Late Cretaceous through Eocene) structural and sedimentary basin that encompasses about 7,400 square miles in central Wyoming. The basin is bounded by the Washakie Range and Owl Creek and southern Bighorn Mountains on the north, the Casper arch on the east and northeast, and the Granite Mountains on the south, and Wind River Range on the west. The purpose of this report is to present new vitrinite reflectance data collected mainly from Cretaceous marine shales in the Wind River Basin to better characterize their thermal maturity and hydrocarbon potential.

Geology and natural gas occurrence, western Williston Basin

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

McCrae, R.O.; Swenson, R.E.

1968-01-01

The W. Williston Basin has produced gas since a 1913 discovery at Cedar Creek anticline, but during the past decade nearly all the gas found has been in solution in oil. In a sedimentary rock section averaging 10,000 ft in thickness, about one-third of the material, in approx. the lower half of the section, consists of carbonate and evaporites. The rest of the beds are principally sandstone and shale of shallow-marine deposition. All commercial gas in Paleozoic rocks is in solution in oil. Small gas reserves have been found in fractured siltstones of the Cretaceous Colorado shale at Hardin, andmore » in the Shannon sandstone at Pumpkin Creek. Most of the gas in the W. Williston Basin is in nonassociated accumulations in and adjacent to the Cretaceous Judith River and Eagle formations. The trapping is related partly to folding, but also is at the extreme seaward limits of sandstone tongues. Porosity of less than 10% and low permeability values are characteristic of the reservoirs and fracturing is regarded as important in improving overall permeability of the reservoirs. At Cedar Creek anticline, 6 million cu ft a day of 90% nitrogen gas was treated in a Cambrian sandstone.« less

Floods of June 1965 in South Platte River basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matthai, Howard Frederick

1969-01-01

Heavy, intense rains in three areas on three different days caused outstanding floods on many streams in the South Platte River basin from Plum Creek, just south of Denver, downstream to the Colorado-Nebraska State line. The flood-producing storms followed a relatively wet period, and rainfall of as much as 14 inches in a few hours was reported. The storms occurred over the Greeley-Sterling area on June 14-15, over the Plum Creek and Cherry Creek basins on June 16, and over the headwaters of Kiowa and Bijou Creeks on June 17 after heavy rains on June 15. The flood crest did not pass Julesburg, in the northeast corner of Colorado, until June 20. Previous record high discharges on many tributaries with drainage areas on the plains were exceeded, sometimes severalfold. The six principal tributaries carrying snowmelt runoff were contributing, but not significant, factors in the floods. The attenuation of the peak flow by channel storage as the flood passed through Denver was considerable; yet the peak discharge of 40,300 cfs (cubic feet per second) of the South Platte River at Denver was 1.8 times the previously recorded high of 22,000 cfs in a period of record starting in 1889. The 1965 peak would have been still higher except that all flow from Cherry Creek was stored in Cherry Creek Reservoir. Six persons were drowned, and two other deaths were attributed to the storms. The total damage amounted to $508.2 million, and about 75 percent of this occurred in the Denver metropolitan area. Descriptions of the storms and floods, detailed streamflow records, and information on damages, flood profiles, inundated areas, and flood frequency are included in this report. Several comparisons of the magnitude of the flood are made, and all indicate that an outstanding hydrologic event occurred.

Scaling up watershed model parameters: flow and load simulations of the Edisto River Basin, South Carolina, 2007-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Feaster, Toby D.; Benedict, Stephen T.; Clark, Jimmy M.; Bradley, Paul M.; Conrads, Paul

2014-01-01

As part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Geological Survey to expand the understanding of relations among hydrologic, geochemical, and ecological processes that affect fish-tissue mercury concentrations within the Edisto River Basin, analyses and simulations of the hydrology of the Edisto River Basin were made using the topography-based hydrological model (TOPMODEL). A primary focus of the investigation was to assess the potential for scaling up a previous application of TOPMODEL for the McTier Creek watershed, which is a small headwater catchment to the Edisto River Basin. Scaling up was done in a step-wise manner, beginning with applying the calibration parameters, meteorological data, and topographic-wetness-index data from the McTier Creek TOPMODEL to the Edisto River TOPMODEL. Additional changes were made for subsequent simulations, culminating in the best simulation, which included meteorological and topographic wetness index data from the Edisto River Basin and updated calibration parameters for some of the TOPMODEL calibration parameters. The scaling-up process resulted in nine simulations being made. Simulation 7 best matched the streamflows at station 02175000, Edisto River near Givhans, SC, which was the downstream limit for the TOPMODEL setup, and was obtained by adjusting the scaling factor, including streamflow routing, and using NEXRAD precipitation data for the Edisto River Basin. The Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of model-fit efficiency and Pearson’s correlation coefficient for simulation 7 were 0.78 and 0.89, respectively. Comparison of goodness-of-fit statistics between measured and simulated daily mean streamflow for the McTier Creek and Edisto River models showed that with calibration, the Edisto River TOPMODEL produced slightly better results than the McTier Creek model, despite the substantial difference in the drainage-area size at the outlet locations for the two models (30.7 and 2,725 square miles, respectively). Along with the TOPMODEL

Hydrologic reconnaissance of Grouse Creek valley, Box Elder County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hood, J.W.; Price, Don

1970-01-01

This report is the seventh in a series by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, which describes water resources of the western basins of Utah. Its purpose is to present available hydrologic data on Grouse Creek valley, to provide an evaluation of the potential water-resource development of the valley, and to identify studies that would help provide a better understanding of the valley's water supply

Use of cosmogenic 35S for comparing ages of water from three alpine-subalpine basins in the Colorado Front Range

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sueker, J.K.; Turk, J.T.; Michel, R.L.

