TRENTON, N.J.--Three disaster recovery centers will close Saturday, April 20, and transition into Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Centers on Monday, April 22.

The disaster recovery centers transitioning are the center at the Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center in Leonardo, the center at the Little Egg Harbor Senior Center in Little Egg Harbor Township and the center at the Ocean County Southern Resource Center in Manahawkin.

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More than 50 years of water-quality data in the Piceance Basin are now available from the U.S. Geological Survey in two new reports.

The need for this baseline water-resources assessment was identified by energy producers and local governments to address concerns regarding potential changes to surface-water and groundwater resources as large-scale energy development and population growth occurs in the Piceance Basin. Data from 1,545 wells collected from1946 through 2009 were compiled, evaluated, and compared with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking-water standards, and are published in a USGS groundwater quality report, available online. Additionally, 347 surface-water sites were compared to EPA drinking-water and Colorado State standards, and are contained in a separate surface-water report.

Groundwater findings include:

• Recharge—the downward movement of surface water to groundwater—to most wells was derived from precipitation.
• Dissolved-solids concentrations commonly exceeded the EPA secondary drinking-water standard. Dissolved solids consist of minerals, organic matter, and nutrients that have dissolved in water. The major components of dissolved solids of natural waters include bicarbonate, calcium, sulfate, hydrogen, silica, chlorine, magnesium, sodium, potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the form of phosphate. 
• Arsenic concentrations were higher in low oxygen groundwater and likely from naturally occurring rock.
• Nitrate levels likely associated with septic systems, animal manure, or fertilizer.
• The majority of methane detections were found near the Mamm Creek-Divide Creek area.

Surface-water findings include:

• Salinity and selenium concentrations and loads—a primary concern for water managers in the Lower Gunnison River basin—are generally trending downward.
• Approximately 30 percent of phosphorus samples exceeded EPA’s recommended standard.
• Overall results varied by site.

“Data gaps were identified and suggestions provided to develop long-term regional-scale monitoring strategies to fill data gaps, minimize information redundancies, and to assist managers in making informed decisions regarding land and water resources,” said David Brown, Western Colorado Office Chief for the USGS Colorado Water Science Center.

This voluntary effort between energy producers and local, state, and federal agencies inventoried existing water resources in the Piceance Basin. The resulting data repository is the most comprehensive collection of Piceance Basin water-quality sampling information available in a single location.

The USGS studies were done in cooperation with (in alphabetical order): Antero Resources; Bureau of Land Management; Bureau of Reclamation; Chevron Corporation; Cities of Grand Junction and Rifle, Colo.; Colorado Department of Agriculture; Colorado Department of Natural Resources; Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Colorado Division of Wildlife—River Watch; Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; Colorado River Water Conservation District;  Counties of Delta, Garfield, and Rio Blanco, Colo.; EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.; Gunnison Energy Corp.; National Park Service; Natural Soda, Inc.; North Fork River Improvement Association; Oxy Petroleum Corporation; Petroleum Development Corp.; Shell Oil Company; Solvay Chemicals; Towns of Carbondale, De Beque, Palisade, Parachute, Rangely, and Silt, Colo.; U.S. Forest Service; West Divide Water Conservancy District; and Williams Companies, Inc.

DENTON, Texas –– In five months, on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, new flood maps for Richland Parish, Louisiana will become effective.  Before that date, state, local and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider purchasing flood insurance.

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DOVER (April 15, 2013) – A training workshop on preventing and managing invasive plants and supporting healthy habitats will be held 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 24 at the St. Jones Reserve, 818 Kitts Hummock Road in Dover.

DOVER (April 12, 2013) – The Community Involvement Advisory Council (CIAC) will hold a meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 16 at the Smyrna Rest Stop Conference Room, U.S. Route 13 in Smyrna.

Applications due June 6, 2013

The U.S. Geological Survey will award up to $4 million in grants for earthquake hazards research in 2014. 

"The USGS has a long-standing grants program that has supported fresh and cutting-edge ideas all in an effort to reduce earthquake losses and protect communities," said USGS Senior Science Advisor Bill Leith. "We are looking forward to seeing the new proposals for 2014 and continuing to invest in innovative projects from experts across the nation and the world."

Interested researchers can apply online at GRANTS.GOV under funding opportunity number G13AS00029. Applications are due June 6, 2013. 

Each year the USGS awards earthquake hazards research grants to universities, state geological surveys and private institutions. Past projects included cataloging earthquakes in southern California to better prepare emergency responders, the public and the media about earthquakes; providing seismic hazard estimates so communities and critical institutions can engineer their buildings and roads to be structurally sound; and analyzing data on ground shaking to help minimize damage.

A complete list of funded projects and reports can be found on the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program external research support website.

