Stream acidification in the Catskill Mountains of New York
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Open-File Report↗
Geology topics
C.R. Barnes
Publications and source records attributed to C.R. Barnes.
A reconnaissance study of halogenated organic compounds in catfish from the lower Mississippi river and its major tributaries
Blue catfish, (Ictarurus furcatus), black bullhead catfish, (Ictalurus melas), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), and flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivaris), were collected along a 1200 mile river reach of the Mississippi River and its major tributaries. Tissue samples were extracted and analyzed by fused silica capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to determine the concentrations of hydrophobic organic halogenated contaminants that have bioconcentrated within the tissues. The compounds identified in the tissue include chlordane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its metabolites along with several other chlorinated pesticides. The data indicates that the southern reach of the river system appears to be more contaminated than the middle and upper reaches of the study area.
Chemosphere↗
National water-quality assessment program : the Albemarle- Pamlico drainage
In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began to implement a full-scale National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. Long-term goals of the NAWQA program are to describe the status and trends in the quality of a large, representative part of the Nation's surface- and ground-water resources and to provide a sound, scientific understanding of the primary natural and human factors affecting the quality of these resources. In meeting these goals, the program will produce a wealth of water quality information that will be useful to policy makers and managers at the national, State, and local levels. Study-unit investigations constitute a major component of the NAWQA program, forming the principal building blocks on which national-level assessment activities are based. The 60 study-unit investigations that make up the program are hydrologic systems that include parts of most major river basins and aquifer systems. These study units cover areas of 1,200 to more than 65,000 square miles and incorporate about 60 to 70 percent of the Nation's water use and population served by public water supply. In 1991, the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage was among the first 20 NAWQA study units selected for study under the full-scale implementation plan. The Albemarle-Pamlico drainage study will examine the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of water quality issues in a coordinated investigation of surface water and ground water in the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage basin. The quantity and quality of discharge from the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage basin contribute to some water quality problems in the biologically sensitive waters of Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. A retrospective analysis of existing water quality data will precede a 3-year period of intensive data-collection and analysis activities. The data resulting from this study and the improved understanding of important processes and issues in the upstream part of the study unit will enhance understanding of the quality of water in Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds, the second largest estuarine system in the United States.
Open-File Report↗
Hydrologic environments and water-quality characteristics at four landfills in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1980-86
A water-quality study was conducted during 1980-86 at four landfills in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Each landfill has a three-layered hydrogeologic system typical of the Piedmont, consisting of (1) the regolith; (2) a transition zone; and (3) unweathered, fractured crystalline bedrock. As much as 7.6 inches per year of rainfall enters the ground-water system and has the potential to generate leachate within landfill cells. Ground water and leachate discharge to tributaries within the landfill sites or to streams adjacent to them. Water-quality samples were collected from 53 monitoring wells and 20 surface-water sites. Samples were analyzed for selected physical and biological characteristics, major inorganic ions, nutrients, trace elements, and organic compounds. Selected indicators of water quality, including specific conductance; hardness; and concentrations of chloride, manganese, dissolved solids, total organic carbon, and specific organic compounds were analyzed to determine the effects of each landfill on ground- and surface-water quality. Increases in concentrations of inorganic constituents above background levels were detected in ground water downgradient of the landfills. The increases were generally greatest in samples from wells in close proximity to the older landfill cells. In general, the increases in concentrations in downgradient wells were greater for calcium, magnesium, and chloride than for other major ions. Manganese exhibited the largest relative increase in concentration between upgradient and downgradient wells of any constituent, and manganese concentration data were effective in defining areas with extensive anaerobic biological activity. Differences between upgradient and downgradient concentrations of total organic carbon and specific organic compounds generally were not as apparent. The most frequently identified organic contaminants were the herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. Chlorofluoromethanes were identified in three of four ground-water samples analyzed for volatile organic compounds. Landfills affected the water quality of several smaller streams but did not noticeably affect larger ones. Apparent effects on water quality were greatest at the oldest landfill, located on Statesville Road, where waste is in cells that are partly below the water table.
