USGS Newsroom

Groundwater Pumping May Continue to Reduce the Streamflow of the Verde River, Arizona

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 9 Apr 2013 16:00:00 EDT

Reporters: Study results will be presented at a public meeting hosted by the Verde River Basin Partnership on Thursday, April 11, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Camp Verde Multi-Use Complex Auditorium. Please contact Jennifer LaVista to reserve a seat.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. —The streamflow of the Verde River—one of Arizona's largest streams with year-round flow—declined from 1910 to 2005 as the result of human stresses, primarily groundwater pumping, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study. The study's findings suggest that streamflow reductions will continue and may increase in the future.

Water demands in the Verde Valley have increased because of the growing population in the area. Water is pumped from the ground and diverted from the Verde River to meet these needs, which has raised concerns about past, present, and future human-induced stresses on water resources.

"The results of the study emphasize our basic understanding of hydrologic systems, which is that when water is removed by being pumped through wells, it is no longer available in other parts of the system," said USGS hydrologist Bradley Garner. "This study is important because it allows us to examine human-caused stresses, namely groundwater pumping, independently from other factors that change over time, such as annual precipitation rates."

The study used the Northern Arizona Regional Groundwater Flow Model to estimate how human stresses on the hydrologic system in and around the Verde Valley affected streamflow in the Verde River from 1910 to 2005. Future conditions were also examined using three hypothetical human-stress conditions for 2005 to 2110. The computer model used by the study simulates how recharge from rainfall and snowmelt moves through the region"s aquifers and eventually provides water to streams and rivers. The full report and an accompanying USGS Fact Sheet are available online.

"Groundwater flow models provide a sophisticated tool to help communities responsibly manage, develop, and use their groundwater resources," said William M. Alley, Ph.D., Director of Science and Technology for the National Ground Water Association. "Studies that quantify movement of water between groundwater and surface water systems can help in establishing a scientific basis for new management strategies."

Like many regions in the West, the population of the Verde Valley is growing rapidly. Between 2000 and 2010, Verde Valley grew by 13 percent. Verde Valley municipalities such as Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, and Sedona pump groundwater to meet the needs of a growing population. In Arizona, groundwater provides about 43 percent of the State’s water supply.

Groundwater pumping has the potential to reduce flows to streams and rivers that are hydrologically connected to the underlying aquifers. Through a process known as capture, groundwater pumping can intercept groundwater that would otherwise have flowed to connected streams or draws flows from streams into the aquifer. For this reason, questions have been raised about the effects of groundwater pumping on the Verde River, which provides wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.

Lake Mead Aquatic-Science Research Documents Substantial Improvements in Ecosystem

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:41:09 EDT

Additional Partnerships: University of Nevada, Reno and University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Additional Contacts: Dan Balduini, USFWS, 702-515-5480, daniel_balduini@fws.gov and Peter Soeth, Reclamation, 303-445-3615, psoeth@usbr.gov

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Lake Mead National Recreation Area's water quality is good, the sport fish populations are sufficient, and the lakes provide important habitat for an increasing number of birds. This positive trend is documented in a new report published today that leads to a better understanding of the natural resources of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, and the issues that may affect natural resource management of Lake Mead NRA.

"While the Lake Mead ecosystem is generally healthy and robust, the minor problems documented in the report are all being addressed by the appropriate agencies, and are showing substantial improvement since the mid 1990's," said U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist, Michael Rosen, the lead scientist for the report. "This is thanks to proactive enhancements to wastewater treatment facilities for the Las Vegas Metropolitan area, the installation of wetlands in Las Vegas Wash, and the treatment of legacy pollutants from industrial areas near Las Vegas Wash."

Lake Mead provides significant benefits that have contributed to the modern development of the southwestern United States. The lake provides important aquatic habitat for a wide variety of wildlife including endangered species, and a diversity of world-class water-based recreational opportunities for more than 8 million visitors annually. It supplies critical storage of water supplies for more than 25 million people in three western states (California, Arizona, and Nevada). Storage within Lake Mead supplies drinking water and provides for the generation of hydropower to deliver electricity for major cities including Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Tucson, and San Diego. It also provides water for irrigation of more than 2.5 million acres (almost 4000 square miles or more than twice the size of the state of Delaware) of croplands.

Major findings detailed in the report include the following:

Basic water-quality parameters are within good ranges of Nevada and Arizona standards and EPA lake criteria. Potential problems with nutrient balance, algae, and dissolved oxygen can occur at times and in some areas of Lake Mead. The Lake Mead-wide scope of monitoring provides a solid baseline to characterize water quality now and in the future.
Legacy contaminants are declining due to regulations and mitigation efforts in Las Vegas Wash. Emerging contaminants, including endocrine disrupting compounds, are present in low concentrations. While emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, or plasticizers have been documented to cause a number of health effects to individual fish, they are not seen at concentrations currently known to pose a threat to human health. In comparison to other reservoirs studied by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lake Mead is well within the highest or 'good' category for recreation and aquatic health.
Lake Mead and Lake Mohave continue to provide habitat conditions that support a rich diversity of species within the water, along shorelines, and in adjacent drainage areas, including organisms that are both native and non-native to the Colorado River drainage.
Sport fish populations appear stable and have reached a balance with reservoir operations over the past 20 years and are sufficient to support important recreational fishing opportunities. Native fish populations within Lake Mohave are declining, but the small native fish populations in Lake Mead are, stable without any artificial replenishment.
Lake Mead and Lake Mohave provide important migration and wintering habitat for birds. Trends include increasing numbers of wintering bald eagles and nesting peregrine falcons. Lake Mead water-level fluctuations have produced a variety of shorebird habitats, but songbird habitats are limited. Although some contaminants have been documented in birds and eggs in Las Vegas Wash, mitigation efforts are making a positive change.
Invasive quagga mussels have become the dominant lake-bottom organism and are a significant threat to the ecosystems of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave because they have potential to alter water quality and food-web dynamics. Although they increase water clarity, they can degrade recreational settings.
Climate models developed for the Colorado River watershed indicate a high probability for longer periods of reduced snowpack and therefore water availability for the Lake Mead in the future. Federal, state and local agencies, and individuals and organizations interested the future of the water supply and demand imbalance are working together to examine strategies to mitigate future conditions.

