Pollution is a major concern in the coastal and marine realm where increasing population pressure and human activities stress a wide variety of natural systems. CMG research aims to map existing pollutant deposits, and improve our knowledge of understanding of how pollutants and particles are transported, deposited, recycled, and stored in marine and coastal settings.
Open-File Report 2009-1225: Natural Offshore Oil Seepage and Related Tarball Accumulation on the California Coastline—Santa Barbara Channel and the Southern Santa Maria Basin; Source Identification and Inventory Oil spillage from natural sources is very common in the waters of southern California. Active oil extraction and shipping is occurring concurrently within the region and it is of great interest to resource managers to be able to distinguish between natural seepage and anthropogenic oil spillage. The major goal of this study was to establish the geologic setting, sources, and ultimate dispersal of natural oil seeps in the offshore southern Santa Maria Basin and Santa Barbara Basins. Our surveys focused on likely areas of hydrocarbon seepage that are known to occur between Point Arguello and Ventura, California. Our approach was to 1) document the locations and geochemically fingerprint natural seep oils or tar; 2) geochemically fingerprint coastal tar residues and potential tar sources in this region, both onshore and offshore; 3) establish chemical correlations between offshore active seeps and coastal residues thus linking seep sources to oil residues; 4) measure the rate of natural seepage of individual seeps and attempt to assess regional natural oil and gas seepage rates; and 5) interpret the petroleum system history for the natural seeps. Posted: 2010-05-21
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response In order to assess and prepare for impacts from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center is providing lidar, bathymetry, sediment core, and other data, as well as modeled scenarios of barrier-island inundation as the situation evolves. Posted: 2010-05-12
Investigation of Submarine Groundwater Discharge along the Tidal Reach of the Caloosahatchee River, Southwest Florida The tidal reach of the Caloosahatchee River is an estuarine habitat that supports a diverse assemblage of biota including aquatic vegetation, shellfish, and finfish. The system has been highly modified by anthropogenic activity over the last 150 years (South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), 2009). For example, the river was channelized and connected to Lake Okeechobee in 1881 (via canal C-43). Subsequently, three control structures (spillway and locks) were installed for flood protection (S-77 and S-78 in the 1930s) and for saltwater-intrusion prevention (S-79, W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam in 1966). The emplacement of these structures and their impact to natural water flow have been blamed for water-quality problems downstream within the estuary (Flaig and Capece, 1998; SFWMD, 2009). Doering and Chamberlain (1999) found that the operation of these control structures caused large and often rapid variations in salinity during various times of the year. Variable salinities could have deleterious impacts on the health of organisms in the Caloosahatchee River estuary. Posted: 2010-02-01
Open-File Report 2009-1195: Coastal Circulation and Sediment Dynamics in War-in-the-Pacific National Historical Park, Guam Flow in and around coral reefs affects a number of physical, chemical and biologic processes that influence the health and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems. These range from the residence time of sediment and contaminants to nutrient uptake and larval retention and dispersal. As currents approach a coast they diverge to flow around reef structures, causing high horizontal and vertical shear. This can result in either the rapid advection of material in localized jets, or the retention of material in eddies that form in the lee of bathymetric features. The high complexity and diversity both within and between reefs, in conjunction with past technical restrictions, has limited our understanding of the nature of flow and the resulting flux of physical, chemical, and biologic material in these fragile ecosystems. Posted: 2009-10-13
Fact Sheet 2009-3077: U.S. Geological Survey Western Region; Santa Barbara Channel Coastal and Ocean Science USGS coastal and ocean science in the Western United States and the Pacific integrates scientific expertise in geology, water resources, biology, and geography. Operating from 10 major science centers in the Western Region, the USGS is addressing a broad geographic and thematic range of important coastal and marine issues. In California, the Santa Barbara Channel represents one area of focus. The Santa Barbara Channel area extends from the steep Santa Ynez Mountains on the north to the Channel Islands and adjacent continental shelf on the south and from Point Conception east to the Hueneme submarine canyon. This dynamic landscape, characterized by diverse ecosystems and both urban and rural populations, faces increasing environmental stress due to development, climate change, and natural hazards. The USGS has a long history of work in this area, providing information on a range of coastal-zone-management issues to local, State, and Federal stakeholders. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Interior have specific land- and natural-resource-management responsibilities in the Santa Barbara Channel associated with the Channel Islands National Park (National Park Service), petroleum production and infrastructure in Federal waters (Minerals Management Service), and endangered species recovery (Fish and Wildlife Service). The Santa Barbara Channel is also the location of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and other important marine protected areas. Posted: 2009-10-07
USGS Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) The goal of the USGS Northern Gulf of Mexico project is to understand the evolution of coastal ecosystems on the Northern Gulf Coast, the impact of human activities on these ecosystems, and the vulnerability of ecosystems and human communities to more frequent and more intense hurricanes in the future. Posted: 2009-05-28
Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5101: The Coral Reef of South Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i—Portrait of a Sediment-Threatened Fringing Reef In this landmark volume, U.S. Geological Survey researchers and their colleagues have developed and applied a remarkably integrated approach to the reefs of Moloka‘i, combining geology, oceanography, and biology to provide an in-depth understanding of the processes that have made these reefs grow and that now limit them. They have joined old fashioned natural history of marine animals and plants with study of the geological evolution of the island, hydrology, meteorology, and land-use history, to an arsenal of new methods of remote sensing, including aerial photography, laser ranging, infrared thermal mapping, seismic reflection, in-situ instrumentation to measure chemical parameters of water quality, and direct measurements of the physical driving forces affecting them—such as wave energy, currents, sedimentation, and sediment transport. They provide a level of documentation and insight that has never been available for any reef before. Posted: 2008-11-19
Open-File Report 2008-1215: Winds, Waves, Tides, and the Resulting Flow Patterns and Fluxes of Water, Sediment, and Coral Larvae off West Maui, Hawaii A series of recent studies has focused on the flow patterns and particle fluxes along the coast of West Maui, Hawaii, USA, from Honolua south to Puumana. From those studies a relatively good understanding has emerged of the physical processes that influence the relative amount of suspended sediment in nearshore waters and the circulation patterns that transport sediment and coral larvae along the coast and between islands. This report is a synthesis of our existing knowledge on the nature of flow and transport off West Maui. Posted: 2008-07-02
Scientific Investigations Map 3007: Views of the Sea Floor in Northern Monterey Bay, California A sonar survey that produced unprecedented high-resolution images of the sea floor in northern Monterey Bay was conducted in 2005 and 2006. The survey, performed over 14 days by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), consisted of 172 tracklines and over 300 million soundings and covered an area of 12.2 km2 (4.7 mi2). The goals of this survey were to collect high-resolution bathymetry (depth to the sea floor) and acoustic backscatter data (amount of sound energy bounced back from the sea floor, which provides information on sea-floor hardness and texture) from the inner continental shelf. These data will provide a baseline for future change analyses, geologic mapping, sediment- and contaminant-transport studies, benthic-habitat delineation, and numerical modeling efforts. The survey shows that the inner shelf in this area is extremely varied in nature, encompassing flat sandy areas, faults, boulder fields, and complex bedrock ridges that support rich marine ecosystems. Furthermore, many of these complex bedrock ridges form the “reefs” that result in a number of California”s classic surf breaks. Posted: 2008-06-09
Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5254: Sources, Dispersal, and Fate of Fine Sediment Supplied to Coastal California We have investigated the sources, dispersal, and fate of fine sediment supplied to California coastal waters in a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the California Sediment Management Workgroup (CSMW). The purpose of this study was to document the rates and characteristics of these processes so that the State can better manage its coastal resources, including sediment. Posted: 2008-02-29
Submarine Ground-Water Discharge: Nutrient Loading and Nitrogen Transformations In coastal watersheds with soils of high hydraulic conductivity and permeable coastal sediments, ground water is a major route of transport of freshwater and its solutes from land to sea. Freshwater flowing downgradient from aquifers may either discharge from a seepage face near the intertidal zone, or flow directly into the sea as submarine ground-water discharge (SGD). Posted: 2008-02-01
