OFR 97-492: Glens Falls Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study

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National Geochemical Database—Reformatted Data from the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) Program

By Steven M. Smith
Version 1.40 (2006)

Brief History and Description of Data

[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]

New York
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 5,696 stream-sediment, 5,047 surface-water, and 4,829 ground-water samples from New York as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. Samples were collected on a county-by-county basis from the eastern two-thirds of the state between July 1977 and August 1980. The sampled area included portions of the Albany, Binghamton, Elmira, Glens Falls, Hartford, Kingston, Lake Champlain, Ogdensburg, Rochester, Scranton, and Utica 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 2,899 sediments and 9,863 waters from New York. The analytical and site location data for all New York samples were released in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Data Report [GJBX-106(82)]. A total of 419 stream-sediment, 399 surface-water, and 218 ground-water samples were collected within the New York state portion of the Glens Falls quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze all of the sediment and 611 water samples from the Glens Falls quadrangle.

SRL sent the 2,809 sediment samples from New York state to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 2,803 of these samples in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York Data Report [GJBX-106(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses records for 418 New York state sediment samples within the Glens Falls quadrangle.

Vermont
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 1,677 stream-sediment, 1,663 surface-water, and 972 ground-water samples from Vermont 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 March 1978. This area included portions of the Albany, Glens Falls, Lake Champlain, Lewiston, 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 1,674 sediments and 2,633 waters from Vermont. The analytical and site location data for all Vermont samples were released in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. A total of 600 stream-sediment, 591 surface-water, and 339 ground-water samples were collected within the Vermont portion of the Glens Falls quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze all of the sediment and 929 water samples from the Glens Falls quadrangle.

SRL sent 1,632 sediment samples from Vermont to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 1,631 of these samples in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 600 sediment samples from Vermont within the Glens Falls 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 228 stream-sediment, 228 surface-water, and 123 ground-water samples were collected within the New Hampshire portion of the Glens Falls quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze all of the sediment and 350 water samples from the Glens Falls 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 227 sediment samples from New Hampshire within the Glens Falls quadrangle.

SRL: Glens Falls Quadrangle
SRL released a separate quadrangle report for the Glens Falls NTMS quadrangle, which includes data for 1,235 stream-sediment, 1,205 surface-water, and 682 ground-water samples. With minor differences, these sample data are the same as that for corresponding samples found in the New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont State reports. SRL released the analytical data as the Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) 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 1,234 sediment samples from the Glens Falls quadrangle. Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 19 elements were reported for all of these samples in the Glens Falls NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-70(81)]. With minor differences, these sample data are the same as the Supplemental Analyses for corresponding samples found in the New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont State reports.

ORGDP: Glens Falls Quadrangle
SRL sent 321 New York state sediment samples from the Glens Falls quadrangle to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for analysis of uranium and 31 additional elements. ORGDP released the analytical data for these samples in the Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-86(82) Data Report. 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 Glens Falls quadrangle samples.

Combination of laboratories that analyzed samples for the Glens Falls quadrangle.
Laboratory Analysis Sediments Waters
Only SRL 2 1,893
Both SRL and Supplemental Labs 922 0
Supplemental Lab only 2 0
Only ORGDP Lab 0 0
SRL, Supplemental and ORGDP Labs (2 records each) 321 0
Second SRL analysis 9 2
None 0 5
Total Samples 1,247 1,890
Total Data Records 1,577 1,900

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

Summary of Glens Falls quadrangle sample types.
Sediment Sample Type Number of Samples Water Sample Type Number of Samples
Wet Streams 1,247 Streams 1,218
    Wells 453
    Springs 227
Total Sediments 1,247 Total Waters 1,898

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

Sediment Samples

Water Samples



Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Glens Falls Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Glens Falls quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the New York portions of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(82)] Data Report and the New Hampshire and Vermont portions of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding records from the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report. Additional records were added from the ORGDP Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-86(82) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Glens Falls quadrangle sediment data:

  1. The SRL, the SRL Supplemental Laboratory, and the ORGDP Laboratory each analyzed the same 321 stream-sediment samples from New York. Because of overlapping data fields, it was necessary to create two data records for each sample to preserve all the data.
  2. The original ORGDP files for the Glens Falls quadrangle 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.
  3. The Glens Falls NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-70(81)] abstract claimed that the report contained data for 980 samples but the data tables on microfiche and the accompanying digital data file contained 1,241 records for 1,234 samples. Seven records in the digital data file were found to be exact duplicates of other records and were deleted during the reformatting process.
  4. The SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report contained an errata sheet that stated, "Uranium values for this quadrangle as reported in Table B-1 are 7% too high. Microfiche containing corrected tables and/or plots are supplied in the pocket inside the back cover of this report." To insure that the corrected uranium values were retained, the digital data for uranium were compared with the corrected tables on microfiche.
  5. For 9 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.
  6. The analytical values for many U, Dy, Lu, and V determinations differed slightly between records found in the Glens Falls 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 Ce, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Sc, Sm, or Th were found in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report or the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(82)] Data Report but were missing or had differing lower detection limit values in the corresponding records from the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report. These differences were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
  8. Occasionally, analytical values for Dy, Eu, Fe, Lu, Mn, Na, Ti, V, or Yb were found in the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report but were missing in the corresponding records from the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report or the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(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 Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(82)] Data Report or the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. However, these missing codes were often found in corresponding records of the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report. When found, these codes were added to the combined records and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field.
  10. One stream-sediment sample was collected at a latitude of exactly 43°W, the dividing line between the Albany quadrangle and the Glens Falls quadrangle. Data records for this sample were found in the Albany quadrangle files, the Glens Falls quadrangle files, and the New Hampshire state files. The data from all three sources were compared, combined, commented in the REFORMAT field, and then the record was assigned to the Glens Falls quadrangle.
  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 Saratoga and Warren Counties, New York; and Windham County, Vermont 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. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 3 sediment samples collected within Washington County, New York were not found in the data during the reformatting process. The records for these 2 samples cannot be retrieved on a geographical basis.
  13. 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 Glens Falls quadrangle water data consist primarily of reformatted records from the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding records from the New York portions of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(82)] Data Report and from the New Hampshire and Vermont portions of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Glens Falls quadrangle water data:

