Publications
New York Water Science Center publications
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Filter Total Items: 732
Condition of resident fish communities in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern, New York Condition of resident fish communities in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern, New York
The lower 3.5 km of Eighteenmile Creek, a tributary to Lake Ontario in New York, was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1985 under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement due to extensive contamination of bed sediments by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other toxicants. Five beneficial use impairments (BUIs) have been identified in this AOC, including degraded fish and...
Authors
Scott D. George, Barry P. Baldigo, Scott F. Collins, David Clarke, Dylan R. Winterhalter
The water quality of selected streams in the Catskill and Delaware water-supply watersheds in New York, 1999–2009 The water quality of selected streams in the Catskill and Delaware water-supply watersheds in New York, 1999–2009
From October 1, 1999, through September 30, 2009, water-quality samples were collected, and discharge was measured at 13 streamgages within the Catskill and Delaware watersheds of the New York City water supply system. The Catskill and Delaware watersheds supply about 90 percent of the water needed by 9 million customers. On average, 59 water-quality samples were collected at each...
Authors
Michael R. McHale, Jason Siemion, Peter S. Murdoch
Turbidity–suspended-sediment concentration regression equations for monitoring stations in the upper Esopus Creek watershed, Ulster County, New York, 2016–19 Turbidity–suspended-sediment concentration regression equations for monitoring stations in the upper Esopus Creek watershed, Ulster County, New York, 2016–19
Upper Esopus Creek is the primary tributary to the Ashokan Reservoir, part of the New York City water-supply system. Elevated concentrations of suspended sediment and turbidity in the watershed of the creek are of concern for the system. Water samples were collected through a range of streamflow and turbidity at 14 monitoring sites in the upper Esopus Creek watershed for analyses of...
Authors
Jason Siemion, Donald B. Bonville, Michael R. McHale, Michael R. Antidormi
Cyanobacteria, cyanotoxin synthetase gene, and cyanotoxin occurrence among selected large river sites of the conterminous United States, 2017–18 Cyanobacteria, cyanotoxin synthetase gene, and cyanotoxin occurrence among selected large river sites of the conterminous United States, 2017–18
The U.S. Geological Survey measured cyanobacteria, cyanotoxin synthetase genes, and cyanotoxins at 11 river sites throughout the conterminous United States in a multiyear pilot study during 2017–19 through the National Water Quality Assessment Project to better understand the occurrence of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in large inland and coastal rivers. This report focuses on the first...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, Jennifer L. Graham, Erin A. Stelzer, Keith A. Loftin, Barry H. Rosen
By
Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay watershed—A century of change, 1950–2050 Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay watershed—A century of change, 1950–2050
Authors
John W. Clune, Paul D. Capel, Matthew P. Miller, Douglas A. Burns, Andrew J. Sekellick, Peter R. Claggett, Richard H. Coupe, Rosemary M. Fanelli, Ana Maria Garcia, Jeff P. Raffensperger, Silvia Terziotti, Gopal Bhatt, Joel D. Blomquist, Kristina G. Hopkins, Jennifer L. Keisman, Lewis C. Linker, Gary W. Shenk, Richard A. Smith, Alexander M. Soroka, James S. Webber, David M. Wolock, Qian Zhang
Geohydrologic and water-quality characterization of a fractured-bedrock test hole in an area of Marcellus Shale gas development, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania Geohydrologic and water-quality characterization of a fractured-bedrock test hole in an area of Marcellus Shale gas development, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania
The stratigraphy, water-bearing zones, and quality of groundwater were characterized in a 1,400-ft-deep test hole drilled during 2013 in fractured bedrock in Sullivan County, Pa., by collection and analysis of measurements made during drilling, geophysical logs, and depth-specific hydraulic tests and water samples. The multidisciplinary characterization of the test hole was a cooperative...
