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Pennsylvania
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 4,499 stream-sediment, 4,401 surface-water, and 5,734 ground-water samples within 49 counties from Pennsylvania as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sediment samples were collected during September - October 1976; July - December 1977; and July - August 1978, and water samples were collected during May - December 1977 and July - August 1978. Sample coverage included portions of the Baltimore, Canton, Clarksburg, Cleveland, Cumberland, Elmira, Harrisburg, Newark, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Warren, Williamsport, and Wilmington 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 341 stream-sediment, 338 stream-water, and 471 ground-water samples were collected within the Pittsburgh quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters). SRL was able to analyze 4,287 sediments and 10,100 waters from Pennsylvania; this includes 272 sediment and 809 water samples from the Pittsburgh quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all Pennsylvania samples were released in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Data Report [GJBX-106(82)].

SRL sent 3,851 sediment samples from Pennsylvania to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 3,842 of these samples in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Data Report [GJBX-106(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report include Supplemental Analyses for 195 Pennsylvania sediment samples within the Pittsburgh quadrangle.

SRL: Cumberland and Pittsburgh Quadrangles
SRL released a separate quadrangle report for the Cumberland and Pittsburgh NTMS quadrangles, which includes data for 1,042 stream-sediment, 1,012 stream-water, and 1,240 ground-water samples. With minor differences, these sample data are the same as that for corresponding samples found in the Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia State reports. SRL released the analytical data as the Cumberland and Pittsburgh Quadrangles GJBX-287(81) Abbreviated Data Report. The site coding information for this data set is summarized within the text of this report.

ORGDP: Canton, Cleveland, Marion, Pittsburgh, and Warren Quadrangles
SRL sent 464 Ohio and 161 Pennsylvania sediment samples to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for analysis of uranium and 31 additional elements. ORGDP released the analytical data for 625 samples in the Canton, Cleveland, Marion, Pittsburgh, and Warren Quadrangles GJBX-80(82) Data Report (A total of 64 samples were from the Pittsburgh quadrangle). The site coding information for this data set was summarized in the GJBX-51(82) report.

Gold Analyses
Data for gold analyses of sediments by SRL neutron activation were released in the GJBX-135(82) summary report. The introduction of that report states:

"This report contains previously unreported neutron-activation analyses of gold in sediment samples determined at SRL. These data were not included in the standard SRL NURE data reports because the gold spectrum was not measured in the original analytical procedure and the report format was designed without the gold analyses being included. Gold analyses became available as the analytical procedure was refined, but the report format was not modified to incorporate these data."

Only those sediment samples that had detectable concentrations of gold by neutron activation analysis were given in the GJBX-135(82) report. Sediment samples with concentrations below detection limits were not reported and can only be ascertained by identifying which samples were actually analyzed by neutron activation at SRL.

Summary Tables
Because of the various laboratories and analytical methods used, some SRL samples may have been analyzed once, twice, or not at all. The following table summarizes the analysis of Pittsburgh quadrangle samples.

The following is a list of all sample types collected and reported for NURE studies in the Pittsburgh quadrangle.

These Pittsburgh quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:

Sediment Samples

• SR1: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of sediments for U.
• SR2: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Ce, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Th, Ti, V, and Yb. (Note: Au values were reported later for this method.)
• SR3-AA: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of sediments for Ag, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, Sr, Y, and Zn.
• SR3-CA: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Colorimetric Analysis of sediments for Nb, P, and W.
• SR3-FE: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Flame Emission Analysis of sediments for K and Li.
• SR3-XU: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Analysis of sediments for hot acid extractable U. (Exact method undetermined)
• SR3-XX: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Analysis of sediments for As, Se, and Ca. (Exact method undetermined)
• OR2: Supplemental Analyses by Oak Ridge Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for U.
• OR7: Supplemental Analyses by Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.

Water Samples

• SR4: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of waters for U.
• SR5: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of waters for Al, Br, Cl, Dy, F, Mn, Na, and V. (Note: Mg may also be reported by this method.)

Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Pittsburgh Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Pittsburgh quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the Cumberland and Pittsburgh Quadrangles GJBX-287(81) Abbreviated Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding sample records from the Pennsylvania portion of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Data Report [GJBX-106(82)]. These records were then compared and combined with records from the ORGDP Pittsburgh Quadrangle GJBX-80(82) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Pittsburgh quadrangle sediment data:

