Water Quality in the Santee River Basin and Coastal Drainages, North and South Carolina, 1995–98

By W. Brian Hughes, Thomas A. Abrahamsen, Terry L. Maluk, Eric J. Reuber, and Lance J. Wilhelm

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 1206

Errata Sheet for this circular.

The full report is available in pdf.  Links to the pdf.

A contribution of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program

• NATIONAL WATER-QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
• SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS
  • Stream and River Highlights
  • Ground-Water Highlights
• INTRODUCTION TO THE SANTEE RIVER BASIN AND COASTAL DRAINAGES
  • Physiography and Water Quality
  • Land Use and Water Quality
  • Climate Conditions and Water Quality
  • Water Use
  • Flow Regulation, Impoundments, and Surface-Water Quality
  • Aquifer Characteristics and Ground-Water Quality
• MAJOR FINDINGS
  • Pesticides Commonly Were Detected in Santee Basin Streams
  • Few Pesticides Were Detected in Drinking-Water Supply Aquifers
  • Pesticides Were Common in Shallow Ground Water in Urban and Agricultural Areas
  • Organochlorine Pesticides Were Detected in Bed Sediment and Tissues
  • NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE—Santee Basin Pesticide Findings Were Similar to National Findings
  • Phosphorus Concentrations in Streams Frequently Exceeded USEPA Goals
  • Water-Supply Aquifers Rarely Exceeded Drinking-Water Standards for Nitrate
  • NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE—Phosphorus Concentrations in the Santee Basin Were in the Middle Range of National Results
  • Bed Sediment Had Low Concentrations of Trace Elements
  • NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE—Mercury Contamination Potential in Santee Basin Was Highest in Nation
  • Trace Elements Accumulated in Clam Tissue and Fish Livers
  • Radon Exceeded Proposed Standards in Many Wells
  • NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE—Radon Concentrations Were High in the Santee Basin
  • Volatile Organic Compounds Were Common in Urban Ground Water
  • Drinking-Water Aquifers Had Low Concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds
  • Urban and Agricultural Streams Had High Concentrations of Bacteria
  • Biological Communities Reflected Land-Use Differences
  • NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE—Santee Basin Streams were in the Middle of National Biological Rankings
• STUDY UNIT DESIGN
• APPENDIX—WATER-QUALITY DATA FROM THE SANTEE RIVER BASIN AND COASTAL DRAINAGES IN A NATIONAL CONTEXT
• References
• A Coordinated Effort
• Glossary