Current Conservation Efforts May Not Be Enough for California’s Central Valley Waterbirds: Clark's grebe sitting on a nest at Thermalito Afterbay, California.(Credit: Alex Hartman, U.S. Geological Survey. Public domain.) However, after 2065, a future with a much warmer, drier climate could reduce waterbird habitat by more than 15 percent, and the combination of these climate projections and reduced water supply could cause even greater habitat losses. The study addresses uncertainties in climate, the Central Valley landscape, and the water use and delivery system in order to provide useful information for waterbird habitat conservation planning. Overall, the results indicate that additional wetland restoration and conservation, as well as climate adaptation strategies, may be needed to provide sufficient habitat to support waterbirds in the Central Valley into the future. “By modeling possible rates of urbanization and other variables to inform future conservation planning activities, we believe that wildlife and habitat management in the valley will be more prepared to face uncertain impacts from human-caused stressors on land and water resources,” said Elliott Matchett, lead author and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center. During winter, the Central Valley of California is a major resting and refueling area for migratory waterbirds throughout the Pacific Flyway. Birds such as ducks, geese, swans, grebes, cranes, herons, egrets and many shorebird species depend on the valley’s wetlands and agricultural fields (particularly rice and corn) as wintering and migration habitat. Sandpipers. Location: Salton Sea, California. (Credit: Doug Barnum, U.S. Geological Survey. Public domain.) To understand how this habitat may be affected by climate, urban development, water supply management options and wetland restoration, researchers from USGS modeled 17 different scenarios with varying realistic levels of these variables from 2006–2099. This is the first study to evaluate the combined effects of projected conditions of climate, urban development and water management on waterbird habitat in the valley. The researchers began by adapting a commonly-used integrated water resources model to account for waterbird habitat under the 17 scenarios. These included three climates (two future and one recent historical), low to high urbanization rates, five water management options and two wetland restoration levels. Climate projections represented either a continuous increase in global human population and greenhouse gasses, resulting in a much warmer, drier climate than in recent decades, or global population and emissions with peaks mid-century, declining thereafter, resulting in a warmer climate with relatively little change in precipitation. The modeling also accounted for slow, moderate and high urbanization rates of agricultural areas. Water supply management options modeled included reduced water supply priorities for certain waterbird habitats and altered water supply management and infrastructure based on the proposed California WaterFix and Suisun Marsh tidal-wetland restoration. The researchers also evaluated current wetland restoration efforts’ ability to offset losses and the effects of no additional wetland restoration. The project was supported by the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Central Valley Joint Venture. American White pelican, gulls, sandpipers. Location: Salton Sea, California(Credit: Doug Barnum, U.S. Geological Survey. Public domain.) Credit Douglas Barnum/USGS. A photo of white-faced ibis and gulls feeding on a flooded agricultural field post-harvest. (Credit: Douglas Barnum, U.S. Geological Survey. Public domain.) #usgs #news

Uranium in Spring Water North of Grand Canyon Likely Not Related to Nearby Mining Activity: The former Pigeon Mine in northern Arizona is seen here looking towards the northeast. (Credit: Donald Bills, USGS. Public domain.) Pigeon Spring had elevated uranium levels in recent samples from 2012-2014 (73-92 micrograms per liter), compared to other perched springs in the same drainage area (2.7–18 micrograms per liter), and was proportionally elevated in samples collected prior to mining operations at the nearby Pigeon Mine.  The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona is a United Nations World Heritage Site, an international tourist destination, and is a sacred place to many Native Americans. The Colorado River, which runs through the Grand Canyon, is a primary source of drinking and irrigation water for millions of people in the U.S. and Mexico. The region is also believed to host some of the highest-grade uranium ore in the country. Understanding the potential for uranium mining impacts on water resources in the area is important to manage the intersecting interests of the mining industry, water managers and visitors to the area.  “It’s important to use science to understand the potential for mining impacts on water resources,” said Kimberly Beisner, USGS scientist and lead author of the study. “These results are the first step in understanding if uranium mining in the area may have any impact on water resources; in this case we determined those impacts are not likely at Pigeon Spring. These findings will help inform future studies to understand mining impacts in the region.” USGS scientists conducted a geochemical analysis of water, sediment and rock samples collected from the Snake Gulch area, which includes the former Pigeon Mine. Scientists studied water from nine springs, along with water that had been in contact with uranium mining waste material to better understand the source of elevated uranium at Pigeon Spring. Statistical analyses of trace elements, chemical elements that occur in small amounts, showed Pigeon Spring to be more similar to other nearby springs and distinct from water