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Laura M. Bexfield

Hydrologist, New Mexico Water Science Center

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 44

Quality of groundwater used for public supply in the continental United States: A comprehensive assessment

The presence of contaminants in a source water can constrain its suitability for drinking. The quality of groundwater used for public supply was assessed in 25 principal aquifers (PAs) that account for 84% of groundwater pumped for public supply in the U.S. (89.6 million people on a proportional basis). Each PA was sampled across its lateral extent using an equal-area grid, typically with 60 wells

Authors
Kenneth Belitz, Miranda S. Fram, Bruce D. Lindsey, Paul Stackelberg, Laura M. Bexfield, Tyler D. Johnson, Bryant Jurgens, James A. Kingsbury, Peter B. McMahon, Neil M. Dubrovsky
By
Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center

Volatile organic compounds in groundwater used for public supply across the United States: Occurrence, explanatory factors, and human-health context

This systematic assessment of occurrence for 85 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in raw (untreated) groundwater used for public supply across the United States (U.S.), which includes 43 compounds not previously monitored by national studies, relates VOC occurrence to explanatory factors and assesses VOC detections in a human-health context. Samples were collected in 2013 through 2019 from 1537 pu
Authors
Laura M. Bexfield, Kenneth Belitz, Miranda S. Fram, Bruce D. Lindsey
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Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States

In 2019, 254 samples were collected from five aquifer systems to evaluate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) occurrence in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States. The samples were analyzed for 24 PFAS, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pharmaceuticals, and tritium. Fourteen of the 24

Authors
Peter B. McMahon, Andrea K. Tokranov, Laura M. Bexfield, Bruce D. Lindsey, Tyler D. Johnson, Melissa Lombard, Elise Watson
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Water Resources Mission Area, Environmental Health Program, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, New England Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Is there an urban pesticide signature? Urban streams in five U.S. regions share common dissolved-phase pesticides but differ in predicted aquatic toxicity

Pesticides occur in urban streams globally, but the relation of occurrence to urbanization can be obscured by regional differences. In studies of five regions of the United States, we investigated the effect of region and urbanization on the occurrence and potential toxicity of dissolved pesticide mixtures. We analyzed 225 pesticide compounds in weekly discrete water samples collected during 6–12
Authors
Lisa H. Nowell, Patrick W. Moran, Laura M. Bexfield, Barbara Mahler, Peter C. Van Metre, Paul Bradley, Travis S. Schmidt, Daniel T. Button, Sharon L. Qi
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Washington 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
Authors
James A. Kingsbury, Laura M. Bexfield, Terri Arnold, MaryLynn Musgrove, Melinda L. Erickson, James R. Degnan, Anthony J. Tesoriero, Bruce D. Lindsey, Kenneth Belitz
By
Water Resources Mission Area, 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

Pesticides and pesticide degradates in groundwater used for public supply across the United States: Occurrence and human-health context

This is the first assessment of groundwater from public-supply wells across the United States to analyze for >100 pesticide degradates and to provide human-health context for degradates without benchmarks. Samples from 1204 wells in aquifers representing 70% of the volume pumped for drinking supply were analyzed for 109 pesticides (active ingredients) and 116 degradates. Among the 41% of wells whe
Authors
Laura M. Bexfield, Kenneth Belitz, Bruce D. Lindsey, Patricia Toccalino, Lisa H. Nowell
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Quality of data from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network for water years 2013–17

Water samples from 122 sites in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network were collected in 2013–17 to document ambient water-quality conditions in surface water of the United States and to determine status and trends of loads and concentrations for nutrients, contaminants, and sediment to estuaries and streams. Quality-control (QC) samples collected in the field with environmental
Authors
Laura Medalie, Laura M. Bexfield
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

Quality of pesticide data for groundwater analyzed for the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, 2013–18

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) submitted nearly 1,900 samples collected from groundwater sites across the United States in 2013–18 for analysis of 225 pesticide compounds (pesticides and pesticide degradates, hereafter referred to as “pesticides”) by USGS National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2437 (S2437). For the associated NAWQA st
Authors
Laura M. Bexfield, Kenneth Belitz, Mark W. Sandstrom, Delicia Beaty, Laura Medalie, Bruce D. Lindsey, Lisa H. Nowell
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Laboratory

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
Authors
Terri Arnold, Laura M. Bexfield, MaryLynn Musgrove, Melinda L. Erickson, James A. Kingsbury, James R. Degnan, Anthony J. Tesoriero, Justin T. Kulongoski, Kenneth Belitz
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Use of set blanks in reporting pesticide results at the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory, 2001-15

Executive SummaryBackground.—Pesticide results from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) are used for water-quality assessments by many agencies and organizations. The USGS is committed to providing data of the highest possible quality to the consumers of its data. A cooperator’s inquiries about specific pesticide detections in water revealed potential laborat
Authors
Laura Medalie, Mark W. Sandstrom, Patricia L. Toccalino, William T. Foreman, Rhiannon C. ReVello, Laura M. Bexfield, Melissa L. Riskin
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, California Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, National Water Quality Laboratory

