Groundwater and Streamflow Information
Groundwater and Streamflow Information
Groundwater and surface water are among the Nation’s most important natural resources. The USGS provides unbiased, timely, and relevant information, studies, and data about water resources of the Nation. The NYWSC maintains a network of more than 300 surface water and 650 groundwater monitoring stations across New York State; over the years, the USGS has collected water-resources data at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The data collected at the various sites are synthesized in State-level, interstate, and international studies to evaluate resources not only in one State but also other States and countries that might be affected or may influence the condition of surface water and groundwater. The data collected are used in studies of water supplies, groundwater contamination, flooding, water stored in ice and the oceans, and the effects of climate and land use change and manmade influences.
Filter Total Items: 107
Estimating Loading Above and Below Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Combined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the Genesee River Watershed
The current information available for the Genesee River and watershed is insufficient to assess if the Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) delisting criteria for the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern (AOC) can or have been met. With on-going and future projects that are implementing best practices to control soil erosion and the reduction of nutrients that reach the Rochester Embayment, the river an
Delineation of the Freshwater-Saltwater Interface at Selected Public-Supply Wells Using Advanced Surface and Borehole Geophysical Techniques, in Eastern Suffolk County, New York
The combination of a complex hydrogeologic framework, narrow land masses surrounded by saltwater, and extensive ground-water public-supply pumpage has produced localized areas of elevated chloride concentrations in ground water. This project uses advanced surface and borehole geophysical methods to determine the extent of saltwater intrusion and road-salt plumes at selected sites in eastern Suf
Delineation of Groundwater Flow, Lithology, Faults, and Fractures Along Existing and Proposed Water Tunnel
Problem The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) has asked the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to assist in two major studies: 1) delineation of the source(s) of shallow groundwater and the extent that the Delaware Aqueduct is contributing to local flooding issues, and 2) delineation of the structural, geologic, and hydrologic conditions along proposed tunnel construction
Trends in Nitrate Concentrations in Public Water-Supply Wells, Suffolk County, New York, 1982-2008
Introduction High nitrate concentrations are a common concern among many purveyors, including the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA), the largest supplier of water to residents in Suffolk County. Typically, the amount of nitrate in groundwater is related to land use, where the greatest concentrations are observed in agricultural regions. In many areas, the nitrate concentration has increased st
Hydrologic-Data Collection in the Five Boroughs of New York City
Problem Previous hydrologic studies have indicated that there may be sufficient water resources underlying Queens, Kings, Richmond, New York, and Bronx Counties for use as a supplemental water supply in times of drought or other emergency. An extensive ground-water and surface-water monitoring program is necessary to provide a comprehensive hydrologic data set for use in ongoing and future ground-
Surface-Water Data Collection in New York
Problem Surface-water information is needed for planning, design, hazard warning, and operation and management in water-related fields such as water supply, hydroelectric power, flood control, irrigation, bridge and culvert design, wildlife management, pollution abatement, flood-plain management, and water-resources development. Appropriate historical and real-time surface-water data, such as st
The Federal-State Groundwater Monitoring Network in New York
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), monitors a network of observation wells throughout New York to provide current information on the effect of climatic conditions on groundwater levels. At present (2015), there are 95 observation wells in unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers, all of which are equip
Simulation of migration of brine and saline water from the flooded Retsof salt mine in the Genesee Valley, New York
Problem - Roof collapses in the Retsof salt mine near Geneseo N.Y. in March and April of 1994 propagated upward through overlying bedrock, forming a 600-ft-long rubble zone or chimney that connected the mine to a glacial aquifer system and created sinkholes at land surface. Fresh water from the glacial aquifers flowed downward into the mine until the mine was completely flooded in January 1996
Estuarine Physical Response to Storms—Jamaica Bay
Problem Coastal communities are susceptible to damage from coastal storms and associated storm surge, and although tidal wetlands provide a buffer against shoreline erosion and aid in shoreline stabilization, they too are vulnerable to the action of storms. Tidal wetland dynamics need to be better understood, as they are also intrinsically valuable as nursery, feeding, and refuge areas for many
Southeastern New York Tide-Telemetry and Coastal-Flood-Warning System
The coastal areas of southeastern New York (fig. 1) are highly vulnerable to tidal flooding (fig. 2). Timely evacuation of people from flood-threatened areas in advance of approaching hurricanes and nor'easters (northeast coastal storms) requires adequate flood-warning time. To begin addressing this need for immediate information on coastal flooding, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperati
Delineation of Rock Fractures, Faults, and Groundwater Flow in the Vicinity of Proposed Water Tunnels, New York City and Southeastern New York
Problem - The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) is constructing or proposing water tunnels under New York City and areas of southeastern New York (Hudson River Basin). These tunnels can intersect faults and fractures that produce large amounts of ground water. For example, one tunnel excavation intersected fractures that produced over 200 gallons per minute of groun
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