USGS Newsroom

Wolf Harassment Has Little Impact on Elk

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EDT

LARAMIE, Wyo. — The mere presence of wolves, previously shown to affect the behavior of elk in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, is not potent enough to reduce the body condition and reproductive rates of female elk, according to new research published today.

The research, led by recent University of Wyoming Ph.D. graduate Arthur Middleton, provides the most comprehensive evidence to date refuting the idea that wolves are capable of reducing elk calf recruitment indirectly through predation risk. The findings were published in the scientific journal Ecology Letters.

"Elk respond to wolves, but less strongly and less frequently than we thought," says Middleton, who for three years closely followed the Clarks Fork elk herd west of Cody, along with the wolf packs that prey on it. "We found that wolves influence elk behavior, but the responses were subtle and -- over the course of winter -- did not reduce body fat or pregnancy. Our work indicates that the effect of wolves on elk populations is limited to direct predation and doesn't include so-called harassment, stress and fear, which have been proposed as additional indirect effects on prey populations."

Working as part of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit -- a U.S. Geological Survey program housed at UW in cooperation with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department -- Middleton and colleagues used state-of-the-art GPS collars and firsthand observation to track the interactions of the Clarks Fork herd with wolves from the Sunlight, Hoodoo, Beartooth and Absaroka wolf packs in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The detailed movement data on both wolves and elk allowed the researchers to identify each time one of the collared elk encountered a collared wolf. The elk herd, one of several migratory herds in the greater Yellowstone area, spends summers in Yellowstone National Park and moves into the Sunlight Basin during winter. The researchers also recaptured GPS-collared elk at the end of winter and the end of summer each year to assess their annual fat dynamics and pregnancy rates using ultrasonography.

The research found that when wolves approached within 1 kilometer (a little over a half mile), elk increased their rates of movement, displacement and vigilance. However, the behaviors only lasted about 24 hours and didn't significantly reduce elk foraging or force elk into poor habitats. And such encounters with wolves took place at a rate of only one in nine days on average for the migratory elk in the Clarks Fork herd -- the maximum was once every four days.

The key finding of the study is that even though elk varied widely in their encounters with wolves, those that encountered wolves frequently were not less fat -- or any less likely to be pregnant -- than those that rarely bumped into the predators. This finding differs from some previous studies that indicated wolves influence elk behavior strongly enough to contribute to regionwide declines in calf production.

"Our research was unique in that we tracked wolves while also monitoring the movements, foraging behavior, body fat and pregnancy of the elk they hunted," says Middleton, who worked under Matt Kauffman, head of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit working under a dual appointment with the USGS and the UW's Department of Zoology and Physiology where he is an assistant professor. "This approach, essentially connecting the dots from wolf movements all the way to elk behavior and nutrition, revealed that elk respond to wolves too weakly and too infrequently for those behaviors to carry nutritional costs."

The study casts additional doubt on the idea that wolf reintroduction has caused what scientists call a "behaviorally mediated trophic cascade" in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem -- prompting elk to alter their foraging behavior or avoid risky areas, thereby allowing aspen and willows to recover from overbrowsing. These new findings are consistent with studies by Kauffman and others showing little or no evidence for cascading effects caused by purported broad-scale shifts in elk habitat use or foraging behavior in response to wolves.

Both Middleton and Kauffman have pointed out in their studies that the wide-ranging hunting strategy of wolves, which differs from the tactics of a stalking predator, might be the reason that elk responses are too weak and inconsistent to alter their foraging patterns or nutritional gain.

"A key factor in the ability of predators to cause these sorts of cascading effects is the ways in which they hunt and kill their prey," says Kauffman, who initiated the study in 2006 along with Game and Fish Department wildlife biologist Doug McWhirter and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wolf manager Mike Jimenez. "Wolves are coursing predators that chase down their prey, as opposed to stalking predators that lurk in concealed areas. We are learning that coursing predators are less likely to induce strong behavioral responses in their prey, and this new work suggests that the coursing hunting mode of wolves may constrain both their ability to influence prey condition and cause cascading ecological effects on plants."

Kauffman adds that the concept of non-consumptive effects of predators on prey has been well tested in small, well-controlled environments -- often involving insect predators and prey -- but that researchers are still sorting out how it all works in the large landscapes occupied by species such as wolves and elk.

Calf production has been declining among migratory elk herds in the greater Yellowstone area, but wolves may not be the primary culprit, Middleton says. For the Clarks Fork herd at least, other recent research findings point to high rates of bear predation and reduced habitat quality due to drought -- both on summer ranges largely inside Yellowstone -- as being the more likely cause of declines in elk calf numbers.

"The recovery of large carnivores, particularly grizzly bears, has brought major increases in predation on newborn elk during early summer," wrote Middleton, who added that the region has experienced severe drought and warmer temperatures in recent years. "These effects of drought and predation could largely explain both low pregnancy and declining calf production among elk of the Yellowstone region."

Kauffman, a USGS scientist, is one of the co-authors of the report published today -- along with a collaborative team of researchers from the Game and Fish Department, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Yellowstone National Park and UW.

The article summarizing the research in Ecology Letters is available online.

Migration No Longer Best Strategy for Yellowstone Elk

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 5 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EDT

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Migratory elk are coming back from Yellowstone National Park with fewer calves due to drought and increased numbers of big predators – two landscape-level changes that are reducing the benefits of migration with broader implications for conservation of migratory animals, according to a new study published in the journal Ecology.