in contact with uranium mining material. Water in contact with mining material from the Pigeon Mine contained elevated levels of several trace elements in addition to uranium compared to the spring water. Additionally, evidence from available groundwater level measurements in the area indicate that groundwater is probably flowing towards the northwest, whereas Pigeon Spring is due east of Pigeon Mine, making groundwater impacts from the mine on the spring unlikely. “Unbiased scientific studies such as these provide important information that can be used by decision makers tasked with balancing the demands of national energy independence with the need to protect our natural resources, especially water” said Michael Focazio, coordinator for the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology Programs that supported the study. This study was completed to help answer science questions set forth in the 2012 Record of Decision by then U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar to withdraw over 1 million acres of federal land in the Grand Canyon region from new uranium mining activities for 20 years.  USGS studies are being conducted to better understand the potential impacts of uranium mining activities on cultural, biological and water resources in the area.   Here, Pigeon Spring emerges in Pigeon Canyon just before it merges with Snake Gulch in northern Arizona. (Credit: Donald Bills, USGS. Public domain.) #usgs #news

Maps Made With Light Show the Way: The valley’s beauty makes it a magnet for newcomers, some of them Hollywood and Silicon Valley celebrities. In a bare-earth lidar image, with the land surface portrayed in detail, Stickney saw what no one knew existed: an active seismic fault with the potential to trigger a magnitude 6.5 to 7.5 earthquake. Such a quake would be “devastating,” said Stickney, director of the earthquake studies office at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. “A quake of that magnitude could rupture a dam, flood a nearby town, bring down buildings in Missoula, and destroy homes in the valley where 150,000 people now live.” “People have always thought the area was relatively immune to large earthquakes,” he said. No large quakes have ever been recorded there. “We knew the fault existed, but the best available evidence was that it was not active.” Image showing part of Montana's Bitterroot Valley in an overlay of both high-resolution lidar and satellite data. The Bitterroot River flood plain is in the center, and a scarp of the Bitterroot fault is left of center. Lidar imagery courtesy of Michael Stickney, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology By chance, better seismic evidence came along: a bare-earth lidar map. Lidar, which stands for “light detection and ranging,” is the 21st-century version of George Washington’s surveyor’s compass and chain. Unlike aerial photography, lidar shows not only vegetation and objects on the land’s surface, but the structures beneath. With lidar images, a forester can gauge the yield of a stand of trees. A solar power entrepreneur can estimate the energy reflectance of rooftops. A vehicle designer can improve fuel efficiency with technology that uses elevation data to determine when transmissions should upshift or downshift. A structural engineer can study an aging bridge for signs of potential failure. Missed Opportunities? Lidar mapping is usually done to meet specific needs: private companies conduct data-gathering flights and provide information to business and government clients. Clients’ requests and company practices determine what areas are mapped, how accurately and how often, and how data are analyzed, used, stored, and shared. The result is a crazy quilt that, in 2014, included high-quality lidar coverage of less than one-sixth of the lower 49 States and territories. Those discontinuities severely limit the usefulness of lidar maps to anyone except the original clients. The result is missed economic opportunities, along with chances to protect the American people from earthquakes, floods, landslides, and other hazards. The USGS is tackling the problem. The USGS’ National Geospatial Program is in year one of an 8-year program to create the first publicly available, national 3D elevation map using lidar. Called the 3D Elevation Program or 3DEP, it is a collaboration of Federal agencies, States, territories, local governments, and private industries. 3DEP is systematically collecting lidar data across the country and leveraging existing lidar surveys into a central collection. The program established data quality standards and is now acquiring new lidar data to fill crucial gaps. USGS map showing data collected in FY 2016 by the 3D Elevation Program. This map was updated on June 30, 2016. Radar-based technology (known as “ifsar”) used in Alaska, where weather conditions interfere with lidar flights.  3DEP is expected to produce a tremendous return on an investment of $1 billion over 8 years, with costs shared among the USGS and other Federal agencies, as well as State and local partners. A 2011 national assessment led by the USGS documented more than 600 business uses for 3DEP products. Some applications have the potential to spark new technologies and industries, with economic benefits ranging from $690 million to $13 billion per year. These benefits extend to all 50 States and Puerto Rico. A Pennsylvania utility company expects to save at least $67 million yearly by using lidar mapping to track trees’ encroachment on power lines. A major agricultural consulting firm estimates that lidar-based precision agriculture could save corn and wheat growers $50 million per year in the Red River Valley alone. The discovery of the Bitterroot fault might never have happened if scientists had been unable to share lidar data. Stickney explained that only a Federal