MaryLynn Musgrove is a Research Physical Scientist and the Western Region Principal Aquifer Analyst for the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project. Her research interests include water quality, karst hydrology, and isotope geochemistry.
MaryLynn joined the USGS and Texas Water Science Center in 2006.
MaryLynn is currently a geochemist with the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project, acting as the Principal Aquifer Analyst for the Western U.S. region. Her research interests continue to address karst hydrology and carbonate aquifer geochemistry, with ongoing contributions to understanding the central Texas Edwards aquifer. She is also a Research Fellow at the University of Texas Environmental Science Institute where she regularly serves on the committees of graduate students.
Education and Certifications
MaryLynn has Masters and PhD degrees in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied with Dr. Jay Banner.
Her graduate research focused on the application of geochemical tracers and environmental isotopes to karst aquifers, paleohydrology, and paleoclimate studies.
After completing her PhD in 2000, she completed postdoctoral work at Harvard University studying paleoclimate and links between science and policy.
Science and Products
Outlining Potential Health Effects of Exposure to Critical Elements: From Chemical Structure to Adverse Outcome Pathways
Groundwater Quality—Current Conditions and Changes Through Time
Rapid Fluctuations in Groundwater Quality
National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Groundwater Activities
Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone Surface-water and Groundwater Interaction
National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Surface Water Activities
Hydrogeologic and Geochemical Investigation of the Trinity and Northern Segment Edwards Aquifers
Urban Waters Federal Partnership - Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone Monitoring Network
Edwards Aquifer Studies in Texas
Data for karst groundwater vulnerability determined by modeled age and residence time tracers
Data for Distribution of Groundwater Age in Aquifers Used for Public Supply in the Continental United States, 2004 - 2017 (Version 1.1: June 2022)
Datasets of Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January 2017 through December 2019
Contributing zones of the San Antonio, Barton Springs, and Northern segments of the Edwards Aquifer
Datasets from Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2016, and Previously Unpublished Data from 2013 to 2015
Data Release for Water-quality and chemical loading data from the Geronimo Creek and Plum Creek watersheds, south-central Texas, April 2015March 2016
Karst groundwater vulnerability determined by modeled age and residence time tracers
Occurrence of pharmaceutical compounds in the San Antonio segment of the Edwards (Balcones fault zone) aquifer, south-central Texas, June 2018–August 2020
Outlining potential biomarkers of exposure and effect to critical minerals: Nutritionally essential trace elements and the rare earth elements
Capacity assessment for Earth Monitoring, Analysis, and Prediction (EarthMAP) and future integrated monitoring and predictive science at the U.S. Geological Survey
Groundwater quality in the Edwards-Trinity aquifer system
Groundwater quality in the Colorado Plateaus aquifers, western United States
Groundwater-quality and select quality-control data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January 2017 through December 2019
The occurrence and distribution of strontium in U.S. groundwater
Water Quality of groundwater used for public supply in principal aquifers of the western United States
Temporal and spatial variability of water quality in the San Antonio segment of the Edwards aquifer recharge zone, Texas, with an emphasis on periods of groundwater recharge, September 2017–July 2019
Effects of urbanization on water quality in the Edwards aquifer, San Antonio and Bexar County, Texas
Prioritizing river basins for intensive monitoring and assessment by the US Geological Survey
Science and Products
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Outlining Potential Health Effects of Exposure to Critical Elements: From Chemical Structure to Adverse Outcome Pathways
The Federal Government was charged with ensuring a reliable supply of critical minerals from within the U.S., and to further this policy in a safe and environmentally responsible manner by identifying new sources of critical elements. The objective of this research is to delineate anticipated adverse outcome pathways for the critical elements.Groundwater Quality—Current Conditions and Changes Through Time
Is groundwater the source of your drinking water? The USGS is assessing the quality of groundwater used for public supply using newly collected data along with existing water-quality data. Learn more about this invisible, vital resource so many of us depend on.Rapid Fluctuations in Groundwater Quality
We think of groundwater as moving slowly, and groundwater quality as changing slowly—over decades or even centuries. But in some parts of some aquifers, groundwater quality can fluctuate rapidly, sometimes over just a few hours. Are such changes part of a long-term trend, or just part of a short-term cycle? And what does that mean for suitability for drinking?National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Groundwater Activities
The USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project was established by Congress in 1992 to answer the following question:What is the status of the Nation’s water quality and is it getting better or worse?Since 1992, NAWQA has been a primary source of nationally consistent data and information on the quality of the Nation’s streams and groundwater. Data and information obtained from...Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone Surface-water and Groundwater Interaction
