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Charles A Cravotta, III, PhD, PG

Charles (Chuck) Cravotta is a research hydrologist whose projects focus on geochemical and hydrological processes that control water quality, particularly the sources, transport, and attenuation of metals and nutrients in undisturbed and mining-impacted watersheds and aquifers. Results apply to scientific and regulatory programs for the prevention and remediation of aquatic contamination.

Professional Experience

  • 1987-present: Research Hydrologist, USGS, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania

  • 2018-present: Adjunct Instructor, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pittsburgh

  • 2001-2005: Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

  • 1986-1987: Geochemist, IT Corporation, Monroeville, Pennsylvania

  • 1982-1986:  Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant, Geosciences Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania

  • 1979-1982:  Geologist, Office of Scientific Publications, Geologic Division, USGS, Reston, Virginia

  • 1979:  Geologic Technician, Virginia State Water Control Board, Alexandria, Virginia

     

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. Geochemistry and Mineralogy, Pennsylvania State University, 1996

  • M.S. Geochemistry and Mineralogy, Pennsylvania State University, 1986

  • Continuing education, George Mason University, 1980-82 

  • B.A. Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, 1979

  • 1995-present:  Registered Professional Geologist in Pennsylvania PG-002255-G

     

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • 2011-2016: Associate Editor, Mine Water and the Environment Journal, International Mine Water Association

     

Honors and Awards

  • The Society for Organic Petrology Dalaway J. Swain Award “Best Refereed Paper”, 2016

  • Department of Interior Partners in Conservation Award (AMDTreat Development Team), 2013

  • Top 50 Most-Cited Papers in "Applied Geochemistry" (2006-2011)

  • Department of Interior Superior Service Award, 2005

  • Schuylkill County Conservation Professional of the Year Award, 2003

  • Department of Interior Honor Award, 2000

  • Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Award for Excellence, 1999

     

Science and Products

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Farms, forests and rolling hills in Lycoming County, PA

Regional Synthesis of Groundwater Quality in Domestic Supply Wells in Northeast and North Central Pennsylvania

USGS synthesized groundwater quality measurements in wells to characterize regional chemical characteristics of aquifers used for domestic supply in northeast and north central Pennsylvania.
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center
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Regional Synthesis of Groundwater Quality in Domestic Supply Wells in Northeast and North Central Pennsylvania

USGS synthesized groundwater quality measurements in wells to characterize regional chemical characteristics of aquifers used for domestic supply in northeast and north central Pennsylvania.
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Map of baseline groundwater quality assessments in Pennsylvania

Groundwater Quality of Domestic Supply Wells in Pennsylvania

Most rural residents in Pennsylvania use groundwater from domestic supply wells for drinking, cleaning and other purposes. Some groundwater samples have been analyzed for private purposes, but those results generally are not readily available to the public. Many of the publicly available water-quality samples from rural areas were collected more than 30 years ago. Quality-assured groundwater...
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center
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Groundwater Quality of Domestic Supply Wells in Pennsylvania

Most rural residents in Pennsylvania use groundwater from domestic supply wells for drinking, cleaning and other purposes. Some groundwater samples have been analyzed for private purposes, but those results generally are not readily available to the public. Many of the publicly available water-quality samples from rural areas were collected more than 30 years ago. Quality-assured groundwater...
Learn More
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Screenshot of PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat software

Recoding of AMDTreat Phase 2: Integration of PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat water-quality prediction tools with recoded AMDTreat cost-analysis software

Newly developed PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat water-quality prediction tools indicate potential changes in pH, dissolved metals, and associated solute concentrations resulting from passive and active treatment of coal-mine drainage.
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center
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Recoding of AMDTreat Phase 2: Integration of PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat water-quality prediction tools with recoded AMDTreat cost-analysis software

Newly developed PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat water-quality prediction tools indicate potential changes in pH, dissolved metals, and associated solute concentrations resulting from passive and active treatment of coal-mine drainage.
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Data compilation for regional synthesis of chemical characteristics of groundwater used for domestic supply in north-east and north-central Pennsylvania

Groundwater quality data for 472 domestic well-water samples were retrieved from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database and combined with descriptive information on the sampled well locations. The NWIS data for a sample, collected on the selected date, were averaged into a single record (one per well), and rounded according to USGS protocols. For evaluation and reporting, the w
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Inorganic Constituent and Ancillary Data for Evaluation of Lithium in Groundwater in the United States, 1991-2018

Lithium concentrations in untreated groundwater from 1,464 public-supply wells, 1,676 domestic-supply wells, and 1,560 monitoring wells distributed across 33 principal aquifers in the United States were evaluated for spatial variations and possible explanatory factors. For context, lithium concentrations are compared to a drinking-water only threshold (60 mg/L) and a Health-Based Screening Level (

