Andrew Massey is a Supervisory Physical Scientist in the New England Water Science Center.
Andy is the field coordinator for the Surveying/GNSS Team who collect geographic information for FEMA Flood Mapping projects throughout New England. He coordinates the activities of over a dozen Hydrologic Technicians and student employees engaged in data collection using survey-grade GNSS equipment to measure and record precise geographic and topographic data for use in mapping of riverine flood inundation. He is also an ACA certified canoe instructor who provides non-motorized watercraft training for USGS employees who perform field operations via paddlecraft.
Prior to directing the flow of surveying work, Andy conducted GNSS and total station surveying campaigns throughout New England for flood mapping, documentation of high-water marks after flood, and for installation of the SWaTH network along the New England coastline. Andy served as the lead for the SWaTH network installation and deployment coordinator during tropical storms and Nor’easter events impacting the New England coastline.
Andy previously worked with USGS, as a University of Wyoming Graduate Student in the Wyoming Water Science Center, on the Yellowstone River Basin NAWQA study, EMAP Rocky Mountain Pilot study conducted by USGS-WY-WSC, and other water quality and GIS projects. He moved back to New England in 2001 to work with the Cape Cod Toxic Substances Hydrology team, and has been involved with a variety of projects that involve a complex field-data collection component.
Science and Products
Concentrations of metals and other water quality data for the Assabet and Concord Rivers, Massachusetts, 2008
Assessment of the presence of sewage in the Mill River under low-flow conditions, Springfield, Massachusetts, 2010–11
The Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) network of the U.S. Geological Survey—Past and future implementation of storm-response monitoring, data collection, and data delivery
Tropical storm Irene flood of August 2011 in northwestern Massachusetts
Determination of dilution factors for discharge of aluminum-containing wastes by public water-supply treatment facilities into lakes and reservoirs in Massachusetts
Storm tide monitoring during the blizzard of January 26-28, 2015, in eastern Massachusetts
Pharmaceutical compounds in Merrimack River water used for public supply, Lowell, Massachusetts, 2008-09
Refinement and evaluation of the Massachusetts firm-yield estimator model version 2.0
Hydrogeology and Simulation of Groundwater Flow in the Plymouth-Carver-Kingston-Duxbury Aquifer System, Southeastern Massachusetts
Distribution and Migration of Ordnance-Related Compounds and Oxygen and Hydrogen Stable Isotopes in Ground Water near Snake Pond, Sandwich, Massachusetts
Ground-water levels near the top of the water-table mound, western Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2002-04
Field tests of nylon-screen diffusion samplers and pushpoint samplers for detection of metals in sediment pore water, Ashland and Clinton, Massachusetts, 2003
Pushpoint sampling for defining spatial and temporal variations in contaminant concentrations in sediment pore water near the ground-water/surface-water interface
Science and Products
- Data
Concentrations of metals and other water quality data for the Assabet and Concord Rivers, Massachusetts, 2008
This dataset contains water-quality data for stream samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at 12 sites on the Assabet and Concord Rivers in eastern Massachusetts in 2008. The samples were collected monthly from June to October, 2008. The water-quality parameters and constituents include field parameters (water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and dissolved oxygen), concentrations of - Multimedia
- Publications
Assessment of the presence of sewage in the Mill River under low-flow conditions, Springfield, Massachusetts, 2010–11
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Senator William X. Wall Experiment Station, assessed the presence of 14 commonly used human-health pharmaceutical compounds, fecal indicator bacteria, and other man-made compounds indicative of the presence ofAuthorsAndrew J. Massey, Marcus C. Waldron, R. Jean Tang, Thomas G. HuntingtonThe Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) network of the U.S. Geological Survey—Past and future implementation of storm-response monitoring, data collection, and data delivery
After Hurricane Sandy made landfall along the northeastern Atlantic coast of the United States on October 29, 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) carried out scientific investigations to assist with protecting coastal communities and resources from future flooding. The work included development and implementation of the Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) network consisting of more thaAuthorsRichard J. Verdi, R. Russell Lotspeich, Jeanne C. Robbins, Ronald Busciolano, John R. Mullaney, Andrew J. Massey, William S. Banks, Mark A. Roland, Harry L. Jenter, Marie C. Peppler, Thomas P. Suro, Christopher E. Schubert, Mark R. NardiTropical storm Irene flood of August 2011 in northwestern Massachusetts