1. The analytical values for many Fe and Lu determinations differed slightly between the Pittsburgh quadrangle files and the Pennsylvania State files. These variations are apparently due only to differences in rounding versus truncation of reported values or to differences in the number of recorded significant digits. Since the variation was insignificant, only one set of the values was retained for the affected elements.
2. For two records, analytical values for Fe were found in the Pennsylvania State files but were missing in the corresponding records from the Pittsburgh quadrangle files. These values were added and that change was noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
3. For some records, analytical values for Ce, Dy, Eu, Lu, Sc, Sm, and Yb were found in the Pittsburgh quadrangle files but were missing in the corresponding records from the Pennsylvania State files. These missing values were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
4. The water temperature and the date on which a sample was analyzed by Neutron Activation Analysis was only recorded in the Pennsylvania State digital data files from the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(82)] Data Report. This information was added to each of combined sediment data records.
5. One stream-sediment sample was collected at a longitude of exactly 78°W, the dividing line between the Harrisburg quadrangle and the Pittsburgh quadrangle. Data records for this sample were found in the Harrisburg quadrangle files, the Pittsburgh quadrangle files, and the Pennsylvania state files. The data from all three sources were compared, combined, commented in the REFORMAT field, and then assigned to the Harrisburg quadrangle.
6. During reformatting, contamination codes for "residential" and "recreation" were found to be missing from each State's CONTAMC field. The presence of one of these two codes was indicated only by a "." (period). These contamination codes were also not present in the original quadrangle file. These missing codes were assigned a value of "unknown" in the CONTAMC field within the final sediment data file.
7. The SRL Supplemental Laboratory and the ORGDP Laboratory each analyzed the same 64 stream-sediment samples from Pennsylvania. Because of overlapping data fields, it was necessary to create two data records to preserve all the data for each sample.
8. The original ORGDP files for the Canton, Cleveland, Marion, Pittsburgh, and Warren quadrangles did not include all of the information about the character of the sample location. This missing information includes observations taken at each site on the stream width, depth, and flow, water color, surrounding vegetation, local relief, weather, and possible contaminants. In addition, the longitude coordinate reported in the ORGDP file only had 3 decimal places instead of the 4 decimal places found in the corresponding records from SRL State files. The missing site descriptive data and the complete longitude value were added to ORGDP records from the corresponding SRL State file records. Sources of data and any problems found are described in the REFORMAT comment field.
9. Gold concentrations from the GJBX-135(82) report were added to the appropriate sediment records. A value of -0.01 (<0.01 ppm Au) was added to all other sediment samples determined to have been analyzed by SRL neutron activation. This value was chosen because 0.01 ppm is the lowest reported gold concentration in the entire report.

Water Records
The Pittsburgh quadrangle water data consist of reformatted records from the Cumberland and Pittsburgh Quadrangles GJBX-287(81) Abbreviated Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding sample records from the Pennsylvania portion of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Data Report [GJBX-106(82)]. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Pittsburgh quadrangle water data:

1. For 445 records, analytical values for Mg were found in the Pennsylvania State files but were missing in the corresponding records from the Pittsburgh quadrangle files. These values were added and that change was noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
2. One stream-water sample was collected at a longitude of exactly 78°W, the dividing line between the Harrisburg quadrangle and the Pittsburgh quadrangle. Data records for this sample were found in the Harrisburg quadrangle files, the Pittsburgh quadrangle files, and the Pennsylvania state files. The data from all three sources were compared, combined, commented in the REFORMAT field, and then assigned to the Harrisburg quadrangle.
3. The original NURE format for surface-water files did not include much information about the character of the sample location. This missing information includes observations taken at each site on the stream width, depth, and flow, water color, surrounding vegetation, local relief, weather, and possible contaminants. This information is given in records for stream-sediment samples that were collected at the same locations. The available site descriptive information for stream-water sites were compared with the corresponding stream-sediment site records. The missing site descriptive data were then added to stream-water records from the corresponding stream-sediment sample records. Sources of data and any problems found are described in the REFORMAT comment field.
4. One ground-water sample was identified with a SRLID in the 700's. This sample was also missing latitude and longitude coordinates. Evidence from original sample site field notes strongly suggests that this is a duplicate sample collected later from a previously sampled 500's series site (i.e. SRLID site number ABCD718R is the same location as ABCD518R). The coordinates from the original 500's series site was added to the matching 700's record and this change was noted in the REFORMAT and COORDPRB comment fields.
5. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 3 water samples collected within Bedford(1), and Somerset(2) Counties in Pennsylvania were not found in the data during the reformatting process. The records for these 3 samples cannot be retrieved on a geographical basis.

Download The Data

The NURE HSSR data are now available online in two databases: The sediment database (also includes data for soils and some rocks) at http://tin.er.usgs.gov/nure/sediment/ and the water database at http://tin.er.usgs.gov/nure/water/. From these two web sites, NURE HSSR data can be selected, examined, summarized, and downloaded by political boundaries (State and County), by quadrangle (1:250,000-scale, 1:100,000-scale, and 1:63,360-scale for Alaska or 1:24,000-scale for the Lower 48 States), and by hydrologic unit (drainage region, subregion, river basin, or sub-basin). Selected data can be downloaded as a dBase file, a shapefile, an HTML table, or ASCII text (tab- or comma-delimited).

Pittsburgh Quadrangle Sediment Data - 405 records
Pittsburgh Quadrangle Water Data - 806 records

Notes for Data Users

In the eastern United States, SRL collected samples primarily by county. Often, not all counties within a quadrangle were completely sampled. Sample coverage in the Pittsburgh quadrangle is limited to the eastern, southern, and western borders of the quadrangle and includes samples from Allegheny, Bedford, Butler, Centre, Fayette, Fulton, Huntingdon, Somerset, and Washington Counties in Pennsylvania. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverage.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Pittsburgh Quadrangle

None found.

Pittsburgh Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Cook, J.R., Fay, W.M., and Sargent, K.A., 1982, Data report: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-26, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-106(82), 44 p.
• Fay, W.M., 1981, Cumberland and Pittsburgh 1° x 2° NTMS areas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, data report (abbreviated): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-15, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-287(81), 18 p.
• Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Gold analyses by neutron activation from SRL NURE samples: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-38, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-135(82), 45 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for the Marion, Canton, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland quadrangles, Ohio; West Virginia; Pennsylvania: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-435, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-80(82), 61 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, Supplement to hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data reports K/UR-405 and K/UR-408 through K/UR-443 [GJBX-52(82) through GJBX-88(82)]: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-412, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-51(82), 25 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

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Page written by Bryan G. Moravec and Steven M. Smith.
Contact: Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006

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