Joe Ayotte is a Supervisory Hydrologist in the New England Water Science Center
As the Chief of the Environmental Hydrology Section, Joe oversees multidisciplinary studies involving groundwater quality at the USGS New England Water Science Center. Most recently, he has worked on national and regional studies of trace elements (primarily arsenic) in groundwater and has worked closely with the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on arsenic in drinking water supplies. He joined the USGS in 1987 and has been involved in many studies of groundwater and surface water resources in New England and the U.S.
Professional Experience
Supervisory Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, 2011 to Present
Education and Certifications
B.S. Hydrology, University of New Hampshire
Affiliations and Memberships*
Licensed Professional Geologist, State of New Hampshire, Lic. 0071
Science and Products
Cross-sectional associations between drinking water arsenic and urinary inorganic arsenic in the US: NHANES 2003-2014
Predicted uranium and radon concentrations in New Hampshire (USA) groundwater—Using Multi Order Hydrologic Position as predictors
Arsenic in private well water and birth outcomes in the United States
Associations between private well water and community water supply arsenic concentrations in the conterminous United States
Machine learning models of arsenic in private wells throughout the conterminous United States as a tool for exposure assessment in human health studies
Assessing the impact of drought on arsenic exposure from private domestic wells in the conterminous United States
Time scales of arsenic variability and the role of high-frequency monitoring at three water-supply wells in New Hampshire, USA
Arsenic concentrations after drinking water well installation: Time-varying effects on arsenic mobilization
Performance assessments of a novel well design for reducing exposure to bedrock‐derived arsenic
Estimating the high-arsenic domestic-well population in the conterminous United States
Assessing models of arsenic occurrence in drinking water from bedrock aquifers in New Hampshire
Using groundwater age distributions to understand changes in methyl tert-butyl ether (MtBE) concentrations in ambient groundwater, northeastern United States
USGS Assessment of Water Resources near Hanscom Air Force Base
Coproduced Science Linking Environmental and Public-Health Data to Evaluate Drinking Water Arsenic Exposure on Birth Outcomes
Research on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the New England Water Science Center
Hydrologic Interpretive Program
Arsenic Variability in Water-Supply Wells
The Purge Analyzer Tool (PAT) to Assess Optimal Pumping Parameters in the Collection of Representative Groundwater Samples from Wells
Assessment of Hydrologic and Water-Quality Changes in Shallow Groundwater Beneath a Coastal Neighborhood Being Converted from Septic Systems to Municipal Sewers
Preliminary Research into the Causes of Iron Fouling in Water at Roadway Construction Sites
Study to Test a Novel Shallow Well Design that May Provide Contaminant-Free Water Supply to Domestic Well Users in Arsenic-Prone Parts of the United States
Towards Understanding the Impact of Drought on the Arsenic Hazard for the Private Domestic Well Population in the United States
Linking environmental and public health data to evaluate health effects of arsenic exposure from domestic and public supply wells
Mapping and Characterizing the Arsenic Hazard in Private Well Water Across the Nation
Statewide survey of shallow soil concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and related chemical and physical data across New Hampshire, 2021
Data for Time Scales of Arsenic Variability and the Role of High-Frequency Monitoring at Three Water-Supply Wells in New Hampshire, USA
Testing dataset for independent analysis of New Hampshire arsenic model
Estimated county level domestic well population with arsenic greater than 10 micrograms per liter based on probability estimates for the conterminous U.S.