The effects of urbanization across the recharge zone in Bexar County and potential impact on the water quality in the Edwards aquifer is a topic of specific concern for the City of San Antonio. The USGS Texas Water Science Center is simultaneously collecting water-quality data from surface-water runoff sites and paired shallow groundwater wells within the recharge zone of the Edwards aquifer to...National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Surface Water Activities
The USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project was established by Congress in 1992 to answer the following question:What is the status of the Nation’s water quality and is it getting better or worse? Since 1992, NAWQA has been a primary source of nationally consistent data and information on the quality of the Nation’s streams and groundwater. Data and information obtained from...Hydrogeologic and Geochemical Investigation of the Trinity and Northern Segment Edwards Aquifers
The USGS Texas Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District and Bell County Adaptive Management Coalition, is evaluating the hydrogeology and water quality of the Northern segment of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers in Bell County to provide regional resource managers responsible for regulation of water use and drought management strategies with...Urban Waters Federal Partnership - Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone Monitoring Network
The USGS Texas Water Science Center is implementing a more complete and integrated monitoring network for the Edwards aquifer to improve the understanding of aquifer water quality and establish a baseline for measuring future water-quality changes.Edwards Aquifer Studies in Texas
The Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas is one of the most productive aquifers in the Nation and is the primary source of water for the rapidly growing San Antonio area. Springs issuing from the Edwards aquifer provide habitat for several threatened and endangered species, serve as locations for recreational activities, and supply downstream users. The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center... - Data
Data for karst groundwater vulnerability determined by modeled age and residence time tracers
Groundwater samples collected from the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas were analyzed for water-quality data to assess aquifer susceptibility to contaminants. Water-quality data included environmental tracers of groundwater age (tritium, tritiogenic helium-3, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon-14, and radiogenic helium-4), calibrated to lumped parameter models (LPMs). Groundwater samples were colleData for Distribution of Groundwater Age in Aquifers Used for Public Supply in the Continental United States, 2004 - 2017 (Version 1.1: June 2022)
This data release documents seven tables that contain environmental tracer data and lumped parameter model (LPM) results that are used for assessing the distribution of groundwater age in 21 Principal Aquifers of the continental United States. Groundwater samples were collected from 1,279 sites and analyzed for environmental tracers: tritium, tritiogenic helium-3, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon-14, aDatasets of Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January 2017 through December 2019
Groundwater-quality data were collected from 983 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. The data were collected from six types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-use study networContributing zones of the San Antonio, Barton Springs, and Northern segments of the Edwards Aquifer
The Edwards aquifer is a karst aquifer system that is a primary water source for a large part of central Texas including the city of San Antonio, Texas. These vector geospatial data represent the geographic extent of the contributing zones for the Northern, Barton Springs, and San Antonio segments of the Edwards aquifer. The contributing zone is defined as the drainage area of the Edwards PlateauDatasets from Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2016, and Previously Unpublished Data from 2013 to 2015
Groundwater-quality data were collected from 648 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. Most of the wells (514) were sampled from January through December 2016 and 60 of them were sampled in 2013 and 74 in 2014. The data were collected from seven types of well networks: principal aData Release for Water-quality and chemical loading data from the Geronimo Creek and Plum Creek watersheds, south-central Texas, April 2015March 2016
Located in south-central Texas, the Geronimo Creek and Plum Creek watersheds have long been characterized by elevated nitrate concentrations. From April 2015 through March 2016, an investigation was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), to assess nitrate (as nitrogen) conce - Multimedia
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Karst groundwater vulnerability determined by modeled age and residence time tracers
Karst aquifers are a vital groundwater resource globally, but features such as rapid recharge and conduit flow make them highly vulnerable to land-surface contamination. We apply environmental age tracers to the south-central Texas Edwards aquifer, a karst resource in a rapidly urbanizing and drought-prone region, to assess vulnerability to land-surface contamination and risks unique to karst aquiAuthorsMaryLynn Musgrove, Bryant Jurgens, Stephen P. OpsahlOccurrence of pharmaceutical compounds in the San Antonio segment of the Edwards (Balcones fault zone) aquifer, south-central Texas, June 2018–August 2020