1999-01-01

High-elevation basins in Colorado are a major source of water for the central and western United States; however, acidic deposition may affect the quality of this water. Water that is retained in a basin for a longer period of time may be less impacted by acidic deposition. Sulfur-35 (35S), a short-lived isotope of sulfur (t( 1/2 ) = 87 days), is useful for studying short-time scale hydrologic processes in basins where biological influences and water/rock interactions are minimal. When sulfate response in a basin is conservative, the age of water may be assumed to be that of the dissolved sulfate in it. Three alpine-subalpine basins on granitic terrain in Colorado were investigated to determine the influence of basin morphology on the residence time of water in the basins. Fern and Spruce Creek basins are glaciated and accumulate deep snowpacks during the winter. These basins have hydrologic and chemical characteristics typical of systems with rapid hydrologic response times. The age of sulfate leaving these basins, determined from the activity of 35S, averages around 200 days. In contrast, Boulder Brook basin has broad, gentle slopes and an extensive cover of surficial debris. Its area above treeline, about one-half of the basin, is blown free of snow during the winter. Variations in flow and solute concentrations in Boulder Brook are quite small compared to Fern and Spruce Creeks. After peak snowmelt, sulfate in Boulder Brook is about 200 days older than sulfate in Fern and Spruce Creeks. This indicates a substantial source of older sulfate (lacking 35S) that is probably provided from water stored in pore spaces of surficial debris in Boulder Brook basin.

Geophysical Characterization of the Hilton Creek Fault System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacy, A. K.; Macy, K. P.; De Cristofaro, J. L.; Polet, J.

2016-12-01

The Long Valley Caldera straddles the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada Batholith and the western edge of the Basin and Range Province, and represents one of the largest caldera complexes on Earth. The caldera is intersected by numerous fault systems, including the Hartley Springs Fault System, the Round Valley Fault System, the Long Valley Ring Fault System, and the Hilton Creek Fault System, which is our main region of interest. The Hilton Creek Fault System appears as a single NW-striking fault, dipping to the NE, from Davis Lake in the south to the southern rim of the Long Valley Caldera. Inside the caldera, it splays into numerous parallel faults that extend toward the resurgent dome. Seismicity in the area increased significantly in May 1980, following a series of large earthquakes in the vicinity of the caldera and a subsequent large earthquake swarm which has been suggested to be the result of magma migration. A large portion of the earthquake swarms in the Long Valley Caldera occurs on or around the Hilton Creek Fault splays. We are conducting an interdisciplinary geophysical study of the Hilton Creek Fault System from just south of the onset of splay faulting, to its extension into the dome of the caldera. Our investigation includes ground-based magnetic field measurements, high-resolution total station elevation profiles, Structure-From-Motion derived topography and an analysis of earthquake focal mechanisms and statistics. Preliminary analysis of topographic profiles, of approximately 1 km in length, reveals the presence of at least three distinct fault splays within the caldera with vertical offsets of 0.5 to 1.0 meters. More detailed topographic mapping is expected to highlight smaller structures. We are also generating maps of the variation in b-value along different portions of the Hilton Creek system to determine whether we can detect any transition to more swarm-like behavior towards the North. We will show maps of magnetic anomalies, topography

9. VIEW OF THE PRESSURE CULVERT STILLING BASIN, LOOKING NORTH. ...

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

9. VIEW OF THE PRESSURE CULVERT STILLING BASIN, LOOKING NORTH. NOTE THE LEVEE TO THE RIGHT. - Wyoming Valley Flood Control System, Woodward Pumping Station, East of Toby Creek crossing by Erie-Lackawanna Railroad, Edwardsville, Luzerne County, PA

Geohydrology of the Furnace Creek basin and vicinity, Berks, Lancaster, and Lebanon counties, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cecil, L.D.

1988-01-01

The Furnace Creek basin is an area of 8.95 square miles, about three- fourths of which is underlain by metamorphic rocks of low permeability. Reported yields for 14 wells in these rocks range from 1 to 60 gal/min (gallons per minute), with a median of 7.5 gal/min. The northern part of the study area consists of highly permeable carbonate rocks. Nondomestic wells in these rocks typically yield from 200 to 300 gal/min and one well yields 1,200 gal/min. Ground-water discharge from a 4.18-square-mile drainage area underlain by Precambrian granitic and hornblende gneiss averaged 868,000 gallons per day per square mile from October 1983 through September 1985. Thus, as much as 3,630,000 gallons per day could be pumped from wells in this area on a sustained basis. However, pumping this amount would have major adverse effects on streamflow. A water-budget analysis for March 1984 to February 1985 showed that precipitation was 52.16 inches, streamflow was 26.38 inches, evapotranspiration was 29.29 inches, ground-water storage decreased by 5.94 inches and diversions made by Womelsdorf-Robesonia Joint Authority for water supply totaled 2.43 inches. Precipitation during this period was above normal. Four of 18 wells sampled for water quality had iron, manganese, or nitrate concentrations above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limits. The crystalline rocks in the study area yield soft to moderately hard water that is generally acidic.

The precipitation of aluminum, iron and manganese at the junction of Deer Creek with the Snake River in Summit County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Theobald, P.K.; Lakin, H.W.; Hawkins, D.B.