A Presidential disaster was declared in northwestern Massachusetts, following flooding from tropical storm Irene on August 28, 2011. During the storm, 3 to 10 inches of rain fell on soils that were susceptible to flash flooding because of wet antecedent conditions. The gage height at one U.S. Geological Survey streamgage rose nearly 20 feet in less than 4 hours because of the combination of saturaAuthorsGardner C. Bent, Scott A. Olson, Andrew J. MasseyDetermination of dilution factors for discharge of aluminum-containing wastes by public water-supply treatment facilities into lakes and reservoirs in Massachusetts
Dilution of aluminum discharged to reservoirs in filter-backwash effluents at water-treatment facilities in Massachusetts was investigated by a field study and computer simulation. Determination of dilution is needed so that permits for discharge ensure compliance with water-quality standards for aquatic life. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chronic standard for aluminum, 87 micrograms peAuthorsJohn A. Colman, Andrew J. Massey, Sara L. BrandtStorm tide monitoring during the blizzard of January 26-28, 2015, in eastern Massachusetts
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) deployed a temporary monitoring network of six storm surge sensors and four barometric pressure sensors along the Atlantic coast in eastern Massachusetts, from Plymouth to Newburyport, before the blizzard of January 26–28, 2015 (Blizzard of January 2015), to record the timing and magnitude of storm tide at select locations where forecasters had predicted the potenAuthorsAndrew J. Massey, Richard J. VerdiPharmaceutical compounds in Merrimack River water used for public supply, Lowell, Massachusetts, 2008-09
This report presents results of a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, to determine the occurrence of 14 commonly used human-health pharmaceutical compounds and fecal-indicator bacteria in Merrimack River water used as a drinking-water source by 135,000 residents in eastern Massachusetts. The study was dAuthorsAndrew J. Massey, Marcus C. WaldronRefinement and evaluation of the Massachusetts firm-yield estimator model version 2.0
The firm yield is the maximum average daily withdrawal that can be extracted from a reservoir without risk of failure during an extended drought period. Previously developed procedures for determining the firm yield of a reservoir were refined and applied to 38 reservoir systems in Massachusetts, including 25 single- and multiple-reservoir systems that were examined during previous studies and 13AuthorsSara B. Levin, Stacey A. Archfield, Andrew J. MasseyHydrogeology and Simulation of Groundwater Flow in the Plymouth-Carver-Kingston-Duxbury Aquifer System, Southeastern Massachusetts
The glacial sediments that underlie the Plymouth-Carver-Kingston-Duxbury area of southeastern Massachusetts compose an important aquifer system that is the primary source of water for a region undergoing rapid development. Population increases and land-use changes in this area has led to two primary environmental effects that relate directly to groundwater resources: (1) increases in pumping thatAuthorsJohn P. Masterson, Carl S. Carlson, Donald A. Walter, Gardner C. Other contributing authors: Bent, Andrew J. MasseyDistribution and Migration of Ordnance-Related Compounds and Oxygen and Hydrogen Stable Isotopes in Ground Water near Snake Pond, Sandwich, Massachusetts
Explosive compounds, such as RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) and HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine), and the propellant compound perchlorate are present in ground water near Snake Pond, a ground-water flow-through glacial kettle pond in the glacial sand and gravel aquifer on western Cape Cod near Camp Edwards on the Massachusetts Military Reservation. The contaminAuthorsDenis R. LeBlanc, Andrew J. Massey, Jessica J. Cochrane, Jonathan H. King, Kirk P. SmithGround-water levels near the top of the water-table mound, western Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2002-04
In January 2002 the U.S. Geological Survey began continuous water-level monitoring in three wells in the vicinity of the Southeast Ranges of Camp Edwards, near the Impact Area of the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod. The purpose of this effort was to examine how water levels at sites with different unsaturated-zone thicknesses near the top of the water-table mound beneath western CapAuthorsAndrew J. Massey, Carl S. Carlson, Denis R. LeBlancField tests of nylon-screen diffusion samplers and pushpoint samplers for detection of metals in sediment pore water, Ashland and Clinton, Massachusetts, 2003
Efficient and economical screening methods are needed to detect and to determine the approximate concentrations of potentially toxic trace-element metals in shallow groundwater- discharge areas (pore water) where the metals may pose threats to aquatic organisms; such areas are likely to be near hazardous-waste sites. Pushpoint and nylon-screen diffusion samplers are two complementary options for uAuthorsMarc J. Zimmerman, Don A. Vroblesky, Kimberly W. Campo, Andrew J. Massey, Walter ScheiblePushpoint sampling for defining spatial and temporal variations in contaminant concentrations in sediment pore water near the ground-water/surface-water interface
During four periods from April 2002 to June 2003, pore-water samples were taken from river sediment within a gaining reach (Mill Pond) of the Sudbury River in Ashland, Massachusetts, with a temporary pushpoint sampler to determine whether this device is an effective tool for measuring small-scale spatial variations in concentrations of volatile organic compounds and selected field parameters (specAuthorsMarc J. Zimmerman, Andrew J. Massey, Kimberly W. Campo