The new study by the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit – a joint program involving U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Wyoming, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, describes a long-term decline in the number of calves produced annually by the Clarks Fork herd, a population of about 4000 elk whose migrants travel annually between winter ranges near Cody, Wyoming and summer ranges within Yellowstone National Park. Migratory elk experienced a 19 percent depression in rates of pregnancy over the four years of the study and a 70 percent decline in calf production over 21 years of monitoring by the WGFD, while the elk that did not migrate, known as resident elk, in the same herd experienced high pregnancy and calf production and are expanding their numbers and range into private lands outside of the park.

"This is one of North America's wildest and best-protected landscapes, where elk and other ungulates still retain their long-distance seasonal migrations – and yet it is the migratory elk that are struggling while their resident counterparts thrive in the foothills," said Arthur Middleton, who led this work as a University of Wyoming doctoral student and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

A key finding of the study was that only 70 percent of migratory elk were pregnant, compared to 90 percent of residents – a rate more typical of Rocky Mountain elk. The study shows that the hotter and dryer summer conditions of the last two decades, coincident with the long-term drought widely affecting the West, has reduced the duration of the spring period when tender new grasses are available to elk. This makes it harder for female migratory elk to find the forage they need to both nurse a calf and breed. Though elk typically bear a calf every year, migratory elk that nursed a calf had only a 23 percent chance of becoming pregnant again in the following year.

Another likely cause of the declining calf numbers among migrants was predation. Migrants share their range with four times as many grizzly bears and wolves than resident elk, and both predators are well known to prey on young elk calves. Resident elk get a break from high levels of predation in part because when predators kill livestock on the resident range, they are often lethally removed by wildlife managers and ranchers.

"A lower pregnancy rate reduces the number of calves that are born in the first place, then predation seems to reduce the number of migratory calves that survive the first few months of life," said Matthew Kauffman a research wildlife biologist with the USGS and Assistant Professor at the University of Wyoming. Kauffman goes on to explain that resident elk numbers are growing in the foothills not because migrants are choosing to stay behind, but rather because irrigated fields and lower predator numbers are allowing residents to raise more calves to adulthood.

Globally, wildlife migration is a dwindling phenomenon. Research and management often focus on conspicuous barriers like fences, roads, and other kinds of development that can physically impede migration corridors. While those are important, this study suggests that even in a landscape as well-protected as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, subtler changes in predator management and forage quality on the seasonal ranges of migratory animals will also play an important role. Migration is conventionally understood as a strategy to gain better forage quality while also reducing exposure to denning predators, but in this case, it seems those benefits are instead being realized by the residents.

The study's authors note that their work does not predict that migratory elk will disappear, but rather that there could be a long-term shift underway in the relative abundance of migratory versus resident elk in the system. The study also highlights the perils of characterizing Yellowstone wolf re-introduction as a "natural experiment." Other key factors have changed since wolves were re-introduced, including growth in grizzly bears numbers and recurrent long-term drought associated with reduced snowpack and hotter summers. The authors caution that such factors should be taken into account in the effort to understand ongoing ecological changes in Yellowstone.

Middleton also points out that this work highlights the complex challenges facing regional wildlife managers and other stakeholders as they continue to adapt to the reintroduction and recovery of large carnivores, and severe drought that some studies suggest is linked to longer-term climate change. "Most immediately, these trends have meant lost hunting opportunity in the backcountry areas frequented by migratory elk, and increasing crop damage and forage competition with domestic livestock in the frontcountry areas where resident elk are expanding," said Middleton.

This work was a collaboration among the USGS’s Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the WGFD, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with cooperation from YNP and other agencies. Primary funders include the WGFD, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board, the Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition, and USGS, among others.

The study is featured in a Forum section of Ecology, with a series of commentaries from other ecologists who study wildlife migration and predator-prey interactions.

Funding from the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center contributed to this study.

Warmer Springs Causing Loss of Snow Cover throughout the Rocky Mountains

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Warmer spring temperatures since 1980 are causing an estimated 20 percent loss of snow cover across the Rocky Mountains of western North America, according to new research from the U.S. Geological Survey.

The new study builds upon a previous USGS snowpack investigation which showed that, until the 1980s, the northern Rocky Mountains experienced large snowpacks when the central and southern Rockies experienced meager ones, and vice versa. Yet, since the 1980s, there have been simultaneous snowpack declines along the entire length of the Rocky Mountains, and unusually severe declines in the north.

The new study has teased apart and quantified the different influences of winter temperature, spring temperature, and precipitation on historic snowpack variations and trends in the region. To distinguish those varying influences, the researchers implemented a regional snow model that uses inputs of monthly temperature and precipitation data from 1895 to 2011.

"Each year we looked at temperature and precipitation variations and the amount of water contained within the snowpack as of April," said USGS scientist Greg Pederson, the lead author of the study. "Snow deficits were consistent throughout the Rockies due to the lack of precipitation during the cool seasons during the 1930s – coinciding with the Dust Bowl era. From 1980 on, warmer spring temperatures melted snowpack throughout the Rockies early, regardless of winter precipitation. The model in turn shows temperature as the major driving factor in snowpack declines over the past thirty years."

Runoff from Rocky Mountain winter snowpack accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the annual water supply for more than 70 million people living in the western U.S., and is influenced by factors such as the snowpack’s water content, known as snow water equivalent, and the timing of snowmelt.

The timing of snowmelt affects not only when water is available for crop irrigation and energy production from hydroelectric dams, but also the risk of regional floods and wildfires. Earlier and faster snowmelt could have repercussions for water supply, risk management, and ecosystem health in western watersheds.

