U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5233

Version 1.1, June 2015

Prepared in cooperation with the 

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management

Water Quality of Groundwater and Stream Base Flow in the 

Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12

Monongahela

River Basin
Cover. The extent of the Marcellus Shale in West Virginia and the location of the Monongahela River Basin and its major streams. See 

figure 1 for an explanation of the extent of the Marcellus Shale. Marcellus Shale thickness from Schwietering and Bocan (2011).
Water Quality of Groundwater and Stream 

Base Flow in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field 

of the Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12

By Douglas B. Chambers, Mark D. Kozar, Terence Messinger, Michon L. Mulder, 

Adam J. Pelak, and Jeremy S. White

Prepared in cooperation with the 

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, 

Division of Water and Waste Management

Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5233

Version 1.1, June 2015 

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 

First release: 2015, online and in print 

Revised: June 2015 (ver. 1.1), online and in print

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living 

resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS.

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visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod

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U.S. Government.

Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials 

as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation:

Chambers, D.B., Kozar, M.D., Messinger, Terence, Mulder, M.L., Pelak, A.J., and White, J.S., 2015, Water quality 

of groundwater and stream base flow in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12 (ver. 1.1, June 25, 2015): U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5233, 75 p.,

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145233.

ISSN 2328-031X (printed)

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)
iii

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Katherine S. Paybins, Jessica L. Wood, and Hugh E. Bevans of the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) for helping with the collection of samples during the groundwater 

survey and base-flow survey. Thanks also go to Jeffrey E. Bailey, West Virginia Department 

of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management, for assistance in 

understanding land-use patterns in the study area and in surface-water site selection. Lisa 

Senior and Michael Bradley of the USGS are thanked for their thoughtful reviews that have 

improved this report.
iv

Contents

Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................2

 Purpose and Scope .............................................................................................................................6

Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................6

Physiography and Climate..........................................................................................................6

Geologic Setting...........................................................................................................................7

Land Use........................................................................................................................................9

Methods of Study................................................................................................................................11

Site Selection .............................................................................................................................11

Groundwater .....................................................................................................................11

Surface Water ..................................................................................................................11

Sampling Methods.....................................................................................................................15

Groundwater Sampling ...................................................................................................15

Base-Flow Sampling .......................................................................................................15

Methods of Analysis..................................................................................................................18

Geospatial Analyses.........................................................................................................18

Statistical Analyses..........................................................................................................18

Quality Assurance......................................................................................................................18

Blank Samples...................................................................................................................18

Replicate Samples............................................................................................................18

Quality-Assurance Results.........................................................................................................................19

Groundwater Samples .............................................................................................................19

Base-Flow Samples...................................................................................................................19

Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin ....................................................................................19

Specific Conductance, Total Dissolved Solids, and pH ...............................................................19

Specific Conductance...............................................................................................................20

Total Dissolved Solids ...............................................................................................................22

pH..................................................................................................................................................22

Major Ions............................................................................................................................................22

Trace Elements....................................................................................................................................32

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials ...................................................................................40

Isotopes................................................................................................................................................41

Groundwater Survey .................................................................................................................42

Base-Flow Survey......................................................................................................................42

Dissolved Gases..................................................................................................................................45

Water-Quality Patterns .....................................................................................................................47

Summary........................................................................................................................................................52

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................53

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline 

survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, June–September 2011...........................62

Appendix 2. Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline 

survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, July–October 2012 .................................70
v

Figures

1. Map showing extent of the Marcellus Shale in the Monongahela River Basin 

in West Virginia .............................................................................................................................3

2. Maps showing A, thickness of the Marcellus Shale, wells completed in the 

Marcellus Shale, and horizontal wells, and B, locations of all gas wells, including 

abandoned wells, Monongahela River Basin and vicinity, West Virginia, 2012.................4

3. Geologic map of the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia ........................................8

4. Map showing coal mines in the Monongahela River Basin and adjacent areas 

in West Virginia ...........................................................................................................................10

5. Map showing groundwater survey sites in the Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011 .....................................................................................13

6. Flow chart showing the process for stratifying stream-water sampling sites ................16

7. Map showing streams, stream sampling sites, gas wells completed in the 

Marcellus Shale through 2012 showing gas production through 2010, 

and average thickness of the Marcellus Shale by HUC-12 .................................................17

8. Boxplots showing distribution of specific conductance for samples collected 

as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 2011–12, and historical specific 

conductance for samples collected in the Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia: A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples..................................21

9. Boxplots showing distribution of specific conductance for samples collected 

as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12, grouped by gas production type: A, groundwater 

samples and B, base-flow samples.........................................................................................21

10. Boxplots showing distribution of pH in samples collected as part of the 

Marcellus Shale baseline study, 2011–12, and historical pH in samples 

from the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia: A, groundwater samples 

and B, base-flow samples.........................................................................................................22

11. Boxplots showing distribution of pH in samples collected as part of 

the Marcellus Shale baseline study in the Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12: A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples. ................23

12. Piper diagrams showing major ion composition of samples collected as part 

of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 2011–12, from the Monongahela River 

Basin, West Virginia: A, groundwater survey samples classified by geologic 

formation and B, base-flow survey samples..........................................................................24