Open-File Report 2006-1288: Circulation and Physical Processes within the San Gabriel River Estuary During Summer 2005 For nearly a decade, dredged material from San Francisco Bay has been deposited at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region IX designated disposal site on the continental slope west of the Farallon Islands. Over the past several years, annual disposal volumes have ranged from 136,170 m3 (61 barge loads) to 2,407,600 m3 (1,173 barge loads) (Ota, personal communication, 2000). The EPA has conducted extensive studies to evaluate the fate and effects of the disposed material (Abdelrhman, 1992; Tetra-Tech, 1992; SAIC, 1992). The EPA has also maintained a long-term monitoring program to collect hydrodynamic, sedimentary, chemical, and biological data that are used to determine whether the dredged material adversely affects the ecology of adjacent water bodies and whether it moves from the disposal site, especially into the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. As part of this monitoring program, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) deployed arrays of instruments on three moorings near the EPA disposal site from November 1997 to November 1998. This report describes the results and findings of this field monitoring experiment. Posted: 2008-01-11
USGS Monterey Bay Science USGS Monterey Bay Science - USGS research in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and coastal watersheds of central California Posted: 2008-01-01
Coastal and Marine Knowledge Bank An initiative to develop and present a national-scale, interdisciplinary scientific framework for marine environments, the coastal zone, and coastal watersheds Posted: 2007-11-28
Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Tidal Wetlands This project is investigating the loss of coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands in order to determine long-term change in wetlands and to provide a model for determining areas that are most vulnerable to loss because of combinations of human and natural impacts. Posted: 2007-06-01
USGS Circular 1198 - Beyond the Golden Gate - Oceanography, Geology, Biology, and Environmental Issues in the Gulf of the Farallones The USGS began a major geologic and oceanographic study of the Gulf of the Farallones in 1989. This investigation, the first of several now being conducted adjacent to major population centers by the USGS, was undertaken to establish a scientific data base for an area of 3,400 square kilometers (1,000 square nautical miles) on the Continental Shelf adjacent to the San Francisco Bay region. The results of this study can be used to evaluate and monitor human impact on the marine environment. Posted: 2006-11-17
U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2005-3061 Predictions of the transport and long-term fate of particles in the coastal ocean are needed to address issues related to commerce, defense, public health, and the quality of the marine environment. For example, models can be used to investigate waste disposal and the transport and fate of contaminated materials; burial rates for naval mines or archaeological artifacts; water-column optical properties; transport and fate of biological particles; prediction of coastal flooding and coastal erosion; impacts of sea-level or wave-climate changes and coastal development; construction and maintenance of navigable waterways; habitat for commercial fisheries; impacts of natural or anthropogenic changes in coastal conditions on recreational activities; and design of intakes and outfalls for sewage treatment, cooling systems, and desalination plants. Posted: 2006-10-20
Contaminant Transport in Massachusetts Bay Contaminants have accumulated in sediments of many coastal environments of the United States, particularly those near major metropolitan centers. U.S. Geological Survey scientists provide information about the distribution, severity, and fate of these contaminated sediments that is essential for making informed management decisions about multiple uses of these coastal environments. Posted: 2004-03-02
Metal Concentrations in Sediments of Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay Document Environmental Change - USGS Fact Sheet 150-97 Over the last decade, contaminants entering Boston Harbor have been significantly reduced. Although parts of the harbor still contain metals at concentrations above toxicity guidelines for bottom-dwelling animals, we have observed decreasing metal concentrations over time that are encouraging. We are learning which natural sedimentary processes significantly influence the fate and transport of metals in Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay. Posted: 2004-03-02
Predicting the Long-Term Fate of Sediments and Contaminants in Massachusetts Bay - USGS Fact Sheet 172-97 Contaminants have accumulated in the sediments of Massachusetts Bay, typical of many coastal areas near major metropolitan centers that have been used for waste disposal since colonial times. Developing an understanding of where and why contaminants accumulate is essential for making informed management decisions about uses of these coastal areas and for developing sound strategies for monitoring environmental change. Posted: 2004-03-02