1963-01-01

The oxidation of disseminated pyrite in relatively acid schists and gneisses of the Snake River drainage basin provides abundant iron sulfate and sulfuric acid to ground and surface water. This acid water dissolves large quantities of many elements, particularly aluminum and surprisingly large quantities of elements, such as magnesium and zinc, not expected to be abundant in the drainage basin. The adjoining drainage to the west, Deer Creek, is underlain by basic rocks, from which the water inherits a high pH. Despite the presence of base- and precious- metal veins in the drainage basin of Deer Creek, it carries less metal than the Snake River. The principal precipitate on the bed of the Snake River is hydrated iron oxide with small quantities of the other metals. In Deer Creek manganese oxide is precipitated with iron oxide and large quantities of other metals are carried down with this precipitate. Below the junction of these streams the pH stabilizes at a near-neutral value. Iron is removed from the Snake River water at the junction, and aluminum is precipitated for some distance downstream. The aluminum precipitate carries down other metals in concentrations slightly less than that in the manganese precipitate on Deer Creek. The natural processes observed in this junction if carried to a larger scale could provide the mechanism described by Ansheles (1927) for the formation of bauxite. In the environment described, geochemical exploration by either water or stream sediment techniques is difficult because of (1) the extreme pH differential between the streams above their junction and (2) the difference in the precipitates formed on the streambeds. ?? 1963.

Flood discharges and hydraulics near the mouths of Wolf Creek, Craig Branch, Manns Creek, Dunloup Creek, and Mill Creek in the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiley, J.B.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, studied the frequency and magnitude of flooding near the mouths of five tributaries to the New River in the New River Gorge National River. The 100-year peak discharge at each tributary was determined from regional frequency equations. The 100-year discharge at Wolf Creek, Craig Branch, Manns Creek, Dunloup Creek, and Mill Creek was 3,400 cubic feet per second, 640 cubic feet per second, 8,200 cubic feet per second, 7,100 cubic feet per second, and 9,400 cubic feet per second, respectively. Flood elevations for each tributary were determined by application of a steady-state, one-dimensional flow model. Manning's roughness coefficients for the stream channels ranged from 0.040 to 0.100. Bridges that would be unable to contain the 100-year flood within the bridge opening included: the State Highway 82 bridge on Wolf Creek, the second Fayette County Highway 25 bridge upstream from the confluence with New River on Dunloup Creek, and an abandoned log bridge on Mill Creek.

Tidal Flooding and Vegetation Patterns in a Salt Marsh Tidal Creek Imaged by Low-altitude Balloon Aerial Photography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, S. M.; Madsen, E.

2013-12-01

Inundation of marsh surfaces by tidal creek flooding has implications for the headward erosion of salt marsh creeks, effect of rising sea levels, biological zonation, and marsh ecosystem services. The hydroperiod; as the frequency, duration, depth and flux of water across the marsh surface; is a key factor in salt marsh ecology, but remains poorly understood due to lack of data at spatial scales relevant to tracking the spatial movement of water across the marsh. This study examines how hydroperiod, drainage networks, and tidal creek geomorphology on the vegetation at Crab Haul Creek. Crab Haul Creek is the farthest landward tidal basin in North Inlet, a bar-built estuary in South Carolina. This study measures the hydroperiod in the headwaters Crab Haul Creek with normal and near-IR photos from a helium balloon Helikite at 75-100 m altitude. Photos provide detail necessary to resolve the waterline and delineate the hydroperiod during half tidal cycles by capturing the waterline hourly from the headwaters to a piezometer transect 260 meters north. The Helikite is an ideal instrument for local investigations of surface hydrology due to its maneuverability, low cost, ability to remain aloft for extended time over a fixed point, and ability to capture high-resolution images. Photographs taken from aircraft do not provide the detail necessary to determine the waterline on the marsh surface. The near-IR images make the waterline more distinct by increasing the difference between wet and dry ground. In the headwaters of Crab Haul Creek, individual crab burrows are detected by automated image classification and the number of crab burrows and their spatial density is tracked from January-August. Crab burrows are associated with the unvegetated region at the creek head, and we relate their change over time to the propagation of the creek farther into the tidal basin. Plant zonation is influenced by the hydroperiod, but also may be affected by salinity, water table depth, and

Character and Trends of Water Quality in the Blue River Basin, Kansas City Metropolitan Area, Missouri and Kansas, 1998 through 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilkison, Donald H.; Armstrong, Daniel J.; Hampton, Sarah A.

2009-01-01

Water-quality and ecological character and trends in the metropolitan Blue River Basin were evaluated from 1998 through 2007 to provide spatial and temporal resolution to factors that affect the quality of water and biota in the basin and provide a basis for assessing the efficacy of long-term combined sewer control and basin management plans. Assessments included measurements of stream discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, turbidity, nutrients (dissolved and total nitrogen and phosphorus species), fecal-indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and fecal coliform), suspended sediment, organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds, and sources of these compounds as well as the quality of stream biota in the basin. Because of the nature and myriad of factors that affect basin water quality, multiple strategies are needed to decrease constituent loads in streams. Strategies designed to decrease or eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSOs) would substantially reduce the annual loads of nutrients and fecal-indicator bacteria in Brush Creek, but have little effect on Blue River loadings. Nonpoint source reductions to Brush Creek could potentially have an equivalent, if not greater, effect on water quality than would CSO reductions. Nonpoint source reductions could also substantially decrease annual nutrient and bacteria loadings to the Blue River and Indian Creek. Methods designed to decrease nutrient loads originating from Blue River and Indian Creek wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) could substantially reduce the overall nutrient load in these streams. For the main stem of the Blue River and Indian Creek, primary sources of nutrients were nonpoint source runoff and WWTPs discharges; however, the relative contribution of each source varied depending on how wet or dry the year was and the number of upstream WWTPs. On Brush Creek, approximately two-thirds of the nutrients originated from nonpoint sources and the remainder from CSOs. Nutrient assimilation

Preliminary report on the geology, geophysics and hydrology of USBM/AEC Colorado core hole No. 2, Piceance Creek Basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ege, J.R.; Carroll, R.D.; Welder, F.A.

