Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

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

Assessing California groundwater susceptibility using trace concentrations of halogenated volatile organic compounds

Twenty-four halogenated volatile organic compounds (hVOCs) and SF6 were measured in groundwater samples collected from 312 wells across California at concentrations as low as 10–12 grams per kilogram groundwater. The hVOCs detected are predominately anthropogenic (i.e., “ahVOCs”) and as such their distribution delineates where groundwaters are impacted and susceptible to human activity. ahVOC dete
Authors
Daniel A. Deeds, Justin T. Kulongoski, Kenneth Belitz

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

Sedimentation in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta builds the Delta landscape, creates benthic and pelagic habitat, and transports sediment-associated contaminants. Here we present a conceptual model of sedimentation that includes submodels for river supply from the watershed to the Delta, regional transport within the Delta and seaward exchange, and local sedimentation in open water and mars
Authors
David H. Schoellhamer, Scott A. Wright, Judith Z. Drexler

A perspective on modern pesticides, pelagic fish declines, and unknown ecological resilience in highly managed ecosystems

Pesticides applied on land are commonly transported by runoff or spray drift to aquatic ecosystems, where they are potentially toxic to fishes and other nontarget organisms. Pesticides add to and interact with other stressors of ecosystem processes, including surface-water diversions, losses of spawning and rearing habitats, nonnative species, and harmful algal blooms. Assessing the cumulative eff
Authors
Nathaniel L. Scholz, Erica Fleishman, Larry Brown, Inge Werner, Michael L. Johnson, Marjorie L. Brooks, Carys L. Mitchelmore, Daniel Schlenk

Summary of suspended-sediment concentration data, San Francisco Bay, California, water year 2009

Suspended-sediment concentration data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in San Francisco Bay during water year 2009 (October 1, 2008–September 30, 2009). Optical sensors and water samples were used to monitor suspended-sediment concentration at two sites in Suisun Bay, one site in San Pablo Bay, two sites in Central San Francisco Bay, and one site in South San Francisco Bay. Sensors wer
Authors
Paul A. Buchanan, Tara L. Morgan

Data from a thick unsaturated zone in Joshua Tree, San Bernardino County, California, 2007--09

Data were collected on the physical properties of unsaturated alluvial deposits, the chemical composition of leachate extracted from unsaturated alluvial deposits, the chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater and unsaturated-zone water, and the chemical composition of unsaturated-zone gas at four monitoring sites in the southwestern part of the Mojave Desert in the town of Joshua Tree, San
Authors
Matthew Burgess, John Izbicki, Nicholas Teague, David R. O'Leary, Dennis Clark, Michael Land

Organic contaminants, trace and major elements, and nutrients in water and sediment sampled in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Beach water and sediment samples were collected along the Gulf of Mexico coast to assess differences in contaminant concentrations before and after landfall of Macondo-1 well oil released into the Gulf of Mexico from the sinking of the British Petroleum Corporation's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. Samples were collected at 70 coastal sites between May 7 and July 7, 2010, to document baseline
Authors
Lisa H. Nowell, Amy S. Ludtke, David K. Mueller, Jonathon C. Scott

Methods to characterize environmental settings of stream and groundwater sampling sites for National Water-Quality Assessment

Characterization of natural and anthropogenic features that define the environmental settings of sampling sites for streams and groundwater, including drainage basins and groundwater study areas, is an essential component of water-quality and ecological investigations being conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Quantitative characterization of
Authors
Naomi Nakagaki, Kerie J. Hitt, Curtis V. Price, James A. Falcone

Status of groundwater quality in the California Desert Region, 2006-2008: California GAMA Priority Basin Project

Groundwater quality in six areas in the California Desert Region (Owens, Antelope, Mojave, Coachella, Colorado River, and Indian Wells) was investigated as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project is being conducted by the California State Water Resources Control Board in collaboration with the U.S. Geol
Authors
Barbara J. Milby Dawson, Kenneth Belitz

Groundwater quality in Coachella Valley, California

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Coachella Vall
Authors
Barbara J. Milby Dawson, Kenneth Belitz

Groundwater quality in the Indian Wells Valley, California

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Indian Wells V
Authors
Barbara J. Milby Dawson, Kenneth Belitz

Groundwater quality in the Colorado River basins, California

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Four groundwat
Authors
Barbara J. Milby Dawson, Kenneth Belitz

Groundwater quality in the Antelope Valley, California

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Antelope Valle
Authors
Barbara J. Milby Dawson, Kenneth Belitz