SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Geologic report (New Jersey)”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

USGS2026

Opportunities and challenges in using Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking (SPATT) samplers for monitoring cyanotoxins in freshwater and estuarine environments

Cyanobacterial toxins (cyanotoxins) represent a substantial threat to drinking water supplies and safe recreational uses of freshwater resources in watersheds worldwide. Monitoring cyanotoxins can be difficult because toxin events are variable in both space and time, are not always persistent, can be moved easily by wind and currents, and may be degraded biotically or abiotically. Thus, monitoring programs that collect discrete samples on a monthly or even bimonthly interval can miss key events and underestimate cyanotoxin risk or if they capture a high-concentration event, can give a false impression that cyanotoxins are a widespread health hazard. The use of Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking (SPATT) samplers helps address this issue by providing a time-weighted average estimate of dissolved cyanotoxin occurrence and relative concentrations. SPATT samplers have been used as a complement to traditional monitoring programs and can help elucidate cyanotoxin dynamics. SPATT samplers have been used by six U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science Centers (New York, California, Oregon, Upper Midwest, New Jersey, and Lower Mississippi-Gulf) to monitor various cyanotoxins in waterbodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, estuaries, and drinking-water intakes. Despite their use across the USGS, there is little guidance available to ensure consistent approaches and data quality across the Bureau. This report summarizes best practices for SPATT deployment and analysis, synthesizes data and describes lessons learned from USGS studies, identifies priority knowledge gaps, and offers considerations for future targeted experiments to help improve data collection and interpretation.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2026

Human factors used to estimate and forecast water supply and demand in the Delaware River Basin

The objective of this report by the U.S. Geological Survey is to identify cultural and economic determinants of water demand, supply, and access, and to locate associated datasets of those determinants. Although climate and its influence on hydrology are important components of water availability, this study focused only on the components of the human system. The Delaware River Basin (the area including Delaware Bay, and parts of four States including Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) was used as a proxy. The basin covers approximately 13,600 square miles, supplies agricultural, municipal, and industrial water, and provides jobs for millions of people in the region. The most salient social and economic determinants affecting current water availability, as well as existing data sources on those determinants, were identified through a literature review. Regional water availability results from complex interactions of water supply and demand, as well as hydrological and climatological interactions between institutions and economics. Following the definition of water availability from Herman-Mercer and others (2023), “access to a specific quantity and quality of water at a point in time and space, for a specific use, recognizing the social and economic value of water across uses and institutions that facilitate or hinder its impartial and efficient provisioning,” we identify human determinants influencing water supply and demand and provide examples from the extensive datasets available to estimate these determinants in the agricultural, municipal, and industrial water-use sectors, using the Delaware River Basin as a case study. We also reference determinants related to recreation and ecosystem services that influence water availability in the Delaware River Basin. Gaps were found pertaining to best practices for prioritization of human determinants within water-availability assessments and a lack of consistent data collection across different scales. A major focus of the work identified a need to prioritize collection and refinement of the human determinants to improve water availability estimation and forecasting. We ascertained that predictions of water use in these sectors often fall short. Predictions may use approximations for changes in demand, such as population or economic activity. Changes in demand also may be influenced by political or other strategic behavior, which are more difficult to incorporate into predictions. Approximations and other assumptions about water supply and demand can be improved to better predict water availability. Therefore, there is an opportunity to further understand and use the fundamental human determinants of water supply and demand along with changing climate variables to predict water availability in the future.

Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania↗

USGS2015

Chemical and ancillary data associated with bed sediment, young of year Bluefish ( Pomatomus saltatrix ) tissue, and mussel ( Mytilus edulis and Geukensia demissa ) tissue collected after Hurricane Sandy in bays and estuaries of New Jersey and New York, 2013–14

