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.
Below are publications associated with this project.
De facto reuse and disinfection by-products in drinking water systems in the Shenandoah River watershed
Integrated assessment of wastewater reuse, exposure risk, and fish endocrine disruption in the Shenandoah River watershed
Water-quality synoptic sampling, July 1999: North Fork Shenandoah River, Virginia
Below are partners associated with this project.
- 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.
Overview:
Interactive map: Shenandoah River Accumulated Wastewater Ratio Mapper 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.
- Data
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 RatioIncedental 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 2016This 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.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
De facto reuse and disinfection by-products in drinking water systems in the Shenandoah River watershed
De facto reuse is increasingly being studied among the variety of stressors that are relevant to drinking water systems that obtain their source water from surface waters. De facto reuse may influence the levels and types of precursors relevant to formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in surface water systems. DBPs such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) have been associaIntegrated assessment of wastewater reuse, exposure risk, and fish endocrine disruption in the Shenandoah River watershed
Reuse of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent is an important component in augmenting global freshwater supplies. The Shenandoah River Watershed was selected to conduct on-site exposure experiments to assess endocrine disrupting characteristics of different source waters. This investigation of the Shenandoah River Watershed integrates WWTP wastewater reuse modeling,Water-quality synoptic sampling, July 1999: North Fork Shenandoah River, Virginia
A study was conducted of water-quality conditions that may affect aquatic life during periods of low streamflow on the North Fork Shenandoah River, Va. Monthly mean streamflows in July 1999 at three streamflow-gaging stations were the lowest measured during the historical record on the river. Daily extremes of dissolved-oxygen concentrations were measured, along with pH, specific conductance, and - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.