USGS CENTRAL REGION COST CENTERS

EASTERN REGION

ALABAMA

Studies underway on coal-related environmental problems, Alabama

Elise Irwin, Fishery Biologist, BRD-AL Coop

Brian Atkins, Humbert Zappia, WRD

Marty Goldhaber, Rob Lee, Alan Kolker, Jean Morrison, Jim Crock, GD-CR-MR

Joe Hatch, GD-ER-CR

Bob Finkelman, GD-ER-ER

GD, WRD, BRD

GD-Minerals Program-Backgrounds & Baselines

GD-Energy Program

BRD

Alabama State Agencies  

WRD scientists provide sampling expertise and data interpretation on stream waters; BRD scientists are working on the impact of acid drainage on biota from both low pH and elevated trace elements; GD scientists are evaluating the geochemistry of rocks and stream sediments in the drainages.

Series of online MF maps and abstracts have been published describing the origin and environmental impacts of elevated arsenic in Alabama coal.  Two journal articles are in preparation.

Aerial Photography

Larry Handley, Bill Jones, BRD-NWRC

Pat O’Neil, NMD-NWRC-MCMC

Lou Driber, NMD-MCMC

BRD, NMD

CWPPRA

Louisiana DNR

FWS

Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

AL Dept Envir.  Mgement

Acquisition of high resolution color infrared aerial photography for the Gulf Coastal states

Acquisition of aerial photos for five CWPPRA sites, Brown Marsh study area, two National Wildlife Refuges, and Mobile City, Alabama

CONNECTICUT

BRASS (Bedrock Aquifer Systematics Studies)

John Aleinikoff, Geologist, GD-MRT-CR

Janet Stone, WRD-CT District

GD, WRD

GD-NCGM

GD providing U-Pb geochronology, in conjunction with bedrock mapping (by R. Scott and G. Walsh), in the New Milford, Essex, and Old Lyme quadrangles.  These data will be incorporated with hydrologic data to derive hydrologic models.

Bedrock geologic map; co-authored article on geology, geochronology, and tectonics of eastern Hudson Highland, western CT; geology, geochronology, and tectonics of Bronson Hill and Avalon terranes, central CT

Bedrock Regional Aquifer Systematics Study Project (BRASS)

Robert B. Scott, Geologist, GD-ESP-CR

Janet Stone, Jeff Starn, WRD-CT District

Ralph Lewis, Connecticut State Geologist

GD, WRD

GD-NCGM

WRD

Identify hydrogeologic units that can be used to understand hydrologic flow in fractured crystalline rocks to better mitigate groundwater pollution problems.

Pump tests in areas where fracture characteristics are statistically collected can test models of flow.  Results will be coauthored and published in USGS, CT Survey publications, and/or outside publications.

FLORIDA

Tampa Bay Pilot Project

Jimmy Johnston, Branch Chief, Edward Proffitt, Branch Chief, BRD-NWRC

Kim Yates, John Brock, Oceanographer GD-CMG

WRD-FL District

Steve Dicks, Jim Griffin, Modeler, WRD-SW Florida Water Management District

Mike Crane, NMD-EDC

Dean Gesch, Senior Scientist, NMD-EDC, Raytheon ITSS

BRD, GD, WRD, NMD

Congressional add of $1M for integrated coastal science

Analyses of estuarine quality including linkage between mangrove mutation rates and pollutant history; water quality; seagrass distribution surveys; ecosystem productivity; use by nekton.

NMD will produce (1) a seamless high-resolution bathymetric-topographic data set for the Tampa Bay drainage basin for use in refining storm surge inundation estimates, (2) multi-temporal land cover and transportation data sets for the Tampa Bay region, (3) predicted urban growth states for the region at future timelines to serve as a basis for calculating impervious surfaces/runoff impacts to the ecology of the bay, and (4) a geographical analysis of the current and predicted future vulnerability and risk of the population and built environment from major hazards characterizing the region.

Initial reports and a August 2001 conference attended by partners and stakeholders in Tampa Bay. Additional work on-going this year.

