This USGS map shows the number of PFAS detected in tap water samples from select sites across the nation. The findings are based on a USGS study of samples taken between 2016 and 2021 from private and public supplies at 716 locations. The map does not represent the only locations in the U.S. with PFAS.
Geospatial Analyses and Applications Core Technology Team
Active
By Environmental Health Program
February 27, 2024
Identifying Hazards and Risk
Attribution of weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks to understand potential contamination after major storm events.
Attribution of weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks to understand potential contamination after major storm events.
PFAS in United States Tapwater
Mapping and web applications help communicate results and potential risk to the public.
Mapping and web applications help communicate results and potential risk to the public.
Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response
Methods to understand risk and prioritize sites in response to storm events.
Methods to understand risk and prioritize sites in response to storm events.
Identification and inventory of contaminant sources on the landscape.
Chesapeake Bay Watershed maps showing density and locations of septic systems
Chesapeake Bay Watershed maps showing density and locations of septic systems
Tablet-enabled field forms help coordinate field efforts.
About the Research
The Geospatial Analyses and Applications Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program collaborates with teams across USGS to develop and apply geospatial analytical methods to answer broad-scale questions about source-sink and cause-effect relationships between contaminants and vulnerable communities.
The Geospatial Analyses and Applications CTT capitalizes on key variables of importance learned from past work in place-based activities.
The methods developed and used by this team are used to 1) develop new geospatial relationships to inform metric development, 2) map key variables across broad spatial extents, 3) apply relationships developed at local-scales to broad-scales via shared variables, and 4) investigate strength of broad relationships to feedback on place-based findings. These relationships can also be used to find locations similar to these place-based study sites, which may be useful for future site-selections or result extrapolation.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Because geospatial data tends to be multi-sourced, cumbersome, and often difficult to work with, the Geospatial CTT also has a strong background in database creation, organization, and upkeep, with an emphasis on adhering to and supporting ScienceBase and DOI data standards.
The team has also developed several online and tablet-based applications to coordinate field sampling efforts, track samples throughout their journey from the field to the lab(s), and provide rich visualizations to map, query, and access approved data. In the past, many projects have focused on place-based activities, conducting valuable science to gain a deep, nuanced understanding of the system under study.
More recently there has been a call for broadly focused, integrative science to support regional and national needs. Tools and methods developed by the Geospatial CTT are well suited for finding unique ways to translate place-based activities to broader needs.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Key Analytical Capabilities
- Study site selection and characterization
- Risk assessment – real vs. perceived
- Custom metric development
- Multivariate statistics
- Big-data analysis
- Landscape analysis
- Hydrological modelling and analysis
- Geomorphic assessment
- Lidar and Remote Sensing
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Analytical Tools and Products
- Statistical analysis in R
- Field-form development
- Database design and development
- Geo-narratives and Web Applications
- ScienceBase and metadata creation
- ArcGIS, GRASS, Python, GitHub†
† Hypertext links to non-USGS products and services; and the use of trade names, trademarks, company names, or other references to non-USGS products and services are provided for information only and do not constitute endorsement or warranty by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government.
Science Team Collaborators
Science Team Collaborators
-
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Science Team
The team studies toxicants and pathogens in water resources from their sources, through watersheds, aquifers, and infrastructure to human and wildlife exposures. That information is used to develop decision tools that protect human and wildlife health.Fishing and Hunting Integrated Science Team
The Fishing and Hunting integrated science team focuses on contaminant and pathogen exposures in the environment that could impact the presence and vitality of fish and wildlife populations that drive commercial, recreational and subsistence activities such as hunting and fishing. If actual risks are identified this project will inform how to economically and effectively minimize risk by providing...Food Resources Lifecycle Integrated Science Team
The team studies the movement of toxicants and pathogens that could originate from the growing, raising, and processing/manufacturing of plant and animal products through the environment where exposure can occur. This information is used to understand if there are adverse effects upon exposure and to develop decision tools to protect health.Minerals Science Team
The Minerals Integrated Science Team focuses on contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from mineral resource activities including, transportation, storage, extraction and waste management. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified the science produced by this team can inform how to...Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...Energy Integrated Science Team
The Energy Lifecycle Integrated Science Team focuses on the potential for contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from energy resource activities including, extraction, production, transportation, storage, extraction, waste management and restoration. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are...Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Science Team
The team develops advanced methods to study factors driving algal toxin production, how and where wildlife or humans are exposed to toxins, and ecotoxicology. That information is used to develop decision tools to understand if toxin exposure leads to adverse health effects in order to protect human and wildlife health.Proxies Project
The Proxies Project is a series of studies to improve our understanding of water contaminants and water quality hazards. These studies develop models and technical approaches for estimating concentrations and assessing risk associated with: - harmful algal blooms (HABs) - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - 12 elements of concern (EoC)Colorado River Basin: Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST)
Through the ASIST initiative, the USGS is leading the way in open science by bringing together scientists from different fields to collaborate closely with decision makers.
