Alex R. Fiore is a hydrologist with the USGS New Jersey Water Science Center specializing in aquifer characterization, contaminant fate and transport, groundwater-surface water interactions, and development of hydrogeologic frameworks.
Alex serves as a scientific and technical advisor for Department of Defense and EPA Superfund groundwater contamination sites. He has also contributed to studies of landslide initiation, sea level rise, and groundwater availability.
Education and Certifications
M.S. in Geological Sciences, Rutgers University, 2014
B.S. in Geological Sciences, Minor in Geography, Rutgers University, 2011
Science and Products
Investigations and Technical Assistance to the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, in Assessing the Distribution and Transport of Perfluorinated Compounds in Groundwater and Surface Water
A Field Method to Quantify Chlorinated Solvent Diffusion, Sorption, Abiotic and Biotic Degradation in Low-Permeability Zones
Contaminant Fate and Transport Studies in Fractured Sedimentary Rock Aquifers at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, N.J.
Contaminants in Complex Hydrogeologic Settings - NAWC 2018 Archive
Landslide Monitoring and Research in the Atlantic Highlands area, New Jersey
MODFLOW 6 and MODPATH7 used to simulate regional groundwater flow and advective transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, 2018
Altitude of selected beds and inferred faults in boreholes as identified from geophysical logs at Valmont TCE Site, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
MODFLOW-2005 model used to simulate water-table response to climate-change-driven sea-level rise and changes in recharge, Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit, New Jersey
Hydrologic, slope movement, and soil property data from the coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, 2016-2018
Concentrations of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater and surface water, former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey
Reported groundwater levels and groundwater pump-and-treat withdrawal volumes, former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2018
MODFLOW-2005 model used to evaluate the potential effects of sea-level rise on the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the vicinity of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
Distribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater and surface water at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2018
Simulation of regional groundwater flow and advective transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, 2018
Hydrogeologic framework, water levels, and selected contaminant concentrations at Valmont TCE Superfund Site, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, 2020
The Valmont TCE Superfund Site, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is underlain by fractured and folded sandstones and shales of the Pottsville and Mauch Chunk Formations, which form a fractured-rock aquifer recharged locally by precipitation. Industrial activities at the former Chromatex Plant resulted in trichloroethene (TCE) contamination of groundwater at and near the facility, which was identified
Hydrogeology and gain/loss assessment of two lakes contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, vicinity of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, 2020–21
Simulation of water-table response to sea-level rise and change in recharge, Sandy Hook unit, Gateway National Recreation Area, New Jersey
Distribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in monitoring wells at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2014–17
Capturing the transient hydrological response in sandy soils during a rare cloudburst associated with shallow slope failures; A case study in the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, USA
Groundwater levels and generalized potentiometric surfaces, former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2018
Regional hydrostratigraphic framework of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, in the context of perfluoroalkyl substances contamination of groundwater and surface water
Hydrogeology of, simulation of groundwater flow in, and potential effects of sea-level rise on the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the vicinity of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
Landslide monitoring in the Atlantic Highlands area, New Jersey
Characterizing meteorological and hydrologic conditions associated with shallow landslide initiation in the coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
Science and Products
- Science
Investigations and Technical Assistance to the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, in Assessing the Distribution and Transport of Perfluorinated Compounds in Groundwater and Surface Water
The USGS New Jersey Water Science Center provides hydrologic technical assistance to the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) in New Jersey, regarding contamination issues associated with perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in groundwater and surface water.A Field Method to Quantify Chlorinated Solvent Diffusion, Sorption, Abiotic and Biotic Degradation in Low-Permeability Zones
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program project ER-2533 In chlorinated-solvent-contaminated fractured-sedimentary-rock aquifers, low-permeability (low-K) strata typically act as long-term or secondary sources of contamination to mobile groundwater in the high-permeability fractures. The fate of dissolved trichloroethene (TCE) in the low-K matrix is controlled by abiotic...Contaminant Fate and Transport Studies in Fractured Sedimentary Rock Aquifers at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, N.J.
