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Prepared in cooperation with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006

By David A.V. Eckhardt, J.E. Reddy, and Kathryn L. Tamulonis

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1093

The body of the report is available in PDF Format (1,576 KB)

This report is available Online Only

Abstract

Water samples were collected from 7 community water system wells and 15 private domestic wells throughout the Genesee River Basin in New York State (downstream from the Pennsylvania border) from October 2005 through March 2006 and analyzed to characterize the chemical quality of ground water in the basin. The wells were selected to represent areas of greatest ground-water use and to provide a representative sampling from the 2,439 square-mile basin area in New York. Samples were analyzed for five physical properties and 226 constituents that included nutrients, major inorganic ions, trace elements, radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and bacteria.

The results show that ground water used for drinking water is generally of good quality in the Genesee River Basin, although concentrations of seven constituents exceeded drinking water standards. The cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, and sodium; the anions that were detected in the greatest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. The predominant nutrient was nitrate, and nitrate concentrations were greater in samples from sand and gravel aquifers than in samples from bedrock aquifers. The trace elements barium, boron, cobalt, copper, and nickel were detected in every sample; the highest concentrations were barium, boron, chromium, iron, manganese, strontium, and lithium. Fourteen pesticides including seven pesticide degradates were detected in water from 12 of the 22 wells, but none of the concentrations exceeded Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Eight volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in six samples, but none of the concentrations exceeded MCLs.

Seven chemical analytes and three types of bacteria were present in concentrations that exceeded Federal and New York State water-quality standards, which are typically identical. Sulfate concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in three samples; the chloride SMCL (250 mg/L) was exceeded in one sample. Sodium concentrations exceeded the USEPA Drinking Water Health Advisory of 60 mg/L in five samples. The SMCL for iron (300 μg/L) was exceeded in 11 filtered samples; the USEPA SMCL for manganese (50 μg/L) was exceeded in 10 filtered samples, and the New York State MCL (300 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 filtered sample. The MCL for aluminum (200 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 sample, and the MCL for arsenic (10 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 sample. Radon-222 exceeded the proposed USEPA MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in 16 samples. Any detection of total coliform or fecal coliform bacteria is considered a violation of New York State health regulations; in this study, total coliform was detected in eight samples; fecal coliform was detected in two samples, and Escherichia coli was detected in one sample.

Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and Scope

Study Area

Methods

Site Selection

Sampling and Analytical Methods

Ground–Water Quality

Physical Properties

Nutrients

Major Ions

Trace Elements and Radionuclides

Pesticides

Volatile Organic Compounds

Bacteria

Summary

References Cited

Figures

1. Map showing geographic features of Genesee River Basin and locations of the 22 wells sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1).
2. Map showing land use in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 22 wells sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1).
3. Map showing surficial geology in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 11 wells in sand and gravel aquifers sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1).
4. Map showing generalized bedrock geology in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 11 bedrock wells sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1).

Tables

1. Well information and physical properties of ground-water samples from selected wells in the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.
2. Compounds for which ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin were analyzed but not detected, New York, 2005-2006.
3. Concentrations of nutrients, total organic carbon, and total phenols in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.
4. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.
5. Concentrations of trace elements, metals, and radionuclides in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.
6. Concentrations of pesticides and caffeine detected in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.
7. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.
8. Concentrations of bacteria in unfiltered ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.

Suggested Citation

Eckhardt, D.A., Reddy, J.E., and Tamulonis, K.L., 2007, Ground-water quality in the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1093, 26 p.

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For further information, contact:

Director
U.S. Geological Survey
New York Water Science Center
425 Jordan Road
Troy, NY 12180

dc_ny@usgs.gov

(518)285-5600

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