Publications

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2009. The map is based on water-level measurements in 65 wells. The highest measured water level was 118 feet above sea level near the northern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Anne Arundel...

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Magothy aquifer in the Magothy Formation of Late Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland between September 1975 and September 2009. The map, based on water level differences obtained from 48 wells, shows that during the 34-year period, the potentiometric surface had little change at the outcrop area, which is...

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the lower Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2009. The map is based on water-level measurements in 64 wells. The highest measured water level was 110 feet above sea level near the northwestern boundary and outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Prince...

Introduction Recent and ongoing efforts to develop the land in the area around Deep Creek Lake, Garrett County, Maryland, are expected to change the volume of sediment moving toward and into the lake, as well as impact the water quality of the lake and its many tributaries. With increased development, there is an associated increased demand for groundwater and surface-water withdrawals...

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the upper Patapsco aquifer in the Patapsco Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland between September 1990 and September 2009. The map, based on water level differences obtained from 33 wells, shows that during the 19-year period, the change in the potentiometric surface ranged from zero at the...

This report presents a map showing the change in the potentiometric surface of the Aquia aquifer in the Aquia Formation of Paleocene age in Southern Maryland between September 1982 and September 2009. The map, based on water level differences obtained from 49 wells, shows that the potentiometric surface during the 27-year period declined from zero in the northernmost part of the study...

This report presents a map showing the potentiometric surface of the Patuxent aquifer in the Patuxent Formation of Early Cretaceous age in Southern Maryland during September 2009. The map is based on water-level measurements in 42 wells. The highest measured water level was 169 feet above sea level in the outcrop area of the aquifer in northern Prince George's County. From this area, the

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Maryland Department of the Environment, operated a network of 20 low-flow partial-record stations during 2008 in a region that extends from southwest of Baltimore to the northeastern corner of Maryland to obtain estimates of selected streamflow statistics at the station locations. The study area is expected to face a substantial influx...

The U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Park Service Police Aviation Group, conducted a high-resolution, low-altitude aerial thermal infrared survey of the Washington, D.C. section of Rock Creek Basin within the Park boundaries to identify specific locations where warm water was discharging from seeps or pipes to the creek. Twenty-three stream sites in Rock Creek Park were selected...

Recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) climate studies in New England have shown substantial evidence of hydrologic changes during the last 100 years, including trends toward earlier snowmelt runoff, decreasing occurrence of river ice, and decreasing winter snowpack. These studies are being expanded to include investigation of trends in groundwater levels and fluctuations. Groundwater is...

There are several measures of the 'cleanliness' of a natural body of water, including concentrations of indicator bacteria, anthropogenic chemicals (chemicals derived from human activities), and nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium that lives in the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals, such as humans, deer, cows, and dogs. Most...

The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer is a water-bearing assemblage of gravels and sands that underlies about 32,000 square miles of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Pumping of groundwater from the alluvial aquifer for agriculture started in the early 1900s in the Grand Prairie area for the irrigation of rice and soybeans. From 1965 to 2005...