GIS-based landscape analysis to identify sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals Active
Mobile laboratory fathead minnow experiment station
Shenandoah sinkholes
Fish experiment trailers
A key component to assessing the contaminant exposure pathways in streams and rivers of the Chesapeake Bay is using GIS-based landscape analysis to identify sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges are potentially major sources of EDCs to streams, and therefore understanding the de facto wastewater reuse (represented as fraction of stream flow consisting of WWTP effluent) at the watershed-scale is essential for predicting risk to downstream water users (human and wildlife). Another important component of landscape analysis that is important to understanding exposure pathways is the river hydrogeology, in particular areas of significant groundwater/surface water interactions, which often play a key role in habitat functions.
Overview:
A key component to assessing the contaminant exposure pathways in streams and rivers of the Chesapeake Bay is using GIS-based landscape analysis to identify sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges are potentially major sources of EDCs to streams, and therefore understanding the de facto wastewater reuse (represented as fraction of stream flow consisting of WWTP effluent) at the watershed-scale is essential for predicting risk to downstream water users (human and wildlife). Another important component of landscape analysis that is important to understanding exposure pathways is the river hydrogeology, in particular areas of significant groundwater/surface water interactions, which often play a key role in habitat functions.
Project objectives:
- Further research on landscape-based hydrogeological analysis of groundwater/surface water interactions in the Shenandoah River,
- Provide geographic and sampling support to geophysical, geochemical, and flow characterizations,
- Provide geographic and sampling support to mobile fish laboratory experiments,
- Assess de facto municipal and industrial wastewater reuse in the Shenandoah River Watershed,
- Develop an interactive wastewater reuse assessment tool.
Wastewater point source contributions, when combined with non-point source landscape attributes (i.e groundwater, surface water interaction zones) provide a framework to study streams that may have high risk of endocrine disrupting chemical exposure.
Shenandoah River Accumulated Wastewater Ratio
Incedental wastewater reuse from streams that receive discharges from Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTF) has the potential to be a significant contributor of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. An ArcGIS model of WWTFs, NHDPlus stream networks (USGS and EPA 2012), and gage stations across the Shenandoah River watershed was created to calculate accumulated wastewater.
Assessment of Endocrine Disruption in the Shenandoah River Watershed – Chemical and Biological Data from Mobile Laboratory Fish Exposures and Other Experiments Conducted during 2014, 2015, and 2016
This data release presents chemical and biological results from investigations of water quality, fish endocrine disruption, and emergent insects in the Shenandoah River Watershed (Virginia and West Virginia, USA) conducted during 2014, 2015, and 2016. Multiple sampling campaigns were conducted at sites located throughout the Shenandoah River Watershed.
A key component to assessing the contaminant exposure pathways in streams and rivers of the Chesapeake Bay is using GIS-based landscape analysis to identify sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges are potentially major sources of EDCs to streams, and therefore understanding the de facto wastewater reuse (represented as fraction of stream flow consisting of WWTP effluent) at the watershed-scale is essential for predicting risk to downstream water users (human and wildlife). Another important component of landscape analysis that is important to understanding exposure pathways is the river hydrogeology, in particular areas of significant groundwater/surface water interactions, which often play a key role in habitat functions.
Overview:
A key component to assessing the contaminant exposure pathways in streams and rivers of the Chesapeake Bay is using GIS-based landscape analysis to identify sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges are potentially major sources of EDCs to streams, and therefore understanding the de facto wastewater reuse (represented as fraction of stream flow consisting of WWTP effluent) at the watershed-scale is essential for predicting risk to downstream water users (human and wildlife). Another important component of landscape analysis that is important to understanding exposure pathways is the river hydrogeology, in particular areas of significant groundwater/surface water interactions, which often play a key role in habitat functions.
Project objectives:
- Further research on landscape-based hydrogeological analysis of groundwater/surface water interactions in the Shenandoah River,
- Provide geographic and sampling support to geophysical, geochemical, and flow characterizations,
- Provide geographic and sampling support to mobile fish laboratory experiments,
- Assess de facto municipal and industrial wastewater reuse in the Shenandoah River Watershed,
- Develop an interactive wastewater reuse assessment tool.
Wastewater point source contributions, when combined with non-point source landscape attributes (i.e groundwater, surface water interaction zones) provide a framework to study streams that may have high risk of endocrine disrupting chemical exposure.
Shenandoah River Accumulated Wastewater Ratio
Incedental wastewater reuse from streams that receive discharges from Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTF) has the potential to be a significant contributor of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. An ArcGIS model of WWTFs, NHDPlus stream networks (USGS and EPA 2012), and gage stations across the Shenandoah River watershed was created to calculate accumulated wastewater.
Assessment of Endocrine Disruption in the Shenandoah River Watershed – Chemical and Biological Data from Mobile Laboratory Fish Exposures and Other Experiments Conducted during 2014, 2015, and 2016
This data release presents chemical and biological results from investigations of water quality, fish endocrine disruption, and emergent insects in the Shenandoah River Watershed (Virginia and West Virginia, USA) conducted during 2014, 2015, and 2016. Multiple sampling campaigns were conducted at sites located throughout the Shenandoah River Watershed.