Predicting the Impact of Relocating Boston's Sewage Outfall - USGS Fact Sheet 185-97 For nearly 300 years, Boston Harbor has been the disposal site for regional sewage. Today, Boston is approaching completion of a $3.5 billion court-ordered cleanup project that includes elimination of sludge discharge, treatment of secondary sewage, and containment of combined sewer overflows. One aspect of the project, however, has created substantial controversy -- the relocation of the sewage outfall from the mouth of Boston Harbor to a new site 15 km offshore in Massachusetts Bay. There is concern that the new outfall, scheduled to begin discharge in October 1998, might turn Massachusetts Bay into the next Boston Harbor and that whales and other species in the region (which includes the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary) might be endangered. Posted: 2004-03-02
Sedimentary Environments in Long Island Sound: A Guide to Sea-Floor Management in a Large Urbanized Estuary - USGS Fact Sheet 041-98 Bottom sedimentary environments, defined by sidescan-sonar patterns, indicate where sea-floor sediments are moved and deposited in the Long Island Sound estuary. The patchy distribution of environments, which reflects both regional and local changes in geologic and oceanographic conditions, provides a predictive framework for those concerned with the management and utilization of the sea floor in this urbanized area. Posted: 2004-03-02
Coastal Erosion of Southern Lake Michigan - USGS Fact Sheet Geological Survey studies the geologic processes at work in the Great Lakes region because they have direct bearing on the use, management, development, and preservation of the shoreline. It is important to understand how these processes shape our daily lives. About 15 percent of the United States' and 50 percent of Canada's population live along or near the 9,000-kilometer-long coastline of the Great Lakes. About 83 percent of the shoreline is privately-owned with property values as high as $10,000 per linear foot of lakefront. Posted: 2004-03-02
Coastal Wetlands and Sediments of the San Francisco Bay System - USGS Fact Sheet San Francisco Bay has received much scientific attention over the years primarily because of regional questions regarding water quality and, more recently, geologic hazards, but very little is known about sediment distribution and movement on the floor of the Bay. The link between sediment accumulation in the Bay and processes that produce the staggering losses of wetlands acreage and continual channel filling is becoming better understood as U.S. Geological Survey scientists undertake new research of the region. Posted: 2004-03-02
Geology of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary - USGS Fact Sheet The geology and oceanography of the Farallones and surrounding area is atypical and complex. These factors complicate the process of understanding the environmental effects of man's influence such as the disposal of dredge spoils and radioactive wastes. Our goal is to assemble, in a non-crisis mode, geological information to support sound management decisions for any purpose. Posted: 2004-03-02
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin: Louisiana's Troubled Urban Estuary - USGS Fact Sheet Scientific studies recently begun by the U.S. Geological Survey suggest that several key natural processes and human-induced environmental factors are directly affecting the health of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, one of America's largest estuaries. An increased knowledge of the critical geologic and estuarine processes affecting the Basin is essential for its management, improving environmental conditions, and mitigating future problems in the region. Such baseline information is of immediate value to planners and decision makers involved in the task of reversing the Basin's environmental degradation and restoring its water and habitat qualities. Posted: 2004-03-02
The Legacy of Contaminated Sediments in Boston Harbor - USGS Fact Sheet Contamination of sediments in Boston Harbor, particularly by metals, is so widespread that its effects may be felt long after the sources of contamination are shut off. Where are toxic concentrations of metals located today? How did they get there? How will they move? These are questions that must be answered in detail before we can properly estimate risk in the environment. Posted: 2004-03-02
Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Geological Processes and Framework - USGS Fact Sheet The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will move its Pacific Marine Geology program to a new location at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) and we are excited about our role in the marine sciences community around Monterey Bay. There is much to learn in the region, not only as a result of new opportunities in the Marine Sanctuary, but also that knowledge gained here may be transferred to our studies of similar environments in other parts of the world. Posted: 2004-03-02