The report was prepared cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Southern Nevada Water Authority, BIO-WEST, University of Nevada, Reno, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The full report, USGS Circular 1381, "A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave," is available online.

Note to editors: B-roll available from USGS upon request.

Lidar Yields New Insights into Desert Fire Ecologies

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EDT

MENLO PARK, Calif. —New insights into the differences between fire ecologies of the Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts in the southwestern United States are coming through the use of terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging, or lidar, technology. Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey show that while fire is detrimental to some areas of the desert, it is beneficial to others.

“Just as some ecosystems require periodic flooding for their rebirth and health maintenance, this new lidar information shows that some grasslands depend on periodic fires to give the native vegetation a competitive advantage," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "This new science is important in informing management because the natural human tendency is to suppress hazardous events like floods and fires.”

Scientists used terrestrial or ground-based lidar to study the soil and vegetation characteristics of two desert ecosystems. In the Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico, historically a grassland, they confirmed that fire can prevent the incursion of invasive shrub vegetation, while in parts of the Mojave Desert that are historically covered in shrubs, they showed that fire can harm the fertile shrub mounds, leading to loss of vegetation and increased erosion.

“Fire can hinder conservation in areas naturally covered by shrubland, but may help remove shrubs and restore native vegetation in areas naturally covered by grasslands,” said USGS geographer Chris Soulard. “These research studies are collaborative efforts aimed at building a long-term, ecosystem specific understanding of the ecological effects of fire and the possible beneficial roles of fire in land management.”

Terrestrial lidar uses lasers typically mounted on tripods to generate high-resolution, three-dimensional models of the sampled area. The level of detail is higher than in aerial lidar, aerial photography, or satellite imaging and T-lidar scanning instruments are easier and faster to deploy.

The Chihuahuan Desert study area was in the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge of New Mexico, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In spring 2007, sample plots were burned, clipped, or left undisturbed, and in the summer of 2011 terrestrial lidar was used to measure soil and vegetation characteristics. In their burn experiments, a team of scientists including Joel Sankey of the USGS and Sujith Ravi with the University of Arizona, observed shrub-vegetated areas disappearing and the formation of numerous, small grass-dominated areas indicating the progression of the system towards a state more characteristic of the native grasslands found in this area.

Woody plant encroachment can degrade desert grasslands, leading to areas of shrub vegetation surrounded by patches of nutrient-depleted bare soil. “The results of our Chihuahuan Desert study suggest that fire (prescribed, accidental, or natural) might reverse the shrub encroachment process, if it occurs in the early stages of vegetation shift,” said Sankey, a USGS research physical scientist. “This may inform the use and role of fire in the context of changing disturbance regimes and climate.”

The Mojave Desert project study area was in Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona. Prescribed fires were set in 1998, and in 2009 T-lidar data was collected on both burned and unburned sample plots by a team of USGS scientists. The recovering vegetation in the burned sites had smaller dimensions, which exposed the soil mounds to erosion. Consequently, post-fire erosion led to the reduction in the soil mound volume and surface roughness in these sites. Soil surface changes alter physical and nutrient conditions that promote shrub health, and lead to decreased chances of seed germination and decreased ability to retain water.

For more information, see the full journal articles. The Chihuahuan Desert study, “Quantifying soil surface change in degraded drylands: shrub encroachment and effects of fire and vegetation removal in a desert grassland”, was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research and is authored by J.B. Sankey, S. Ravi, C.S.A. Wallace, R.H. Webb, and T.E. Huxman. The Mojave Desert study, “The role of fire on soil mounds and surface roughness in the Mojave Desert” was published in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms and is authored by Chris Soulard, Todd Esque, Dave Bedford, and Sandra Bond.

Project to Support Future Global Food Security Enhanced by Major NASA Grant

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:23:44 EDT

A $3.5 million dollar, 5-year grant from the NASA program: Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs), was recently awarded to a U.S. Geological Survey led, multi-agency team of scientists studying future global food security.

The proposal, "Global Cropland Area Database (GCAD30) through Landsat and MODIS Data Fusion for the Years 2010 and 1990 and Its Dynamics Over Four Decades using AVHRR and MODIS", was one of 27 awardees, and was developed as a product from a USGS-supported John Wesley Powell Center for Earth System Science Analysis and Synthesis Working Group, Global Croplands and Their Water Use for Food Security in the 21^st Century.

"The trends in land use to feed a growing global population derived from this landmark effort will inform critical studies in planetary sustainability, such as the availability of fresh water and fertile soil, and the effects of increasingly intense cultivation on essential carbon and nitrogen cycles," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "It is through the unbiased eye of these satellites that we see how a myriad of independent local decisions can sum up to major global impact."

