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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: 18472

Geochemistry of sulfate minerals in high- and low-temperature environments: A tribute to Robert O. Rye

This special issue is a tribute to Robert O. Rye, known as "Bob" to most, in light of his highly productive and ongoing career. Almost all of the papers in this issue are derived from topical sessions on sulfate minerals in hydrothermal and low-temperature environments. The sessions, held at the 2000 Geological Society of America meeting in Reno, NV, and sponsored jointly by the Mineralogical Soci
Authors
Robert R. Seal, John L. Jambor, Charles N. Alpers

Estimating the magnitude of bankfull flows for streams in Idaho

Methods for estimating magnitudes of peak flows with recurrence intervals of 1.5 and 2.33 years were developed for ungaged sites on streams throughout Idaho. These peak flows represent the magnitudes at and near bankfull stage and are needed for quantification of water rights required to maintain or restore fish and wildlife habitats and riparian vegetation. Data from a previous report detailing m
Authors
Jon Hortness, Charles Berenbrock

Effect of water-column pH on sediment-phosphorus release rates in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2001

Sediment-phosphorus release rates as a function of pH were determined in laboratory experiments for sediment and water samples collected from Shoalwater Bay in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, in 2001. Aerial release rates for a stable sediment/water interface that is representative of the sediment surface area to water column volume ratio (1:3) observed in the lake and volumetric release rates for res
Authors
Lawrence H. Fisher, Tamara M. Wood

Chapter 11 The phosphoria formation: A model for forecasting global selenium sources to the environment

Mining of the Permian Phosphoria Formation — a marine, oil-generating, phosphatic shale — provided the selenium (Se) source implicated in the recent deaths of livestock in southeast Idaho. Field studies and the geohydrologic balance of Se in southeast Idaho confirm risk to animals from exposure to Se through leaching of mined waste shale into streams, discharge of regional drainage, and impoundmen
Authors
Theresa S. Presser, David Z. Piper, Kenneth J. Bird, J. P. Skorupa, S. J. Hamilton, S. J. Detwiler, M.A. Huebner

Pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants within a leachate plume downgradient of a municipal landfill

Ground water samples collected from the Norman Landfill research site in central Oklahoma were analyzed as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Toxic Substances Hydrology Program's national reconnaissance of pharmaceuticals and other organic waste water contaminants (OWCs) in ground water. Five sites, four of which are located downgradient of the landfill, were sampled in 2000 and analyzed fo
Authors
Kimberlee K. Barnes, Scott C. Christenson, Dana W. Kolpin, Michael J. Focazio, Edward T. Furlong, Steven D. Zaugg, Michael T. Meyer, Larry B. Barber

Occurrence of human pharmaceuticals in water resources of the United States: A review

The widespread environmental presence of some pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater compounds has been documented globally (e.g. Buser et al. 1998; Ternes 1998; Stumpf et al.1999; Heberer et al. 2001; Kümmerer 2001; Ternes et al. 2001; Scheytt et al. 2001; Golet et al. 2002; Kolpin et al. 2002; Boyd et al. 2003; Metcalf et al. 2003). Recently, there have been several literature reviews and
Authors
M. J. Focazio, D.W. Kolpin, E. T. Furlong

Selenium, iron, and chromium stable isotope ratio measurements by the double isotope spike TIMS method

This chapter focuses on the double-spike calibrated thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) methods for measurement of mass dependent isotope fractionation in Se, Fe, and Cr. Current measurement precision is approximately ± 0.2 per mil on 80Se / 76Se, 56Fe / 54Fe, and 53Cr / 52Cr. Sample size requirements are 500ng, 1μg, and 250ng for Se, Fe, and Cr respectively. These measurements have been d
Authors
Thomas M. Johnson, Thomas D. Bullen

Molecular markers and their use in environmental organic geochemistry

Molecular markers are organic substances that carry information about sources of organic matter or contamination. The source/marker relation can be used to indicate the presence of a given source material (qualitative), or, under appropriate conditions, to estimate the amount of a source material (quantitative source apportionment) in the environment. Assemblages of markers can also be used as pro
Authors
Robert P. Eganhouse

Selenium loading through the Blackfoot River watershed--linking sources to ecosystem

The upper Blackfoot River watershed in southeast Idaho receives drainage from 11 of 16 phosphate mines that have extracted ore from the Phosphoria Formation, three of which are presently active. Toxic effects from selenium (Se), including death of livestock and deformity in aquatic birds, were documented locally in areas where phosphatic shales are exposed (Piper et al., 2000; Presser et al., Chap
Authors
Theresa S. Presser, Matthew Hardy, Mark Huebner, Paul J. Lamothe

Fundamental concepts of recharge in the Desert Southwest: A regional modeling perspective

Recharge in arid basins does not occur in all years or at all locations within a basin. In the desert Southwest potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation on an average annual basis and, in many basins, on an average monthly basis. Ground-water traveltime from the surface to the water table and recharge to the water table vary temporally and spatially owing to variations in precipitation,
Authors
Alan L. Flint, Lorraine E. Flint, J.A. Hevesi
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