1967-01-01

Approximately 1,400 feet of continuous core was taken .between 800-2,214 feet in depth from USBM/AEC Colorado core hole No. 2. The drill, site is located in the Piceance Creek basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado. From ground surface the drill hole penetrated 1,120 feet of the Evacuation Creek Member and 1,094 feet of oil shale in the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation. Oil shale yielding more than 20 gallons per ton occurs between 1,260-2,214 feet in depth. A gas explosion near the bottom of the hole resulted in abandonment of the exploratory hole which was still in oil shale. The top of the nahcolite zone is at 1,693 feet. Below this depth the core contains common to abundant amounts of sodium bicarbonate salt intermixed with oil shale. The core is divided into seven structural zones that reflect changes in joint intensity, core loss and broken core due to natural causes. The zone of poor core recovery is in the Interval between 1,300-1,450 feet. Results of preliminary geophysical log analyses indicate that oil yields determined by Fischer assay compare favorably with yields determined by geophysical log analyses. There is strong evidence that analyses of complete core data from Colorado core holes No. 1 and No. 2 reveal a reliable relationship between geophysical log response and oil yield. The quality of the logs is poor in the rich shale section and the possibility of repeating the logging program should be considered. Observations during drilling, coring, and hydrologic testing of USBM/AEC Colorado core hole No. 2 reveal that the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation is the principal aquifer water in the Parachute Creek Member is under artesian pressure. The upper part of the aquifer has a higher hydrostatic head than, and is hydrologically separated from the lower part of the aquifer. The transmissibility of the aquifer is about 3500 gpd per foot. The maximum water yield of the core hole during testing was about 500 gpm. Chemical

Restoring Fossil Creek

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaccus, Kathleen; Vlieg, Julie; Marks, Jane C.; LeRoy, Carri J.

2004-01-01

Fossil Creek had been dammed for the past 90 years, and plans were underway to restore the stream. The creek runs through Central Arizona and flows from the high plateaus to the desert, cutting through the same formations that form the Grand Canyon. This article discusses the Fossil Creek monitoring project. In this project, students and teachers…

Influence of a water regulation event on the age of Yellow River water in the Bohai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen; Wang, Haiyan; Guo, Xinyu; Liu, Zhe; Gao, Huiwang; Zhang, Guiling

2017-10-01

Abrupt changes in freshwater inputs from large rivers usually imply regime shifts in coastal water environments. The influence of a water regulation event on the age of the Yellow River water in the Bohai was modeled using constituent-oriented age and residence time theory to better understand the change in the environmental function of the hydrodynamic field owing to human activities. The water ages in Laizhou Bay, the central basin, and the Bohai strait are sensitive to water regulation. The surface ages in those areas can decrease by about 300 days, particularly in July, and the age stratification is also strengthened. A water regulation event can result in declines in the water age in early July ahead of declines in the water age under climatological conditions (without the regulation event) by about 1 and 5 months in the central basin and Laizhou Bay, respectively. The change in the coastal circulation due to the water regulation event is the primary reason for the change in the Yellow River water age. The high Yellow River flow rate can enhance the density flow and, therefore, reduce the age of the Yellow River water. The subsequent impact of a single water regulation event can last about 1.0 to 4.0 years in different subregions.

Water-quality appraisal. Mammoth Creek and Hot Creek, Mono County, California

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

Setmire, J.G.

1984-06-01

A late summer reconnaissance in 1981 and a spring high-flow sampling in 1982 of Mammoth Creek and Hot Creek, located in the Mammoth crest area of the Sierra Nevada, indicated that three water-quality processes were occurring: (1) mineralization; (2) eutrophication; and (3) sedimentation. Limited areas of fecal contamination were also observed. Mineralization due primarily to geothermal springs increased dissolved-solids concentration downstream, which changed the chemical composition of the water. The percentage of calcium decreased gradually, the percentage of magnesium and sodium increased, and the percentage of fluoride, sulfate, and chloride fluctuated, but increased overall. These changes produced water quality inmore » Mammoth Creek similar to that of the springs forming Hot Creek. Twin Lakes and the reach of Hot Creek below the fish hatchery showed evidence of eutrophication. Twin Lakes had floating mats of algae and a high dissolved-oxygen saturation of 147% at a pH of 9.2. Hot Creek had abundant growth of aquatic vascular plants and algae, dissolved-oxygen saturations ranging from 65% to 200%, algal growth potential of 30 milligrams per liter, nitrate concentration of 0.44 milligram per liter, and phosphate concentration of 0.157 milligram per liter. Sediment deposition was determined from detailed observations of bed-material composition, which showed that fine material was deposited at Sherwin Creek Road and downstream. Fecal contamination was indicated by fecal-coliform bacteria counts of 250 colonies per 100 milliliters and fecal-streptococcal bacteria counts greater than 1000 colonies per 100 milliliters. Although bacterial sampling was sporadic and incomplete, it did indicate adverse effects on water quality for the following beneficial uses that have been identified for Mammoth Creek and Hot Creek: (1) municipal supply; (2) cold-water habitat; and (3) contact and noncontact water recreation. 6 refs., 15 figs., 15 tabs.« less

Assessment of processes controlling the regional distribution of fluoride and arsenic in groundwater of the Pampeano Aquifer in the Del Azul Creek basin (Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zabala, M. E.; Manzano, M.; Vives, L.

