Publications
This list of Water Resources Mission Area publications includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists. A searchable database of all USGS publications can be accessed at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 18466
Tannin diagenesis in mangrove leaves from a tropical estuary: A novel molecular approach
Molecular-level condensed tannin analyses were conducted on a series of mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) leaves at various stages of decomposition in a tropical estuary. Total molecular tannin yields ranged from 0.5% ash-free dry weight (AFDW) in the most highly degraded black leaves (6-7 weeks in the water) up to >7% AFDW in fresh leaves (80% procyanidin (PC) with the remainder being prodelphinidin (
Authors
P.J. Hernes, R. Benner, G.L. Cowie, M.A. Goi, B.A. Bergamaschi, J. I. Hedges
Spatial patterns of diagenesis during geothermal circulation in carbonate platforms
Geothermal convection of seawater deep in carbonate platforms could provide the necessary supply of magnesium for dolomitization at temperatures high enough to overcome kinetic limitations. We used reactive-transport simulations to predict the rates and spatial patterns of dolomitization during geothermal convection in a platform that was 40 km across and 2 km thick. In the simulations, porosity a
Authors
Alicia M. Wilson, Ward E. Sanford, F. Whitaker, P. Smart
Nature and chlorine reactivity of organic constituents from reclaimed water in groundwater, Los Angeles County, California
The nature and chlorine reactivity of organic constituents in reclaimed water (tertiary-treated municipal wastewater) before, during, and after recharge into groundwater at the Montebello Forebay in Los Angeles County, CA, was the focus of this study. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in reclaimed water from this site is primarily a mixture of aromatic sulfonates from anionic surfactant degradation,
Authors
J. A. Leenheer, C.E. Rostad, L. B. Barber, R. A. Schroeder, R. Anders, M.L. Davisson
Geochemical and mineralogical controls on trace element release from the Penn Mine base-metal slag dump, California
Base-metal slag deposits at the Penn Mine in Calaveras County, California, are a source of environmental contamination through leaching of potentially toxic elements. Historical Cu smelting at Penn Mine (1865-1919) generated approximately 200,000 m3 of slag. The slag deposits, which are flooded annually by a reservoir used for drinking water and irrigation, also may be in contact with acidic groun
Authors
M.B. Parsons, D.K. Bird, M.T. Einaudi, Charles N. Alpers
Soil N and 15N variation with time in a California annual grassland ecosystem
The %N and ??15N values of soils and plants were measured along a chronosequence spanning 3 to 3000 Ky in a California annual grassland. Total soil N decreased with increasing soil age (1.1 to 0.4 kg N m-2) while the mean ?? 15N values of the soil N increased by several ??? from the youngest to oldest sites (+3.5 to +6.2 ???). The ?? 15N values of plants varied along the gradient, reflecting chang
Authors
D.L. Brenner, Ronald Amundson, W. Troy Baisden, C. Kendall, J. Harden
Hydrology of Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Yucca Mountain, located in southern Nevada in the Mojave Desert, is being considered as a geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. Although the site is arid, previous studies indicate net infiltration rates of 5-10 mm yr-1 under current climate conditions. Unsaturated flow of water through the mountain generally is vertical and rapid through the fractures of the welded tuffs and slow
Authors
A. L. Flint, L. E. Flint, E. M. Kwicklis, G.S. Bodvarsson, J. M. Fabryka-Martin
Relation between fish communities and riparian zone conditions at two spatial scales
The relation offish community composition to riparian cover at two spatial scales was compared at 18 streams in the agricultural Minnesota River Basin. The two spatial scales were: (1) local riparian zone (a 200 meter wide buffer extending 2 to 3 kilometers upstream of the sampling reach); and (2) the upstream riparian zone (a 200 m wide buffer on the mainstem and all perennial tributaries upstre
Authors
K. E. Lee, R. M. Goldstein, P. E. Hanson
Hierarchical programming for data storage and visualization
Graphics software is an essential tool for interpreting, analyzing, and presenting data from multidimensional hydrodynamic models used in estuarine and coastal ocean studies. The post-processing of time-varying three-dimensional model output presents unique requirements for data visualization because of the large volume of data that can be generated and the multitude of time scales that must be ex
Authors
John M. Donovan, Peter E. Smith
Major herbicides in ground water: Results from the National Water-Quality Assessment
To improve understanding of the factors affecting pesticide occurrence in ground water, patterns of detection were examined for selected herbicides, based primarily on results from the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. The NAWQA data were derived from 2227 sites (wells and springs) sampled in 20 major hydrologic basins across the USA from 1993 to 1995. Results are presented for si
Authors
J.E. Barbash, G.P. Thelin, D.W. Kolpin, R. J. Gilliom
Survey of fishes and environmental conditions in Abbotts Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore, California
This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of fishery resources in Abbotts Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore. During February/March, May, August, and November 1999, fish were sampled with floating variable-mesh gill nets and small minnow traps from as many as 14 sites in the lagoon. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, total ammonia(NH3 + NH4+), salinity, turbidity, water dept
Authors
M. K. Saiki, B.A. Martin
InSAR analysis of natural recharge to define structure of a ground-water basin, San Bernardino, California
Using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) analysis of ERS-1 and ERS-2 images, we detect several centimeters of uplift during the first half of 1993 in two areas of the San Bernardino ground-water basin of southern California. This uplift correlates with unusually high runoff from the surrounding mountains and increased ground-water levels in nearby wells. The deformation of the land s
Authors
Z. Lu, W.R. Danskin
Creation of residual flows in a partially stratified estuary
The creation of residual flows in estuaries is examined using acoustic Doppler current profiler data sets from northern San Francisco Bay. The data sets are analyzed using principal component analysis to examine the temporal variability of the flows which create the residual circulation. It is seen that in this periodically and partially stratified estuary the residual flows are created through a
Authors
M.T. Stacey, J.R. Burau, Stephen G. Monismith