Publications
Connecting Conservation Practices to Local Stream Health in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The USGS publishes peer-reviewed reports and journal articles which are used by Chesapeake Bay Program resource managers and policy makers to make science-based decisions for ecosystem conservation and restoration. Use the Search box below to find publications on selected topics.
If you wish to search by author, click the button below to be directed to USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 903
Changes in habitat availability for multiple life stages of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in Chesapeake Bay in response to sea level rise
Global sea level rise (SLR) will significantly alter
coastal landscapes through inundation and erosion of lowlying
areas. Animals that display area fidelity and rely on
fringing coastal habitats during multiple life stages, such as
diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin Schoepff 1793),
are likely to be particularly vulnerable to SLR-induced changes.
We used a combination of empirical nest surv
Authors
Ryan J. Woodland, Christopher L. Rowe, Paula F. P. Henry
Modeling watershed-scale impacts of stormwater management with traditional versus low impact development design
Stormwater runoff and associated pollutants from urban areas in the greater Chesapeake Bay Watershed (CBW) impair local streams and downstream ecosystems, despite urbanized land comprising only 7% of the CBW area. More recently, stormwater best management practices (BMPs) have been implemented in a low impact development (LID) manner to treat stormwater runoff closer to its source. This approach i
Authors
Stephanie A. Sparkman, Dianna M. Hogan, Kristina G. Hopkins, J. V. Loperfido
A detailed risk assessment of shale gas development on headwater streams in the Pennsylvania portion of the Upper Susquehanna River Basin, U.S.A.
The development of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) involves infrastructure development (well pads, roads and pipelines), well drilling and stimulation (hydraulic fracturing), and production; all of which have the potential to affect stream ecosystems. Here, we developed a fine-scaled (1:24,000) catchment-level disturbance intensity index (DII) that included 17 measures of UOG capturing all steps
Authors
Kelly O. Maloney, John A. Young, Stephen Faulkner, Atesmachew Hailegiorgis, E. Terrence Slonecker, Lesley Milheim
Comparison of sediment and nutrient export and runoff characteristics from watersheds with centralized versus distributed stormwater management
Stormwater control measures (SCMs) are used to retain stormwater and pollutants. SCMs have traditionally been installed in a centralized manner using detention to mitigate peak flows. Recently, distributed SCM networks that treat runoff near the source have been increasingly utilized. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences among watersheds that vary in SCM arrangement by assessing diffe
Authors
Kristina G. Hopkins, J.V. Loperfido, Laura S. Craig, Gregory Noe, Dianna M. Hogan
Water quality in the surficial aquifer near agricultural areas in the Delaware Coastal Plain, 2014
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Delaware Department of Agriculture, developed a network of wells to monitor groundwater quality in the surficial aquifer of the Delaware Coastal Plain. Well-drained soils, a flat landscape, and accessible water in the Delaware Coastal Plain make for a productive agricultural setting. As such, agriculture is one of the largest industries in the St
Authors
Brandon J. Fleming, Laura L. Mensch, Judith M. Denver, Roberto M. Cruz, Mark R. Nardi
Determining the sources of fine-grained sediment using the Sediment Source Assessment Tool (Sed_SAT)
A sound understanding of sources contributing to instream sediment flux in a watershed is important when developing total maximum daily load (TMDL) management strategies designed to reduce suspended sediment in streams. Sediment fingerprinting and sediment budget approaches are two techniques that, when used jointly, can qualify and quantify the major sources of sediment in a given watershed. The
Authors
Lillian E. Gorman Sanisaca, Allen C. Gellis, David L. Lorenz
Landform features and seasonal precipitation predict shallow groundwater influence on temperature in headwater streams
Headwater stream responses to climate change will depend in part on groundwater‐surface water exchanges. We used linear modeling techniques to partition likely effects of shallow groundwater seepage and air temperature on stream temperatures for 79 sites in nine focal watersheds using hourly air and water temperature measurements collected during summer months from 2012 to 2015 in Shenandoah Natio
Authors
Zachary C. Johnson, Craig D. Snyder, Nathaniel P. Hitt
Evaluation of genetic population structure of smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania
The Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu was introduced into the Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania, nearly 150 years ago. Since introduction, it has become an economically and ecologically important species that supports popular recreational fisheries. It is also one of the most abundant top predators in the system. Currently, there is no information on the level of genetic diversity or geneti
Authors
Megan K. Schall, Meredith L. Bartron, Timothy Wertz, Jonathan M. Niles, Cassidy H. Shaw, Tyler Wagner
Tracking the fate of nitrate through pulse-flow wetlands: A mesocosm scale 15N enrichment tracer study
Quantitative information about the fate of applied nitrate (NO3-N) in pulse-flow constructed wetlands is essential for designing wetland treatment systems and assessing their nitrogen removal services for agricultural and stormwater applications. Although many studies have documented NO3-N losses in wetlands, controlled experiments indicating the relative importance of different processes and N si
Authors
Tiffany L. Messer, Michael R. Burchell, John K. Böhlke, Craig R. Tobias
Optimal hydrograph separation using a recursive digital filter constrained by chemical mass balance, with application to selected Chesapeake Bay watersheds
Quantitative estimates of base flow are necessary to address questions concerning the vulnerability and response of the Nation’s water supply to natural and human-induced change in environmental conditions. An objective of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Project is to determine how hydrologic systems are affected by watershed characteristics, including land use, land c
Authors
Jeff P. Raffensperger, Anna C. Baker, Joel D. Blomquist, Jessica A. Hopple
Unconventional oil and gas spills: Materials, volumes, and risks to surface waters in four states of the U.S.
Extraction of oil and gas from unconventional sources, such as shale, has dramatically increased over the past ten years, raising the potential for spills or releases of chemicals, waste materials, and oil and gas. We analyzed spill data associated with unconventional wells from Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota and Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2014, where we defined unconventional wells as horizont
Authors
Kelly O. Maloney, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Lauren A. Patterson, Jean-Philippe Nicot, Sally Entrekin, Joe E. Fargione, Joseph M. Kiesecker, Kate E. Konschnik, Joseph N. Ryan, Anne M. Trainor, James E. Saiers, Hannah J. Wiseman
Unconventional oil and gas spills: Risks, mitigation priorities, and state reporting requirements
Rapid growth in unconventional oil and gas (UOG) has produced jobs, revenue, and energy, but also concerns over spills and environmental risks. We assessed spill data from 2005 to 2014 at 31 481 UOG wells in Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. We found 2–16% of wells reported a spill each year. Median spill volumes ranged from 0.5 m3 in Pennsylvania to 4.9 m3 in New Mexico; the l
Authors
Lauren A. Patterson, Katherine E. Konschnik, Hannah Wiseman, Joseph Fargione, Kelly O. Maloney, Joseph M. Kiesecker, Jean-Philippe Nicot, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Sally Entrekin, Anne Trainor, James Saiers