Science activities related to the Geospatial Analyses and Applications Core Technology Team can be found below.
USGS Scientists Develop an Interactive Mapping Tool to Visualize PFAS in Tap Water
A new interactive dashboard is available to visualize PFAS measurements for 716 tap water samples collected at select sites across the nation between 2016 and 2021 from private and public supplies.
Collaborative Science Provides Understanding of Contaminants in Bottled Water-an Increasingly Common Alternate Drinking Water Source
U.S. Geological Survey researchers and public health experts collaborated to determine what contaminants occur in bottled water, which is an increasingly common alternate drinking water source, to broaden their understanding of human exposure to contaminants in drinking water supply chains. Bottled water, like public-supply and private-well tap water supply chains, contained multiple organic...
Coproduced Science Linking Environmental and Public-Health Data to Evaluate Drinking Water Arsenic Exposure on Birth Outcomes
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists teamed up with public-health epidemiologists to probe for associations between arsenic in drinking water and human-birth outcomes. They reported a modest inverse relation between birth weight and arsenic exposure. Findings indicate that future research efforts using individual-level exposure data such as measured arsenic concentrations in tap water could...
U.S. Geological Survey Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Science Strategy Identifies Science Gaps and Opportunities
USGS recently (2022) released a strategic vision document that identifies science gaps and opportunities for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) monitoring, assessment, and research activities (sampling protocols and analytical methods, environmental sources and source apportionment, environmental occurrence, environmental fate and transport, human and wildlife exposure routes...
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Residential Tap Water: Source-to-Tap Science for Underserved Communities
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected at low levels in treated drinking water samples from residential taps in the Greater Chicago Area. This study is part of a larger approach to provide an understanding of contaminant mixtures in residential tap water across the Nation including underserved communities in rural, urban, and tribal areas.
Environmental Health Program Drinking Water Science
Drinking water in the United States rarely is tested for contaminants and pathogens at the tap, where human exposure can occur. In this special issue, we present the science to help understand contaminants and pathogens in drinking water at business and residential taps.
Review of Cyanobacterial Neurotoxins—Information for Prioritizing Future Science Directions
The current state of knowledge on the modes of action, production, fate, and occurrence of the freshwater cyanobacterial neurotoxins, anatoxin-a and saxitoxin, was reviewed and synthesized to identify gaps and critical research needs to better understand the health effects of algal toxins .
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) detected in Source Waters and Treated Public Water Supplies
This study, which measured 17 per- and polyfuoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in source and treated public water supplies from 25 drinking water facilities as part of a broader study of contaminants in drinking water across the United States, reports that PFASs were detected in all source water and public water supply samples collected. One sample exceeded the current U.S. Environmental Protection...
Study Highlights the Complexity of Chemical Mixtures in United States Streams
A new study highlights the complexity of chemical mixtures in streams and advances the understanding of wildlife and human exposure to complex chemical mixtures.
Multimedia items related to the Geospatial Analyses and Applications Core Technology Team can be found below.
Generalized schematic detailing the steps in the USGS decision support
Generalized schematic detailing the steps in the USGS decision support tool for prioritizing sampling locations based on perceived environmental hazards.