The main goal of this project is to produce consistent and unbiased estimates of global agricultural cropland areas, types, watering method, and intensities using multi-sensor Earth Observation Data from satellites and mature cropland mapping algorithms. The project will create a Global Cropland Area Database, consisting of four distinct products. The series will include cropland extent\area, crop type, irrigated versus rainfed crops, and cropping intensity.

"The data and products will make a significant contribution towards addressing global water and food security in the 21^st century, taking into consideration complexities of ballooning populations, greater nutritional demands from the expanding economies, and virtual water and food trade of modern, globally inter-linked economies," said Dr. Prasad Thenkabail, the project's principal investigator.

"We are thrilled to see this kind of product from the USGS Powell Center; it is a shining example of how multidisciplinary synthesis efforts can advance the state of the science," said Jill Baron, Powell Center Co-Director.

Team members are listed on the Current Projects site.

Volcanism in the American Southwest

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EDT

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Experts in volcano hazards and public safety have started a conversation about volcanoes in the southwestern United States, and how best to prepare for future activity. Prior to this meeting, emergency response planning for volcanic unrest in the region had received little attention by federal or state agencies.

Though volcanic eruptions are comparatively rare in the American Southwest, the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah host geologically-recent volcanic eruption deposits and are vulnerable to future volcanic activity. Compared with other parts of the western U.S., comparatively little research has been focused on this area, and eruption probabilities are poorly understood.

“A volcanic eruption in the American southwest is an example of a low-probability, but high-impact event for which we should be prepared to respond,” said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. “No one wants to be exchanging business cards during an emergency, and thus a small investment in advance planning could pay off in personal relationships and coordination between scientists and first responders.”

"The goal of the conference is to increase awareness of volcanism and vulnerabilities in the American Southwest, and to begin coordination among volcano scientists, land managers, and emergency responders regarding future volcanic activity," said Dr. Jacob Lowenstern, one of the organizers of the conference, and the U.S. Geological Survey Scientist-In-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. "This is the first time these federal, state, and local agencies have met to discuss their roles, responsibilities, and resources, should an eruption occur."

The "Volcanism in the American Southwest" conference on Oct. 18-19 in Flagstaff, Ariz. was organized by the USGS, Northern Arizona University, University at Buffalo, and New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, the meeting included interdisciplinary talks, posters, and panel discussions, providing an opportunity for volcanologists, land managers, and emergency responders to meet, converse, and begin to plan protocols for any future volcanic activity.

More information about the meeting, including presentation abstracts, is online.

Modeling Predicts Excessive Nitrate and Arsenic in Southwestern U.S. Aquifers

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EDT

Modeling results from the U.S. Geological Survey indicate that groundwater in basin-fill aquifers (sediment-filled valleys) beneath about 2.4 percent of the area in the southwestern U.S. may equal or exceed the drinking-water standard for nitrate, and groundwater beneath about 43 percent of the area may equal or exceed the standard for arsenic. These aquifers are an important resource, providing about 40 percent of the water used in that region. While several compounds occur in groundwater from these aquifers, nitrate and arsenic are among those most frequently found to exceed drinking-water standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for protection of human health.

While public water supplies are treated to ensure that water reaching the tap of households meets federal requirements, there are no such requirements for private supplies. The results highlight the importance of private well owners testing and potentially treating their water. All of the contaminants identified in the aquifers can be reduced or eliminated through a variety of treatments.

"The alluvial basins of the American Southwest can provide a valuable water resource to growing populations who often lack other sources of fresh water," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "However, the results of this modeling study raise a cautionary flag for private well owners of the need to test water to ensure its safety and to take action to remediate any contamination that is found."

Areas where nitrate concentrations are predicted to equal or exceed the EPA drinking-water standard (10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen) occur in several basins in central Arizona near Phoenix; the southern part of California’s Central Valley; as well as several basins near Los Angeles along the southern coast; and the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado.

Much of the area where arsenic concentrations are predicted to equal or exceed the drinking-water standard (10 micrograms per liter) is within several basins in parts of southwestern Arizona, southeastern California, western Nevada, and western Utah. Most of the area with predicted high arsenic concentrations is in sparsely populated rangeland, whereas most of the area with predicted high nitrate concentrations occurs where agricultural or urban communities are located.

The USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program study, which included parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, applied a statistical modeling approach that extrapolates nitrate and arsenic occurrence from areas where concentrations are known, to other areas where such data are unavailable. The extrapolation is based on nitrate and arsenic analyses from well-water samples collected from 1980 to 2010, and a wide variety of hydrologic, geologic, climatic, soil, land use, water use, agricultural, and biotic conditions that local-scale geochemical studies have found to be relevant to nitrate or arsenic occurrence in groundwater.

Results from this study are available online.

Stephen Jackson to Lead Southwest Climate Science Center

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EDT

TUCSON, Ariz. — Dr. Stephen Jackson has been selected as the center director for the U.S. Department of the Interior Southwest Climate Science Center, headquartered at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The center is one of eight regional Climate Science Centers established and managed by the U.S. Geological Survey, to provide federal, state and local land managers access to the best science available on climate change and other landscape-scale stressors of the nation's natural and cultural resources. In addition to the University of Arizona, partners of the Southwest Climate Science Center include the University of California, Davis and UCLA; the University of Colorado; the Desert Research Institute (Nevada) and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego.

Jackson comes to the center from the University of Wyoming, where he is a professor of botany and founding director of the doctoral program in ecology. He will assume his new post September 10.

