Data for quality-control equipment blanks, field blanks, and field replicates for baseline water quality in watersheds within the shale play of eastern Ohio, 2021–23

In 2021–23, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Ohio Division of Natural Resources, led a study to characterize baseline water quality (2021–23) in eastern Ohio, as they relate to hydraulic fracturing and (or) other oil and gas extraction-related activities. Water-quality data were collected eight times at each of eight sampling sites during a variety of flow conditions to assess baseline water quality. Quality-control (QC) samples collected before and during sampling consisted of blanks and replicates. Blank samples were used to check for contamination potentially introduced during sample collection, processing, equipment cleaning, or analysis. Replicate samples were used to determine the reproducibility or variability in the collection and analysis of environmental samples. All QC samples were collected and processed according to protocols described in the “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” (USGS, variously dated). To ensure sample integrity and final quality of data, QC samples (one equipment blank, three field blanks, and five replicate samples) were collected for major ions, nutrients, and organics. This data set includes one table of blank samples and one table of field replicate samples. U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated, National field manual for the collection of water-quality data: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 9, chaps. A1-A10, available online at http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A.