Compilation of data not available in the National Water Information System for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, May-September 2017

This dataset contains the lithologic class and topographic position index information and quality-assurance and quality-control data not available in the online National Water Information System for 54 domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, May-September 2017. The topographic position index (TPI) for each well location was computed on the basis of a 2
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Hydrologic data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Summit Area, Blair and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania, April 2014-December 2016

This data release reports water-quantity and water-quality data collected during 2014-2016 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS) at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (ALPO) in Blair and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania (figure 1). These data establish a base-line for current hydrologic conditions and may be helpful to evaluat
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Compilation of data not available in the National Water Information System for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, May-August 2016

This dataset contains the lithologic class and topographic position index information and quality-assurance and quality-control data not available in the online National Water Information System for 72 domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, May-August 2016. The topographic position index (TPI) for each well location was computed on the basis of a 25-
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center
green, orange, trees, wetlands, houses
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Photograph of two people pumping water samples from a spring
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Photograph of 2 people sampling a spring
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Filter Total Items: 81

Long-term impacts of impervious surface cover change and roadway deicing agent application on chloride concentrations in exurban and suburban watersheds

Roadway deicing agents, including rock salt and brine containing NaCl, have had a profound impact on the water quality and aquatic health of rivers and streams in urbanized areas with temperate climates. Yet, few studies evaluate impacts to watersheds characterized by relatively low impervious surface cover (ISC; < 15 %). Here, we use long-term (1997-2019), monthly streamwater quality data combine
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Pollutant co-attenuation via in-stream interactions between mine drainage and municipal wastewater

Municipal wastewater (MWW) and mine drainage (MD) are common co-occurring sources of freshwater pollution in mining regions. The physicochemical interactions that occur after mixing MWW and MD in a waterway may improve downstream water quality of an impaired reach by reducing downstream concentrations of nutrients and metals (i.e., “co-attenuation”). A first-order stream (Bradley Run in central Pe
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Mine drainage precipitates attenuate and conceal wastewater-derived phosphate pollution in stream water

Hydrous ferric-oxide (HFO) coatings on streambed sediments may attenuate dissolved phosphate (PO4) concentrations at acidic to neutral pH conditions, limiting phosphorus (P) transport and availability in aquatic ecosystems. Mesh-covered tiles on which “natural” HFO from abandoned mine drainage (AMD) had precipitated were exposed to treated municipal wastewater (MWW) effluent or a mixture of stream
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Factors Affecting Groundwater Quality Used for Domestic Supply in Marcellus Shale Region of North-Central and North-East Pennsylvania, USA

Factors affecting groundwater quality used for domestic supply within the Marcellus Shale footprint in north-central and north-east Pennsylvania are identified using a combination of spatial, statistical, and geochemical modeling. Untreated groundwater, sampled during 2011–2017 from 472 domestic wells within the study area, exhibited wide ranges in pH (4.5–9.3), total dissolved solids (TDS, 22–196
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Relation between road-salt application and increasing radium concentrations in a low-pH aquifer, southern New Jersey

The Kirkwood–Cohansey aquifer in southern New Jersey is an important source of drinking-water supplies, but the availability of the resource is limited in some areas by high concentrations of radium, a potential carcinogen at elevated concentrations. Radium (226Ra plus 228Ra) concentrations from a network of 25 drinking-water wells showed a statistically significant increase over a decadal time sc
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Water Resources, New Jersey Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Machine-learning predictions of high arsenic and high manganese at drinking water depths of the glacial aquifer system, northern continental United States

Globally, over 200 million people are chronically exposed to arsenic (As) and/or manganese (Mn) from drinking water. We used machine-learning (ML) boosted regression tree (BRT) models to predict high As (>10 μg/L) and Mn (>300 μg/L) in groundwater from the glacial aquifer system (GLAC), which spans 25 states in the northern United States and provides drinking water to 30 million people. Our BRT mo
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Water Resources, California Water Science Center, New England Water Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Lithium in groundwater used for drinking-water supply in the United States

Lithium concentrations in untreated groundwater from 1464 public-supply wells and 1676 domestic-supply wells distributed across 33 principal aquifers in the United States were evaluated for spatial variations and possible explanatory factors. Concentrations nationwide ranged from
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Water Resources, California Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Interactive PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat water-quality modeling tools to evaluate performance and design of treatment systems for acid mine drainage

The PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat aqueous geochemical modeling tools described herein simulate changes in pH and solute concentrations resulting from passive and active treatment of acidic or alkaline mine drainage (AMD). The “user-friendly” interactive tools, which are publicly available software, utilize PHREEQC equilibrium aqueous and surface speciation models and kinetics models for O2 ingassing and CO2 o
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Groundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and hydrogeologic and geochemical characteristics for 47 domestic wells in Potter County, Pennsylvania, 2017

As part of a regional effort to characterize groundwater in rural areas of Pennsylvania, water samples from 47 domestic wells in Potter County were collected from May through September 2017. The sampled wells had depths ranging from 33 to 600 feet in sandstone, shale, or siltstone aquifers. Groundwater samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties that could be evaluated in relation to drin
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Groundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and geochemical characteristics for 54 domestic wells in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, 2017

Despite the reliance on groundwater by approximately 2.4 million rural Pennsylvania residents, publicly available data to characterize the quality of private well water are limited. As part of a regional effort to characterize groundwater in rural areas of Pennsylvania, samples from 54 domestic wells in Clinton County were collected and analyzed in 2017. The samples were evaluated for a wide range
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Occurrence and geochemistry of lead-210 and polonium-210 radionuclides in public-drinking-water supplies from principal aquifers of the United States

On the basis of lifetime cancer risks, lead-210 (210Pb) and polonium-210 (210Po) ≥ 1.0 and 0.7 pCi/L (picocuries per liter), respectively, in drinking-water supplies may pose human-health concerns. 210Pb and 210Po were detected at concentrations greater than these thresholds at 3.7 and 1.5%, respectively, of filtered untreated groundwater samples from 1263 public-supply wells in 19 principal aquif
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Water Resources, National Water Quality Program, New Jersey Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Batch extraction method to estimate total dissolved solids (TDS) release from coal refuse and overburden

A rapid batch extraction method was evaluated to estimate potential for total dissolved solids (TDS) release by 65 samples of rock from coal and gas-bearing strata of the Appalachian Basin in eastern USA. Three different extractant solutions were considered: deionized water (DI), DI equilibrated with 10% CO2 atmosphere (DI + CO2), or 30% H2O2 under 10% CO2 (H2O2+CO2). In all extractions, 10 g of p
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Water Resources, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Interactive PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat+REYs water-quality modeling tools to evaluate potential attenuation of rare-earth elements and associated dissolved constituents by aqueous-solid equilibrium processes (software download)

Software utilizing PHREEQC with user interface. The PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat+REYs geochemical modeling tools have the fundamental capability to simulate and predict key reactions related to the treatment of acid mine drainage and the formation of treatment solids, including the adsorption of rare-earth elements plus yttrium (REYs) onto hydrous iron, aluminum, and manganese oxides. These new tools were e
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Interactive PHREEQ-N-Titration-PO4-Adsorption water-quality modeling tools to evaluate potential attenuation of phosphate and associated dissolved constituents by aqueous-solid equilibrium processes (software download)

Two complementary executable water-quality modeling tools (CausticTitration_PO4mg.exe, CausticTitration_PO4moles.exe) simulate equilibrium processes that may attenuate dissolved concentrations of phosphate (PO4) plus associated concentrations of iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), and sulfate (SO4) as pH and other solution characteristics change during titration with a caustic
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center

PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat

USGS developed, in cooperation with the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, “user-friendly” aqueous geochemical modeling tools to simulate changes in water quality during passive and active treatment of acid mine drainage.

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Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Interactive PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat Water-Quality Modeling Tools to Evaluate Performance and Design of Treatment Systems for Acid Mine Drainage (software download)

The PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat aqueous geochemical modeling tools described herein simulate changes in pH and solute concentrations resulting from passive and active treatment of acidic or alkaline mine drainage (AMD). The &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;ldquo;user-friendly&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;rdquo; interactive tools, which are publicly available software, utilize PHREEQC equilibrium aqueous and surface speciation
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Pennsylvania Water Science Center
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USGS at the Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium

Penn State Extension and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, along with numerous other sponsors, hosted the annual Pennsylvania...

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USGS Develops a New Water-Quality Modeling Tool for Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Systems

USGS developed, in cooperation with the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, “user-friendly” aqueous geochemical modeling tools to...

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USGS Characterizes Baseline Groundwater Quality in Potter County, Pennsylvania

A report on the groundwater quality of Potter County is the latest of seven publications characterizing water quality of aquifers underlying central...

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USGS fills a knowledge gap for radionuclide occurrence in groundwater

Using recently developed and sensitive laboratory methods, the USGS has documented where the radionuclides lead-210 and polonium-210 occur in...

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Science and Products

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government