Seafloor Studies of Mamala Bay, Honolulu, Hawaii: USGS Fact Sheet Disposal of dredge spoils in the near offshore area, coupled with the rapid growth of Honolulu and other nearby municipalities, has placed increased stress on the environment of Mamala Bay. No satisfactory bathymetric map of the seafloor had existed, and little information has been compiled about the effects of these activities to determine whether modifications to the operation and management of the designated dump sites and sewage outfall locations were necessary. Posted: 2004-01-04
Fact Sheet 024-03: Bacterial Contamination at Huntington Beach, California—Is It From a Local Offshore Wastewater Outfall? During the summers of 1999 and 2000, beaches at Huntington Beach, California, were repeatedly closed to swimming because of high bacteria levels in the surf zone. The city’s beaches are a major recreational and commercial resource, normally attracting millions of visitors each summer. One possible source of the bacterial contamination was the Orange County Sanitation District’s sewage outfall, which discharges treated wastewater 4.5 miles offshore at a depth of 200 feet. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating organizations have been investigating whether ocean currents and waves transport the wastewater to the beaches. These studies indicate that bacteria from the outfall are not a significant source of the beach contamination. Posted: 2003-10-29
USGS OFR 03-111 - Preliminary Analysis Of Cores From North San Francisco Bay, California In March 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey collected sediment cores in North San Francisco Bay, California to determine the location of mercury-contaminated hydraulic mining debris. This report documents preliminary analyses conducted on a subset of the cores collected on the March 2000 cruise. Field and laboratory methods used to analyze the cores are described. Field core descriptions, core X-radiographs, classification of stratigraphy from X- radiographs, and magnetic susceptibility are presented in the data section. Posted: 2003-10-29
USGS Fact Sheet 155-02 - Tracking Contaminants in Santa Monica Bay, Offshore of Greater Los Angeles Santa Monica Bay is a major recreational and commercial resource for the Greater Los Angeles region. Industrialization and the dramatic increase of population in the region over the past 100 years have strained the bay’s resources and polluted its sediments. To help evaluate any possible hazards posed by contamination, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and local cooperating organizations are studying the processes that modify, transport, and redeposit sediments within Santa Monica Bay. Posted: 2003-10-29
Continental Shelf Research 22:6-7 - Sedimentation Processes, DDT, and the Palos Verdes margin The 14 papers of this volume can be divided into three categories: (1) mapping the extent and character of the deposit, (2) measuring the factors that cause the deposit to change with time and modeling that change, and (3) determining the effect of the deposit on the chemical and biological environment. Posted: 2003-10-29
USGS Fact Sheet 024-03 - Bacterial Contamination at Huntington Beach, California--Is It From a Local Offshore Wastewater Outfall? During the summers of 1999 and 2000, beaches at Huntington Beach, California, were repeatedly closed to swimming because of high bacteria levels in the surf zone. The city’s beaches are a major recreational and commercial resource, normally attracting millions of visitors each summer. One possible source of the bacterial contamination was the Orange County Sanitation District’s sewage outfall, which discharges treated wastewater 4.5 miles offshore at a depth of 200 feet. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating organizations have been investigating whether ocean currents and waves transport the wastewater to the beaches. These studies indicate that bacteria from the outfall are not a significant source of the beach contamination. Posted: 2003-10-01
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-001, Title Page This report contains surficial sediment data from previously unpublished data sources or from gray literature. These data have been compiled as part of the National Benthic Habitats and Marine Aggregate Resources and Processes Projects to update the existent maps on surficial sediment distribution available for the Gulf of Maine region. Sediment data in this report are GIS ready and are broken into data layers by their original source project. The data layers are provided as single-point vector datasets with sample identifiers, navigation, textural attribute information, and FGDC compliant metadata. Posted: 2003-08-14