Hormones and pharmaceuticals in groundwater used as a source of drinking water across the United States

This is the first large-scale, systematic assessment of hormone and pharmaceutical occurrence in groundwater used for drinking across the United States. Samples from 1091 sites in Principal Aquifers representing 60% of the volume pumped for drinking-water supply had final data for 21 hormones and 103 pharmaceuticals. At least one compound was detected at 5.9% of 844 sites representing the resource
Authors
Laura M. Bexfield, Patricia Toccalino, Kenneth Belitz, William T. Foreman, Edward Furlong
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program

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
Authors
Terri Arnold, Laura M. Bexfield, MaryLynn Musgrove, Paul E. Stackelberg, Bruce D. Lindsey, James A. Kingsbury, Justin T. Kulongoski, Kenneth Belitz
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center
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Metals and Other Trace Elements

Metals, metalloids, and radionuclides all are trace elements that occur naturally in the Earth's crust. In small quantities many trace elements are essential for health in all living organisms, but some trace elements can be toxic or cause cancer, and some can bioaccumulate. The USGS investigates where and how trace elements make their way into our Nation's surface water and groundwater.
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Water Resources Mission Area
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Metals and Other Trace Elements

Metals, metalloids, and radionuclides all are trace elements that occur naturally in the Earth's crust. In small quantities many trace elements are essential for health in all living organisms, but some trace elements can be toxic or cause cancer, and some can bioaccumulate. The USGS investigates where and how trace elements make their way into our Nation's surface water and groundwater.
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A drinking glass showing etching and cloudiness due to water hardness.

Drinking Water Taste and Odor

Some water is just unpleasant to drink—it’s cloudy, or it smells or tastes bad. Some drinking water discolors teeth or skin, stains laundry or plumbing fixtures, or corrodes or clogs pipes. These effects are caused when some naturally occurring constituents occur at concentrations high enough to be a nuisance, and are particularly common where groundwater is used as a drinking water supply.
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Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program
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Drinking Water Taste and Odor

Some water is just unpleasant to drink—it’s cloudy, or it smells or tastes bad. Some drinking water discolors teeth or skin, stains laundry or plumbing fixtures, or corrodes or clogs pipes. These effects are caused when some naturally occurring constituents occur at concentrations high enough to be a nuisance, and are particularly common where groundwater is used as a drinking water supply.
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A scientist sits in front of a public-supply well collecting a sample

Public-Supply Well Pumping Regimes Influence Quality of Water Produced

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists studying the vulnerability of public-supply wells to contamination have identified ways in which the seasonal operation of public-supply wells can affect the quality of water that they produce. By incorporating historical water-quality data into models of fluid flow, USGS scientists were able to estimate the amount of contaminated groundwater reaching a...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
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Public-Supply Well Pumping Regimes Influence Quality of Water Produced

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists studying the vulnerability of public-supply wells to contamination have identified ways in which the seasonal operation of public-supply wells can affect the quality of water that they produce. By incorporating historical water-quality data into models of fluid flow, USGS scientists were able to estimate the amount of contaminated groundwater reaching a...
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Chemical Modeling of Consequences of Surface-Water Delivery Through Existing City of Albuquerque Infrastructure

Chemical Modeling of Consequences of Surface-Water Delivery Through Existing City of Albuquerque Infrastructure

The City of Albuquerque has historically obtained all of its municipal-supply water from production wells completed in sediment of the Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Like several communities in the Rio Grande Valley and various parts of the arid Southwest, Albuquerque has evaluated the use of surface water as a means to improve sustainability of its municipal water supply. The City currently is in...
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New Mexico Water Science Center
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Chemical Modeling of Consequences of Surface-Water Delivery Through Existing City of Albuquerque Infrastructure

The City of Albuquerque has historically obtained all of its municipal-supply water from production wells completed in sediment of the Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Like several communities in the Rio Grande Valley and various parts of the arid Southwest, Albuquerque has evaluated the use of surface water as a means to improve sustainability of its municipal water supply. The City currently is in...
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Riverside Drain at Bernalillo, NM Water Science Center

Middle Rio Grande Basin Study

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Middle Rio Grande Basin Study was a 6-year effort (1995-2001) by the USGS and other agencies to improve the understanding of the hydrology, geology, and land-surface characteristics of the Middle Rio Grande Basin in order to provide the scientific information needed for water-resources management. The Santa Fe Group aquifer system is the main source of municipal...
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New Mexico Water Science Center
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Middle Rio Grande Basin Study

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Middle Rio Grande Basin Study was a 6-year effort (1995-2001) by the USGS and other agencies to improve the understanding of the hydrology, geology, and land-surface characteristics of the Middle Rio Grande Basin in order to provide the scientific information needed for water-resources management. The Santa Fe Group aquifer system is the main source of municipal...
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Select Groundwater-Quality and Quality-Control Data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project 2019 to Present (ver. 2.0, February 2023)

Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed from 417 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program and the water-quality data and quality-control data are included in this data release. The samples were collected from three types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality
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Water Resources Mission Area

Data for volatile organic compounds in groundwater used for public supply across the United States, 2013-19, and data for associated quality-control samples

This data release includes tables and time-series plots of results for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analyzed in samples of groundwater used for public supply that were collected by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project and the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program Priority Basin Project (GAMA-PBP) during 201
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Water Resources Mission Area

Geochemical and Geospatial Data for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Groundwater Used As a Source of Drinking Water in the Eastern United States

Concentrations of inorganic constituents, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), tritium, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and pharmaceuticals were measured in groundwater samples collected from 254 wells in 2019 and 2020. Concentrations of inorganic constituents, DOC, VOCs, and pharmaceuticals were measured at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Wate
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Water Resources Mission Area, Environmental Health Program

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 Mission Area

Dissolved Pesticides in Weekly Water Samples from the NAWQA Regional Stream Quality Assessments (2013-2017)

Dissolved pesticides were measured in weekly water samples from 482 wadeable streams in five regions of the United States during 2013-2017, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA). One study was conducted each year, starting with the Midwest (2013), followed by the Southeast Piedmont (2014), Pacific Northwest (2015), Northeast (2016), and Central Ca
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Oregon Water Science Center

Field, laboratory, and third-party data for assessment of the quality of pesticide results reported by the National Water Quality Laboratory for groundwater samples collected by the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, 2013-18

This data release includes tables and plots of results for pesticide compounds (pesticides and degradates) analyzed in groundwater samples collected by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project during water years 2013-18 and in associated quality-control samples that are used to assess the quality of the reported pesticide results. All samples were analyzed by the USGS National Water Qual
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National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

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

Laboratory Quality-Control Data Associated with Groundwater Samples Collected for Hormones and Pharmaceuticals by the National Water-Quality Assessment Project in 2013-15

This data set includes results for hormone and pharmaceutical compounds analyzed in laboratory quality-control samples associated with environmental samples collected by the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project during 2013 through 2015 for a study of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supply across the United States. Hormone and pharmaceutical results are provided for labor
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Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program

Third-party performance assessment data encompassing the time period of analysis of groundwater samples collected for hormones and pharmaceuticals by the National Water-Quality Assessment Project in 2013-15

This data set includes sample information and results for third-party performance assessment samples analyzed for hormones and pharmaceuticals during the same general time period as environmental samples collected by the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project for a study of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supply across the United States, 2013 through 2015. Hormone and phar
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Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program

Environmental and Quality-Control Data Collected by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project for Hormones and Pharmaceuticals in Groundwater Used as a Source of Drinking Water Across the United States, 2013-15

This data set includes results for hormone and pharmaceutical compounds analyzed in environmental and quality-control samples collected by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Project during 2013 through 2015 for a study of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supply across the United States. Hormone and pharmaceutical results are provided for environmental samples collected at 1,12
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Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program

Replicate surface water and groundwater data analyzed by USGS National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2437, 2013-15

Replicate water-quality samples are collected and prepared in the field and analyzed in the laboratory in identical ways so that they are considered to be the same in composition and analysis (Mueller and others, 2015). This data set includes one table of duplicate National Water-Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA) surface water and groundwater samples collected between October 1, 2012 and Septembe
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Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program

Maps of estimated nitrate and arsenic concentrations in basin-fill aquifers of the southwestern United States

Human-health concerns and economic considerations associated with meeting drinking-water standards motivated a study of the vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers to nitrate contamination and arsenic enrichment in the southwestern United States. Statistical models were developed by using the random forest classifier algorithm to predict concentrations of nitrate and arsenic across a model grid repre
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Water Resources Mission Area, New Mexico Water Science Center, Arizona Water Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center

Estimated 2008 groundwater potentiometric surface and predevelopment to 2008 water-level change in the Santa Fe Group aquifer system in the Albuquerque area, central New Mexico

The water-supply requirements of the Albuquerque metropolitan area of central New Mexico have historically been met almost exclusively by groundwater withdrawal from the Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Previous studies have indicated that the large quantity of groundwater withdrawal relative to recharge has resulted in water-level declines in the aquifer system throughout the metropolitan area. Ana
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Water Resources Mission Area, New Mexico Water Science Center
Open containers of prescription medications and pills spilled out
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Pesticides and their degradation products common in groundwater but at low concentrations unlikely to be human-health concern

Thousands of pesticides are used on crops and landscaping, are they in our groundwater? According to a new USGS study, the answer is a qualified yes...

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Pharmaceuticals and hormones few and at low concentrations in groundwater, USGS scientists find

The topic of pharmaceuticals and hormones in drinking water gets people’s attention, but if that drinking water is pumped from a well, those chemicals...

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