This report describes the methods and data associated with a reconnaissance study of young of year bluefish and mussel tissue samples as well as bed sediment collected as bluefish habitat indicators during August 2013–April 2014 in New Jersey and New York following Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. This study was funded by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (PL 113-2) and was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Young of year Pomatomus saltatrix (bluefish) were collected from nine sites in New Jersey (N.J.) and New York (N.Y.) including Barnegat Bay, N.J., Sandy Hook Bay, N.J., Jamaica Bay, N.Y., and Great South Bay, N.Y., and analyzed for indicators of health and chemical contamination. At each bluefish sampling location, bed sediment was also collected and analyzed for a suite of contaminants. Resident mussels, Mytilus edulis (blue mussels) and (or) Geukensia demissa (ribbed mussels), were collected from 11 historic NOAA Mussel Watch Program sites along the N.J. and N.Y. coastlines in the winter/spring of 2014 and analyzed for contaminants. Individual age of a subset of the mussels sampled was also determined at each site. Bed sediment samples were analyzed for a suite of organic contaminants including 34 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, 28 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, 24 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 53 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs, 33 aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs), and 10 petroleum biomarkers (steranes and hopanes). Bed sediment collected from the Navesink River (Sandy Hook, N.J.), Metedeconk River (Barnegat Bay, N.J.), and Toms River (Barnegat Bay, N.J.) had the highest concentrations of contaminants compared to the other sites. Bluefish and mussel tissue collected throughout the study area was analyzed for 34 PCB congeners, 28 PBDE congeners, and 24 OCPs. Thirty-three PCB congeners, 22 PBDE congeners, and 24 OCPs were detected in the bluefish analyzed. The highest median concentrations of total PCBs were present in tissue from Jamaica Bay, N.Y., whereas the highest median concentrations of total PBDEs and total OCPs were present in tissue from Sandy Hook Bay. Of the OCPs detected, p,p’ -DDE was found in 99 percent (%) of the tissue samples and at the highest median concentrations compared to the other OCPs. Fish health assessments were conducted on 20 fish from the 4 bays. Results indicate that the sex ratio and the mean total length varied by site. Physical fish damage, such as lesions and parasites, was observed in fish from all four bays. The most common parasite observed visually was the presence of Livoneca redmanii , an ectoparasitic gill isopod, which can cause localized gill erosion. The prevalence of the gill isopod infestation ranged from 20% at Great South Bay, N.Y., to 35% at Jamaica Bay, N.Y. Twenty three PCB congeners, 9 PBDE congeners, and 20 OCPs were detected in composite mussel samples collected throughout the study area. The co-eluting PCB congeners 153 and 132, PBDE 47, 99, and 100, and p,p’ -DDE were detected in samples from each site. The highest median concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs were present in mussels from Raritan Bay, N.Y., whereas the highest median concentrations of OCPs were present in mussels from Fire Island Inlet, N.Y., and Shark River, N.J. Mytilus edulis (blue mussels) and Geukensia demissa (ribbed mussels) were thin-sectioned and aged. The blue mussels collected ranged in age from 4 to 13 years, and the ribbed mussels ranged in age from 3 to 12 years.

New Jersey, New York↗

USGS1982

Flood data in West Windsor Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, through 1981 water year

Flood stages and peak discharges are described for 13 sites on streams in West Windsor Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, and surrounding areas, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey through the 1981 water year. Included are descriptions and elevations of floodmarks at 30 sites located by the West Windsor Township Environmental Commission after the September 25-27, 1975 flood. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

USGS2013

Hydrogeology and hydrologic conditions of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer System from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina

The seaward-dipping sedimentary wedge that underlies the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain forms a complex groundwater system. This major source of water provides for public and domestic supply and serves as a vital source of freshwater for industrial and agricultural uses throughout the region. Population increases and land-use and climate changes, however, have led to competing demands for water. The regional response of the aquifer system to these stresses poses regional challenges for water-resources management at the State level because hydrologic effects often extend beyond State boundaries. In response to these challenges, the U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Resources Program began a regional assessment of the groundwater availability of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system in 2010. The initial phase of this investigation included a refinement of the hydrogeologic framework and an updated hydrologic budget of this aquifer system from the last regional aquifer system assessment completed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the 1980s. Refinements to the hydrogeologic framework include revision of the regional aquifer names to be more consistent with local names in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, the primary States included in the study area. Other revisions to the framework include characterization of the aquifers of the regional Potomac aquifer system. The regional Potomac aquifer system is subdivided for this report into two regional aquifers. These aquifers include the single Potomac aquifer in Virginia and two aquifers in Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey, where the Potomac aquifer system thickens within the Salisbury Embayment. The two regional aquifers making up the Potomac aquifer system include the Potomac-Patapsco aquifer and the underlying Potomac-Patuxent aquifer. The Potomac-Patuxent aquifer includes the Lower Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer in southern New Jersey and the Patuxent aquifers in Delaware and Maryland. In northern New Jersey and on Long Island, New York, the PotomacPatuxent aquifer is absent, but the Late Cretaceous fluvialdeltaic aquifer that is laterally equivalent with the upper part of the Potomac Formation now is considered part of the regional Potomac-Patapsco aquifer. This aquifer includes the Middle Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer in New Jersey and the Lloyd aquifer on Long Island. The name “Upper Potomac aquifer” has been removed as part of this regional framework revision. The local aquifer previously considered part of the Upper Potomac aquifer now are part of the regional Magothy aquifer. These units include the Upper Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer in New Jersey, the Magothy aquifers on Long Island, Delaware, and Maryland, and the Virginia Beach aquifer in Virginia. Updates to the regional hydrologic budget include revised estimates of aquifer recharge, water use and streamflow data. Inflow to the aquifer system of about 20,000 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) includes 19,600 Mgal/d from recharge from precipitation, 200 Mgal/d of recharge from wastewater via onsite domestic septic systems, and 200 Mgal/d from the release of water from aquifer storage. Outflow from the aquifer system includes groundwater discharge to streams (11,900 Mgal/d), groundwater withdrawals (1,500 Mgal/d), and groundwater discharge to coastal waters (6,600 Mgal/d). A numerical modeling analysis is required to improve this hydrologic budget calculation and to forecast future changes in water levels and aquifer storage caused by groundwater withdrawals, land-use changes, and the effects of climate variability and change.

Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Ca↗

USGS2010

Assessment of physical, chemical, and hydrologic factors affecting the infiltration of treated wastewater in the New Jersey Coastal Plain, with emphasis on the Hammonton Land Application Facility

A hydrogeologic and water-quality investigation of the Hammonton Land Application Facility (Hammonton LAF) in Hammonton, New Jersey, was conducted to determine the factors that impede the infiltration of treated wastewater and to assess the potential for similar conditions to exist elsewhere in the Coastal Plain of New Jersey (particularly within the Pinelands National Reserve). Gamma logs, sediment cores, and hydraulic-profile testing indicate that extensive fine-grained strata and iron-cemented sands underlying the Hammonton LAF may impede infiltration and lead to the perching of diluted treated wastewater. Perched water was observed in augured holes adjacent to infiltration trenches, and analysis of wastewater loading and infiltration data indicates that infiltration trenches may receive lateral flow from multiple perched-water sources. Analysis of water-quality properties characteristic of treated wastewater show that although infiltrated wastewater is reaching the underlying aquifer, lengthy holding times and a long recharge pathway greatly reduce the concentrations of nitrate, boron, and many organic compounds typical of wastewater. Conditions at two currently operating facilities and one potential future facility in the New Jersey Coastal Plain were compared to those at the Hammonton Land Application Facility (LAF). Facilities operating as designed are not underlain by the restrictive strata that exist at the Hammonton LAF. Careful characterization of the geology and hydrology of the unsaturated zone underlying infiltration structures of future facilities in the New Jersey Coastal Plain and similar hydrogeologic settings will help to avoid constructing infiltration structures over or within low-hydraulic-conductivity strata that will decrease infiltration rates.

New Jersey↗

USGS2008

Estimated Withdrawals from Stream-Valley Aquifers and Refined Estimated Withdrawals from Selected Aquifers in the United States, 2000

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water Use Information Program compiles estimates of fresh ground-water withdrawals in the United States on a 5-year interval. In the year-2000 compilation, withdrawals were reported from principal aquifers and aquifer systems including two general aquifers - Alluvial and Other aquifers. Withdrawals from a widespread aquifer group - stream-valley aquifers - were not specifically identified in the year-2000 compilation, but they are important sources of ground water. Stream-valley aquifers are alluvial aquifers located in the valley of major streams and rivers. Stream-valley aquifers are long but narrow aquifers that are in direct hydraulic connection with associated streams and limited in extent compared to most principal aquifers. Based in large part on information published in U.S. Geological Survey reports, preliminary analysis of withdrawal data and hydrogeologic and surface-water information indicated areas in the United States where possible stream-valley aquifers were located. Further assessment focused on 24 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Withdrawals reported from Alluvial aquifers in 16 states and withdrawals reported from Other aquifers in 6 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico were investigated. Two additional States - Arkansas and New Jersey - were investigated because withdrawals reported from other principal aquifers in these two States may be from stream-valley aquifers. Withdrawals from stream-valley aquifers were identified in 20 States and were about 1,560 Mgal/d (million gallons per day), a rate comparable to withdrawals from the 10 most productive principal aquifers in the United States. Of the 1,560 Mgal/d of withdrawals attributed to stream-valley aquifers, 1,240 Mgal/d were disaggregated from Alluvial aquifers, 150 Mgal/d from glacial sand and gravel aquifers, 116 Mgal/d from Other aquifers, 28.1 Mgal/d from Pennsylvanian aquifers, and 24.9 Mgal/d from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer. Five States, including Colorado (552 Mgal/d), Kansas (384 Mgal/d), Oklahoma (126 Mgal/d), Kentucky (102 Mgal/d), and Ohio (100 Mgal/d), accounted for 81 percent of estimated stream-valley aquifer withdrawals identified in this report. Of the total withdrawals from stream-valley aquifers, about 63 percent (984 Mgal/d) were used for irrigation, 26 percent (400 Mgal/d) for public-supply, and 11 percent (177 Mgal/d) for self-supplied industrial uses. The largest estimated water withdrawals were from stream-valley aquifers associated with the South Platte (404 Mgal/d), Arkansas (395 Mgal/d), and Ohio (221 Mgal/d) Rivers.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS1974

