Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill pests, including insects (insecticides), weeds (herbicides), and fungi (fungicides). The USGS assesses the occurrence and behavior of pesticides in streams, lakes, and groundwater and the potential for pesticides to contaminate our drinking-water supplies or harm aquatic ecosystems.
NOTICE: The USGS agricultural pesticide use estimates are supported by funding from the USGS National Water Quality Program for the purpose of better understanding pesticides in freshwater and their impact on water availability nationwide. In 2019, the National Water Quality Program pesticide monitoring was rescoped, and pesticides with use estimates were aligned as closely as possible to the new list of monitored compounds. This change resulted in a reduction in the number of compounds with monitoring and use data. The USGS will continue to publish annual, county-level agricultural pesticide use estimates. The pesticide use estimates for 2018-22 will be published in late 2024. New, final pesticide use estimates will then be published on a 5-year cycle, which aligns with the release of the USDA Census of Agriculture. After 2024, the next estimates will be published in 2029 and will estimate agricultural pesticide use for 2023-27. Preliminary estimates will no longer be published annually and later updated with final estimates.
Pesticides are used in agriculture, in homes and businesses, on lawns and gardens, along roads, in recreational areas, and on pets and livestock. There are hundreds of different pesticide chemicals in use in the United States. In 2007, about 390 million kilograms (430,000 tons) of pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, were used in the United States. Pesticides released into the environment for agricultural and nonagricultural purposes can contaminate surface water and groundwater, which are critical sources of drinking water.
The USGS, through its National Water Quality Program, researches numerous aspects of pesticides and water quality, and has developed maps, graphics, and tools to aid in understanding where pesticides occur, at what concentrations, and potential consequences.
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Pesticide Use: The tables, maps, and graphs provided on this web site provide estimates of agricultural pesticide use in the conterminous United States for hundreds of pesticides.
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Trends in Pesticide Occurrence in Streams: Use the online tool to view a national maps of trends in pesticide concentrations in streams.
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Concentrations of Pesticides in Water of Potential Human-Health Concern: This searchable online database provides Health-Based Screening Levels (HBSLs) for hundreds of chemicals, including pesticides and degradates.
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Pesticide Toxicity to Aquatic Organisms: The Pesticide Toxicity Index (PTI) can be used to assess the potential toxicity of pesticide mixtures in water to freshwater aquatic organisms. Benchmarks also are available for pesticides in sediment.
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Pesticides and Stream Ecology: The Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) is assessing how chemical stressors, such as pesticides and nutrients, and physical stressors, such as disturbed streambanks and sedimentation, are affecting the aquatic organisms that live in small streams across the United States.
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Pesticides and Lake Sediment: Many pesticides dissolve in water, but some pesticides, like DDT and chlordane, adhere to sediment and persist for years in the bed sediments of stream and lakes, recording the history of contaminant use in watershed.
Learn more about USGS research on pesticides and related water-quality topics at the web pages below.
Pesticides in Groundwater
Drinking Water and Source Water Research
Urban Land Use and Water Quality
Water Quality in the Nation’s Streams and Rivers – Current Conditions and Long-Term Trends
Agricultural Contaminants
Water-Quality Benchmarks for Contaminants
Groundwater Quality in Principal Aquifers of the Nation, 1991–2010
Predicting Groundwater Quality in Unmonitored Areas
Water-Quality Trends
Sediment-Associated Contaminants
Stream Ecology
Pesticides in Groundwater
Below you'll find links to data sets and tools developed for investigation of pesticides.
Concentrations of Pesticide, Pharmaceutical, and Organic Wastewater Contaminants from a Multi-Regional Assessment of Wadeable USA Streams, 2014-17
Pesticide and transformation product concentrations and risk quotients in U.S. headwater streams
Data set for an ecological risk assessment of Firpronil compounds in US streams
Dissolved Pesticides in Weekly Water Samples from the NAWQA Regional Stream Quality Assessments (2013-2017)
Pesticide Toxicity Index (PTI) and maximum Toxic Unit (TUmax) scores and information for fish, cladocerans, and benthic invertebrates from water samples collected at National Water Quality Network sites during Water Years 2013-2017
Concentrations of pesticides associated with streambed sediment and biofilm in California streams, 2017
Hydrophobic (sediment-associated) pesticides were measured in sediment samples collected from 82 wadeable streams and in biofilm in 54 of those streams in the Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains ecoregion.115 current-use and 3 legacy pesticides were measured in stream sediment; 93 of the current-use pesticides and the same 3 legacy pesticides were measured in biofilm. On average 4 t
Pesticides in Daily and Weekly Water Samples from the NAWQA Midwest and Southeast Stream Quality Assessments (2013-2014)
Watershed characteristics for study sites of the U.S. Geological Surveys National Water Quality Programs Surface Water Trends project
Replicate surface water and groundwater data analyzed by USGS National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2437, 2013-15
Pesticide concentration and streamflow datasets used to evaluate pesticide trends in the Nations rivers and streams, 1992-2012
Below, you’ll find the latest in peer-reviewed journal articles and USGS reports on pesticides and water quality. For more publications on this topic, search the USGS Publications Warehouse. Look here for help using the Pubs Warehouse.
Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992–2001
Is there an urban pesticide signature? Urban streams in five U.S. regions share common dissolved-phase pesticides but differ in predicted aquatic toxicity
Multi-region assessment of chemical mixture exposures and predicted cumulative effects in USA wadeable urban/agriculture-gradient streams
Chemical-contaminant mixtures are widely reported in large stream reaches in urban/agriculture-developed watersheds, but mixture compositions and aggregate biological effects are less well understood in corresponding smaller headwaters, which comprise most of stream length, riparian connectivity, and spatial biodiversity. During 2014–2017, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured 389 unique orga
Pesticides and pesticide degradates in groundwater used for public supply across the United States: Occurrence and human-health context
Biofilms provide new insight into pesticide occurrence in streams and links to aquatic ecological communities
Causal factors for pesticide trends in streams of the United States: Atrazine and deethylatrazine
Daily stream samples reveal highly complex pesticide occurrence and potential toxicity to aquatic life
Projected urban growth in the Southeastern USA puts small streams at risk
Historical changes in fish communities in urban streams of the southeastern U.S. and the relative importance of water-quality stressors
Use of set blanks in reporting pesticide results at the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory, 2001-15
Effects of urban multi-stressors on three stream biotic assemblages
Linking the agricultural landscape of the Midwest to stream health with structural equation modeling
Complex mixtures of dissolved pesticides show potential aquatic toxicity in a synoptic study of Midwestern U.S. streams
Pesticide science in the news! Read recent highlights.
What's In Your Stream? Get Online to Find Out!
A new update to an online interactive tool for learning about pesticides, nutrients, and overall stream health in major regions of the U.S. is available from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Regional Stream Quality Assessment.
- Overview
Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill pests, including insects (insecticides), weeds (herbicides), and fungi (fungicides). The USGS assesses the occurrence and behavior of pesticides in streams, lakes, and groundwater and the potential for pesticides to contaminate our drinking-water supplies or harm aquatic ecosystems.
NOTICE: The USGS agricultural pesticide use estimates are supported by funding from the USGS National Water Quality Program for the purpose of better understanding pesticides in freshwater and their impact on water availability nationwide. In 2019, the National Water Quality Program pesticide monitoring was rescoped, and pesticides with use estimates were aligned as closely as possible to the new list of monitored compounds. This change resulted in a reduction in the number of compounds with monitoring and use data. The USGS will continue to publish annual, county-level agricultural pesticide use estimates. The pesticide use estimates for 2018-22 will be published in late 2024. New, final pesticide use estimates will then be published on a 5-year cycle, which aligns with the release of the USDA Census of Agriculture. After 2024, the next estimates will be published in 2029 and will estimate agricultural pesticide use for 2023-27. Preliminary estimates will no longer be published annually and later updated with final estimates.
Pesticides are used in agriculture, in homes and businesses, on lawns and gardens, along roads, in recreational areas, and on pets and livestock. There are hundreds of different pesticide chemicals in use in the United States. In 2007, about 390 million kilograms (430,000 tons) of pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, were used in the United States. Pesticides released into the environment for agricultural and nonagricultural purposes can contaminate surface water and groundwater, which are critical sources of drinking water.