2016-10-01

Groundwater in the upper 50 m of the Pampeano Aquifer in the Del Azul Creek basin (Argentina) has F and As contents above the WHO safe drinking levels. This basin is situated to the SE of the Chaco-Pampean plain, in Buenos Aires Province. The Pampeano Aquifer is a major water source for all uses. The aim of the study is to assess the primary processes controlling the regional distribution of F and As in the most exploited part of the aquifer. The study involved sampling for chemical and isotopic analyses, interpretation of data with different methods (diagrams, bivariate analyses, mineral saturation states, Principal Component Analysis) and deduction of leading processes. Information about aquifer mineralogy and hydrogeochemical processes involved in F and As solubilization in the aquifer has been taken from previous works of the same and other authors. Groundwater salinity increases to the NE, in the direction of the regional groundwater flow. Chemical types evolve from Ca/Mg-HCO3 in the upper part of the basin, to Na-HCO3 in the middle part and to Na-ClSO4 and Na-Cl in the lower part. The regional distribution of F is controlled by hydrogeochemical processes. The distribution of As is controlled by two types of processes dominating in different areas: hydrogeochemical controls prevail in the low to moderately mineralized groundwater of the middle and lower parts of the basin; hydrogeological controls lead to the NE of the lower basin and beyond it. In the last zone there are abundant lagoons and seasonal flooding is frequent, making evapoconcentration an important process for groundwater mineralization. The main hydrogeochemical processes involved in both F and As distribution are cation exchange, with Na release and Ca uptake, carbonate dissolution and pH increase. Arsenic release induced by redox processes may play to the NE, but its results would be masked by the effect of evaporation.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richards, Rodney J.; Leib, Kenneth J.

2011-01-01

Increasing salinity loading in the Colorado River has become a major concern for agricultural and municipal water supplies. The Colorado Salinity Control Act was implemented in 1974 to protect and enhance the quality of water in the Colorado River Basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Colorado River Salinity Control Forum, summarized salinity reductions in the McElmo Creek basin in southwest Colorado as a result of salinity-control modifications and flow-regime changes that result from the Dolores Project, which consists of the construction of McPhee reservoir on the Dolores River and salinity control modifications along the irrigation water delivery system. Flow-adjusted salinity trends using S-LOADEST estimations for a streamgage on McElmo Creek (site 1), that represents outflow from the basin, indicates a decrease in salinity load by 39,800 tons from water year 1978 through water year 2006, which is an average decrease of 1,370 tons per year for the 29-year period. Annual-load calculations for a streamgage on Mud Creek (site 6), that represents outflow from a tributary basin, indicate a decrease of 7,300 tons from water year 1982 through water year 2006, which is an average decrease of 292 tons per year for the 25-year period. The streamgage Dolores River at Dolores, CO (site 17) was chosen to represent a background site that is not affected by the Dolores Project. Annual load calculations for site 17 estimated a decrease of about 8,600 tons from water year 1978 through water year 2006, which is an average decrease of 297 tons per year for the 29-year period. The trend in salinity load at site 17 was considered to be representative of a natural trend in the region. Typically, salinity concentrations at outflow sites decreased from the pre-Dolores Project period (water years 1978-1984) to the post-Dolores Project period (water years 2000-2006). The median salinity concentration for site 1 (main basin outflow

Walnut creek watershed monitoring project, Iowa: Monitoring water quality in response to prairie restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schilling, K.E.; Thompson, C.A.

2000-01-01

Land use and surface water data for nitrogen and pesticides (1995 to 1997) are reported for the Walnut Creek Watershed Monitoring Project, Jasper County Iowa. The Walnut Creek project was established in 1995 as a nonpoint source monitoring program in relation to watershed habitat restoration and agricultural management changes implemented at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The monitoring project utilizes a paired-watershed approach (Walnut and Squaw creeks) as well as upstream/downstream comparisons on Walnut for analysis and tracking of trends. From 1992 to 1997, 13.4 percent of the watershed was converted from row crop to native prairie in the Walnut Creek watershed. Including another 6 percent of watershed farmed on a cash-rent basis, land use changes have been implemented on 19.4 percent of the watershed by the USFWS. Nitrogen and pesticide applications were reduced an estimated 18 percent and 28 percent in the watershed from land use changes. Atrazine was detected most often in surface water with frequencies of detection ranging from 76-86 percent. No significant differences were noted in atrazine concentrations between Walnut and Squaw Creek. Nitrate-N concentrations measured in both watersheds were similar; both basins showed a similar pattern of detection and an overall reduction in nitrate-N concentrations from upstream to downstream monitoring sites. Water quality improvements are suggested by nitrate-N and chloride ratios less than one in the Walnut Creek watershed and low nitrate-N concentrations measured in the subbasin of Walnut Creek containing the greatest amount of land use changes. Atrazine and nitrate-N concentrations from the lower portion of the Walnut Creek watershed (including the prairie restoration area) may be decreasing in relation to the upstream untreated component of the watershed. The frequencies of pesticide detections and mean nitrate-N concentrations appear related to the percentage of

Umatilla River Basin Anadromus Fish Habitat Enhancement Project : 1994 Annual Report.

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

Shaw, R. Todd

1994-05-01

The Umatilla Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project is funded under the Northwest Power Planning Council's Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, Section 7.6-7.8 and targets the improvement of water quality and restoration of riparian areas, holding, spawning and rearing habitats of steelhead, spring and fall chinook and coho salmon. The project focused on implementing cooperative instream and riparian habitat improvements on private lands on the Umatilla Indian Reservation (hereafter referred to as Reservation) from April 1, 1988 to March 31, 1992. These efforts resulted in enhancement of the lower l/4 mile of Boston Canyon Creek, the lower 4more » river miles of Meacham Creek and 3.2 river miles of the Umatilla River in the vicinity of Gibbon, Oregon. In 1993, the project shifted emphasis to a comprehensive watershed approach, consistent with other basin efforts, and began to identify upland and riparian watershed-wide causative factors impacting fisheries habitat and natural fisheries production capabilities throughout the Umatilla River Watershed. During the 1994-95 project period, a one river mile demonstration project was implemented on two privately owned properties on Wildhorse Creek. This was the first watershed improvement project to be implemented by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) off of the Reservation. Four 15 year riparian easements and two right-of-way agreements were secured for enhancement of one river mile on Wildhorse Creek and l/2 river mile on Meacham Creek. Enhancements implemented between river mile (RM) 9.5 and RM 10.5 Wildhorse Creek included: (1) installation of 1.43 miles of smooth wire high tensile fence line and placement of 0.43 miles of fence posts and structures to restrict livestock from the riparian corridor, (2) construction of eighteen sediment retention structures in the stream channel to speed riparian recovery by elevating the stream grade, slowing water velocities and

Urban-Related Environmental Variables and Their Relation with Patterns in Biological Community Structure in the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2003-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Evans, Erin E.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.

