California Waters - Winter 2022 - Vol. II | Issue I
Welcome to the Winter 2022 edition of the USGS California Water Science Center newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep its readers updated with current research projects, the latest publications, and other work the center is doing.
Eric Reichard, Director of the California Water Science Center
California Water Science Center Scientists Present at Ocean Sciences Meeting 2022
California Water Science Center Research Hydrologist Dr. Judith Drexler and Biologist Taylor Eddy will discuss their research at the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2022. The 2022 meeting will be a fully virtual event. The Ocean Sciences Meeting will bring together online more than 5,300 ocean specialists from over 75 different countries.
The influence of geomorphology on sediment accretion and soil carbon development in a restored tidal wetland, White Slough, Humboldt Bay National Refuge, CA
Coastal vegetated habitats, such as tidal wetlands, play an active role in the global carbon cycle. This is done through the removal of CO2 by living vegetation through photosynthesis and by the decay of organic matter and its burial for hundreds to thousands of years.
Evaluation of Hydrodynamic Mixing in Keswick Reservoir, California
Keswick Reservoir, on the Sacramento River, receives both water and contaminants from the Spring Creek Debris Dam. The term contaminants refers here to different kinds of chemicals that are in some instances delivered to lakes and rivers. These chemicals can have a detrimental effect on drinking water supplies and the health of humans, fish, and other aquatic species.
USGS Scientists Gather Data to Better Understand Nutrient Loads Entering the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta
California Water Science Center scientists Dina Saleh and Joseph Domagalski discuss water-quality data collected in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
Research by California Water Science Center Scientists Focuses on Hydrodynamics in the Upper Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel
In the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, phytoplankton populations that make up the bottom of the aquatic food web have been declining in recent decades. To better understand this problem, more thorough information and data on aquatic ecosystems are necessary.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States
In 2019, 254 samples were collected from five aquifer systems to evaluate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) occurrence in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States. The samples were analyzed for 24 PFAS, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pharmaceuticals, and tritium. Fourteen of the 24
Simulation of groundwater and surface-water resources of the San Antonio Creek Valley watershed, Santa Barbara County, California
In the San Antonio Creek Valley watershed (SACVW), western Santa Barbara County, California, groundwater is the primary source of water for agricultural irrigation, the town of Los Alamos, and supplemental water to Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB). Groundwater pumpage has increased since the 1970s as non-irrigated agricultural land has been converted to irrigated land and as local pumping for mu
Hydrologic and geochemical characterization of the Petaluma River watershed, Sonoma County, California
Executive SummaryThe objectives of the study are to (1) develop an updated assessment of the hydrogeology and geochemistry of the Petaluma valley watershed (PVW) and (2) develop an integrated hydrologic model for the PVW. The purpose of this report is to describe the conceptual model of the hydrologic, hydrogeologic, and water-quality characteristics of the PVW and a numerical groundwater-flow mod
Geology and hydrogeology of the Yucaipa groundwater subbasin, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California
The Yucaipa groundwater subbasin (referred to in this report as the Yucaipa subbasin) is located about 75 miles (mi) east of of Los Angeles and about 12 mi southeast of the City of San Bernardino. In the Yucaipa subbasin, as in much of southern California, limited annual rainfall and large water demands can strain existing water supplies; therefore, understanding local surface water and groundwate
Use case development for earth monitoring, analysis, and prediction (EarthMAP)—A road map for future integrated predictive science at the U.S. Geological Survey
Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 21st-century science strategy 2020–30 promotes a bureau-wide strategy to develop and deliver an integrated, predictive science capability that works at the scales and timelines needed to inform societally relevant resource management and protection and public safety and environmental health decisions (U.S. Geological Survey, 2021). This is the ove
Climate and land change impacts on future managed wetland habitat: A case study from California’s Central Valley
ConceptCalifornia’s Central Valley provides critical habitat for migratory waterbirds, yet only 10% of naturally occurring wetlands remain. Competition for limited water supplies and climate change will impact the long-term viability of these intensively managed habitats.ObjectivesForecast the distribution, abundance, and connectivity of surface water and managed wetland habitats, using 5 spatiall
Improving groundwater model calibration with repeat microgravity measurements
Groundwater-flow models depend on hydraulic head and flux observations for evaluation and calibration. A different type of observation—change in storage measured using repeat microgravity—can also be used for parameter estimation by simulating the expected change in gravity from a groundwater model and including the observation misfit in the objective function. The method is demonstrated using new