initiative will ensure lidar data are available nationwide to help every State identify hazards, assess risks, and inform and protect citizens. Important finds are in the future as 3DEP completes the national lidar data coverage. “Every time we have gotten lidar data for Montana,” Stickney said, “we’ve made new discoveries.” GIF showing an aerial orthophoto of the area around the Pole Creek Fire in Oregon combined with a shaded relief image from lidar. Features that are impossible to identify from airborne imagery become very evident when using lidar. Aerial orthophoto source is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agriculture Imagery Program. Lidar source is USGS. Important finds are in the future as 3DEP completes the national lidar data coverage. “Every time we have gotten lidar data for Montana,” Stickney said, “we’ve made new discoveries.” For more information,  Read more stories about USGS science in action. Click here for the print version.   #usgs #news

EarthView–Wildfires Scorch Pampas Region of Argentina: EarthViews is a continuing series in which we share a USGS Image of the Week featuring the USGS/NASA Landsat program. From the artistry of Earth imagery to natural and human-caused land change over time, check back every Friday to finish your week with a visual flourish! This Landsat 8 view of the Pampas region of Argentina, taken on December 22, 2016, shows initial fire scars. Credit: USGS/NASA Landsat Program. (Public domain.) The EarthView: Wildfires Scorch Pampas Region of Argentina Description: Since mid-December 2016, roughly two dozen wildfires in the Pampas region of Argentina have consumed almost 2.5 million acres while unleashing giant plumes of dense smoke above the rural landscapes. Likely caused by thunderstorms that followed a stretch of severe drought in the winter and spring of 2016, the first fires started southwest of the city of Bahía Blanca. A scene from Landsat 8’s Operational Land Imager (OLI) on December 22, 2016, shows smaller red burn scars from those initial blazes—an area of approximately 100,000 acres. This followup Landsat 8 view of the Pampas region of Argentina, taken on January 7, 2017, shows significantly increased fire scars. Credit: USGS/NASA Landsat Program. (Public domain.) Despite rain in the final days of December, a handful of hot spots persisted, and the fires spread. When it passed overhead on January 7, 2017, OLI captured dramatic imagery of large red burn scars across the landscape of Argentina’s central province of La Pampa, and its southern province of Rio Negro. On January 5, 2017, the International Charter “Space and Major Disasters,” of which USGS is a member, granted Argentina’s request for Charter members’ available satellite data to help in rapidly assessing the extent of damage and determining a disaster response. Hungry for some science, but you don’t have time for a full-course research plate? Then check out USGS Science Snippets, our snack-sized science series that focuses on the fun, weird, and fascinating stories of USGS science. #usgs #news

Groundwater Quality in the West: Examining Basin and Range Basin-Fill Aquifers: The combined Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers rank fourth in the nation as a source of groundwater for public supply, providing about one billion gallons per day for this use. Urban areas within the boundaries of the aquifers include Salt Lake City, Reno, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Scientists tested for a broad range of water-quality characteristics of untreated groundwater in 78 public-supply wells in the Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers. Results show inorganic constituents present at high concentrations, meaning at levels exceeding human health-benchmarks, in about 20 percent of the study area. Human-made organic constituents (both pesticides and volatile organic compounds) were not detected at high concentrations. The study area includes water at the depth used for public supply. The study evaluated untreated drinking water, but compared results to drinking-water quality standards. The full report is available online. Many inorganic constituents occur naturally in groundwater. The inorganic constituents found at high concentrations in this study area include arsenic, fluoride, manganese, molybdenum and uranium. Total dissolved solids, a measure of the amount of salt in groundwater, was also found at high levels in 32 percent of the study area. Concentrations of inorganic constituents can be affected by natural processes as well as by human activities. Results also show one or more inorganic constituents present at moderate concentrations (between half the human-health benchmark and the benchmark concentration) in about 49 percent of the aquifer system. Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment, or NAWQA, Project of the National Water Quality Program assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. Over the last two decades, USGS scientists have assessed water quality in source (untreated) water from 6,600 wells in extensive regional aquifers that supply most of the groundwater pumped for the nation’s drinking water, irrigation and other uses. This comprehensive sampling, along with detailed information on geology, hydrology, geochemistry and chemical and water use, can be used to explain how and why aquifer vulnerability to contamination varies across the nation. Map showing location and summary of water-quality results for five principal aquifers currently available. For more details, please refer to the linked resources in this story. Between 2013 and 2022, NAWQA will continue to assess the quality of the nation’s groundwater by sampling about 2,300 shallow wells and 1,400 deep public-supply wells for a broad range of water-quality constituents. In the future, USGS-led national- and regional-scale modeling will provide a three-dimensional perspective of the quality of the nation’s groundwater that can be used to inform management decisions. More information on USGS regional aquifer assessments can be found in this recent USGS Featured Story.  To learn more, visit these websites: USGS National Summary Circular, Quality of the Nation's Groundwater Quality, 1991-2010 Regional reports on principal aquifers of the U.S. National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project USGS Groundwater Information WaterSMART #usgs #news

