In the Atlanta metropolitan area, a hydrologic data-collection network has been established to collect real-time streamflow, precipitation, continuous and discrete water-quality data. The USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC) Urban Hydrology Unit (UHU), located in Norcross, Georgia, has been working in cooperation with local municipal and county agencies in and around the Atlanta metropolitan area to collect essential data to monitor streamflow conditions, alert for flood and drought events, assist in meeting EPD permit requirements for water-quality, and help evaluate land-use and water-quality relationships.
Discrete water-quality data
The UHU collects discrete water-quality data during stormflow and baseflow conditions. Constituents include nutrients, metals, bacteria, sediment and several other constituents. The UHU collects water-quality data using protocols set forth by the USGS National Water-Quality Laboratory (U.S. Geological Survey, 2019). All discrete water-quality data collected is available to the public and can be accessed through the National Water Information System (NWIS) Web Interface at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis
Bacteria sampling
The SAWSC Norcross, Georgia office has an in-house bacteria lab where samples collected from the field are processed. Counties and agencies are required to collect bacteria samples to protect the health of individuals who choose to recreate in Georgia’s waterways. To learn more about bacteria and E. coli in water visit https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/bacteria-and-e-coli-water.
City of Atlanta
The USGS SAWSC UHU has been operating a long-term trend monitoring network in cooperation with the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management since 2003.
The objectives for this project include operation and maintenance of water-quantity and water-quality monitoring instruments to monitor selected watersheds in the City of Atlanta including Peachtree Creek, North Fork Peachtree Creek, South Fork Peachtree Creek, Nancy Creek, Proctor Creek, Utoy Creek, South River, Intrenchment Creek, and Woodall Creek. The long-term monitoring program data can be used for identifying sources of impairment, determine trends in water quality, particularly with respect to upgrades in wastewater infrastructure, and provide information to the city, State, and public that can be used to make management decisions that affect water quality.
City of Brookhaven
The USGS SAWSC UHU operates a high-profile streamflow and precipitation site on North Fork Peachtree Creek which flows parallel to the Peachtree Creek Greenway. The greenway is frequently used by pedestrians, and the City of Brookhaven officials use the streamflow site data for flood alerts and to close access during storm events for safety. The City of Brookhaven and the local police department utilize WaterAlert for notifications when flood waters occur.
DeKalb County
The USGS SAWSC UHU has been operating a long-term trend monitoring network in cooperation with the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management since 2012. The network monitors 15 watersheds throughout the county for streamflow, precipitation, and water-quality (continuous and discrete). Additionally, the UHU collects continuous gage-height (water level) and precipitation at 1 site, and precipitation at 4 additional sites for spatial coverage throughout the county.
The monitoring network data supports the county’s ongoing Watershed Protection Plan, is used to evaluate the effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs), and is used to assess impacts of changes in land use on water-quality. Data collected helps meet the sampling requirements set forth by the Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District (MNGWPD, 2017) and satisfy National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Land Application System wastewater permit requirements. The USGS analyzed the monitoring network’s streamflow and water-quality data and evaluated relations with watershed characteristics for 2012–2016 in the Scientific Investigation Reports (SIR) by Aulenbach, B.T. and others (2022).
Douglas County
The USGS SAWSC UHU operates a high-profile streamflow, precipitation, and continuous water-quality site on Dog River at Ga 5. This location was chosen to monitor the effects of increased urbanization on flood-flow magnitude, and to meet requirements as outlined in the Douglas County Watershed Monitoring Plan.
Gwinnett County
The USGS SAWSC UHU has been operating a long-term trend monitoring network in cooperation with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources since 1996. The network includes 15-continuous streamflow, precipitation, and water-quality sites that are strategically located to assess water resources throughout the county. Additionally, the USGS SAWSC collects continuous gage-height (water level) and precipitation at 14 more sites, and one gage-height only site strategically located for spatial coverage throughout the county.
