A 3D aerial view of Norristown, Pennsylvania shows where the Schuylkill River passes through the city. The water in the river is shown in bright blue, while the surrounding city is shown in natural color.
Matthew Conlon
Matthew Conlon is a hydrologist and GIS specialist for the Pennsylvania Water Science Center, with an interest in data visualization.
I began my career with the Pennsylvania Water Science Center in 2015. Much of my work has focused on groundwater quality in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, an area that has seen extensive Marcellus shale gas development from the mid-2000s onwards. I currently manage a groundwater quality sampling network that examines ambient groundwater conditions at monitoring wells across the State and a domestic well sampling program that targets susceptible aquifers for pesticides detections.
I am also interested in presenting USGS data using dynamic and interactive websites; I have worked on developing several R Shiny web applications that display discrete groundwater data and am continuing to explore ways to creatively visualize water information.
Previous work has included managing National Water Quality Assessment groundwater projects in the Ohio and Allegheny River alluvial aquifers, Marcellus Shale region of northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Ridge and Valley physiographic region, as well as working on a number of groundwater and surface water data collection efforts.
Science and Products
Pennsylvania Surface-Water Quality Monitoring Network
Pennsylvania’s Statewide Surface-Water Quality Monitoring Network (WQN) currently consists of 124 sites that are sampled between 6 and 20 times a year. Chemical analysis includes nutrient, major ions, and selected metals. Pesticide sampling is conducted twice a year at 5 locations. Biological sampling for benthic macroinvertebrates is conducted annually at 80 sites. The WQN was established to...
Pesticides in Pennsylvania Groundwaters
USGS annually samples domestic groundwater wells to characterize pesticides, nutrients, and radon in agricultural areas, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Beginning in 2021, samples for major ions, trace elements, bacteria, and isotopes will also be collected. A subset of wells will be sampled for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), emerging industrial...
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.
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.
Pennsylvania Drought Condition Monitoring
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection relies upon a number of parameters to monitor water-supply-drought conditions, including precipitation, streamflow, groundwater levels, and Palmer Drought Index, an indicator of soil dryness.
GIS Data Archive for Selected Studies in Pennsylvania
This is an archive. Visit the USGS National Geospatial Program or the Data Portal links below for current datasets.
Distributions: Hazards - Flooding in Norristown, PA during Hurricane Ida September 2021
A 3D aerial view of Norristown, Pennsylvania shows where the Schuylkill River passes through the city. The water in the river is shown in bright blue, while the surrounding city is shown in natural color.
Well CH 10, groundwater quality monitoring network, Chester County, PA
Well CH 10 is part of a Pennsylvania groundwater quality monitoring network and is in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Well CH 10 is part of a Pennsylvania groundwater quality monitoring network and is in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Collecting a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well
A USGS hydrologist collects a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Learn more about domestic wells here.
A USGS hydrologist collects a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Learn more about domestic wells here.
Science and Products
Pennsylvania Surface-Water Quality Monitoring Network
Pennsylvania’s Statewide Surface-Water Quality Monitoring Network (WQN) currently consists of 124 sites that are sampled between 6 and 20 times a year. Chemical analysis includes nutrient, major ions, and selected metals. Pesticide sampling is conducted twice a year at 5 locations. Biological sampling for benthic macroinvertebrates is conducted annually at 80 sites. The WQN was established to...
Pesticides in Pennsylvania Groundwaters
USGS annually samples domestic groundwater wells to characterize pesticides, nutrients, and radon in agricultural areas, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Beginning in 2021, samples for major ions, trace elements, bacteria, and isotopes will also be collected. A subset of wells will be sampled for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), emerging industrial...
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.
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.
Pennsylvania Drought Condition Monitoring
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection relies upon a number of parameters to monitor water-supply-drought conditions, including precipitation, streamflow, groundwater levels, and Palmer Drought Index, an indicator of soil dryness.
GIS Data Archive for Selected Studies in Pennsylvania
This is an archive. Visit the USGS National Geospatial Program or the Data Portal links below for current datasets.
Distributions: Hazards - Flooding in Norristown, PA during Hurricane Ida September 2021
A 3D aerial view of Norristown, Pennsylvania shows where the Schuylkill River passes through the city. The water in the river is shown in bright blue, while the surrounding city is shown in natural color.
A 3D aerial view of Norristown, Pennsylvania shows where the Schuylkill River passes through the city. The water in the river is shown in bright blue, while the surrounding city is shown in natural color.
Well CH 10, groundwater quality monitoring network, Chester County, PA
Well CH 10 is part of a Pennsylvania groundwater quality monitoring network and is in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Well CH 10 is part of a Pennsylvania groundwater quality monitoring network and is in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Collecting a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well
A USGS hydrologist collects a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Learn more about domestic wells here.
A USGS hydrologist collects a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Learn more about domestic wells here.