History and Progress of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project,2001-2010

In 2007,the U.S.Geological Survey,the Geological Survey of Canada,and the Mexican Geological Survey initiated a low-density(1 site per 1600 km2,13323 sites) geochemical and mineralogical survey of North American soils(North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project).Sampling and analytical protocols were developed at a series of workshops in 2003-2004 and pilot studies were conducted from 2004-2007.The ideal sampling protocol at each site includes a sample from 0-5 cm depth,a composite of the soil A horizon,and a sample from the soil C horizon.The <2-mm fraction of each sample is analyzed for Al,Ca,Fe,K,Mg,Na,S,Ti,Ag,Ba,Be,Bi,Cd,Ce,Co,Cr,Cs,Cu,Ga,In,La,Li,Mn,Mo,Nb,Ni,P,Pb,Rb,Sb,Sc,Sn,Sr,Te,Th,Tl,U,V,W,Y,and Zn by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry following a near-total digestion in a mixture of HCl,HNO3,HClO4,and HF.Separate methods are used for As,Hg,Se,and total C on this same size fraction.The major mineralogical components are determined by a quantitative X-ray diffraction method.Sampling in the conterminous U.S.was completed in 2010(c.4800 sites) with chemical and mineralogical analysis currently underway.In Mexico,approximately 66% of the sampling(871 sites) had been done by the end of 2010 with completion expected in 2012.After completing sampling in the Maritime provinces and portions of other provinces(472 sites,7.6% of the total),Canada withdrew from the project in 2010.Preliminary results for a swath from the central U.S.to Florida clearly show the effects of soil parent material and climate on the chemical and mineralogical composition of soils.A sample archive will be established and made available for future investigations.     

Rainfall intensity–duration thresholds for postfire debris-flow emergency-response planning

Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies can be faced with evacuation and resource-deployment decisions well in advance of coming winter storms and during storms themselves. Information critical to these decisions is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. A compilation of information on the hydrologic response to winter storms from recently burned areas in southern California steeplands is used to develop a system for classifying magnitudes of hydrologic response. The four-class system describes combinations of reported volumes of individual debris flows, consequences of debris flows and floods in an urban setting, and spatial extents of the hydrologic response. The range of rainfall conditions associated with different magnitude classes is defined by integrating local rainfall data with the response magnitude information. Magnitude I events can be expected when within-storm rainfall accumulations (A) of given durations (D) fall above the threshold A = 0.4D ^0.5 and below A = 0.5D ^0.6 for durations greater than 1 h. Magnitude II events will be generated in response to rainfall accumulations and durations between A = 0.4D ^0.5 and A = 0.9D ^0.5 for durations less than 1 h, and between A = 0.5D ^0.6 and A = 0.9D ^0.5 or durations greater than 1 h. Magnitude III events can be expected in response to rainfall conditions above the threshold A = 0.9D ^0.5. Rainfall threshold-magnitude relations are linked with potential emergency-response actions as an emergency-response decision chart, which leads a user through steps to determine potential event magnitudes and identify possible evacuation and resource-deployment levels. Use of this information in planning and response decision-making process could result in increased safety for both the public and emergency responders.