13. Boxplots showing distribution of major-ion concentrations in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 

2011–12, and historical major-ion concentrations, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia: A, calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, D, potassium, E, chloride, 

F, sulfate, G, bromide, and H, fluoride .....................................................................................25

14. Boxplots showing distribution of major-ion concentrations in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as part of the baseline study, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, grouped by gas production bin: A, calcium, 

B, sodium, C, magnesium, D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, G, bromide, 

and H, fluoride .............................................................................................................................28

15. Boxplots showing distribution of trace-element concentrations in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 

2011–12, and historical trace-element concentrations, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia: A, aluminum, B, iron, C, manganese, D, barium, and E, strontium 

in base flow only .........................................................................................................................34
vi

16. Boxplots showing distribution of trace-element concentrations in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as part of the baseline study, 2011–12, 

Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, grouped by gas production bin: A, aluminum, B, iron, C, manganese, D, barium, E, strontium, F, cobalt, G, molybdenum, and H, arsenic................................................................................................36

17. Boxplots showing distribution of uranium concentrations in groundwater and 

base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 

Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, grouped by gas production 

bin: A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples ....................................................41

18. Graphs showing oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of water 

in A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples collected as part 

of the Marcellus Shale baseline study in the Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12, and the Global Meteoric Water Line.............................................42

19. Graphs showing isotopic signatures of dissolved methane in 11 groundwater 

samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 

Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011, in samples from the Pittsburgh 

Coal, in a Marcellus Shale gas separation tank, and in various other sources: A, deep, microbially stimulated methane; B, biogenic, thermogenic, and mixed 

source methane; and C, predominantly thermogenic methane signature........................43

20. Graph showing isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon in base-flow 

samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 

Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2012.....................................................................44

21. Graph showing concentrations of dissolved nitrogen in relation to concentrations 

of dissolved argon in samples from 39 wells and 2 springs collected as part 

of the baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011, 

with associated estimates of recharge temperature and excess air, 

based on normalized sea-level concentrations ....................................................................46

22. Diagram showing principal component axis scores for the two principal 

components for selected groundwater samples collected as part 

of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011 .....................................................................................................................48

23. Map showing concentrations of methane in groundwater samples collected 

as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011, and the location of mined coal seams and geologic 

structural features......................................................................................................................50

24. Graphs showing concentration of constituent or property in relation to the mining 

intensity, measured as the sum of mined areas in the 12-digit hydrologic unit 

code areas, expressed as a proportion of the HUC-12 surface area for A, sulfate 

and B, specific conductance in base-flow samples collected as part of the 

Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2012 ........51
vii

Tables

1. Water-quality properties, major ions, trace elements, naturally occurring 

radioactive materials, and dissolved gases analyzed for in groundwater 

and surface-water samples from the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, 

Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12...............................................................12

2. Site information for wells and springs sampled for the groundwater survey 

as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011 .....................................................................................14

3. Site information for streams sampled during base flow as part of the Marcellus 

Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 

July–October 2012 ......................................................................................................................57

4. Statistical summary of water-quality field measurements and major ions 

in samples collected for the groundwater survey and base-flow survey 

as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12 ...............................................................................................................20

5. Statistical summary of trace elements in samples collected for the groundwater 

survey and the base-flow survey as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, 

West Virginia, 2011–12 ...............................................................................................................33

6. Statistical summary of naturally occurring radioactive materials in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, 

Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12...............................................................40

7. Statistical summary of dissolved gases in groundwater samples collected 

as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011 .....................................................................................................................46

8. Principal component loadings from analysis of 23 variables potentially 

affecting groundwater quality in the Monongahela River Basin 

in West Virginia, 2011 .................................................................................................................48
viii

Conversion Factors

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain

Length

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2

) 259.0 hectare (ha)

square mile (mi2

) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Volume

barrel (bbl), (petroleum, 

1 barrel=42 gal)

0.1590 cubic meter (m3

) 

gallon (gal) 3.785 liter (L) 

gallon (gal) 0.003785 cubic meter (m3

) 

gallon (gal) 3.785 cubic decimeter (dm3

) 

million gallons (Mgal) 3,785 cubic meter (m3

)

cubic foot (ft3

) 28.32 cubic decimeter (dm3) 

cubic foot (ft3

) 0.02832 cubic meter (m3) 

thousand cubic feet (Mcf) 28.32 cubic meter (m3

)

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

cubic foot per second per square 

mile [(ft3

/s)/mi2]

 0.01093 cubic meter per second per 

square kilometer [(m3/s)/km2]

Pressure

atmosphere, standard (atm) 101.3 kilopascal (kPa)

Bar 100 kilopascal (kPa) 

inch of mercury at 60oF (in Hg) 3.377 kilopascal (kPa) 

Radioactivity

picocurie per liter (pCi/L) 0.037 becquerel per liter (Bq/L) 

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F=(1.8×°C)+32

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows:

°C=(°F-32)/1.8

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Elevation, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

Specific conductance is given in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm at 

25 °C).

Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

or micrograms per liter (μg/L).

