Water Quality
Water Quality
Different uses of water may require a different level of “quality” of water; for example, water that contains dirt and grime might work fine for agricultural uses, but industrial uses and drinking water require a different level of water quality; or water that might be safe to use in industrial and agricultural uses may not be safe to drink or promote healthy ecosystems. The NYWSC collects water-quality data for all water resources and works with the public, government agencies, organizations, and the private sector to identify and understand environmental issues and concerns regarding the quality of water supplies in the Nation and abroad. Water-quality data are then used to determine the health of various ecosystems, including wetlands, urban landscapes, coastal environments, and watersheds. Effects of nutrient and micropollutant loading to watersheds and wetlands, habitat response to changes in infrastructure, wetlands restoration for the effects of treating urban wastewater, and toxicity in waters affected by urban runoff are some of the more recent projects undertaken by the NYWSC with State and local cooperators.
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Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms in Central Park, New York
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) can produce cyanotoxins that pose health risks to humans, pets, and wildlife that use freshwater lakes and ponds. While not often used for swimming or drinking water, human and animal contact with urban lakes can include boating, fishing, or use of shoreline walking paths. CyanoHABs are a persistent, annually recurring problem in several Central Park...
Development of a mapper-based Long Island Sound data and research portal (Clearinghouse)
In cooperation with the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is creating a mapper-based clearinghouse that will provide information on sources of data available throughout the Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed and allow for real-time metadata output and integration into visualization and modeling tools developed through a...
Geohydrology of the Valley‐fill Aquifer in the Lower Fall Creek Valley, Town of Dryden, Tompkins County, New York
PROBLEM The valley‐fill aquifer in the lower Fall Creek valley (designated as aquifer 4, fig. 1), within the Towns of Dryden and Groton, was mapped by Miller (2000) and identified as one of 17 unconsolidated aquifers in Tompkins County that need to be studied in more detail. The east end of the valley (near the Tompkins and Cortland County border) is on the backside of a large morainal plug, which
Water-Resource and Road-Condition Monitoring of Alternative Treatments for Road Deicing
Introduction The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is evaluating alternative treatments for road deicing with the goal of reducing the impact of this activity on the State’s water resources. The NYSDOT has requested support from the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) in monitoring the effects of these alternative treatments on the water resources. In the past, the USGS has cooperat
Cyanobacterial Occurrence and Bloom Development in Oligotrophic Adirondack Lakes
Problem Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasingly a global concern because HABs pose a threat to human and ecosystem health and cause economic damages. HABs are a concern in waterbodies used for drinking-water supply and recreation in New York State. Toxins produced by some species of cyanobacteria (called cyanotoxins) can cause acute and chronic illnesses in humans. Aquatic ecosystem health a
Search for New York Water Science Center Projects by County
Search for NYWSC projects by county name.
Soil and Low-Ionic-Strength Water Quality Laboratory
The New York Water Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Troy, N.Y., operates a state-of-the-science laboratory for the chemical analysis of soil and water.
Assessment of fecal contamination sources to Alley Creek, Queens County, New York
PROBLEM Alley Creek, a tributary to Little Neck Bay (Queens County, New York; figure 1) has been designated as impaired by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) for primary and secondary contact and included on the 303(d) Impaired Waterways for pathogens related to combined sewer overflow contributions. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC
Mohawk Microplastics
Problem - Plastic debris pollution in freshwater ecosystems is becoming a major ecosystem and public health concern. Plastic pollution is now identified as the most abundant anthropogenic debris and it is found throughout all marine environments, comprising 60-80% of all floating debris (Eriksen et al., 2013). This debris can have a lasting effect on marine life through ingestion or entanglement (
Groundwater-Quality of Nassau County, Long Island, New York
Problem Statement There are over 1.3 million residents in Nassau County that rely on groundwater as their sole source of potable drinking water. The mixed land uses (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and recreational) of Nassau County contribute point and non-point sources of aquifer contamination. Nassau County water purveyors currently operate supply wells screened in the upper
Contaminants in fish tissues from AOCs in New York State: The Niagara River AOC
DEC collaborators collect fish from a Niagara River tributary using an electrofishing boat The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and Department of Health (NYSDOH), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are gathering data on chemical contaminants in fish from multiple Areas of Concern (AOCs) in New York State and plan to use this information to evaluate fish cons...
Upper Esopus Creek Tributary Bedload Pilot Study
Problem Sediment transport is a serious concern in the upper Esopus Creek watershed. The creek is a well-documented source of sediment and turbidity to the Ashokan Reservoir, which is part of the New York City water supply system. During the last 2 decades there has been a series of stream stabilization and sediment reduction projects completed in the upper Esopus Creek watershed intended to reduc