Sediment transport by streams draining into the Delaware Estuary

The quantity of sediment transported by streams draining into the Delaware estuary from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware varies areally according to geology, physiography, and land use. Of the estimated total sediment load of 1.6 million tons entering the Delaware estuary annually, about 48 percent is contributed by the Delaware River main stem at Trenton, NJ; 34 percent by Pennsylvania tributaries; and 18 percent by New Jersey and Delaware tributaries.

Water Supply Paper↗

USGS2015

Marine geophysical data collected in a shallow back-barrier estuary, Barnegat Bay, New Jersey

In 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, began a multidisciplinary research project to better understand the water quality in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. This back-barrier estuary is experiencing degraded water quality, algal blooms, loss of seagrass, and increases in oxygen stress, macroalgae, stinging nettles, and brown tide. The spatial scale of the estuary and the scope of challenges within it necessitate a multidisciplinary approach that includes establishing the regional geology and the estuary’s physical characteristics and modeling how the estuary’s morphology interacts to affect its water quality. This report presents the data collected during this project for use in understanding the morphology and the distribution of sea-floor and sub-sea-floor sediments within Barnegat Bay, describes the methods used to collect and process those data, and includes links to the final processed datasets. These data can be used by scientists to understand the links between geomorphology, geologic framework, sediment transport, and estuarine water quality and circulation.

New Jersey↗

USGS1993

Analytical results for As species and related elements in interstitial porewater and sediment from the Maurice River and Union Lake in Vineland, New Jersey

Union Lake, the Maurice River, and the Blackwater Branch , a tributary of the Maurice River, all parts of a small watershed near Vineland, New Jersey, are contaminated by arsenic (As) from a local chemical factory (fig. l)(Faust and others, 1987). An indepth study to be used for the design of the remedial action at the Vineland Chemical Co. Superfund site was initiated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine the extent and severity of the contamination. The Vineland Chemical Co. site is located in Cumberland County, New Jersey. Organic As herbicides were manufactured there from approximately 1949 to the late 1980's. As part of the effort, core samples were collected in the Maurice River close to the chemical factory and from Union Lake, a reservoir approximately seven miles from the factory. This report summarizes the analytical results for As speciation and various constituents in the interstitial porewater and associated sediment from these cores. Because the U.S. Geological Survey has the analytical expertise and necessary equipment, the samples were analyzed in USGS laboratories in Denver, Colorado and Seattle, Washington.

New Jersey↗

USGS1987

Rainfall-runoff data for Somerset County, New Jersey

Rainfall-runoff data are presented for eight selected drainage basins in Somerset County, New Jersey, for the 1980 through 1984 water yr. In order to improve the existing methods for estimating flood-frequency and magnitude throughout the county, in their flood-monitoring efforts by providing real-time data, rainfall-runoff data were collected and a data base was created. The rainfall-runoff data were recorded at 5-min intervals and were stored in the U.S. Geological Survey, New Jersey District computer. Rainfall data were collected at two sites within each drainage basin in order to improve areal coverage and data continuity. Data from eight rainfall-runoff gaging stations and eight auxiliary rainfall gages are summarized. Rainfall and runoff data for selected storms also are summarized. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

USGS2010

Relationship between mass extinction and iridium across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary in New Jersey

We directly link iridium (Ir) anomalies in New Jersey to the mass extinction of marine plankton marking the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary. We confirm previous reports of an Ir anomaly 20 cm below the extinction of Cretaceous macrofauna (the "Pinna" bed) with new results from a muddy sand section from Tighe Park, Freehold, New Jersey (United States), but we also show that Ir anomalies correlate with marine mass extinctions at three other clay-rich New Jersey sections. Thus, we attribute the anomaly at Freehold to the downward movement of Ir and reaffirm the link between impact and mass extinction. ?? 2010 Geological Society of America.