"Our natural environment is responding to changing climate in a myriad of ways as reflected in water availability, fire frequency, rising seas, altered plant and animal communities, and storm intensity," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Under the leadership of Stephen Jackson, the USGS has every expectation that the Southwest Climate Science Center will achieve its goal of providing science information and tools to allow resource managers and citizens alike to anticipate, measure, and appropriately adapt to these changing conditions on the local and regional scale, where decisions matter most to communities at risk," McNutt said.

Before joining the University of Wyoming in 1995, Jackson held faculty positions at Indiana University, Idaho State University, and Northern Arizona University. He is past president (2010-2012) of the American Quaternary Association and is on the governing board of the Ecological Society of America and the editorial boards for Ecosystems, Frontiers in Ecology & Environment, and Trends in Ecology and Evolution. His own research employs tree-rings, fossil rodent-middens, and sediments from lakes and bogs to investigate how past climatic changes and human activities have affected species distributions, biodiversity, and ecosystem properties.

"Steve is an exceptional scholar in the area of understanding how climate variability and change affects vegetation and other resources," said Jonathan Overpeck, co-director of the University of Arizona's Institute of the Environment, professor of geosciences and atmospheric sciences, and lead investigator for the new center. "Steve will bring top-notch science capability to the Southwest and also a keen desire to ensure that resource managers have the science they need to do their jobs."

Jackson received his Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Indiana University and his B.A. and M.S. in botany and geology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

President Obama Honors Justin Hagerty for Helping to Explain the Formation and Evolution of the Moon

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:15:58 EDT

USGS scientist Justin Hagerty was one of the 2012 recipients of the President's Early Career Award for Science and Engineering.

Dr. Justin Hagerty, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, was named one of President Obama's recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

Hagerty, an accomplished research geologist, studied the formation of the Moon and discovered the answer to a long-standing riddle of the Moon’s early history. His use of chemical tracers and remote sensing data allowed him to discover why certain elements are concentrated in some areas and not in others, a puzzle which had complicated the primary theory of how the Moon came to be.

"Discoveries in science and technology not only strengthen our economy, they inspire us as a people." President Obama said. "The impressive accomplishments of today’s awardees so early in their careers promise even greater advances in the years ahead."

The Presidential early career awards embody the high priority the Obama Administration places on producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance the Nation's goals, tackle grand challenges, and contribute to the American economy.

"It is a tremendous and highly unexpected honor to receive such a prestigious award, and I am very grateful for all of the opportunities and support I have received throughout my career, particularly at the USGS," said Hagerty. "Because my research is based on combining data from a variety of disciplines, I have had the opportunity to work with many talented colleagues from varied backgrounds who have helped to shape my career."

"The USGS traces its program in astrogeology back nearly 50 years to the Nation's need to train astronauts destined for the Moon in lunar geology," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "The President's recognition of Justin Hagerty for his contributions to explaining long-standing paradoxes concerning the early evolution of the only extraterrestrial body to which man has yet ventured is one of the highest honors yet for this exceptional program."

The commonly accepted theory of how the Moon formed hypothesized that a Mars-sized planetary body collided with a proto-Earth. This massive collision led to the creation of the Moon and the Earth as we know them today. However, one major issue with this theory is that, based on models of such a collision, there should be an even, global distribution of certain elements like potassium, uranium, thorium, and the rare earth elements.

Instead, these elements are mostly concentrated in the hemisphere of the Moon that faces the Earth. To learn why, Hagerty studied expanses of geologic materials on the far side of the Moon called basalt ponds.

Lunar basalts are much like basalts on the Earth in that they are a product of melting the mantle, which is the area between the crust and the core of the Moon. Given this information, it is possible to use compositional data derived from the basalts to learn about the composition of the lunar interior. Much focus has been placed on basalts on the near side of the Moon, primarily because the Apollo missions only returned samples from that part of the lunar surface. However, it is now possible (and necessary) to use a combination of lunar sample analysis and remote sensing observations to investigate materials on the lunar far side, thus giving us a global context.

His research shows that another major impact event on the Moon, now known as the South Pole-Aitken Basin, greatly disrupted the early formation of the Moon, resulting in the migration and eventual concentration of these elements to the side of the Moon that faces the Earth.

"I have also used the methodology of combining sample and remote sensing data to investigate other unresolved issues in lunar science," added Hagerty. "In particular, I worked with several colleagues to establish the existence of silicic volcanic domes on the Moon."

It was previously thought that silicic volcanoes, which erupt silica-rich materials like quartz, instead of the more common basalts, were not possible on the Moon. To explain the origin of these features, Hagerty developed a new model for how such features could be produced in the unique lunar environment. This model demonstrates that silicic lunar volcanoes can be produced quite easily and likely comprise a much larger portion of the lunar crust than was thought. These results have important implications for crustal formation models and calculations of the bulk composition of the Moon.

Hagerty's results are critical to understanding the early history and evolution of our closest celestial neighbor.

"Prior to graduate school, I, like many people, had assumed that the Moon was a dull, lifeless body," said Hagerty. "However, after having the opportunity to learn from experts in lunar science and to examine lunar sample and remote sensing data myself, it quickly became apparent that the Moon is an extraordinary planetary body and that we have only scratched the surface of truly understanding how the Moon formed and evolved. To have an opportunity to play a role in shaping our cumulative knowledge of the Moon is a humbling experience."

Hagerty is currently the curator of the USGS Meteor Crater Sample Collection, as well as the Chair of NASA's Regional Planetary Image Facility Network.

