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Massachusetts
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 1,331 stream-sediment, 1,302 surface-water, and 657 ground-water samples from Massachusetts as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. Samples were collected on a county-by-county basis from the entire state between August 1977 and April 1979 for sediments, and between January and March of 1978 for ground waters. This area included portions of the Albany, Boston, and Providence 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. The samples were sent to SRL for determinations of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters) by Neutron Activation Analysis. SRL was able to analyze 1,315 sediments and 1,953 waters from Massachusetts. The analytical and site location data for all Massachusetts samples were released in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. A total of 509 stream-sediment, 491 surface-water, and 208 ground-water samples were collected within the Massachusetts portion of the Boston quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze 507 sediment and 694 water samples from the Massachusetts portion of the Boston quadrangle.

SRL sent 1,149 sediment samples from Massachusetts to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 1,141 of these samples in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 491 Massachusetts sediment samples from the Boston quadrangle.

New Hampshire
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 1,699 stream-sediment, 1,694 surface-water, and 884 ground-water samples from New Hampshire as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. Samples were collected on a county-by-county basis from the entire state between July 1977 and January 1978. This area included portions of the Albany, Boston, Glens Falls, Lake Champlain, Lewiston, Portland, and Sherbrooke 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. The samples were sent to SRL for determinations of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters) by Neutron Activation Analysis. SRL was able to analyze 1,696 sediments and 2,576 waters from New Hampshire. The analytical and site location data for all New Hampshire samples were released in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. A total of 176 stream-sediment, 173 surface-water, and 94 ground-water samples were collected within the New Hampshire portion of the Boston quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze all of the New Hampshire sediment and water samples from the Boston quadrangle.

SRL sent the 1,699 sediment samples from New Hampshire to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 1,690 of these samples in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 176 sediment samples from New Hampshire within the Boston quadrangle.

Rhode Island
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 81 stream-sediment, 81 surface-water, and 77 ground-water samples from Rhode Island as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. Samples were collected on a county-by-county basis from the entire state during October and November of 1977 for stream sediments and waters and during March, 1978, for ground waters. This area included portions of the Boston and Providence 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. The samples were sent to SRL for determinations of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters) by Neutron Activation Analysis. SRL was able to analyze all of the sediments and 157 waters from Rhode Island. The analytical and site location data for all Rhode Island samples were released in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. Only three ground-water samples and no stream-sediment or surface-water samples were collected within the Rhode Island portion of the Boston quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze all of the Rhode Island ground water samples from the Boston quadrangle.

SRL sent 80 sediment samples from Rhode Island to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 74 of these samples in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report does not include any Supplemental Analyses for Rhode Island sediment samples from the Boston quadrangle.

Connecticut
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 635 stream-sediment, 656 surface-water, and 798 ground-water samples from Connecticut as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. Samples were collected on a county-by-county basis from the entire state between July and October, 1977 for sediments, and between December 1977 and February 1978 for ground-waters. This area included portions of the Albany, Boston, Hartford, and Providence 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. The samples were sent to SRL for determinations of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters) by Neutron Activation Analysis. SRL was able to analyze 634 sediments and 1,453 waters from Connecticut. The analytical and site location data for all Connecticut samples were released in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. A total of 3 stream-sediment, 3 surface-water, and 2 ground-water samples were collected within the Connecticut portion of the Boston quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze all Connecticut sediment and water samples from the Boston quadrangle.

SRL sent the 635 sediment samples from Connecticut to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 632 of these samples in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 3 Connecticut sediment samples within the Boston quadrangle.

SRL: Boston Quadrangle
SRL released a separate quadrangle report for the Boston NTMS quadrangle, which includes data for 669 stream-sediment, 650 surface-water, and 303 ground-water samples. With some differences, these sample data are the same as that for corresponding samples found in the Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut State reports. SRL released the analytical data as the Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Release. The site coding information for this data set is summarized within the text of this report.

