The quality of our Nation's waters: Water quality in principal aquifers of the United States, 1991-2010

DeSimone, Leslie A.; McMahon, Peter B.; Rosen, Michael R.

doi:10.3133/cir1360

Cited by 126 publications

(173 citation statements)

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“…Groundwater ages for the aquifer systems sampled for this study have been evaluated with a variety of techniques including tritium, chlorofluorocarbons, and carbon-14 (DeSimone et al 2014;Katz 2004;McMahon et al 2004). Mean groundwater ages (time since recharge) for the eight aquifer systems range from a low of 10 years (Connecticut) to greater than 15, 000 years (Colorado Plateau).…”

Section: Similarity Of Doc Concentrations and Uv Absorbance In Differmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lack of color in groundwater compared to many surface waters is largely due to the relative absence of CDOM. However, if one considers that CDOM-laden surface waters are the principal sources of recharge to most groundwater systems (DeSimone et al 2014), it is not intuitively obvious that groundwater should exhibit such near-universal lack of color.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The removal kinetics of dissolved organic matter and the optical clarity of groundwater

et al. 2016

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Concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and ultraviolet/visible light absorbance decrease systematically as groundwater moves through the unsaturated zones overlying aquifers and along flowpaths within aquifers. These changes occur over distances of tens of meters (m) implying rapid removal kinetics of the chromophoric DOM that imparts color to groundwater. A one-compartment input-output model was used to derive a differential equation describing the removal of DOM from the dissolved phase due to the combined effects of biodegradation and sorption. The general solution to the equation was parameterized using a 2-year record of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration changes in groundwater at a longterm observation well. Estimated rates of DOC loss were rapid and ranged from 0.093 to 0.21 micromoles per liter per day (μM d ) observed in groundwater produced from 59 wells tapping eight different aquifer systems of the United States. The nearly uniform optical clarity of groundwater, therefore, results from similarly rapid DOM-removal kinetics exhibited by geologically and hydrologically dissimilar aquifers.

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Section: Similarity Of Doc Concentrations and Uv Absorbance In Differmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The removal kinetics of dissolved organic matter and the optical clarity of groundwater

et al. 2016

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“…The data used in this appendix and boxplots for additional constituents are available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1360/. (62) Principal Aquifer (number of samples) …”

Section: Almost 400 Wells Were Sampled To Characterize the Water Qualmentioning

confidence: 99%

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer and overlying surficial aquifers, southeastern United States, 1993-2010

Berndt¹,

Katz²,

Kingsbury³

et al. 2015

Circular

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For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS.For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http: //www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Berndt, M.P., Katz, B.G., Kingsbury, J.A., and Crandall, C.A., 2014, The quality of our Nation's waters-Water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer and overlying surficial aquifers, southeastern United States, 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1355. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataBerndt, Marian P.The quality of our nation's waters---water quality in the upper Floridan aquifer and overlying surficial aquifers, Southeastern United States, 1993States, --2010 ForewordThe United States has made major investments in assessing, managing, regulating, and conserving natural resources, such as water and a variety of ecosystems. Sustaining the quality of the Nation's water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits that make a difference to the lives of millions of people (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/applications/).Two decades ago, Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to meet this need. Since then, NAWQA has served as a primary source of nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater, on ways in which water quality changes over time, and on the natural features and human activities affecting the quality of streams and groundwater. Objective and reliable data, systematic scientific studies, and models are used to characterize where, when, and why the Nation's water quality is degraded-and what can be done to improve and protect the water for human and ecosystem needs. This information is critical to our future because the Nation faces an increasingly complex and growing need for clean water to support people, economic growth, and healthy ecosystems. For example, NAWQA findings for public-supply wells, which provide water to about 105 million people, showed that 22 percent of source-water samples contained at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern. Similarly, 23 perce...

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“…The pH of groundwater in the surficial aquifer system was less than the USEPA recommended SMCL of 6.5 for drinking water in more than 80 percent of samples and, with a median of 5.3, is lower than that of groundwater in most other Principal Aquifers. (26) Although pH itself is not a human-health concern, water with low pH is acidic and corrodes or dissolves metals, (27) such as lead in plumbing ( fig. 5-2), and can cause other constituents, such as radium and manganese, that are present in aquifer sediments to be released into groundwater.…”

Section: Several "Nuisance" Properties and Constituents Exceeded Secomentioning

confidence: 99%

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009

Denver¹,

Ator²,

Fischer³

et al. 2015

Circular

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For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http: //www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Denver, J.M., Ator, S.W., Fischer, J.M., Harned, D.C., Schubert, Christopher, and Szabo, Zoltan, 2014, The quality of our Nation's waters-Water quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1353. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataDenver, J. M.The quality of our Nation's waters---water quality in the Northern Atlantic coastal plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009 "USGS, through the NAWQA Program, has extensively studied the movement of nutrients through groundwater. We look forward to using this information as we work with state and local partners to implement practices on the land that have the greatest benefit to the quality of our local and Bay waters."Nick DiPasquale EPA Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program iv ForewordThe United States has made major investments in assessing, managing, regulating, and conserving natural resources, such as water and a variety of ecosystems. Sustaining the quality of the Nation's water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits that make a difference to the lives of millions of people (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/applications/ ).Two decades ago, Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to meet this need. Since then NAWQA has served as a primary source of nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater, on ways in which water quality changes over time, and on the natural features and human activities affecting the quality of streams and groundwater. Objective and reliable data, systematic scientific studies, and models are used to characterize where, when, and why the Nation's water quality is degraded-and what can be done to improve and...

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The quality of our Nation's waters: Water quality in principal aquifers of the United States, 1991-2010

Cited by 126 publications

References 0 publications

The removal kinetics of dissolved organic matter and the optical clarity of groundwater

The removal kinetics of dissolved organic matter and the optical clarity of groundwater

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer and overlying surficial aquifers, southeastern United States, 1993-2010

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009

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