Geology↗

USGS1995

Estimated loads of selected constituents from permitted and nonpermitted sources at selected surface-water-quality stations in the Musconetcong, Rockaway, and Whippany River basins, New Jersey, 1985-90

Surface-water-quality data from the cooperative sampling network maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for 1985-90 are summarized for stations in the Musconetcong, Rockaway, and Whippany River Basins. Four constituents are included in the analysis: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total organic carbon (TOC). Contemporaneous streamflow estimates were used to calculate instream loads from constituent concentrations in water-quality samples. Loads from permitted point sources were estimated as the sum of reported loads of BOD, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus upstream from each station. TOC permitted-source loads were not estimated because point-source release data were insufficient. The relative contribution of loads from permitted sources to the total instream loads differed markedly among the basins and between upstream and downstream locations within the basins. Some of these differences can be attributed to reesrvoir effects; others are related to the presence or absence of major permitted sources upstream from water-quality stations.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2003

High-resolution Quaternary seismic stratigraphy of the New York Bight continental shelf

A principal focus for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program (marine.usgs.gov) is regional reconnaissance mapping of inner-continental shelf areas, with initial emphasis on heavily used areas of the sea floor near major population centers. The objectives are to develop a detailed regional synthesis of the sea-floor geology in order to provide information for a wide range of management decisions and to form a basis for further investigations of marine geological processes. In 1995, the USGS, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE), New York District, began to generate reconnaissance maps of the continental shelf seaward of the New York - New Jersey metropolitan area. This mapping encompassed the New York Bight inner-continental shelf, one of the most heavily trafficked and exploited coastal regions in the United States. Contiguous areas of the Hudson Shelf Valley, the largest physiographic feature on this segment of the continental shelf, also were mapped as part of a USGS study of contaminated sediments (Buchholtz ten Brink and others, 1994; 1996). The goal of the reconnaissance mapping was to provide a regional synthesis of the sea-floor geology in the New York Bight area, including: (a) a description of sea-floor morphology; (b) a map of sea-floor sedimentary lithotypes; (c) the geometry and structure of the Cretaceous strata and Quaternary deposits; and (d) the geologic history of the region. Pursuing the course of this mapping effort, we obtained sidescan-sonar images of 100 % of the sea floor in the study area. Initial interpretations of these sidescan data were presented by Schwab and others, (1997a, 1997b, 2000a). High-resolution seismic-reflection profiles collected along each sidescan-sonar line used multiple acoustic sources (e.g., watergun, CHIRP, Geopulse). Multibeam swath-bathymetry data also were obtained for a portion of the study area (Butman and others, 1998;). In this report, we present a series of structural and sediment isopach maps and interpretations of the Quaternary evolution of the inner-continental shelf off the New York - New Jersey metropolitan area based on subbottom, sidescan-sonar, and multibeam-bathymetric data.

New York↗

USGS2016

Sediment data collected in 2014 from Barnegat Bay, New Jersey

In response to the 2010 Governor’s Action Plan to clean up the Barnegat Bay–Little Egg Harbor (BBLEH) estuary in New Jersey, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) partnered with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in 2011 to begin a multidisciplinary research project to understand the physical controls on water quality in the bay. Between 2011 and 2013, USGS scientists mapped the geological and morphological characteristics of the seafloor of the BBLEH estuary using a suite of geophysical tools. However, this mapping effort included only surficial characterization of bay sediments; to verify the sub-surface geophysical data, sediment cores were required. This report serves as an archive of sedimentologic data from 18 vibracores collected from Barnegat Bay between May and August of 2014 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on behalf of the USGS. The vibracores were collected in conjunction with an ongoing NRCS subaqueous soil survey for the BBLEH estuary. The data presented in this report, including descriptive core logs, core photographs, processed grain-size data, and Geographic Information System (GIS) data files with accompanying formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata, can be viewed or downloaded from the Data Products and Downloads page.