Authors
Dennis W. Risser, John H. Williams, Aaron D. Bierly
Predicting regional fluoride concentrations at public and domestic supply depths in basin-fill aquifers of the western United States using a random forest model Predicting regional fluoride concentrations at public and domestic supply depths in basin-fill aquifers of the western United States using a random forest model
A random forest regression (RFR) model was applied to over 12,000 wells with measured fluoride (F) concentrations in untreated groundwater to predict F concentrations at depths used for domestic and public supply in basin-fill aquifers of the western United States. The model relied on twenty-two regional-scale environmental and surficial predictor variables selected to represent factors...
Authors
Celia Z Rosecrans, Kenneth Belitz, Katherine Marie Ransom, Peter B. McMahon, Paul E. Stackelberg
Delineation of areas contributing groundwater and travel times to receiving waters in Kings, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties, New York Delineation of areas contributing groundwater and travel times to receiving waters in Kings, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties, New York
To assist resource managers and planners in developing informed strategies to address nitrogen loading to coastal water bodies of Long Island, New York, the U.S. Geological Survey and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation initiated a program to delineate areas contributing groundwater to coastal water bodies by assembling a comprehensive dataset of areas contributing...
Authors
Paul E. Misut, Nicole A. Casamassina, Donald A. Walter
Technical note—Relative variability of selected turbidity standards and sensors in use by the U.S. Geological Survey Technical note—Relative variability of selected turbidity standards and sensors in use by the U.S. Geological Survey
The challenges associated with field measurements of turbidity are well known and result primarily from differences in reported values that depend on instrument design and the resulting need for reporting units that are specific to those designs. A critical challenge for making comparable turbidity measurements is the selection and use of appropriate turbidity standards for sensor...
Authors
Guy M. Foster, Lindsey R. King, John D. Jastram, John K. Joiner, Brian A. Pellerin, Jennifer L. Graham, Thomas J. Williams
Managing water resources on Long Island, New York, with integrated, multidisciplinary science Managing water resources on Long Island, New York, with integrated, multidisciplinary science
Nutrients, harmful algal blooms, and synthetic chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-dioxane threaten Long Island’s water resources by affecting the quality of drinking water and ecologically sensitive habitats that support the diverse wildlife throughout the island. Understanding the occurrence, fate, and transport of these potentially harmful chemicals is...
Authors
Robert F. Breault, John P. Masterson, Christopher Schubert, Liv M. Herdman
Methods for estimating regional skewness of annual peak flows in parts of eastern New York and Pennsylvania, based on data through water year 2013 Methods for estimating regional skewness of annual peak flows in parts of eastern New York and Pennsylvania, based on data through water year 2013
Bulletin 17C (B17C) recommends fitting the log-Pearson Type III (LP−III) distribution to a series of annual peak flows at a streamgage by using the method of moments. The third moment, the skewness coefficient (or skew), is important because the magnitudes of annual exceedance probability (AEP) flows estimated by using the LP–III distribution are affected by the skew; interest is focused...
Authors
Andrea G. Veilleux, Daniel M. Wagner
The Biscuit Brook and Neversink Reservoir Watersheds: Long-term investigations of stream chemistry, soil chemistry, and aquatic ecology in the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA, 1983 to 2020 The Biscuit Brook and Neversink Reservoir Watersheds: Long-term investigations of stream chemistry, soil chemistry, and aquatic ecology in the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA, 1983 to 2020
This data note describes the Biscuit Brook and Neversink Reservoir watershed Long-Term Monitoring Data that includes: 1) stream discharge, (1983 – 2020 for Biscuit Brook and 1937 – 2020 for the Neversink Reservoir watershed), 2) stream water chemistry, 1983-2020, at 4 stations, 3) fish survey data from 16 locations in the watershed 1990-2019, 4) soil chemistry data from 2 headwater sub...
Authors
Peter S. Murdoch, Douglas A. Burns, Michael McHale, Jason Siemion, Barry P. Baldigo, Gregory B. Lawrence, Scott D. George, Michael R. Antidormi, Donald B. Bonville