North Carolina↗
Relation of long- and short-term atmospheric sulfur concentrations to sulfate deposition in New York State
Records from 1965-80 indicate an annual decrease of 1.9% in sulfur dioxide emissions upwind of New York, an annual decrease of 1.5% in atmospheric particulate sulfate concentration in New York, and an annual decrease of 2.0% in sulfate-deposition rate in New York. Sulfate-deposition rates in bulk sampling in New York during 1965-80 were approximately 40% of the average sulfur-emission rate for the Northeast. Sulfate-deposition rates in bulk and wetfall collectors were nearly equal and were five times greater than in the dryfall collector. Scavenging ratios for sulfate averaged 8.9 ?? 105; those for sulfate plus sulfur dioxide averaged 4.6 ?? 105. Sulfate concentrations in wet deposition averaged more than twice those estimated from published regional-scale washout equations, whereas those in dry deposition averaged only 22% of those computed from deposition velocities of 0.1 cm/s for sulfate and 1.0 cm/s for sulfur dioxide. Discrepancies in the dryfalls are attributed to inefficiency of dryfall-collection equipment. -from Author
Northeastern Environmental Science↗
Method for estimating low-flow statistics for ungaged streams in the lower Hudson River Basin, New York
Seven-day, 10-year and 7-day, 2-year low flow statistics were related to selected basin characteristics by multiple-regression analysis for 53 sites with watershed areas of less than 100 sq mi in the lower Hudson River basin. A common 20-year period of record was selected to ensure comparability of results. The most significant variable was the percentage of drainage basin underlain by stratified drift. The lowest standard errors of estimate were obtained from equations giving results in terms of discharge/sq mi during low-flow conditions. The statistically significant basin characteristics needed for estimating low flow were percentage of basin containing stratified drift, mean basin elevation, and mean annual precipitation. The smallest standard errors for 7-day, 10-year and 7-day, 2-year low flows obtained were 51% of the mean and 39% of the mean, respectively. (USGS)
Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in Hudson River water and treated drinking water at Waterford, New York
Past discharge of PCBs into the Hudson River has resulted in contaminant concentrations of a few tenths of a microgram per liter in the water. Waterford is one of two large municipal users of the Hudson River for drinking-water supply. The treatment scheme at the Waterford plant, which processes approximately 1 million gallons per day, is similar to that of most conventional treatment plants except for the addition of powdered activated carbon during flocculation. Comparison of PCB concentrations in river water and intake water at the plant to concentrations in treated drinking-water samples indicates that purification processes remove 80 to 90 percent of the PCBs and that final concentrations seldom exceed 0.1 microgram per liter. No significant difference was noted between the removal efficiencies during periods of high river discharge, when PCBs are associated with suspended sediment, and low discharge, when PCBs are generally dissolved. (USGS)
Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
Trends in polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in Hudson River water five years after elimination of point sources
Industrial discharge of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to the Hudson River from 1950 to the mid-1970 's has resulted in serious degradation of the water. Contaminated river-bottom sediments continue to contribute PCBs to the river water. Concentrations in the sediment range from several hundred micrograms per gram near the outfall to less than 10 micrograms per gram in the lower estuary. PCBs are supplied by bottom sediments to the overlying water by two mechanisms--desorption and resuspension. Because desorption is a relatively constant process, concentrations of PCBs decrease as water discharge increases. At high flow, however, scouring by turbulence causes resuspension of PCB-laden sediment. Transport rates indicate that most PCBs enter the water from the most contaminated sediments, which are within 20 kilometers of the outfall. Mean daily transport from the upper river (except during high discharges) has decreased from 10 kilograms in 1976 to 5 kilograms in the late 1970 's and to 1 kilogram in 1981. This decrease probably results from the burial of highly contaminated sediments by cleaner sediments originating upstream. (USGS)
Water-Resources Investigations Report↗