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Summary: Extreme flooding can threaten life and property in flood-prone areas, as well as cause damage to critical infrastructure along roadways and canals. The effective management of these areas, and appropriate design of structures along rivers and streams, relies on understanding the magnitude and frequency of floods at gaged locations, and the ability to estimate these data at ungaged streams. Peak flow analysis and development of regional regression equations to estimate peak flow frequency and magnitude for New York have not been updated using any new data collected since 1999 (Lumia, 2006). As more data and newer technology have become available there is a need to update these data. The updated regression...
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Problem - Plastic debris pollution in freshwater ecosystems is becoming a major ecosystem and public health concern. Plastic pollution is now identified as the most abundant anthropogenic debris and it is found throughout all marine environments, comprising 60-80% of all floating debris (Eriksen et al., 2013). This debris can have a lasting effect on marine life through ingestion or entanglement (Laist, 1987). Recent studies in small tributaries and freshwater environments (Baldwin, 2016) indicate microplastic pollution is pervasive across all hydrologic environments. Mike Antidormi using a net sampler to collect a microplastic sample Microscope used for size, colors, and count for microplastics analyisis...
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Background Heavy metals, phosphorus, and organic contaminants in water and sediments of the lower Genesee River, resulted in the designation of fourteen beneficial uses as impaired in the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern (AOC). The benthic macroinvertebrate community or “benthos” Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) was designated as degraded in the Genesee River because the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) impairment metrics generally identified slight to moderate impacts through the 1990s and 2000s. Accumulation of “sediments on more suitable substrates” and “contaminants in sediment of the Genesee River related to past municipal and industrial waste-water treatment plant discharges...
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Background For effective wellhead protection, the area where water carrying potential contaminants can enter the groundwater system and flow to the supply well must first be defined, and then best management practices need to be implemented to minimize the opportunity for contamination to occur in areas defined as sources of water to the well. Determination of the sources of water and contributing areas to wells is complex because aquifers and their connection with recharge sources are heterogeneous in nature and hidden from direct observation. The major groundwater source for public supplies in upstate New York are valley-fill aquifers of glacial and post-glacial origin. Saturated coarse-grained sediments (sand...
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Problem Sediment transport is a serious concern in the upper Esopus Creek watershed. The creek is a well-documented source of sediment and turbidity to the Ashokan Reservoir, which is part of the New York City water supply system. During the last 2 decades there has been a series of stream stabilization and sediment reduction projects completed in the upper Esopus Creek watershed intended to reduce the suspended sediment load and turbidity levels delivered to the reservoir. During the last 7 years there has been a concerted effort to measure the effect of these projects on turbidity and suspended sediment. There is currently a large, long-term turbidity and suspended sediment study underway within the upper Esopus...
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Introduction Ongoing efforts to improve the health of New York's South Shore Estuary Reserve (SSER) require continuously recorded water-quality data to understand the short-term effects of stormwater runoff and other pollution sources. To document the diel and tidal variability of water quality in the western bays of the SSER, the USGS monitors select physical and chemical parameters at two sites within the SSER. One site, station 01310740 on Reynolds Channel at Point Lookout, is near the estuary mouth and operated in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and Town of Hempstead Department of Conservation & Waterways. The second, station 01311143...
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INTRODUCTION Naturally occurring methane has been noted at some locations in the upper Devonian shale bedrock and in overlying glacial deposits in parts of Broome, Tioga, and Chemung Counties in south-central New York State (Williams, 2010). Systematic sampling of water wells for dissolved methane is needed to determine if the topographic and hydrogeologic setting of a well is related to methane occurrence. Objective and Study Area - The objective of this study is to characterize the natural occurrence of dissolved methane gas in groundwater from water wells within four different topographic and hydrogeologic settings (upland and major valley areas where bedrock is confined or unconfined by glacial deposits)....
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Downloadable, Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, Shapefile; Tags: Broome County, Chemung County, Completed, Contaminants, Natural, Contaminants, Natural, All tags...
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Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) is located on the barrier island along the extreme southern shore of western and central Suffolk County, New York. Interspersed throughout FIIS are seventeen residential beach communities that in the summer months greatly increase in population due to the arrival of summer residents and vacationers. Wastewater from the numerous homes and businesses in the barrier island communities generally is discharged directly into the shallow ground-water system through use of private septic systems. Contaminants entering the ground-water system can pose a threat to coastal habitats, as they are transported by ground water that discharges to ocean and estuary shorelines. In October 2004,...
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Hydrogeologic characterization of the basal sand and gravel aquifer in the Hoosic River valley in Hoosick Falls, New York is important for determination of sources, extent, and future migration of PFOA groundwater contamination; evaluation of potential remedial actions; and appraisal of alternative groundwater supplies. Variations in the current pumping stresses and a planned 72-hour aquifer test provide an opportunity to characterize hydraulic connections in the basal sand and gravel aquifer through continuous monitoring of groundwater levels in selected wells. Publications Williams, J.H., and Heisig, P.M., 2018, Groundwater-level analysis of selected wells in the Hoosic River Valley near Hoosick Falls, New...
