Our region's water supply comes from streams and rivers, groundwater, and reservoirs. Areas not served by public-water supply rely on groundwater withdrawn from fractured rock aquifers in western Maryland, or surficial (water table) and confined aquifers in southern Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and the Eastern Shore.
Groundwater research works to improve our understanding of groundwater resources across Maryland through groundwater monitoring networks and in-depth studies. Team monitoring and research projects are site specific to regional in scale, and can address groundwater flow, groundwater availability, water supply and use, water resource modeling, and/or contaminant fate and transport. The MD-DE-DC WSC logs data on nearly 400 groundwater wells throughout the region.
Investigative capabilities include groundwater model development and maintenance, down-hole and surface geophysics, advanced geochemical, microbial, and hydrologic data-collection techniques, statistical and spatial analysis, database design and maintenance, and interpretive reporting and communication of results to water resource managers, cooperators, colle
A Graphical and Mapping Interface for Analysis of Hydrologic Data
The Groundwater Toolbox is a graphical and mapping interface for analysis of hydrologic data. The software is customized interface built on the non-proprietary, open-source MapWindow geographic information system software, running on the Windows OS.
Hydrologic study at Farm Creek Marsh, MD from April 2015 to April 2016
In 2015, the USGS began a year-long hydrologic study to investigate the extent and cause of water inundation. The combination of water-quality, hydrologic, and soils data indicate that inundation is caused by tide and storm events, not GW discharge.
Hydrogeology and Shallow GW Quality in the Tidal Anacostia Watershed
Groundwater hydrology and geochemistry within the tidal Anacostia River watershed are related to natural and human influences. The flow and interaction of shallow groundwater are affected by human activities in this highly urbanized watershed.
Groundwater specializes in the use of hydrologic, hydrogeologic, water-chemistry, water-use, and other data, either directly, or to develop models to understand and address groundwater quality and resource issues, including the following:
- Explaining contaminant fate and transport in groundwater in complex hydrostratigraphic settings in fractured rock, or unconsolidated sediments.
- Describing groundwater impacted by human activities whether it be organic and inorganic contaminants at hazardous waste sites, or a broad range of contaminants from urban, agricultural, and (or) sewage disposal sources.
- Identifying optimal (simulated) withdrawal patterns from aquifer systems based on hydrologic or economic criteria.
- Managing and analyzing water-use data to provide enhanced groundwater use databases to help manage the resource for sustainable and ecologically sound supplies.
Science capabilities include groundwater model development and maintenance, down-hole and surface geophysics, advanced geochemical, microbial, and hydrologic data-collection techniques, statistical and spatial analysis, database design and maintenance, and interpretive reporting and communication of results to cooperators, the general public, and federal, state, and local water managers.
Groundwater Wells
Artificial Groundwater Recharge
Enhanced hydrologic and geomorphic monitoring in Ten Mile Creek, Montgomery County, Maryland
Geomorphic Responses to Stream Channel Restoration at Minebank Run, Baltimore County, Maryland
- Overview
Our region's water supply comes from streams and rivers, groundwater, and reservoirs. Areas not served by public-water supply rely on groundwater withdrawn from fractured rock aquifers in western Maryland, or surficial (water table) and confined aquifers in southern Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and the Eastern Shore.
Groundwater research works to improve our understanding of groundwater resources across Maryland through groundwater monitoring networks and in-depth studies. Team monitoring and research projects are site specific to regional in scale, and can address groundwater flow, groundwater availability, water supply and use, water resource modeling, and/or contaminant fate and transport. The MD-DE-DC WSC logs data on nearly 400 groundwater wells throughout the region.
Investigative capabilities include groundwater model development and maintenance, down-hole and surface geophysics, advanced geochemical, microbial, and hydrologic data-collection techniques, statistical and spatial analysis, database design and maintenance, and interpretive reporting and communication of results to water resource managers, cooperators, colle
A Graphical and Mapping Interface for Analysis of Hydrologic Data
The Groundwater Toolbox is a graphical and mapping interface for analysis of hydrologic data. The software is customized interface built on the non-proprietary, open-source MapWindow geographic information system software, running on the Windows OS.
Hydrologic study at Farm Creek Marsh, MD from April 2015 to April 2016
In 2015, the USGS began a year-long hydrologic study to investigate the extent and cause of water inundation. The combination of water-quality, hydrologic, and soils data indicate that inundation is caused by tide and storm events, not GW discharge.
Hydrogeology and Shallow GW Quality in the Tidal Anacostia Watershed
Groundwater hydrology and geochemistry within the tidal Anacostia River watershed are related to natural and human influences. The flow and interaction of shallow groundwater are affected by human activities in this highly urbanized watershed.
Groundwater specializes in the use of hydrologic, hydrogeologic, water-chemistry, water-use, and other data, either directly, or to develop models to understand and address groundwater quality and resource issues, including the following:
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.potentiometric map of central MD - Explaining contaminant fate and transport in groundwater in complex hydrostratigraphic settings in fractured rock, or unconsolidated sediments.
- Describing groundwater impacted by human activities whether it be organic and inorganic contaminants at hazardous waste sites, or a broad range of contaminants from urban, agricultural, and (or) sewage disposal sources.
- Identifying optimal (simulated) withdrawal patterns from aquifer systems based on hydrologic or economic criteria.
- Managing and analyzing water-use data to provide enhanced groundwater use databases to help manage the resource for sustainable and ecologically sound supplies.
- Science
Science capabilities include groundwater model development and maintenance, down-hole and surface geophysics, advanced geochemical, microbial, and hydrologic data-collection techniques, statistical and spatial analysis, database design and maintenance, and interpretive reporting and communication of results to cooperators, the general public, and federal, state, and local water managers.
Groundwater Wells
Wells are extremely important to all societies. In many places wells provide a reliable and ample supply of water for home uses, irrigation, and industries. Where surface water is scarce, such as in deserts, people couldn't survive and thrive without groundwater, and people use wells to get at underground water.Artificial Groundwater Recharge
Groundwater levels are declining across the country as our withdrawals exceed the rate of aquifers to naturally replenish themselves, called recharge. One method of controlling declining water levels is by using artificial groundwater recharge. The USGS monitors wells to evaluate the effect of groundwater depletion and recharge, and provides vital information to those who depend on groundwater...Enhanced hydrologic and geomorphic monitoring in Ten Mile Creek, Montgomery County, Maryland
Ten Mile Creek is a small, predominantly agricultural and forested watershed located to the west of Clarksburg, Maryland, in an area that has experienced land-use change and urban development over the past decade. Additional development extending into the Ten Mile Creek watershed is planned over the next several years.This planned development in the Ten Mile Creek watershed presents an opportunity...Geomorphic Responses to Stream Channel Restoration at Minebank Run, Baltimore County, Maryland
Urban streams frequently undergo severe incision and erosion due to flashy streamflows caused by impervious surfaces in the watershed. The study was designed to investigate the hydrodynamics and geomorphology of a selected reach of Minebank Run before and after stream restoration, in order to determine the effect that stream restoration had on sediment processes in the stream. - Publications
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