Regional snowpack accumulation is highly sensitive to variations in both temperature and precipitation over time. Patterns and sources of these variations are difficult to discern due to complex mountain topography, the different influence of Pacific Ocean climate, like La Niña and El Niño, on winter precipitation in the northern versus southern and central Rockies, and the brevity and patchiness of detailed snow records.

In the study, the regional snow model used by Pederson and his USGS colleagues Julio Betancourt and Greg McCabe allows estimation of snow water and cover variability at different latitudes and elevations during the last century regardless of the absence of direct and long-term observations everywhere. Recent snowpack variations also were evaluated in the context of snowpack evidence from tree-rings, allowing the scientists to compare recent observations to measurements from the past 800 years.

McCabe, co-author of the study, explains that "recent springtime warming also reduced the extent of snow cover at low to middle elevations where temperature has had the greatest impact."

"Both natural variability in temperature and anthropogenic warming have contributed to the recent snowpack decline, though disentangling their influences exactly remains elusive." Betancourt said,

"Regardless of the ultimate causes, continuation of present snowpack trends in the Rocky Mountains will pose difficult challenges for watershed management and conventional water planning in the American West."

The study, "Regional patterns and proximal causes of the recent snowpack decline in the Rocky Mountains," is available from Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.

USGS Releases New Oil and Gas Assessment for Bakken and Three Forks Formations

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:59:32 EDT

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) today released an updated oil and gas resource assessment for the Bakken Formation and a new assessment for the Three Forks Formation in North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana.

Crowd-Sourcing the Nation: Using Volunteers for Enhanced Data Collection

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 1 Apr 2013 18:41:01 EDT

The USGS is expanding the involvement of volunteers to enhance data collection about structures for The National Map.

This program, known as The National Map Corps, focuses on encouraging citizens to collect data relating to structures by both adding new features and/or correcting existing data within The National Map database. These structures can include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public places.

Collaborative pilot projects in Colorado were recently used to test the concept of crowd-sourcing. While the project is on-going, early indications point to positive results and show the success of using TNMC volunteers to enhance data sets.

Over a trial period of ten months, 143 volunteers collected, improved, or deleted data on more than 6,400 structures in Colorado. The volunteers’ actions were accurate and exceeded USGS quality standards. In the Colorado pilot project the volunteer-collected data showed an improvement of approximately 25 percent in both location and attribute accuracy for existing data points. Completeness, or the extent to which all appropriate features were identified and recorded, was nearly perfect.

The significant results of the Colorado pilot have led to a phased, nation-wide expansion of the crowd-sourcing /volunteer project. The states in the first expansion of TNMC are: Arkansas, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, West Virginia

After an evaluation of the quality and procedures of the first group of states, the second set will be made available. Ultimately, by the end of 2013, the third batch of states will complete the expansion of the program.

"The response by volunteers in Colorado exceeded our expectations both in terms of the number of volunteers and the quality of the data they collected”, said Kari Craun, the Director of the USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center. “The Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) community represents a fantastic, untapped resource to assist USGS in maintaining data that are part of The National Map.”

While some familiarity with the area that a volunteer chooses is helpful, one doesn’t have to live near a particular place to contribute. The tools on TNMC website, along with ancillary information available on the Internet, are generally sufficient to edit a distant area.

There have been several instances of crowd-sourced geographic information making significant contributions to research and databases in government, private sector, and non-profit organizations. The goal of the TNMC is to provide data for the nation’s primary federal mapping agency in its effort to provide accurate and authoritative spatial data via the web-based National Map.

The citizen geographers/cartographers who participate in this program will make a significant addition to the USGS’s ability to provide accurate information to the public. Data collected by volunteers become part of TNM Structures dataset which is available to users free of charge.

Without a network of volunteers, the desired information would not be collected this year and the existing data would not be updated. TNMC volunteers perform important work that otherwise will not be accomplished in the foreseeable future.

Becoming a volunteer for TNMC is easy; go to the National Map Corps website to learn more and to sign up as a volunteer. If you have access to the Internet and are willing to dedicate some time to editing map data, we hope you will consider participating!

USGS Estimates 162 Billion Short Tons of Recoverable Coal in the Powder River Basin

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EDT

New basin-wide assessment of recoverable resources and reserves

The Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana contains about 162 billion short tons (BST) of recoverable coal from a total of 1.07 trillion short tons of in-place resources according to a new USGS assessment. This assessment also estimates that 25 BST of those resources are currently economical to recover, the first such estimate released by the USGS for coal for an entire basin.

The Powder River Basin—a large geologic feature located in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana—contains the largest deposits of low-sulfur subbituminous coal in the world. This study is significant because it illustrates that only a relatively small percentage of in-place coal resources are technically and economically recoverable.

Powder River Basin Assessment Map — A map showing the four assessment units for the 2013 USGS Powder River Basin coal assessment.

“The United States is well-known for its rich endowment of coal resources and our in-place estimates bear that out,” said USGS Acting Director Suzette Kimball. “It’s important to note, however, the substantial difference between what is in-place and what is technically recoverable, let alone economic. This new basin-wide assessment provides that critical link for government and private managers to make informed decisions.”

In 2011, the 16 mines in the PRB produced 462 million short tons (MST), about 42 percent of the Nation’s total coal production that year. Subbituminous coal is typically used in electric power generation.

The key to this study was taking advantage of the wealth of recently available geologic data from the interpretation of thousands of new drill logs from coalbed methane development in the PRB. More than 8,000 new drill holes were added to the original Gillette coal field database alone. About 30,000 total data points were used in the entire PRB assessment. This geologic information interpreted from well information of the recent drilling provided an unprecedented level of data about the coal resources for the basin.

