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Shale Gas Drilling Rig
Pennsylvania
Our water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers and evaluation of groundwater resources in various parts of the Commonwealth. Today Pennsylvania Water Science Center's cadre of nearly 100 scientists, technicians and support staff throughout the state collect scientific data to inform the public.
Pennsylvania Water Science Center
215 Limekiln Road
New Cumberland, PA 17070
Phone: (717) 730-6900
Fax: (717) 730-6997
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Our water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers and evaluation of groundwater resources in various parts of the Commonwealth. Today Pennsylvania Water Science Center's cadre of nearly 100 scientists, technicians and support staff throughout the state collect scientific data to inform the public.
Contaminants in groundwater near former Navy bases in southeastern Pennsylvania
USGS has investigated groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the vicinity of former Navy bases in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, southeastern Pennsylvania, in cooperation with the U.S. Navy. Additional cooperative support for these investigations has been provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bucks and Montgomery...
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.
Delaware River Basin
In Pennsylvania, the USGS's water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Delaware and Susquehanna 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 Delaware River Basin, in cooperation with regional and...
Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds
The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center participates in the Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (C-SAW) to provide free technical assistance to Pennsylvania-based watershed and conservation organizations.
C-SAW does not conduct watershed monitoring or assessments. Instead, C-SAW helps watershed organizations do a better job with their own monitoring and...
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 River and its tributaries and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay. Additional research efforts in the Susquehanna River basin focus on emerging contaminants and other stressors that effect human and aquatic life in the...
Pennsylvania StreamStats
StreamStats is a national web-based application that provides selected water-resource information for Pennsylvania. Users can easily obtain descriptive information, basin characteristics, and streamflow statistics for USGS streamgages and ungaged stream locations throughout the Commonwealth.
Water Quality Monitoring to Inform Conservation Management, Fishing Creek, Clinton County, Pennsylvania
USGS conducted synoptic sampling of major-ion chemistry and the nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate in Fishing Creek during base flow to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of nutrients and to characterize biogeochemical processes.
Shale Gas and Water Resources in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Water Science Center and other USGS scientists are studying water availability, use, quality, and ecology associated with development of shale-gas energy resources in Pennsylvania.
Latest Report: Potter County 'Baseline' Groundwater Quality (see Publications)
Streamflow Estimation from Advanced Imaging (LSPIV) in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Water Science Center and the Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) Program are implementing new technologies for streamflow estimation at sites in Pennsylvania where conventional measurement techniques are inadequate.
Framework for Examining Stream Ecosystem Health in Areas of Shale Gas Development—A Multi-Parameter Watershed-Based Case Study in Pennsylvania
In a case study of 25 headwater streams in Pennsylvania, no statistically significant associations were determined between shale gas development and geochemical tracers of produced waters or measures of microbial and macroinvertebrate community composition. Although the results are specific to the region studied, the integrated biological and geochemical framework provides a tool for...
Vernal Pool Inundation Models
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.
Water-level data and selected field notes for aquifer-interval-isolation tests at and near the former Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 2018-19
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted aquifer interval isolation (packer) tests of discrete water-bearing zones using straddle packers in 13 wells in Northampton, Warminster, and Warwick Townships and Ivyland Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania during 2018-19 to support detailed groundwater investigations at and near the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) Warminster%
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 in a variety of settings throughout Pennsylvania. The most recent results for selected constituents can be accessed through the Groundwater Quality...
Pennsylvania StreamStats
StreamStats is a national web-based application that provides selected water-resource information for Pennsylvania. Users can easily obtain descriptive information, basin characteristics, and streamflow statistics for USGS streamgages and ungaged stream locations throughout the Commonwealth. Water use data is also available for Pennsylvania in StreamStats.
Philadelphia Water Quality Monitoring Network
The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and USGS have been working together to create and expand the water-quality monitoring network for Philadelphia. Data from these gaging stations will allow PWD scientists and engineers to monitor spatial and temporal water quality/quantity trends in the City in support of watershed restoration initiatives occurring within the City.
