305b Groundwater Quality Monitoring in New York
Relatively little data describing the quality of groundwater in New York State exists, yet groundwater is used as a source of drinking water by approximately one quarter of the population of the state. The objective of the 305(b) Ambient Groundwater Quality Monitoring project is to quantify and report on ambient groundwater quality from bedrock and glacial-drift aquifers in upstate New York. An ongoing cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), this study supports NYSDEC’s responsibilities under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977. The project began in 2002 with a pilot study in the Mohawk River Basin and another in 2003 in the Chemung River Basin. Sampling completed in 2018 represented the conclusion of the third round of groundwater-quality sampling throughout upstate New York State, and the fourth round will be completed in 2023.
![colored map of New York's 305(b) Major Basins](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/side_image/public/thumbnails/image/305bBasins.jpg?itok=3W_KGa0b)
Approach
Groundwater-quality samples are collected and analyzed using consistent, standardized methods. Each year, samples are collected from existing domestic and public supply wells in two to three of the 14 major hydrologic basins in New York State (north of the New York City metropolitan area). The groundwater sampling parallels surface-water sampling done as part of the NYSDEC Rotating Integrated Basin Studies (RIBS) program, and each basin is resampled once every five years. Fifty to sixty groundwater samples are collected each year from existing domestic and public supply wells using standard USGS protocols. Wells are selected to represent an approximately equal number of public and private wells, an approximately equal number of bedrock and glacial-drift wells, and to provide a representative geographic distribution of samples. Most private wells selected for sampling are identified through NYSDEC’s Water Well Program.
Raw water samples are analyzed for more than 100 constituents, including physical parameters, dissolved gases (through 2018), nutrients, major ions, trace elements, bacteria, radiochemicals, total organic carbon, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. As basins are sampled for the second, third, and fourth time, approximately 20 percent of samples are collected from wells that previously have been sampled as part of this study. At the completion of the 2022 sampling season, about 900 unique wells have been sampled as part of this project. The data are made available through the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), as well as USGS Open-File Reports for cycle years 2002 to 2016, and USGS Data Releases for cycle years 2017 to present.
Links
USGS Ground Water and the Rural Homeowner
USEPA Ground Water and Drinking Water
USEPA Private Drinking Water Wells
NYSDEC
NYSDEC Ambient Groundwater Quality Monitoring
Drinking water standards
USEPA Current Drinking Water Standards
NYSDOH Current Drinking Water Standards
Radon
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Groundwater quality in the Delaware and St. Lawrence River Basins, New York, 2010
Groundwater quality in the Lake Champlain Basin, New York, 2009
Groundwater quality in the Chemung River Basin, New York, 2008
Groundwater quality in the Eastern Lake Ontario Basin, New York, 2008
Groundwater quality in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008
Ground-Water Quality in the Upper Hudson River Basin, New York, 2007
Groundwater Quality in Central New York, 2007
Ground-Water Quality in Western New York, 2006
Ground-Water Quality in the Mohawk River Basin, New York, 2006
Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006
Ground-Water Quality in the Delaware River Basin, New York, 2001 and 2005-2006
Ground-Water Quality in the St. Lawrence River Basin, New York, 2005-06
Below are partners associated with this project.
Relatively little data describing the quality of groundwater in New York State exists, yet groundwater is used as a source of drinking water by approximately one quarter of the population of the state. The objective of the 305(b) Ambient Groundwater Quality Monitoring project is to quantify and report on ambient groundwater quality from bedrock and glacial-drift aquifers in upstate New York. An ongoing cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), this study supports NYSDEC’s responsibilities under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977. The project began in 2002 with a pilot study in the Mohawk River Basin and another in 2003 in the Chemung River Basin. Sampling completed in 2018 represented the conclusion of the third round of groundwater-quality sampling throughout upstate New York State, and the fourth round will be completed in 2023.
![colored map of New York's 305(b) Major Basins](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/side_image/public/thumbnails/image/305bBasins.jpg?itok=3W_KGa0b)
Approach
Groundwater-quality samples are collected and analyzed using consistent, standardized methods. Each year, samples are collected from existing domestic and public supply wells in two to three of the 14 major hydrologic basins in New York State (north of the New York City metropolitan area). The groundwater sampling parallels surface-water sampling done as part of the NYSDEC Rotating Integrated Basin Studies (RIBS) program, and each basin is resampled once every five years. Fifty to sixty groundwater samples are collected each year from existing domestic and public supply wells using standard USGS protocols. Wells are selected to represent an approximately equal number of public and private wells, an approximately equal number of bedrock and glacial-drift wells, and to provide a representative geographic distribution of samples. Most private wells selected for sampling are identified through NYSDEC’s Water Well Program.
Raw water samples are analyzed for more than 100 constituents, including physical parameters, dissolved gases (through 2018), nutrients, major ions, trace elements, bacteria, radiochemicals, total organic carbon, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. As basins are sampled for the second, third, and fourth time, approximately 20 percent of samples are collected from wells that previously have been sampled as part of this study. At the completion of the 2022 sampling season, about 900 unique wells have been sampled as part of this project. The data are made available through the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), as well as USGS Open-File Reports for cycle years 2002 to 2016, and USGS Data Releases for cycle years 2017 to present.
Links
USGS Ground Water and the Rural Homeowner
USEPA Ground Water and Drinking Water
USEPA Private Drinking Water Wells
NYSDEC
NYSDEC Ambient Groundwater Quality Monitoring
Drinking water standards
USEPA Current Drinking Water Standards
NYSDOH Current Drinking Water Standards
Radon
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Groundwater quality in the Delaware and St. Lawrence River Basins, New York, 2010
Groundwater quality in the Lake Champlain Basin, New York, 2009
Groundwater quality in the Chemung River Basin, New York, 2008
Groundwater quality in the Eastern Lake Ontario Basin, New York, 2008
Groundwater quality in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008
Ground-Water Quality in the Upper Hudson River Basin, New York, 2007
Groundwater Quality in Central New York, 2007
Ground-Water Quality in Western New York, 2006
Ground-Water Quality in the Mohawk River Basin, New York, 2006
Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006
Ground-Water Quality in the Delaware River Basin, New York, 2001 and 2005-2006
Ground-Water Quality in the St. Lawrence River Basin, New York, 2005-06
Below are partners associated with this project.