NEW YORK – The disaster recovery center in Freeport, Nassau County, currently staffed by state and federal specialists, will become a disaster loan outreach center operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration beginning at 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 16.

This disaster loan outreach center will be open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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DOVER (April 12, 2013) – To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, between April 3 and April 9 DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents made 1,135 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters and the general public, including 12 boating safety/fishing regulation compliance checks.

LAUREL (April 12, 2013) – On April 9, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents concluded a week-long investigation by making four arrests in connection with an April 1 incident of criminal mischief at the Phillips Landing public boat ramp near Laurel, in which unknown suspects pulled down the Captain John Smith Nanticoke Exploration Monument and damaged four road signs.

DOVER (April 12, 2013) – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has announced that preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps for portions of Kent County have been released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

NEW YORK — Disaster assistance to New York survivors of Hurricane Sandy has reached nearly $3.2 billion, including:

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NEW YORK – The disaster recovery center in Long Beach, N.Y., remains open as a full-service survivor resource that is staffed by state and federal specialists.

Hurricane Sandy survivors can visit the center at the Recreation Center and Ice Arena, 700 Magnolia Blvd., Long Beach, N.Y., 11561. The center is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency will evaluate a Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station.  The exercise will occur during the week of April 15th to assess the ability of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to respond to an emergency at the nuclear facility.

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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency will evaluate a Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station.  The exercise will occur during the week of April 15th to assess the ability of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to respond to an emergency at the nuclear facility.

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MILFORD (April 10, 2013) – An investigation that began in January culminated in DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents citing a Milford man for illegally offering mounted deer heads, turkeys and a bear for sale online.

DELAWARE CITY (April 11, 2013) – The last of three community meetings on the future of the Historic Fort DuPont Complex will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at the Delaware City Community Center, located at 250 Fifth Street (5th & Bayard).

NEW YORK — Since Hurricane Sandy struck New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved nearly $824 million in Public Assistance grants to reimburse state, tribal and local governments and eligible private nonprofits for some of the costs of emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. Approximately 676 grants have been approved so far. Here are some of the recent reimbursements:

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TRENTON, N.J.--Tell your friends and neighbors who have not registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that the last day to register is May 1, 2013. Make sure they know the facts about FEMA registration; many Hurricane Sandy survivors are eligible for disaster assistance and just may not know it.

With about two weeks left to register, here are facts about FEMA assistance:

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NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of the State of New York, has approved a 17-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allows eligible survivors from Hurricane Sandy who cannot return to their homes to stay in participating hotels.

The new checkout date for those in the TSA program is May 1. FEMA is calling applicants eligible for the extension to notify them of the new checkout date.

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A team of African and North American scientists led by the U.S. Geological Survey and NatureServe, a conservation non-profit organization, has created a series of continent-wide ecosystem maps that offer the most detailed portrayals of Africa's natural setting yet produced. The new maps and related data on landforms, geology, bioclimates, and vegetation can be used across Africa for conservation planning and resource management, as well as for impact assessments of climate change and changes in land use, such as agriculture, deforestation, and urbanization. 

"This was a multi-organizational, international collaboration to create new earth science datasets for the entire continent at finer resolutions than ever before," said Matt Larsen, USGS Associate Director for Climate and Land Use Change. "An added benefit is that this information about ecosystem conditions can be put to many different uses. It will have tremendous utility beyond ecosystem assessments." 

USGS and NatureServe researchers collaborated with the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), based in Nairobi, Kenya. RCMRD hosted two workshops where invited experts from many African nations developed a new classification of African ecosystems and provided location data for the newly classified ecosystems.

Overall, a total of 37 experts from 18 countries worked together to formulate the ecosystem classifications (126 distinct ecosystems were mapped) and produce the maps at a base resolution of 90 meters. 

"This much improved baseline of Africa's ecosystem conditions has the potential for more accurate carbon assessment studies in Africa," observed USGS scientist Roger Sayre, lead author of the publication. 

Determination of biological carbon stocks in ecosystems is an emerging science. Currently, carbon stocks are assessed in general biome categories like forests, grasses, shrublands, wetlands, deserts, and agricultural lands. The increased classification resolution supplied by the new African ecosystems maps will facilitate a more robust assignment of carbon inventories to a greater, more precise number of biological sources. 

The Association of American Geographers (AAG) provided key support for the final publication. The publication is available in digital form from the USGS.   

Citation

A new map of standardized terrestrial ecosystems of Africa

2013, Sayre, Roger; Comer, Patrick; Hak, Jon; Josse, Carmen; Bow, Jacquie; et al.

African Geographical Review 

Learn more

• USGS Global Ecosystems
• Ecosystems of the United States (map)