USGS collects data at the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway

Noteworthy

National & Regional Science:

• March 10-16: National Groundwater Awareness Week
• OFR 2012-5228: Organic contaminants, trace and major elements, and nutrients in water and sediment sampled in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
• Fact Sheet: Tracking and Forecasting the Nation's Water Quality Priorities and Strategies for 2013–2023
• An Economic Value of Remote-Sensing Information: Application to Agricultural Production and Maintaining Groundwater Quality
• WaterNow: Get current water conditions by text or email

Local Science Features:

• New Hampshire: Concentrations of Chloride and Sodium in Groundwater in New Hampshire From 1960 Through 2011
• Arkansas: No Contamination from Fayetteville Shale Exploration Found in Sampled Wells

Past listings...

Water Quality Data

National Water Information System (NWIS)

NWIS provides current and historical water-quality data.

Today's Water Conditions

Water-Quality Watch provides continuous real-time water-quality measurements.

Water-Quality Web Services

Web services automate the sharing of USGS and USEPA water-quality monitoring data.

For More Data

Additional water-quality data resources are available.

USGS in Your Area

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

Water-Quality Methods & Techniques

• Field Methods & Equipment
• Laboratory & Field Analytical Methods
• Computer Modeling & Software
• USGS Water Quality Technical Memos

Field Methods & Equipment

Field Methods & Techniques

• Biological indicators: BOD, bacteria, viruses, protozoans, algal biomass, cyanobacteria
• Collection & quality control of samples for chemical analyses
• Continuous Monitors
• Measuring sample properties on-site
• Processing samples for chemical analyses
• Safety
  • Safety in water-quality data collection field activities
  • USGS Occupational Safety and Health Program Requirements Handbook - 445-2-H
  • USGS Safety and Health for Field Operations Handbook - 445-3-H [1.7MB PDF]
  • Water Resources Division Policy for Safety Associated with Measurements, Sampling, and Related Streamgaging
  • Water Resources Division Hazardous Waste Site Operations - Revised Safety Policy and Guidance
  • Water Resources Division National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Safety Policy and Guidance
• Sampling algae, invertebrate, and fish communities

Methods Development

• Microbial Geochemistry, Geochemistry, Hydrology, Contaminant geophysics
• National Water Quality Laboratory
• USGS National Research Program

Equipment

• Selection of sampling equipment for chemical analyses;
• Cleaning and decontamination of equipment for chemical analyses
• Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) & Microorganisms
• Macrooganisms (algae, invertebrates, fish)
• Selection and installation of wells

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Analytical Methods

• Alkalinity & Acid Neutralizing Capacity (field analysis)
• CFCs, sulfur hexafluoride, dissolved gases, tracers, and more
• Mercury
• Microorganisms:
  • Standard & source-tracking
  • Rapid-detection
• National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI)
• National Water-Quality Laboratory (NWQL)
  • NWQL Summary [265KB PDF]
  • NWQL Profile of services [8.9MB PDF]
  • Benthic macroinvertebrate samples
• Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory: ELISA and other methods
• Quality assurance
• Sediment labs
• Selection and installation of wells
• Stable Isotopes

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Computer Modeling & Software (USGS)

Geochemical & water-quality software

• Alkalinity calculator
• Dissolved-oxygen saturation tables
• Groundwater reaction-transport modeling:
  • PHAST
  • PHREEQC
  • NETPATH
• LIMS for light, stable isotopes
• LOADEST for Estimating Constituent Loads in Streams and Rivers
• NAWQA Modeling and Software page
• Redox-processes workbook
• Solute-transport models
• SPARROW
• SPREADBAL 2002
• WATEQ4F
• Watershed systems modeling

Additional resources

• Groundwater methods and models
• Surface-water software

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