Water Resources
Common Water Issues
Browse Common Water Issues science related to:
Sorbant Sequestration and Removal of Toxic Metal Ions, US Patent 6,896,813
A matrix for water decontamination has an amended sorbant cellulose substrate with an iron (ferric) oxyhydroxide component and a component to sorb dissolved organic compounds retained by the cellulose substrate. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Small-Scale, Hydrogen-Oxidizing Denitrifying Bioreactor, US Patent 6,863,815
A method for treating nitrate-contaminated water comprising treating said water with hydrogen-oxidizing denitrifying bacteria in the presence of hydrogen. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Deep Aquifer Remediation System, US Patent 6,458,271
A groundwater decontamination system includes a decontamination unit adapted to be lowered down through a non-pumping well into an aquifer containing contaminated water. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Aquifer Remediation Barrier for Removal of Inorganic Contaminants, US Patent 6,428,695
A permeable barrier for decontaminating groundwater having two distinct components for increasing contaminant removal. Preferably, the barrier material is a mixture or distinct layers of bone-char phosphate material and iron oxide pellets. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Crystallization of Powders Having Uniform Particle Sizes by Ostwald Ripening at Large Levels of Supersaturation, US Patent 6,379,459
A method is provided for the manufacture of mineral power crystals having a uniform mean size. The method includes forming a solution which is highly supersaturated with respect to the crystals. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Method for Enhancing Oxidation of Methyl Bromide With Strain IMB-1 (ATCC 202197) During Agricultural Fumigations, US Patent 6,013,254
A method is provided for enhancing oxidation of methyl bromide during agricultural fumigations of fields using a fumigant containing methyl bromide. The method comprises adding a methylotrophic bacterium to the soil in an amount effective to provide bacterial oxidation of the methyl bromide. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Selenate Removal from Waste Water, US Patents 5,271,831 and 5,009,786
A method and apparatus for removing selenate from waste water through the use of selenate respiring microorganisms under substantially anoxic conditions is described. The method includes a first zone for removing nitrate by assimilation into biomass. (Full details available at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website for patents ...
Karst Aquifers
This website presents information on USGS research on karst aquifers, a vital groundwater resource in the United States.
USGS Mine Drainage Activities
The USGS Mine Drainage Activities website (now archived) promoted communication, cooperation, and collaboration among interdisciplinary USGS scientists working on problems related to mining and the environment. It contains catalogs of past mining-related projects, activities, and publications.
Colorado River Basin Focus Area Study
As one of several Focus Area Studies within the USGS National Water Census (NWC), the USGS has completed a 3-year study of water availability and use in the Colorado River Basin.
Water-Quality Trends
Is water quality getting better or worse? Answering this deceptively simple question has been a fundamental objective of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project’s research. Learn about trends in contaminants in the nation’s streams and rivers, trends in contaminants that collect in the bed sediment of streams and lakes, and changes in the quality of the nation’s groundwater.
Drinking Water Taste and Odor
Some water is just unpleasant to drink—it’s cloudy, or it smells or tastes bad. Some drinking water discolors teeth or skin, stains laundry or plumbing fixtures, or corrodes or clogs pipes. These effects are caused when some naturally occurring constituents occur at concentrations high enough to be a nuisance, and are particularly common where groundwater is used as a drinking water supply....