Reduced Moisture Transport Linked to Drought Propagation Across North America

American Geophysical Union (AGU) | July 24th, 2019

Droughts reduce the availability of water, which affects communities and ecosystems worldwide. Recent studies have shown that droughts may travel up to thousands of kilom

Droughts reduce the availability of water, which affects communities and ecosystems worldwide. Recent studies have shown that droughts may travel up to thousands of kilometers across continents, but it is still unclear what are the reasons behind these observed drought displacements. While there may be several reasons, we study one particular way in which droughts may be able to travel across continents. Our idea is that a drought in one area may decrease evaporation locally, which will reduce water vapor in the air. As the wind blows, it will transport drier air, which may lead to less precipitation downwind. We find links between droughts that take place in different regions across North America, suggesting that droughts may travel in this way, for example, from the U.S. Southwest to the U.S. Midwest. We also show that the lower evaporation that took place over the western United States, likely due to droughts in the region in 2012, increased the severity of the drought in the U.S. Midwest that year. Our study highlights the importance of sustainable land use management and the need for coordination between communities in upwind and downwind regions to reduce drought risks. It may also help improve future drought predictions.

Regional patterns and proximal causes of the recent snowpack decline in the Rocky Mountains, U.S.

American Geophysical Union (AGU) | March 30th, 2013

Climatologies of Rocky Mountain snowpack are shown to be seasonally and regionally complex, with Pacific decadal variability positively reinforcing the anthropogenic warm

Climatologies of Rocky Mountain snowpack are shown to be seasonally and regionally complex, with Pacific decadal variability positively reinforcing the anthropogenic warming trend.

Regional water table (1996) and water-level changes in the Mojave River, Morongo, and Fort Irwin ground-water basins, San Bernardino County

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 1st, 1997

Regional water table (1998) and ground-water-level changes in the Mojave River and the Morongo ground-water basins, San Bernardino County, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 1st, 2000

Regional Water Table (1998) and Ground-Water-Level Changes in the Mojave River, and the Morongo Ground-Water Basins, San Bernardino County, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 15th, 2000

The Mojave River and the Morongo groundwater basins are in the southwestern part of the Mojave Desert in southern California. Ground water from these basins supplies a ma

The Mojave River and the Morongo groundwater basins are in the southwestern part of the Mojave Desert in southern California. Ground water from these basins supplies a major part of the water requirements for the region. The rapid and continuous population growth in this area has resulted in ever-increasing demands on local ground-water resources. The continuing collection and interpretation of ground-water data helps local water districts, military bases, and private citizens gain a better understanding of the ground-water systems and, consequently, water availability.

Regional Water Table (2000) and Ground-Water-Level Changes in the Mojave River and the Morongo Ground-Water Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 1st, 2003

Regional water table (2002) and water-level changes in the Mojave River and the Morongo ground-water basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 1st, 2004

Regional Water Table (2004) and water-level changes in the Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins, southwestern Mojave Desert, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 1st, 2004

Regional Water Table (2012) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | December 31st, 2012

Data for static water-levels measured in about 580 wells during March-May 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Mojave Water Agency (MWA), and other local water

Data for static water-levels measured in about 580 wells during March-May 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Mojave Water Agency (MWA), and other local water districts were compiled to construct a regional water-table map. This map shows the elevation of the water table and general direction of groundwater movement in and around the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins. Water-level measurements recorded by the USGS and MWA staff were compiled according to the procedures described in the Groundwater Technical Procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey (Cunningham and Schalk, 2011). Water-level data submitted by cooperating local water districts were collected by using procedures established by the corresponding agency. All data were compared to historical data for quality-assurance purposes. Water-level contours from the 2010 water-level map (Smith and others, 2011) were used as a guide to interpret the 2012 water-level contours in areas where 2012 water-level data were not available. In addition to being available on the interactive map, 2012 water-level data and contours are shown for the entire area of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins on plate 1; greater detail of the Warren subbasin in the Morongo groundwater basin is shown on plate 2. Water-level data for 2012 are accessible through the website by clicking on the 2012 button above the title on the Water Levels page. Historical water-level data from the National Water Information System (NWIS) database were used in conjunction with data collected for this study to construct 36 water-level hydrographs to show long-term (1930-2012) and short-term (1990-2012) water-level changes in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins. Water-level changes between the spring of 2010 and spring of 2012 were determined by comparing water levels measured in the same well during both periods. Water-level changes between the studies on this website can also be displayed on the interactive map by selecting the years of interest from the Groundwater Data menu.

Regional water table (2014) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, southwestern Mojave Desert, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | June 28th, 2016

Data for static water-levels measured in about 610 wells during March-April 2014 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Mojave Water Agency (MWA), and other local wate

Data for static water-levels measured in about 610 wells during March-April 2014 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Mojave Water Agency (MWA), and other local water districts were compiled to construct a regional water-table map. This map shows the elevation of the water table and general direction of groundwater movement in and around the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins. Water-level measurements recorded by the USGS and MWA staff were measured and compiled according to the procedures described in the Groundwater Technical Procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey (Cunningham and Schalk, 2011). Water-level data submitted by cooperating local water districts were collected by using procedures established by the corresponding agency, and compiled according to the procedures described in the Groundwater Technical Procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey (Cunningham and Schalk, 2011). All data were compared to historical data for quality-assurance purposes. Water-level contours from the 2012 water-level map (Teague and others, 2014) were used as a guide to interpret and shape the 2014 water-level contours in areas where 2014 water-level data were not available; these contours are shown as dashed (approximate) on the water-table map. In addition to being available on the interactive map, 2014 water-level data and contours are shown for the entire area of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins on Plate 1. Water-level data for 2014 are accesible through the website by clicking the 2014 Sites button on the Data Downloads page.