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Jim Tesoriero

Jim Tesoriero is a research hydrologist at the Oregon Water Science Center in Portland. His research interests include the transformation of contaminants along groundwater flow paths, groundwater-surface water interactions, and regional scale assessments of groundwater and stream vulnerability to contaminants using machine learning and statistical methods.

 

 

Science and Products

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Micro-sampler installation in flood

National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA)

Our surface water, groundwater, and aquatic ecosystems are priceless resources, used by people across the Nation for drinking, irrigation, industry, and recreation. The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project is a leading source of scientific data and knowledge for development of science-based policies and management strategies to improve and protect our water resources.
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Water Resources, National Water Quality Program, Oregon Water Science Center
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National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA)

Our surface water, groundwater, and aquatic ecosystems are priceless resources, used by people across the Nation for drinking, irrigation, industry, and recreation. The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project is a leading source of scientific data and knowledge for development of science-based policies and management strategies to improve and protect our water resources.
Learn More
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National Water Quality Program

National Water Quality Program

The National Water Quality Program seeks to answer four questions regarding the quality of our freshwater resources: 1) What is the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater? 2) How is water quality changing over time? 3) How do natural factors and human activities affect water quality? 4) How will water quality change in response to future changes in climate and human activities?
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Water Resources
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National Water Quality Program

The National Water Quality Program seeks to answer four questions regarding the quality of our freshwater resources: 1) What is the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater? 2) How is water quality changing over time? 3) How do natural factors and human activities affect water quality? 4) How will water quality change in response to future changes in climate and human activities?
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Datasets of Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January 2017 through December 2019

Groundwater-quality data were collected from 983 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. The data were collected from six types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-use study networ
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Water Resources

Datasets from Groundwater-Quality and Select Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2016, and Previously Unpublished Data from 2013 to 2015

Groundwater-quality data were collected from 648 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. Most of the wells (514) were sampled from January through December 2016 and 60 of them were sampled in 2013 and 74 in 2014. The data were collected from seven types of well networks: principal a
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Central Midwest Water Science Center

Source and model output layers used for the prediction and display of the probability of elevated concentrations of redox-sensitive constituents in groundwater in the Fox-Wolf-Peshtigo watershed in Wisconsin and Michigan

This USGS data release contains 1-kilometer resolution source-layer rasters used to predict redox conditions and contaminant concentrations in groundwater in the Fox-Wolf-Peshtigo watershed in Wisconsin and Michigan using random forest classification. The model output layers are 1-kilometer resolution rasters of the predicted probability of elevated concentrations of nitrate, iron, and arsenic. Th
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Water Resources, National Water Quality Program
Filter Total Items: 37

Influence of redox gradients on nitrate transport from the landscape to groundwater and streams

Increases in nitrogen applications to the land surface since the 1950s have led to a cascade of negative environmental impacts, including degradation of drinking water supplies, nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems and contributions to global climate change. In this study, groundwater, streambed porewater, and stream sampling were used to establish trends in nitrate concentrations and how red
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Water Resources, Colorado Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center

Groundwater-quality and select quality-control data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January 2017 through December 2019

Groundwater-quality environmental data were collected from 983 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Program and are included in this report. The data were collected from six types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-us
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Water Resources, National Water Quality Program, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Factors affecting nitrate concentrations in stream base flow

Elevated nitrogen concentrations in streams and rivers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have adversely affected the ecosystem health of the bay. Much of this nitrogen is derived as nitrate from groundwater that discharges to streams as base flow. In this study, boosted regression trees (BRTs) were used to relate nitrate concentrations in base flow (n = 156) to explanatory variables describing nitro
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Water Resources, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Oregon Water Science Center

Prioritizing river basins for intensive monitoring and assessment by the US Geological Survey

The US Geological Survey (USGS) is currently (2020) integrating its water science programs to better address the nation’s greatest water resource challenges now and into the future. This integration will rely, in part, on data from 10 or more intensively monitored river basins from across the USA. A team of USGS scientists was convened to develop a systematic, quantitative approach to prioritize c
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Water Resources

Groundwater-quality and select quality-control data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2016, and previously unpublished data from 2013 to 2015

Environmental groundwater-quality data were collected from 648 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. Most of the wells (514) were sampled from January through December 2016, and 60 of them were sampled in 2013 and 74 in 2014. The data were collected from seven types of well networ
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Central Midwest Water Science Center

Using age tracers and decadal sampling to discern trends in nitrate, arsenic and uranium in groundwater beneath irrigated cropland

Repeat sampling and age tracers were used to examine trends in nitrate, arsenic and uranium concentrations in groundwater beneath irrigated cropland. Much higher nitrate concentrations in shallow modern groundwater were observed at both the Columbia Plateau and High Plains sites (median values of 10.2 and 15.4 mg/L as N, respectively) than in groundwater that recharged prior to the onset of intens
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Water Resources, Oregon Water Science Center

Monitoring the Riverine Pulse: Applying high-frequency nitrate data to advance integrative understanding of biogeochemical and hydrological processes

Widespread deployment of sensors that measure river nitrate (NO3-) concentrations has led to many recent publications in water resources journals including review papers focused on data quality assurance, improved load calculations, and better nutrient management. The principal objective of this paper is to review and synthesize studies of high-frequency NO3- data that have aimed to improve unders
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Water Resources

Groundwater-quality and select quality-control data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2015, and previously unpublished data from 2013 to 2014

Groundwater-quality data were collected from 502 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and are included in this report. Most of the wells (500) were sampled from January through December 2015, and 2 of them were sampled in 2013. The data were collected from five types of well networks: principal aquifer study net
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Central Midwest Water Science Center

Understanding the influence of nutrients on stream ecosystems in agricultural landscapes

Sustaining the quality of the Nation’s water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and long-term economic,
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Water Resources, National Water Quality Program, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center

Estimates of nitrate loads and yields from groundwater to streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed based on land use and geology

The water quality of the Chesapeake Bay may be adversely affected by dissolved nitrate carried in groundwater discharge to streams. To estimate the concentrations, loads, and yields of nitrate from groundwater to streams for the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a regression model was developed based on measured nitrate concentrations from 156 small streams with watersheds less than 500 square miles (mi2
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Water Resources, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

Regional variability of nitrate fluxes in the unsaturated zone and groundwater, Wisconsin, USA

Process-based modeling of regional NO3− fluxes to groundwater is critical for understanding and managing water quality, but the complexity of NO3− reactive transport processes make implementation a challenge. This study introduces a regional vertical flux method (VFM) for efficient estimation of reactive transport of NO3− in the vadose zone and groundwater. The regional VFM was applied to 443 well
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Water Resources, Toxic Substances Hydrology

Estimating discharge and nonpoint source nitrate loading to streams from three end‐member pathways using high‐frequency water quality data

The myriad hydrologic and biogeochemical processes taking place in watersheds occurring across space and time are integrated and reflected in the quantity and quality of water in streams and rivers. Collection of high‐frequency water quality data with sensors in surface waters provides new opportunities to disentangle these processes and quantify sources and transport of water and solutes in the c
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Water Resources, National Water Quality Program, Oregon Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Kansas Water Science Center, Utah Water Science Center

Pre-USGS Publications

Science and Products