Daily-timestep and monthly-timestep estimates of baseflow at 49 reference stream gages located within 25 miles of the Delaware River basin watershed boundary for the years 1950 through 2015
This USGS data release contains daily-timestep and monthly-timestep estimates of baseflow at 49 reference stream gages located within 25 miles of the Delaware River basin watershed boundary. Estimates are provided for the available period of record of streamflow data at each site between 1950 and 2015. A two-parameter recursive digital filter was used to estimate baseflow at the selected...
Loads and trends in the Chesapeake Bay nontidal monitoring network: results through Water Year 2018
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed the nontidal network mapper to share the short-term (2009-2018) water-year nutrient and suspended-sediment load and trend results for the Chesapeake Bay Program’s (CBP) non-tidal network (NTN). The mapper provides the primary findings for nitrogen, phosphorus and suspended-sediment trends, and gives the user tools to further examine the results...
Global Geochemical Database for Critical Minerals in Archived Mine Samples
The Critical Minerals in Archived Mine Samples Database (CMDB) contains chemistry and geologic information for historic ore and ore-related rock samples from mineral deposits in the United States. In addition, the database contains samples from archetypal deposits from 27 other countries in North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Samples were obtained from archived ore
Domestic Wells in the United States
Domestic wells provide drinking water supply for approximately 40 million people in the United States. Knowing the location of these wells, and the populations they serve, is important for identifying heavily used aquifers, locations susceptible to contamination, and populations potentially impacted by poor-quality groundwater.
Compiled data for groundwater levels, groundwater withdrawals by wells and quarries, and point-source discharges to streams in the vicinity of Willow Grove and Warminster, Bucks and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania, for selected years during 1999-2017
This USGS Data Release includes hydrologic data compiled for selected years during the period 1990-2017 to support the development and calibration of a numerical groundwater model used to simulate groundwater flow paths at and near former and currently active military bases in Montgomery and Bucks Counties in southeastern Pennsylvania (Goode and Senior, 2020). The hydrologic data compiled f...
Compilation of data not available in the National Water Information System for domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, May-September 2017
This dataset contains the lithologic class and topographic position index information and quality-assurance and quality-control data not available in the online National Water Information System for 54 domestic wells sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, May-September 2017. The topographic position index (TPI) for each well location was computed on the bas
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project - Appalachian Basin Province, Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale Assessment Units and Input Data Forms
This data release contains the boundaries of assessment units and input data for the assessment of undiscovered gas resources in the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale of the Appalachian Basin Province, 2019. The Assessment Unit is the fundamental unit used in the National Assessment Project for the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources. The Assessment Unit is defined within the...
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project - Appalachian Basin Province, Point Pleasant Formation and Utica Shale Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Data Forms
This data release contains the boundaries of assessment units and input data for the assessment of undiscovered gas hydrate resources on the north slope of Alaska. The Assessment Unit is the fundamental unit used in the National Assessment Project for the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources. The Assessment Unit is defined within the context of the higher-level Total Petroleum...
Healthy floodplains and wetlands provide critical ecosystem services to local and downstream communities by retaining sediments, nutrients, and floodwaters. Land conversion and degradation diminish floodplain functionality and services.
USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, samples 28 wells biannually to monitor ambient groundwater quality conditions in a variety of settings throughout Pennsylvania.
Domestic wells provide drinking water supply for approximately 40 million people in the United States. Knowing the location of these wells, and the populations they serve, is important for identifying heavily used aquifers, locations susceptible to contamination, and populations potentially impacted by poor-quality groundwater.
USGS Flood Inundation Mapper Web Application
The thumpnail map is figure 7 in
Gross, E.L., 2017, Evaluation of radon occurrence in groundwater from 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania, 1986–2015, with application to potential radon exposure from groundwater and indoor air: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5018, 24 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20175018.