Contributing geospatial data sets that project will integrate, manage, and make available to other scientists and collaborators.  Modeling and analytical results will feed other modeling efforts, and lead to an integrated assessment of the current and future state of the health of Tampa Bay.  The project hopes to develop a methodology that can be applied to other estuarine environments throughout the Gulf of Mexico.  Specific products include 2 open file reports, a minimum of one refereed journal article, and a collaborative integrated science project report.

Everglades Restoration Program, Mangrove Modeling

Tom Doyle, Wetland Ecologist, Ken Krauss, Wetland Ecologist, BRD-NWRC

BRD, NMD, WRD, GD

CESI, Cooperative Ecosystems Study Initiative

Upgrade USGS ecological models to assess freshwater alternatives for revitalizing the Florida Everglades.

Databases and simulation models capable of evaluating the impacts of different water delivery strategies on the ecology of the Everglades coastal margin ecosystems.

Gulf of Mexico integrated science project

Jimmy Johnston, Supervisory Biologist, BRD-NWRC

BRD, GD

GD, BRD, other state and federal agencies

Data clearinghouse for Tampa Bay reports; interactive map server

Human-Induced Land Cover Change, Biophysical Responses, and Implications for Land Resource Management: Chesapeake Bay and South Florida Case Studies

L.T. Steyaert, Remote Sensing Scientist, NMD-EDC

Deb Willard, Tom Cronin, Geologist, GD-ESP-ER

J.W. Jones, NMD

T. J. Smith III, Ecologist, BRD-FCSC

EDC, NMD, BRD, GD

FY01 funding through GRA Prospectus and GRA.  A Prospectus continuation proposal has been submitted for FY02

Interdisciplinary collaboration involves USGS (NMD, GD, BRD), Colo. State Univ. Dept. Atmospheric Science (land-atmosphere modeling), and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (remote sensing science).  The study is investigating the potential effects of land use change on land surface processes and regional climate variability within sensitive ecosystems.

Publications

MAINE

Penobscot River: assessment of dioxins, furans, and PCBs in bed sediment and fish tissue

Carl Orazio, Chemist, BRD-CERC

BRD, WRD

Reimbursable funds

USGS Quality Assurance Officer for analytical methods

USGS publication; data to EPA on human health risk assessors and ecological risk assessors

MASSACHUSETTS

Toxicity testing of sediment from Massachusetts Bay

Scott Carr, Fisheries Biologist, BRD-CERC

BRD, GD

USGS (BRD, GD)

Joint toxicological assessment of marine sediments

Final report

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi Science Center MOU

Greg Steyer, BRD-NWRC

Charles Demas, WRD-LA District Chief

BRD, WRD

State of Louisiana

US Army COE

BRD and WRD are partners with funding agencies to monitor large-scale restoration projects at Caernarvon and Davis Pond

Integration of WRD water quality and hydrologic monitoring with BRD landscape change analyses allows for improved evaluations of project effectiveness and management decision-making

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Characterization of Hydraulically-Conductive, Fractured Bedrock

K. J. Ellefsen, Geophysicist, GD-CICT

C Allen Shapiro, WRD-NH District

Pierre Lacombe, WRD-NJ District

GD, WRD

WRD Toxic Substances Hydrology Program

Characterization of fractured bedrock at field site near Mirror Lake, NH. Collected, processed, and analyzed well-to-well seismic data; final product was map showing probability of high hydraulic conductivity between wells. FY02 will characterize fracture bedrock at a contaminated industrial site near Trenton, NJ.

Developed software to process seismic data;  published on-line open-file report.  Published open-file report with seismic data and processing results (tomograms). Submitted an article to Jour. Applied Geophysics. Several presentations at technical conferences. For industrial site, expect a similar suite of articles.

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Drinking Water – Land Use Change Study

Steven Helterbrand, Cartographer, NMD-MCMC

NMD, WRD

NMD-GAM

Work in collaboration with NJ WRD and various state agencies to focus on identifying potential sources of agricultural chemicals based on crop, yield, and chemical use practices.