Groundwater Quality in the Coastal Lowlands Aquifer System: The Coastal Lowlands aquifer system ranks fourth in the nation as a source of groundwater for public supply and fifth as a source of private domestic supply, providing about one billion gallons per day for this use. The cities of Houston, New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Mobile are included within the boundaries of the aquifer. Scientists tested for a broad range of water-quality characteristics of untreated groundwater in the Coastal Lowlands aquifer. Results show inorganic constituents present at high concentrations, meaning at levels exceeding human-health benchmarks, in about 12 percent of the study area. Human-made organic constituents (both pesticides and volatile organic compounds) were not detected at high levels. The study area includes water at the depth used for public supply. The study evaluated untreated drinking water, but compared results to drinking-water quality standards. The full report is available online. Many inorganic constituents occur naturally in groundwater. The inorganic constituents found at high levels that surpass human-health benchmarks in this study area include arsenic, manganese and the radioactive constituents known as gross alpha activity and radon-222. Total dissolved solids, a measure of the amount of salt in groundwater, was also found at high levels. Concentrations of inorganic constituents can be affected by natural processes as well as by human activities. Results show one or more inorganic constituents present at high concentrations in about 12 percent of the aquifer system and at moderate concentrations (between half the human-health benchmark and the benchmark concentration) in about 18 percent. The scientists evaluated groundwater quality in the Coastal Lowlands aquifer system by sampling 60 public-supply wells distributed across the aquifer. This study area overlying the Coastal Lowlands aquifer system includes 99,000 square miles along the Gulf Coast in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Land use is composed primarily of agricultural (24 percent) and natural (67 percent) land, with a relatively small percentage of urban (9 percent) land. Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment, or NAWQA, Project of the National Water Quality Program assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. Over the last two decades, USGS scientists have assessed water quality in source (untreated) water from 6,600 wells in extensive regional aquifers that supply most of the groundwater pumped for the nation’s drinking water, irrigation and other uses. This comprehensive sampling, along with detailed information on geology, hydrology, geochemistry and chemical and water use, can be used to explain how and why aquifer vulnerability to contamination varies across the nation. Map showing location and summary of water-quality results for five principal aquifers currently available. For more details, please refer to the linked resources in this story. Between 2013 and 2022, NAWQA will continue to assess the quality of the nation’s groundwater by sampling about 2,300 shallow wells and 1,400 deep public-supply wells for a broad range of water-quality constituents. In the future, USGS-led national- and regional-scale modeling will provide a three-dimensional perspective of the quality of the nation’s groundwater that can be used to inform management decisions. More information on USGS regional aquifer assessments can be found in this recent USGS Top Story. To learn more, visit these websites: USGS National Summary Circular, Quality of the Nation's Groundwater Quality, 1991-2010 Regional reports on principal aquifers of the U.S. National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project USGS Groundwater Information WaterSMART #usgs #news

USGS Uses State-of-the-Art Science to Estimate Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Loads in the Klamath Basin: A U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist collects a water sample from the Williamson River below Chiloquin, Oregon. The sample was analyzed as part of a water-quality study the USGS conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Klamath Tribes.(Credit: Chauncey Anderson, USGS. Public domain.) PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Geological Survey has employed state-of-the-art science techniques to estimate phosphorus and suspended-sediment loads to Upper Klamath Lake in the Klamath Basin. Large algal blooms are attributed to high phosphorus concentrations in the lake during the summer causing numerous water-quality problems. The blooms are considered a contributor to survival problems for the endangered Lost River and shortnose suckers, which are culturally significant fish for the Klamath Tribes located near the lake. The proof-of-concept effort shows continuous monitoring data can be used as surrogates to successfully estimate loads of phosphorus and sediment on monthly, daily and hourly time scales in this basin. “Understanding nutrient load dynamics that affect algal growth and decay, as well as water quality in Upper Klamath Lake, is crucial for management of the endangered sucker populations,” said Liam Schenk, USGS hydrologist leading the study. The study, conducted