U.S. Geological Survey Programs in California

U.S. Department of the Interior ª U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has predict flood frequency and magnitude de- been mapping and studying California’s natu- pends on long-term, continuous records at Index of Subjects ral resources and hazards for more than 100 many widespread sites. The USGS, in cooper- Earthquakes years. In this time, the State population has ation with Federal, State, and local water grown from less than 1 million to more than 30 agencies, operates or reviews data for about Volcano Hazards Landslides and Mudflows million, which has increased demands on re- 1,000 surface-water stations throughout Cali- San Francisco Bay/Delta System sources and exposed more people to natural fornia. Data collected are used by those water Marine Wastes hazards. Many population centers are in areas agencies to design measurable, effective, and National Marine Sanctuary of natural hazards. Population growth, com- economically sound programs and practices Water Quality bined with development in arid and semiarid for flood protection. Strategically located Water Supply regions of the State, has stressed California’s streamflow-gaging stations equipped with au- Saltwater Intrusion water resources. USGS information is avail- tomatic recording instruments are connected Geologic Resources able to help people understand and deal with to computerized flood-warning systems. Water Mining Byproducts Sources Of Mercury natural hazards and water-supply stresses. levels, precipitation, and other data can be ac- Biological Resources cessed by computer from anywhere. Resource Assessment Earthquakes Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Volcano Hazards Topographic Mapping Although most major population centers in Earth Science Information Centers California are in seismically active areas, no USGS scientists are closely monitoring earthquake in the past few decades has ap- California’s active and potentially active vol- Shasta, and Medicine Lake Volcanoes. Magma proached the maximum anticipated magni- canos. Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak have intrusion and seismic activity at Long tudes. The principal earthquake hazard is the been active historically and there are several Caldera have been closely monitored by the damage or collapse of buildings or of the infra- geologically young volcanic systems, such as USGS as part of the Volcano Hazards Program structure. The USGS, in cooperation with the Medicine Lake Volcano in northern California since 1978. Since May 1989, USGS scientists California Department of Conservation’s Divi- and Long Valley Caldera on the eastern Sierra have detected and are studying the increased sion of Mines and Geology (CDMG), the Cali- Nevada front. USGS scientists are updating emission of carbon dioxide gas of volcanic or- fornia Institute of Technology, and the South- hazards assessments of Lassen Peak, Mount igin in the southwestern part of the Caldera. ern California Earthquake Center is collecting

ground-motion data to produce regional risk- 120° 118° 116° assessment maps that provide estimates of the Parkfield probability of significant ground movement 80 60 20 (fig. 1). These maps are used by Federal, State, 40 40 and local agencies as a basis for building codes Fault Garlock and land-use zoning that can reduce loss of life Bakersfield CALIFORNIA San and property. San Luis Obispo Andreas 35° In the San Francisco Bay region, USGS Barstow Santa Maria Fault Study area scientists are collaborating with the California Zone San Gabriel 20 Department of Transportation to improve the 40 Palmdale seismic safety of six bridges that cross San 40 Francisco and San Pablo Bays. Deep core sed- Santa Barbara Fault 60 60 60 iment samples collected beside the bridge 40 20 San Bernardino San foundations are being analyzed to determine 34° Andreas 60 San Santa Rosa the capability of the to support the Los Angeles Jacinto Island Fault foundations during earthquake shaking. The 40 Fault PACIFIC OCEAN Santa Ana 20 USGS study uses geographic information sys- Zone tem computer modeling to evaluate the spatial 0 40 MILES Santa Catalina 40 variation of sediment properties beneath these 0 40 KILOMETERS Island Oceanside 20 bridges. 33° EXPLANATION Fault 40 Floods 40 Line of equal probability. San Diego El Centro UNITED STATES Interval is 20 percent MEXICO Floods are a perennial concern for much of Modified from the original created by Southern California Earthquake Center California, and flood forecasting is an essential Figure 1. Lines of equal probability, in percent, of earthquake-caused earth movement capable part of flood management. The ability to of significant damage in the next 30 years; these lines represent a measure of risk.

