Geology topics

Thomas H. Barringer

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas H. Barringer.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2007

Potential effects of development on flow characteristics of two streams in the Raritan River Basin, New Jersey

Parts of the Raritan River basin in central New Jersey have undergone increasing development over the last several decades. The increasing population relies on the region's ground water and surface water sources for its residential, commercial, and industrial water supply. Urbanization, regionalized wastewater‐treatment facilities, stream channel alterations, and interbasin transfers of water can all affect water availability. This pilot study was conducted to determine whether significant trends exist in the base‐flow and overland‐runoff characteristics of streams in two subbasins with different percentages of urban/built‐up land (Anderson et at ., 1976). Changes in flow characteristics that could indicate future reductions in safe water yield of the Raritan River basin were examined. Flow and flow variability of the steams draining these two subbasins have increased over time. Many of the flow measures studied experienced pronounced trend shifts about 1960. The cause of these changes cannot be readily determined from the data, nor is it clear whether the increased flow variability lies outside the natural range of flow variability of the streams draining the subbasins.

New Jersey↗

USGS2007

Application of electromagnetic logging to contamination investigations in glacial sand-and-gravel aquifers

Electromagnetic (EM) logging provides an efficient method for high‐resolution, vertical delineation of electrically conductive contamination in glacial sand‐and‐gravel aquifers. LM. gamma, and lithologic logs and specific conductance data from sand‐and‐gravel aquifers at five sites in the northeastern United States were analyzed to define the relation of KM conductivity to aquifer lithology and water quality. Municipal waste disposal, septic waste discharge, or highway deicing salt application at these sites has caused contaminant plumes in which the dissolved solids concentration and specific conductance of ground water exceed background levels by as much as 10 to 20 limes. The major hydrogeologic factors that affected KM log response at the five sites were the dissolved solids concentration of the ground water and the silt and clay content in the aquifer. KM conductivity of sand and gravel with uncontaminated water ranged from less than 5 to about 10 millisiemens per meter (mS/m); that of silt and clay zones ranged from about 15 to 45 mS/m: and that of the more highly contaminated zones in sand and gravel ranged from about 10 to more than 80 mS/m. Specific conductance of water samples from screened intervals in sand and gravel at selected monitoring well installations was significantly correlated with KM conductivity. CM logging can be used in glacial sand‐and‐gravel aquifer investigations to (1) determine optimum depths for the placement of monitoring well screens: (2) provide a nearly continuous vertical profile of specific conductance to complement depth‐specific water quality samples; and (3) identify temporal changes in water quality through sequential logging. Detailed lithologic or gamma logs, preferably both, need to be collected along with the F.M logs to define zones in which elevated EM conductivity is caused by the presence of sill and clay beds rather than contamination.

Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont↗

USGS2001

Occurrence of selected radionuclides in ground water used for drinking water in the United States: A reconnaissance survey, 1998