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 19
Cross-sectional associations between drinking water arsenic and urinary inorganic arsenic in the US: NHANES 2003-2014
Background: Inorganic arsenic is a potent carcinogen and toxicant associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. The contribution of drinking water from private wells and regulated community water systems (CWSs) to total inorganic arsenic exposure is not clear. Objectives: To determine the association between drinking water arsenic estimates and urinary arsenic concentrations in the 2003-2014AuthorsMaya Spaur, Melissa Lombard, Joseph D. Ayotte, Benjamin C. Bostick, Steven N. Chillrud, Ana Navas-Acien, Anne E. NigraPredicted uranium and radon concentrations in New Hampshire (USA) groundwater—Using Multi Order Hydrologic Position as predictors
Two radioactive elements, uranium (U) and radon (Rn), which are of potential concern in New Hampshire (NH) groundwater, are investigated. Exceedance probability maps are tools to highlight locations where the concentrations of undesirable substances in the groundwater may be elevated. Two forms of statistical analysis are used to create exceedance probability maps for U and Rn in NH groundwater. TAuthorsRichard B. Moore, Kenneth Belitz, Joseph D. Ayotte, Terri L. Arnold, Laura Hayes, Jennifer B. Sharpe, J. Jeffrey StarnArsenic in private well water and birth outcomes in the United States
BackgroundPrenatal exposure to drinking water with arsenic concentrations >50 μg/L is associated with adverse birth outcomes, with inconclusive evidence for concentrations ≤50 μg/L. In a collaborative effort by public health experts, hydrologists, and geologists, we used published machine learning model estimates to characterize arsenic concentrations in private wells—federally unregulated for driAuthorsCatherine Bulka, Molly Scannell Bryan, Melissa Lombard, Scott Bartell, Daniel Jones, Paul Bradley, Veronica Vieira, Debra Silverman, Michael J. Focazio, Patricia Toccalino, Johnni Daniel, Lorraine C. Backer, Joseph D. Ayotte, Matthew O. Gribble, Maria ArgosAssociations between private well water and community water supply arsenic concentrations in the conterminous United States
Geogenic arsenic contamination typically occurs in groundwater as opposed to surface water supplies. Groundwater is a major source for many community water systems (CWSs) in the United States (US). Although the US Environmental Protection Agency sets the maximum contaminant level (MCL enforceable since 2006: 10 μg/L) for arsenic in CWSs, private wells are not federally regulated. We evaluated counAuthorsMaya Spaur, Melissa Lombard, Joseph D. Ayotte, David Harvey, Benjamin Bostick, Steven Chillrud, Ana Navas-Acien, Anne E NigraMachine learning models of arsenic in private wells throughout the conterminous United States as a tool for exposure assessment in human health studies
Arsenic from geologic sources is widespread in groundwater within the United States (U.S.). In several areas, groundwater arsenic concentrations exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 10 μg per liter (μg/L). However, this standard applies only to public-supply drinking water and not to private-supply, which is not federally regulated and is rarely monitored. AAuthorsMelissa Lombard, Molly Scannell Bryan, Daniel Jones, Catherine Bulka, Paul Bradley, Lorraine C. Backer, Michael J. Focazio, Debra T. Silverman, Patricia Toccalino, Maria Argos, Matthew O. Gribble, Joseph D. AyotteAssessing the impact of drought on arsenic exposure from private domestic wells in the conterminous United States
This study assesses the potential impact of drought on arsenic exposure from private domestic wells by using a previously developed statistical model that predicts the probability of elevated arsenic concentrations (>10 μg per liter) in water from domestic wells located in the conterminous United States (CONUS). The application of the model to simulate drought conditions used systematically reduceAuthorsMelissa Lombard, Johnni Daniel, Zuha Jeddy, Lauren Hay, Joseph D. AyotteTime scales of arsenic variability and the role of high-frequency monitoring at three water-supply wells in New Hampshire, USA
Groundwater geochemistry, redox process classification, high-frequency physicochemical and hydrologic measurements, and climate data were analyzed to identify controls on arsenic (As) concentration changes. Groundwater was monitored in two public-supply wells (one glacial aquifer and one bedrock aquifer), and one bedrock-aquifer domestic well in New Hampshire, USA, from 2014 to 2018 to identify tiAuthorsJames R. Degnan, Joseph P. Levitt, Melinda Erickson, Bryant C. Jurgens, Bruce D. Lindsey, Joseph D. AyotteArsenic concentrations after drinking water well installation: Time-varying effects on arsenic mobilization
