The Streamflow of 2010 — Water Year Summary is a collection of maps, graphs and data that summarize stream flow during the October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010 water year.
Travis Gibson tells about his experience working in the Student Career Experience Program with the USGS Utah Water Science Center and then taking a full time job as a hydrologic technician. Here’s a quote from Travis: ” I loved getting paid to ride in a helicopter and wade in streams in beautiful locations!”
“The Mississippi River Delta is one of the largest and most productive coastal ecosystems in North America. From energy, to fisheries, to navigation, the richness of this ecosystem has sustained the U.S. economy for 300 years. [...] This document presents that evidence, based on a thorough examination of the primary questions people have raised about the future of the Mississippi River Delta.” Quoted from the report.
“In this episode, we are going to investigate more than just the substance “water.” We are going to examine what is in our nations’ water, how we at the U.S. Geological Survey monitor it, and what tools we have developed to aid those who want to explore more about our planet’s most abundant resource.” Quoted from the USGS video release.
Lots of people enter work with USGS as a hydrologic technician, this video goes on the job with Kerry Caslow.
“A typical day for me revolves around collecting accurate data for our cooperators and the public. Duties that I might perform include surface water and water quality field trips; gage maintenance; peak flow data collection; bacteria sample collection and processing; working and checking records; storm and base flow sampling; laboratory cleaning; and much more.”
This time of year in Yosemite National Park sometimes produces a unique phenomenon of illumination. The rays of the sun catch the water of Horsetail Fall at the perfect angle to make it glow like flowing lava.
Sometimes the amount of snow on the ground in a drainage basin is a measure of flood threat. At other times it is a measure of water supply opportunity. Researchers are working to find rapid and accurate ways to estimate the amount of water tied up in drainage basin snow cover.
“Rivers and streams in the United States are releasing substantially more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than previously thought. These findings could change the way scientists model the movement of carbon between land, water, and the atmosphere.” Quoted from the USGS press release.
“Nearly five months after severe flooding struck the region, in September 2011, parts of Pakistan’s Sindh Province remained flooded. In January 2012, patches of standing water occur east of the Indus River. The Rann of Kachchh, a salt marsh, holds far more water than in 2010. Water is, however, receding from flooded areas and shows improvement over previous months.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory website.
“Development can have negative effects on streams in urban and suburban areas. As a watershed becomes covered with pavement, sidewalks, and other types of urban land cover, stream organisms are confronted with an increased volume of storm water runoff, increased exposure to fertilizers and pesticides, and dramatic changes in physical living spaces within the stream itself. In this episode, USGS scientist Jerry McMahon describes two take home messages for managers.” Quoted from the USGS video release.
Faith Fitzpatrick outlines the importance of habitat to the health of streams and shows examples of connecting people to urban streams through rehabilitation efforts across the USA.
“Torrential rain inundated southeastern Brazil in early January 2012, causing severe damage in multiple states. The floods forced thousands from their homes, damaged roads and homes, and broke through a levee in northern Rio de Janeiro State.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
A short article about Josh Latimore who served as a USGS intern in 2009. Now he is a hydrological technician with USGS managing real-time surface water gaging stations.
Water in the Rhine River is at a very low level from an extended drought. This exposed two huge bombs that have been in the river since World War II. Experts are disposing of the bombs while thousands of local residents have been evacuated.
Pumps and sandbags are protecting the city of Bangkok, Thailand from rising floodwaters north of the city. Unfortunately, rising water is expected to overtop some of the sandbag levees and flood portions of the city.
This time-lapse video shows the draining of the Condit Dam in southeastern Washington. The dam is 125-feet high and has thick sediment deposits behind it. The water erupting from the hole in the dam appears black in color from suspended sediments. Time-lapse views behind the dam show sediments slumping and flowing as the water level declines.
The Chao Phraya River is flooding and portions of Bangkok have below-sea-level elevations. Evacuation orders have been issued for residents of the Don Muang and Bang Phlat districts and thousands of people are now leaving the city.
Researchers have found that streams in the United States contain significant amounts of carbon and that streams play a more important role in the carbon cycle than previously believed.
“Unusually heavy monsoon rains inundated southern Pakistan in the summer of 2011, submerging fields and forcing residents from their homes. On September 29, 2011, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 5.44 million people had been affected, 1.8 million residents had been displaced, and 2.1 million acres of cropland had been damaged.” Quoted from the NASA image release.