SRL released a separate report for supplemental analyses of 664 sediment samples from the Boston quadrangle. Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 19 elements were reported for 660 of these samples in the Boston NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-72(81)]. With some differences, these sample data are the same as the Supplemental Analyses for corresponding samples found in the Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut State reports.

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 Boston quadrangle samples.

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

These Boston 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)

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 Boston Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Boston quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut portions of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding records from the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Boston quadrangle sediment data:

1. For 4 sediment samples, the comparison process between the State files and the Quadrangle file revealed major differences for analytical values reported for one or more elements determined by Neutron Activation. It could not be determined whether these alternate values represent a second analytical determination or a different interpretation of the data from the same Neutron Activation Analysis. For each of these samples, it was necessary to keep a second record containing the alternate analytical values. These records are identified by a comment in the REFORMAT field.
2. A comparison of the Supplemental Analyses found that the State version was commonly missing data for As, Ba, Ca, Se, and U. These data were found in the Quadrangle version of the same analyses. Therefore the Quadrangle supplemental data from the Boston NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-72(81)] were used to create the reformatted data records.
3. The Boston NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-72(81)] identified the sediment samples as stream waters (SAMPTYP 51). This was incorrect. All other reports identified these same samples as stream sediments (SAMPTYP 50). All of the sediment samples were checked to confirm that they were identified by the correct sample type code.
4. Uranium values from the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report were consistently higher (by a few percent) than the corresponding data found in the New Hampshire portion of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. A similar problem was noted in the adjacent Portland quadrangle that was identified and corrected by a published errata sheet and replacement tables on microfiche. No such correction was given for the Boston quadrangle. It is suspected, but unconfirmed, that the Quadrangle uranium data were systematically reported about 7% too high. Since this problem could not be confirmed, the differing Quadrangle uranium values were added to the extra U_XX_PPM field and the analytical method code was added to the U_XX_MTHD field. This addition was also noted in the REFORMAT comment field.
5. Occasionally, site descriptive measurement values for pH or water temperature were found in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report but were missing in the corresponding records from the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report. These differences were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
6. The analytical values for many Dy, Lu, U, and V determinations differed slightly between records found in the Boston Quadrangle and in the corresponding 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.
7. Occasionally, analytical values for Al, Ce, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Na, Sc, Sm, or Th were found in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report but were missing or had differing lower detection limit values in the corresponding records from the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report. These differences were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
8. Occasionally, analytical values for Dy, Eu, Mn, Na, V, or Yb were found in the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report but were missing in the corresponding records from the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. These values were added and that change was noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
9. During reformatting, contamination codes for "residential" and "recreation" were found to be missing from the CONTAMC field. These codes were not present in the published tables of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. However, these missing codes were often found in corresponding records of the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report. When found, these codes were added to the combined records and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field.
10. Unlikely sample collection dates were found for two samples. These dates were removed from the SAMPDAT field. For each record, the original SAMPDAT value and the most likely correct value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
11. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several stream-sediment samples that were missing coordinates, did not plot within expected state, county, or map boundaries, or had differing coordinates in corresponding records. To correct or confirm sample coordinates, the original field collection maps for Windham County, Connecticut; Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk Counties, Massachusetts; and Rockingham County, New Hampshire were obtained and re-digitized. The newly re-digitized coordinates were added to the database and the coordinates from the original file(s) were recorded in the COORDPRB comment field. When the newly re-digitized coordinates were not significantly different, that confirmation of the site location was also noted in the COORDPRB comment field.
12. 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 is the lowest reported gold concentration in the entire report.