2007-01-01

In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, began a study to evaluate the influence of urbanization on stream ecosystems. To accomplish this task, invertebrate, fish, stream discharge, habitat, water-chemistry, and land-use data were collected from 13 sites in the Fountain Creek basin from 2003 to 2005. The Hydrologic Index Tool was used to calculate hydrologic indices known to be related to urbanization. Response of stream hydrology to urbanization was evident among hydrologic variables that described stormflow. These indices included one measurement of high-flow magnitude, two measurements of high-flow frequency, and one measurement of stream flashiness. Habitat and selected nonstormflow water chemistry were characterized at each site. Land-use data were converted to estimates of impervious surface cover and used as the measure of urbanization annually. Correlation analysis (Spearman?s rho) was used to identify a suite of nonredundant streamflow, habitat, and water-chemistry variables that were strongly associated (rho > 0.6) with impervious surface cover but not strongly related to elevation (rho < 0.60). An exploratory multivariate analysis (BIO-ENV, PRIMER ver 6.1, Plymouth, UK) was used to create subsets of eight urban-related environmental variables that described patterns in biological community structure. The strongest and most parsimonious subset of variables describing patterns in invertebrate community structure included high flood pulse count, lower bank capacity, and nutrients. Several other combinations of environmental variables resulted in competing subsets, but these subsets always included the three variables found in the most parsimonious list. This study found that patterns in invertebrate community structure from 2003 to 2005 in the Fountain Creek basin were associated with a variety of environmental characteristics influenced by urbanization. These patterns were explained by a combination of

Determination of premining geochemical background and delineation of extent of sediment contamination in Blue Creek downstream from Midnite Mine, Stevens County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Church, Stan E.; Kirschner, Frederick E.; Choate, LaDonna M.; Lamothe, Paul J.; Budahn, James R.; Brown, Zoe Ann

2008-01-01

Geochemical and radionuclide studies of sediment recovered from eight core sites in the Blue Creek flood plain and Blue Creek delta downstream in Lake Roosevelt provided a stratigraphic geochemical record of the contamination from uranium mining at the Midnite Mine. Sediment recovered from cores in a wetland immediately downstream from the mine site as well as from sediment catchments in Blue Creek and from cores in the delta in Blue Creek cove provided sufficient data to determine the premining geochemical background for the Midnite Mine tributary drainage. These data provide a geochemical background that includes material eroded from the Midnite Mine site prior to mine development. Premining geochemical background for the Blue Creek basin has also been determined using stream-sediment samples from parts of the Blue Creek, Oyachen Creek, and Sand Creek drainage basins not immediately impacted by mining. Sediment geochemistry showed that premining uranium concentrations in the Midnite Mine tributary immediately downstream of the mine site were strongly elevated relative to the crustal abundance of uranium (2.3 ppm). Cesium-137 (137Cs) data and public records of production at the Midnite Mine site provided age control to document timelines in the sediment from the core immediately downstream from the mine site. Mining at the Midnite Mine site on the Spokane Indian Reservation between 1956 and 1981 resulted in production of more than 10 million pounds of U3O8. Contamination of the sediment by uranium during the mining period is documented from the Midnite Mine along a small tributary to the confluence of Blue Creek, in Blue Creek, and into the Blue Creek delta. During the period of active mining (1956?1981), enrichment of base metals in the sediment of Blue Creek delta was elevated by as much as 4 times the concentration of those same metals prior to mining. Cadmium concentrations were elevated by a factor of 10 and uranium by factors of 16 to 55 times premining

Ground-water quality and its relation to hydrogeology, land use, and surface-water quality in the Red Clay Creek basin, Piedmont Physiographic Province, Pennsylvania and Delaware

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senior, Lisa A.

1996-01-01

The Red Clay Creek Basin in the Piedmont Physiographic Province of Pennsylvania and Delaware is a 54-square-mile area underlain by a structurally complex assemblage of fractured metamorphosed sedimentary and igneous rocks that form a water-table aquifer. Ground-water-flow systems generally are local, and ground water discharges to streams. Both ground water and surface water in the basin are used for drinking-water supply.Ground-water quality and the relation between ground-water quality and hydrogeologic and land-use factors were assessed in 1993 in bedrock aquifers of the basin. A total of 82 wells were sampled from July to November 1993 using a stratified random sampling scheme that included 8 hydrogeologic and 4 land-use categories to distribute the samples evenly over the area of the basin. The eight hydrogeologic units were determined by formation or lithology. The land-use categories were (1) forested, open, and undeveloped; (2) agricultural; (3) residential; and (4) industrial and commercial. Well-water samples were analyzed for major and minor ions, nutrients, volatile organic compounds (VOC's), pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCB's), and radon-222.Concentrations of some constituents exceeded maximum contaminant levels (MCL) or secondary maximum contaminant levels (SMCL) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water. Concentrations of nitrate were greater than the MCL of 10 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as nitrogen (N) in water from 11 (13 percent) of 82 wells sampled; the maximum concentration was 38 mg/L as N. Water from only 1 of 82 wells sampled contained VOC's or pesticides that exceeded a MCL; water from that well contained 3 mg/L chlordane and 1 mg/L of PCB's. Constituents or properties of well-water samples that exceeded SMCL's included iron, manganese, dissolved solids, pH, and corrosivity. Water from 70 (85 percent) of the 82 wells sampled contained radon-222 activities greater than the proposed MCL of

Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project : 2001 Annual Report.

