USGS to present initial findings of groundwater study

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will discuss their initial findings from a comprehensive study of untreated well water in the Upper Los Angeles Basin at a meeting Wednesday, March 28, in Glendale, CA.

The study was conducted by the USGS and funded by the State Water Resources Control Board as part of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. It was designed to characterize groundwater quality in the aquifer systems in Los Angeles County's San Gabriel, Raymond and San Fernando valleys.

The meeting, conducted by the State Water Board and the USGS, is set for 1 to 3 p.m. at the Department of Water Resources' Southern District Office, 770 Fairmont Ave., Suite 102, Glendale. An agenda and map are available at the State Water Board's Web site.

USGS scientists will give an overview of their preliminary results. A full report on their sampling data is expected to be published later this year.

The GAMA program does not evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers. After withdrawal from the ground, water is typically treated or mixed to maintain water quality before consumers receive it.

With the cooperation of local water agencies, the non-regulatory GAMA program is testing well water in every major groundwater basin in California over a 10-year period. GAMA was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001, a public mandate to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater used as public supply for municipalities in California. The goal of the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act is to improve statewide groundwater monitoring and facilitate the availability of information about groundwater quality to the public.

Scientists from the USGS's California Water Science Center are leading the GAMA study. The center, based in Sacramento, has more than 130 scientists who bring a broad range of scientific disciplines to the study of modern water management issues. More information on the GAMA program is available at http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/ or at http://ca.water.usgs.gov/gama/.

The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

USGS news releases are posted at http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/default.asp.
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