This map shows the predicted probability that the sum of concentrations of atrazine and its degradate deethylatrazine (DEA) will exceed 3.0 micrograms per liter (µg/L) in shallow groundwater underlying agricultural lands. Although shallow groundwater is unlikely to be used as a source of drinking water, the 3.0 µg/L threshold shown on this map is EPA’s drinking water standard (Maximum Contaminant Level) for atrazine. About 95% of the nation’s agricultural areas have less than a 10% chance of exceeding this threshold. Atrazine is one of the most extensively used herbicides in the United States, with average annual use over 70 million pounds—primarily for corn and sorghum. (Credit: Paul Stackelberg, USGS) The USGS, through its National Water Quality Program, researches numerous aspects of pesticides and water quality, and has developed maps, graphics, and tools to aid in understanding where pesticides occur, at what concentrations, and potential consequences.
-
Pesticide Use: The tables, maps, and graphs provided on this web site provide estimates of agricultural pesticide use in the conterminous United States for hundreds of pesticides.
-
Trends in Pesticide Occurrence in Streams: Use the online tool to view a national maps of trends in pesticide concentrations in streams.
-
Concentrations of Pesticides in Water of Potential Human-Health Concern: This searchable online database provides Health-Based Screening Levels (HBSLs) for hundreds of chemicals, including pesticides and degradates.
-
Pesticide Toxicity to Aquatic Organisms: The Pesticide Toxicity Index (PTI) can be used to assess the potential toxicity of pesticide mixtures in water to freshwater aquatic organisms. Benchmarks also are available for pesticides in sediment.
-
Pesticides and Stream Ecology: The Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) is assessing how chemical stressors, such as pesticides and nutrients, and physical stressors, such as disturbed streambanks and sedimentation, are affecting the aquatic organisms that live in small streams across the United States.
-
Pesticides and Lake Sediment: Many pesticides dissolve in water, but some pesticides, like DDT and chlordane, adhere to sediment and persist for years in the bed sediments of stream and lakes, recording the history of contaminant use in watershed.
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- Science
Learn more about USGS research on pesticides and related water-quality topics at the web pages below.
Pesticides in Groundwater
Commercial pesticide applicators, farmers, and homeowners apply about 1 billion pounds of pesticides annually to agricultural land, non-crop land, and urban areas throughout the United States. The use of pesticides has helped to make the United States the largest producer of food in the world and has provided other benefits, but has also been accompanied by concerns about their potential adverse...Drinking Water and Source Water Research
Reliable drinking water is vital for the health and safety of all Americans. The USGS monitors and assesses the quality of the water used as a source for our nation's drinking water needs.Urban Land Use and Water Quality
Wherever you live, there’s a creek or stream near you. The eighty percent of Americans who live in metropolitan areas are often unaware of the network of urban creeks—many teeming with life—that weaves through our cities and town. Nowhere are the environmental changes associated with urban development more evident than in urban streams.Water Quality in the Nation’s Streams and Rivers – Current Conditions and Long-Term Trends
The Nation's rivers and streams are a priceless resource, but pollution from urban and agricultural areas pose a threat to our water quality. To understand the value of water quality, and to more effectively manage and protect the Nation's water resources, it's critical that we know the current status of water-quality conditions, and how and why those conditions have been changing over time.Agricultural Contaminants
About 40 percent of the land in the United States is used for agriculture, and agriculture supplies a major part of the our food, feed, and fiber needs. Agricultural chemicals move into and through every component of the hydrologic system, including air, soil, soil water, streams, wetlands, and groundwater.Water-Quality Benchmarks for Contaminants
How does the water quality measure up? It all depends on what the water will be used for and what contaminants are of interest. Water-quality benchmarks are designed to protect drinking water, recreation, aquatic life, and wildlife. Here you’ll find links to some of the most widely used sets of water, sediment, and fish tissue benchmarks and general guidance about their interpretation.Groundwater Quality in Principal Aquifers of the Nation, 1991–2010
What’s in your groundwater? Learn about groundwater quality in the Principal Aquifers of nine regions across the United States in informative circulars filled with figures, photos, and water-quality information.Predicting Groundwater Quality in Unmonitored Areas
Groundwater provides nearly one-half of the Nation’s drinking water, and sustains the steady flow of streams and rivers and the ecological systems that depend on that flow. Unless we drill a well, how can we know the quality of the groundwater below? Learn about how the USGS is using sophisticated techniques to predict groundwater quality and view national maps of groundwater quality.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.Sediment-Associated Contaminants
Stream, river, and lake bed sediment are reservoirs for many contaminants. These contaminants include some “legacy” contaminants, like DDT, PCBs, and chlordane, and chemicals currently in use, like the insecticide bifenthrin and many flame retardants. Learn about techniques used to study sediment-associated contaminants and their importance to aquatic biota.Stream Ecology
Who lives in your stream? Rivers and streams, even small ones, are teeming with a vast number of species, including fish, aquatic invertebrates, and algae. Stream ecology is the study of those aquatic species, the way they interrelate, and their interactions with all aspects of these flowing water systems.Pesticides in Groundwater
Commercial pesticide applicators, farmers, and homeowners apply about 1 billion pounds of pesticides annually to agricultural land, non-crop land, and urban areas throughout the United States. The use of pesticides has helped to make the United States the largest producer of food in the world and has provided other benefits, but has also been accompanied by concerns about their potential adverse... - Data
Below you'll find links to data sets and tools developed for investigation of pesticides.
