Water Quality Capabilities @ MD-DE-DC

As one of our key functions, we consistently monitor the quality of groundwater, surface water, and aquatic ecosystems in Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, using USGS protocols, employing ultra-clean techniques with a strong attention to data accuracy and precision.

Chemical and biological constituents include nutrients, trace metals, bacteria, suspended sediment, major ions, and organic wastewater compounds such as pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, and industrial compounds. For selected sites, continuous data sets exist for up to 40 years. The Water Quality capabilities team is in pursuit of precise continuous water quality monitoring for physical conditions including water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and turbidity. New technology has enhanced realtime-data collection with measurements of nitrate and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM).

As a leader in water quality investigations, the MD-DE-DC WSC conducts interpretive studies that combine discrete and continuous water quality data to model stream processes and impacts from land use and climate change. Continuous data are also used to compute and assess status, trends, yields, and loads for nutrients and sediment. These data can be evaluated to rapidly alert public-water suppliers of events that may adversely affect water supplies.