  1. During the comparison phase it was noted that several of the ground water records in the New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire State report files were missing site descriptive information about well parameters and sampling dates. This information was found in corresponding records from the Glens Falls Quadrangle report files.
  2. Data records for 13 water samples were found in the New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire State report files that had no corresponding records in the Glens Falls Quadrangle report files. These records were added to the reformatted water data file.
  3. Two data records for water samples were found listed on the data tables on microfiche in the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report that were not included in the accompanying digital data files. These two records were hand entered into the reformatted water data file and identified by a comment in the REFORMAT field.
  4. For two water 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.
  5. One sample in the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report was missing a sample type code. This SAMPTYP value was added from the corresponding record in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report and noted in the REFORMAT comment field.
  6. The analytical values for F and Mg differed significantly between the original Glens Falls Quadrangle and the New York and Vermont State data files for 11 water sample records. The difference appeared to be due to a systematic formatting error in one of the original files. For example: In a Quadrangle file record the adjacent values of F (ppb) and Mg (ppb) were 102 and 810, respectively, but in the corresponding State file record the adjacent values were given as 10 and 2,810. For these samples, the F and Mg data from State files appeared to be the most likely values and were saved in the appropriate fields. The alternate F and Mg values were recorded in the REFORMAT comment field.
  7. The analytical values for many Al, Br, Dy, and Mn determinations differed slightly between the original Glens Falls Quadrangle and New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire 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.
  8. Occasionally, analytical values for Br, Dy, U, or V were found in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report or the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(82)] Data Report but were missing in the corresponding records from the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report. These values were added and that change was noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
  9. Occasionally, analytical values for Mg were found in the SRL Glens Falls Quadrangle GJBX-44(79) Data Report but were missing in the corresponding records from the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report or the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York [GJBX-106(82)] Data Report. These differences were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
  10. One stream-water sample was collected at a latitude of exactly 43°W, the dividing line between the Albany quadrangle and the Glens Falls quadrangle. Data records for this sample were found in the Albany quadrangle files, the Glens Falls quadrangle files, and the New Hampshire state files. The data from all three sources were compared, combined, commented in the REFORMAT field, and then the record was assigned to the Glens Falls quadrangle.
  11. 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.
  12. Unlikely sample collection dates were found for five 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.
  13. 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 Saratoga and Warren Counties, New York; and Windham County, Vermont 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.
  14. 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 Cheshire County, New Hampshire; Essex, Warren, and Washington Counties, New York; and Orange County, Vermont 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.
  15. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 5 water samples collected within Warren(1) and Washington(3) Counties, New York; and Orange(1) County, Vermont were not found in the data during the reformatting process. The records for these 5 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).

Glens Falls Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,574 records
Glens Falls Quadrangle Water Data - 1,895 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 of the U.S. lands in the Glens Falls quadrangle is complete and includes samples from Cheshire, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire; Essex, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties, New York; and Addison, Bennington, Orange, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor Counties, Vermont. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverage.

Five water samples collected within the Glens Falls quadrangle were not analyzed by any of the various laboratories. The following table summarizes the locations of those unanalyzed samples.

General locations of unanalyzed samples.
State County Sample Media Unanalyzed Samples Total Samples
New Hampshire Sullivan Water 1 157
New York Essex Water 1 113
New York Warren Water 2 178
Vermont Rutland Water 1 255




Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Glens Falls Quadrangle

Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire, Orientation Study
Savannah River Laboratory conducted an orientation study in the Lake Sunapee area, New Hampshire, to examine reported occurrences of the uranium-bearing minerals autunite and meta-autunite. This study area is located in central New Hampshire in portions of the Glens Falls and Portland 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. Geohydrology Associates, an SRL subcontractor, collected samples of ground water, lake water, stream water, lake sediment and stream sediment from 188 sites during September, 1976. The water samples were analyzed for ammonia, phosphate, and nitrate by colorimetry; dissolved oxygen by electrometer; sulfate by turbidimetry; and Al, Br, Cl, Dy, F, Mn, Na, U, and V by neutron activation. The sediment samples were sieved into four size fractions and each subsample was analyzed for Al, Ce, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Th, Ti, U, V, and Yb by neutron activation. The analytical results and site location data were released only as tables on microfiche accompanying the SRL Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire, Orientation Study Report [GJBX-206(82)].

Glens Falls Quadrangle NURE Summary
A NURE summary evaluation report was prepared for the Glens Falls quadrangle by Chiasma Consultants, Inc. [PGJ/F-025(82)]. An additional 112 rock samples and 4 water samples were collected from the quadrangle in areas with potential for uranium occurrences. The rock samples were analyzed for uranium by fluorometry and 29 other elements by emission spectrography. The water samples were analyzed for U by fluorometry. These data were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.



Glens Falls Quadrangle NURE Bibliography



Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to New York NURE data
Back to Vermont NURE data
Back to New Hampshire NURE data
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NURE Data
Home Page: USGS National Geochemical Database - NURE HSSR data



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

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