From Coal Country to the Chesapeake: USGS Water Science in West Virginia and Virginia John Jastram
USGS Virginia & West Virginia Water Science Center What we do Operate streamgages, observation wells, and water-quality monitoring stations to provide reliable scientific information needed to make informed management decisions. Conduct interpretive investigations of specific water-resources problems. Most work is jointly funded by other Federal, State, and Local agencies.
Hydrologic Monitoring Streamflow Water Quality Reservoir Level Groundwater Level Tide Meteorological Flood Response Elevation/Subsidence
Monitoring Networks https://va.water.usgs.gov/webmap/msites_va/
Data Resources NWIS waterdata.usgs.gov NWIS Mapper maps.waterdata.usgs.gov WaterAlert receive texts or emails from a gage WaterNow water.usgs.gov/waternow text a gage id to WaterNow@usgs.gov Mobile NWIS m.waterdata.usgs.gov Third-party apps
StreamStats - https://streamstats.usgs.gov/ss/ Web-based GIS application Watershed delineation (any user-specified point) Watershed characteristics Area Terrain Soils Geology Land use Streamflow statistics Regional regression analysis Low-flow statistics Peak-flow statistics Other watershed information
From Coal Country to the Chesapeake
Abandoned Underground-Coal-Mine Aquifers Compile available water-quality data from abandoned underground-coal-mine aquifers (AUCMA) Provide a reconnaissance tool to aid in development of AUCMA water resources for public supply, agriculture and industrial use Location of Underground Coal Mines in West Virginia
Abandoned Underground-Coal-Mine Aquifers Data collected from 1973 through 2016 294 sites Wells and AUCMA discharges 770 water quality samples USGS Data Series and Data Release anticipated publication Oct. 2017 Sample Locations for Abandoned Underground-Coal-Mine Aquifers
West Virginia Borehole Geophysics Characterize fractured-rock aquifers and enhance the hydrogeologic conceptualization of groundwater resources in WV Tools Borehole Camera Caliper Optical Televiewer Acoustic Televiewer Electromagnetic Induction Multi-Parameter Full Waveform Sonic Electromagnetic Flowmeter
West Virginia Borehole Geophysics Currently in 4 th year of data collection 60 wells logged across the state 40 more wells planned for a total of 100 Data at USGS GeoLog Locator https://webapps.usgs.gov/geologlocator/
Load & Trend Estimation in the Chesapeake Bay Nontidal Network Chesapeake Bay Nontidal Monitoring Network Non-tidal network monitoring location Nutrient & sediment concentrations are measured during monthly and targeted high-flow sampling events. Goals: Quantify loads of nutrients and sediment in the nontidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay watershed Estimate trends in loads to detect effects of changes in land management effects on water quality Daily Load = Daily Concentration * Mean Daily Discharge 2,340 annual samples! U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey
Load & Trend Estimation in the Chesapeake Bay Nontidal Network Total Nitrogen per Acre Loads and Trends 2005-2014 1 NY Susquehanna Trend Direction No Trend Improving PA NJ Degrading a Average Yield (lbs/ac) 1.19 6.88 6.89 13.75 13.76 33.44 WV Potomac Western Shore MD DE VA York Eastern Shore James 1 Data available online: http://cbrim.er.usgs.gov/
Water-Quality Monitoring in the USDA & USGS Showcase Watersheds 2009 Executive Order tasked the USDA and USGS to partner in the Showcase Watersheds to describe the linkage between the implementation of conservation practices and water-quality improvements. Water-quality is assessed by continuous monitors and by the collection of samples from streams throughout each watershed. Smith Creek, VA 105.4 mi 2 Poultry & Cattle Production Conewago Creek, PA 52.5 mi 2 Mixed Landuse Upper Chester, MD 36.5 mi 2 Row Crop Agriculture Difficult Run, VA 57.8 mi 2 Suburban Development Lacey Spring War Branch Spring U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Smith Ck. Sp. Landuse 1 Forested Pasture/Hay Row Crop Developed Hyer and others (2016)
Objectives completed in the initial phase of the study: To characterize current water-quality conditions. To identify the dominant sources, sinks, and transport process of nitrogen and, to a lesser extent, phosphorus. To quantify the implementation of conservation practices Underway: To transfer the knowledge gained in these basins to the rest of the Chesapeake Bay watershed Within 3-5 Years: To directly link trends in water quality to conservation practices U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Report available online https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/ publication/sir20165093 Hyer and others, 2016 https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20165093
Urbans Streams & Stormwater What are the nutrient and sediment loads in the urbanized Piedmont? Coastal Plain? Valley and Ridge? How do these loads compare to other urbanized areas? How do they compare to other watersheds in the region? How do monitored loads compare to modeled loads? What effect are management actions having on small urban/suburban watersheds?
Urbans Streams & SSC (mg/l) Stormwater Approach: Intensive Monitoring Continuous Monitoring Streamflow Water Quality (temperature, turbidity, SC, ph, DO) High Frequency Sampling Autosamplers Nutrient and Sediment Analyses Surrogate Methods for Load Computation Using continuous WQ data (ie. Turbidity) to compute loads (ie. Sediment) 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 R 2 = 0.9784 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Turbidity (FNU) +
Urbans Streams & Stormwater Reports and Results SIR 2014-5073 Study purpose and design Summary of 1st 5 years Nutrient and sediment loads and yields Comparisons with Chesapeake Bay tributaries and other urban areas Work on next report anticipated to begin in 2017 Trends Assessment of responses to implementation http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2014/5073
Relative Sea Level Rise & Coastal Plain Subsidence High Rates of Relative Sea- Level Rise 1.7 million people Military bases Very High Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise
Relative Sea Level Rise & Coastal Plain Subsidence
Relative Sea Level Rise & Coastal Plain Subsidence HRSD s Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Pilot program to pump treated water into Potomac Aquifer Slow or reverse aquifer compaction Reduce nutrient loads to Bay
Partnering Opportunities USGS can partner with most organizations Cooperative Projects Technical Assistance Projects Funding opportunities Cooperative Water Program Matching funding to work with State and Local agencies Capital investments Grant programs
John Jastram jdjastra@usgs.gov 804-261-2648 Program Contacts: WV Borehole Geophysics: Mark Kozar (mdkozar@usgs.gov) Mine Pool Water Quality: Mitch McAdoo (mmcadoo@usgs.gov ) Chesapeake Bay Monitoring: Doug Moyer (dlmoyer@usgs.gov) Urban Streams and Stormwater: John Jastram (jdjastra@usgs.gov) Subsidence and Coastal Plain: Dave Nelms (dnelms@usgs.gov)