The world’s largest producing geothermal Klamath Basin field, The near Santa Rosa, produces sufficient power to meet San Francisco’s electrical needs despite recent reductions in Iron Mountain Mine commercial generating capacity. The geother- EXPLANATION mal component of the Volcano Hazards Pro- USGS study area gram includes studies at The Geysers. USGS study site S I E Hopland R R Sacramento Basin Landslides and Mudflows Cache Creek CENTRAL A Penn Mine SacramentoÐ Yosemite Landslides and mudflows are common in San Joaquin N Delta E California because of active mountain-build- V A ing processes, rock characteristics, earth- Farallon D Islands A quakes, and periodic intense storms. By using V ALLEY earthquake information and geologic data San Francisco San JoaquinÐTulare Basin bases, USGS scientists, in cooperation with Bay/Delta the CDMG and the private sector, have cre- Monterey Bay ated a computer-generated landslide location map of the Los Angeles area. They are now Edwards Air Force Base working on landslide-hazard maps that show Santa Barbara Antelope Valley the slopes most likely to fail in earthquakes. San Bernardino Basin Mojave The identification of areas that are likely to Oxnard Plain U.S. Marine produce landslides in conjunction with earth- Los Angeles Corps Base quakes or severe storms enables the public, Santa Ana Basin Wolf Valley urban planners, and the private sector to 0 50 100 MILES address these conditions as part of any future Salton Sea development. 0 50 100 KILOMETERS Figure 2. Selected U.S. Geological Survey water-resources study areas, California. San Francisco Bay/Delta System wetland restoration. Results of these studies National Marine Sanctuary The SacramentoÐSan Joaquin Delta sys- provide a better understanding of the physi- tem (fig. 2) is a vital hydrologic link in Cali- cal, chemical, and biological factors that The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanc- fornia’s water supply, and it has been one of cause ecological and water-quality problems, tuary, south of San Francisco, is the largest the most productive estuarine wetland sys- and are used to reestablish functional tidal marine sanctuary in the United States. Its tems on the West Coast. During the past 150 wetlands in the . 15,000 square miles are home to a rich diver- years, the Bay/Delta system has been greatly sity of marine life and include Monterey Can- modified by human activities. The Delta sys- yon, a submarine feature that rivals the Grand tem is the habitat of two threatened fish spe- Marine Wastes in topographic relief and complexity. cies and several additional species of Wastes generated by human activities have The USGS, in cooperation with the National concern, and the perceived environmental been relocated to the ocean floor off the Cali- Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and consequences to them are constraining hydro- fornia coast. Between 1946 and 1970, as many other Federal and State agencies, is studying logic use of the Delta as part of California’s as 47,800 containers of low-level radioactive the sanctuary to understand links among liv- water delivery system. waste were dumped on the Continental Shelf, ing resources, the physical environment, and human influences. USGS studies include de- The USGS provides information for two many west of the Gulf of the Farallons tailed geologic mapping, and modeling sedi- related interagency programs, the CALFED National Marine Sanctuary. The USGS, in ment movement across the Continental Shelf Bay-Delta Program, which addresses long- cooperation with several Federal agencies, has and down the Canyon. The relations among term solutions to the Bay/Delta system’s developed computer-enhanced sidescan fault lines, fluid seeps, and carbonate crusts problems, and the Interagency Ecological images useful for locating drums and other are being discovered and are important to the Program (IEP). The IEP is a cooperative objects. Results of this work can be used by distribution of clams on the ocean floor. A de- study by nine agencies that has generated environmental, military, and fisheries-man- tailed understanding of these geologic pro- much knowledge about fish populations in the agement agencies to manage waste disposal cesses will assist in the wise management of Bay/Delta system. The USGS provides to this and to identify areas critical to fish popula- the Sanctuary. program an improved understanding of the tions. circulation and mixing of fresh and saline The USGS, in cooperation with Federal waters that affect water quality and fish repro- and State agencies, has identified the distribu- Water Quality duction and growth. tion and character of effluent-affected marine Additional USGS studies evaluate Delta sediment on the Continental Shelf south of Historically, water quantity and distribu- island subsidence and discharges that affect Los Angeles and have modeled its calculated tion have been central issues in California be- drinking water quality in southern California, natural recovery during the next century. This cause most water use is in semiarid areas. Be- measure suspended sediment and contami- information is used by Federal, State, and lo- cause water quality has recently become a nant movements and pesticide transport cal agencies to develop and evaluate long- major concern, the USGS, in cooperation with through the Delta, and investigate wetland term management options for contaminated State and local water agencies, is assessing functioning and dredge spoil suitability for . the quantity and quality of California’s water,

