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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increasing competition for local supplies that could lead to shortages, it is expedient to know how and where water is withdrawn, delivered, and used. The NYWSC studies how the interactions of humans affect the water cycle, including how much water is withdrawn from natural sources, where this water goes, how this water is used, what happens to the water after it is used, and how water moves from its source to its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. 

Filter Total Items: 88

Long Island Water Availability

The foundation of any groundwater analysis, including those analyses whose objective is to propose and evaluate alternative management strategies, is the availability of high-quality data. Some, such as precipitation data, are generally available and relatively easy to obtain at the time of a hydrologic analysis. Other data and information, such as geologic and hydrogeologic maps, can require...
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Long Island Water Availability

The foundation of any groundwater analysis, including those analyses whose objective is to propose and evaluate alternative management strategies, is the availability of high-quality data. Some, such as precipitation data, are generally available and relatively easy to obtain at the time of a hydrologic analysis. Other data and information, such as geologic and hydrogeologic maps, can require...
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Long Island Precipitation

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) offers several types of climate information generated from examination of the data in the archives. These types of information include record temperatures, record precipitation and snowfall, climate extreme statistics, and other derived climate products. A collection of statistical weather and climate...
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Long Island Precipitation

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) offers several types of climate information generated from examination of the data in the archives. These types of information include record temperatures, record precipitation and snowfall, climate extreme statistics, and other derived climate products. A collection of statistical weather and climate...
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Long Island Inflow to the Groundwater System

Precipitation that infiltrates and percolates to the water table is Long Island's only natural source of freshwater because the groundwater system is bounded on the bottom by relatively impermeable bedrock and on the sides by saline ground water or saline bays and the ocean. About one-half the precipitation becomes recharge to the groundwater system; the rest flows as surface runoff to streams or...
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Long Island Inflow to the Groundwater System

Precipitation that infiltrates and percolates to the water table is Long Island's only natural source of freshwater because the groundwater system is bounded on the bottom by relatively impermeable bedrock and on the sides by saline ground water or saline bays and the ocean. About one-half the precipitation becomes recharge to the groundwater system; the rest flows as surface runoff to streams or...
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Long Island Water Suitability Case Studies

A collection of studies that focused on the quality of groundwater and surface water, are presented in this section. The reports associated with these areas of water quality concerns are linked as an online source for further reading.
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Long Island Water Suitability Case Studies

A collection of studies that focused on the quality of groundwater and surface water, are presented in this section. The reports associated with these areas of water quality concerns are linked as an online source for further reading.
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Groundwater Monitoring on Long Island, New York and the Five Boroughs of New York City

The groundwater data-collection network of the USGS New York Water Science Center, Coram Program Office encompasses data collection from approximately 600 groundwater-monitoring wells on Long Island and in the five boroughs of New York City. Data from these stations are collected in varying frequencies to supply our cooperators, stakeholders, and the public with mission critical information.
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Groundwater Monitoring on Long Island, New York and the Five Boroughs of New York City

The groundwater data-collection network of the USGS New York Water Science Center, Coram Program Office encompasses data collection from approximately 600 groundwater-monitoring wells on Long Island and in the five boroughs of New York City. Data from these stations are collected in varying frequencies to supply our cooperators, stakeholders, and the public with mission critical information.
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New York Water Science Center Data Program

Objective: The USGS New York Water Science Center (NYWSC) works with other Federal agencies as well as with State, municipal, and tribal agencies to provide research and data about water-related issues. Relevance and Impact: The NYWSC leads the scientific and water-resources management communities by providing high-quality, timely, and unbiased scientific data, reports, and other information that
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New York Water Science Center Data Program

Objective: The USGS New York Water Science Center (NYWSC) works with other Federal agencies as well as with State, municipal, and tribal agencies to provide research and data about water-related issues. Relevance and Impact: The NYWSC leads the scientific and water-resources management communities by providing high-quality, timely, and unbiased scientific data, reports, and other information that
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Groundwater-level Monitoring for Characterization of Hydraulic Connections in the Basal Sand & Gravel Aquifer, Hoosic River Valley, Hoosick Falls, New York

Hydrogeologic characterization of the basal sand and gravel aquifer in the Hoosic River valley in Hoosick Falls, New York is important for determination of sources, extent, and future migration of PFOA groundwater contamination; evaluation of potential remedial actions; and appraisal of alternative groundwater supplies. Variations in the current pumping stresses and a planned 72-hour aquifer t
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Groundwater-level Monitoring for Characterization of Hydraulic Connections in the Basal Sand & Gravel Aquifer, Hoosic River Valley, Hoosick Falls, New York