The USGS Meteor Crater Sample Collection is an ongoing project funded by NASA that analyzes drill samples from Meteor Crater and makes the samples available to the planetary science community. The NASA Regional Planetary Image Facility Network is an international system of planetary data libraries that maintains a wide range of data products from NASA planetary missions including photographs, maps, films, engineering plans, and historical documents and artifacts. The overriding mission of the Network is to make these materials available to the public.

Hagerty earned his Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, in 2004; his M.S. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, in 2001, and his B.S. in Earth and Planetary Sciences, with Honors, from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, in 1998. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the Los Alamos National Laboratory from 2004-2007, where he studied lunar geochemistry.

Hagerty came to the USGS in 2007, joining the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. He has been the principal investigator on eight NASA studies and collaborated on an additional four studies. His research has examined not only lunar geochemistry, but also lunar mapping, asteroid mapping, and impact cratering.

Hagerty’s official citation from the Award reads:

Department of Interior/US Geological Survey
Justin J. Hagerty
U.S. Geological Survey

For cutting edge research fusing remote-sensing data of the Moon with laboratory measurements to establish a new coherent model of the lunar crust and mantle and for leadership and service contributions for an international network of 17 Regional Planetary Image Facilities.

The Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers was established by President Clinton in 1996, and are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. Awardees are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach.

Responding to Whitewater-Baldy Fire, USGS Installs Early Flood Warning Network

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 5 Jul 2012 14:05:18 EDT

TUCSON, Ariz. —On Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey finished installing six early-flood-warning units—rain and stream gages—in the burned areas of New Mexico’s Whitewater-Baldy Fire. The gages transmit data via satellite to the National Weather Service, which provides warnings to communities that may be affected by flooding. The gages can provide up to 60 minutes advance warning of impending floods.

“The tragedy of fire does not end when the flames are extinguished, but extends for years until new growth can re-establish flood control that protects communities when all-too-common copious rain events happen in the Southwest,” said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. “The USGS and our partners are installing extra monitoring to help warn communities at risk downslope of the burned regions to help save lives and property.”

The Whitewater-Baldy Fire was started by lightning and burned about 300,000 acres of the Gila National Forest, making it the largest fire in New Mexico’s history.

Now that the fire is largely contained, attention has shifted to preparing for post-fire flooding with the onset of monsoon season. Communities downstream from burned watersheds are at risk of flash flooding and debris flows because of the loss of vegetation and the burned soil’s reduced ability to absorb water.

USGS scientists installed rain gages at Mogollon Baldy Lookout and Hummingbird Saddle in the Gila Wilderness Area. Additional rain gages and two streamflow gages were installed at Bear Wallow Lookout, Sheridan Corral, Whitewater Creek, and Mineral Creek. All of the units are in the upper portions of the affected watersheds to maximize the time available to emergency managers.

As the new gages became operational throughout the week, data were made available from USGS websites.

“People in the community are really excited to get the gage data on their home computers so that they can track the situation independently and make decisions,” said Al Koff, Whitewater-Baldy Fire Burned Area Emergency Response Team Public Information Officer. “We have appreciated USGS’s expertise and how quickly they were able to get the monitoring network in place.”

On Friday, July 6, the USGS and U.S. Forest Service will host a community workshop in Glenwood, New Mexico, to show residents how to access the data provided by the new gages and answer questions about the alert system. The workshop will be held at the Glenwood Community Center and will begin at 6:00 p.m.

The installation of the early warning gages was a cooperative effort by local, state, and federal agencies to ensure that emergency managers have the critical information they need to help the residents located downstream of the fire protect themselves and their homes from potential flooding.

“Getting the gages installed in less than a week was truly a team effort. We could not have installed the gages without the funding provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security Emergency Management,” said Christopher Smith, the Deputy Director of the USGS Arizona Water Science Center and the project’s team leader. “On the ground, the U.S. Forest Service was outstanding, providing helicopter and logistical support that was essential to getting the job done.”

Not only do the gages provide advance warning of flooding, but they collect important data that will allow scientists and emergency managers to evaluate the increased risk of flooding resulting from the burned areas within watersheds. Gage data can also be used to determine the rate of a watershed’s recovery.

In addition to the funding provided by NRCS and the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security, other partners include the U.S. Forest Service; Catron County, New Mexico; and the New Mexico State Division of Forestry.

The USGS Arizona Water Science Center and USGS New Mexico Water Science Center will make the data from the new gages available.

USGS’s WaterAlert service sends email or text messages to notify users when waters are rising in nearby rivers and streams. The service allows users to receive notifications about water levels at any of over 4,600 USGS real-time streamgages around the country. There is no cost to users for this notification service.

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Exploring Extraterrestrial Sand Dunes in Arizona

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:10:24 EDT

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Experts from across the United States, Europe, Australia, and Israel will meet this week to discuss sand dunes on Earth and other planets. Convened by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Center for Astrogeology, scientists and university students will discuss the latest findings about dunes across the solar system from spacecraft observations, theoretical modeling, and analogies to sand dunes on Earth. Presentations will describe sand dunes on Earth, Venus, and Mars, formed from rock fragments similar to sand dunes on our planet, and exotic dunes on Saturn's moon Titan that are thought to be made up of hydrocarbons – possibly with grains of water ice.

Understanding the characteristics of sand dune formations, and their mechanisms of formation and movement, no matter where they are in the solar system, can give scientists insight into the complex behavior of active sand dune fields encroaching Earth-bound communities, and lead to promising solutions for those whose lives are adversely affected by dunes.