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

Shaw, R. Todd; Sexton, Amy D.

The Umatilla River Basin Anadromous Fish Habitat Enhancement Project continued to identify impacted stream reaches throughout the Umatilla River Basin for habitat improvements during the 2001 project period. Public outreach efforts, biological and physical monitoring, and continued development of a Umatilla Subbasin Watershed Assessment assisted the project in fostering public cooperation, targeting habitat deficiencies and determining habitat recovery measures. Projects continued to be maintained on 49 private properties, one 25-year Non-Exclusive Bureau of Indian Affairs' Easement was secured, six new projects implemented and two existing project areas improved to enhance anadromous fish habitat. New project locations included sites on themore » mid Umatilla River, upper Umatilla River, Mission Creek, Cottonwood Creek and Buckaroo Creek. New enhancements included: (1) construction of 11,264 feet of fencing between River Mile 43.0 and 46.5 on the Umatilla River, (2) a stream bank stabilization project implemented at approximately River Mile 63.5 Umatilla River to stabilize 330 feet of eroding stream bank and improve instream habitat diversity, included construction of eight root wad revetments and three boulder J-vanes, (3) drilling a 358-foot well for off-stream livestock watering at approximately River Mile 46.0 Umatilla River, (4) installing a 50-foot bottomless arch replacement culvert at approximately River Mile 3.0 Mission Creek, (5) installing a Geoweb stream ford crossing on Mission Creek (6) installing a 22-foot bottomless arch culvert at approximately River Mile 0.5 Cottonwood Creek, and (7) providing fence materials for construction of 21,300 feet of livestock exclusion fencing in the Buckaroo Creek Drainage. An approximate total of 3,800 native willow cuttings and 350 pounds of native grass seed was planted at new upper Umatilla River, Mission Creek and Cottonwood Creek project sites. Habitat improvements implemented at existing project sites

Water-quality appraisal, Mammoth Creek and Hot Creek, Mono County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Setmire, J.G.

1984-01-01

A late summer reconnaissance in 1981 and a spring high-flow sampling in 1982 of Mammoth Creek and Hot Creek, located in the Mammoth crest area of the Sierra Nevada, indicated that mineralization, eutrophication, sedimentation, and limited areas of fecal contamination were occurring. Mineralization, indicated by a downstream increase in dissolved-solids concentration, was due primarily to geothermal springs that gradually decreased in the percentage of calcium, increased in the percentage of magnesium and sodium, and caused fluctuating, but overall increasing percentage of fluoride, sulfate, and chloride. Resulting water quality in Mammoth Creek was similar to that of the springs forming Hot Creek. Eutrophication was observed in Twin Lakes and the reach of Hot Creek below the fish hatchery. Twin Lakes had floating mats of algae and a high dissolved-oxygen saturation of 147 percent at a pH of 9.2. Hot Creek had excessive aquatic vascular plant and algae growth, dissolved-oxygen saturations ranging from 65 to 200 percent, algal growth potential of 30 milligrams per liter, and nitrates and phosphates of 0.44 and 0.157 milligrams per liter. Sedimentation was noted in observations of bed-material composition showing the presence of fine material beginning at Sherwin Creek Road. Fecal contamination was indicated by fecal coliform counts of 250 colonies per 100 milliliters and fecal streptococcal counts greater than 1,000 colonies per 100 milliliters. (USGS)

Lower Walnut Creek Restoration

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project will restore and enhance coastal wetlands along southern shoreline of Suisun Bay from Suisun Bay upstream along Walnut Creek, improving habitat quality, diversity, and connectivity along three miles of creek channel.

Assessing effects of changing land use practices on sediment loads in Panther Creek, north coastal California

Treesearch

Mary Ann Madej; Greg Bundros; Randy Klein

2012-01-01

Revisions to the California Forest Practice Rules since 1974 were intended to increase protection of water quality in streams draining timber harvest areas. The effects of improved timber harvesting methods and road designs on sediment loading are assessed for the Panther Creek basin, a 15.4 km2 watershed in Humboldt County, north coastal...

Geologic setting and water quality of selected basins in the active coal-mining areas of Ohio, 1989-91, with a summary of water quality for 1985-91

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sedam, A.C.; Francy, D.S.

1993-01-01

geographic diversity of the study area. Waters from several long-term sites, including several sites in Moxahala Creek and Middle Hocking River basins, had low pH and high concentrations of several constituents, including dissolved sulfate, iron, aluminum, and manganese; this combinations characteristics is indicitive of acid drainage from surface-mining operations. At many of the streamwater sites where concentration of these constituents were high, pH values in the neutral or alkaline range were indicative of stream buffering by carbonate rock or restoration of mined lands in the drainage system. The basins with sites in this category include Yellow and Cross Creeks and Wheeling Creek basins. Water quality at other sites showed little or no effects from surface mining. Ground-water samples collected during the last phase of the study (1989-91) were mostly from unconsolidated aquifers. The waters were generally hard to very hard and calcium bicarbonate in type. During the entire 7-year study period, medians of pH in ground-water samples varied little, and most values were in the alkaline range. Except for a few sites where concentrations of dissolved sulfate exceeded 250 mg/L and concentrations of total recoverable and dissolved iron and manganese exceeded 1,000 ? /L, the quality of ground water at the wells sampled in the study area showed little effect from coal mining.

Yellow Fever

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Brood Year 2004: Johnson Creek Chinook Salmon Supplementation Report, June 2004 through March 2006.

