Base-Flow Water Quality Sampling in Small Basins Draining to Long Island Sound

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By New England Water Science Center April 28, 2022

During the past 20 years, nitrogen loads to Long Island Sound (LIS) have been substantially reduced in large watersheds affected by municipal wastewater loads.

As of 2014, nitrogen loads were reduced substantially in the Long Island Sound, largely meeting the goals set by a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirement between the States of Connecticut and New York. While the nitrogen loads have declined in the larger tributaries of Long Island Sound, there is little information on the current contribution of nitrogen from smaller nonpoint sources such as lawn fertilizers and private onsite septic systems.

A new USGS sample location at 01193400, Fawn Brook near North Westchester, Connecticut

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A new USGS sampling location at 01193400, Fawn Brook near North Westchester, Connecticut. Hydrologists John Mullaney and Janet Barclay reconning the site for suitability.

USGS sample location at 01193400, Fawn Brook near North Westchester, Connecticut

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A new USGS sampling location at 01193400, Fawn Brook near North Westchester, Connecticut. Hydrologist Janet Barclay and Hydrologic technician Kaitlin Laabs reconning the site for suitability.

To assess nitrogen contributions from small tributaries to the LIS, the U.S. Geological Survey will sample a network of 45 stream locations during typical base-flow conditions. Sampling locations were selected from small basins (2 – 20 mi²) in the southern portion of the LIS watershed, and are located across the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York. The sampling locations were selected to avoid major water withdrawals or diversions, across a gradient of increasing urbanization, and across a gradient of geology. Sampling locations were selected to represent residential areas including those with on-site septic systems, rather than areas of major commercial development. Samples will be collected during two different time periods, including both the non-growing and growing seasons when streamflow conditions are at or close to mean annual base flow. This will be done to compare time periods with different in-stream processing of nutrients by biota.

Deliverables for this project include:

1) Published data sets of water-quality (nitrogen and phosphorus constituents) and streamflow data from the selected sampling locations, and

2) A USGS Scientific Investigations Report detailing findings.

USGS sample location at 01201995, West Branch Shepaug River at Cornwall Bridge Connecticut

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A new USGS sampling location at 01201995, West Branch Shepaug River at Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut.

A new USGS sample location at 01126908, Mount Misery Brook above Lowden Brook near Voluntown, Connecticut

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A new USGS sampling location at 01126908, Mount Misery Brook above Lowden Brook near Voluntown, Connecticut.

USGS sample location at Southport, Connecticut

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A new USGS sampling location at 01208948, Sasco Brook at Southport, Connecticut.