Contaminants associated with industrial, airport, and other activities are present in groundwater in fractured-rock aquifers, posing long-term hazards to drinking-water supplies and ecosystems. The heterogeneous character of fractured rock challenges our understanding, monitoring, and remediation of such sites.Contaminants in Complex Hydrogeologic Settings - NAWC 2018 Archive
Long-Term Field Research at former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), West Trenton, New Jersey This is an Archive.Landslide Monitoring and Research in the Atlantic Highlands area, New Jersey
Recent shallow landslides have occurred on the steep hillslopes of the Atlantic Highlands area during and after large storm events with exceptionally heavy rainfall. These shallow landslides have resulted in extensive damage to residential property and local infrastructure and threatened human safety.The USGS New Jersey Water Science Center (NJWSC) and the USGS Landslide Hazards Program (LHP) are... - Data
MODFLOW 6 and MODPATH7 used to simulate regional groundwater flow and advective transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, 2018
A three-dimensional groundwater flow model using MODFLOW 6 (version 6.2.2) was developed and calibrated for unconsolidated Coastal Plain aquifers underlying the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) and vicinity, New Jersey, to evaluate groundwater flow pathways of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination associated with use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). The model was devAltitude of selected beds and inferred faults in boreholes as identified from geophysical logs at Valmont TCE Site, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
This dataset contains altitudes of selected beds and inferred faults in boreholes within an area of interest determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the Valmont TCE Superfund site in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The selected beds correspond to sections of borehole geophysical logs with elevated natural gamma activity as described in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Open-FMODFLOW-2005 model used to simulate water-table response to climate-change-driven sea-level rise and changes in recharge, Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit, New Jersey
A MODFLOW-2005 model, using the SWI2 package, was developed for the Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway National Recreation Area (hereafter Sandy Hook) in New Jersey to evaluate the response of groundwater resources to expected sea-level rise (SLR) and changes in groundwater recharge associated with global climate change. The National Park Service (NPS), among other agencies, is mandated to evaluate the effeHydrologic, slope movement, and soil property data from the coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, 2016-2018
Seasonal variations in vegetation, rainfall, and soil moisture conditions have the potential to impact the slope stability of locally forested coastal bluffs in the Atlantic Highlands of New Jersey. Both the seasonality and rainfall amounts of the two types of storms that induce shallow landslides in the area vary considerably. Most of the documented historical landslides are the result of heavy rConcentrations of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater and surface water, former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey
This dataset contains a compilation of concentrations of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater and surface water sampled at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey. Measured VOCs include trichloroethene (TCE), cis- 1,2-dichloroethene (cisDCE), and vinyl chloride (VC). Semi-volatile organic compound 1,4-dioxReported groundwater levels and groundwater pump-and-treat withdrawal volumes, former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2018
This dataset contains U.S. Navy contractor-reported groundwater level data measured on June 18, 2018 and reported daily total groundwater pump-and-treat withdrawal volumes for calendar year 2018 at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey. This data release supports: Fiore, A.R., and Lacombe, P.J., 2020, Groundwater levels and generalized potentiometric surfaces, former NavalMODFLOW-2005 model used to evaluate the potential effects of sea-level rise on the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the vicinity of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
A three-dimensional groundwater flow model, MODFLOW2005 with the SWI2 module, was developed to provide a better understanding of the geohydrology of the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer System in the Vicinity of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey. The model was used to evaluate the potential effects of three sea level rise scenarios on the aquifer system. The model was calibrated to a - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 14
Distribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater and surface water at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2018
Groundwater wells and surface-water storm sewers contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) site in West Trenton, New Jersey were sampled in 2018 as part of the Navy’s long-term monitoring program. Trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cisDCE), and vinyl chloride concentrations were plotAuthorsAlex R. Fiore, Thomas E. Imbrigiotta, Timothy P. WilsonSimulation of regional groundwater flow and advective transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, 2018
A three-dimensional numerical model of groundwater flow was developed and calibrated for the unconsolidated New Jersey Coastal Plain aquifers underlying Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) and vicinity, New Jersey, to evaluate groundwater flow pathways of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination associated with use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) at the base. The regionalAuthorsAlex R. Fiore, Susan J. ColarulloHydrogeologic framework, water levels, and selected contaminant concentrations at Valmont TCE Superfund Site, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, 2020