Geology and Human Activity in the Florida Keys - USGS Fact Sheet Live corals on the east side of the Florida Keys are mysteriously dying and algae are taking over that eco-niche. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) studies and mapping of the Keys and the reef tract suggest that a number of natural factors, combined with effects of human activity, may contribute to the corals' demise. A complete geological study of this ecosystem would provide the kind of information environmental managers need to determine the extent of damage to reefs resulting from human activity. Posted: 2003-03-02
Coral Mortality and African Dust Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and near extinction of herbivorous sea urchins from the 1970s through early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to coral reefs do not apply for many of the affected reefs where human population is low. Posted: 2003-02-18
USGS OFR 02-349: Human Impact on the Planet: An Earth Science Perspective and Ethical Considerations The modern Earth Narrative, the scientific story of the 4.5 billion-year natural and human history of the Earth, has emerged from the solid foundation of two factual concepts: Deep (or Geologic) Time and Biological Evolution. Widespread acceptance of the Earth Narrative is critically important as we begin the third millennium, because it provides a clear understanding of the growing impact of human population growth and associated activities on the Earth System, especially the negative impact on Earth's biosphere. It is important for humans to realize that we are but one of 4,500 species of mammals that exist on Earth and that we are but one species in the estimated 30 to 100 million species that form the complex biosphere. We also need to recognize that all species exist within the physical limits imposed by the geosphere. We are totally dependent on the biosphere for food, oxygen, and other necessities of life. Humans are one of the latest results of biological evolution operating over a long period of Geologic Time. We find ourselves on Earth, after 4.5 billion years of Earth history by chance, not by design. Humans have become so successful at modifying their environment that many of the natural limitations on the expansion of populations of our fellow animals have been overcome by technological and cultural innovations. According to Peter Raven "Humans, at a current population of 6 billion [expected to nearly double by 2050], are consuming or wasting about 50 percent of the total net biological productivity on land and 50 percent of the available supply of freshwater." The overwhelming and expanding human presence leaves less and less room in the environment for other biota.” The 21st century will be a pivotal time in the fate of Earth's biosphere. Whereas human modification of the geosphere will slowly recover over time, human changes to the biosphere are a far more consequential matter -- extinction of a species is forever! Will humans effectively use our new knowledge of natural and human history to stop further degradation of Earth's ecosystems and extinction of its biota? The fate of the biosphere, including humanity, depends on a reaffirmation by all humans of all cultures and religions of the global importance of a planet-wide conservation of the Earth's biotic heritage. For the world's religions it means elevation of stewardship of the Earth to a moral imperative and a goal of complete preservation of the Earth's biotic inheritance, one which is based on a Do No Harm ethic. Posted: 2002-10-07
Chemical Pollutants and Toxic Effects on Benthic Organisms, Biscayne Bay, Florida Through the study of benthic foraminifera in Florida's Biscayne Bay, this project seeks to identify the distribution of pollutants and their effects in the bay. Findings will be used to assist in planning Everglades restoration and to aid in understanding recent change in local coral reef health. Posted: 2002-08-27
USGS Sediment Studies in Lake Mead Lake Mead is one of the world's largest man-made reservoirs at about 600 sq km, roughly the size of Chicago. Lake Mead started to form on the Colorado River in 1935, upon completion of the Hoover Dam. Since then, the lake has supplied water to agricultural, industrial, recreational, and municipal users in the southwestern United States. Posted: 2002-05-15
Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin - USGS Open File Report 02-206 The Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin provides citizens, planners, managers, educators, scientists and other professionals with a multidisciplinary and integrated source of information on Lake Pontchartrain and its surrounding Basin. Posted: 2002-05-14
U.S.G.S. Woods Hole Field Center, Analytical Labs This page documents the laboratories, methods, and equipment used to analyze marine sediments at the USGS's Woods Hole Field Center. Posted: 2002-04-25
Coastal Ocean Modeling at the USGS Woods Hole Field Center Animations (short movies) showing simulations of Coastal water Circulation as numerically modeled using a large amount of empirical environmental data in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, and Cape Cod Bay. These include tidal pumping of Boston Harbor; a comparison of the distribution of effluent from the (former) sewage outfall in Boston Harbor and the present 9-mile-long tunnel outfall outside the harbor; seasonal water movements in Massachusetts Bay; and an illustration of changes in dry land areas during post-glacial relative sea-level rise from 14000 years ago to the present. Posted: 2002-04-24
