USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

About USGS /  Science Topics /  Maps, Products & Publications /  Education / Publication: FAQ

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 691 stream-sediment, 689 surface-water, and 375 ground-water samples were collected within the New Hampshire portion of the Portland quadrangle. SRL was able to analyze all of the sediment and 1,063 water samples from the Portland 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 688 sediment samples from New Hampshire within the Portland quadrangle.

Maine
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 2,924 stream-sediment, 2,039 surface-water, and 1,938 ground-water samples from the southern half of Maine as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. Two different sampling protocols were used in Maine. Using the SRL Eastern protocol (SRL-E), 1,218 stream-sediment, 1,218 surface-water, and 636 ground-water samples were collected from Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, Somerset Counties in October and November of 1977. This area included portions of the Bangor, Bath, Lewiston, Millinocket, Portland, and Sherbrooke 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. Another 1,706 stream-sediment, 821 surface-water, and 1302 ground-water samples were collected by subcontractors using SRL Western protocols (SRL-W) between May and August of 1980 within the Bangor, Bath, and Eastport 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. These 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 1,230 sediments and 3,977 waters from Maine. The analytical and site location data for all Maine samples were released in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. Within the Maine portion of the Portland quadrangle, 404 stream-sediment, 404 surface-water, and 188 ground-water samples were collected by the SRL-E protocol. SRL was able to analyze all of the sediment and 590 water samples from the Portland quadrangle.

SRL sent the 1,218 SRL-E sediment samples from Maine to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 1,214 of these samples in the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 402 sediment samples from Maine within the Portland quadrangle.

SRL also sent 1,643 SRL-W water samples from Maine to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for analysis of 31 additional elements. Data for these additional analyses were also released as a digital data file accompanying the New England Data Report [GJBX-107(82)]. None of these samples were collected within the Portland quadrangle.

SRL: Portland Quadrangle
SRL released a separate quadrangle report for the Portland NTMS quadrangle, which includes data for 1,094 stream-sediment, 1,092 surface-water, and 560 ground-water samples. With some differences, these sample data are the same as that for corresponding samples found in the New Hampshire and Maine State reports. SRL released the analytical data as the Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(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 1,094 sediment samples from the Portland quadrangle. Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 19 elements were reported for 1,089 of these samples in the Portland NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-106(81)]. With some differences, these sample data are the same as the Supplemental Analyses for corresponding samples found in the New Hampshire and Maine 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 Portland quadrangle samples.

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

These Portland 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 Portland Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Portland quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the New Hampshire and Maine portions of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding records from the SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Portland quadrangle sediment data:

1. 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 Portland NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-106(81)] were used to create the reformatted data records.
2. The Portland NTMS Area, Supplemental Data Report [GJBX-106(81)] identified the sediment samples as soils (SAMPTYP 59). 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.
3. The SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(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." A comparison of the corrected tables on microfiche and the digital data files revealed that the Portland Quadrangle sediment digital data file also contained these incorrect higher uranium values. The uranium data from the New Hampshire and Maine portions of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report corresponded exactly with the corrected data. The uranium values from the State files were retained in the reformatted data.
4. The analytical values for many Dy, Eu, Lu, and V determinations differed slightly between records found in the Portland 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.
5. Occasionally, analytical values for Ce, Eu, Fe, La, Lu, Na, Sc, or Sm 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 Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) Data Report. These differences were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
6. Occasionally, analytical values for Dy, Eu, Lu, Sc, V, or Yb were found in the SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) 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.
7. 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 Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) Data Report. When found, these codes were added to the combined records.
8. 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 Cumberland County, Maine 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.
9. The latitude and longitude coordinates for one sediment sample collected within Grafton County, New Hampshire were not found in the data during the reformatting process. The record for this sample cannot be retrieved on a geographical basis.
10. 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 Portland quadrangle water data consist primarily of reformatted records from the New Hampshire and Maine portions of the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding records from the SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Portland quadrangle water data:

1. For 14 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.
2. Eight samples in the SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) Data Report were missing a sample type code. This SAMPTYP value was found in the corresponding record in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report and the difference was noted in the REFORMAT comment field.
3. Two samples in the SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) Data Report were missing a conductivity measurement value. These COND values were found in the corresponding records in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report and the difference was noted in the REFORMAT comment field.
4. The analytical values for Mg differed significantly between the original Glens Falls Quadrangle and the Maine State data files for 3 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 value of Mg (ppb) was 490, but in the corresponding State file record the Mg value was given as 4920. For these samples, the Mg data from State files appeared to be the most likely values and were retained in the appropriate fields. The alternate Mg values were recorded in the REFORMAT comment field.
5. The analytical values for many Al, Br, Dy, and Mn determinations differed slightly between the original Portland Quadrangle and Maine 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.
6. Occasionally, values for Br were found in the New England GJBX-107(82) Data Report but were missing in the corresponding records from the SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) Data Report. These differences were noted for each affected record in the REFORMAT comment field.
7. Occasionally, analytical values for Dy, Mg, U, or V were found in the SRL Portland Quadrangle GJBX-28(79) 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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 Cumberland County, Maine 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.
11. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 3 water samples collected within Carroll(1) and Grafton(1) Counties, New Hampshire; and York(1) County, Maine 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).

Portland Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,094 records
Portland Quadrangle Water Data - 1,667 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 Portland quadrangle is complete and includes samples from Belknap, Carroll, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire; and Androscoggin, Cumberland, Oxford, and York Counties, Maine. 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.

Three water samples collected within the Portland 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 Portland 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)].

Portland Quadrangle NURE Summary
A NURE summary evaluation report was prepared for the Portland quadrangle by Chiasma Consultants, Inc. [PGJ/F-028(82)]. An additional 215 rock samples, 2 soil samples, and 25 water samples were collected from the quadrangle in areas with potential for uranium occurrences. The rock and soil 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.

Portland Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Cook, J.R., 1981, Portland 1° x 2° NTMS Area, Maine and New Hampshire, supplemental data report: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-80-146-2S, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-106(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., and Sargent, K.A., 1982, Orientation study of the Lake Sunapee area, New Hampshire: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-20, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-206(82), 38 p.
• Koller, G.R., 1979, Portland 1° x 2° NTMS Area, Maine, New Hampshire: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-79-146-2, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-28(79), 212 p.
• Wagener, H.D., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Portland quadrangle, Maine and New Hampshire: Chiasma Consultants, Inc., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-028(82), 28 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to New Hampshire NURE data
Back to Maine 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

AccessibilityFOIAPrivacyPolicies and Notices
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/1997/ofr-97-0492/quad/q_portln.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:14 EST 2016