Water Use and Availability Science
Water Use and Availability Science
Demand for water in the U.S. is unevenly distributed. Because of increasing competition for local supplies that could lead to shortages, it is expedient to know how and where water is withdrawn, delivered, and used. The NYWSC studies how the interactions of humans affect the water cycle, including how much water is withdrawn from natural sources, where this water goes, how this water is used, what happens to the water after it is used, and how water moves from its source to its outlet. These studies are a first step in understanding how future water demands can be met while maintaining adequate water quality and balancing the needs of human and ecological water needs. Studies on water use and availability also explore the nature of and outlook for water stored in ice and the oceans, examine the effects of climate change on water systems and ecosystems, analyze the effects of major storms on habitats, human populations, and coastal regions, and track and predict flooding and areas that could potentially be inundated.
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A New Tool for Estimating Daily Mean Streamflow Statistics at Rural Streams in New York State, excluding Long Island
The lakes, rivers, and streams of New York State provide an essential water resource for the State. The information provided by time series hydrologic data is essential to understanding ways to promote healthy instream ecology and to strengthen the scientific basis for sound water management decision making in New York. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with The Nature...
Floods of 2011 in New York
Background / Problem Hurricane Irene Figure 1 shows the declared counties for Hurricane Irene (FEMA) Five to ten inches of rain from Hurricane Irene produced widespread moderate to major flooding throughout eastern New York August 28-30. Highest rainfall totals occurred in the Catskill Mountains of southeastern New York where over 18-inches of rain was reported at Maplecrest, NY. Record...
Geohydrology of the Valley-Fill Aquifer in the West Branch Cayuga Inlet and Fish Kill Valleys, Town of Newfield, Tompkins County, New York
PROBLEM The valley-fill aquifers in the West Branch Cayuga Inlet and Fish Kill valleys (designated as aquifer 15, fig.1), within the Town of Newfield, were mapped by Miller (2000) and identified as one of 17 unconsolidated aquifers in Tompkins County that need to be studied in more detail. The valley-fill in the West Branch Cayuga Inlet and Fish Kill valleys contain a heterogeneous mix...
Geohydrology of the Unconsolidated Aquifer in Enfield Creek Valley, Town of Enfield, Tompkins County, New York
PROBLEM The unconsolidated aquifer in Enfield Creek Valley (fig. 1) was mapped by Miller (2000) and identified as one of 17 unconsolidated aquifers in Tompkins County that needs to be studied in more detail. Well records in Enfield Creek valley indicate that the northern part of Enfield Creek valley contains sand and gravel deposits which may be under unconfined conditions in some areas
Estimated Non-reservoir Streamflows of Esopus Creek at Coldbrook and Mount Marion, New York
Problem Statement More than nine million people rely on the New York City Water-Supply System for their daily-drinking water needs. Approximately 40 percent of this water comes from the Schoharie and Ashokan Reservoirs (fig. 1). This water is transported from the Catskill Area to New York City through Esopus Creek and a series of man-made tunnels and aqueducts built starting in the early...
Detailed Aquifer Mapping in Eastern Chemung County – The Chemung River Valley and Adjacent Tributary Valleys
Background - Detailed mapping of the glacial aquifer within the Chemung River and adjacent tributary valleys in Eastern Chemung County is the latest study in the cooperative Detailed Aquifer Mapping Program between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The aim of the program is to map glacial aquifers in New York State...
Natural Methane Occurrence in Water Wells of South-Central New York State- Evaluation of Topographic Position and Hydrogeologic Setting
INTRODUCTION Naturally occurring methane has been noted at some locations in the upper Devonian shale bedrock and in overlying glacial deposits in parts of Broome, Tioga, and Chemung Counties in south-central New York State (Williams, 2010). Systematic sampling of water wells for dissolved methane is needed to determine if the topographic and hydrogeologic setting of a well is related to
Water Use in New York
Problem - The demand for water in New York State is unevenly distributed. Because increasing competition for local supplies could lead to shortages, it is expedient to know how and where water is withdrawn, delivered, and used. There are many dimensions to water-use issues, and all should be considered to develop a full understanding of the use and delivery of water in the State. In...
Detailed Aquifer Mapping in Eastern Broome and Southeastern Chenango Counties, New York
Introduction Detailed mapping of stratified glacial deposits in eastern Broome and southeastern Chenango Counties, New York is a study in the cooperative Detailed Aquifer Mapping Program between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The aim of the program is to map glacial aquifers in New York State at a scale of 1:24...
Detailed Aquifer Mapping in Eastern Orange County –The Ramapo River –Woodbury Creek Valley
Introduction Detailed mapping of the glacial aquifer within the Ramapo River and Woodbury Creek Valley in Eastern Orange County is the latest study in the cooperative Detailed Aquifer Mapping Program between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The aim of the program is to map glacial aquifers in New York State at a...
Assessment of Groundwater Resources to Adapt to Climate Change at Fire Island, New York
Summary Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) occupies 42 km of the barrier island for which it is named that lies off the southern shore of western and central Suffolk County, Long Island, N.Y. Fire Island is underlain by a complex aquifer system consisting of unconsolidated glacial, lacustrine, deltaic, and marine deposits of clay, silt, sand, and gravel that range in age from Late...
Technical Pump-Test Evaluation of Suffolk County Aquifers
Problem - USGS regional framework characterizations have been used effectively in many studies. However, lack of framework accuracy, particularly at smaller scales, continues to cause problems that may involve: (1) sizing of pumps and other aspects of wellfield design and maintenance, (2) projection of local-scale water-level changes, and (3) projection of interactions with other...