State of the Aquifer, Long Island, New York Active
Groundwater is among the Nation's most important natural resources. Nationwide it provides half of our drinking water and is essential to the vitality of agriculture and industry, as well as to the health of rivers, wetlands, and estuaries throughout the country. On Long Island groundwater is the sole source of fresh water for over 2.6 million people.
The use of groundwater on Long Island for supply is affected by local geology and water quality. Natural groundwater discharge sustains the flow of streams, lakes, wetlands, and stabilizes the salinity of estuaries. When large amounts of water are withdrawn from the ground, however, the water table is locally depressed and can reduce the amount of ground water that discharges to streams and salt-water bays. Large-scale sewering practices have also reduced stream baseflow and discharge to salt-water bays. Therefore, water-supply strategies must evaluate the availability of groundwater by considering the corresponding effects of withdrawal on aquatic ecosystems. The suitability of groundwater for human consumption is determined by (1) the quality of water that recharges the aquifer system, (2) the presence of nearby potential sources of groundwater contamination, (3) the presence or absence of saltwater encroachment, and (4) the continual geochemical evolution of groundwater along flow paths.
The purpose of the State of the Long Island Aquifer System web page is to provide a web page devoted to Long Island groundwater resources. This web page gives background and conceptual information about the Long Island aquifer system and also gives a general description of groundwater conditions across Long Island. The tools and resources detailed in each section also include publication citations that guide users to further information.
This web page will be periodically updated to provide an online clearinghouse of Long Island groundwater resources to assist others in evaluating Long Island's groundwater system. As such, the web page gives a general synopsis of groundwater availability and suitability conditions across Long Island. An effort to quantify flow amounts under current (2005-2010) conditions are presented when available and selected case studies of groundwater contamination are shown for several different constituents.
Considerable information is available about the water resources of Long Island as a result of more than 100 years of research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with many other Federal, State, and local partners. Much of this past research was designed to provide the information needed for specific water resource problems on Long Island. However, continued investigations of the islandwide hydrologic system, and the relations between the various components of the system, will help provide the information needed for continued management and stewardship of this important aquifer system.
Other References
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Table of Contents
State of the Aquifer, Long Island, New York - Introduction
- Precipitation
- NWIS - the USGS Data Archive
- Surface Water - Streamflow
- Groundwater Levels
- Water Table and Surface Maps
- Water Use
- Groundwater Budget
- Inflow to the Groundwater System
- Outflow from the Groundwater System
Long Island, the eastern-most part of New York State, extends east-northeastward roughly parallel to the Connecticut coastline. It is bounded on the north by Long Island Sound, on the east and south by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by New York Bay and the East River.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Additional Reports
USGS groundwater investigations on Long Island are sometimes available as online reports. Below are several links to additional reports; these may not be referenced on this website. They are presented here for your convenience.
Northern Long Island Reports
Southern Long Island Reports
Water table in Long Island, New York, March 1971
Preliminary results of hydrologic studies at two recharge basins on Long Island, New York
The precipitation regime of Long Island, New York
Salt-water encroachment in southern Nassau and southeastern Queens Counties, Long Island, New York
Geology and ground-water conditions in southern Nassau and southeastern Queens Counties, Long Island, N.Y.
Piezometric levels from 1948 through 1950 for wells screened in the Lloyd sand member of the Raritan formation on Long Island, New York
Underground water resources of Long Island, New York
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Groundwater is among the Nation's most important natural resources. Nationwide it provides half of our drinking water and is essential to the vitality of agriculture and industry, as well as to the health of rivers, wetlands, and estuaries throughout the country. On Long Island groundwater is the sole source of fresh water for over 2.6 million people.
The use of groundwater on Long Island for supply is affected by local geology and water quality. Natural groundwater discharge sustains the flow of streams, lakes, wetlands, and stabilizes the salinity of estuaries. When large amounts of water are withdrawn from the ground, however, the water table is locally depressed and can reduce the amount of ground water that discharges to streams and salt-water bays. Large-scale sewering practices have also reduced stream baseflow and discharge to salt-water bays. Therefore, water-supply strategies must evaluate the availability of groundwater by considering the corresponding effects of withdrawal on aquatic ecosystems. The suitability of groundwater for human consumption is determined by (1) the quality of water that recharges the aquifer system, (2) the presence of nearby potential sources of groundwater contamination, (3) the presence or absence of saltwater encroachment, and (4) the continual geochemical evolution of groundwater along flow paths.