Digital map data for this and other maps are available.
This map shows the provinces assessed by the USGS for undiscovered oil and gas resources.
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
The USGS Storm Tide Mapper is a tool for viewing, analyzing, and accessing storm tide data collected during and after hurricanes and Nor’easters. The USGS Storm Tide Mapper will continue to provide a unified and consistent source of real-time and archived storm-tide data.
Evaluating low flow patterns, drivers and trends in the Delaware River Basin
In the humid, temperate Delaware River Basin (DRB) where water availability is generally reliable, summer low flows can cause competition between various human and ecological water uses. As temperatures continue to rise, population increases and development expands, it is critical to understand historical low flow variability to anticipate and...
Hammond, John; Fleming, Brandon J.Environmental and anthropogenic drivers of contaminants in agricultural watersheds with implications for land management
If not managed properly, modern agricultural practices can alter surface and groundwater quality and drinking water resources resulting in potential negative effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Exposure to agriculturally derived contaminant mixtures has the potential to alter habitat quality and negatively affect fish and other aquatic...
Smalling, Kelly; Devereux, Olivia H.; Gordon, Stephanie; Phillips, Patrick J.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Hladik, Michelle; Kolpin, Dana W.; Meyer, Michael T.; Sperry, Adam; Wagner, TylerModeling estrogenic activity in streams throughout the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay watersheds
Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), specifically estrogenic endocrine-disrupting compounds, vary in concentration and composition in surface waters under the influence of different landscape sources and landcover gradients. Estrogenic activity in surface waters may lead to adverse effects in aquatic species at both individual and population...
Gordon, Stephanie; Jones, Daniel K.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Williams, Brianna; Smalling, KellyNutrient trends and drivers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The Chesapeake Bay Program maintains an extensive nontidal monitoring network, measuring nitrogen and phosphorus (nutrients) at more than 100 locations on rivers and streams in the watershed. Data from these locations are used by United States Geological Survey to assess the ecosystem’s response to nutrient-reduction efforts. This fact sheet...
Hyer, Kenneth E.; Phillips, Scott W.; Ator, Scott W.; Moyer, Douglas L.; Webber, James S.; Felver, Rachel; Keisman, Jennifer L.; McDonnell, Lee A.; Murphy, Rebecca; Trentacoste, Emily M.; Zhang, Qian; Dennison, William C.; Swanson, Sky; Walsh, Brianne; Hawkey, Jane; Taillie, DylanMicroplastics in the Delaware River, northeastern United States
Microplastics are a contaminant of increasing concern in aquatic environments. Our understanding of microplastics in freshwater environments has increased dramatically over the past decade, but we still lack information on microplastic occurrence and biological uptake in National Park Service (NPS) waters. During 2015–19, the U.S. Geological...
Baldwin, Austin K.; Spanjer, Andrew R.; Hayhurst, Brett; Hamilton, DonaldSpatial and temporal patterns of low streamflow and precipitation changes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Spatial and temporal patterns in low streamflows were investigated for 183 streamgages located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed for the period 1939–2013. Metrics that represent different aspects of the frequency and magnitude of low streamflows were examined for trends: (1) the annual time series of seven‐day average minimum streamflow, (2) the...
Fleming, Brandon J.; Archfield, Stacey A.; Hirsch, Robert M.; Kiang, Julie E.; Wolock, David M.Development of a suite of functional immune assays and initial assessment of their utility in wild smallmouth bass health assessments
Methods were developed for measuring immune function in Micropterus dolomieu (smallmouth bass). The ultimate objective is to monitor and evaluate changes over time in immune status and disease resistance in conjunction with other characteristics of fish health and environmental stressors. To test these methods for utility in ecotoxicological...
Smith, Cheyenne R.; Ottinger, Christopher A.; Walsh, Heather L.; Blazer, Vicki S.Hydro-climatic drought in the Delaware River Basin
The Delaware River Basin (DRB) supplies water to approximately 15 million people and is essential to agriculture and industry. In this study, a monthly water balance model is used to compute monthly water balance components (i.e., potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, and runoff [R]) for the DRB for the 1901 through 2015 period...