This monitoring network supports the county’s Watershed Protection Plan, is used to evaluate the effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and is used to assess impacts of changes in land use on water-quality. Data collected helps meet the sampling requirements set forth by the Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District (MNGWPD, 2017) and satisfy National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Land Application System wastewater permit requirements. The USGS periodically publishes analyses of streamflow and water-quality monitoring data and evaluates how they relate to watershed characteristics in Scientific Investigation Reports (SIR). The most recent SIR summarizes data collected from 2001–2015 (Aulenbach, B.T., and others, 2017)
Paulding County
The USGS SAWSC UHU in cooperation with Paulding County Board of Commissioners established a USGS site on Richland Creek to monitor real-time streamflow, precipitation, and water-quality before, during, and after construction of the Richland Creek Reservoir.
The UHU also collects discrete water-quality samples quarterly. The USGS monitoring site is located on the outflow of the reservoir.
Rockdale County
The USGS SAWSC UHU in cooperation with the Rockdale County Department of Water Resources and Stormwater Department operates six continuous real-time streamflow and precipitation sites, 1 reservoir water-level site with climate data, and 1 continuous gage-height (water level) and precipitation site. The reservoir site is located at Randy Poynter Lake, a 650-acre reservoir constructed to meet water needs of Rockdale County. The USGS also monitors the outflow of the dam at Randy Poynter on Big Haynes Creek.
The USGS has collected historical discrete-water quality data in cooperation with Rockdale County agencies which can be accessed thru the National Water Information Systems (NWIS).
References:
U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/national-field-manual-collection-water-quality-data-nfm#overview, accessed September 26, 2022
Water Resource Management Plan, 2017 “Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District” https://northgeorgiawater.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Water-Resource-Management-Plan_Amended-20190227.pdf, accessed September 26, 2022
- Overview
In the Atlanta metropolitan area, a hydrologic data-collection network has been established to collect real-time streamflow, precipitation, continuous and discrete water-quality data. The USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC) Urban Hydrology Unit (UHU), located in Norcross, Georgia, has been working in cooperation with local municipal and county agencies in and around the Atlanta metropolitan area to collect essential data to monitor streamflow conditions, alert for flood and drought events, assist in meeting EPD permit requirements for water-quality, and help evaluate land-use and water-quality relationships.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Sarah Chamblee (center) and Jonathan Jason (left) collecting a base-flow sample using a USGS DH-81 manual sampler and a multiple vertical integrating technique at the Gwinnett County Long-Term Trend Monitoring program multiparameter stream monitoring site, Richland Creek at Suwanee Dam Road, near Buford, Georgia, March 29, 2022 Discrete water-quality data
The UHU collects discrete water-quality data during stormflow and baseflow conditions. Constituents include nutrients, metals, bacteria, sediment and several other constituents. The UHU collects water-quality data using protocols set forth by the USGS National Water-Quality Laboratory (U.S. Geological Survey, 2019). All discrete water-quality data collected is available to the public and can be accessed through the National Water Information System (NWIS) Web Interface at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.A UHU Hydrologic Technician analyzes a processed bacteria sample, this process quantifies coliforms of Escherichia coli (E. coli) Bacteria sampling
The SAWSC Norcross, Georgia office has an in-house bacteria lab where samples collected from the field are processed. Counties and agencies are required to collect bacteria samples to protect the health of individuals who choose to recreate in Georgia’s waterways. To learn more about bacteria and E. coli in water visit https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/bacteria-and-e-coli-water.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.City of Atlanta Georgia City of Atlanta
The USGS SAWSC UHU has been operating a long-term trend monitoring network in cooperation with the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management since 2003.
The objectives for this project include operation and maintenance of water-quantity and water-quality monitoring instruments to monitor selected watersheds in the City of Atlanta including Peachtree Creek, North Fork Peachtree Creek, South Fork Peachtree Creek, Nancy Creek, Proctor Creek, Utoy Creek, South River, Intrenchment Creek, and Woodall Creek. The long-term monitoring program data can be used for identifying sources of impairment, determine trends in water quality, particularly with respect to upgrades in wastewater infrastructure, and provide information to the city, State, and public that can be used to make management decisions that affect water quality.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Map of USGS network in cooperation with the City of Atlanta, Department of Watershed Management.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.City of Brookhaven Georgia City of Brookhaven
The USGS SAWSC UHU operates a high-profile streamflow and precipitation site on North Fork Peachtree Creek which flows parallel to the Peachtree Creek Greenway. The greenway is frequently used by pedestrians, and the City of Brookhaven officials use the streamflow site data for flood alerts and to close access during storm events for safety. The City of Brookhaven and the local police department utilize WaterAlert for notifications when flood waters occur.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS Hydrologic Technicians measure flood waters at station 02336106 North Fork Peachtree Creek at Briarwood Road, near Brookhaven, Ga. From left to right: Carl D. Collins, Ahmed Rhoni-Aref, Kyle H. Marchman
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.DeKalb County Georgia DeKalb County
The USGS SAWSC UHU has been operating a long-term trend monitoring network in cooperation with the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management since 2012. The network monitors 15 watersheds throughout the county for streamflow, precipitation, and water-quality (continuous and discrete). Additionally, the UHU collects continuous gage-height (water level) and precipitation at 1 site, and precipitation at 4 additional sites for spatial coverage throughout the county.