Red Tides in Western Gulf of Maine Description of Research Project on Toxic "Red Tide" Populations in the Western Gulf of Maine: Sources, Transport, and Nutrient Environment Posted: 2002-04-24
Multibeam Bathymetric and Backscatter Maps of the Upper Hudson Shelf Valley and Adjacent Shelf, Offshore of New York About aproject to map the surficial geology and subsurface stratigraphy of the Hudson Shelf Valley and adjacent continental shelf from its head near New York Harbor to where it crosses the outer. The northwesterly area of the survey encompasses a region of the shelf that may provide sediment to the valley as well as the principal disposal sites used since the 1800's. Posted: 2002-04-24
Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site Maps The site lies 17 nautical miles east of the entrance to Boston Harbor and is adjacent to the boundary of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The area has had a complex history since the 1940's. The USGS/NOAA cooperative mapping program has acquired multibeam echo-sounder data in combination with video and still photos to describe the character of the sea floor and produce interpretive maps of the region. The maps were published in 1996, and are made available on this CD-ROM in Portable Document File, Encapsulated PostScript, and PostScript formats. Includes a gallery of bottom photographs. Posted: 2002-04-24
USGS Studies in Long Island Sound: Geology, Contaminants, and Environmental Issues Long Island Sound is a major coastal estuary near the New York-Connecticut metropolitan area. More than eight million people live in its watershed. Due to the enormous population, the Sound is used heavily and its sea floor has been impacted by human activities. There are many benthic habitats in the Sound that support large commercial and recreational fisheries. Sediments of the Sound are a sink for wastes and contaminants from various sources such as wastewater treatment plants, urban and agricultural runoff, and waste disposal. Posted: 2002-04-24
Boston Harbor/ Massachusetts Bay Studies Environmental effects of the Boston sewage outfall tunnel are being studied using computer simulations of ocean circulation and dilution of sewage from the tunnel, also mapping and sediment analyses to find the pathways and ultimate repositories of contaminants from the Boston Metropolitan area, and monitoring to establish a baseline of contaminant levels in sediments and to document their natural variability. Posted: 2002-04-23
Seafloor Characterization Offshore New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area using sidescan sonar A preliminary synthesis of systematic high-resolution mapping of the sea floor in the New York Bight Apex, using sidescan-sonar and seismic-reflection profiles. The survey provides a new and detailed view of the sea floor, and a new framework for understanding the regional sediment transport system of the New York Bight. Posted: 2002-04-23
Long Island Sound Environmental Studies Reports and maps on acoustic and textural features of Long Island Sound bottom sediments; Sidescan-sonar imagery of areas off Hammonasset Beach state park, Norwalk, Niantic Bay, Milford, Fishers Island Sound, Falkner Island, New Haven, New London, CT, and Roanoke Pt., NY. Also, articles on a surficial sediment data, benthic communities and contaminants, and currents, and a bibliography. Posted: 2002-04-23
Georeferenced Sea-Floor Mapping and Bottom Photography in Long Island Sound Extensive information in 12 separate chapters on geology (including late-Pleistocene stratigraphy, and a free-air gravity anomaly map indicative deep substructure), surface sediments, organic carbon, benthic enviroments, megafaunal environments, contaminanats such as metals, mercury, and a bacterial indicator of human pollution; GIS referenced mapping data, and a collection of bottom photographs; Environmental changes 1940s to 1990s. Posted: 2002-04-23
Lake Pontchartrain, LA, Geochemistry Geology, geologic history, sediments, circulation, satellite imagery, of Lake Pontchartrain, LA, and a sediment database and geochemical assessment of the Lake. Posted: 2002-04-23
Atchafalaya and Mississippi River Deltas Study This study will evaluate the transport and storage of particle reactive, environmentally relevant contaminates through the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River delta complexes to the near-shore Gulf of Mexico. Posted: 2002-03-18
U.S. Geological Survey Studies in the New York Bight Since 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey`s Coastal and Marine Geology Program has been conducting studies offshore of New York designed to map and characterize the sea floor, to understand the transport and fate of sediments and associated pollutants, to map the inner shelf and sand deposits along the southern shore of Long Island, and to understand the recent geologic history. A long-term goal of these geological studies is to develop predictive models and geologic information to guide research and sustainable use of the coastal ocean. Posted: 2001-12-14
