Hydrologic Monitoring Branch
Applied Hydrology Branch
Hydrologic Interpretive Branch
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New England Water Science Center
Welcome to the USGS New England Water Science Center. We provide timely and reliable information to Federal, State, Tribal, and local stakeholders on the water resources of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Our data help safeguard human and wildlife health, public safety, and environmental sustainability.
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News
New England WSC Products in the Second Quarter of 2026
New England WSC Products in the Second Quarter of 2026
USGS Predicts PFAS in Shallow Soils Throughout Northern New England and Identifies Possible Groundwater Risks
USGS Predicts PFAS in Shallow Soils Throughout Northern New England and Identifies Possible Groundwater Risks
USGS Investigates PFAS in Groundwater Near New Hampshire Superfund Site
USGS Investigates PFAS in Groundwater Near New Hampshire Superfund Site
Publications
Predictions of anthropogenic background PFAS concentrations in soil and relation to bedrock lithology and groundwater quality Predictions of anthropogenic background PFAS concentrations in soil and relation to bedrock lithology and groundwater quality
Detectable concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been observed in soils in remote areas and presumably originate from atmospheric deposition. These anthropogenic background concentrations may enable some PFAS to leach to groundwater at levels that exceed regulatory criteria for drinking water. However, anthropogenic background soil concentrations and their...
Simulation of groundwater flow to evaluate hydrogeologic controls on a PFAS plume, Coakley Landfill Superfund site, Rockingham County, New Hampshire Simulation of groundwater flow to evaluate hydrogeologic controls on a PFAS plume, Coakley Landfill Superfund site, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), have been detected at combined concentrations above 2,000 nanograms per liter (ng/L) at groundwater seep locations near the Coakley Landfill Superfund site, in North Hampton, New Hampshire. The landfill was active from 1972 to 1985. An impermeable cap was placed on...
An automated geographic information system-based hydraulic modeling tool for developing preliminary culvert designs for stream crossings in Massachusetts An automated geographic information system-based hydraulic modeling tool for developing preliminary culvert designs for stream crossings in Massachusetts
Introduction Currently (2026), many of the about 25,000 roadway crossing structures over rivers and streams in Massachusetts are undersized. Undersized culverts and bridges can be detrimental to fish and wildlife movement, habitat continuity, and the health of aquatic organisms. Undersized culverts also can lack the resiliency needed to withstand large floods, which could be worsened by...
Science
New England Water Conditions Explorer
The New England Water Conditions Explorer provides interactive maps showing current surface water and groundwater conditions in the context of historical data.
Thermal Imaging to Detect Cold-Water Habitat for Atlantic Salmon and Brook Trout at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), is using airborne thermal infrared remote sensing to characterize cold-water habitat for the federally designated endangered species Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) and wild brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis) in the East Branch of the Penobscot River system within Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument...
Statewide Studies of PFAS in Connecticut
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New England Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (CT DECD) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), is investigating the occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soils and shallow groundwater across the state of Connecticut. The studies...