Myanmar suspended construction of a $3 billion dam on the Irrawaddy River because it would cause environmental and social damage. The dam was to provide electricity to China.
“After years of planning for the largest project of its kind, the Department of the Interior will begin the removal of two dams on the Elwha River, Washington, in September 2011.” Quoted from the USGS news release.
The high price of gold has turned prospecting into a hobby, a part-time job and a retirement occupation for many people. This video visits some locations in Washington state where prospecting and related activities have attracted the new gold bugs.
The Susquehanna River has been rising in response to very heavy rain. People living along the Susquehanna have been ordered to evacuate in New York and Pennsylvania.
Heavy rain has many streams at record levels in the northeastern United States. Check real-time water levels and view maps of stream level measurements at the USGS WaterWatch website.
The European Space Agency has released a nice image of a stream-built delta located in the Eberswalde Crater that formed when the crater was occupied by a lake. Link to the image.
A “crevasse splay” is a small delta-like accumulation of sediment that forms perpendicular to a river that is produced when the river overflows its banks. The Army Corps of Engineers is trying to make artificial crevasse splays to create new land along the lower Mississippi River.
“Rivers and streams are reaching record levels as a result of Hurricane Irene’s rainfall, with more than 80 U.S. Geological Survey streamgages measuring record peaks.” Quoted from the USGS news release.
“Although hurricanes often call to mind raging winds and toppling trees, some of the worst destruction caused by these storms comes in the form of rain. Hurricane Irene, which roared up the U.S. East Coast in late August 2011, was no exception. Flooding was reported from North Carolina’s Outer Banks to New England.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
The USGS WaterWatch website posts updated maps of streamflow and flood conditions based upon automatically collected measurements from thousands of stream gaging stations across the United States.
During four years of testing it was found that one-fifth of 2000 water samples taken from the Hudson River between Albany and New York City indicated the the river was unsuitable for recreational activities and swimming.
Lake Powell is a reservoir on the Colorado River that was produced by the flooding of Glen Canyon. It is used as a water supply source for many areas in Arizona, California and Nevada. After ten years of drought the lake has risen rapidly in response to unusual amounts of water flow into the lake during June and July
“Despite efforts to reduce nitrate levels in the Mississippi River Basin, concentrations and transport at eight major study sites did not consistently decline from 1980-2008. These results are based on a new scientific model developed by the USGS that takes into account variation in river flows in order to gain an accurate understanding of long term trends.” Quoted from the USGS press release.
“At the beginning of August 2011, flood waters were receding along the Missouri River in eastern Nebraska, but only slowly. [...] Along the length of the Missouri River in these scenes, muddy water both fills the river channel and rests on floodplains, including croplands, to the east and west.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
Homeowner’s insurance generally does not cover damage that results from a flood, however, flood insurance can be obtained from the National Flood Insurance Program. Their website has a number of videos that answer the question… “Why buy flood insurance?”
The National Map is a suite of products and services that provide access to base geospatial information to describe the landscape of the United States and
its territories.
These include a collection of data products that define the Nation’s topography, natural landscape, and manmade environment which can be used in geographic information systems and other geospatial programs. Most of these are easily available for free public use.
“Flash floods are the #1 weather-related killer in the U.S. since they can roll boulders, tear out trees, and destroy buildings and bridges. A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas in less than six hours, which is caused by intense rainfall from a thunderstorm or several thunderstorms. Flash floods can also occur from the collapse of a man-made structure or ice dam.” Quoted from the FloodSmart.gov website.
The United States Geological SurveyWater Quality Watch program has a website where you can view real-time data for water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrates and discharge for streams located throughout the United States.
The chemistry of some streams can change rapidly in response to major rain events, snow melt or reservoir releases.
Stream stages in the United States show two distinct zones: 1) the south and southeast where drought conditions have many streams flowing at near record low levels and the northwest where rains have many streams flowing at above normal rates.
In many parts of Europe communities depend upon glacial meltwater to supply their summer water needs. With most glaciers in rapid retreat these necessary water supplies are threatened.
“In mid-July 2011, more than a month after the Missouri River broke through two levees and flooded fields near Hamburg, Iowa, muddy water lingered near the city. Throughout that period, a newly built levee spared the town itself from flooding.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
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