especially in the Central Valley, the San aiding water-management agencies in the had not been well identified. Studies by the Francisco Bay/Delta system, and the rapidly efficient management of ground-water USGS, in cooperation with the Central Valley growing urban areas of southern California. resources. Regional Water Resources Control Board and the Los Alamos National Laboratories, have The USGS studies water quality in the San identified hot springs in the Sulphur Creek JoaquinÐTulare, the Sacramento, and the Saltwater Intrusion as a major mercury source. Santa Ana River Basins for the National Wa- Abandoned mines are a secondary source in Intensive ground-water pumping in coastal ter-Quality Assessment Program. These long- the basin. During most of the year, mercury is areas has contributed to saltwater in- term studies of water quality trends are de- deposited primarily in fine-textured creek sed- trusion. The USGS is investigating the poten- signed to provide a sound scientific under- iments within 0.5 mile of the sources, mer- tial for saltwater intrusion into coastal aqui- standing of the natural and human factors that cury concentrations can be as high as 195 fers in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. affect water quality. They are conducted in co- parts per million (compared with the average USGS ground-water models are used with operation with Federal, State, and local agen- 0.08 to 0.4 part per million for most rock water-supply optimization techniques by State cies and other interested parties that partici- types). During the first seasonal high - and local agencies to develop management pate on advisory committees and provide flow, these sediments are transported down strategies for controlling saltwater intrusion historical and information and guid- the drainage basin. This episodic nature of and accommodating water demands. Water ance on the priorities for studies and reports. mercury transport is significant for Cache managers are using the study results to mod- Creek watershed management and the evalua- ify recharge, pumping, and delivery practices. Water Supply tion of the fate of mercury originating in the area. Throughout southern California, local Geologic Resources water supplies are limited, and much of the The USGS, in cooperation with the Biological Resources water is imported from northern California, CDMG, conducts geologic mapping activities the Colorado River, and Owens Valley. Aqui- On October 1, 1996, the National Biologi- throughout California for producing and dis- fers provide storage for the imported and cal Service joined the USGS as the Biological seminating geologic information to all levels local water supplies. Increasingly, water- Resources Division. The USGS gathers infor- of government, the private sector, and the gen- management agencies are concerned with mation on threatened or endangered species eral public. The USGS and the CDMG pro- making better use of existing and future sup- throughout California; this information in- duce geologic maps at a scale of 1:100,000, plies. The USGS is studying a comprehensive cludes the habitat needs of the Central Valley’s thus improving on the statewide coverage at approach to integrated watershed manage- giant garter snake, populations of the Califor- the 1:250,000 scale. These maps are being pro- ment, which includes surface- and ground- nia sea otter and western burrowing owl, and duced for areas that are of special interest; for water resources. The USGS, in cooperation salmon runs. The USGS, in cooperation with example, various geologic hazards, specific with the Water Replenishment District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and properties, fault zones, and mineral resources. Southern California, is evaluating the effects other land managers, also is studying the rare In addition, maps are being produced that pro- of recharge on ground-water quality in the desert tortoise and the Mojave Desert. These vide three-dimensional representations of geo- Los Angeles area. The results are being used studies provide technical information to help logic structures, such as subsurface connec- by the District to develop water-quality crite- the recovery of the desert tortoise and for the tions of parallel faults, or geologic changes, ria for artificial ground-water recharge that better management of the Mojave Desert eco- such as repeated volcanic eruptions. uses reclaimed wastewater and to identify systems. Additional studies focus on terrestrial specific characteristics of recharge sites that and aquatic contaminant problems and on wet- contribute to contaminant reduction. Mining Byproducts land restoration efforts in San Francisco Bay and the Klamath Basin. In parts of San Bernardino and Riverside A new USGS project is focusing on reduc- Counties, water-management agencies antici- ing the environmental impact of mining pate large increases in demand for water early through better byproduct recovery. The project Resource Assessment in the next century. The USGS, in cooperation goal is to provide comprehensive data on the with these agencies, is engaged in studies that The BLM is revising the Northern and existence and nature of useful substances in Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Man- are designed to characterize hydrogeologic ores; the initial study sites are mines in Cali- agement Plan for 5.5 million acres in south- conditions in areas that appear to have good fornia and Arizona. Better byproduct recovery eastern California. The most pressing man- potential for water banking (recharging will reduce the total volume of mine wastes agement issue is implementing a recovery ground-water systems for future pumping) or and significantly lower their toxicity. This plan for the desert tortoise. Another 30 spe- where ground-water quality may be subject to cleaner and cheaper way to mine can benefit cies of wildlife and plants also are at risk. degradation from land-use practices or other the mineral industry and the environment. Other concerns include biodiversity losses, causes. the impact of decades of development along highways, expansion of recreation areas, and The Mojave Desert region has one of the Sources of Mercury most rapidly growing populations in Califor- coordination among adjacent land-manage- nia. As a result, water is becoming more Elevated mercury concentrations in Cache ment agencies. scarce, and ground-water resources are fre- Creek sediments have been a problem for The USGS has undertaken an assessment quently pumped at rates that far exceed natu- many years. The Cache Creek watershed in that includes studies of the environmental im- ral recharge. The USGS, in cooperation with the Coast Ranges, which is a to the pact of mined and unmined mineral deposits, the Mojave Water Agency, is investigating the lower Sacramento River, has numerous mer- studies in support of mine remediation, and surface- and ground-water relations along the cury-depositing hot springs and abandoned geochemical background and baseline studies. Mojave River, which is the principal source mercury mines. Until recently, however, the and seismic hazards information of ground-water recharge. Study results are primary sources and transport mechanisms also are included.

Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Today, scientists and engineers depend on For More computerized base maps for their research and The Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project is a analyses. Without the geographic context pro- Information congressionally mandated assessment to aid in vided by these base maps, it would be impossi- developing of various policy choices for the ble to understand the spatial patterns of natural future of the mountain range. The primary and human activities. The USGS is working to goals are a scientific review of mature forests, ensure the availability of accurate digital car- watersheds, and significant natural areas and tographic data to facilitate studies in water, an evaluation of the entire set of Sierra Nevada hazards, land, and resource management (fig. ecosystems that includes social, economic, 3). and environmental components. USGS contri- butions to the project include information and The National Mapping Program in Califor- USGS state representative expertise on mines, mineral resources, and nia has focused on those areas where data are Placer Hall, 6000 J Street not yet complete. The USGS has helped a con- mineral environmental issues, potential volca- Sacramento, CA 95819-6129 nic activities, and stream flows. USGS contri- sortium of Federal, State, and local agencies butions for the final analysis include metal produce complete coverage of transportation, (916) 278-3026 supply (undiscovered resources) and minerals hydrography, boundaries, public land surveys, e-mail: [email protected] hazards (acidic mine drainage, arsenic and and elevation data for most of the Klamath and California District “Home Page” mercury contamination in , asbestos, the Trinity River Basins. The USGS also is http://water.wr.usgs.gov/ dust from open-pit mines, and cyanide leaks). working with the U.S. Forest Service to pro- duce digital orthophotoquads of all national forests in California and, through another pro- Topographic Mapping gram, is completing coverage of digital eleva- Additional earth science tion data for the Mojave and the Lower Colo- information can be found by Among the most popular and versatile rado Desert regions and the rest of southern accessing the USGS Home Page products of the USGS are its 1:24,000-scale California. on the World Wide Web at topographic maps that depict natural and cul- tural features of the landscape. California is http://www.usgs.gov/ covered by 3,289 maps at this scale. The Earth Science Information Centers USGS is collaborating with California’s Teale Data Center to reproduce these maps The USGS has an Earth Science Informa- for computer use. tion Center (ESIC) in Menlo Park. In addition For more information on to supplying USGS reports, the ESIC all USGS reports and products 122°30' 121°30' searches data bases for aerial photographs, (including maps, images, historical maps, and digital cartographic data. 38° Topographic and national park maps for Cali- and computerized data), call 30' fornia, as well as other States, are available 1-800-USA-MAPS for sale over the counter, by mail, or FAX. Other State ESIC affiliates for USGS prod- ucts are the CDMG in Sacramento and the Map and Imagery Laboratory at the Univer- sity of CaliforniaÐSanta Barbara. 37° 30' The USGS provides maps, reports, and information to help others meet their needs to manage, develop, and protect America’s water, energy, mineral, biological, and land resources. We help find the natural resources needed to build tomorrow, and supply the scientific understand- ing needed to help minimize or miti- gate the effects of natural hazards EXPLANATION and environmental damage caused by natural and human activities. The results of our efforts touch the daily life of almost every American. 0 50 MILES

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Figure 3. The extent of urban land use, decrease of tidal wetlands, and major earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region, 1850Ð1990. Mapping was done by using U.S. Geological Survey historical USGS quadrangle maps and satellite images. Fact Sheet FSÐ005Ð96