The USGS Center for Astrogeology co-organized the Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop, entitled "Remote Sensing and Data Analysis of Planetary Dunes", June 12 -15, which will be hosted by Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.

Presentations from USGS scientists at the workshop will focus on a variety of topics. Conference co-convener Tim Titus and his co-authors will discuss the thermal behavior of sand dunes near Flagstaff and the composition of Martian dunes. Rose Hayward and others will describe a global inventory of Martian dunes. Paul Geissler and co-authors will present recent observations of sand dune motion on Mars. David Rubin and Amy Draut will discuss the effects of multi-directional winds on dune size and shape and the influence of water-born sand supply on dunes deposited, shaped, and moved by the wind.

The workshop schedule includes a day for field studies of fossil sand dunes in northern Arizona and a trip to a nearby active dune field. Rubin and Draut will lead the field trip to fossil dune deposits exposed in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and on the Navajo Reservation. The ancient sand dunes, hundreds of millions of years old, and now turned to solid stone, record a geologic history that sheds light on planetary processes at work across the solar system. USGS scientists Margaret Hiza, Rian Bogle, and John Vogel will lead the post-workshop field trip to the active dune field on the Navajo Reservation, and talk about their research into how and why the dunes are forming and moving, and the dunes’ effects on the lives and economic well-being of the local residents.

Laszlo Kestay Named Director of Astrogeology Science Center

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 21 May 2012 9:20:34 EDT

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Laszlo Kestay has been named the new director of the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center, based in Flagstaff, Ariz. Kestay will lead the Astrogeology team in working closely with NASA and other planetary science organizations to develop and operate space missions exploring the Solar System, process and analyze data from many types of instruments from solar-system missions, produce and archive precision cartographic products, and conduct cutting-edge science.

Kestay begins his new position May 20. Since 2003, he has been a research geologist at the Astrogeology Science Center, where he has served in a variety of capacities including associate director for both science and for technical operations.

"Dr. Kestay's experience with both planetary missions and with Earth processes that are analogues to those found on extraterrestrial bodies that are targets for solar system exploration make him a superior choice to lead the USGS Astrogeology Science Center," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt.

"He brings excellence, credibility, and experience to the leadership of a laboratory that has consistently delivered exciting new scientific discoveries from beyond the confines of our own home planet."

After receiving bachelor's degrees summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin in mathematics and geophysics, Kestay earned a master's degree in planetary sciences and a Ph.D. in geology from the California Institute of Technology. He was concurrently a research associate with the Hawai`i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory but spent most of his early career at the USGS Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory on Kīlauea Volcano.

Kestay's research has focused on the thermal budget of long lava flows but has included a wide range of volcanic phenomena and utilized a mix of fieldwork, remote sensing, and numerical modeling. He has studied active eruptions in Hawai`i and on Jupiter's moon Io, as well as ancient volcanoes across Earth (visiting lavas on six continents and the floor of two oceans), the Moon and Mars. He is on the science teams for the HiRISE camera currently in orbit around Mars and the LROC instrument in orbit around Earth's moon. To make it easier for people to pronounce, he changed the spelling of his last name from Keszthelyi to the phonetic Kestay, but retains the former spelling for his professional publications.

The Astrogeology Science Center was founded in 1963 to provide lunar geologic mapping and to assist in training astronauts for lunar missions. It now actively participates in a wide range of planetary exploration missions, from MESSENGER at Mercury to Cassini at Saturn and all the major planetary bodies in between. The center focuses on providing expert scientific and cartographic products and advice to NASA, including topographic maps for landing sites for the Mars Science Laboratory rover, which lands in August of this year. The Astrogeology Science Center is almost completely funded through competitive grants in which the expertise of the USGS is recognized.

A Big Day for Science: Citizens Have Contributed One Million Observations to Top Nature Database

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 3 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

RESTON, Va. — Thanks to citizen-scientists around the country, the USA National Phenology Network hit a major milestone this week by reaching its one millionth nature observation.

The millionth observation was done by Lucille Tower, a citizen-scientist in Portland, Ore., who entered a record about seeing maple vines flowering. Her data, like all of the entries, came in through USA-NPN’s online observation program, Nature's Notebook, which engages more than 4,000 volunteers across the country to observe and record phenology – the timing of the recurring life events of plants and animals such as when cherry trees or lilacs blossom, when robins build their nests, when salmon swim upstream to spawn or when leaves turn colors in the fall.

Each record not only represents a single data point — the status of a specific life stage of an individual plant or animal on one day – but also benefits both science and society by helping researchers understand how plants and animals are responding to climate change and, in turn, how those responses are affecting people and ecological systems.

"My dream is that through the wonders of modern technology and the National Phenology Network we could turn the more than six billion people on the planet into components of our scientific observing system," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We could make giant leaps in science education, improve the spatial and temporal coverage of the planet, lower the cost of scientific data collection, and all while making ordinary citizens feel a part of the scientific process."

Jake Weltzin, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and the executive director of USA-NPN, concurs. "Hitting the one millionth observation is exciting because researchers and decision-makers need more information to understand and respond to our rapidly changing planet. More information means better-informed decisions that ensure the continued vitality of our natural areas that we all depend on and enjoy."

For example, said Weltzin, the data in Nature's Notebook are already being used to benefit society, including the development of more accurate indicators of spring, forecasting the onset of allergy seasons or the chances of western wildfires, managing wildlife and invasive plants, and setting goals for habitat restoration. Ultimately, such information can be used for better managing water resources, wildlife and ecosystem management, and even help farmers and ranchers across the nation.

