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New England Water Science Center

Welcome to the USGS New England Water Science Center. We provide timely and reliable information to Federal, State, Tribal, and local stakeholders on the water resources of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Our data help safeguard human and wildlife health, public safety, and environmental sustainability.

For assistance, contact us on our Connect page.

News

Millions in the U.S. may rely on groundwater contaminated with PFAS for drinking water supplies

Millions in the U.S. may rely on groundwater contaminated with PFAS for drinking water supplies

USGS Celebrates New Office with Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

USGS Celebrates New Office with Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

WaterMarks Newsletter - Fall 2024

WaterMarks Newsletter - Fall 2024

Publications

Predictions of groundwater PFAS occurrence at drinking water supply depths in the United States

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known colloquially as “forever chemicals”, have been associated with adverse human health effects and have contaminated drinking water supplies across the United States owing to their long-term and widespread use. People in the United States may unknowingly be drinking water that contains PFAS because of a lack of systematic analysis, particularly in dom
Authors
Andrea K. Tokranov, Katherine Marie Ransom, Laura M. Bexfield, Bruce D. Lindsey, Elise Watson, Danielle Dupuy, Paul Stackelberg, Miranda S. Fram, Stefan Voss, James A. Kingsbury, Bryant Jurgens, Kelly Smalling, Paul M. Bradley

Reducing wastewater nitrogen loading by >90% with carbon-amended septic systems: A field demonstration in Barnstable (Cape Cod), Massachusetts

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are a major source of excess nutrients and co-pollutants in watersheds across the United States. In Barnstable County (Cape Cod), Massachusetts, effluent from septic systems and cesspools contributes approximately 80% of the controllable reactive nitrogen (N) load to numerous impaired estuaries and degrades water quality in the region's sole source aquife
Authors
Laura Erban, Sara Wigginton, Brian Baumgaertel, Bryan Horsley, Timothy D. McCobb, Zee Crocker, Scott Horsley, Timothy Gleason

Evaluation of the lakes and impoundments drought index for the Massachusetts Drought Management Plan

The condition of surface water storage in lakes and impoundments is used as an index of drought in the Massachusetts drought management plan. The U.S. Geological Survey visited 28 of these lakes and impoundments at 14 single and multiple waterbody systems to evaluate their appropriateness for characterizing drought. The data collection and computation methods at each system were then reviewed and
Authors
Travis L. Smith

Science

December 2023 Flood in Maine

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New England Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is conducting a study to characterize the magnitude and extent of the December 18-21, 2023 Flood in various portions of the State of Maine.
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December 2023 Flood in Maine

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New England Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is conducting a study to characterize the magnitude and extent of the December 18-21, 2023 Flood in various portions of the State of Maine.
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July 2023 Flood in Vermont

From July 9 through July 12, 2023, 3 to 9 inches of rain fell within 48 hours across the state of Vermont, causing catastrophic flooding and millions of dollars in damage. The high amount of rain caused several rivers to peak at record levels, in some cases exceeding records set during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
link

July 2023 Flood in Vermont

From July 9 through July 12, 2023, 3 to 9 inches of rain fell within 48 hours across the state of Vermont, causing catastrophic flooding and millions of dollars in damage. The high amount of rain caused several rivers to peak at record levels, in some cases exceeding records set during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
Learn More

Continuous Water Quality Monitoring in the Norwalk River Estuary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Long Island Sound Study (LISS), is investigating how excess nutrients and low dissolved oxygen affect the water-quality of the lower portion of the Norwalk River Harbor.
link

Continuous Water Quality Monitoring in the Norwalk River Estuary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Long Island Sound Study (LISS), is investigating how excess nutrients and low dissolved oxygen affect the water-quality of the lower portion of the Norwalk River Harbor.
Learn More
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