Water Records
The Boston quadrangle water data consist primarily of reformatted records from the Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut portions of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding records from the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Boston quadrangle water data:

1. One ground-water sample in the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report had an unlikely pH measurement value of 0.6. The corresponding record in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report had no reported pH value. This difference was noted only in the REFORMAT comment field.
2. The analytical values for many Al, Br, Dy, and Mn determinations differed slightly between the original Boston Quadrangle and Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut 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.
3. Occasionally, values for Br, Cl, Dy, Mg, or Na were found in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report but were missing or had differing lower detection limit values in the corresponding records from the SRL Boston Quadrangle GJBX-255(80) Data Report. These differences were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
4. 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.
5. An unlikely sample collection date was found for one sample. This date was removed from the SAMPDAT field and the original SAMPDAT value with the most likely correct value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
6. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several stream-water samples that were missing coordinates, did not plot within expected state, county, or map boundaries, or had differing coordinates in corresponding records. To correct or confirm sample coordinates, the original field collection maps for Windham County, Connecticut; Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk Counties, Massachusetts; and Rockingham County, New Hampshire were obtained and re-digitized. The newly re-digitized coordinates were added to the database and the coordinates from the original file(s) were recorded in the COORDPRB comment field. When the newly re-digitized coordinates were not significantly different, that confirmation of the site location was also noted in the COORDPRB comment field.
7. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several ground-water samples that were missing coordinates, did not plot within expected state, county, or map boundaries, or had differing coordinates in corresponding records. To correct or confirm sample coordinates, the original field collection maps for Windham County, Connecticut; Bristol, Norfolk, and Worcester Counties, Massachusetts; and Cheshire County, New Hampshire were obtained and re-digitized. The newly re-digitized coordinates were added to the database and the coordinates from the original file(s) were recorded in the COORDPRB comment field. When the newly re-digitized coordinates were not significantly different, that confirmation of the site location was also noted in the COORDPRB comment field.
8. The latitude and longitude coordinates for one water sample collected within Rockingham County, New Hampshire was not found in the data during the reformatting process. The record for this sample 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).

Boston Quadrangle Sediment Data - 692 records
Boston Quadrangle Water Data - 973 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 Boston quadrangle is almost complete and includes samples from Windham County, Connecticut; Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Worcester Counties, Massachusetts; Cheshire, Hillsborough, and Rockingham Counties, New Hampshire; and Providence County, Rhode Island. The Boston urban area was not sampled. The sample density of ground water sites is approximately half that of surface water and stream sediment sites. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverage.

Two sediment and five water samples collected within the Boston quadrangle were not analyzed by any of the various laboratories. The following table summarizes the locations of those unanalyzed samples.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Boston Quadrangle

Geology and Mineral Resources Study
A summary of the geology and mineral resources of the Baltimore, Boston, Lake Champlain, and Providence quadrangles prepared for the Savannah River Laboratory can be found in the GJBX-8(83) report. No geochemical data accompany this report.

North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study
The SRL in contract with the Department of Geology of the University of North Carolina conducted a special study to investigate the association of uranium deposits with granitic source or host rocks. The analytical results from 441 samples of 92 plutons were released in the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study GJBX-221(82) report. See the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study for the data and a more detailed description of this study. Plutons that were apparently sampled in the Boston quadrangle include the Blue Hills Porphyry (9 samples); Blue Hills Aporhyolite (6); Cape Ann (4); and Quincy (6).

Boston Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Cook, J.R., 1980, Boston 1° x 2° NTMS Area, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, data report (abbreviated): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-80-146-14, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-255(80), 17 p.
• Cook, J.R., 1981, Boston 1° x 2° NTMS Area, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, supplemental data report: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-79-146-19S, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-72(81), 17 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.
• Fay, W.M., Sargent, K.A., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Data report: New England: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-27, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-107(82), 35 p.
• Karfunkel, B.S., 1983, Geology and mineral resources of the Baltimore, Boston, Lake Champlain, and Providence 1° x 2° NTMS quadrangles: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-9, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-8(83), 127 p.
• Price, Van, Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Neutron activation and other analytical data for plutonic rocks from North America and Africa: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-221(82), 47 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

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

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