Graph of decadal change in Radium concentration compared to road salt application rate (Lindsay and others, 2021). Increases in concentrations of radium are correlated with road-salt application, and multiple lines of evidence support that the relation is causal.
Bruce Lindsey
Bruce Lindsey is a hydrologist with the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Bruce Lindsey has worked as a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey since 1992. His primary field of interest is groundwater quality. He has conducted regional and national assessments of status and trends in groundwater quality in the United States for the National Water-Quality Assessment project. He currently is the coordinator of groundwater assessments for the National Water Quality Network, which monitors groundwater quality in about 2,200 wells across the United States in 82 networks of about 25-30 wells each. The objective of this study is to evaluate the quality and availability of groundwater for drinking supply, improve our understanding of where and why water quality is degraded, and assess how groundwater quality could respond to changes in hydrologic conditions and land use. Constituents of concern for this research include both natural contaminants (trace elements and radionuclides) as well as anthropogenic contaminants (nutrients, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), volatile organic compounds and pesticides). Bruce is also the project manager for the National Surveillance function, which evaluates and summarizes substantial issues potentially affecting water availability – streamflow, groundwater levels, surface water quality, and groundwater quality – from USGS national networks. In addition, Bruce has also conducted studies on microbiological quality of drinking water resources, focusing on occurrence of both bacteria and viruses.
Science and Products
Pesticides in Pennsylvania Groundwaters
USGS annually samples domestic groundwater wells to characterize pesticides, nutrients, and radon in agricultural areas, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Beginning in 2021, samples for major ions, trace elements, bacteria, and isotopes will also be collected. A subset of wells will be sampled for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), emerging industrial...
Groundwater Quality Research
Every day, millions of gallons of groundwater are pumped to supply drinking water for about 140 million people, almost one-half of the Nation’s population. Learn about the quality and availability of groundwater for drinking, where and why groundwater quality is degraded, and where groundwater quality is changing.
Chloride, Salinity, and Dissolved Solids
All natural waters contain some dissolved solids (salinity) from contact with soils, rocks, and other natural materials. Too much, though, and dissolved solids can impair water use. Unpleasant taste, high water-treatment costs, mineral accumulation in plumbing, staining, corrosion, and restricted use for irrigation are among the problems associated with elevated concentrations of dissolved solids.
Public Supply Wells
Are you among the more than 100 million people in the U.S. who relies on a public-supply well for your drinking water? Although the quality of finished drinking water from public water systems is regulated by the EPA, long-term protection and management of the raw groundwater tapped by public-supply wells requires an understanding of the occurrence of contaminants in this invisible, vital resource...
Groundwater Quality in Principal Aquifers of the Nation, 1991–2010
What’s in your groundwater? Learn about groundwater quality in the Principal Aquifers of nine regions across the United States in informative circulars filled with figures, photos, and water-quality information.
Groundwater Quality—Current Conditions and Changes Through Time
Is groundwater the source of your drinking water? The USGS is assessing the quality of groundwater used for public supply using newly collected data along with existing water-quality data. Learn more about this invisible, vital resource so many of us depend on.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that both vaporize into air and dissolve in water. VOCs are pervasive in daily life, because they’re used in industry, agriculture, transportation, and day-to-day activities around the home. Once released into groundwater, many VOCs are persistent and can migrate to drinking-water supply wells.
USGS Online Mapper Provides a Decadal Look at Groundwater Quality
A new online interactive mapping tool provides summaries of decadal-scale changes in groundwater chemistry across the Nation.
Bacteriological quality of groundwater used for household supply
In fractured bedrock aquifers used for domestic supply conditions can exist where contaminants such as bacteria are not filtered out by the soil. Once in the fracture system, little additional filtration takes place. The results of a synotic sampling of domestic wells in the Lower Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania and Maryland, showed that bacteria concentrations were higher in areas with high...
Plot of decadal change in Radium concentration vs. road salt application rate
Graph of decadal change in Radium concentration compared to road salt application rate (Lindsay and others, 2021). Increases in concentrations of radium are correlated with road-salt application, and multiple lines of evidence support that the relation is causal.
Science and Products
Pesticides in Pennsylvania Groundwaters
USGS annually samples domestic groundwater wells to characterize pesticides, nutrients, and radon in agricultural areas, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Beginning in 2021, samples for major ions, trace elements, bacteria, and isotopes will also be collected. A subset of wells will be sampled for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), emerging industrial...
Groundwater Quality Research
Every day, millions of gallons of groundwater are pumped to supply drinking water for about 140 million people, almost one-half of the Nation’s population. Learn about the quality and availability of groundwater for drinking, where and why groundwater quality is degraded, and where groundwater quality is changing.
Chloride, Salinity, and Dissolved Solids
All natural waters contain some dissolved solids (salinity) from contact with soils, rocks, and other natural materials. Too much, though, and dissolved solids can impair water use. Unpleasant taste, high water-treatment costs, mineral accumulation in plumbing, staining, corrosion, and restricted use for irrigation are among the problems associated with elevated concentrations of dissolved solids.
Public Supply Wells
Are you among the more than 100 million people in the U.S. who relies on a public-supply well for your drinking water? Although the quality of finished drinking water from public water systems is regulated by the EPA, long-term protection and management of the raw groundwater tapped by public-supply wells requires an understanding of the occurrence of contaminants in this invisible, vital resource...
Groundwater Quality in Principal Aquifers of the Nation, 1991–2010
What’s in your groundwater? Learn about groundwater quality in the Principal Aquifers of nine regions across the United States in informative circulars filled with figures, photos, and water-quality information.
Groundwater Quality—Current Conditions and Changes Through Time
Is groundwater the source of your drinking water? The USGS is assessing the quality of groundwater used for public supply using newly collected data along with existing water-quality data. Learn more about this invisible, vital resource so many of us depend on.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that both vaporize into air and dissolve in water. VOCs are pervasive in daily life, because they’re used in industry, agriculture, transportation, and day-to-day activities around the home. Once released into groundwater, many VOCs are persistent and can migrate to drinking-water supply wells.
USGS Online Mapper Provides a Decadal Look at Groundwater Quality
A new online interactive mapping tool provides summaries of decadal-scale changes in groundwater chemistry across the Nation.
Bacteriological quality of groundwater used for household supply
In fractured bedrock aquifers used for domestic supply conditions can exist where contaminants such as bacteria are not filtered out by the soil. Once in the fracture system, little additional filtration takes place. The results of a synotic sampling of domestic wells in the Lower Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania and Maryland, showed that bacteria concentrations were higher in areas with high...
Plot of decadal change in Radium concentration vs. road salt application rate
Graph of decadal change in Radium concentration compared to road salt application rate (Lindsay and others, 2021). Increases in concentrations of radium are correlated with road-salt application, and multiple lines of evidence support that the relation is causal.
Graph of decadal change in Radium concentration compared to road salt application rate (Lindsay and others, 2021). Increases in concentrations of radium are correlated with road-salt application, and multiple lines of evidence support that the relation is causal.