The USGS developed the geologic information that formed the basis of this assessment in cooperation with the Wyoming State Geological Survey and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology.

The Basin was divided into four areas for assessment: the Montana Powder River Basin, the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin, the Gillette coal field, and the Southwestern Wyoming Powder River Basin.

Within these four areas, the USGS assessed coal resources for 47 coal beds. The three largest beds by resource are the Canyon coal bed, the Anderson coal bed, and the Smith coal bed. These three coal beds together represent about 38 percent of the total coal resources for the Powder River Basin.

To arrive at the estimate of recoverable coal and 25 BST of reserves, USGS scientists selected portions of those coal beds from the total in-place resources that were deemed both shallow and thick enough to be recoverable using current surface mining technology. Ten conceptual mine models were developed to account for the differences in coal bed geology using proven mining techniques for each the four assessment areas of the PRB. Then, estimated mining costs were calculated for all of the modeled coal resources. Finally, those resources that could be produced at or below the current sales price for PRB coal were designated reserves.

The current 25 BST of reserves does not mean that is all that remains mineable. The size of reserves change because mining costs and coal sales prices are subject to fluctuation based on market conditions – recoverable resources become reserves with favorable changes in costs, demand, and prices.

The USGS Energy Resources Program research efforts yield modern, digital assessments of the quantity, quality, location, and accessibility of the Nation’s coal resources.

To learn more about this or other geologic assessments, please visit the USGS Energy Resources Program website. Stay up to date with USGS energy science by subscribing to our newsletter or by following us on Twitter.

USGS Scientist Receives Geological Society of America Distinguished Career Award

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 6 Nov 2012 9:22:31 EDT

Ken Pierce, U.S. Geological Survey Geologist Emeritus, has been selected as the recipient of the Distinguished Career Award of the Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division of the Geological Society of America, to be presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting in Charlotte, N.C.

The Geological Society of America Distinguished Career Award recognizes an outstanding geologist of the Quaternary Period, or the last 2.6 million years, who has demonstrated excellence in their contributions to science.

Dr. Pierce's work spans much of the fields of Quaternary geology and geomorphology, especially natural landscapes and the geologic processes responsible for their formation. Dr. Pierce received his doctoral degree from Yale University in 1964 and joined the USGS regional office in Denver, Colo. in 1965, where he spent almost 35 years of his career. In 2000, he moved to the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) in Bozeman, Mont., to focus on research in the Yellowstone region. He officially retired in 2003 and remains in active emeritus status with the Geology and Environmental Change Science Center in Denver.

Most of Dr. Pierce's research has involved interdisciplinary work in the greater Yellowstone-Teton area. His specific research topics include Pleistocene glaciations of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent areas; Quaternary faulting and neotectonics; Yellowstone caldera unrest; volcanism, faulting, and uplift along the track of the Yellowstone hotspot; and geologic controls on ecology of the greater Yellowstone area. Dr. Pierce was awarded the distinguished Kirk Bryan Award of the Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division of the Geological Society of America for his 1979 report on Yellowstone glaciation. Dr. Pierce is also the 2012 recipient of the Distinguished Career Award of the American Quaternary Association.

Established in 1888, The Geological Society of America provides access to elements that are essential to the professional growth of earth scientists at all levels of expertise and from all sectors: academic, government, business, and industry. To learn more about the Distinguished Career Award, visit the GSA website. The GSA Annual Meeting and Exposition occurs November 4-7, 2012.

From Pikas to Plague, Climate Change and Wind Energy

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 9:00:00 EDT

USGS Science at the Society for Conservation Biology

More than 800 people are expected to attend the first North America Congress for Conservation Biology from July 15-18, 2012, in Oakland, Calif. The theme of this year's conference is “Bridging the Gap: Connecting People, Nature, and Climate.” This conference provides a forum for presenting and discussing new research and developments in conservation science, practices and challenges.

Fighting Plague with a Peanut Butter-Flavored Vaccine: Prairie dogs and highly endangered black-footed ferret populations in North America are quite susceptible to sylvatic plague, an often deadly, non-native disease of people and wildlife. Currently, wildlife managers contain the disease by dusting prairie dog burrows with an insecticide that can kill disease-carrying fleas, but this is labor-intensive and costly. As an alternative, USGS researchers and colleagues at University of Wisconsin have developed a new oral vaccine, flavored with peanut butter, which can be administered orally through baits. Laboratory tests showed that the oral vaccine protects prairie dogs against plague; tests in some wild prairie dog populations begin this year. If the vaccine is effective in the wild, it could be used in selected prairie dog populations to decrease the occurrence of plague and help in the recovery of black-footed ferrets. Ultimately, a successful vaccine could help stabilize wildlife populations in grassland ecosystems and may benefit public health, since this bacterium is also responsible for plague in people. This presentation, Sylvatic Plague Vaccine: A New Tool for Conservation of Threatened and Endangered Species, will occur in Room JRB 1 on July 16 at 11 a.m. For more information, contact Tonie Rocke, trocke@usgs.gov, 608-270-2451.

Shorebird, Duck, Food Enough? With loss of natural wetlands, wintering shorebirds and diving ducks have become increasingly dependent on managed wetlands. Yet studies are limited about food availability in managed coastal estuaries, such as the ponds in the San Francisco Bay’s South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. USGS researchers and colleagues will discuss their surveys of invertebrate prey density in the pond bottoms. They will discuss whether there is enough food to support the 45,000 diving ducks and 108,000 shorebirds that depend on this area in winter, and whether pond management could increase available energy. This presentation, Effects of Wetland Management on Carrying Capacity of Duck and Shorebird Benthivores in a Coastal Estuary, will occur in Room JBR 1 & 2 on July 16. Contact Arriana Brand, 707-562-2002, arriana_brand@usgs.gov, or John Takekawa, 707-562-2000, john_takekawa@usgs.gov.

