The quality of our Nation's waters: groundwater quality in the Columbia Plateau and Snake River Plain basin-fill and basaltic-rock aquifers and the Hawaiian volcanic-rock aquifers, Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii, 1993-2005
Links
- More information: USGS Index Page
- Document: Report (81.42 MB pdf)
- Additional Report Piece: Report low resolution (30.58 MB pdf)
- Appendix: Appendix 2 (32 KB xlsx) Table A2–1. Comprehensive list of water-quality properties and constituents analyzed
- Companion File: Archive data (121 KB)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
The Columbia Plateau, Snake River Plain, and Hawaii are large volcanic areas in the western United States and mid-Pacific ocean that contain extensive regional aquifers of a hard, gray, volcanic rock called basalt. Residents of the Columbia Plateau, the Snake River Plain, and the island of Oahu depend on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Although the depth to the water table can be several hundred feet, the groundwater is highly vulnerable to contamination because the permeable sediments and rocks allow contaminants to move readily down to the water table. Intense agricultural and urban activities occur above the drinking-water supply and are increasing in some areas. Contaminants, such as nitrate, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds, associated with agricultural and urban activities, have adversely affected groundwater quality.
Study Area
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | The quality of our Nation's waters: groundwater quality in the Columbia Plateau and Snake River Plain basin-fill and basaltic-rock aquifers and the Hawaiian volcanic-rock aquifers, Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii, 1993-2005 |
| Series title | Circular |
| Series number | 1359 |
| DOI | 10.3133/cir1359 |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | National Water Quality Assessment Program |
| Description | Report: viii, 88 p.; Appendix; Archive data |
| Public Comments | National Water-Quality Assessment Program |
| Country | United States |
| State | Hawaii, Idaho, Washington |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | Y |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |