New Jersey WSC Archived Projects
NAWQA is a program from the USGS that addresses the goals of that status of surface-water and groundwater, provide understanding of human impact, and to support local, state, and federal agencies with aforementioned data.
START DATE: 01-OCT-2006
END DATE: Not specified
PROJECT NUMBER: 4571CRP
Project Objectives
The USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program addresses three long-term goals:
- Describe the status and trends in the quality of a large, representative part of the Nation's surface-water and groundwater resources.
- Provide an improved understanding of the primary natural factors and human activities affecting these conditions.
- Provide information that supports development and evaluation of management, regulatory, and monitoring decisions by other Federal, State, and local agencies.
Strategy and Approach
From 1991-2001, the NAWQA Program conducted interdisciplinary assessments and established a baseline understanding of water-quality conditions in 51 of the Nation's river basins and aquifers, referred to as Study Units. Descriptions of water-quality conditions in streams and ground water were developed in more than a thousand reports (access NAWQA publications). Non-technical Summary Reports, written primarily for those interested or involved in resource management, conservation, regulation, and policymaking, were completed for each of the 51 Study Units. Nontechnical national summary reports on pesticides, nutrients, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) also were completed, in which water-quality conditions were compared to national standards and guidelines related to drinking water, protection of aquatic life, and nutrient enrichment.
NAWQA activities during the second decade (2001-2012) focus in large part on national and regional assessments, all of which build on continued monitoring and assessments in 42 of the 51 Study Units completed in the first cycle (USGS Fact Sheet 071-01).
Selected major activities during the second decade include:
- Continuing national-synthesis assessments of information on pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nutrients, selected trace elements, and aquatic ecology.
- Studies on five national priority topics including on the fate of agricultural chemicals, effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems, bioaccumulation of mercury in stream ecosystems, effects of nutrient enrichment on aquatic ecosystems, and transport of contaminants to public-supply wells.
- Regional assessments of water-quality and trends in surface water and principal aquifers, which encompass larger regions of the country than the Study Units.
DISCLAIMER: This webpage contains information about completed or inactive projects from the NJ Water Science Center. It has been created for historical purposes and may be a utility to locate published information. This page should not be considered an authoritative source. You are encouraged to contact the NJ WSC for more current information.
NAWQA is a program from the USGS that addresses the goals of that status of surface-water and groundwater, provide understanding of human impact, and to support local, state, and federal agencies with aforementioned data.
START DATE: 01-OCT-2006
END DATE: Not specified
PROJECT NUMBER: 4571CRP
Project Objectives
The USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program addresses three long-term goals:
- Describe the status and trends in the quality of a large, representative part of the Nation's surface-water and groundwater resources.
- Provide an improved understanding of the primary natural factors and human activities affecting these conditions.
- Provide information that supports development and evaluation of management, regulatory, and monitoring decisions by other Federal, State, and local agencies.
Strategy and Approach
From 1991-2001, the NAWQA Program conducted interdisciplinary assessments and established a baseline understanding of water-quality conditions in 51 of the Nation's river basins and aquifers, referred to as Study Units. Descriptions of water-quality conditions in streams and ground water were developed in more than a thousand reports (access NAWQA publications). Non-technical Summary Reports, written primarily for those interested or involved in resource management, conservation, regulation, and policymaking, were completed for each of the 51 Study Units. Nontechnical national summary reports on pesticides, nutrients, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) also were completed, in which water-quality conditions were compared to national standards and guidelines related to drinking water, protection of aquatic life, and nutrient enrichment.
NAWQA activities during the second decade (2001-2012) focus in large part on national and regional assessments, all of which build on continued monitoring and assessments in 42 of the 51 Study Units completed in the first cycle (USGS Fact Sheet 071-01).
Selected major activities during the second decade include:
- Continuing national-synthesis assessments of information on pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nutrients, selected trace elements, and aquatic ecology.
- Studies on five national priority topics including on the fate of agricultural chemicals, effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems, bioaccumulation of mercury in stream ecosystems, effects of nutrient enrichment on aquatic ecosystems, and transport of contaminants to public-supply wells.
- Regional assessments of water-quality and trends in surface water and principal aquifers, which encompass larger regions of the country than the Study Units.
DISCLAIMER: This webpage contains information about completed or inactive projects from the NJ Water Science Center. It has been created for historical purposes and may be a utility to locate published information. This page should not be considered an authoritative source. You are encouraged to contact the NJ WSC for more current information.