Climate Change and Pliable Pikas? Animals that live in mountain ecosystems are sensitive to small changes in climate and are often exposed to frequent swings in temperature and wind speed, poorly developed soils and generally harsher conditions than animals living at lower elevations. The American pika is a small, mountain-dwelling, hamster-like animal that lives in rocky talus slopes and lava flows typically in mountain ecosystems throughout the western United States. Recently, researchers concluded that the rate of local pika extinction in the hydrographic Great Basin over the last 10 years has increased to about five times faster than averaged during the 20th century. Analogously, the lowest elevation that pikas are occupying moved upslope 11 times faster during that decade than during the 20^th century, suggesting that what constitutes suitable habitat is now shrinking more rapidly. A USGS researcher will present findings that illustrate how hydrological variables – such as snow-water equivalent and growing-season precipitation – are important predictors of pika abundance for this region. In addition, the scientist will show how pika behavioral flexibility – such as use of non-traditional habitats and drinking free water – can, in some cases, allow pikas to live on the edges of their climatic niche. This presentation, Temporally shifting determinants of distribution and abundance of American pikas, and behavioral plasticity ‘softening’ ecological-niche boundaries,” will occur in Symposium 8 (Grand Ballroom, Rooms 1 & 2) on July 16 at 3 p.m. The presentation leads off the symposium, Pikas in Peril? Distribution, Population Trends and Resilience of the American Pika. Contact Erik Beever, ebeever@usgs.gov, 406-994-7670.

Restoring South San Francisco Bay Wetlands in the Face of Sea Level Rise: The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is attempting to restore ecosystem services such as flood control, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation to some 15,000 acres of wetlands in San Francisco Bay and Silicon Valley. But to do so requires a long-term adaptive management plan with rigorous monitoring and scientific support. Project Executive Director John Bourgeois of the California State Coastal Conservancy will discuss how public and private research partners -- including USGS -- are clarifying the uncertainties involved in such a major restoration project -- such as sea level rise resiliency, sufficient sediment flow for marsh accretion, and disturbance of legacy mercury. This presentation, Restoring South San Francisco Bay Wetlands in the Face of Sea Level Rise will occur in Room JBR 1&2 on July 16 at 3:45 p.m. Contact Laura Valoppi, USGS biologist and Restoration Project's Research Coordinator, laura_valoppi@usgs.gov, 916-704-6198.

From Conservation Reserve Land to Ag Land: Substantial Losses for Amphibians: High commodity prices for agricultural crops, especially for biofuel feedstocks, is rapidly resulting in the conversion of USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands to agricultural production in the northern Great Plains. USGS scientists used an ecosystem services model to evaluate the potential effects of this land-use change on amphibians, which have been declining worldwide, primarily because of land-use change. Their scenarios focused on CRP conversion rates of 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent in different parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. They then compared present amphibian habitat quality and quantity under the projected conversion rates. They found that if all CRP lands were converted to cropland, one-fourth to over one-third of all amphibian habitat could be lost, which could have devastating effects on amphibian populations in the northern Great Plains. The scientists noted that even at the lowest conversion rate of 10 percent, habitat losses and potential effects on amphibians were still substantial. This presentation, Effects of Land-Use/Land-Cover Change on Amphibian Habitat in the Northern Great Plains, will take place in Room 208 on July 17 at 8:30 a.m. Contact David Mushet, dmushet@usgs.gov, 701-253-5558.

Developing Solutions to Reduce Harmful Effects of Wind Energy on Bats: U.S. Geological Survey researchers and their U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service colleagues are working together to help provide solutions for reducing harmful effects of wind turbines on bats. This joint project is prioritizing research topics such as predicting mortality of bats by wind turbines and using bat life-history information to develop ways to reduce the number of bat deaths. Projects funded through this collaborative process will focus on addressing the most critical research needs to ensure that wind energy development can grow while minimizing costs to wildlife. This presentation, Bats and Wind Energy: State of Knowledge and Research Priorities for USFWS and USGS, will take place in Room JBR 1 & 2 on July 17 from at 12:30 p.m. It is one of eight presentations in a symposium entitled Cultivating a Role for Wildlife Conservation in Energy Development. Contact Laura Ellison, ellisonl@usgs.gov, 970-226-9494.

Renewable Energy and Terrestrial Wildlife: Large areas of the Desert Southwest have been developed for utility-scale renewable energy projects, including both wind and solar facilities. The Desert Southwest is also an area of exceptional biodiversity, providing habitat for many sensitive terrestrial species, including the federally protected desert tortoise. USGS scientists and their colleagues reviewed the scientific literature on the effects of utility-scale energy development (wind and solar) and operation on terrestrial, non-flying wildlife. They found that while there is a growing and comparatively large body of information on the effects of wind energy on birds and bats, little information exists in the peer-reviewed scientific literature to evaluate the effects of wind or solar facilities on terrestrial wildlife in the world, including in offshore environments. Potential effects of such facilities include habitat modification and fragmentation, as well as effects from noise, dust, and roads and traffic. Before and after studies of utility-scale renewable energy sites are needed to adequately assess their effects on terrestrial wildlife and to develop methods to address those effects. This presentation, Terrestrial Wildlife Conservation and Renewable Energy Development in the Desert Southwest United States: A Review, will occur in Room JBR 1 & 2 on July 17 at 11:30 a.m. It is one of eight presentations in a symposium entitled Cultivating a Role for Wildlife Conservation in Energy Development. Contact Jeff Lovich, jeffrey_lovich@usgs.gov, 928-556-7358.