Concentrations of Pesticide, Pharmaceutical, and Organic Wastewater Contaminants from a Multi-Regional Assessment of Wadeable USA Streams, 2014-17
Human-use pharmaceutical, pesticide, and wastewater indicator compounds were analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Quality Laboratory, Denver, Colorado, in wadeable streams in 4 Regional Stream Quality Assessments: Northeast (NESQA), Southeast (SESQA), Pacific Northwest (PNSQA) and California (CSQA). Multiple (with few exceptions) samplings occurred at each site, during base flow,Pesticide and transformation product concentrations and risk quotients in U.S. headwater streams
This dataset includes a subset of previously released pesticide data (Morace and others, 2020) from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) project and the corresponding hazard index results calculated using the R package toxEval, which are relevant to Mahler and others, 2020. Pesticide and transformation productData set for an ecological risk assessment of Firpronil compounds in US streams
The phenylpyrazole insecticide fipronil and its degradates are a potential surface-water contaminant and toxicant to nontarget species such as aquatic macroinvertebrates. To better understand how fipronil, fipronil sulfide, fipronil sulfone, desulfinyl fipronil, and fipronil amide affect aquatic communities, a 30-day mesocosm experiment was run. Rock trays were colonized with natural benthic commuDissolved Pesticides in Weekly Water Samples from the NAWQA Regional Stream Quality Assessments (2013-2017)
Dissolved pesticides were measured in weekly water samples from 482 wadeable streams in five regions of the United States during 2013-2017, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA). One study was conducted each year, starting with the Midwest (2013), followed by the Southeast Piedmont (2014), Pacific Northwest (2015), Northeast (2016), and Central CaPesticide Toxicity Index (PTI) and maximum Toxic Unit (TUmax) scores and information for fish, cladocerans, and benthic invertebrates from water samples collected at National Water Quality Network sites during Water Years 2013-2017
During 2013-2017, the U.S. Geological Survey, National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project, collected water samples year-round from the National Water Quality Network - Rivers and Streams (NWQN) and reported on 221 pesticides at 72 sites across the US in agricultural, developed, and mixed land use watersheds. Pesticide Toxicity Index (PTI) scores, a screening-level tool that uses an additive,Concentrations of pesticides associated with streambed sediment and biofilm in California streams, 2017
Hydrophobic (sediment-associated) pesticides were measured in sediment samples collected from 82 wadeable streams and in biofilm in 54 of those streams in the Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains ecoregion.115 current-use and 3 legacy pesticides were measured in stream sediment; 93 of the current-use pesticides and the same 3 legacy pesticides were measured in biofilm. On average 4 t
Pesticides in Daily and Weekly Water Samples from the NAWQA Midwest and Southeast Stream Quality Assessments (2013-2014)
These datasets are one component of the multistressor studies conducted in Midwest streams in 2013 (MSQA) and in Southeast streams in 2014 (SESQA) by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Project. High-frequency small-volume autosamplers were deployed at 7 sites each in MSQA and SESQA that collected daily and weekly composite water samples, which were analyzed for 225 pesticWatershed characteristics for study sites of the U.S. Geological Surveys National Water Quality Programs Surface Water Trends project
This product consists of 29 datasets of tabular data and associated metadata for watershed characteristics of 1,530 study sites of the Surface Water Trends (SWT) project of the U.S. Geological Surveys (USGS) National Water Quality Program (NWQP). The project is conducting national studies of trends in water quality of streams and rivers for periods ranging from 10 to 40 years, between 1972 and 201Replicate surface water and groundwater data analyzed by USGS National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2437, 2013-15
Replicate water-quality samples are collected and prepared in the field and analyzed in the laboratory in identical ways so that they are considered to be the same in composition and analysis (Mueller and others, 2015). This data set includes one table of duplicate National Water-Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA) surface water and groundwater samples collected between October 1, 2012 and SeptembePesticide concentration and streamflow datasets used to evaluate pesticide trends in the Nations rivers and streams, 1992-2012
In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a study of more than 50 major river basins across the Nation as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project of the National Water-Quality Program. One of the major goals of the NAWQA project is to determine how water-quality conditions change over time. To support that goal, long-term consistent and comparable monitoring has been c - Publications
Below, you’ll find the latest in peer-reviewed journal articles and USGS reports on pesticides and water quality. For more publications on this topic, search the USGS Publications Warehouse. Look here for help using the Pubs Warehouse.
Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992–2001
This report is one of a series of publications, The Quality of Our Nation's Waters, that describe major findings of the NAWQA Program on water-quality issues of regional and national concern. This report presents evaluations of pesticides in streams and ground water based on findings for the first decadal cycle of NAWQA. 'Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992-2001' greatly expaAuthorsRobert J. Gilliom, Jack E. Barbash, Charles G. Crawford, Pixie A. Hamilton, Jeffrey D. Martin, Naomi Nakagaki, Lisa H. Nowell, Jonathan C. Scott, Paul E. Stackelberg, Gail P. Thelin, David M. WolockFilter Total Items: 115Is there an urban pesticide signature? Urban streams in five U.S. regions share common dissolved-phase pesticides but differ in predicted aquatic toxicity
Pesticides occur in urban streams globally, but the relation of occurrence to urbanization can be obscured by regional differences. In studies of five regions of the United States, we investigated the effect of region and urbanization on the occurrence and potential toxicity of dissolved pesticide mixtures. We analyzed 225 pesticide compounds in weekly discrete water samples collected during 6–12AuthorsLisa H. Nowell, Patrick W. Moran, Laura M. Bexfield, Barbara Mahler, Peter C. Van Metre, Paul Bradley, Travis S. Schmidt, Daniel T. Button, Sharon L. QiByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Washington Water Science CenterMulti-region assessment of chemical mixture exposures and predicted cumulative effects in USA wadeable urban/agriculture-gradient streams
Chemical-contaminant mixtures are widely reported in large stream reaches in urban/agriculture-developed watersheds, but mixture compositions and aggregate biological effects are less well understood in corresponding smaller headwaters, which comprise most of stream length, riparian connectivity, and spatial biodiversity. During 2014–2017, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured 389 unique orga
AuthorsPaul Bradley, Celeste A. Journey, Kristin Romanok, Sara Breitmeyer, Daniel T. Button, Daren M. Carlisle, Bradley Huffman, Barbara Mahler, Lisa H. Nowell, Sharon L. Qi, Kelly Smalling, Ian R. Waite, Peter C. Van MetreByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)Pesticides and pesticide degradates in groundwater used for public supply across the United States: Occurrence and human-health context
This is the first assessment of groundwater from public-supply wells across the United States to analyze for >100 pesticide degradates and to provide human-health context for degradates without benchmarks. Samples from 1204 wells in aquifers representing 70% of the volume pumped for drinking supply were analyzed for 109 pesticides (active ingredients) and 116 degradates. Among the 41% of wells wheAuthorsLaura M. Bexfield, Kenneth Belitz, Bruce D. Lindsey, Patricia Toccalino, Lisa H. NowellBiofilms provide new insight into pesticide occurrence in streams and links to aquatic ecological communities
Streambed sediment is commonly analyzed to assess occurrence of hydrophobic pesticides and risks to aquatic communities. However, stream biofilms also have the potential to accumulate pesticides and may be consumed by aquatic organisms. To better characterize risks to aquatic life, the U.S. Geological Survey Regional Stream Quality Assessment measured 93 current-use and 3 legacy pesticides in bedAuthorsBarbara Mahler, Travis S. Schmidt, Lisa H. Nowell, Sharon L. Qi, Peter C. Van Metre, Michelle Hladik, Daren M. Carlisle, Mark D. Munn, Jason MayCausal factors for pesticide trends in streams of the United States: Atrazine and deethylatrazine
Pesticides are important for agriculture in the United States, and atrazine is one of the most widely used and widely detected pesticides in surface water. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which atrazine and its degradation product, deethylatrazine, increase and decrease in surface waters can help inform future decisions for water-quality improvement. This study considers causal factorsAuthorsKaren R. Ryberg, Wesley W. Stone, Nancy T. BakerDaily stream samples reveal highly complex pesticide occurrence and potential toxicity to aquatic life