in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, Klamath Basin Area Office and the Klamath Tribes, uses continuously measured data related to the scattering of light from particles suspended in the water. These data are then combined with streamflow data and statistical methods to calculate concentrations and loads of sediment and phosphorus for the two main tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake, the Wood and Williamson rivers. Suspended sediment is an important contributing factor to phosphorus loading because it acts as a transport mechanism for phosphorus from the upper watersheds to the lake. Results from this study highlight the usefulness of surrogate techniques to assess loading to the lake and the ability to report loads and model uncertainties in near real-time. The Oregon Real-time Water Quality page shows a graph with estimated suspended sediment concentrations on the Williamson River computed using this technique. A 2002 Clean Water Act “total maximum daily load” standard for Upper Klamath Lake targeted a 40 percent reduction in external total-phosphorus loads to reduce the dense algal blooms that occur during the summer and fall months. Near real-time monitoring of total phosphorus and suspended sediment on the two main tributaries using these techniques will determine whether the targeted reductions are being reached through the combined effect of restoration projects in the upper Klamath Basin. Long-term datasets will be necessary to assess the trends in nutrient and sediment reductions over time. The application of surrogate techniques described in this report provides a cost-effective tool to measure these trends. Results of the study are available in U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5167. #usgs #news

New Technique Quickly Predicts Salt Marsh Vulnerability: Scientists working on a rapid assessment technique for determining which US coastal salt marshes are most imperiled by erosion were surprised to find that all eight of the Atlantic and Pacific Coast marshes where they field-tested their method are losing ground, and half of them will be gone in 350 years’ time if they don’t recapture some lost terrain.  USGS scientist Zafer Defne measures water and sediment movement at Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey. Photo: Sandra Brosnahan, USGS The US Geological Survey-led research team developed a simple method that land managers can use to assess a coastal salt marsh’s potential to survive environmental challenges. The method, already in use at two national wildlife refuges, uses any one of several remote sensing techniques, such as aerial photography, to gauge how much of an individual marsh is open water and how much of it is covered by marsh plants. By comparing the ratio of ponds, channels and tidal flats to marsh vegetation, land managers can determine which marshes stand the best chance of persisting in the face of changing conditions. This ratio, called the Unvegetated-Vegetated Marsh Ratio or UVVR, is a good surrogate for much more labor-intensive field studies, said oceanographer Neil Ganju of the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. Ganju is the lead author of the study, which was published Jan. 23 in Nature Communications. “Our method does a good job of tracking the main destructive processes in marshes -  the conversion of vegetated areas to open water, and the loss of sediment,” Ganju said. “Together these changes control the long-term fate of the marsh.” Salt marshes worldwide are being lost to sea-level rise, erosion, and land use changes. These marshes protect the coast against storms and erosion, filter pollution, and provide habitat for fish and shellfish. Land managers nationwide want to know which marshes stand the best chance of enduring, so they can concentrate marsh conservation and restoration work where it will be most effective. But making that assessment is normally difficult and costly, the researchers said. To find out whether the UVVR is a good predictor of coastal salt marshes’ fates, the researchers applied it to eight marshes that had already been studied. The sites were portions of Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge and Point Mugu Naval Air Station in California; Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Maine; Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland; Reedy Creek and Dinner Creek at New Jersey’s Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, and Schooner Creek in New Jersey. The researchers wanted to include marshes that seemed fairly stable and ones that seemed unstable. And to test their method, they needed sites where scientists had already done the field studies necessary to develop a detailed local “sediment budget.” “Think of a marsh as similar to a savings account, with sediment as the principal,” Ganju said. “Every new deposit of sediment is like interest added to the principal, and every sediment loss is like money spent. If a marsh is gaining sediment, it can tolerate some withdrawals, and the budget will still be in the black. If it’s losing sediment, that marsh is in the red. Its sediment either gets replenished by natural processes or human intervention, or eventually the principal will all be spent.” All eight marshes’ sediment budgets were “in the red.” And in each case that UVVR result correlated with the sediment budget, confirming that each of those marshes is losing ground. The researchers calculated the likely life spans of all eight marshes. The shortest, at Maryland’s Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, was approximately 83 years, and the New Jersey marshes had life spans ranging from 170 to 350 years. The researchers stressed that these figures are estimates with large margins of error, and don’t necessarily mean that these marshes are doomed – only that