Chronic exposure to geogenic arsenic via drinking water is a worldwide health concern. However, effects of well installation and operation on arsenic concentrations and mobilization are not well understood. This knowledge gap impacts both reliable detection of arsenic in drinking water and effective public health recommendations to reduce exposure to arsenic. This study examines changes in arsenicAuthorsMelinda L. Erickson, Helen F. Malenda, Emily C. Berquist, Joseph D. AyottePerformance assessments of a novel well design for reducing exposure to bedrock‐derived arsenic
Arsenic in groundwater is a serious problem in New England, particularly for domestic well owners drawing water from bedrock aquifers. The overlying glacial aquifer generally has waters with low arsenic concentrations but is less used because of frequent loss of well water during dry periods and the vulnerability to surface‐sourced bacterial contamination. An alternative, novel design for shallowAuthorsRichard B. Winston, Joseph D. AyotteEstimating the high-arsenic domestic-well population in the conterminous United States
Arsenic concentrations from 20 450 domestic wells in the U.S. were used to develop a logistic regression model of the probability of having arsenic >10 μg/L (“high arsenic”), which is presented at the county, state, and national scales. Variables representing geologic sources, geochemical, hydrologic, and physical features were among the significant predictors of high arsenic. For U.S. Census blocAuthorsJoseph D. Ayotte, Laura Medalie, Sharon L. Qi, Lorraine C. Backer, Bernard T. NolanAssessing models of arsenic occurrence in drinking water from bedrock aquifers in New Hampshire
Three existing multivariate logistic regression models were assessed using new data to evaluate the capacity of the models to correctly predict the probability of groundwater arsenic concentrations exceeding the threshold values of 1, 5, and 10 micrograms per liter (µg/L) in New Hampshire, USA. A recently released testing dataset includes arsenic concentrations from groundwater samples collected iAuthorsCaroline Andy, Maria Florencia Fahnestock, Melissa Lombard, Laura Hayes, Julie Bryce, Joseph D. AyotteUsing groundwater age distributions to understand changes in methyl tert-butyl ether (MtBE) concentrations in ambient groundwater, northeastern United States
Temporal changes in methyl tert-butyl ether (MtBE) concentrations in groundwater were evaluated in the northeastern United States, an area of the nation with widespread low-level detections of MtBE based on a national survey of wells selected to represent ambient conditions. MtBE use in the U.S. peaked in 1999 and was largely discontinued by 2007. Six well networks, each representing specific areaAuthorsBruce D. Lindsey, Joseph D. Ayotte, Bryant C. Jurgens, Leslie A. DeSimone - Science
Filter Total Items: 16
USGS Assessment of Water Resources near Hanscom Air Force Base
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) New England Water Science Center is expanding its scientific investigation to better understand the water resources at, and in the vicinity of, Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB) and the potential impacts from historical base operations and other sources.Coproduced Science Linking Environmental and Public-Health Data to Evaluate Drinking Water Arsenic Exposure on Birth Outcomes
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists teamed up with public-health epidemiologists to probe for associations between arsenic in drinking water and human-birth outcomes. They reported a modest inverse relation between birth weight and arsenic exposure. Findings indicate that future research efforts using individual-level exposure data such as measured arsenic concentrations in tap water could...Research on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the New England Water Science Center
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse group of over 4,000 different compounds. Since the 1940s, PFAS have been manufactured and used around the globe, including in the United States. PFAS are resistant to chemical and thermal breakdown and impart stain and water-resistance properties, making them useful for a variety of commercial applications, but also persistent in the...Hydrologic Interpretive Program
The mission of the Hydrologic Interpretive Program is to work with stakeholders to design, carry out, and publish scientific studies addressing critical water-resources issues facing New England and the Nation.Arsenic Variability in Water-Supply Wells
The USGS, in cooperation with the Town of Seabrook, New Hampshire and a private well owner, is assessing the variability of arsenic over multiple time scales. A network of three wells is being used to monitor changes in arsenic, arsenic species, a host of other chemical constituents, and the distribution of ages of groundwater entering the wells. The wells—one domestic bedrock aquifer well, one...The Purge Analyzer Tool (PAT) to Assess Optimal Pumping Parameters in the Collection of Representative Groundwater Samples from Wells