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Background The invasive diatom Didymosphenia geminata (didymo) has historically been a wide-spread, but rare, micro algae found in moderately flowing cold-water streams of North America, Europe, Asia, and (more recently) New Zealand. Demographic patterns of didymo have recently changed resulting in greater spatial coverage and temporal persistence (e.g. blooms) in streams worldwide. Didymo blooms can form dense “woven fabric” aggregate up to 20 cm think, that trap algae, macroinvertebrates, detritus and other debris. The recent discovery of didymo in parts of New York State, including the Upper Esopus Creek in 2009, is concerning because blooms can affect benthic habitat, river hydraulics, the structure and function...
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Problem Surface-water information is needed for planning, design, hazard warning, and operation and management in water-related fields such as water supply, hydroelectric power, flood control, irrigation, bridge and culvert design, wildlife management, pollution abatement, flood-plain management, and water-resources development. Appropriate historical and real-time surface-water data, such as stream flow and stage, reservoir levels, and water temperature, are necessary to properly assess, manage and protect water resources. Objectives Collect timely and high quality surface-water data for (1) assessment of water resources; (2) operation of reservoirs or industries; (3) forecasting flow; (4) disposal of wastes...
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Downloadable, Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, Shapefile; Tags: Climate Impacts, Climate Impacts, Climate Research and Development, Climate impacts, Cooperative Water Program, All tags...
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Water-quality samples were collected from the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (UPDE) and its tributaries during the period October 1, 2005, to September 30, 2007, to document existing water quality, determine relations between land use and water quality, and identify areas of water-quality concern. A tiered water-quality monitoring framework was used, with the tiers consisting of intensively sampled sites, gradient sites representing the range of land uses present in the basin, and regional stream-survey sites. Median nitrate and total phosphorous concentrations were 1.15 and 0.01 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for three sites on the mainstem Delaware River, 1.27 and 0.009 mg/L for the East Branch Delaware...
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Problem Tribal Lands of the Shinnecock Nation Tribal community were inundated during Hurricane Sandy’s storm tide, resulting in detrimental effects on the Tribal Land’s natural resources. The existing science being used to inform decisions on remediation is biased toward activities are necessarily focused on the immediate aftermath of storms An assessment of the sources of contaminants that may have been introduced from inundation is needed to provide a context with which the Tribal community can better understand how to prioritize and manage the sources and minimize risk. Objectives This project will evaluate key human- and ecological-health concerns related to transport and persistence of...
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Downloadable, Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, Shapefile; Tags: Climate Impacts, Climate Impacts, Climate impacts, Contaminants, Emerging, Contaminants, Emerging, All tags...
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Coastal Hydrology and Storm Surge Storm-surge is one of the most powerful and destructive elements of major storm events. Excessively high tides associated with storms can flood and inundate coastal areas, often moving sediment and altering coastal landscapes and drainages. USGS provides critical expertise in measuring storm surge and assessing conditions both before and after the storm. Through development of storm tide monitoring networks, data analysis, and data delivery, USGS provides vital information to help coastal communities prepare for and recover from storm surge events. View Fact Sheet Science Science Support for Tribes Tide gage/weather station installed in collaboration with Mashpee-Wampanoag Tribe....
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In 1979, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) entered into a cooperative agreement with Monroe County (MC), which, over the span of more than three decades, has resulted in more than 30 reports that have summarized flow and water-quality data at sites in Monroe County and have presented the results of investigations of particular water-related issues that existed in the County. The collaborative relationship between Monroe County and the USGS entails: - USGS training and oversight of MC personnel to conduct site visits and measure streamflow and collect water samples at monitoring sites; - analyses of water samples by MC in a certified environmental laboratory that routinely participates in a USGS quality-control program...
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Background A major focus of the NAWQA Program in its second decade (2002-2013) is on regional- and national-scale assessments of groundwater-quality status and trends in principal aquifers. The U.S. Geological Survey Office of Groundwater has identified 62 principal aquifers in the U.S. ( U.S. Geological Survey, 2003 ). About 1/3 of the Nation's principal aquifers are the focus of water-quality assessments at the regional scale by NAWQA. The NAWQA framework for principal aquifer assessments considers the physical setting of the aquifer, in addition to its susceptibility and vulnerability to contamination. More information (USGS Fact Sheet 2005-3013, PDF, Adobe reader is freely available to read a PDF) Publications...
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The current information available for the Genesee River and watershed is insufficient to assess if the Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) delisting criteria for the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern (AOC) can or have been met. With on-going and future projects that are implementing best practices to control soil erosion and the reduction of nutrients that reach the Rochester Embayment, the river and the watershed, it becomes a necessity to: 1.) collect more frequent Total Suspended Sediment (TSS) data for the Genesee River both within and outside of the AOC; and 2.) to have a study design capable of evaluating the impact/success of the current and proposed GLRI projects in the watershed. This project is envisioned...
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Downloadable, Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, Shapefile; Tags: BMP, Best-Management Practices, Best-Management Practices, Best-Management Practices, CAFO, All tags...
