Water Quality
Water Quality
Different uses of water may require a different level of “quality” of water; for example, water that contains dirt and grime might work fine for agricultural uses, but industrial uses and drinking water require a different level of water quality; or water that might be safe to use in industrial and agricultural uses may not be safe to drink or promote healthy ecosystems. The NYWSC collects water-quality data for all water resources and works with the public, government agencies, organizations, and the private sector to identify and understand environmental issues and concerns regarding the quality of water supplies in the Nation and abroad. Water-quality data are then used to determine the health of various ecosystems, including wetlands, urban landscapes, coastal environments, and watersheds. Effects of nutrient and micropollutant loading to watersheds and wetlands, habitat response to changes in infrastructure, wetlands restoration for the effects of treating urban wastewater, and toxicity in waters affected by urban runoff are some of the more recent projects undertaken by the NYWSC with State and local cooperators.
Filter Total Items: 102
Assessment of Nutrient Loading to Jamaica Bay, Gateway National Recreation Area, New York
Significant changes in nitrogen loads to Jamaica Bay have likely occurred with progressive improvements to Water Pollution Control Plants (WCWPs) that discharge into the Bay. Data available from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and others will be used to determine loads from WPCPs, combined sewer overflows, and the atmosphere. Selected wells within the USGS water quality
Sediment Toxicity and Condition of Benthic Invertebrate Communities in the Rochester Embayment Area-of-Concern
Background Heavy metals, phosphorus, and organic contaminants in water and sediments of the lower Genesee River, resulted in the designation of fourteen beneficial uses as impaired in the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern (AOC). The benthic macroinvertebrate community or “benthos” Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) was designated as degraded in the Genesee River because the New York State Departmen
Balancing Wetland Functions in an Urban Setting -- Water-Quality Improvement and Habitat Preservation, Ellison Park Wetland, Monroe County, New York
The Ellison Park wetland, a 423-acre, predominantly cattail marsh at the mouth of Irondequoit Creek in Monroe County near Rochester, N.Y., was evaluated for its potential role to decrease phosphorus loads that are derived from a 151-square-mile largely urbanized area and that ultimately enter and exacerbate efforts to ameliorate the eutrophic conditions in Irondequoit Bay. Monroe County's water
Development and Implementation of a Baseflow (groundwater) Monitoring Network for the Pepacton Watershed
The Pepacton watershed is an integral part of New York City's public-water supply system. Most of the watershed is within Delaware County with headwaters of some of its eastern tributary streams originating in Greene and Ulster Counties. Land use varies from dairy farms in the northern portion of the watershed to extensive forested areas in the south with small rural communities interspersed throu
Sediment toxicity and status of benthic invertebrate communities in the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries within the Massena Area-of-Concern
Background Past water-quality issues in the St. Lawrence River at Massena, NY resulted in a determination that selected beneficial uses were impaired in a surrounding Area of Concern (AOC) and on the Canadian side of the international boundary (Cornwall, Ontario). The benthic macroinvertebrate community or “benthos” Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) was designated degraded because impairment metrics
Development and Operation of Groundwater, Surface-Water, and Water-Quality Monitoring Networks in Richmond, New York, and Bronx Counties, New York
Problem Previous hydrologic studies have indicated that there may be sufficient water resources underlying Richmond, New York, and Bronx Counties for use as a supplemental water supply by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) in times of a drought or other water shortage. Unfortunately, comprehensive data on the quantity and quality of the Counties' water resources are
Estimation of PCB Loads from the Black River Basin to Lake Ontario, NY
Problem - There is a stated need to provide information on loading of persistent toxic pollutants to Lake Ontario from New York tributaries. The information is specifically required for the Lake Ontario Mass Balance Model, which is an integral part of the long-term Great Lakes research. The project described here is designed to demonstrate a cost-effective approach for estimation of loads of po
Estrogenicity in Streams of New York State
Problem Almost 1900 public, private, and commercial waste-water treatment plants (WWTPs), many located upstream of drinking water intakes or within tributaries to water-supply reservoirs, are permitted to release effluents into surface- or ground-waters across New York State. More than 150 facilities have New York State SPEDES permits to discharge waste waters in the New York City East of Hudson
Hudson River Salt-Front Monitoring Project, New York
Study area Hudson River from Hyde Park to Yonkers, N.Y. Period of project Continuous since October 1991 Problem - The location of the salt front (freshwater-saltwater interface) in the lower Hudson River basin can affect wildlife habitats and freshwater withdrawals for municipal use. Knowing the location of the salt front can help managers make informed decisions to protect the environment, mai
Mercury concentration in water, sediment, and fish in the Neversink watershed, New York
The distribution of mercury (Hg) and sites of greatest Hg methylation are poorly understood in Catskill Mountain watersheds. Although concentrations of Hg in the water column are low, high concentrations of Hg in smallmouth bass and walleye have led to consumption advisories in most large New York City reservoirs in the Catskill Mountains. Mercury in natural waters can exist in many forms, inc
Natural Resources of the Neversink River Watershed
Problem - A variety of factors potentially impact natural resources in the Neversink River basin and in other tributaries to the Upper Delaware River along the New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey boarders in the northeastern US. Increased urbanization within most watersheds of the Delaware River has decreased forested lands and ground permeability; fractionated forests, streams, and rivers; im
Shallow groundwater quality in the Patchogue River basin, Suffolk County, New York
Background The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Village of Patchogue and the New York Department of State, collected water-quality samples from 10 shallow wells within the village to document the effects of onsite wastewater disposal on groundwater discharging into the Patchogue River. The onsite disposal of wastewater within the Patchogue River basin - a riverine estuary th