The Valmont TCE Superfund Site, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is underlain by fractured and folded sandstones and shales of the Pottsville and Mauch Chunk Formations, which form a fractured-rock aquifer recharged locally by precipitation. Industrial activities at the former Chromatex Plant resulted in trichloroethene (TCE) contamination of groundwater at and near the facility, which was identified
AuthorsLisa A. Senior, Alex R. Fiore, Philip H. BirdHydrogeology and gain/loss assessment of two lakes contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, vicinity of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, 2020–21
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been identified in two lakes near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) in New Jersey—Little Pine Lake in Pemberton Township and Pine Lake in Manchester Township. The streams that enter these lakes begin in or near JBMDL where sources of PFAS contamination are located. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force Civil EngineAuthorsAlex R. Fiore, Christopher M. Witzigman, Robert G. ReiserSimulation of water-table response to sea-level rise and change in recharge, Sandy Hook unit, Gateway National Recreation Area, New Jersey
The Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway National Recreation Area (hereafter Sandy Hook) in New Jersey is a 10-kilometer-long spit visited by thousands of people each year who take advantage of the historical and natural resources and recreational opportunities. The historical and natural resources are threatened by global climate change, including sea-level rise (SLR), changes in precipitation and groundwateAuthorsGlen B. Carleton, Emmanuel G. Charles, Alex R. Fiore, Richard B. WinstonDistribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in monitoring wells at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2014–17
A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Navy (the Navy) to determine the status of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in groundwater at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) in West Trenton, New Jersey. Wells contaminated with VOCs were sampled in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 as part of the Navy’s long-termAuthorsThomas E. Imbrigiotta, Alex R. FioreCapturing the transient hydrological response in sandy soils during a rare cloudburst associated with shallow slope failures; A case study in the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, USA
A cloudburst on 7 August 2018 in the coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, induced flooding, erosion and multiple shallow slope failures that adversely affected the surrounding hillside residential area. Historically, short-duration deluges are rare in the New York Bay region, with only eight cloudbursts of greater magnitude documented since 1948. The coastal bluffs consist of a vaAuthorsFrancis Ashland, Pamela A. Reilly, Alex R. FioreGroundwater levels and generalized potentiometric surfaces, former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2018
Groundwater-level conditions, generalized groundwater potentiometric surfaces, and generalized flow directions at the decommissioned Naval Air Warfare Center in West Trenton, New Jersey, were evaluated for calendar year 2018. Groundwater levels measured continuously in five on-site wells and one nearby off-site well were plotted as hydrographs for January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018. GroundAuthorsAlex R. Fiore, Pierre J. LacombeRegional hydrostratigraphic framework of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, in the context of perfluoroalkyl substances contamination of groundwater and surface water
A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, to describe the regional hydrostratigraphy of shallow aquifers and confining units underlying Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) and vicinity, New Jersey, in the context of contamination of groundwater and surface water by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) potentially originating from JBMDLAuthorsAlex R. FioreHydrogeology of, simulation of groundwater flow in, and potential effects of sea-level rise on the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the vicinity of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
The Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than 47,000 acres of New Jersey coastal habitats, including salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, tidal wetlands, barrier beaches, woodlands, and swamps. The refuge is along the Atlantic Flyway and provides breeding habitat for fish, migratory birds, and other wildlife species. The refuge area may be threatened by global climate change,AuthorsAlex R. Fiore, Lois M. Voronin, Christine M. WiebenLandslide monitoring in the Atlantic Highlands area, New Jersey
Shallow and deep-seated landslides have occurred episodically on the steep coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Highlands area (Boroughs of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands) in New Jersey. The oldest documented deep-seated landslide occurred in April 1782 and significantly changed the morphology of the bluff. However, recent landslides have been mostly shallow in nature and have occurred during large stAuthorsPamela A. Reilly, Francis X. Ashland, Alex R. FioreCharacterizing meteorological and hydrologic conditions associated with shallow landslide initiation in the coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
Meteorological and hydrologic conditions associated with shallow landslide initiation in the coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey remain undocumented despite a history of damaging slope movement extending back to at least 1903. This study applies an empirical approach to quantify the rainfall conditions leading to shallow landsliding based on analysis of overlapping historical precAuthorsFrancis Ashland, Alex R. Fiore, Pamela A. Reilly