Sentinel Monitoring for New and Legacy Pesticides in the Shallow Groundwater of Long Island
The shallow groundwater of Nassau and Suffolk Counties is prone to contamination from current land-use, including agricultural, residential, and recreational. The aquifer system of Long Island is highly susceptible to human-derived contamination, in particular, because the soils and underlying sediments are generally composed of sandy, permeable materials that allow contaminants to move readily from the land surface into the groundwater below. Of increasing concern are the human-derived contaminants stemming from past and present uses of pesticides. In addition to the threat of direct runoff to adjacent waterbodies, pesticide transport through the shallow aquifer from inland sources may discharge to the surface waters of Long Island. Furthermore, increased demands on the aquifer system have accelerated the downward flow of younger groundwater into the deeper parts of the system from which most supply wells withdraw water. This has increased the potential for contaminants introduced at land surface to reach the deeper aquifers sooner than under normal groundwater-flow conditions. Early detection of groundwater contaminants before they discharge to local waters or are drawn into supply wells is critical to making informed decisions about best land- and pesticide-use practices related to groundwater quality and sustainability. Understanding the occurrence and persistence of current-use pesticides and their physical and chemical changes in the shallow aquifer system is complex and requires a consistent and systematic monitoring strategy that considers a variety of environmental and developmental factors. The proposed monitoring of shallow groundwater at sentinel locations throughout Long Island will provide critical information on the occurrence and persistence of pesticides and pesticide degradates. It will also develop a better understanding of co-occurrences of nutrients, major ions, and select metals associated with agricultural and residential pesticide use, and inform how these constituents may persist and travel through the aquifer system.
Fisher, I.J., and Bayraktar, B.N., 2020, Pesticides, nutrients, and inorganics in shallow groundwater, Long Island, NY, 2016-2018: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9TQ058W.Journal article: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70212622
Denver, J.M., Tesoriero, A.J., and Barbaro, J.R. 2009. Trends and Transformation of Nutrients and Pesticides in a Coastal Plain Aquifer System, United States. Journal of Environmental Quality, vol. 39, pp. 154–167.
Project Location by County
Nassau County, NY, Suffolk County, NY
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 5798d6dce4b0589fa1c72930)
Christopher E Schubert
Program Development Specialist
Shawn C. Fisher
Water Quality Specialist - Hydrologist
Stephen Terracciano (Former Employee)
Associate Director
The shallow groundwater of Nassau and Suffolk Counties is prone to contamination from current land-use, including agricultural, residential, and recreational. The aquifer system of Long Island is highly susceptible to human-derived contamination, in particular, because the soils and underlying sediments are generally composed of sandy, permeable materials that allow contaminants to move readily from the land surface into the groundwater below. Of increasing concern are the human-derived contaminants stemming from past and present uses of pesticides. In addition to the threat of direct runoff to adjacent waterbodies, pesticide transport through the shallow aquifer from inland sources may discharge to the surface waters of Long Island. Furthermore, increased demands on the aquifer system have accelerated the downward flow of younger groundwater into the deeper parts of the system from which most supply wells withdraw water. This has increased the potential for contaminants introduced at land surface to reach the deeper aquifers sooner than under normal groundwater-flow conditions. Early detection of groundwater contaminants before they discharge to local waters or are drawn into supply wells is critical to making informed decisions about best land- and pesticide-use practices related to groundwater quality and sustainability. Understanding the occurrence and persistence of current-use pesticides and their physical and chemical changes in the shallow aquifer system is complex and requires a consistent and systematic monitoring strategy that considers a variety of environmental and developmental factors. The proposed monitoring of shallow groundwater at sentinel locations throughout Long Island will provide critical information on the occurrence and persistence of pesticides and pesticide degradates. It will also develop a better understanding of co-occurrences of nutrients, major ions, and select metals associated with agricultural and residential pesticide use, and inform how these constituents may persist and travel through the aquifer system.
Fisher, I.J., and Bayraktar, B.N., 2020, Pesticides, nutrients, and inorganics in shallow groundwater, Long Island, NY, 2016-2018: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9TQ058W.Journal article: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70212622
Denver, J.M., Tesoriero, A.J., and Barbaro, J.R. 2009. Trends and Transformation of Nutrients and Pesticides in a Coastal Plain Aquifer System, United States. Journal of Environmental Quality, vol. 39, pp. 154–167.
Project Location by County
Nassau County, NY, Suffolk County, NY
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 5798d6dce4b0589fa1c72930)