The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Water Works Association, and the American Water Works Service Company, completed a targeted national reconnaissance survey of selected radionuclides in public ground-water supplies. Radionuclides analyzed included radium-224 (Ra-224), radium-226 (Ra-226), radium-228 (Ra-228), polonium-210 (Po-210) and lead-210 (Pb-210).This U.S. Geological Survey reconnaissance survey focused intentionally on areas with known or suspected elevated concentrations of radium in ground water to determine if Ra-224 was also present in the areas where other isotopes of radium had previously been detected and to determine the co-occurrence characteristics of the three radium isotopes (Ra-224, Ra-226, and Ra-228) in those areas. Ninety-nine raw-water samples (before water treatment) were collected once over a 6-month period in 1998 and 1999 from wells (94 of which are used for public drinking water) in 27 States and 8 physiographic provinces. Twenty-one of the 99 samples exceeded the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water maximum contaminant level of 5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) for combined radium (Ra-226 + Ra-228). Concentrations of Ra-224 were reported to exceed 1 pCi/L in 30 percent of the samples collected, with a maximum concentration of 73.6 pCi/L measured in water from a nontransient, noncommunity, public-supply well in Maryland. Radium-224 concentrations generally were higher than those of the other isotopes of radium. About 5 percent of the samples contained concentrations of Ra-224 greater than 10 pCi/L, whereas only 2 percent exceeded 10 pCi/L for either Ra-226 or Ra-228. Concentrations of Ra-226 greater than 1 pCi/L were reported in 33 percent of the samples, with a maximum concentration of 16.9 pCi/L measured in water from a public-supply well in Iowa. Concentrations of Ra-228 greater than 1 pCi/L were reported in 22 samples, with a maximum concentration of 72.3 pCi/L measured in water from a non-transient, noncommunity, public-supply well in Maryland.Radium-224, which is a decay product of Ra-228 in the Th-232 decay series, was significantly correlated with Ra-228 (Spearman?s rank correlation coefficient ?r? equals 0.82) and to a lesser degree with Ra-226 (r equals 0.69), which is an isotope in the U-238 decay series. The rank correlation coefficient between Ra-226 and Ra-228 was 0.63. The high correlation between Ra-224 and Ra-228 concentrations and the corresponding isotopic ratios of the two (about 1:1 in 90 percent of the samples) indicates that the two radionuclides occur in approximately equal concentrations in most ground water sampled. Thus, Ra-228 can be considered as a reasonable proxy indicator for the occurrence of Ra-224 in ground water.The maximum concentration of Po-210 was 4.85 pCi/L and exceeded 1 pCi/L in only two samples. The maximum concentration of Pb-210 was 4.14 pCi/L, and about 10 percent of the samples exceeded 1 pCi/L. Areas with known, or suspected, elevated concentrations of polonium and lead were not targeted in this survey.Three major implications are drawn for future radionuclide monitoring on the basis of this information: (1) grossalpha particle analyses of ground water should be done within about 48-72 hours after collection to determine the presence of the short-lived, alpha-particle emitting isotopes, such as Ra-224, which was detected in elevated concentrations in many of the samples collected for this survey; (2) the isotope ratios of Ra-224 to Ra-228 in ground water are variable on a national scale, but the two radioisotopes generally occur in ratios near 1:1, therefore, the more commonly measured Ra-228 can be used as an indicator of Ra-224 occurrence for some general purposes other than compliance; and (3) the isotopic ratios of Ra-226 to Ra-228 were less than 3:2 in many samples. These ratios corroborate results of previous studies that have shown the presence of Ra-228.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2001

Water quality of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, New Jersey, 1998-99

Since 1934, the Delaware and Raritan Canal has been used to transfer water from the Delaware River Basin to the Raritan River Basin. The water transported by the Delaware and Raritan Canal in New Jersey is used primarily for public supply after it has been treated at drinking-water treatment plants located in the Raritan River Basin. Recently (1999), the raw water taken from the canal during storms has required increased amounts of chemical treatments for removal of suspended solids, and the costs of removing the additional sludge or residuals generated during water treatment have increased. At present, action to control algae is unnecessary. The water quality of the Delaware and Raritan Canal was studied for approximately 16.5 months from mid-January 1998 through May 1999 to determine whether changes in water quality along the length of the canal are associated with storms. Nine water-quality constituents, and field measured specific conductance and turbidity were statistically tested. Instantaneous or grab samples of water were collected from the Delaware and Raritan Canal after five storms and during four nonstorm events. Median values of water-quality constituents in samples collected immediately after storms and during nonstorm conditions when statistically compared by sampling location were not significantly different. Therefore, the data were combined or aggregated to eliminate one of the two explanatory variables, either individual sampling sites or the two types of sampling events, in order to generate a sample population large enough to show statistically significant differences. After combining sampling events, only the median concentration of suspended organic carbon, and field measured specific conductance and turbidity, were significantly different among sampling sites. Median concentrations of total and filtered ammonia plus organic nitrogen, total phosphorous, turbidity, ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nanometers, and dissolved organic carbon in samples collected after storms were significantly greater than in samples collected during nonstorm conditions, when the sampling locations were aggregated in the statistical analysis. Methyl tert-butyl ether, the most frequently detected volatile organic compound (VOC), was detected in 55 of 80 samples. The highest concentration of methyl tert-butyl ether, 3.2 micrograms per liter, was measured in a sample collected during nonstorm conditions. The median of the continuously monitored specific conductance during nonstorm conditions at Port Mercer, N.J., increased by approximately 3 to 4 ?S/cm (microsiemens per centimeter) (1.5 to 2 percent of the median specific conductance) relative to that at the nearest upstream site, at Lower Ferry Road. The land use in the influent basins for this reach of the Delaware and Raritan Canal is primarily urban. One possible source of water with high specific conductance is either domestic or industrial wastewater that continuously discharges into pipes, then empties into the canal. Another possible source is ground water from an area within this reach where the elevation of the water table is higher than that of the water surface of the Delaware and Raritan Canal. The median continuously monitored specific conductance measured during nonstorm conditions at the Route 18 Spillway site increased relative to that of the nearest upstream site, Ten Mile Lock, by approximately 3 to 4 ?S/cm. The mean net change in continuously monitored specific conductance for this reach during storms also increased. Land use in the two largest influent basins within this reach, the Borough of South Bound Brook and Als Brook, is predominantly urban. The mean and median of continuously monitored turbidity varied along the length of the canal. In the reach between Raven Rock and Lower Ferry Road, the mean and median for continuously monitored turbidity during the study period increased by 7.2 and 6.2 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units), respectively. The mean of continuously monitored turbidity decreased downstream from Lower Ferry Road to Ten Mile Lock. Turbidity could increase locally downstream from influent streams or outfalls, but because the average velocity of water in the canal is low, particles that cause turbidity are not transported appreciable distances. In the reach between Ten Mile Lock and the Route 18 Spillway, the mean and median of the continuously monitored turbidity changed less than 0.5 NTU during the period of record. The small change in turbidity in this reach is not consistent with an average velocity for the reach; the average velocity in this reach was the lowest in all of the reaches studied. The expected decrease in turbidity due to settling of suspended solids is likely offset by turbid water entering the canal from influent streams or discharges from storm drains. Field observation of a sand bar immediately downstream from the confluence of Als Brook and the canal confirmed that the Als Brook drainage basin has contributed stormwatergenerated sediment to the canal that could reach the monitor located at the Route 18 Spillway and the raw water intakes for two drinking-water treatment plants.

