Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Joe Duris
Hi, I'm Joe Duris. I'm interested in trace organic compounds in water, understanding their fate and transport, and their interactions with stream and aquifer ecosystems. Have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Throughout my time at the USGS I have been actively involved in many facets of water-quality monitoring and research. I have worked with several national and regional USGS programs including the Toxics Substances Hydrology program (Toxics), the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA), the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), and most recently the Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) Program in the Delaware River Basin. Most of my work throughout my career has focused on evaluating the occurrence, fate, and transport of fecally-derived pathogens and their relation to trace organic compounds (PFAS, wastewater compounds, pharmaceuticals, hormones, pesticides). In addition, I have worked on issues of nutrient enrichment and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in inland lakes and the Great Lakes, and on monitoring nutrient and sediment flux using surrogate regression models.
Current Research
- Evaluation of the distribution, fate, transport, and mass-balance of Per-and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) at multiple spatial scales and refining and testing field techniques for proper sampling of PFAS in surface water
- Evaluation of suspended sediment and nutrient flux in real-time using surrogate regression models by rating in-stream measurements with parameters of interest
- Exploring the connection between blending untreated human sewage and acid mine drainage on the microbial ecology of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in streams
- Data management, data visualization, and evaluating new monitoring technologies
Science and Products
Hydrologic and Water Quality Studies of PFAS in Pennsylvania
USGS is working with federal, state, and local partners to monitor and evaluate perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Pennsylvania's groundwater and surface waters. A recent study sampled tap water in Pennsylvania (and other states) and detected PFAS chemicals in some samples.
Sediment and Stream Health - Pennsylvania
Sediment in streams, from land surface erosion in watersheds, is an important factor in determining the quality of Pennsylvania's surface waters and of downstream water bodies such as the Delaware Estuary and Chesapeake Bay. The USGS has a long-standing tradition of measuring suspended-sediment concentrations and estimating loads. Recent technological advances allow real-time estimates of...
Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
USGS provides monitoring, analysis, modeling and research on streams and water quality to better understand the fate and transport of nutrients and sediment to the Susquehanna and other rivers, and their tributaries, and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay. Additional research focuses on emerging contaminants and other stressors that effect human and aquatic life in the watershed and estuary.
Susquehanna River and Basin
In Pennsylvania, the USGS's water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers and assessments of groundwater resources near Philadelphia. The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center continues to provide scientific information about the water resources of the Susquehanna River Basin, in cooperation with regional and...
Pennsylvania Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network
USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, samples 28 wells biannually to monitor ambient groundwater quality conditions throughout Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Super Gages
What is a Super Gage? A gage at which continuous flow and water level are determined, along with continuous traditional water-quality (water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and/or turbidity) and either of the following criteria: at least one other less-traditional continuous water-quality parameter (orthophosphate, nitrate concentration) and/or where surrogates (developed...
Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
York County Sediment and Nutrient Monitoring
Since 2019, the USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center has been cooperating with York County, Pennsylvania to implement in-stream monitoring to produce surrogate regression equations to compute, in real time, the concentration and load of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and suspended sediment for 6 major watersheds in York County, Pennsylvania. This partnership provides the York County Planning...
Pennsylvania Statewide Surface Water-Quality Monitoring Network - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances Sampling Preparation
In partnership with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Susquehanna River Basin Commission, rigorous and innovative PFAS sampling techniques were created for low-level detections.
Water Quality Monitoring - Pennsylvania
Water-Quality Monitoring
Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Sampling Well Network at Fourmile Creek, Iowa
Sampling well network at Fourmile Creek, Iowa. The Ankeny Waterwater Treatment Plant discharge can be seen in background on the opposite bank. The water in the stream is flowing toward viewer.
Sampling well network at Fourmile Creek, Iowa. The Ankeny Waterwater Treatment Plant discharge can be seen in background on the opposite bank. The water in the stream is flowing toward viewer.
Science and Products
Hydrologic and Water Quality Studies of PFAS in Pennsylvania
USGS is working with federal, state, and local partners to monitor and evaluate perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Pennsylvania's groundwater and surface waters. A recent study sampled tap water in Pennsylvania (and other states) and detected PFAS chemicals in some samples.
Sediment and Stream Health - Pennsylvania
Sediment in streams, from land surface erosion in watersheds, is an important factor in determining the quality of Pennsylvania's surface waters and of downstream water bodies such as the Delaware Estuary and Chesapeake Bay. The USGS has a long-standing tradition of measuring suspended-sediment concentrations and estimating loads. Recent technological advances allow real-time estimates of...
Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
USGS provides monitoring, analysis, modeling and research on streams and water quality to better understand the fate and transport of nutrients and sediment to the Susquehanna and other rivers, and their tributaries, and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay. Additional research focuses on emerging contaminants and other stressors that effect human and aquatic life in the watershed and estuary.
Susquehanna River and Basin
In Pennsylvania, the USGS's water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers and assessments of groundwater resources near Philadelphia. The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center continues to provide scientific information about the water resources of the Susquehanna River Basin, in cooperation with regional and...
Pennsylvania Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network
USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, samples 28 wells biannually to monitor ambient groundwater quality conditions throughout Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Super Gages
What is a Super Gage? A gage at which continuous flow and water level are determined, along with continuous traditional water-quality (water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and/or turbidity) and either of the following criteria: at least one other less-traditional continuous water-quality parameter (orthophosphate, nitrate concentration) and/or where surrogates (developed...
Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
York County Sediment and Nutrient Monitoring
Since 2019, the USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center has been cooperating with York County, Pennsylvania to implement in-stream monitoring to produce surrogate regression equations to compute, in real time, the concentration and load of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and suspended sediment for 6 major watersheds in York County, Pennsylvania. This partnership provides the York County Planning...
Pennsylvania Statewide Surface Water-Quality Monitoring Network - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances Sampling Preparation
In partnership with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Susquehanna River Basin Commission, rigorous and innovative PFAS sampling techniques were created for low-level detections.
Water Quality Monitoring - Pennsylvania
Water-Quality Monitoring
Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Sampling Well Network at Fourmile Creek, Iowa
Sampling well network at Fourmile Creek, Iowa. The Ankeny Waterwater Treatment Plant discharge can be seen in background on the opposite bank. The water in the stream is flowing toward viewer.
Sampling well network at Fourmile Creek, Iowa. The Ankeny Waterwater Treatment Plant discharge can be seen in background on the opposite bank. The water in the stream is flowing toward viewer.