The occurrence of pharmaceutical compounds (hereinafter referred to as “pharmaceuticals”) in surface water that recharges the San Antonio segment of the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas is of concern with respect to potential effects on groundwater quality. This study, conducted during June 2018–August 2020 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System, usedAuthorsStephen P. Opsahl, MaryLynn MusgroveOutlining potential biomarkers of exposure and effect to critical minerals: Nutritionally essential trace elements and the rare earth elements
Emerging and low-carbon technologies and innovations are driving a need for domestic sources, sustainable use, and availability of critical minerals (CMs)—those vital to the national and economic security of the United States. Understanding the known and potential health effects of exposures to such mineral commodities can inform prudent and environmentally responsible handling and harvesting. WeAuthorsJill Jenkins, MaryLynn Musgrove, Sarah Jane WhiteCapacity assessment for Earth Monitoring, Analysis, and Prediction (EarthMAP) and future integrated monitoring and predictive science at the U.S. Geological Survey
Executive SummaryManagers of our Nation’s resources face unprecedented challenges driven by the convergence of increasing, competing societal demands and a changing climate that affects the stability, vulnerability, and predictability of those resources. To help meet these challenges, the scientific community must take advantage of all available technologies, data, and integrative Earth systems moAuthorsJennifer L. Keisman, Sky Bristol, David S. Brown, Allison K. Flickinger, Gregory Gunther, Peter S. Murdoch, MaryLynn Musgrove, John C. Nelson, Gregory D. Steyer, Kathryn A. Thomas, Ian R. WaiteByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research CenterGroundwater quality in the Edwards-Trinity aquifer system
Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. The Edwards-Trinity aquifer system constitutes one of the important aquifers being evaluated.AuthorsMaryLynn MusgroveGroundwater quality in the Colorado Plateaus aquifers, western United States
Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. The Colorado Plateaus aquifers constitute one of the important areas being evaluated.AuthorsJames R. Degnan, MaryLynn MusgroveGroundwater-quality and select quality-control data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January 2017 through December 2019
Groundwater-quality environmental data were collected from 983 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Program and are included in this report. The data were collected from six types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-usAuthorsJames A. Kingsbury, Laura M. Bexfield, Terri Arnold, MaryLynn Musgrove, Melinda L. Erickson, James R. Degnan, Anthony J. Tesoriero, Bruce D. Lindsey, Kenneth BelitzThe occurrence and distribution of strontium in U.S. groundwater
Groundwater samples from 32 principal aquifers across the United States (U.S.) provide a broad spatial scope of the occurrence and distribution of strontium (Sr) and are used to assess environments and factors that influence Sr concentration. Strontium is a common trace element in soils, rocks, and water and is ubiquitous in groundwater with detectable concentrations in 99.8% of samples (n=4,824;AuthorsMaryLynn MusgroveWater Quality of groundwater used for public supply in principal aquifers of the western United States
Groundwater provides nearly half of the Nation’s drinking water. As the Nation’s population grows, the importance of (and need for) high-quality drinking-water supplies increases. As part of a national-scale effort to assess groundwater quality in principal aquifers (PAs) that supply most of the groundwater used for public supply, the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQAAuthorsCelia Z. Rosecrans, MaryLynn MusgroveTemporal and spatial variability of water quality in the San Antonio segment of the Edwards aquifer recharge zone, Texas, with an emphasis on periods of groundwater recharge, September 2017–July 2019
Ongoing urbanization on the Edwards aquifer recharge zone in the greater San Antonio area raises concern about the potential adverse effects on the public water supply from development. To address this concern, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of San Antonio, studied patterns of temporal and spatial changes in water quality at selected surface-water and groundwater sites inAuthorsStephen P. Opsahl, MaryLynn Musgrove, Keith E. MecumEffects of urbanization on water quality in the Edwards aquifer, San Antonio and Bexar County, Texas
OverviewContinuous water-quality monitoring data and chemical analysis of surface-water and groundwater samples collected during 2017–19 in the recharge zone of the Edwards aquifer were used to develop a better understanding of the surface-water/groundwater connection in and around Bexar County in south-central Texas. This fact sheet is provided to inform water-resource managers, city planners, thAuthorsStephen P. Opsahl, MaryLynn Musgrove, Keith E. MecumPrioritizing river basins for intensive monitoring and assessment by the US Geological Survey
The US Geological Survey (USGS) is currently (2020) integrating its water science programs to better address the nation’s greatest water resource challenges now and into the future. This integration will rely, in part, on data from 10 or more intensively monitored river basins from across the USA. A team of USGS scientists was convened to develop a systematic, quantitative approach to prioritize cAuthorsPeter C. Van Metre, Sharon L. Qi, Jeffrey R. Deacon, Cheryl A. Dieter, Jessica M. Driscoll, Michael N. Fienen, Terry A. Kenney, Patrick M. Lambert, David P. Lesmes, Christopher Allen Mason, Anke Mueller-Solger, MaryLynn Musgrove, Jaime A. Painter, Donald O. Rosenberry, Lori A. Sprague, Anthony J. Tesoriero, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, David M. Wolock - News