New Jersey↗

USGS2000

Use of Low-Flow Trend and Transfer-Function Models to Determine Relation of Low Flows to Regional Urbanization and Precipitation, Rahway River Basin, New Jersey, 1940-91

The Rahway River Basin in northern New Jersey has become heavily urbanized. The importance of the Rahway River as a water-supply source for the region led to an investigation of trends in the river's low-flow characteristics over time and their relation to regional urbanization and precipitation. Since 1950, low flows at a stream-gaging station near Springfield, N.J., increasingly have tended to exceed those at a station at Rahway. Polynomial-trend models for three measures of low-flow difference between the two stations during 1940-91 show trends in all three measures, indicating that they have changed significantly in level during the study period. Transfer-function models indicate that differences in low flows between the two gaging stations are significantly related to measures of basin urbanization and regional precipitation. A rough water budget for the inter-gage part of the basin confirms these results.

Open-File Report↗

USGS1999

Trends in Water Quality of New Jersey Streams, Water Years 1986-95

Trend tests were conducted on values of 24 water-quality characteristics measured at 83 surface-water-quality stations on streams in New Jersey during water years 1986-95. Characteristics tested include physical properties and concentrations of nutrients, bacteria, and major dissolved constituents. Seasonal Kendall uncensored tests and tobit regression were used to determine whether unadjusted values of water quality or flow-adjusted values of water quality increased or decreased during this period. Results of tests on instantaneous streamflow measured at the time of water-quality measurements indicate that streamflow decreased during the period of study; 20 of the 81 stations tested showed decreasing values of instantaneous streamflow. No station showed increasing values of instantaneous streamflow. Because the locations of stations with decreasing streamflow are widespread, it is likely that these trends are due to changes in weather patterns rather than to changes in the amount of water withdrawals. Results of tests on nutrients are consistent with the expected effects of upgrades to sewage-treatment plants, which occurred in the State of New Jersey during the period of study. For all nutrients tested other than total nitrate plus nitrite, more stations showed decreasing unadjusted and flow-adjusted values than showed increasing unadjusted and flow-adjusted values. Results for eight major dissolved constituents--specific conductance, total hardness, and dissolved concentrations of solids, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride--of the nine tested showed more stations with increasing values than stations with decreasing values. Only dissolved sulfate did not show more increases than decreases.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1989

Simulation of ground-water flow in coastal southern New Jersey

An increasing trend of shallow ground-water withdrawal over the first part of this century on the Cape May Peninsula of New Jersey has resulted in the intrusion of saltwater into the aquifers that comprise the shallow ground-water system. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed a mathematical model of the flow system that simulates the flow regime at the freshwater-saltwater interface in the aquifers. The steady-state hydraulic-head distribution and interface position simulated by the model are in good agreement with those observed.

Conference Paper↗