The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is developing analytical models to assess in-well groundwater flow conditions during the collection of groundwater samples from wells being pumped. This information can be used to inform groundwater samplers on when and how to collect samples that are most reflective of the targeted aquifer or hydrogeologiic...Assessment of Hydrologic and Water-Quality Changes in Shallow Groundwater Beneath a Coastal Neighborhood Being Converted from Septic Systems to Municipal Sewers
The U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are collaborating on a study to better understand changes to groundwater quality beneath a densely developed coastal neighborhood as it undergoes conversion from onsite wastewater disposal to municipal sewering.Preliminary Research into the Causes of Iron Fouling in Water at Roadway Construction Sites
The USGS and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation are conducting preliminary research into the causes of iron fouling in water at roadway construction sites where blasted bedrock is used as on-site fill material.Study to Test a Novel Shallow Well Design that May Provide Contaminant-Free Water Supply to Domestic Well Users in Arsenic-Prone Parts of the United States
The USGS, the University of New Hampshire, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and the Maine Geological Survey are collaborating on a study of a novel shallow well design that might be able to provide safe drinking water to domestic well users in arsenic-prone parts of the Nation.Towards Understanding the Impact of Drought on the Arsenic Hazard for the Private Domestic Well Population in the United States
The USGS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are examining the potential effects of droughts on the arsenic hazard in private well water across the Nation.Linking environmental and public health data to evaluate health effects of arsenic exposure from domestic and public supply wells
Everyone needs clean drinking water in order to thrive. The US EPA and public water purveyors in the US work together in adherence with the Safe Drinking Water Act to make water safe for public consumption. The recent media coverage of lead in public drinking water supplies in Flint, Michigan, and schools in many cities with aging infrastructure throughout the US has raised public awareness of driMapping and Characterizing the Arsenic Hazard in Private Well Water Across the Nation
Study estimates about 2.1 million people using wells high in arsenic: USGS research directly supports federal agencies concerned with public health—specifically, understanding natural hazards in private domestic drinking water and the risk they pose to human health. - Data
Statewide survey of shallow soil concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and related chemical and physical data across New Hampshire, 2021
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and related chemical and physical data are presented from 100 shallow soil sampling locations within the State of New Hampshire. Sites were randomly determined through an equal-area grid approach (Scott, 1990) targeting undisturbed areas, which included lands classified by the 2016 National Land Cover Database (Dewitz, 2019) as forested, shrubland, scrublData for Time Scales of Arsenic Variability and the Role of High-Frequency Monitoring at Three Water-Supply Wells in New Hampshire, USA
This data release consists of data (in four tables) for assessing the time scales of arsenic variability in three production wells in New Hampshire; tables that describe the data fields in the data tables are also included in the data release. High-frequency (every 5 to 15 minutes) and bi-monthly water-quality monitoring of a bedrock-aquifer domestic well (425651070573701), a bedrock-aquifer publiTesting dataset for independent analysis of New Hampshire arsenic model
Existing multivariate logistic regression models that predict the probabilities of arsenic concentrations at 1, 5, and 10 micrograms per liter in bedrock aquifers of New Hampshire were tested using bedrock wells not included in the model development. This data release contains a table of measured arsenic concentrations and associated model input variables for the model testing dataset. LocationEstimated county level domestic well population with arsenic greater than 10 micrograms per liter based on probability estimates for the conterminous U.S.
Arsenic concentrations from 20,450 domestic wells in the U.S. were used to develop a logistic regression model of the probability of having arsenic > 10 g/L (high arsenic). We use only domestic well arsenic data and a national-scale modeling approach. This approach expands our understanding of potential exposure to arsenic in drinking water to a national scale and allows inter-regional comparisons - Multimedia
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*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