Wildlife Response to Fire: Climate Change and Corridor Conservation in Southern California: In southern California, wildfires are expected to become more frequent as climate change occurs, so understanding how increased fire will impact wildlife habitats and behavior is critical for effective resource planning. Researchers analyzed GPS tracking data on bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions in southern California to understand how mammalian carnivores respond to burned landscapes, and whether the home ranges and movement patterns of these species changed with wildfire and urban development. Researchers from San Diego State University, USGS, Colorado State University, and University of California, Davis, participated in this study. This presentation, Corridor Conservation in Southern California under Climate Change: Understanding Wildlife Response to Burned Landscapes, will occur in Room OCC 210/211 on July 17 at 3:45 p.m. Contact Erin Boydston, eboydston@usgs.gov, 805-370-2362, or Lisa Lyren at llyren@usgs.gov, 760-931-1101.

San Francisco Bay: Water and Climate Change Projections, 2000-2100: Just-completed climate change scenarios for the years 2000-2100 in the San Francisco Bay project an increased variability in the bay’s water runoff, recharge and stream discharge, as well as a shifting of the seasonal timing of the bay’s water cycles. The four scenarios, completed by USGS researchers, used IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) projections of future climate changes to create a regional water balance model. For both drier and wetter scenarios, seasonal warming amplified the climatic water deficit, a measure of drought stress on soils and vegetation. This state-of-the-art climate science should help managers plan for the future. This presentation, Ensemble Hydrologic Modeling for the Next Century: Implications for San Francisco Bay Area Natural Resources, will take place in Room GBR 1&2 on July 18 at 8:50 a.m. Contact A.L. Flint at aflint@usgs.gov, 916-278-3221.

California Climate Change and Landscape Connectivity: By analyzing the present and expected future climate conditions of protected areas within California, USGS researchers were able to identify the stability of those areas with respect to climate change; they then identified where increased landscape connectivity might help offset the negative effects of climate change. Because changing climate conditions will not affect all areas in California equally, researchers examined which protected areas would likely benefit most from expanded landscape connectivity via corridors. This information can help resource managers and policy-makers prioritize decisions about the most effective ways to mitigate the effects of climate change with limited resources. This presentation, California Climate Change and Landscape Connectivity, will occur in ROOM GBR 1&2 on July 18 at 11 a.m. Contact Jason Kreitler, jkreitler@usgs.gov, 208-426-5217.

New "Hair of the Bear" Study Launched to Estimate Grizzly Bear Population

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 23 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

Bears in the far northwest corner of Montana and northeastern Idaho will soon be part of a new study using "hair of the bear" to estimate their population size.

This method of estimating population size and distribution was successfully used to estimate the grizzly bear population size in the Glacier National Park - Bob Marshall Wilderness complex in northern Montana. The U.S. Geological Survey's new research project will result in a population size estimate of grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem, one of the six recovery zones defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan.

Researchers believe at least 40 grizzly bears make their homes within this 2,600-square-mile recovery zone. USGS scientists will use hair collection methods similar to those used in Glacier National Park and elsewhere to gain a more accurate estimate of the bear population size. This work will also provide detailed information about the distribution of the population and expand the genetic database for grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem.

"Getting accurate counts of infrequently encountered animals in the wild is always a challenge, especially when individuals are difficult to distinguish from one another," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "The great advantage of using DNA for counting is that it not only distinguishes individuals reliably, but also can determine how related or inbred a population has become, an important parameter in monitoring genetic diversity in the wild."

Individual bears will be identified by DNA in bear hair collected from almost 800 scent-baited hair corrals and more than 1,200 unbaited, naturally occurring bear rubs such as trees, posts and poles that bears rub on. This information will be used to examine population and genetic health.

The hair corrals are set up by encircling a group of trees with 100 feet of barbed wire and pouring liquid scent lure in the center of the wire corral. When a bear passes under or over the wire to investigate the source of the odor, the barbs collect the bear's hair. At the bear rubs, small strips of wire are attached to the rubbed surface to facilitate hair collection. No lure or attractants are used at these sample sites; rubbing is the result of natural behavior.

Hair samples will be collected periodically throughout the summer and sent to a lab for genetic analysis. Only a few hair follicles are needed to obtain a great deal of information about the bear that left the sample, such as species, individual identity, sex and potentially, its relationship to other bears. All hair collection sites will be at least one-third mile from all structures and at least 100 yards from roads and trails.

"Determining the size and distribution of bear populations with accuracy and precision requires a lot of resources because it involves intense sampling on a large scale," said USGS scientist Kate Kendall. "That the local community and agencies were able to pull together the funding for this effort is an indication of the importance to them of moving toward recovering this population."

Fieldwork to set up the scent-baited hair traps and collect hair from the wire corrals and network of bear rubs will begin June 7. The study area extends beyond the recovery zone to include all 2.4 million acres thought to be occupied by grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem.

This project is a collaborative effort among city, county, tribal, federal, and state agencies, as well as partners from private industry and the non-profit sector. For more information, please visit the Cabinet-Yaak Grizzly Bear Project website.