they will need infusions of sediment to last longer. “Our results can be used to distinguish marshes that are struggling to survive from more resilient ones,” said co-author Matthew Kirwan, an assistant professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. “That’s important because it will help prioritize restoration work.” Staffers at Massachusetts’ Parker River National Wildlife Refuge are working with members of the research team to identify which marsh units are losing sediment, and at what rates. "This will help us figure out where we can make a difference with restoration techniques. It will also help us determine which areas are beyond restoration," said Refuge Manager Bill Peterson. "This ensures that we're using our limited resources effectively to strengthen and enhance these valuable natural areas." The research paper, “Spatially integrative metrics reveal hidden vulnerability of microtidal salt marshes,” is online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NCOMMS14156. An example of the UVVR mapped over a coastal wetland is at https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/57fe81fbe4b0824b2d148389 A graphic that includes maps of the eight marshes studied and their projected lifespans is available from study author Neil Ganju or public affairs specialist Heather Dewar. (See contact information, above right.)     #usgs #news

Gelfenbaum Selected as New Director of USGS Pacific Marine Studies: Outgoing director, Dr. Robert Rosenbauer (r) congratulating Dr. Guy Gelfenbaum (l) as the new Director of the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center. (Public domain.) “Guy Gelfenbaum comes to the Center Director position from his longtime role as a Research Oceanographer, with a depth and breadth of experience in leadership and scientific research,” said USGS Pacific Regional Director, Mark Sogge. Gelfenbaum has a B.S. in Geology and Geophysics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Washington – Seattle. Gelfenbaum started with the USGS in 1988 as a National Research Council postdoctoral candidate with the Branch of Pacific Marine Geology and has been with the Survey in the Coastal and Marine Geology Program ever since. Gelfenbaum’s research involved the mechanics of sediment transport, and he has applied his expertise toward projects in ecosystem dynamics, coastal and estuarine sediment transport, large-scale coastal change and catastrophic tsunami hazards.  Among his efforts, Guy led USGS’s Coastal Habitats in Puget Sound project, which involved a team of scientists conducting multidisciplinary science to support ecosystem recovery in Puget Sound. He served on the Bureau’s Ecosystems Strategic Science Planning Team and on a number of Pacific Northwest multiagency regional science advisory teams. “I’m excited for the opportunity to help lead this team because I know we have a very talented and hard working staff. I’m confident that we will continue to carry out high quality and relevant science to support the data and information needs of our partners and the public,” said Gelfenbaum. “We are fortunate to have Guy step into this key leadership role. His skills and vision will help assure the continued success of this dynamic science center,” said Sogge.   Guy Gelfenbuam holding a juvenile alligator while doing field work near New Orleans.(Public domain.) Dr. Guy Gelfenbaum, geologist and director of the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center. (Credit: Helen Gibbons, U.S Geological Survey. Public domain.) #usgs #news

Groundwater Quality in Eastern U.S.: These combined carbonate-rock aquifers underlie an area with a population of more than 40 million people in ten states and are an important source of public supply, providing about 195 million gallons per day for this use. Scientists tested for a broad range of water-quality characteristics of untreated groundwater in the Valley and Ridge and Piedmont and Blue Ridge aquifers. Results show inorganic constituents present at high concentrations, meaning at levels exceeding human-health benchmarks, in about 15 percent of the study area. Human-made organic constituents (both pesticides and volatile organic compounds) were not detected at high concentrations. The study area includes water at the depth used for public supply. The study evaluated untreated drinking water, but compared results to drinking-water quality standards. The full report is available online. Many inorganic constituents occur naturally in groundwater. The inorganic constituents found at high levels in this study area include radioactive constituents (specifically gross alpha activity), nitrate, strontium, iron and manganese. Concentrations of inorganic constituents can be affected by natural processes as well as by human activities. Results show one or more inorganic constituents present at high concentrations in about 15 percent of the aquifers and at moderate concentrations (between half the human-health benchmark and the benchmark concentration) in about 17 percent. The scientists evaluated groundwater quality in the Valley and Ridge and Piedmont and Blue Ridge aquifers by sampling 60 spatially distributed public-supply wells in these two aquifers. This study area includes parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. Land use overlying the aquifers is primarily agricultural (35 percent) and urban (17 percent). Water-supply wells in carbonate-rock aquifers such as the Valley and Ridge and Piedmont and Blue Ridge are generally more productive than wells in other rock types, and might be particularly vulnerable to contamination from the land surface. Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment, or NAWQA, Project of the National Water Quality Program assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. Over the last two decades, USGS scientists have assessed water quality in source (untreated) water from 6,600 wells in extensive regional aquifers that supply most of the groundwater pumped for the nation’s drinking water, irrigation and other uses. This comprehensive sampling, along with detailed information on geology, hydrology, geochemistry and chemical and water use, can be used to explain how and why aquifer vulnerability to contamination varies across the nation. Map showing location and summary of water-quality results for five principal aquifers currently available. For more details, please refer to the linked resources in this story. Between 2013 and 2022, NAWQA will continue to assess the quality of the nation’s groundwater by sampling about 2,300 shallow wells and 1,400 deep public-supply wells for a broad range of water-quality constituents. In the future, USGS-led national- and regional-scale modeling will provide a three-dimensional perspective of the quality of the nation’s groundwater that can be used to inform management decisions. More information on USGS regional aquifer assessments can be found in this recent USGS Top Story. To learn more, visit these websites: USGS National Summary Circular, Quality of the Nation's Groundwater Quality, 1991-2010 Regional reports on principal aquifers of the U.S. National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program USGS Groundwater Information WaterSMART #usgs #news

The Quality of the Nation’s Groundwater: Progress on a National Survey: About half of the nation’s population relies on groundwater for drinking water. As the nation’s population grows, the need for high-quality drinking-water supplies becomes even more urgent. One hundred fifteen million people rely on groundwater for drinking water. The USGS has identified 68 principal aquifers, or regionally extensive aquifers that can be used as a source of drinking water, across the nation. Groundwater pumped from these aquifers provides nearly 50 percent of the nation’s drinking water. Twenty of these principal aquifers account for about 75 percent of the nation’s groundwater pumped for public supply and 85 percent of the groundwater pumped for domestic supply. These 20 principal aquifers are being intensively evaluated by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project between 2012 and 2023. Summary results for five principal aquifers are recently completed and now available online. A young girl drinks water, which likely originated from groundwater sources. (Credit: Tammy Zimmerman, USGS. Public domain.) “The National Water-Quality Assessment Project is critical in helping resource managers understand how contaminants are introduced into the environment. This knowledge helps them make informed decisions about how to manage the nation’s water resources,” said Don Cline, USGS Associate Director for Water. “Understanding the quality of our water is critical in sustaining this resource for generations to come.” A Deep Look at an Unseen Resource USGS scientists are assessing water quality in source (untreated) water from wells in principal aquifers. Most consumers receive water that has been treated by local utilities to meet federal drinking-water standards. Understanding what constituents are in untreated water can help decision makers manage and treat water resources.  This comprehensive sampling, carried out over principal aquifers across the country, is focused on public-supply wells that tap deeper groundwater. Along with detailed information on geology, hydrology, geochemistry and chemical and water use, this data can be used to explain how and why aquifer vulnerability to contamination varies across the nation. These regional aquifer studies provide water utilities and resource managers with information about: Regulated and unregulated constituents from natural or human sources Pesticides, pharmaceuticals, hormones and other constituents of concern for human health Understanding present groundwater quality, to be compared with future conditions Regional and national statistics on water quality, as context for individual wells A comparison of water quality in the shallow and deep parts of aquifer systems Environmental tracers that can be used to understand sources and sustainability of groundwater supplies Improving understanding of local, regional and national hydrogeology Map showing location and summary of water-quality results for five principal aquifers currently available. For more details, please refer to the linked resources in this story. New Regional Aquifer Studies In-depth, regional-scale assessments conducted or planned for 2012 through 2023 focus on 20 of the most heavily used aquifers in the nation. Groundwater quality results for principal aquifers sampled in 2012 and 2013 are available today and summarized in the fact sheets below. Almost 400 deep public-supply wells were sampled within these aquifers, which were analyzed for a broad range of water-quality constituents. Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers (western U.S.) Valley and Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers and the Piedmont and Blue Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers (eastern U.S.) Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system (east coast of U.S.) Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system (southeastern U.S.) Coastal Lowlands aquifer system (south central U.S.) Findings One or more inorganic constituents exceeded human-health benchmarks in 4 to 20 percent of samples collected from the five principal aquifers. Organic contaminants were not found at levels of concern. Contaminants from geologic sources – primarily trace elements such as arsenic, fluoride and manganese – were the most common to exceed human-health benchmarks. Radioactive constituents exceeded human-health benchmarks by small percentages – 1 to 3 percent – in all but one (Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers) of the five aquifers studied. The nutrient nitrate was the only constituent from manmade sources that exceeded the human-health benchmark. These findings were in the Valley and Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers and the Piedmont and Blue Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers at a low percentage (2 percent). Understanding how natural features and human activities affect groundwater quality helps to predict how and why aquifer vulnerability to contamination varies across the nation. USGS scientist, Rick Arnold collects groundwater samples to determine water quality. (Credit: Nancy Bauch, USGS. Public domain.) Looking Forward Over the next few years, results will be released for additional principal aquifers that are important sources of drinking water for the nation as the National Water-Quality Assessment Project continues to address three central questions: What is the quality of the nation’s groundwater? Is it getting better or worse? What factors affect the quality of this vital resource? Learn more National Water-Quality Assessment Project USGS Groundwater Information USGS Fact Sheet, NAWQA Groundwater Studies: Principal Aquifer Surveys USGS Data Series, Groundwater quality data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, May 2012 through December 2013 USGS WaterSMART Technical announcements for five aquifers studied: Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers (western U.S.) Valley and Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers and the Piedmont and Blue Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers (eastern U.S.) Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system (east coast of U.S.) Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system (southeastern U.S.) Coastal Lowlands aquifer system (south central U.S.)   USGS scientist tests groundwater samples for water quality. (Credit: Laura Hallberg, USGS. Public domain.) Groundwater samples to be tested for water quality.  (Credit: Laura Hallberg, USGS. Public domain.)   #usgs #news

Groundwater Quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer System: The NACP aquifer system underlies an area with a population of more than 21 million people in six states. The NACP aquifer system ranks seventh in the nation as a source of groundwater for public supply, providing about 800 million gallons per day for this use. The cities of Washington, D.C., New York, Baltimore and Richmond are included within the boundaries of the aquifer. Scientists tested for a broad range of water-quality characteristics of untreated groundwater in the NACP aquifer. Results show inorganic constituents present at high concentrations, meaning at levels exceeding human-health benchmarks, in about 4 percent of the study area. Human-made organic constituents (both pesticides and volatile organic compounds) were not detected at high concentrations. The study area includes water at the depth used for public supply. The study evaluated untreated drinking water, but compared results to drinking-water quality standards. The full report is available online. Many inorganic constituents occur naturally in groundwater. The inorganic constituents that surpass human-health benchmarks in this study area include arsenic, manganese and fluoride (about 4 percent of the study area) and the radioactive constituent gross alpha activity (about 1 percent). Total dissolved solids, a measure of the amount of salt in groundwater, was also found at high levels in 60 percent of the study area. Concentrations of inorganic constituents can be affected by natural processes as well as by human activities. Results also show one or more inorganic constituents present at moderate concentrations (between half the human-health benchmark and the benchmark concentration) in about 21 percent of the study area. The scientists evaluated groundwater quality in the NACP aquifer system by sampling 119 public-supply wells distributed across the system. This study area covers parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Land use overlying the aquifer system is about 62 percent natural, 24 percent agricultural and 14 percent urban. Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment, or NAWQA, Project of the National Water Quality Program assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. Over the last two decades, USGS scientists have assessed water quality in source (untreated) water from 6,600 wells in extensive regional aquifers that supply most of the groundwater pumped for the nation’s drinking water, irrigation and other uses. This comprehensive sampling, along with detailed information on geology, hydrology, geochemistry and chemical and water use, can be used to explain how and why aquifer vulnerability to contamination varies across the nation. Map showing location and summary of water-quality results for five principal aquifers currently available. For more details, please refer to the linked resources in this story. Between 2013 and 2022, NAWQA will continue to assess the quality of the nation’s groundwater by sampling about 2,300 shallow wells and 1,400 deep public-supply wells for a broad range of water-quality constituents. In the future, USGS-led national- and regional-scale modeling will provide a three-dimensional perspective of the quality of the nation’s groundwater that can be used to inform management decisions. More information on USGS regional aquifer assessments can be found in this recent USGS Top Story. To learn more, visit these websites: USGS National Summary Circular, Quality of the Nation's Groundwater Quality, 1991-2010 Regional reports on principal aquifers of the U.S. National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project USGS Groundwater Information WaterSMART #usgs #news