New Jersey↗

USGS2026

Baseline water-quality inventory and summary for the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, New Jersey

The Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (PAGR), established in 2011 in the City of Paterson, New Jersey, contains many cultural, historical, and natural resources. Because of the PAGR’s young age and limited resources, a long record of natural resource data is not available for use to guide future park management and planning decisions. A detailed natural resource inventory was identified as an immediate need in the “Foundation Document—Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park,” given the history of extensive industrial activity throughout the PAGR and the Passaic River Basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership for the Lower Passaic River, inventoried water-quality monitoring efforts and compiled historical water-quality data from secondary data sources to define baseline conditions in the PAGR and the surrounding study area. This report documents the methods used to harmonize water-quality data aggregated from multiple sources for the PAGR study area. Procedures implemented during data harmonization include compiling data from multiple sources, assessing the dataset for completeness, addressing metadata concerns, and creating a consistent and quality-assured dataset for future analysis. The harmonized dataset contains 14 aggregated surface-water sites, 1,103 individual sampling days, and 32,000 water-quality records throughout the period of record defined for this study (1952–2021). Summary statistics and comparison to water-quality criteria are provided for focus parameters that can support PAGR management, including field properties, suspended material, total dissolved solids, specific conductance, chloride, sulfate, Escherichia coli, nutrients, contaminants of concern related to fish consumption advisories, and litter and floatable debris. A spatial data gap was identified for the recreational area near the base of the Great Falls and immediately downstream from a known combined sewer overflow discharge location. Analytic data gaps were identified for continuous streamflow and water-quality parameters, floatable debris characterization, and harmful algal blooms identification. Continuous collection of contaminants of concern was identified as a temporal data gap, as these parameters were not consistently collected within the study area. The water-quality data synthesis and summary presented in this report can assist PAGR staff in understanding the complex baseline water resources within the study area and can serve as a baseline to design future water-quality monitoring efforts and evaluate changes in water quality over time. The harmonized dataset, as well as future New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Harbor Discharge Group monitoring data and assessments, can also be used to examine the status and trends in surface-water quality, support compliance with the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), and further investigate changes to park water resources that can affect ecological and human health.

New Jersey↗

USGS1980

Seismicity map of the State of New Jersey

This map is one of a series of seismicity maps produced by the U.S. Geological Survey that show earthquake data of individual states or groups of states at the scale of 1:1,000,000. This map shows only those earthquakes with epicenters located within the boundaries of New Jersey, even though earthquakes in nearby states may have been felt or may have caused damage in New Jersey.

New Jersey↗

USGS2006

Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont

The rapid growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has highlighted the need for regional and national scale digital geologic maps that have standardized information about geologic age and lithology. Such maps can be conveniently used to generate derivative maps for manifold special purposes such as mineral-resource assessment, metallogenic studies, tectonic studies, and environmental research. Although two digital geologic maps (Schruben and others, 1994; Reed and Bush, 2004) of the United States currently exist, their scales (1:2,500,000 and 1:5,000,000) are too general for many regional applications. Most states have digital geologic maps at scales of about 1:500,000, but the databases are not comparably structured and, thus, it is difficult to use the digital database for more than one state at a time. This report describes the result for a seven state region of an effort by the U.S. Geological Survey to produce a series of integrated and standardized state geologic map databases that cover the entire United States. In 1997, the United States Geological Survey's Mineral Resources Program initiated the National Surveys and Analysis (NSA) Project to develop national digital databases. One primary activity of this project was to compile a national digital geologic map database, utilizing state geologic maps, to support studies in the range of 1:250,000- to 1:1,000,000-scale. To accomplish this, state databases were prepared using a common standard for the database structure, fields, attribution, and data dictionaries. For Alaska and Hawaii new state maps are being prepared and the preliminary work for Alaska is being released as a series of 1:250,000 scale quadrangle reports. This document provides background information and documentation for the integrated geologic map databases of this report. This report is one of a series of such reports releasing preliminary standardized geologic map databases for the United States. The data products of the project consist of two main parts, the spatial databases and a set of supplemental tables relating to geologic map units. The datasets serve as a data resource to generate a variety of stratigraphic, age, and lithologic maps. This documentation is divided into four main sections: (1) description of the set of data files provided in this report, (2) specifications of the spatial databases, (3) specifications of the supplemental tables, and (4) an appendix containing the data dictionaries used to populate some fields of the spatial database and supplemental tables.

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, ↗