PFAS in Select U.S. Tapwater Locations
This USGS map shows the number of PFAS detected in tap water samples from select sites across the nation. The findings are based on a USGS study of samples taken between 2016 and 2021 from private and public supplies at 716 locations. The map does not represent the only locations in the U.S. with PFAS.
Composite Wastewater Sample
Image of a flow-based composite sample being collected at one of the wastewater facilities to represent a 24-hour sample.
Image of a flow-based composite sample being collected at one of the wastewater facilities to represent a 24-hour sample.
About the Research
The Geospatial Analyses and Applications Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program collaborates with teams across USGS to develop and apply geospatial analytical methods to answer broad-scale questions about source-sink and cause-effect relationships between contaminants and vulnerable communities.
The Geospatial Analyses and Applications CTT capitalizes on key variables of importance learned from past work in place-based activities.
The methods developed and used by this team are used to 1) develop new geospatial relationships to inform metric development, 2) map key variables across broad spatial extents, 3) apply relationships developed at local-scales to broad-scales via shared variables, and 4) investigate strength of broad relationships to feedback on place-based findings. These relationships can also be used to find locations similar to these place-based study sites, which may be useful for future site-selections or result extrapolation.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Because geospatial data tends to be multi-sourced, cumbersome, and often difficult to work with, the Geospatial CTT also has a strong background in database creation, organization, and upkeep, with an emphasis on adhering to and supporting ScienceBase and DOI data standards.
The team has also developed several online and tablet-based applications to coordinate field sampling efforts, track samples throughout their journey from the field to the lab(s), and provide rich visualizations to map, query, and access approved data. In the past, many projects have focused on place-based activities, conducting valuable science to gain a deep, nuanced understanding of the system under study.
More recently there has been a call for broadly focused, integrative science to support regional and national needs. Tools and methods developed by the Geospatial CTT are well suited for finding unique ways to translate place-based activities to broader needs.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Key Analytical Capabilities
- Study site selection and characterization
- Risk assessment – real vs. perceived
- Custom metric development
- Multivariate statistics
- Big-data analysis
- Landscape analysis
- Hydrological modelling and analysis
- Geomorphic assessment
- Lidar and Remote Sensing
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Analytical Tools and Products
- Statistical analysis in R
- Field-form development
- Database design and development
- Geo-narratives and Web Applications
- ScienceBase and metadata creation
- ArcGIS, GRASS, Python, GitHub†
† Hypertext links to non-USGS products and services; and the use of trade names, trademarks, company names, or other references to non-USGS products and services are provided for information only and do not constitute endorsement or warranty by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government.
Science Team Collaborators
Science Team Collaborators
-
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Science Team
The team studies toxicants and pathogens in water resources from their sources, through watersheds, aquifers, and infrastructure to human and wildlife exposures. That information is used to develop decision tools that protect human and wildlife health.Fishing and Hunting Integrated Science Team
The Fishing and Hunting integrated science team focuses on contaminant and pathogen exposures in the environment that could impact the presence and vitality of fish and wildlife populations that drive commercial, recreational and subsistence activities such as hunting and fishing. If actual risks are identified this project will inform how to economically and effectively minimize risk by providing...Food Resources Lifecycle Integrated Science Team
The team studies the movement of toxicants and pathogens that could originate from the growing, raising, and processing/manufacturing of plant and animal products through the environment where exposure can occur. This information is used to understand if there are adverse effects upon exposure and to develop decision tools to protect health.Minerals Science Team
The Minerals Integrated Science Team focuses on contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from mineral resource activities including, transportation, storage, extraction and waste management. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified the science produced by this team can inform how to...Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...Energy Integrated Science Team
The Energy Lifecycle Integrated Science Team focuses on the potential for contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from energy resource activities including, extraction, production, transportation, storage, extraction, waste management and restoration. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are...Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Science Team
The team develops advanced methods to study factors driving algal toxin production, how and where wildlife or humans are exposed to toxins, and ecotoxicology. That information is used to develop decision tools to understand if toxin exposure leads to adverse health effects in order to protect human and wildlife health.Proxies Project
The Proxies Project is a series of studies to improve our understanding of water contaminants and water quality hazards. These studies develop models and technical approaches for estimating concentrations and assessing risk associated with: - harmful algal blooms (HABs) - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - 12 elements of concern (EoC)Colorado River Basin: Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST)
Through the ASIST initiative, the USGS is leading the way in open science by bringing together scientists from different fields to collaborate closely with decision makers.
