geological survey Articles
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Introduction to C. A. Hogentogler Award Article by David I. Stannard
The 1991 C. A. Hogentogler Award was presented to David I. Stannard of the United States Geological Survey in Denver, Colorado. The Hogentogler Award is presented to the author or authors of a paper of outstanding merit on soil or rock for engineering purposes published by the Society. The award was established in 1953 to stimulate research, encourage the exchange of knowledge, and recognize ...
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Linking infrastructure resilience to response requirements: the New Madrid Seismic Zone case
Catastrophic events generate cascading and synergistic infrastructure failures that will produce unanticipated response requirements. Infrastructure failures not only influence the demands for services and commodities but also the mobility and capability of response organisations. This project modelled a catastrophic earthquake (M7.7) in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ). The US Geological ...
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A comparison of landscape structure inside and outside the gates: analysis of the regional landscapes of four US Department of Energy facilities using US Geological Survey quadrangle maps and FRAGSTATS
The US Department of Energy (USDOE) facilities encompass large tracts of land that include important regional ecological resources. The historical development and continued operation of these facilities has changed the structure of regional landscapes. A quantitative analysis was performed to determine if patterns of land use within the boundaries of selected USDOE facilities could be ...
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Forensic Analysis using UVF and USGS Laboratory Results Testing PAHs in Coal Tar Pavement Sealants
Environmental scientists use a variety of forensic techniques to identify the source of hydrocarbons using laboratory data. This study compares Sitelab’s UVF data and laboratory GC/MS data using double ratio plots testing pavement sealants for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Ratios were then applied using data in three studies conducted by the United States Geological Survey ...
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Saltwater Intrusion in Deep Southern California Aquifers - Case Study
Motivation The US Geological Survey and water managers in California required improved understanding of saltwater intrusion in deep, coastal Southern California aquifers. In San Diego, the groundwater managers needed unambiguous, high-resolution information on the hydrologic properties of water-bearing formations beneath San Diego Harbor, to depths of up to 3000 feet, to identify and assess the ...
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Research on geologic hazard risk management in China based on geologic hazard survey and zoning
China is a typical developing country. Risk management has become an inevitable trend in China's geologic hazard management and it is imperative to conduct geologic hazard risk evaluation. Although China has laid the foundation for geologic hazard survey and zoning, the large-scale geologic environment information is not fully available and the geologic hazard risk evaluation must be pressed ...
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Response to O'Reilly et al. (2014): Policy of the US Geological Survey on advocacy
A statement in O'Reilly et al. (2013) alleging USGS Scientists have advocated bans of coal tar sealcoat is inaccurate. It is the policy of the USGS that our products, and communications remain neutral and not advocate, recommend, or prescribe actions. ...
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Geological Survey Department - Case Study
Client Geological Survey Department Country Cyprus Background and objective The third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea is battling the subterranean penetration of salt water and long periods of drought, which cause water shortages. Water management in jeopardy The semi-arid climate on Cyprus makes great demands upon existing groundwater sources. These sources play a very important ...
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A model for wave control on coral breakage and species distribution in the Hawaiian Islands
The fringing reef off southern Molokai, Hawaii, is currently being studied as part of a multi-disciplinary project led by the US Geological Survey. As part of this study, modeling and field observations were utilized to help understand the physical controls on reef morphology and the distribution of different coral species. A model was developed that calculates wave-induced hydrodynamic forces on ...
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Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation project: 2. Comparison of four modeling approaches
As part of the Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation (MMME) project, models were developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Japan), the U.S. Geological Survey (USA), HDR׀HydroQual, Inc. (USA), and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK) to address the effects of metal mixtures on biological responses of aquatic organisms. A comparison of the 4 models, as ...
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Gas Hydrate Breakdown Unlikely to Cause Massive Greenhouse Gas Release
The breakdown of methane hydrates due to warming climate is unlikely to lead to massive amounts of methane being released to the atmosphere, according to a recent interpretive review of scientific literature performed by the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Rochester. Methane hydrate, which is also referred to as gas hydrate, is a naturally-occurring, ice-like form of methane and ...
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New Maps from Old Photos: Measuring Coastal Erosion
U.S. Geological Survey scientists and their coauthors from the California Coastal Records Project have found a way to use historical aerial photographs not just to see evidence of coastal erosion, but to accurately measure how much has occurred over time. Applying a low-cost technique called “structure-from-motion” to five sets of oblique aerial photos spanning the years 2002 to ...
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The Scientific Story of the Souris: Could the 2011 Flood Happen Again?
If the current wet climate state of the Souris River Basin continues during the next 10 years, there is a 2 percent chance another extreme flood, similar to that of 2011, will occur, according to a recent report by the U.S. Geological Survey and North Dakota State Water Commission. These and other findings about past and future flooding of the Souris are available in an interactive webpage ...
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USGS, NASA Study Finds Widespread Coastal Land Losses from Gulf Oil Spill
A new USGS-NASA study found widespread shoreline loss along heavily oiled areas of Louisiana's coast after the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and compared the erosion from the spill with coastal changes Hurricane Isaac caused in 2012. A pattern of dramatic, widespread shoreline loss along Louisiana’s coast caused by the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill has been revealed by a ...
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Tools for assessing sea level rise vulnerability
Increasing sea level has the potential to place important infrastructure we rely on every day at risk, yet we lack good data to make decisions on what to do, when, and with what priority. The objectives of the research were to develop a method for estimating the time scales for various increments of sea level rise (SLR) throughout the 21st century, develop an accurate methodology for predicting ...
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Is Water Scarcity in Africa a Myth?
Some say the resources there are rich, and just need better management and treatment Africa is one of the world’s driest continents. Many rural Africans have subpar drinking water and sanitation. By 2030, high water stress is likely to displace as many as 700 million people. So, why are the British Geological Survey (BGS), WaterAid, and other researchers painting an entirely different ...
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Short‐term macroinvertebrate recruitment and sediment accumulation: A novel field chamber approach
Stream‐deposited sediment is one of the major stressors affecting stream biota. Several methods exist to quantify stream sediment embeddedness, but they are relatively qualitative and operationally defined. The authors developed a short‐term in situ embeddedness chamber method to measure aquatic insect recruitment and associated sediment accumulation in a more quantitative, better replicated ...
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Observation of isotopes in the water cycle—the Swiss National Network (NISOT)
The Swiss National Network for the Observation of Isotopes in the Water Cycle (NISOT) includes eleven precipitation, seven surface water (river) and three groundwater stations, where tritium, deuterium and oxygen-18 are monthly measured in composite samples. The network provides a good overview of the characteristic isotope signatures in recharge waters in Switzerland and of the relations between ...
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Removal of Fallen Leaves Can Improve Urban Water Quality
The timely removal of leaf litter can reduce harmful phosphorus concentrations in stormwater by over 80 percent in Madison, Wisconsin, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey study. Autumn leaf litter contributes a significant amount of phosphorus to urban stormwater, which then runs off into waterways and lakes. Excessive amounts of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen can cause ...
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Large Precipitation Events are Critical in Replenishing Groundwater Resources
Large precipitation events that occur about every 10 years are a critical source of recharge for replenishing groundwater resources, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation. Groundwater is a vital source of water in the western United States, and will be increasingly important with continued population growth and climate variability. Understanding ...
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