Status and Plans for Development of Real-Time Water Monitoring by the U.S. Geological Survey Richard Kropp—New Jersey District Chief Eric F. Vowinkel—NJ Drinking Water Quality Specialist and Liaison to USEPA and NJ Universities Glenn G. Patterson—Headquarters, Reston, VA U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Objectives of Presentation Describe status of current real-time water monitoring networks operated and maintained by the USGS especially in New Jersey. Discuss USGS plans and partnerships for development of real-time water-quality monitoring at the National level. Identify cooperative project on susceptibiltiy assessment of community water supplies

USGS Mission (What are USGS Water Safety Concerns?) The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to: Describe and understand the earth; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

The USGS water program has more than 100 years of history in data collection at the national, regional, and local level; more than 30 years of real-time monitoring of water; real time dissemination of data on the Internet for about than 4 years.

USGS real-time monitoring program offers nationally consistent methods and provides an infrastructure for: long-term operation and maintenance of platforms, computer processing, analysis, and archiving of data, interpretation of results at local, regional, and national scales.

USGS Strengths Long Term Data Acquisition and Database Storage Experience in Realtime Networks Data Analysis and Interpretation Highly Qualified Staff Cost-share in Projects

USGS Real-Time Monitoring Networks in New Jersey What kind of monitoring systems do you have now? Streamflow gages Tidal gages Flood- and drought-warning Ground-water levels Surface-water quality

DATA COLLECTION PLATFORM, TRANSMISSION BY SATTELLITE, STORAGE, AND DISPLAY ON INTERNET

Mechanics of Real-Time Network Three-way reporting for back-up; satellite, radio, and telephone Data collected every 15 minutes Satellite reports every 4 hours, future will have hourly reporting. Telephone and radio can be set to report more often Alarm capabilities at preset levels Results displayed on the internet

Streamflow gages Statewide coverage Presently 90 gages 40 real-time stations

Tidal gages 27 stations Base stations at 4 county emergency response offices Connected to State Police, Department of Transportation, and National Weather Service

Flood-Warning Networks Operate and maintain four systems with 40 stream gages and 21 rain gages. –Passaic River –Somerset County –Rahway River –Pascack Brook in Bergen County

Ground-Water-Level Network Part of a new drought network started in 2001 Presently 7 sites Expanding to 15 sites by 9/30/02 Eventually 1 per county

Stream-Water Quality Routine sampling at 110 sites jointly with NJDEP Presently three real- time stations, monitor for basic parameters – DO, pH, conductivity, specific conductance, and turbidity. –Passaic River –Delaware River –Ramapo River

Advances in Water- Quality Sensing Technology Glenn G. Patterson U.S. Geological Survey Reston, VA

Overview Expanding opportunities to meet needs of USGS and cooperators New partnerships Sensors available now Sensors under development

Meeting Needs for Time- Relevant Data Provide data to decision-makers in time for action Detect accidental or intentional releases Improve efficiency of USGS monitoring programs

New Partnerships DOE Sandia Labs—field test sensors Army Soldier Biological and Chemical Command—USGS field test sensors and supply water samples in Maryland/D.C. District Defense Threat Reduction Agency (currently only on advisory committee)

Sensors Under Development Sandia Labs—Micro-Chemlab on a Chip GC LC

Does USGS use any models to predict the effects of source water and distribution network contamination? 3-D modeling of ground-water flow Surficial aquifer studies Modeling of surface-water quality using SPARROW Developing susceptibility models for NJDEP Source Water Assessment Program

Susceptibility of Public Community Water Supplies in New Jersey to Contamination by Regulated Constituents In cooperation with NJDEP for USEPA Source Water Assessment Program

Objectives of Cooperative Project with NJDEP Create geographic information system- and statistically based models Rank public community wells and intakes into low, medium, and high susceptibility to contamination by regulated constituents Susceptibility = Hydrologic sensitivity + Land-use intensity

Public Community Wells 606 Community –2405 wells –59 SW intakes 3545 Noncommunity –882 Nontransient 1100 wells 3 SW intakes –2663 Transient 2793 wells (April 25, 2002)

SW Intakes and USGS Water- Quality Sampling Sites 59 SW Intakes USGS SW water- quality sites

Sample SW Delineation

Summary USGS has the knowledge, capability, and experience to maintain and operate long term real-time monitoring networks Can work cooperatively on projects There is a national commitment to help protect the water supplies of the nation

USGS- NJ Web Site

Sensors Available Now Whole-water toxicity--sentinel species Semi-volatiles--HPLC with Solid- phase extraction Volatiles—GC with in-situ purge and trap

Whole Water Toxicity— Automated Bioassays with Sentinel Species Bacteria—Microtox OS uikload/Azur/azur.htm

Whole Water Toxicity— Automated Bioassays with Sentinel Species Daphnia—bbe-Moldaenke Toximeter

Whole Water Toxicity— Automated Bioassays with Sentinel Species Algae—bbe Moldaenke Algal toximeter moldaenke.de/english/index.html

Whole Water Toxicity— Automated Bioassays with Sentinel Species Fish—Biological Monitoring Inc.

Semi-Volatiles HPLC with Solid-phase extraction-- Prospekt index.html

Volatiles GC with in-situ purge and trap--Aquascan

Sensors Under Development-- Chemical and Biological Agents Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform IR Spec Molecular Imprinted Polymers Pyrolysis GC Ion Mobility Mass Spec

Sensors Under Development— Biological Agents Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction Antibody-Antigen Tests