Hydrogeologic characterization of the basal sand and gravel aquifer in the Hoosic River valley in Hoosick Falls, New York is important for determination of sources, extent, and future migration of PFOA groundwater contamination; evaluation of potential remedial actions; and appraisal of alternative groundwater supplies. Variations in the current pumping stresses and a planned 72-hour aquifer t
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Assessment of stormwater control measures at the Niagara River Greenway Project, Buffalo, New York

Background The proposed study will examine any existing data from the monitoring wells, weather station, and flow through the storm sewer system (supplied by Buffalo Sewer Authority) to determine the dynamics of the system during storm events. Further analysis using all available information is needed to fully understand the relationship of events to the implementation of Green Infrastructure sto
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Assessment of stormwater control measures at the Niagara River Greenway Project, Buffalo, New York

Background The proposed study will examine any existing data from the monitoring wells, weather station, and flow through the storm sewer system (supplied by Buffalo Sewer Authority) to determine the dynamics of the system during storm events. Further analysis using all available information is needed to fully understand the relationship of events to the implementation of Green Infrastructure sto
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Delineation of the Hydrogeologic Framework and Saltwater-Freshwater Interface and Determination of Water-Supply Sustainability of Long Island, New York

Problem Long Island’s sole-source aquifer system, which includes the Lloyd, Magothy, Jameco, and upper glacial aquifers, supplies groundwater to over 2.8 million people. As a coastal aquifer system, it is susceptible to saltwater intrusion. Past pumpage and sewering (fig. 1) resulted in increased salinity in most aquifers in all counties (Buxton and Shernoff, 1999; Misut and others, 2004; Misut
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Delineation of the Hydrogeologic Framework and Saltwater-Freshwater Interface and Determination of Water-Supply Sustainability of Long Island, New York

Problem Long Island’s sole-source aquifer system, which includes the Lloyd, Magothy, Jameco, and upper glacial aquifers, supplies groundwater to over 2.8 million people. As a coastal aquifer system, it is susceptible to saltwater intrusion. Past pumpage and sewering (fig. 1) resulted in increased salinity in most aquifers in all counties (Buxton and Shernoff, 1999; Misut and others, 2004; Misut
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Hydrogeology and Simulation of Groundwater Flow in Fractured Rock in the Newark Basin, Rockland County, New York

Groundwater in the Newark basin aquifer flows primarily through discrete water-bearing zones parallel to the strike and dip of bedding, whereas flow perpendicular to the strike is restricted, thereby imparting anisotropy to the groundwater flow field. The finite-element model SUTRA was used to represent bedrock structure in the aquifer by spatially varying the orientation of the hydraulic conducti
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Hydrogeology and Simulation of Groundwater Flow in Fractured Rock in the Newark Basin, Rockland County, New York

Groundwater in the Newark basin aquifer flows primarily through discrete water-bearing zones parallel to the strike and dip of bedding, whereas flow perpendicular to the strike is restricted, thereby imparting anisotropy to the groundwater flow field. The finite-element model SUTRA was used to represent bedrock structure in the aquifer by spatially varying the orientation of the hydraulic conducti
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Detailed Aquifer Mapping in the Owasco Inlet valley Towns of Moravia, Locke (Cayuga County) and Groton (Tompkins County), New York

Introduction Detailed mapping of the valley-fill aquifer within the Owasco Inlet valley and adjacent tributary valleys in Cayuga County (Towns of Moravia and Locke) and Tompkins County (Town of Groton) 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
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Detailed Aquifer Mapping in the Owasco Inlet valley Towns of Moravia, Locke (Cayuga County) and Groton (Tompkins County), New York

Introduction Detailed mapping of the valley-fill aquifer within the Owasco Inlet valley and adjacent tributary valleys in Cayuga County (Towns of Moravia and Locke) and Tompkins County (Town of Groton) 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
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Groundwater Availability of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain

Background The North Atlantic Coastal Plain (NACP) covers a land area of approximately 34,000 mi 2 along the eastern seaboard of the United States from Long Island, N.Y., southward to the northern portion of North Carolina. This area is underlain by a thick wedge of sedimentary deposits that form a complex groundwater system in which the sands and gravels function as confined aquifers, and the
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Groundwater Availability of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain

Background The North Atlantic Coastal Plain (NACP) covers a land area of approximately 34,000 mi 2 along the eastern seaboard of the United States from Long Island, N.Y., southward to the northern portion of North Carolina. This area is underlain by a thick wedge of sedimentary deposits that form a complex groundwater system in which the sands and gravels function as confined aquifers, and the
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