Changes in phenology are among the most sensitive biological indicators of global change. Across the world, many springtime events are occurring earlier — and fall events happening later — than in the past. These changes are happening quickly for some species and more slowly, or not at all, for others, altering relationships and processes that have been dynamically stable for thousands of years. Some wildlife —like caribou and butterflies — are becoming mismatched from their plant food resources, which are responding differently. Migrations for some birds are changing too, as they can now overwinter instead of moving south for the winter, or as they fly north more quickly to keep pace with an advancing front of spring flowering.

Because of this, said Weltzin, scientists need more and better information about the pace and pattern of nature — locally to nationally — to answer important scientific and societal questions, and to build the tools and models needed to help people understand and adapt to the changes.

"So much of our improved understanding about global environmental changes is driven by varied and valuable sources of information that include networks of citizen-scientists," said John Wingfield, National Science Foundation’s assistant director for biological sciences. "The public at large has played an important role collecting observations and data for a hundred years and more. Knowledge and data gained from their work will continue to have a lasting effect on how we understand regularly recurring biological phenomena for hundreds of plant and animal species and contribute to the policy arena."

Gwen Lundburg in Seattle is one citizen-scientist who has contributed hundreds of entries into Nature’s Notebook. "Just noticing small changes like tiny purple lilac buds suddenly turning green has taught me to look more closely at my plants," Lundburg said. "I see things in my garden I never saw before."

With the help of citizen-scientist volunteers, working in concert with professionals, the USA-NPN, which was established in 2007, collects, stores and freely shares phenological data on more than 800 species of plants and animals. The Nature’s Notebook observing program has been in operation since 2009. The coordinating office of the organization is located at 1955 E. 6^th St., Tucson, Ariz., 85721. For more information, visit the USA National Phenology Network, or contact Jake Weltzin at 520-626-3821 or jweltzin@usgs.gov.

First Geologic Map of Jupiter's Moon Io Details an Otherworldly Volcanic Surface

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EDT

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – More than 400 years after its discovery by Galileo, the innermost large moon of Jupiter – Io – can finally rest on its geologic laurels. A group of scientists led by Dr. David A. Williams of Arizona State University has produced the first global geologic map of the Jovian satellite. The map, which was published by the U. S. Geological Survey, technically illustrates the geologic character of some of the most unique and active volcanoes ever documented in the solar system.

Since its discovery in January 1610, Io has been the focus of repeated observation, first by Earth-based telescopes, and later by fly-by and orbiting spacecraft. These studies depict an otherworldly celestial body whose gravitational relationships with Jupiter and sister moons Europa and Ganymede cause massive, rapid flexing of its surface and interior. This flexing generates tremendous heat in Io's interior, which is relieved through surface volcanism, resulting in 25 times more volcanic activity than occurs here on Earth.

"More than 130 years after the USGS first began producing quality geologic maps here on Earth, it is exciting to have the reach of our science extend across 400 million miles to this volcanically active moon of Jupiter," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Somehow it makes the vast expanse of space seem less forbidding to know that similar geologic processes which have shaped our planet are active elsewhere."

The Io geologic map is unique from other USGS-published planetary geologic maps because surface features were characterized using four distinct global image mosaics. Produced by the USGS, these image mosaics combine the best images from NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 missions (acquired in 1979) as well as the Galileo orbiter (1995-2003).

This uniqueness presented a particular cartographic challenge. "Io has undergone major surface changes during the past few decades due to its volcanic activity," notes Dr. Ken Tanaka, a USGS research geologist who coordinates the review and publication of planetary geologic maps. "Conveying information from multiple image mosaics in a single map necessitated the use of unique and complementary map symbols, colors, and feature names."

In many cases, these maps show that, despite the many differences between bodies in our Solar System, there are many notable similarities that link the evolution and fate of our planetary system together.

The highly detailed, colorful map reveals a number of volcanic features, including: volcanic domes and depressions, lava flow fields, mountains, plume deposits, and sulfur- and sulfur dioxide-rich plains. Despite this geologic diversity, there is one particular feature that is common to the Moon, Mars, and even Earth that is not depicted on the geologic map of Io — impact craters.

"Io has no impact craters. It is the only object in the Solar System where we have not seen any impact craters, testifying to Io's very active volcanic resurfacing," says project lead David Williams.

The new geologic map of Io is just one of many cartographic products that help drive scientific thought. The production of these products has been a focal point of research at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center since its inception in the early 1960s. "Remotely characterizing the surfaces of planetary bodies [such as Io] forces scientists to carefully consider and test hypotheses that address the evolution of an entire planet," says Dr. Ken Herkenhoff, Acting Director of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center.

USGS began producing planetary maps in support of the Apollo moon landings, and continues to help establish a framework for integrating and comparing past and future studies of extraterrestrial surfaces.

The project was funded by NASA through its Outer Planets Research and Planetary Geology and Geophysics Programs.

The “Geologic Map of Io” (USGS Scientific Investigations Map 3168) is available online for downloading.

An animation called "Rotating Globe of Io Geology" is available online.

The mission of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center is to serve the Nation, the international planetary science community, and the general public's pursuit of new knowledge of our Solar System. The Team's vision is to be a national resource for the integration of planetary geosciences, cartography, and remote sensing. As explorers and surveyors, with a unique heritage of proven expertise and international leadership, USGS astrogeologists enable the ongoing successful investigation of the Solar System for humankind.