USGS Details Effects of Climate Change on Water Availability in 14 Local Basins Nationwide

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 16 May 2012 6:00:00 EDT

Climate change projections indicate a steady increase in temperature progressing through the 21^st century, generally resulting in snowpack reductions, changes to the timing of snowmelt, altered streamflows, and reductions in soil moisture, all of which could affect water management, agriculture, recreation, hazard mitigation, and ecosystems across the nation. Despite some widespread similarities in climate change trends, climate change will affect specific water basins in the U.S. differently, based on the particular hydrologic and geologic conditions in that area.

New USGS modeling studies project changes in water availability due to climate change at the local level. So far, the USGS has applied these models to fourteen basins, including:

"The advantage of these studies is that they demonstrate that there is not just one hydrological response to climate change: the predictions account for essential local factors that will govern the timing, severity, and type of impact, whether it be water shortage, drought, or flood," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "This is exactly the sort of information communities need to know now, because we are unlikely to see a 'water-as-usual' future."

These local projections are based on General Circulation Models (GCM) that predict how climate change will affect temperature, precipitation, and emissions for large regional areas. The USGS’s Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) applies information from the downscaled GCM projections to local watersheds, where impacts of climate change on water availability will depend on local conditions. These local-scale hydrologic projections will allow managers to plan for changes in water resources that are specific to their area.

For example, the USGS models project that changes to snow pack in the Sprague River Basin in Oregon could cause annual peak streamflows to occur earlier in the spring as overall basin storage decreases, which may force managers to modify storage operation and reprioritize water deliveries for environmental and human needs. Reduced snowpack in headwaters of the Colorado River could affect the amount and timing of streamflow to the Colorado River and also impact important recreation areas. Portions of Maine may see higher streamflows which could affect populations of endangered Atlantic salmon. Areas of the already drought-stressed Flint River Basin, one of Atlanta’s primary drinking water supplies, are projected to become even drier.

The results for each basin present a complex story due to uncertainty associated with the future climate projections and their effect on the hydrological response of the different geographical regions of the nation.

Detailed information about watershed responses to climate change can be found online. Additionally, a collection of USGS studies that contributed to these basin-wide analyses was published in the journal Earth Interactions.

The downscaled GCM models are obtained from the World Climate Research Programme's Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 multi-model dataset archive. The USGS PRMS models were developed as part of the USGS National Research Program (NRP) in cooperation with USGS Water Science Centers. The NRP develops new information, theories, and techniques to anticipate, understand, and solve problems facing resources managers and is a national leader in understanding the effects of climate change on water resources.

These USGS models are just one of several tools developed and used by agencies within the Department of the Interior to study potential impacts from climate change and to provide tools to resource managers to adapt to those changes. For example, the Bureau of Reclamation recently unveiled a user-friendly tool for calculating future streamflow and water supplies at 195 sites in the western United States to help increase accessibility of science-based information and ease understanding of how climate variations will impact water availability for local communities.

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.

Earbones Accurately Record a Fish�s Life Travels

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 9:07:33 EDT

Studying the earbones of trout can reveal their lifetime movements in a large river system, according to a study released in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

Scientists correlated the natural variation in strontium isotopes found in stream waters against those recorded in otoliths (earbones) of westslope cutthroat trout to examine fish movements during their lifetime.

This study was the first to show that the use of isotopes in water and earbones accurately assesses movement of trout wholly within a freshwater system. The research was conducted by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Montana State University, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

"It worked so well! The values in the water matched those in the otoliths, which grow like rings in a tree," said Clint Muhlfeld, USGS scientist and lead author of the study. "As fish grow and move into new environments, the otoliths record that information and we matched that with stream statistics to reconstruct the entire life cycle of a fish."

The study provides a reliable method that compliments traditional fish tracking techniques. This research may allow biologists to investigate non-native species invasions, identify important populations, and quantify life histories of freshwater fishes in river networks.

"All life is literally a product of its chemical environment, and there is no more dramatic demonstration of that fact than the ability to retrace the life history of fish from the variations in the chemicals deposited in their ear bones as they grow and migrate through space and time," explained USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "As this technique has already proven its scientific value in understanding the movement of fish in the marine environment and those which migrate from freshwater streams to the ocean, it is truly an achievement that could inspire 'CSI'."

Westslope cutthroat trout are an important native fish species in western North America where their populations have declined because of factors including habitat destruction, fragmentation and non-native species. These fish make extensive migrations among spawning, growth and refuge habitats, yet conventional tracking techniques have not been able to unravel the extent of their movements. Knowing exactly what habitat the fish use during each life stage is an important component to understanding their ecology and, in turn, more effectively managing this important species.

"This approach could be very useful in understanding life history strategies and conservation needs of freshwater fishes worldwide," said Muhlfeld. "Biologists are typically limited to examining movements of fish at checkpoints throughout their lives or over small periods of time. This approach allows examination of a fish’s entire life with significant accuracy."

The study provides a reliable method that compliments traditional fish tracking techniques and may allow biologists to investigate non-native species invasions, identify important populations, and quantify life histories of freshwater fishes in river networks. The article, "Estimating westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) movements in a river network using strontium isoscapes," can be viewed online.

More information about this study can be found on the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center website.

Medical Fight Against Cancer May Hold Lessons for Battling Aquatic Invasive Species

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:09:32 EDT

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Lessons learned from the medical community's progress in fighting cancer can provide a framework to help prevent the introduction and spread of harmful aquatic invasive species, according to a study released in American Scientist.

With more than 6,500 harmful non-native species causing more than 100 billion dollars in economic damage each year in the United States, more effective methods of confronting them are essential.

In the study, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey's Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center outline five integrated steps used in cancer prevention and treatment that could be adapted to use in battling invasive species: prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment options and rehabilitation.

