National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. A basis for water-resource policy development
By: P. Patrick Leahy and William G. Wilber
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Abstract
The concepts that are the basis for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program began forming in the early 1980's. By 1986, a pilot phase was initiated to test and refine assessment concepts and in 1991, the NAWQA program began a multi-year transition to a fully operational program. The goals of the program are to describe the status and trends in the quality of a large representative part of the Nation's ground- and surface-water resources and to develop an understanding of the natural and human factors affecting the quality of these resources. This information will provide a sound scientific basis upon which water resources decision making at all governmental levels can be based. To meet its goals, the program will integrate water-quality information at local, regional, and national scales. The program will be perennial and consist of two major components -- study-unit investigations and national assessment activities. Investigations of surface- and ground-water resources of major regional hydrologic systems (river basins and aquifer systems) each covering 1200 to about 60,000 square miles, will be conducted on a rotating basis for 60 study units located throughout the Nation. Key findings from these study-unit investigations will be used along with other information to provide issue-oriented water-quality assessments of regional and national interest.
Suggested Citation
Leahy, P.P., Wilber, W.G., 1991, National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. A basis for water-resource policy development, Proceedings of the 1991 National Conference on Irrigation and Drainage, Honolulu, HI, USA, 22 July 1991 through 26 July 1991, p. 711-717.
| Publication type | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Conference Paper |
| Title | National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. A basis for water-resource policy development |
| ISBN | 0872628116 |
| Year Published | 1991 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Publ by ASCE |
| Publisher location | New York, NY, United States |
| First page | 711 |
| Last page | 717 |
| Conference Title | Proceedings of the 1991 National Conference on Irrigation and Drainage |
| Conference Location | Honolulu, HI, USA |
| Conference Date | 22 July 1991 through 26 July 1991 |