USGS has investigated groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the vicinity of former Navy bases in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, southeastern Pennsylvania, in cooperation with the U.S. Navy. Additional cooperative support for these investigations has been provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bucks and Montgomery counties, and local government agencies.
Highlights
- The latest report (see Publications) describes borehole geophysical and video logs in 17 open-hole wells in Northampton, Warminster, and Warwick Townships, Bucks County, Pennsylvania during 2017–2019.
- Regional groundwater-flow paths from possible PFAS source locations at and near Willow Grove and Warminster bases terminate at streams and pumping wells with a few miles of the bases.
- Industrial chemical contaminants have migrated in fractured-rock aquifers in the vicinity of former Navy bases.
- Newark Basin aquifers of the Brunswick Group and the Lockatong and Stockton Formations have been used for industrial and drinking-water supply.
- Field testing characterized the highly heterogeneous and anisotropic strata showing the predominant role of bed-oriented fractures in contaminant migration.
- Measured water levels in wells were used to construct water-level maps, and aquifer testing revealed high-permeability hydraulic connections between wells.
Recent & Ongoing Studies
- USGS is conducting borehole geophysical and aquifer-isolation testing to help characterize the area hydrogeology and design groundwater monitoring systems.
- Groundwater-flow modeling was used to synthesize field-test results using a 3D hydrogeologic framework of dipping shale, mudstone, and sandstone strata.
- Modeling was used to show how changes in pumping over time have changed flow paths from possible contaminant source areas, providing scientific information for characterization, monitoring, and remediation activities.
- Areas contributing recharge to groundwater that then discharges to streams or water-supply wells were mapped using groundwater-flow modeling; as groundwater withdrawals in the area have decreased, a higher proportion of local recharge ultimately discharges to streams.
Streamflow Monitoring
USGS provides streamflow information in the study area that can be used in conjunction with water quality data to evaluate the mass of contaminants transported by streams and the relations between concentrations and flow conditions. Other applications may include evaluating groundwater/surface water interactions and transient effects of point discharges from wastewater treatment plants.
Data Access
- Stream gage data in the study area is Tabulated Here.
- Find these and other surface-water data using the National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper.
For reports, datasets, and maps collated by location see
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Contaminants in Groundwater near Superfund sites in Pennsylvania
Contaminant Fate and Transport Studies in Fractured Sedimentary Rock Aquifers at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, N.J.
- Overview
USGS has investigated groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the vicinity of former Navy bases in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, southeastern Pennsylvania, in cooperation with the U.S. Navy. Additional cooperative support for these investigations has been provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bucks and Montgomery counties, and local government agencies.
Highlights
- The latest report (see Publications) describes borehole geophysical and video logs in 17 open-hole wells in Northampton, Warminster, and Warwick Townships, Bucks County, Pennsylvania during 2017–2019.
- Regional groundwater-flow paths from possible PFAS source locations at and near Willow Grove and Warminster bases terminate at streams and pumping wells with a few miles of the bases.
- Industrial chemical contaminants have migrated in fractured-rock aquifers in the vicinity of former Navy bases.
- Newark Basin aquifers of the Brunswick Group and the Lockatong and Stockton Formations have been used for industrial and drinking-water supply.
- Field testing characterized the highly heterogeneous and anisotropic strata showing the predominant role of bed-oriented fractures in contaminant migration.
- Measured water levels in wells were used to construct water-level maps, and aquifer testing revealed high-permeability hydraulic connections between wells.
Recent & Ongoing Studies
- USGS is conducting borehole geophysical and aquifer-isolation testing to help characterize the area hydrogeology and design groundwater monitoring systems.
- Groundwater-flow modeling was used to synthesize field-test results using a 3D hydrogeologic framework of dipping shale, mudstone, and sandstone strata.
- Modeling was used to show how changes in pumping over time have changed flow paths from possible contaminant source areas, providing scientific information for characterization, monitoring, and remediation activities.
- Areas contributing recharge to groundwater that then discharges to streams or water-supply wells were mapped using groundwater-flow modeling; as groundwater withdrawals in the area have decreased, a higher proportion of local recharge ultimately discharges to streams.
Streamflow Monitoring
USGS provides streamflow information in the study area that can be used in conjunction with water quality data to evaluate the mass of contaminants transported by streams and the relations between concentrations and flow conditions. Other applications may include evaluating groundwater/surface water interactions and transient effects of point discharges from wastewater treatment plants.
Data Access
- Stream gage data in the study area is Tabulated Here.
- Find these and other surface-water data using the National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper.
For reports, datasets, and maps collated by location see
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Contaminants in Groundwater near Superfund sites in Pennsylvania
USGS has investigated groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the vicinity of Superfund and other hazardous-waste sites in Pennsylvania, in cooperation with EPA. Additional cooperative support has been provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, National Park Service, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery, and local government...Contaminant Fate and Transport Studies in Fractured Sedimentary Rock Aquifers at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, N.J.
Contaminants associated with industrial, airport, and other activities are present in groundwater in fractured-rock aquifers, posing long-term hazards to drinking-water supplies and ecosystems. The heterogeneous character of fractured rock challenges our understanding, monitoring, and remediation of such sites. - Data
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