Publications
Publications from USGS science centers throughout the Southeast Region.
Filter Total Items: 9967
Gross alpha-particle activity and high 226Ra concentrations do not correspond with high 210Po in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain aquifers of the United States
210Po, which is of human-health concern based on lifetime ingestion cancer risk, is indirectly regulated in drinking water through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s gross alpha-particle activity (GAPA) maximum contaminant level of 15 pCi/L (picocuries per liter). This regulation requires independent measurement of 226Ra for samples exceeding the GAPA screening level of 5 pCi/L. There is n
Authors
Zoltan Szabo, Charles A. Cravotta, Paul Stackelberg, Kenneth Belitz
Guide for benthic invertebrate studies in support of Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
This guide is intended to assist with characterizing injury to freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) in Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) cases. The contents are narrowly focused on insects, crustaceans, snails, and other invertebrate fauna that are typically considered part of BMI communities and are not intended to address studies of injury to larger benthic taxa
Authors
David J. Soucek, Aïda M. Farag, John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens
Near real-time detection of winter cover crop termination using harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) to support ecosystem assessment
Cover crops are planted to reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and improve watershed management. In the Delmarva Peninsula of the eastern United States, winter cover crops are essential for reducing nutrient and sediment losses from farmland. Cost-share programs have been created to incentivize cover crops to achieve conservation objectives. This program required that cover crops be plan
Authors
Feng Gao, Jyoti Jennewein, W. Dean Hively, Alex M. Soroka, Alison Thieme, Dawn Bradley, Jason Keppler, Steven Mirsky, Uvirkaa Akumaga
Hydrogeologic framework of the Red River alluvial aquifer and Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in northwestern Louisiana
Groundwater in northwestern Louisiana is a valuable resource needed for expanding public-supply needs as well as possible energy development needs arising from Haynesville Formation natural-gas production. The Red River alluvial and the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifers are two of the most important and heavily pumped aquifers in northwestern Louisiana; however, little documentation of the regional hydrogeo
Authors
Phillip D. Hays, Anna M. Nottmeier, Robert B. Fendick Jr., William J. Daugherty, Kayla Carter
2021–2022 Statewide Abundance Estimates for the Florida Manatee
Knowing the population size of Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is critical for conservation and management of this threatened species. Martin et al. (2015) and Hostetler et al. (2018) applied statistical models that incorporated multiple data sources to estimate the statewide abundance of manatees from aerial surveys f lown in 2011–2012 and 2015–2016. We conducted additional aeri
Authors
Timothy A. Gowan, Holly H. Edwards, Andrea M. Krzystan, Julien Martin, Jeffrey A. Hostetler
Comprehensive inventory of habitat assessment and evaluation datasets to support Deepwater Horizon mesophotic and deep benthic communities
This report is part of the NOAA Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) Series of
publications that share the results of work conducted by the Deepwater Horizon MDBC restoration projects.
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill was an unprecedented event. Approximately 3.2 million barrels of oil were released into the deep ocean over nearly three months. The plume of oil moved throughout
Authors
Rachel Bassett, Jennifer Herting, Janessy Frometa, Stephanie M. Sharuga, Jacob Howell, Laughlin Siceloff, Jill Bourque, Megan Cromwell, Kirstie Francis, Randy Clark, Amanda Demopoulos, Andy David, Kristopher Benson, Stacey L. Harter
Grass carp reproduction in small tributaries of Truman Reservoir, Missouri: Implications for establishment in novel habitats
Substantial work has been conducted to estimate the river length required for recruitment of invasive Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella and bigheaded carps (Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp H. molitrix); however, the distance upstream and size of stream required for spawning remain unclear. Adult Grass Carp are regularly captured in Harry S. Truman Reservoir, Missouri, alth
Authors
Cari-Ann Hayer, Michael F. Bayless, Cathy A. Richter, Amy E. George, Duane Chapman
An assessment of fish herding techniques: Management implications for mass removal and control of silver carp
We assessed the effectiveness of herding techniques on adult Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in a tributary to the Missouri River. Sites (600 m) were contained using block nets and treated with one of five herding techniques: (1) a method commonly used by commercial fishers in the United States (commercial technique), (2) pulsed-DC electrofishing (electric technique), (3) broadband sound a
Authors
Josey Lee Ridgway, Katelyn M. Lawson, Stephen August Shier, Robin Calfee, Duane Chapman
Occurrence of mixed organic and inorganic chemicals in groundwater and tapwater, town of Campbell, Wisconsin, 2021–22
In response to previous reports of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in French Island’s (located in the Mississippi River within the town of Campbell, Wisconsin) primary source of drinking water, 11 locations were sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in October 2021 to assess the potential presence of contaminant mixtures, including PFAS, in tapwater. Three locations
Authors
Kristin M. Romanok, Shannon M. Meppelink, Paul M. Bradley, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Lee Donahue, Mark P. Gaikowski, Randy K. Hines, Kelly L. Smalling
Efficient mammal biodiversity surveys for ecological restoration monitoring
Efficient biodiversity surveys are critical for successful restoration monitoring and management. We studied the effect of varying sampling effort on the observed species richness of surveys of small mammals (trapping transects), bats (passive acoustic detection), and medium to large mammals (trail cameras). Field studies provided mammalian biodiversity data for 4 bottomland hardwood restoration s
Authors
Nicholas S. Green, Mark L. Wildhaber, Janice L. Albers, Thomas W. Pettit, Michael J. Hooper
Discerning behavioral patterns of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico to inform management decisions
The protection of all sea turtles globally is a high priority, and research projects on these imperiled species are focused on those that are likely to result in improvements in monitoring and management for population recovery. Determining distribution, seasonal movements, vital rates and habitat use for all life-stages of sea turtles has been identified by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS
Authors
Kristen Hart, Margaret Lamont
Assessment of cropland inundation due to the operation of the Reelfoot Lake spillway in West Tennessee
Running Reelfoot Bayou (RRB) is the outlet canal of Reelfoot Lake, the largest natural lake in Tennessee. RRB is not able to contain discharge from Reelfoot Lake greater than the bankfull discharge of 28 m3/s (1000 ft3/s), which typically occurs at the beginning of the growing season (April–June). Historically, the planting of crops has been delayed until flooding subsides and cropland has drained
Authors
Md. N.M. Bhuyian, Chayan Lahiri, Timothy H. Diehl, Elizabeth Heal