Base-Flow Water Quality Sampling Locations

USGS STATION ID	USGS STATION NAME	DRAINAGE AREA (square miles)
011173545	QUEEN R 1400 FT UPSTR WM REYNOLDS RD AT EXETER RI	3.78
01117468	BEAVER RIVER NEAR USQUEPAUG, RI	8.87
01117900	BRUSHY BROOK NEAR HOPE VALLEY, RI	3.71
01118300	PENDLETON HILL BROOK NEAR CLARKS FALLS, CT	4.02
01118368	SHUNOCK RIVER AT ROUTE 2 AT NORTH STONINGTON, CT	2.28
01122649	INDIAN HOLLOW BK AT JERUSALEM RD NEAR WINDHAM, CT	4.39
01122710	MERRICK BROOK AT BASS RD NEAR SCOTLAND, CT	11.5
01122875	DOWNING BROOK AT COLBURN RD NEAR CANTERBURY, CT	2.08
01126525	SUGAR BROOK AT SUGAR BRK RD NR CENTRAL VILLAGE, CT	2.47
01126644	UNAMED TRIB AT COMMUNITY AVE EXT AT PLAINFIELD, CT	3.08
01126804	CORY BROOK AT DEPOT RD NEAR CANTERBURY, CT	7.34
01126908	MOUNT MISERY BROOK ABV LOWDEN BRK NR VOLUNTOWN, CT	4.53
01126925	MYRON KINNEY BK NR VOLUNTOWN CT	4.47
01127680	TRADING COVE BK AT LEFFINGWELL, CT	5.2
01128922	HEMPSTEAD BK AT BUDDINGTON RD NR GROTON, CT	2.91
01192929	LONG HILL BROOK AT MILL ST AT MIDDLETOWN, CT	5.01
01193129	CANDLEWOOD HILL BROOK NEAR LITTLE CITY, CT	2.21
01193400	FAWN BK NR NORTH WESTCHESTER, CT	12.8
01193600	FLAT BK NR EAST HAMPTON, CT	2.43
01193794	ROARING BROOK NUMBER 2 NR EAST HADDAM, CT	2.84
01194510	CEDAR POND BROOK AT BEAVER BK RD NR NORTH LYME, CT	2.42
01195100	INDIAN RIVER NEAR CLINTON, CT	5.68
01195113	BUNKER HILL BROOK AT RTE 148 NR KILLINGWORTH, CT	2.0
01195149	HUZZLE GUZZLE BRK AT HORSE POND RD NR MADISON, CT	2.08
01196081	HUMISTON BROOK AT MARION AVE AT MARION, CT	2.18
01196210	HONEYPOT BROOK AT CREAMERY ROAD AT CHESHIRE, CT	2.06
0119665996	UNNAMED TRIBUTARY AT RED CEDAR RD ORANGE, CT	2.75
01201009	UNAMED TRIBUTARY AT WARREN, CT	4.51
01201995	W BR SHEPAUG R NR MILTON, CT	1.3
01202700	BUTTERNUT BK NR LITCHFIELD, CT	2.44
012035014	POOTATUCK RIVER AT RTE 25 AT BOTSFORD, CT	10.7
01205555	HALL MEADOW BK NR WINCHESTER, CT	10.6
01205595	NICKEL MINE BK AT NORFOLK RD AT W TORRINGTON, CT	5.57
01205904	SPRUCE BK AT E LITCHFIELD RD AT E LITCHFIELD, CT	2.54
012087991	FARMILL RIVER AT MOHEGAN RD NEAR SHELTON, CT	3.71
01208948	SASCO BK AT SOUTHPORT ON INGLESIDE RD ABV BANKS PD	5.38
01208984	UMPAWAUG POND BROOK AT SIMPAUG TPKE NR REDDING, CT	2.04
01209300	W BR SAUGATUCK R AT WESTON, CT	9.15
01209716	EAST BRANCH SILVERMINE R AT RTE 33 NR WILTON, CT	1.97
01210310	E BRANCH MIANUS R AT WILDWOOD RD NR STAMFORD, CT	3.92
01211106	GREENWICH CREEK AT RTE 1 NR COS COB, CT	4.98
01299000	BLIND BROOK NEAR PURCHASE NY	2.1
01299200	UNAMED TRIBUTARY AT LINCOLN AVE NEAR PURCHASE, NY	2.18
01301960	TROUBLESOME BROOK AT BRONX R PKWY NR TUCKAHOE, NY	2.72

November 30, 2021

Simulation of groundwater budgets and travel times for watersheds on the north shore of Long Island Sound, with implications for nitrogen-transport studies

Aquatic systems in and around the Long Island Sound (LIS) provide a variety of ecological and economic benefits, but in some areas of the LIS, aquatic ecosystems have become degraded by excess nitrogen. A substantial fraction of the nitrogen inputs to the LIS are transported through the groundwater-flow system. Because groundwater travel times in surficial aquifers can exceed 100 years...

Authors

Janet R. Barclay, John R. Mullaney

Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center, USGS Science in Long Island Sound and its Watershed

March 8, 2013

Nutrient concentrations and loads and Escherichia coli densities in tributaries of the Niantic River estuary, southeastern Connecticut, 2005 and 2008–2011

Nutrient concentrations and loads and Escherichia coli (E. coli) densities were studied in 2005 and from 2008 through 2011 in water-quality samples from tributaries of the Niantic River Estuary in southeastern Connecticut. Data from a water-quality survey of the base flow of subbasins in the watershed in June 2005 were used to determine the range of total nitrogen concentrations (0.09 to...