The monitoring network data supports the county’s ongoing Watershed Protection Plan, is used to evaluate the effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs), and is used to assess impacts of changes in land use on water-quality. Data collected helps meet the sampling requirements set forth by the Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District (MNGWPD, 2017) and satisfy National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Land Application System wastewater permit requirements. The USGS analyzed the monitoring network’s streamflow and water-quality data and evaluated relations with watershed characteristics for 2012–2016 in the Scientific Investigation Reports (SIR) by Aulenbach, B.T. and others (2022).
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS site Network in DeKalb County.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.Douglas County Georgia, Water and Sewer Authority Douglas County
The USGS SAWSC UHU operates a high-profile streamflow, precipitation, and continuous water-quality site on Dog River at Ga 5. This location was chosen to monitor the effects of increased urbanization on flood-flow magnitude, and to meet requirements as outlined in the Douglas County Watershed Monitoring Plan.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS station 02337410 Dog River at Ga 5, near Fairplay, Ga, photo taken during the 2009 flood event, this site recorded a peak gage height of 33.83 feet with a corresponding peak streamflow of 59,900 cubic feet per second.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.Gwinnett County Georgia Gwinnett County
The USGS SAWSC UHU has been operating a long-term trend monitoring network in cooperation with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources since 1996. The network includes 15-continuous streamflow, precipitation, and water-quality sites that are strategically located to assess water resources throughout the county. Additionally, the USGS SAWSC collects continuous gage-height (water level) and precipitation at 14 more sites, and one gage-height only site strategically located for spatial coverage throughout the county.
This monitoring network supports the county’s Watershed Protection Plan, is used to evaluate the effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and is used to assess impacts of changes in land use on water-quality. Data collected helps meet the sampling requirements set forth by the Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District (MNGWPD, 2017) and satisfy National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Land Application System wastewater permit requirements. The USGS periodically publishes analyses of streamflow and water-quality monitoring data and evaluates how they relate to watershed characteristics in Scientific Investigation Reports (SIR). The most recent SIR summarizes data collected from 2001–2015 (Aulenbach, B.T., and others, 2017)
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS site Network in Gwinnett County.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.Paulding County Georgia Paulding County
The USGS SAWSC UHU in cooperation with Paulding County Board of Commissioners established a USGS site on Richland Creek to monitor real-time streamflow, precipitation, and water-quality before, during, and after construction of the Richland Creek Reservoir.
The UHU also collects discrete water-quality samples quarterly. The USGS monitoring site is located on the outflow of the reservoir.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS station 02394682 Richland Creek at Old Dallas Road, near Dallas, Ga.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.Rockdale County Georgia Rockdale County
The USGS SAWSC UHU in cooperation with the Rockdale County Department of Water Resources and Stormwater Department operates six continuous real-time streamflow and precipitation sites, 1 reservoir water-level site with climate data, and 1 continuous gage-height (water level) and precipitation site. The reservoir site is located at Randy Poynter Lake, a 650-acre reservoir constructed to meet water needs of Rockdale County. The USGS also monitors the outflow of the dam at Randy Poynter on Big Haynes Creek.
The USGS has collected historical discrete-water quality data in cooperation with Rockdale County agencies which can be accessed thru the National Water Information Systems (NWIS).
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS site Network in Rockdale County. References:
U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/national-field-manual-collection-water-quality-data-nfm#overview, accessed September 26, 2022
Water Resource Management Plan, 2017 “Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District” https://northgeorgiawater.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Water-Resource-Management-Plan_Amended-20190227.pdf, accessed September 26, 2022
- Publications
- Partners