Groundwater quality in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin, New York, 2009

Open-File Report 2012-1045
Prepared in cooperation with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
By:  and 

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Abstract

Water samples were collected from 16 production wells and 14 private residential wells in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin from August through December 2009 and were analyzed to characterize the groundwater quality in the basin. Wells at 16 of the sites were completed in sand and gravel aquifers, and 14 were finished in bedrock aquifers. In 2004–2005, six of these wells were sampled in the first Upper Susquehanna River Basin study. Water samples from the 2009 study were analyzed for 10 physical properties and 137 constituents that included nutrients, organic carbon, major inorganic ions, trace elements, radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and 4 types of bacterial analyses. Results of the water-quality analyses are presented in tabular form for individual wells, and summary statistics for specific constituents are presented by aquifer type. The results are compared with Federal and New York State drinking-water standards, which typically are identical. The results indicate that groundwater genrally is of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some constituents exceeded at least one drinking-water standard at 28 of the 30 wells. These constituents include: pH, sodium, aluminum, manganese, iron, arsenic, radon-222, residue on evaporation, total and fecal coliform including Escherichia coli and heterotrophic plate count.
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Groundwater quality in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin, New York, 2009
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2012-1045
DOI 10.3133/ofr20121045
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) New York Water Science Center
Description v, 12 p.; Appendix
First page i
Last page 30
Country United States
State New York
Other Geospatial Susquehanna River Basin
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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