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Publications

The following list of California Water Science Center publications includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists.

Filter Total Items: 1734

Stable isotopes of carbon dioxide in soil gas over massive sulfide mineralization at Crandon, Wisconsin

Stable isotope ratios of oxygen and carbon were determined for CO2 in soil gas in the vicinity of the massive sulfide deposit at Crandon, Wisconsin with the objective of determining the source of anomalously high CO2 concentrations detected previously by McCarthy et al. (1986). Values of δ13C in soil gas CO2 from depths between 0.5 and 1.0 m were found to range from −12.68‰ to −20.03‰ (PDB). Organ
Authors
Charles N. Alpers, D. L. Dettman, K.C. Lohmann, D. Brabec

Instantaneous and daily values of the surface energy balance over agricultural fields using remote sensing and a reference field in an arid environment

Remotely sensed surface temperature and reflectance in the visible and near infrared wavebands along with ancilliary meteorological data provide the capability of computing three of the four surface energy balance components (i.e., net radiation, soil heat flux, and sensible heat flux) at different spatial and temporal scales. As a result, under nonadvective conditions, this enables the estimation
Authors
William P. Kustas, M. S. Moran, R. D. Jackson, L. W. Gay, L.F.W. Duell, K. E. Kunkel, A.D. Matthias

Monitoring land subsidence in Sacramento Valley, California, using GPS

Land subsidence measurement is usually based on a comparison of bench-mark elevations surveyed at different times. These bench marks, established for mapping or the national vertical control network, are not necessarily suitable for measuring land subsidence. Also, many bench marks have been destroyed or are unstable. Conventional releveling of the study area would be costly and would require seve
Authors
J. C. Blodgett, M. E. Ikehara, Gary E. Williams

Episodic changes in lateral transport and phytoplankton distribution in South San Francisco Bay

Increased lateral flows were directed to the west and may explain the large fluctuations in phytoplankton biomass observed over the broad eastern shoal during spring. -from Authors
Authors
L.M. Huzzey, J. E. Cloern, T.M. Powell

Production of sulfur gases and carbon dioxide by synthetic weathering of crushed drill cores from the Santa Cruz porphyry copper deposit near Casa Grande, Pinal County, Arizona

Samples of ground drill cores from the southern part of the Santa Cruz porphyry copper deposit, Casa Grande, Arizona, were oxidized in simulated weathering experiments. The samples were also separated into various mineral fractions and analyzed for contents of metals and sulfide minerals. The principal sulfide mineral present was pyrite.Gases produced in the weathering experiments were measured by
Authors
M. E. Hinkle, J. L. Ryder, S. J. Sutley, T. Botinelly

Hydrogeochemistry and stable isotopes of ground and surface waters from two adjacent closed basins, Atacama Desert, northern Chile

The geochemistry and stable isotopes of groundwaters, surface waters, and precipitation indicate different sources of some dissolved constituents, but a common source of recharge and other constituents in two adjacent closed basins in the Atacama Desert region of northern Chile (24°15′–24°45′S). Waters from artesian wells, trenches, and ephemeral streams in the Punta Negra Basin are characterized
Authors
Charles N. Alpers, Donald O. Whittemore

Spatial, seasonal and diel distribution of fishes in a California reservoir dominated by native fishes

During 21 months of sampling with various techniques, we captured 24 species of fish in Britton Reservoir. Nine species comprised over 96% of the number of fish captured and approximately 88% of the biomass. Five native non-game species accounted for over 77% of the catches.The native non-game fishes have maintained large populations in the reservoir despite continued introductions of non-native s
Authors
Bruce C. Vondracek, Donald M. Baltz, Larry R. Brown, Peter B. Moyle

Paleohydrologic evolution and geochemical dynamics of cumulative supergene metal enrichment at La Escondida, Atacama Desert, northern Chile

Quantitative limonite mapping within the leached capping of the porphyry copper deposit at La Escondida, Chile, permits reconstruction of the paleohydrologic and chemical evolution of a well-developed supergene ore-forming system. The mineralogy, textures, and relative abundance of supergene limonite minerals (hematite, goethite, and jarosite) are used to reconstruct the former ratio of pyrite to
Authors
Charles N. Alpers, G.H. Brimhall

Retention and transport of nutrients in a third-order stream in northwestern California; hyporheic processes

Chloride and nitrate were coinjected into the surface waters of a third—order stream for 20 d to examine solute retention, and the fate of nitrate during subsurface transport. A series of wells (shallow pits) 0.5—10 m from the adjacent channel were sampled to estimate the lateral interflow of water. Two subsurface return flows beneath the wetted channel were also examined. The conservative tracer
Authors
F.J. Triska, V. C. Kennedy, R. J. Avanzino, G. W. Zellweger, K.E. Bencala

Retention and transport of nutrients in a third-order stream: Channel processes

Chloride was injected as a conservative tracer with nitrate to examine nitrate retention (storage plus biotic uptake) and transport in a 327—m reach of a third—order stream draining a forested basin in northwestern California. Prior to injections, diel patterns of nutrient concentrations were measured under background conditions. Nitrate concentration of stream water increased downstream, indicati
Authors
Frank J. Triska, Vance C. Kennedy, Ronald J. Avanzino, Gary W. Zellweger, Kenneth E. Bencala

Organic geochemistry and brine composition in Great Salt, Mono, and Walker Lakes

Samples of Recent sediments, representing up to 1000 years of accumulation, were collected from three closed basin lakes (Mono Lake, CA, Walker Lake, NV, and Great Salt Lake, UT) to assess the effects of brine composition on the accumulation of total organic carbon, the concentration of dissolved organic carbon, humic acid structure and diagenesis, and trace metal complexation.The Great Salt Lake
Authors
Joseph L. Domagalski, W. H. Orem, H.P. Eugster