USGS

Data on Dissolved Pesticides and Volatile Organic Compounds in Surface and Ground Waters in the San Joaquin-Tulare Basins, California, Water Years 1992-1995

By Willie B. Kinsey, Mark V. Johnson, and JoAnn M. Gronberg

 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Data Series 107—ONLINE ONLY


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Abstract

This report contains pesticide, volatile organic compound, major ion, nutrient, tritium, stable isotope, organic carbon, and trace-metal data collected from 149 ground-water wells, and pesticide data collected from 39 surface-water stream sites in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Included with the ground-water data are field measurements of pH, specific conductance, alkalinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. This report describes data collection procedures, analytical methods, quality assurance, and quality controls used by the National Water-Quality Assessment Program to ensure data reliability. Data contained in this report were collected during a four year period by the San Joaquin–Tulare Basins Study Unit of the United States Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program.

 

Surface-water-quality data collection began in April 1992, with sampling done three times a week at three sites as part of a pilot study conducted to provide background information for the surface-water-study design. Monthly samples were collected at 10 sites for major ions and nutrients from January 1993 to March 1995. Additional samples were collected at four of these sites, from January to December 1993, to study spatial and temporal variability in dissolved pesticide concentrations. Samples for several synoptic studies were collected from 1993 to 1995.

 

Ground-water-quality data collection was restricted to the eastern alluvial fans subarea of the San Joaquin Valley. Data collection began in 1993 with the sampling of 21 wells in vineyard land-use settings. In 1994, 29 wells were sampled in almond land-use settings and 9 in vineyard land-use settings; an additional 11 wells were sampled along a flow path in the eastern Fresno County vineyard land-use area. Among the 79 wells sampled in 1995, 30 wells were in the corn, alfalfa, and vegetable land-use setting, and 1 well was in the vineyard land-use setting; an additional 20 were flow-path wells. Also sampled in 1995 were 28 wells used for a regional assessment of ground-water quality in the eastern San Joaquin Valley.

CONTENTS

Abstract
Introduction
     Surface-Water Studies
     Ground-Water Studies
Methods
     Surface-Water Data Collection
     Ground-Water Data Collection
     Pesticide Determination by Solid-Phase Extraction
      Volatile Organic Compound Determination
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
     Replicates
     Blanks
     Spikes
Study Design: A Description of Surface-Water and Ground-Water Tables
References Cited

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Water Resources of California






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