USGS Study Informs Response to Future Schultz Fire Flooding

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EDT

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Coconino National Forest’s Cinder Lake—a natural depression that has been used to store runoff from areas affected by the 2010 Schultz Fire—can store about 4,000 acre-feet of water, or enough to fill about 2,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report. These findings will be used by the federal, state, and local agencies developing a comprehensive plan to mitigate flooding in the neighborhoods affected by the Schultz Fire.

"Time will eventually heal the scars left on the landscape impacted by the Schultz fire, as biological communities become re-established and physical and chemical weathering recreate fertile soils," said USGS director Marcia McNutt. "Until then, the good news is that Cinder Lake has copious capacity to mitigate flood risk for downslope communities."

The 2010 Schultz Fire burned more than 15,000 acres northeast of Flagstaff, making the burned areas susceptible to larger and more frequent flood events. Flooding increases because the charred ground where vegetation has burned away cannot easily absorb rainwater. Neighborhoods downslope of the burned areas have experienced extensive damage to homes, property, municipal waterlines, and roads as the result of post-fire flooding.

"This study is a cooperative effort between the USGS, Coconino County, and U.S. Forest Service to develop sound information in response to wildfires," said Jamie Macy, a USGS hydrologist with the Arizona Water Science Center and the study’s lead author. "In a time of shrinking resources, this effort is a really wonderful example of federal and local agencies working together to address critical community needs."

Coconino County implemented emergency measures to protect homes in downslope communities in response to extensive flooding during the summer of 2010. These measures included widening and deepening roadside ditches to carry runoff from the burned areas away from affected neighborhoods to Cinder Lake and other undeveloped national forest land.

"Determining how much water Cinder Lake can store was a critical question, and the County turned to the USGS to find the answer because of its water science expertise," said Mandy Metzger, Coconino County Supervisor. "The USGS findings indicate that Cinder Lake provides substantial storage capacity that can be used to help protect homes from flooding."

The USGS conducted subsurface surveys and drilled four boreholes to estimate the area’s potential for water storage. The highly porous layer of cinders and sedimentary deposits at the surface of Cinder Lake extends to a depth of about 30 feet, below which is a less porous layer of basalt. By volume, 43% of this very porous uppermost layer is available for water storage.

On the basis of these findings, the 300 acres occupied by Cinder Lake can store an estimated 1.3 billion gallons of water. For reference, the flood events that occurred during the 2011 summer monsoon season produced about 50 acre-feet of runoff, or 16 million gallons, that was moved to Cinder Lake.

"The USGS study shows that Cinder Lake is an integral, highly effective component of the current floodwater mitigation network,” said Coconino County Supervisor Liz Archuleta. “Moving forward, this information will help us implement the flood control measures necessary to protect the surrounding community."

Hotter and Drier Climate Likely to Alter Abundance of Sonoran Desert Plants

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EDT

TUCSON, Ariz. – Climate change is likely to have strong effects on the abundance of dominant Sonoran Desert plant species, according to a study published recently in Global Change Biology.

Hotter and drier conditions predicted for the southwestern United States can have a considerable impact on long-lived plants that occur in an already water-limited environment. The study shows declines of characteristic Sonoran Desert plants, such as velvet mesquite, foothill paloverde and ocotillo, but reveals increases of cacti should be expected in years with high temperatures. Shorter-lived perennial grasses and subshrubs sharply decreased in abundance during years with low precipitation.

"By carefully examining long-term records of how vegetation has responded to variability in numerous climate-related parameters, such as temperature, mean rainfall and aridity, scientists have been able to find the key to predicting the future for complex ecosystems," remarked USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "This type of study is an essential first step in gaining insight to the world our children will be inheriting."

This research was conducted by a team of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service, who took advantage of100 years of plant monitoring results from Saguaro National Park, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the Desert Laboratory and the Santa Rita Experimental Range near Tucson, Ariz. The analysis used in the study identified the plant species susceptible to climate change by determining past relationships between climate and vegetation across sites.

"There is evidence that climate change is happening at regional to global scales with long-term effects, but plant ecological research is generally conducted in a very small area over a short period of time," said Seth Munson, a USGS scientist and lead author of the study. "This work integrates the results from four of the longest-running vegetation monitoring sites in the world to provide a more complete picture of how the plant composition, structure and productivity of a desert ecosystem may change in the future."

The study identifies critical points along a climate gradient that cause a reduction in plant abundance.

For example, perennial grasses such as bush muhly and curly mesquite grass decreased when annual precipitation dipped below 15 inches -- this amount of water input may indicate a threshold that limits perennial grass performance in the Sonoran Desert.

A main goal of this study was to inform the management decisions of NPS and other land-management agencies in the Sonoran Desert. For example, the research shows that increases in aridity correspond to declines in white ratany, a shrub that provides food for the endangered desert tortoise, which is intensively being monitored by NPS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Arizona Game and Fish.

"Understanding climate-vegetation dynamics is important to both short-term management decisions and long-term planning for projected climate change," said John Gross, an ecologist with the NPS's Inventory and Monitoring Program. "A knowledge of vegetation dynamics is essential to conducting ecological vulnerability assessments and subsequent planning for climate adaptation in our parks," he added.

For more information, see the full journal article. The article, Forecasting climate change impacts to plant community composition in the Sonoran Desert region, was published in Global Change Biology and is authored by S.M. Munson, R. H. Webb, J. Belnap, J. A. Hubbard, D. E. Swann, and S. Rutman. This work was supported by the National Park Service and a grant from the U.S. Geological Survey Status and Trends of Biological Resources Program.