Historic (decadal) land-use datasets spanning from the 40s through the 90s quantifying the changes in agricultural practices in a selected watershed in southern New Jersey and an open-file report on the land-use change technique and results already achieved will be written.

Characterization of Hydraulically-Conductive, Fractured Bedrock

K. J. Ellefsen, Geophysicist, GD-CICT

C Allen Shapiro, WRD-NH District

Pierre Lacombe, WRD-NJ District

GD, WRD

WRD Toxic Substances Hydrology Program

Characterization of fractured bedrock at field site near Mirror Lake, NH. Collected, processed, and analyzed well-to-well seismic data; final product was map showing probability of high hydraulic conductivity between wells. FY02 will characterize fracture bedrock at a contaminated industrial site near Trenton, NJ.

Developed software to process seismic data; published on-line open-file report.  Published open-file report with seismic data and processing results (tomograms). Submitted an article to Jour. Applied Geophysics. Several presentations at technical conferences. For industrial site, expect a similar suite of articles.

NEW YORK

Toxicity of sediments from the New York Bight

Scott Carr, Fisheries Biologist, BRD-CERC

BRD, GD

USGS (BRD, GD)

Joint toxicological assessment of marine sediments

TENNESSEE

Earthquake Hazards of the Central and Eastern United States

Eugene Schweig, Geologist, GD-GHT Memphis

WRD-TN District

Mike Bradley, Susan Hutson, Ank  Webbers

Randall Updike, Associate Regional Geologist-CR

GD, WRD

GD-Earthquake Hazards Program

Produce a 3D model of the Memphis area, using extensive subsurface data and stratigraphic interpretations. 

Subsurface data base of the entire Memphis area, on a GIS system, merging stratigraphic and geotechnical data; various journal publications in journals; input to ground motion and ground failure models and groundwater hydrologic models for a city entirely dependent on wells for water supply

VIRGINIA

Chesapeake Bay impact crater project

John Aleinikoff, Geologist, GD-MRT-CR

GD, WRD

GD-NCGM Program

WRD

 Hampton Roads Planning District Commission

Providing U-Pb geochronology, in conjunction with petrography and geochemistry of basement crystalline rocks and a felsite clast.  Numerous studies by GD, WRD, numerous outside collaborators.

Abstracts at national meetings; chapter in USGS Professional Paper

Human-Induced Land Cover Change, Biophysical Responses, and Implications for Land Resource Management: Chesapeake Bay and South Florida Case Studies

L.T. Steyaert, Remote Sensing Scientist, NMD-EDC

Deb Willard, Tom Cronin, Geologist, GD-ESP-ER

J.W. Jones, NMD

T. J. Smith III, Ecologist, BRD-FCSC

EDC, NMD, BRD, GD

FY01 funding through GRA Prospectus and GRA.  A Prospectus continuation proposal has been submitted for FY02

Interdisciplinary collaboration involves USGS (NMD, GD, BRD), Colo. State Univ. Dept. Atmospheric Science (land-atmosphere modeling), and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (remote sensing science).  The study is investigating the potential effects of land use change on land surface processes and regional climate variability within sensitive ecosystems.

Publications

WEST VIRGINIA

West Virginia: Impact of coal fly ash on West Virginia geochemical landscape

Ted Callender, Doug Chambers, Hugh Bevins, WRD

Marty Goldhaber, GD-MR-CR

Rich Reynolds, GD-ESP-CR

Andrew Grosz, Robert Ayuso, GD-MRT-ER

GD, WRD

GD-Minerals Program, Energy Program

WRD (National Acid Deposition Program and Status and Trends Project)

Regional soil and stream sediment geochemistry studies in the northeast and focused studies in West Virginia on reservoir sediments.  Studies are designed to understand the timing and geochemical impacts of particulate coal fly ash in a portion of the northeastern U.S. impacted by acid deposition from coal combustion.

Oral presentation at GSA annual meeting in Boston, a second at an international geochemical meeting in Hawaii in March 2002.  Two journal articles are planned, one on impact of potentially toxic trace elements on the geochemical landscape of West Virginia, one on the atmospheric depositional history of arsenic in a series of reservoirs across the U.S.