McCabe, Gregory J.; Wolock, David M.Groundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and hydrogeologic and geochemical characteristics for 47 domestic wells in Potter County, Pennsylvania, 2017
As part of a regional effort to characterize groundwater in rural areas of Pennsylvania, water samples from 47 domestic wells in Potter County were collected from May through September 2017. The sampled wells had depths ranging from 33 to 600 feet in sandstone, shale, or siltstone aquifers. Groundwater samples were analyzed for physicochemical...
Galeone, Daniel G.; Cravotta, Charles A. ; Risser, Dennis W.Estimating streamflow and base flow within the nontidal Chesapeake Bay riverine system
Daily mean streamflow was estimated for all the nontidal parts of the Chesapeake Bay riverine system with the Unit Flows in Networks of Channels computer application using measured streamflow at the most downstream gage of selected rivers. The streamflows estimated by the Unit Flows in Networks of Channels computer application were aggregated at...
Buffington, Patrick C.; Capel, Paul D.Groundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and geochemical characteristics for 54 domestic wells in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, 2017
Despite the reliance on groundwater by approximately 2.4 million rural Pennsylvania residents, publicly available data to characterize the quality of private well water are limited. As part of a regional effort to characterize groundwater in rural areas of Pennsylvania, samples from 54 domestic wells in Clinton County were collected and analyzed...
Clune, John W.; Cravotta, Charles A.Aquatic invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay drainage—Research-based needs and priorities of U.S. Geological Survey partners and collaborators
Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is revising the Chesapeake Bay-based science plan to align it with recent U.S. Department of Interior and USGS science priorities that include, as stated in the plan, providing “an integrated understanding of the factors affecting fish habitat, fish health, and landscape conditions” in Chesapeake...
Densmore, Christine L.Estimation of Baseline Daily Mean Streamflows for Ungaged Locations on Pennsylvania Streams, Water Years 1960–2008
Water-Analysis Screening Tool (WAST): A Tool for Assessing Available Water Resources in Relation to Aquatic-Resource Uses
Chesapeake Bay Watershed boundary, USA
The Chesapeake Bay watershed, or draingage basin, encompasses six states - New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Deleware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. A drainage basin is a giant system of creeks, streams, and rivers that all flow into a common outlet, which in this case is the Chesapeake Bay.
Low (top) and high (bottom) flow video images, Frankford Creek, PA
Still images from videos of surface water flow overlaid with velocity vectors during low (top) and high (bottom) flow conditions in Frankford Creek, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 2020. These videos were processed using large-scale particle imaging velocimetry (LSPIV) to estimate streamflow in a location where standard methods are inadequate.
Low streamflow at USGS streamgage Young Womans Creek near Renovo, PA_2
Low streamflow in late September, 2020 at USGS streamgage Young Womans Creek near Renovo, Pennsylvania (01545600). At the time of these photographs, the streamflow was 1.5 cubic feet per second (673 gallons per minute), which is equal to the 7-day, 10-year low flow statistic
...Low streamflow at USGS streamgage Young Womans Creek near Renovo, PA
Low streamflow in late September, 2020 at USGS streamgage Young Womans Creek near Renovo, Pennsylvania (01545600). At the time of these photographs, the streamflow was 1.5 cubic feet per second (673 gallons per minute), which is equal to the 7-day, 10-year low flow statistic
...Flooded Pennsylvania Streamgage after Hurricane Isaias
This USGS streamgage on Schantz Spring near Wescosville, Pennsylvania was partially submerged after floodwaters from Tropical Storm Isaias quickly rose and flooded the area. USGS crews arrived on scene August 4 to
...Numerous aquatic macroinvertebrate taxa collected from a stream
Benthic macroinvertebrate taxa collected from Straight Run, Tioga County, Pennsyvania, USA.