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BACKGROUND Chemistry data from a group of Adirondack lakes monitored since the mid-1990s indicate that chemical recovery is currently underway and can be attributed to declining deposition loads of sulfate and nitrate in direct response to the 1990 amendment to the Clean Air Act (CAA) and other regulations. Changes in the water quality of several western Adirondack streams suggest that chemical recovery from acidification is underway as well, while data from recent large-scale stream surveys also support the assertion. Changes in stream chemistry, however, appear to be more complicated than changes in lake chemistry. The pH levels in Buck Creek, for example, have changed very little since the 1990s but dissolved...
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Introduction The upper Esopus Creek watershed is located in the eastern Catskill Mountains of New York State and covers 497 km2 from Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the Catskills at 1,274 m, to the Ashokan Reservoir at 193 m elevation (fig. 1). Suspended sediment and turbidity are primary water quality concerns in the Ashokan Reservoir watershed, part of the New York City Catskill-Delaware water supply system that supplies more than 10 million people a day with clean drinking water. Stream corridor assessments of tributaries to the Upper Esopus Creek by Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and State University of New York at New Paltz summer...
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Geophysics Geophysics GEOPHYSICAL METHODS CAPABILITIES The New York Water Science Center (NY WSC) makes extensive use of geophysical methods in its hydrologic investigations and research in cooperation with local, State, and Federal partners. The NY WSC staff has many years of experience in collecting and interpreting surface and borehole geophysical data, and applying the results to provide a better understanding of the subsurface environment for resource management and protection, infrastructure design, hazard mitigation, and remedial actions. The NYSWSC partners with the Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch (HRSB) to apply the latest geophysical technologies in support of groundwater studies in New York and...
map background search result map search result map Water Quality of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and Tributary Streams, New York and Pennsylvania Simulation of the Shallow Ground-Water Flow System at Fire Island National Seashore, Long Island, New York Effects of Stream Restoration and Bank Stabilization on Suspended Sediment in Tributaries to the Upper Esopus Creek Sediment Toxicity and Condition of Benthic Invertebrate Communities in the Rochester Embayment Area-of-Concern Surface-Water Data Collection in New York Didymosphenia geminata in the Upper Esopus Creek: Seasonal changes in density and distribution, controlling environmental factors, and potential ecosystem impacts Estimating Loading Above and Below Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Combined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the Genesee River Watershed Natural Methane Occurrence in Water Wells of South-Central New York State- Evaluation of Topographic Position and Hydrogeologic Setting Hurricane Sandy -- Science to support coastal resilience Water-Quality Assessments of Principal Aquifers Human- and Ecological-Health Concerns Related to Transport and Persistence of Contaminants on Shinnecock Nation Tribal Lands Water Resources of Monroe County, New York South Shore Estuary Reserve Total Maximum Daily Load Monitoring Groundwater-level Monitoring for Characterization of Hydraulic Connections in the Basal Sand & Gravel Aquifer, Hoosic River Valley, Hoosick Falls, New York Simulation of Contributing Areas to Selected Public Water-Supply Wellfields in the Valley-Fill Aquifers of New York State Upper Esopus Creek Tributary Bedload Pilot Study Mohawk Microplastics Documenting Biological Recovery in Acidified Adirondack Streams in Response to the 1990 Amendment to the Clean Air Act Methods for Estimation Flood Magnitude and Frequency at Ungaged Streams in New York, excluding Long Island Groundwater-level Monitoring for Characterization of Hydraulic Connections in the Basal Sand & Gravel Aquifer, Hoosic River Valley, Hoosick Falls, New York Human- and Ecological-Health Concerns Related to Transport and Persistence of Contaminants on Shinnecock Nation Tribal Lands Sediment Toxicity and Condition of Benthic Invertebrate Communities in the Rochester Embayment Area-of-Concern Didymosphenia geminata in the Upper Esopus Creek: Seasonal changes in density and distribution, controlling environmental factors, and potential ecosystem impacts Simulation of the Shallow Ground-Water Flow System at Fire Island National Seashore, Long Island, New York Effects of Stream Restoration and Bank Stabilization on Suspended Sediment in Tributaries to the Upper Esopus Creek Upper Esopus Creek Tributary Bedload Pilot Study Water Resources of Monroe County, New York Natural Methane Occurrence in Water Wells of South-Central New York State- Evaluation of Topographic Position and Hydrogeologic Setting Estimating Loading Above and Below Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Combined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the Genesee River Watershed Water Quality of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and Tributary Streams, New York and Pennsylvania Documenting Biological Recovery in Acidified Adirondack Streams in Response to the 1990 Amendment to the Clean Air Act South Shore Estuary Reserve Total Maximum Daily Load Monitoring Simulation of Contributing Areas to Selected Public Water-Supply Wellfields in the Valley-Fill Aquifers of New York State Methods for Estimation Flood Magnitude and Frequency at Ungaged Streams in New York, excluding Long Island Water-Quality Assessments of Principal Aquifers Surface-Water Data Collection in New York Hurricane Sandy -- Science to support coastal resilience