Transient, acutely toxic concentrations of pesticides in streams can go undetected by fixed-interval sampling programs. Here we compare temporal patterns in occurrence of current-use pesticides in daily composite samples to those in weekly composite and weekly discrete samples of surface water from 14 small stream sites. Samples were collected over 10–14 weeks at 7 stream sites in each of the MidwAuthorsJulia E. Norman, Barbara Mahler, Lisa H. Nowell, Peter C. Van Metre, Mark W. Sandstrom, Mark A. Corbin, Yaorong Qian, James F. Pankow, Wentai Luo, Nicholas B. Fitzgerald, William E. Asher, Kevin J. McWhirterProjected urban growth in the Southeastern USA puts small streams at risk
Future land-use development has the potential to profoundly affect the health of aquatic ecosystems in the coming decades. We developed regression models predicting the loss of sensitive fish (R2=0.39) and macroinvertebrate (R2=0.64) taxa as a function of urban and agricultural land uses and applied them to projected urbanization of the rapidly urbanizing Piedmont ecoregion of the southeastern USAuthorsPeter C. Van Metre, Ian R. Waite, Sharon L. Qi, Barbara Mahler, Adam Terando, Michael Wieczorek, Michael R. Meador, Paul M. Bradley, Celeste A. Journey, Travis S. Schmidt, Daren CarlisleHistorical changes in fish communities in urban streams of the southeastern U.S. and the relative importance of water-quality stressors
A total of 71 stream sites representing a gradient of urban land use was sampled across the Piedmont of the southeastern U.S. in 2014. Fish data collected (observed) at each site were compared to an expected community based on georeferenced historical (~1950 - ~1990) species occurrence records for stream segments (1:100,000 scale) containing the sampled stream sites. Loss of expected fish specieAuthorsMichael MeadorUse of set blanks in reporting pesticide results at the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory, 2001-15
Executive SummaryBackground.—Pesticide results from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) are used for water-quality assessments by many agencies and organizations. The USGS is committed to providing data of the highest possible quality to the consumers of its data. A cooperator’s inquiries about specific pesticide detections in water revealed potential laboratAuthorsLaura Medalie, Mark W. Sandstrom, Patricia L. Toccalino, William T. Foreman, Rhiannon C. ReVello, Laura M. Bexfield, Melissa L. RiskinEffects of urban multi-stressors on three stream biotic assemblages
During 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment(NAWQA) project assessed stream quality in 75 streams across an urban disturbance gradient within the Piedmont ecoregion of southeastern United States. Our objectives were to identify primary instream stressors affecting algal, macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages in wadeable streams. Biotic communities were surveyedAuthorsIan R. Waite, Mark D. Munn, Patrick W. Moran, Christopher P. Konrad, Lisa H. Nowell, Michael R. Meador, Peter C. Van Metre, Daren CarlisleLinking the agricultural landscape of the Midwest to stream health with structural equation modeling
Multiple physical and chemical stressors can simultaneously affect the biological condition of streams. To better understand the complex interactions of land-use practices, water quality, and ecological integrity of streams, the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Project is conducting regional-scale assessments of stream condition across the United States. In the summer of 20AuthorsTravis S. Schmidt, Peter C. Van Metre, Daren CarlisleComplex mixtures of dissolved pesticides show potential aquatic toxicity in a synoptic study of Midwestern U.S. streams
Aquatic organisms in streams are exposed to pesticide mixtures that vary in composition over time in response to changes in flow conditions, pesticide inputs to the stream, and pesticide fate and degradation within the stream. To characterize mixtures of dissolved-phase pesticides and degradates in Midwestern streams, a synoptic study was conducted at 100 streams during May–August 2013. In weeklyAuthorsLisa H. Nowell, Patrick W. Moran, Travis S. Schmidt, Julia E. Norman, Naomi Nakagaki, Megan E. Shoda, Barbara Mahler, Peter C. Van Metre, Wesley W. Stone, Mark W. Sandstrom, Michelle L. Hladik - News
Pesticide science in the news! Read recent highlights.
What's In Your Stream? Get Online to Find Out!
A new update to an online interactive tool for learning about pesticides, nutrients, and overall stream health in major regions of the U.S. is available from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Regional Stream Quality Assessment.