Science activities related to the Geospatial Analyses and Applications Core Technology Team can be found below.
USGS Scientists Develop an Interactive Mapping Tool to Visualize PFAS in Tap Water
A new interactive dashboard is available to visualize PFAS measurements for 716 tap water samples collected at select sites across the nation between 2016 and 2021 from private and public supplies.
Collaborative Science Provides Understanding of Contaminants in Bottled Water-an Increasingly Common Alternate Drinking Water Source
U.S. Geological Survey researchers and public health experts collaborated to determine what contaminants occur in bottled water, which is an increasingly common alternate drinking water source, to broaden their understanding of human exposure to contaminants in drinking water supply chains. Bottled water, like public-supply and private-well tap water supply chains, contained multiple organic...
Coproduced Science Linking Environmental and Public-Health Data to Evaluate Drinking Water Arsenic Exposure on Birth Outcomes
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists teamed up with public-health epidemiologists to probe for associations between arsenic in drinking water and human-birth outcomes. They reported a modest inverse relation between birth weight and arsenic exposure. Findings indicate that future research efforts using individual-level exposure data such as measured arsenic concentrations in tap water could...
U.S. Geological Survey Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Science Strategy Identifies Science Gaps and Opportunities
USGS recently (2022) released a strategic vision document that identifies science gaps and opportunities for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) monitoring, assessment, and research activities (sampling protocols and analytical methods, environmental sources and source apportionment, environmental occurrence, environmental fate and transport, human and wildlife exposure routes...
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Residential Tap Water: Source-to-Tap Science for Underserved Communities
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected at low levels in treated drinking water samples from residential taps in the Greater Chicago Area. This study is part of a larger approach to provide an understanding of contaminant mixtures in residential tap water across the Nation including underserved communities in rural, urban, and tribal areas.
Environmental Health Program Drinking Water Science
Drinking water in the United States rarely is tested for contaminants and pathogens at the tap, where human exposure can occur. In this special issue, we present the science to help understand contaminants and pathogens in drinking water at business and residential taps.
Review of Cyanobacterial Neurotoxins—Information for Prioritizing Future Science Directions
The current state of knowledge on the modes of action, production, fate, and occurrence of the freshwater cyanobacterial neurotoxins, anatoxin-a and saxitoxin, was reviewed and synthesized to identify gaps and critical research needs to better understand the health effects of algal toxins .
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) detected in Source Waters and Treated Public Water Supplies
This study, which measured 17 per- and polyfuoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in source and treated public water supplies from 25 drinking water facilities as part of a broader study of contaminants in drinking water across the United States, reports that PFASs were detected in all source water and public water supply samples collected. One sample exceeded the current U.S. Environmental Protection...
Study Highlights the Complexity of Chemical Mixtures in United States Streams
A new study highlights the complexity of chemical mixtures in streams and advances the understanding of wildlife and human exposure to complex chemical mixtures.
Multimedia items related to the Geospatial Analyses and Applications Core Technology Team can be found below.
Generalized schematic detailing the steps in the USGS decision support
Generalized schematic detailing the steps in the USGS decision support tool for prioritizing sampling locations based on perceived environmental hazards.
PFAS in Select U.S. Tapwater Locations
This USGS map shows the number of PFAS detected in tap water samples from select sites across the nation. The findings are based on a USGS study of samples taken between 2016 and 2021 from private and public supplies at 716 locations. The map does not represent the only locations in the U.S. with PFAS.
This USGS map shows the number of PFAS detected in tap water samples from select sites across the nation. The findings are based on a USGS study of samples taken between 2016 and 2021 from private and public supplies at 716 locations. The map does not represent the only locations in the U.S. with PFAS.
Composite Wastewater Sample
Image of a flow-based composite sample being collected at one of the wastewater facilities to represent a 24-hour sample.
Image of a flow-based composite sample being collected at one of the wastewater facilities to represent a 24-hour sample.