"Medicine often finds inspiration from the natural world, so it is perhaps no surprise that scientists now look to medical science to find new strategies to help the natural world in the epic battle against invasive species," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Just as we have learned that preventing disease through regular check-ups is the most cost-effective route to good health, we all should be well informed on how to avoid the unintended introduction of invasive species in order to avoid costly eradication programs."

Although aquatic invasive species are a leading threat to native fish species worldwide, resource managers and conservation biologists still rely on control methods developed more than 75 years ago. The authors propose that a coordinated, research-based approach similar to the medical community’s response to cancer is needed to develop more effective tools to prevent and mitigate aquatic invasive species.

The authors noted that the medical community's response to cancer is based on the idea that multiple tools are needed for each type of cancer because the same type of cancer can be expressed differently in individuals. Each person varies in how easily their cancer can be detected and in how they respond to treatment methods.

"The interaction of invasive species with physical habitat and biotic community is similar – the impacts and the effectiveness of detection and treatment methods are context-dependent," said Adam Sepulveda, a USGS scientist and lead author of the study. "Like the medical community, our principal focus is on prevention and early detection in high-risk areas, but implementing all five steps of the cancer treatment model is vital to the success of biodiversity conservation programs."

Much is known about the distribution and impact of aquatic invasive species, but there are few proven tools to prevent or decrease invasions, said Andrew Ray, a USGS scientist and co-author of the study.

The study used the example of invasive American bullfrogs in the Yellowstone River as a case study for applying the cancer-treatment approach to aquatic invasions in the Northern Rockies. The article, Aquatic Invasive Species: Lessons from Cancer Research, can be viewed online.

More information about impacts and prevention of aquatic invasive species can be found on the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center website.

USGS Releases Regional Ecological Assessment of Sagebrush Wildlife and Habitats

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EDT

BOISE, Idaho - For the first time, managers of sagebrush habitats in several western states have comprehensive, comparable information about the distribution and habitats of greater sage-grouse and 14 other wildlife species, as they consider how to manage land for wildlife and accommodate other uses, including agriculture, recreation, and energy development. The U.S. Geological Survey in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have published this study in the book, "Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation and Management: Ecoregional Assessment Tools and Models for the Wyoming Basins," providing land managers with valuable information for critical decisions.

"Iconic ecosystems of the American west, such as the sagebrush, can and must be managed to accommodate wildlife, recreation, and compatible economic development, but to do so requires scientific understanding of complex feedbacks," explained USGS director Marcia McNutt. "This multiagency, multistate study is a landmark in providing information and solutions on the scale that this challenge demands and deserves."

The 133,000 square-mile ecological study area, involving most of Wyoming and parts of Montana, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, contains about one quarter of the sagebrush ecosystem in the United States and is a stronghold for wildlife that depend to varying degrees on sagebrush for habitat. The area also is poised for rapid change because of growing interests in many forms of development, especially renewable and non-renewable energy facilities.

The species addressed in the book include birds, mammals, lizards, and insects. The variety of species’ responses to change illustrates the complexity of managing habitats for more than one species in a rapidly changing landscape. The occurrence of three species, including the greater sage-grouse, was negatively influenced by features associated with humans, such as roads, oil and gas wells, and power lines. In contrast, human-associated features were a positive influence for three species, including the pronghorn, and one species showed no measurable influence one way or the other.

"We used a process called an ecoregional assessment," said Steve Hanser, USGS wildlife biologist and the lead editor of the book. "Assessments like these yield data about species and the systems in which they occur across large geographic regions. Information from this assessment can be directly integrated into planning processes and provide understanding of the effects of proposed developments on species of concern."

The complex study had multiple phases. Field surveys were used to identify species relationships with vegetation, soils, climate, and human developments. Scientists used the field data and computer programs to characterize species and environmental relationships. These relationships were then used to create maps of where species can be found on the landscape and interpret the importance of habitat features and human land-use in determining species distributions.

The book and the data developed as part of this study are available at Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation and Management.

USGS Scientist to Receive EPA Award

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:27:58 EDT

U.S. Geological Survey scientist Joanna Thamke will receive the National Level Silver Medal Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today at a ceremony in Denver, Colo.

The scientists are being recognized for their work addressing brine contamination of drinking water supplies on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastern, Mont. This work led to the U.S. EPA issuing an administrative order to protect the health of people living in Poplar, Mont. in December 2010.

The EPA Silver Medal is the second highest National award presented by the EPA. The following are being recognized for their commitment to protecting human health and the environment: USGS scientist Joanna Thamke; Department of Justice attorney David Carson; EPA scientists Barbara Burkland and Nathan Wiser; and EPA attorneys James Eppers and Alan Morrissey. USGS emeritus scientist Zell Peterman also contributed to this project. More information on this study is available online.

"For USGS scientists, their reward is to have the results of their research turned into concrete actions that improve the quality of people's lives," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "To have an agency like EPA honor their contribution by bestowing a medal in addition is a once-in-a-lifetime thrill."

Brine is a byproduct of crude oil production. Handling and disposal of brine during the last 60 years in the East Poplar oil field has resulted in contamination of shallow aquifers and the Poplar River. Understanding the extent of brine contamination in shallow aquifers is important because the City of Poplar uses this resource as their sole source of water.

Scientists used strontium isotopes and other water quality parameters to detect levels of brine contamination in and near the East Poplar oil field on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. This multi-year project has a history of strong coordination among the Fort Peck Tribes, USGS, EPA, and the oil and gas industry.