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.
Filter Total Items: 102
Long Island Water Suitability Case Studies
A collection of studies that focused on the quality of groundwater and surface water, are presented in this section. The reports associated with these areas of water quality concerns are linked as an online source for further reading.
State of the Aquifer, Long Island, New York
Groundwater is among the Nation's most important natural resources. Nationwide it provides half of our drinking water and is essential to the vitality of agriculture and industry, as well as to the health of rivers, wetlands, and estuaries throughout the country. On Long Island groundwater is the sole source of fresh water for over 2.6 million people.
Delineation of the Saltwater-Freshwater Interface at Selected Well Locations in the Town of Riverhead, NY
Problem The Town of Riverhead in the northeastern Suffolk County includes rural farmland and suburbs and is bounded by the Long Island Sound to the north and Peconic Bay to the southeast. Riverhead’s close proximity to saline embayments and its location along the northeastern discharge area for Long Island’s groundwater flow system makes it vulnerable to saltwater intrusion. Several public-suppl
New York Water Science Center Data Program
Objective: The USGS New York Water Science Center (NYWSC) works with other Federal agencies as well as with State, municipal, and tribal agencies to provide research and data about water-related issues. Relevance and Impact: The NYWSC leads the scientific and water-resources management communities by providing high-quality, timely, and unbiased scientific data, reports, and other information that
USGS Hudson River Watershed Suspended-Sediment Monitoring Network
The USGS NY Water Science Center maintains a network of near-real-time sensors to monitor the movement of suspended sediment into and through the freshwater reach of the tidal Hudson River. Information from this network helps quantify the movement of sediment in the watershed to assist resource managers and stakeholders reduce dredging costs, target resources to mitigate soil loss, and modify land...
Assessment of stormwater control measures at the Niagara River Greenway Project, Buffalo, New York
Background The proposed study will examine any existing data from the monitoring wells, weather station, and flow through the storm sewer system (supplied by Buffalo Sewer Authority) to determine the dynamics of the system during storm events. Further analysis using all available information is needed to fully understand the relationship of events to the implementation of Green Infrastructure sto
Sentinel Monitoring for New and Legacy Pesticides in the Shallow Groundwater of Long Island
Problem 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
Assessing Occurrence and Persistence of Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater
Problem : Occurrence and persistence of emerging contaminants in groundwater flow in Suffolk County, New York Objectives: This project will monitor groundwater from selected SCWA supply wells for compounds indicative of anthropogenic sources, which are of increasing public concern. Approach: Groundwater-flow information, well-construction details, and distance from treated wastewater (including m
Acidification and Recovery and Development of Critical Loads of Acidity for Stream Ecosystems of the Adirondack Region of New York State
BACKGROUND The Adirondack region of New York has a history of relatively high atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition (Greaver et al. 2012). Adirondack ecosystems have been impacted by these inputs, including soil and surface water acidification, and impaired health and diversity of forest vegetation and aquatic biota. Air quality management, through the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Envir
Surface-water Quality in the Mohawk River Basin (Pilot RIBS/TMDL)
Problem The quality of surface water has important effects on human and ecological health. Surface water is an important drinking water source and is used for swimming, fishing, and recreation, and the quality of surface water can have profound effects on the health, diversity, and resilience of ecological communities. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is task
Rockland County Water-Resource Assessment
INTRODUCTION • Concerns over the viability of the fractured bedrock aquifer that provides about 1/3 of Rockland County’s water supply prompted a 5-year study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to (1) define the hydrogeologic framework of the aquifer, (2) assess conditions within it, and (3) identify other potential sources of water for the County. The study was done in cooperation with Rockla
Hydrogeology and Water Quality of the North Shore Aquifer in Locust Valley, Town of Oyster Bay, New York
Problem Perchlorate detected in a shallow supply well within the southern portion of the Locust Valley Water District (LVWD) has prompted interest in determining the possible existence of a deeper confined aquifer (North Shore Aquifer) that may be protected from shallow contamination (fig. 1). Previous USGS studies in this area indicate the northern part of Nassau County has a complex hydrogeolog