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

Gebhards, John S.; Hill, Robert; Daniel, Mitch

operation. These fish continued rearing in the outdoor collection basin until release in March 2006. All of these fish were marked with Coded Wire Tags and Visual Implant Elastomer tags. In addition 12,056 of the smolts released were also tagged with Passive Integrated Transponder tags. Hand counts provided by marking crews were used to amend the number of juvenile salmon released from the original egg count. A total of 90,450 smolts were released directly into Johnson Creek on March 13 through 15, 2006.« less

Dramatic decreases in runoff and sediment load in the Huangfuchuan Basin of the Middle Yellow River, China: historical records and future projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LI, E.; Li, D.; Wang, Y.; Fu, X.

2017-12-01

The Yellow River is well known for its high sediment load and serious water shortage. The long-term averaged sediment load is about 1.6´103 million tons per year, resulting in aggrading and perched lower reaches. In recent years, however, dramatic decreases in runoff and sediment load have been observed. The annual sediment load has been less than 150 million tons in the last ten years. Extrapolation of this trend into the future would motivate substantial change in the management strategies of the Lower Yellow River. To understand the possible trend and its coevolving drivers, we performed a case study of the Huangfuchuang River, which is a tributary to the Middle Yellow River, with a drainage area of 3246 km2 and an annual precipitation of 365 mm. Statistical analysis of historical data from 1960s to 2015 showed a significantly decreasing trend in runoff and sediment load since 1984. As potential drivers, the precipitation does not show an obvious change in annual amount, while the vegetation cover and the number of check dams have been increased gradually as a result of the national Grain for Green project. A simulation with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) reproduced the historical evolution processes, and showed that human activities dominated the reduction in runoff and sediment load, with a contribution of around 80%. We then projected the runoff and sediment load for the next 50 years (2016-2066), considering typical scenarios of climate change and accounting for vegetation cover development subject to climate conditions and storage capacity loss of check dams due to sediment deposition. The differences between the projected trend and the historical record were analyzed, so as to highlight the coevolving processes of climate, vegetation, and check dam retention on a time scale of decades. Keywords: Huangfuchuan River Basin, sediment load, vegetation cover, check dams, annual precipitation, SWAT.

Influence of septic systems on stream base flow in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin near Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clarke, John S.; Painter, Jaime A.

2014-01-01

Septic systems were identified at 241,733 locations in a 2,539-square-mile (mi2) study area that includes all or parts of 12 counties in the Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, area. Septic system percolation may locally be an important component of streamflow in small drainage basins where it augments natural groundwater recharge, especially during extreme low-flow conditions. The amount of groundwater reaching streams depends on how much is intercepted by plants or infiltrates to deeper parts of the groundwater system that flows beyond a basin divide and does not discharge into streams within a basin. The potential maximum percolation from septic systems in the study area is 62 cubic feet per second (ft3/s), of which 52 ft3/s is in the Chattahoochee River Basin and 10 ft3/s is in the Flint River Basin. These maximum percolation rates represent 0.4 to 5.7 percent of daily mean streamflow during the 2011–12 period at the farthest downstream gaging site (station 02338000) on the Chattahoochee River, and 0.5 to 179 percent of daily mean streamflow at the farthest downstream gaging site on the Flint River (02344350). To determine the difference in base flow between basins having different septic system densities, hydrograph separation analysis was completed using daily mean streamflow data at streamgaging stations at Level Creek (site 02334578), with a drainage basin having relatively high septic system density of 101 systems per square mile, and Woodall Creek (site 02336313), with a drainage basin having relatively low septic system density of 18 systems per square mile. Results indicated that base-flow yield during 2011–12 was higher at the Level Creek site, with a median of 0.47 cubic feet per second per square mile ([ft3/s]/mi2), compared to a median of 0.16 (ft3/s)/mi2, at the Woodall Creek site. At the less urbanized Level Creek site, there are 515 septic systems with a daily maximum percolation rate of 0.14 ft3/s, accounting for 11 percent of the base flow in

Salmonid Gamete Preservation in the Snake River Basin : 2000 Annual Report.

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

Armstrong, Robyn; Kucera, Paul A.

2001-06-01

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations in the Northwest are decreasing. Genetic diversity is being lost at an alarming rate. The Nez Perce Tribe (Tribe) strives to ensure availability of genetic samples of the existing male salmonid population by establishing and maintaining a germplasm repository. The sampling strategy, initiated in 1992, has been to collect and preserve male salmon and steelhead genetic diversity across the geographic landscape by sampling within the major river subbasins in the Snake River basin, assuming a metapopulation structure existed historically. Gamete cryopreservation conserves genetic diversity in a germplasm repository, but is notmore » a recovery action for listed fish species. The Tribe was funded in 2000 by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) to coordinate gene banking of male gametes from Endangered Species Act listed steelhead and spring and summer chinook salmon in the Snake River basin. In 2000, a total of 349 viable chinook salmon semen samples from the Lostine River, Catherine Creek, upper Grande Ronde River, Lookingglass Hatchery (Imnaha River stock), Rapid River Hatchery, Lake Creek, the South Fork Salmon River weir, Johnson Creek, Big Creek, Capehorn Creek, Marsh Creek, Pahsimeroi Hatchery, and Sawtooth Hatchery (upper Salmon River stock) were cryopreserved. Also, 283 samples of male steelhead gametes from Dworshak Hatchery, Fish Creek, Grande Ronde River, Imnaha River, Little Sheep Creek, Pahsimeroi Hatchery and Oxbow Hatchery were also cryopreserved. The Tribe acquired 5 frozen steelhead samples from the Selway River collected in 1994 and 15 from Fish Creek sampled in 1993 from the U.S. Geological Survey, for addition into the germplasm repository. Also, 590 cryopreserved samples from the Grande Ronde chinook salmon captive broodstock program are being stored at the University of