Surface-water Stations Research Articles

USGS Water Data Program

The Reagan Administration, in its fiscal year 1987 budget, proposes cuts for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) program for water resources investigations of 12%, from $142 million to $125 million. This program is important to all scientists and engineers who are involved with water resources. The basic water data that this program provides establish the necessary foundation for the proper planning, design, and operation of the nation's water resource and environmental quality projects.The USGS Basic Data Collection Program has covered both groundwater and surface water supplies in the United States for many decades, but in recent years, USGS has undertaken more responsibilities in the water quality area—usually without commensurate funding increases. Funding for the USGS water data networks has steadily declined in constant (1972) dollars since 1977–1978, and is now at a lower level than in 1973. Funding in actual dollars started decreasing in 1983. This proposed cut would affect not only the federal data collection program but also its sister program, the federal‐state cooperative data collection system, resulting in termination of many surface water and groundwater stations.

Hydrological effects of the CANNIKIN event

abstract The hydrological effects of the underground nuclear explosion, CANNIKIN, were monitored by a network of streamflow stations and ground-water boreholes located on Amchitka Island. Continuous records were obtained from six surface-water stations that range from 1.50 to 14.07 km from surface ground zero (SGZ). Confined fluid pressures in boreholes were recorded at five stations with slant distances ranging from 2.14 to 14.11 km from ground zero (GZ). Fluctuations of water level were measured in one open hole 6.42 km from GZ. The stream system draining the CANNIKIN site lost 96 per cent of its flow within hours after the explosion. Lakes formed near SGZ remain low in stage and appear to be providing infill water for the rubble chimney. Measurements in boreholes also showed that the ground-water gradient was toward the explosion site. The response of confined fluid pressures was recorded in a number of boreholdes, and a relationship between maximum fluid pressure, P, and slant range, Rs, has been established as P = 920 Rs−2.10.