USGS Home Contact USGS Search USGS

Overview

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is the lead federal agency for the monitoring of wet atmospheric deposition (chemical constituents deposited from the atmosphere via rain, sleet, and snow) in the United States. The USGS atmospheric deposition program provides:

1) participation and leadership in the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, National Trends Network (NADP/NTN),

2) scientific research and assessment to evaluate the effects of atmospheric deposition on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

National Atmospheric Deposition Program

The NADP monitors wet atmospheric deposition at over 250 NTN sites throughout the United States. The USGS supports 74 of the roughly 250 active NADP/NTN sites. A fundamental NADP program objective is to provide scientific investigators world-wide with a long-term, high-quality database of atmospheric deposition for research support in the areas of air quality, water quality, agricultural effects, forest productivity, materials effects, ecosystem studies, watershed studies, and human health.

NADP/NTN site locations. Click on map to access NADP data.