Authors

John R. Mullaney

USGS Science in Long Island Sound and its Watershed

February 24, 2007

Nutrient Loads and Ground-Water Residence Times in an Agricultural Basin in North-Central Connecticut

Nutrient loads from ground-water discharge were studied in Broad Brook Basin, a 15.8-square mile basin in north-central Connecticut, dominated by agricultural activity. Loads were calculated, along with the travel times of ground water from recharge to discharge areas, to estimate the time required for the effects of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to be observed. Most concentrations of...

Authors

John R. Mullaney

New England Water Science Center, USGS Science in Long Island Sound and its Watershed

Base-Flow Water Quality Sampling in Small Basins Draining to Long Island Sound

Base-Flow Water Quality Sampling Locations

USGS

STATION ID

USGS STATION NAME

DRAINAGE AREA

(square miles)

QUEEN R 1400 FT UPSTR WM REYNOLDS RD AT EXETER RI

3.78

BEAVER RIVER NEAR USQUEPAUG, RI

8.87

BRUSHY BROOK NEAR HOPE VALLEY, RI

3.71

PENDLETON HILL BROOK NEAR CLARKS FALLS, CT

4.02

SHUNOCK RIVER AT ROUTE 2 AT NORTH STONINGTON, CT

2.28

INDIAN HOLLOW BK AT JERUSALEM RD NEAR WINDHAM, CT

4.39

MERRICK BROOK AT BASS RD NEAR SCOTLAND, CT

11.5

DOWNING BROOK AT COLBURN RD NEAR CANTERBURY, CT

2.08

SUGAR BROOK AT SUGAR BRK RD NR CENTRAL VILLAGE, CT

2.47

UNAMED TRIB AT COMMUNITY AVE EXT AT PLAINFIELD, CT

3.08

CORY BROOK AT DEPOT RD NEAR CANTERBURY, CT

7.34

MOUNT MISERY BROOK ABV LOWDEN BRK NR VOLUNTOWN, CT

4.53

MYRON KINNEY BK NR VOLUNTOWN CT

4.47

TRADING COVE BK AT LEFFINGWELL, CT

5.2

HEMPSTEAD BK AT BUDDINGTON RD NR GROTON, CT

2.91

LONG HILL BROOK AT MILL ST AT MIDDLETOWN, CT

5.01

CANDLEWOOD HILL BROOK NEAR LITTLE CITY, CT

2.21

FAWN BK NR NORTH WESTCHESTER, CT

12.8

FLAT BK NR EAST HAMPTON, CT

2.43

ROARING BROOK NUMBER 2 NR EAST HADDAM, CT

2.84

CEDAR POND BROOK AT BEAVER BK RD NR NORTH LYME, CT

2.42

INDIAN RIVER NEAR CLINTON, CT

5.68

BUNKER HILL BROOK AT RTE 148 NR KILLINGWORTH, CT

2.0

HUZZLE GUZZLE BRK AT HORSE POND RD NR MADISON, CT

2.08

HUMISTON BROOK AT MARION AVE AT MARION, CT

2.18

HONEYPOT BROOK AT CREAMERY ROAD AT CHESHIRE, CT

2.06

UNNAMED TRIBUTARY AT RED CEDAR RD ORANGE, CT

2.75

UNAMED TRIBUTARY AT WARREN, CT

4.51

W BR SHEPAUG R NR MILTON, CT

1.3

BUTTERNUT BK NR LITCHFIELD, CT

2.44

POOTATUCK RIVER AT RTE 25 AT BOTSFORD, CT

10.7

HALL MEADOW BK NR WINCHESTER, CT

10.6

NICKEL MINE BK AT NORFOLK RD AT W TORRINGTON, CT

5.57

SPRUCE BK AT E LITCHFIELD RD AT E LITCHFIELD, CT

2.54

FARMILL RIVER AT MOHEGAN RD NEAR SHELTON, CT

3.71

SASCO BK AT SOUTHPORT ON INGLESIDE RD ABV BANKS PD

5.38

UMPAWAUG POND BROOK AT SIMPAUG TPKE NR REDDING, CT