The purpose of the State of the Long Island Aquifer System web page is to provide a web page devoted to Long Island groundwater resources. This web page gives background and conceptual information about the Long Island aquifer system and also gives a general description of groundwater conditions across Long Island. The tools and resources detailed in each section also include publication citations that guide users to further information.
This web page will be periodically updated to provide an online clearinghouse of Long Island groundwater resources to assist others in evaluating Long Island's groundwater system. As such, the web page gives a general synopsis of groundwater availability and suitability conditions across Long Island. An effort to quantify flow amounts under current (2005-2010) conditions are presented when available and selected case studies of groundwater contamination are shown for several different constituents.
Considerable information is available about the water resources of Long Island as a result of more than 100 years of research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with many other Federal, State, and local partners. Much of this past research was designed to provide the information needed for specific water resource problems on Long Island. However, continued investigations of the islandwide hydrologic system, and the relations between the various components of the system, will help provide the information needed for continued management and stewardship of this important aquifer system.
Other References
_______________________________
Table of Contents
State of the Aquifer, Long Island, New York - Introduction
- Precipitation
- NWIS - the USGS Data Archive
- Surface Water - Streamflow
- Groundwater Levels
- Water Table and Surface Maps
- Water Use
- Groundwater Budget
- Inflow to the Groundwater System
- Outflow from the Groundwater System
- Science
Long Island, the eastern-most part of New York State, extends east-northeastward roughly parallel to the Connecticut coastline. It is bounded on the north by Long Island Sound, on the east and south by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by New York Bay and the East River.
Filter Total Items: 27 - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
- Publications
Additional Reports
USGS groundwater investigations on Long Island are sometimes available as online reports. Below are several links to additional reports; these may not be referenced on this website. They are presented here for your convenience.
Northern Long Island Reports
Southern Long Island ReportsFilter Total Items: 43Water table in Long Island, New York, March 1971
The geologic framework and the hydrologic situation in Long Island are periodically reviewed by the U.S. Geological Survey as new knowledge is obtained from current investigations. This work is done through cooperative programs with Nassau and Suffolk County agencies and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. A unique opportunity to update many of the hydrogeologic maps occurAuthorsEdward J. Koszalka, Ellis KochPreliminary results of hydrologic studies at two recharge basins on Long Island, New York
No abstract available.AuthorsG.E. SeaburnThe precipitation regime of Long Island, New York
No abstract available.AuthorsJ.F. Miller, R.H. FrederickSalt-water encroachment in southern Nassau and southeastern Queens Counties, Long Island, New York
Test drilling, extraction of water from cores, electric logging, water sampling, and water-level measurements from 1958 to 1961 provided a suitable basis for a substantial refinement in the definition of the positions, chloride concentrations, and rates of movement of salty water in the intermediate and deep deposits of southern Nassau County and southeastern Queens County. Filter-press, centrAuthorsN.J. Lusczynski, Wolfgang V. SwarzenskiGeology and ground-water conditions in southern Nassau and southeastern Queens Counties, Long Island, N.Y.
Test drilling, electrical logging, and water sampling of 'outpost' and other wells have revealed the existence of a deep confined body of salt water in the Magothy(?) formation beneath southwestern Nassau and southeastern Queens Counties, Long Island, N.Y. In connection with a test-drilling program, cooperatively sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Nassau County Department of PublAuthorsN. M. Perlmutter, J. J. GeraghtyPiezometric levels from 1948 through 1950 for wells screened in the Lloyd sand member of the Raritan formation on Long Island, New York
Since 1932, the United States Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York Water Power and Control Commission, the Nassau County Department of Public Works, the Suffolk County Board of Supervisors, and later also with the Suffolk County Water Authority, has been making both general and detailed studied dealing with the occurrence, movement, quantity, quality, and temperature of ground waterAuthorsNorbert J. LusczynskiUnderground water resources of Long Island, New York
As Long Island is the largest island on the eastern coast of the United States, and is of such size, 120 miles long and 23 miles wide, that it is a more or less noticeable feature on even very small-scale maps, little need be said of its general geographic position.AuthorsA. C. Veatch, Charles Sumner Slichter, Isaiah Bowman, W.O. Crosby, R.E. Horton - Web Tools
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.