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New England Water Science Center
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Transportation-Related Water Projects in New England

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By New England Water Science Center July 27, 2021

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The New England Water Science Center collects data and does interpretive studies on hydrology, hydraulics, and water quality in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in New England and other states.

Hydrologic studies include efforts to measure and analyze streamflows to provide flood-flow estimates that are available in the on-line StreamStats applications. Hydraulic studies include efforts to quantify bridge scour, stream-channel geometry, and runoff timing variables. Water-quality studies include efforts to measure, analyze, and model the concentrations, flows, and loads of stormflows. Water-quality studies also include efforts to measure and analyze changes in groundwater quality associated with the construction and operation of the transportation infrastructure. The results of these efforts are designed to provide tools, techniques, and information that can be used by decisionmakers to meet the DOTs missions to provide a transportation infrastructure that is safe, reliable, robust, and resilient while minimizing adverse effects on the environment.

Photograph of bridge-deck scuppers draining into the Charles River on State Route 2A in Boston near U.S. Geological Survey bridge-deck-monitoring station 422108071052501 during a rainstorm. Credit: Kirk Smith. Public domain.)

Study Area

Contacts

Marcel Belaval

Deputy Center Director

New England Water Science Center

mbelaval@usgs.gov

Phone

508-341-3204

Alana Burton Spaetzel

Supervisory Hydrologist

New England Water Science Center

aspaetzel@usgs.gov

Phone

508-490-5045

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Below are other science projects associated with this project.

March 2, 2019

Transportation-Related Water Projects

The USGS has a long history of cooperative investigations with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state highway agencies to provide data and information to address various issues related to water resources and the Nation’s transportation infrastructure. These issues cover a wide spectrum and include items such as regional flow statistics, flood documentation, regional stream...

Water Resources Mission Area

Transportation-Related Water Projects

March 2, 2019

Transportation-Related Water Projects

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April 9, 2018

SELDM: Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model - Project page

Note: SELDM is now on version 1.1.1. Please use this version for compatibility with 64-bit Microsoft Office environments.

New England Water Science Center

SELDM: Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model - Project page

April 9, 2018

SELDM: Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model - Project page

Note: SELDM is now on version 1.1.1. Please use this version for compatibility with 64-bit Microsoft Office environments.

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Below are data or web applications associated with this project.

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June 9, 2020

Model archive for analysis of the effects of impervious cover on receiving-water quality with the Stochastic Empirical Loading Dilution Model (SELDM) Model archive for analysis of the effects of impervious cover on receiving-water quality with the Stochastic Empirical Loading Dilution Model (SELDM)

Impervious runoff-discharge to receiving streams is widely recognized as one of the leading factors contributing to ecological degradation in such streams. Although there are many factors that contribute to ecological degradation with increasing development adverse effects caused by runoff quality is widely recognized as a contributing factor. The objective of this study was to simulate...

New England Water Science Center

October 3, 2019

Transportation Risk Assessment for Planning and Project Delivery (TRAPPD) Python Script Tool for Maine Transportation Risk Assessment for Planning and Project Delivery (TRAPPD) Python Script Tool for Maine

Over 40,000 road crossings in Maine are maintained by Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) managers, emergency managers, natural resource planners, and municipalities. Resource managers need a way to quickly and comprehensively assess, during the planning stages of potential transportation-related projects, how ecological, hydrologic, and structural characteristics of bridges...

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Below are publications associated with this project.

Filter Total Items: 17

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January 13, 2019

Simulating runoff quality with the highway-runoff database and the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model Simulating runoff quality with the highway-runoff database and the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model

Stormwater practitioners need quantitative information about the quality and volume of highway runoff to assess and mitigate potential adverse effects of runoff on the Nation’s receiving waters. The U.S. Geological Survey developed the Highway Runoff Database (HRDB) in cooperation with the FHWA to provide practice-ready information to meet these information needs on the local or national...

Authors

Gregory E. Granato, Susan C. Jones

Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

January 1, 2018

Characterization of stormwater runoff from bridge decks in eastern Massachusetts, 2014–16 Characterization of stormwater runoff from bridge decks in eastern Massachusetts, 2014–16

The quality of stormwater runoff from bridge decks (hereafter referred to as “bridge-deck runoff”) was characterized in a field study from August 2014 through August 2016 in which concentrations of suspended sediment (SS) and total nutrients were monitored. These new data were collected to supplement existing highway-runoff data collected in Massachusetts which were deficient in bridge...

Authors

Kirk P. Smith, Jason R. Sorenson, Gregory E. Granato

Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

October 10, 2017

Compilation of streamflow statistics calculated from daily mean streamflow data collected during water years 1901–2015 for selected U.S. Geological Survey streamgages Compilation of streamflow statistics calculated from daily mean streamflow data collected during water years 1901–2015 for selected U.S. Geological Survey streamgages

Streamflow statistics are needed by decision makers for many planning, management, and design activities. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) StreamStats Web application provides convenient access to streamflow statistics for many streamgages by accessing the underlying StreamStatsDB database. In 2016, non-interpretive streamflow statistics were compiled for streamgages located throughout...

Authors

Gregory E. Granato, Kernell G. Ries, Peter A. Steeves

Water Resources Mission Area, StreamStats

September 1, 2017

Estimating total maximum daily loads with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model Estimating total maximum daily loads with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Rhode Island DOT are assessing and addressing roadway contributions to total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). Example analyses for total nitrogen, total phosphorus, suspended sediment, and total zinc in highway runoff were done by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with FHWA to simulate long-term annual loads for TMDL...

Authors

Gregory E. Granato, Susan Cheung Jones

Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

September 4, 2015

Methods for evaluating potential sources of chloride in surface waters and groundwaters of the conterminous United States Methods for evaluating potential sources of chloride in surface waters and groundwaters of the conterminous United States

Chloride exists as a major ion in most natural waters, but many anthropogenic sources are increasing concentrations of chloride in many receiving waters. Although natural concentrations in continental waters can be as high as 200,000 milligrams per liter, chloride concentrations that are suitable for freshwater ecology, human consumption, and agricultural and industrial water uses...

Authors

Gregory E. Granato, Leslie A. DeSimone, Jeffrey R. Barbaro, Lillian C. Jeznach

Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

January 1, 2014

Stochastic empirical loading and dilution model for analysis of flows, concentrations, and loads of highway runoff constituents Stochastic empirical loading and dilution model for analysis of flows, concentrations, and loads of highway runoff constituents

In cooperation with FHWA, the U.S. Geological Survey developed the stochastic empirical loading and dilution model (SELDM) to supersede the 1990 FHWA runoff quality model. The SELDM tool is designed to transform disparate and complex scientific data into meaningful information about the adverse risks of runoff on receiving waters, the potential need for mitigation measures, and the...

Authors

Gregory E. Granato, Susan C. Jones

Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

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Below are software products associated with this project.

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December 6, 2009

Data mining and analysis software for USGS NWIS Web streamflow data Data mining and analysis software for USGS NWIS Web streamflow data

Overview Five computer programs were developed for obtaining and analyzing streamflow from the National Water Information System (NWISWeb). The programs were developed as part of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, to develop a stochastic empirical loading and dilution model.

New England Water Science Center