Online Mini-Documentary Movie - The Effects of Globally Transported African and Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health "The Effects of Globally Transported African and Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health" is an eight minute mini-documentary featuring biologist Ginger Garrison, geologist Gene Shinn, chemist Chuck Holmes, and microbiologist Dale Griffin as they explain the deterioration of Caribbean coral health over the past several decades, and how unlocking the key role of trans-Atlantic dust transport has opened the door to understanding the effects and implications of this global phenomenon. Narrated by geologist Terry Edgar. Posted: 2001-11-08
USGS Open-File Report 01-356 Sediment chemistry data are presented for the Massachusetts Bay Outfall Posted: 2001-10-23
A Photo Gallery of Florida's Big Bend Tidal Wetlands This collection offers a thematic tour of Florida's Big Bend tidal wetlands, covering aspects of the flora, fauna, and geology of this mosaic of tidal marsh, coastal forest, and winding tidal creeks. Posted: 2001-02-23
Great Lakes Mapping Project Initiative to map lake bathymetry and classify lakebed materials to advance knowledge of Great Lakes and enable better management of Great Lakes resources. Posted: 2000-12-12
USGS Project Information Sheet on Database of Contaminated Sediments for the Gulf of Maine Heavy metals, pesticides, petroleum compounds, and nutrients measured in Gulf of Maine sediments originate from a variety of industrial, municipal, and domestic sources. A large dataset has been compiled on contaminant deposition in coastal sediments in order to quantify the research conducted over the last 40 years. The database is to be used by the USGS and other environmental managers to assess the environmental health of regional ecosystems, the transport paths of contaminants, and the ultimate fate of those contaminants. The current database is a compilation of organic, inorganic, and texture data, sample location information, and comments on the data quality for over 7,000 sediment samples. This information may be useful to researchers for intercomparisons of more recent data as well as policy makers for remediation and resource management of urban areas in the U.S. Posted: 2000-10-24
Gulf of the Farallones Waste-Disposal Issues Studies about disposal of radioactive waste and dredged material in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, offshore of San Francisco, California Posted: 2000-07-19
Gulf of Maine Information System - REDIMS Research Environmental Data and Information Management System (REDIMS) for the Gulf of Maine: Information about data availability, numerical models, and REDIMS organization Posted: 2000-05-11
Geologic Framework and Processes of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Lake Pontchartrain and adjacent lakes form one of the largest and most important estuaries in the Gulf Coast Region. The estuary drains the Pontchartrain Basin, an area of over 12,000 square kilometers situated on the eastern side of the Mississippi River delta plain. In Louisiana, nearly one-third of the state population lives within the 14 parishes of the Pontchartrain Basin. Posted: 2000-03-15
Geologic Characterization of Lakes and Rivers of Northeast Florida This study is part of a series of cooperative investigations conducted from 1993 to 1997 of inland and offshore waters and adjacent terrain throughout much of the St. Johns River Water Management District in northeastern Florida. Posted: 2000-03-03
FS 78-99: Contaminated-Sediment Database Development for Boston Harbor USGS scientists undertook a pioneering effort to assemble a database from all available sources of information on chemicals in sediments of the Boston Harbor study area. The database was created to help understand the distribution of sediment contaminants and their sources, transport, and other processes and to support environmental management. The work involved collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE), the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and other organizations. More than 100,000 sediment measurements from more than 3,000 samples were gleaned from 1,500 references. Posted: 1999-03-05
1995 West Coast Flood Deposits STRATAFORM Project aims to understand the coastal margin stratigraphy and collect information on past climate change and sea level fluctuation along the California coast, as well as information relating to pollutant transport. Posted: 1998-08-14
USGS TerraWeb: San Francisco Bay - Multibeam Backscatter Data: Alcatraz Island and West-Central Bay Areas Remote sensing in the Central San Francisco Bay Region, featuring multibeam backscatter and bathymetry mosaics products enhanced with satellite imagery. The image maps featured were created to help study sediment and pollutant transport in Central San Francisco Bay -- visit this page for links to the Sediment and Pollutant Trasport project and related web pages. Posted: 1998-05-20
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