Karst Hazards Research at USGS Florence Bascom Geoscience Center (AD)
The Florence Bascom Geoscience Center conducts geologic research using digital elevation models to map karst systems and sinkhole hazards in the United States. Understanding these complex geologic systems helps to inform land use planning and development decisions. The
Karst Hazards Research at the USGS Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
The Florence Bascom Geoscience Center conducts geologic research using digital elevation models to map karst systems and sinkhole hazards in the United States. Understanding these complex geologic systems helps to inform land use planning and development decisions. The
A beautiful morning for an ADCP measurement on the Allegheny River, PA
A beautiful morning for an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler measurement on the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania.
Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Mountain Sunset over Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Pipeline Trenching in Lycoming, Pennsylvania
Panoramic view of pipeline constuction in Hepburn Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
NGWOS EcoMapper Retrieval Delaware River Fort Mifflin
Photo Contest Winner | Jan. 2020 | Honorable Mention
NGWOS EcoMapper Retrieval Delaware River Fort Mifflin

This issue of our Pennsylvania Water Science Center Newsletter highlights USGS data on the occurrence of PFAS contaminants in surface waters across the Commonwealth, a first-of-its-kind survey, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. USGS identified likely causes for changing low-flow statistics for streams in the Delaware River Basin, and there's more.

The Pennsylvania Water Science Center is looking for Hydrologic Field Assistants to join our teams in New Cumberland (Harrisburg), Downingtown (Philadelphia), Pittsburgh, and Williamsport. Positions are part time and temporary for up to one year, but may be extended to 2 years. U.S. citizenship required.
Apply by 4/16/21 by email only — these positions are not posted on USAJobs.
USGS scientists published a new study of low flow in streams in the Delaware River Basin. In general, the low flows measured during 1980-2018 increased along with increased precipitation, although low flows decreased in the Coastal Plain area, in the southern part of the basin, where water use and impervious surface have increased.

USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center in cooperation with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) released a first-of-its-kind Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) dataset.
USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture have agreed on a new five-year program to continue 30 years of cooperation assessing groundwater quality in agricultural areas.
USGS groundwater and surface water monitoring data contributed to the August 21, 2020 drought watch declaration for 16 counties by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP). The last drought watch ended in May 2017.
On November 17, 2020, PaDEP continued drought warnings in 3 counties and reduced the drought watch count to 20 counties, down from 30.
The Pennsylvania Water Science Center (PaWSC) has upgraded StreamStats with the latest National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) flowlines and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) drainage basins. More accurate basin delineations and basin characteristics, and improved estimates of streamflow are now available for any stream location in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A total of $100,000 will fund new research and preserve important data across the Keystone State
This 2nd issue of Pennsylvania Waters highlights USGS data and mapping support for drought management, record flood peaks (in the same month!), recognition for Matthew Gyves, a Hydrologic Technician in the Pennsylvania Water Science Center, innovative streamflow monitoring methods, Potter County groundwater quality, new findings on lead and polonium in groundwater, and more.

A report on the groundwater quality of Potter County is the latest of seven publications characterizing water quality of aquifers underlying central and northern tier counties. Wells were sampled throughout Potter County with funding support from Commonwealth Financing Authority through the Marcellus Legacy Fund.

Hurricane Isaias swept over eastern Pennsylvania August 4th and 5th, dumping upwards of 8 inches of rain and resulting in wide-spread flooding. New high flow records included a measured streamflow of 6,920 cubic feet per second in the East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown, Pennsylvania, the highest since the gage was installed almost 50 years ago.

Matthew C. Gyves, a Hydrologic Technician in the Pennsylvania Water Science Center's Downingtown Office, received the 2020 "Data Person of the Year" award from the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Pennsylvania Water Science Center
215 Limekiln Road
New Cumberland, PA 17070
Phone: (717) 730-6900
Fax: (717) 730-6997