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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: 18426

A simulation method for combining hydrodynamic data and acoustic tag tracks to predict the entrainment of juvenile salmonids onto the Yolo Bypass under future engineering scenarios

During water year 2016 the U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center (USGS) collaborated with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to conduct a joint hydrodynamic and fisheries study to acquire data that could be used to evaluate the effects of proposed modifications to the Fremont Weir on outmigrating juvenile Chinook salmon. During this study the USGS surgically implan
Authors
Aaron R. Blake, Paul Stumpner, Jon R. Burau

International Watershed Technology: Improving Water Quality and Quantity at the Local, Basin, and Regional Scales

This article introduces the five papers in the “International Watershed Technology” collection. These papers were selected from 60 technical presentations at the fifth biennial ASABE 21st Century Watershed Technology Conference and Workshop: Improving the Quality of Water Resources at Local, Basin, and Regional Scales, held in Quito, Ecuador, on 3-9 December 2016. The conference focused on solving
Authors
Ernest W. Tollner, Kyle R. Douglas-Mankin

Large decadal-scale changes in uranium and bicarbonate in groundwater of the irrigated western U.S

Samples collected about one decade apart from 1105 wells from across the U.S. were compiled to assess whether uranium concentrations in the arid climate are linked to changing bicarbonate concentrations in the irrigated western U.S. Uranium concentrations in groundwater were high in the arid climate in the western U.S, where uranium sources are abundant. Sixty-four wells (6%) were above the U.S. E
Authors
Karen R. Burow, Kenneth Belitz, Neil M. Dubrovsky, Bryant C. Jurgens

Pathogen transport in groundwater systems: Contrasts with traditional solute transport

Water quality affects many aspects of water availability, from precluding use to societal perceptions of fit-for-purpose. Pathogen source and transport processes are drivers of water quality because they have been responsible for numerous outbreaks resulting in large economic losses due to illness and, in some cases, loss of life. Outbreaks result from very small exposure (e.g., less than 20 virus
Authors
Randall J. Hunt, William P. Johnson

Effect of sediment supply and flow rate on the initiation and topographic evolution of sandbars in laboratory and numerical channels

The evolution of barforms from a bed of uniform sediment and changes in sediment storage were measured in a laboratory flume and simulated numerically. Flume experiments were conducted with several upstream sediment supplies and flow conditions. For the sediment supply rates (no upstream supply, equilibrium supply, and 133, 166, and 200 percent of the equilibrium supply) and flow rates examined, t
Authors
Paul J. Kinzel, Brandy Logan, Jonathan M. Nelson

Hydrochemical determination of source water contributions to Lake Lungo and Lake Ripasottile (central Italy)

Lake Lungo and Lake Ripasottile are two shallow (4-5 m) lakes located in the Rieti Basin, central Italy, that have been described previously as surface outcroppings of the groundwater table. In this work, the two lakes as well as springs and rivers that represent their potential source waters are characterized physio-chemically and isotopically, using a combination of environmental tracers. Temper
Authors
Claire Archer, Paula Noble, David Kreamer, Vincenzo Piscopo, Marco Petitta, Michael R. Rosen, Simon R. Poulson, Gianluca Piovesan, Scott Mensing

Preliminary viability assessment of Lake Mendocino forecast informed reservoir operations

This report describes the preliminary viability assessment (PVA) of forecast informed reservoir operations (FIRO) for Lake Mendocino, which is located on the East Fork Russian River three miles east of Ukiah, California. The results described in this report represent the collective activities of the Lake Mendocino FIRO Steering Committee (SC) (SC members are named on the inside cover of the report
Authors
Jay Jasperse, Marty Ralph, Michael Anderson, Levi D. Brekke, Mike Dillabough, Michael D. Dettinger, Alan Haynes, Robert Hartman, Christy Jones, Joe Forbis, Patrick Rutten, Cary Talbot, Robert H. Webb

Evaluation of modeled bacteria loads along an impaired stream reach receiving discharge from a municipal separate storm sewer system in Independence, Mo.

The Little Blue River in Jackson County, Missouri, was listed as impaired in 2012 due to Escherichia coli (E. coli) from urban runoff and storm sewers. A study was initiated to characterize E. coli concentrations and loads to aid in the development of a total maximum daily load implementation plan. Longitudinal sampling along the stream revealed spatial and temporal variability in E. coli loads. R
Authors
Allison Flickinger, Eric D. Christensen

Crop modeling applications in agricultural water management

This article introduces the fourteen articles that comprise the “Crop Modeling and Decision Support for Optimizing Use of Limited Water” collection. This collection was developed from a special session on crop modeling applications in agricultural water management held at the 2016 ASABE Annual International Meeting (AIM) in Orlando, Florida. In addition, other authors who were not able to attend t
Authors
Isaya Kisekka, Kendall C. DeJonge, Liwang Ma, Joel Paz, Kyle R. Douglas-Mankin

Differences in flood hazard projections in Europe – their causes and consequences for decision making

This paper interprets differences in flood hazard projections over Europe and identifies likely sources of discrepancy. Further, it discusses potential implications of these differences for flood risk reduction and adaptation to climate change. The discrepancy in flood hazard projections raises caution, especially among decision makers in charge of water resources management, flood risk reduction,
Authors
Z. W. Kundzewicz, V. Krysanova, R. Dankers, Y. Hirabayashi, S. Kanae, F. F. Hattermann, S. Huang, Paul C.D. Milly, M. Stoffel, P.P.J. Driessen, P. Matczak, P. Quevauviller, H.-J. Schellnhuber

Dissolution of fluorapatite by Pseudomonas fluorescens P35 resulting in fluorine release

Chemical weathering of fluorine-bearing minerals is widely accepted as the main mechanism for the release of fluorine (F) to groundwater. Here, we propose a potential mechanism of F release via microbial dissolution of fluorapatite (Ca5(PO4)3F), which has been neglected previously. Batch culture experiments were conducted at 30°C with a phosphate-solubilizing bacteria strain, Pseudomonas fluoresce
Authors
Jianping Zhou, Hongmei Wang, Charles A. Cravotta, Qiang Dong, Xing Xiang