Understanding Water Quality in the Hudson River Basin: Working Together to Solve the Puzzle

Karen R. Murray and Ward O. Freeman (U.S. Geological Survey, 425 Jordan Rd., Troy, NY 12180)
ABSTRACT:
The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey collaborates with state and local water-resource agencies, universities, and others to increase the understanding of water quality in the Hudson River Basin. NAWQA scientists exchange information with, and obtain local guidance from, a liaison committee of water-resource scientists and managers working in the Basin. This committee identified several critical water-quality issues, including nonpoint-source pollution from urban and agricultural runoff; contamination of suspended sediment by metals; contamination of bottom sediments, water, and the food web by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's); and the lack of information on ground-water quality. Examples of interactions with other governmental agencies include collaboration with the Rotating Intensive Basin Survey of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and exchange of findings related to elevated PCB's in fish collected from the Mohawk River. The latter interaction has resulted in State plans to issue a health advisory and conduct a followup survey. Interactions with university scientists include providing nutrient, carbon, and sediment data for a watershed-modeling project and collecting suspended-sediment samples for a study of hazardous-metals transport. A memorandum of agreement between NAWQA and the National Geographic Society has awarded grants to several universities for a study of contaminants in river-bottom sediments and a study of the effect of wetlands on water quality. NAWQA scientists also participate in high-school education programs to help train future water-resources users and scientists.
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-090, 4 p.
US Geological Survey Back to the Hudson NAWQA Publications Page