Radioactivity of chemical constituents in water are given in picocuries per liter (pCi/L).
Water quality of groundwater and stream base flow in 

the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River 

Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

By Douglas B. Chambers, Mark D. Kozar, Terence Messinger, Michon L. Mulder1, Adam J. Pelak1, 

and Jeremy S. White

Abstract 

The Marcellus Shale gas field underlies portions of New 

York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, 

and West Virginia. Development of hydraulic fracturing and 

horizontal drilling technology led to extensive development 

of gas from the Marcellus Shale beginning about 2007. The 

need to identify and monitor changes in water-quality conditions related to development of the Marcellus Shale gas field 

prompted the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with 

the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, 

Division of Water and Waste Management, to document water 

quality for comparison with water quality in samples collected 

at a future date. The identification of change in water-quality 

conditions over time is more difficult if baseline water-quality 

conditions have not been documented. 

U.S. Geological Survey personnel sampled groundwater 

and surface water in West Virginia’s Monongahela River Basin 

during 2011–12. A groundwater survey, in which 39 wells and 

2 springs were sampled, was conducted during June through 

September 2011. A base-flow survey was conducted during 

July through October 2012; 50 stream sites were sampled 

under base-flow conditions in this survey.

Because additives to hydraulic fracturing fluids are variable and decrease in flowback water over a relatively short 

time, water-quality analyses for this study focused on documenting the water-quality characteristics typical of water from 

shallow aquifers; water derived from contact with the Marcellus Shale (flowback from hydraulic fracturing or formation 

water); and water with constituents from conventional oil and 

gas development, sewage effluent, and coal-mine drainage. All 

samples were analyzed for field properties (water temperature, 

pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity), 

major ions, trace elements, naturally occurring radioactive 

materials, and stable isotopes. 

In addition to documenting baseline water-quality conditions for an area of shale-gas development, these data were 

examined for patterns in water quality. Groundwater and 

base-flow survey data were compared to historical data from 

the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia. Additionally, 

groundwater- and base-flow survey samples were grouped by 

Marcellus Shale gas production in the subbasin in which that 

sampling site was located. 

The comparisons of data collected as part of this study 

with historical data identified few differences. No significant difference was found in a comparison of groundwater 

survey data and historical data. Base-flow survey samples 

differed significantly from historical data for pH, chloride, 

and strontium, all of which had higher concentrations in the 

base-flow survey samples. Differences in pH are likely related 

to changes in mining regulation beginning in 1977. Concentrations of chloride and strontium elevated above background 

concentrations may be related to saline groundwater; saline 

water is within 300 feet of the land surface in parts of the 

study area.

In the comparison of base-flow survey samples grouped 

by shale-gas-production setting, significant differences were 

found for fluoride and barium. Concentrations of fluoride and 

barium were higher in stream subbasins with active Marcellus 

Shale production than in subbasins not near active Marcellus 

Shale production. Elevated fluoride and barium are associated 

with deep brines. 

Generally, naturally occurring radioactive materials were 

not found in elevated concentrations in either groundwater or 

base-flow samples. Only 3 samples, 2 from the groundwater 

survey and one from the base-flow survey, exceeded the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant 

level for radium isotopes of 5.0 picocurie per liter for either 

a single isotope or a combined value of radium-226 and 

radium-228. 

Stable isotope composition indicates broad similarity 

among surface water, shallow groundwater, and precipitation 

in the region. Neither shallow groundwater nor surface water 1

West Virginia University.
2 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

showed a marked similarity with the deep brines associated 

with shale gas. In most of the groundwater survey samples, 

38 of 41 samples, dissolved gas profiles were similar to those 

previously found in samples from shallow, domestic wells in 

the region. 

This study provides a baseline of water-quality conditions in the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia during 

the early phases of development of the Marcellus Shale gas 

field. Although not all inclusive, the results of this study 

provide a set of reliable water-quality data against which 

future data sets can be compared and the effects of shale-gas 

development may be determined.

Introduction 

Natural gas in West Virginia was reported as early as 

1774, followed by the first documented industrial use in the 

State, fueling brine boilers, in 1841 (White, 1904). Since that 

time, natural gas has been an integral component of West 

Virginia’s and the Nation’s energy supply. Since about 2007, 

the development of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology has led to extensive development of gas from 

the Marcellus Shale in the Monongahela River Basin in West 

Virginia (figs. 1 and 2). 

Much of Nation’s historical gas production has been 

from “conventional” gas fields, geographically discrete accumulations with distinct water-hydrocarbon contacts (Schenk 

and Pollastro, 2002). The localized nature, high permeability, 

and high recovery factors of conventional gas accumulations 

make them amenable to extraction by vertical drilling. In 

contrast, shale gas resources form within organic-rich shale 

source rock (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012). 

The low permeability of the shale greatly inhibits the gas 

from migrating to more permeable reservoir rocks. Although 

some shale formations have long been known to be rich in 

gas, little gas could be obtained from them using conventional drilling techniques. Improvements in drilling technologies, specifically horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, 

have made recovery of shale-gas reserves economically 

feasible.

The Marcellus Shale is a formation of Devonian age that 

underlies large parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and 

West Virginia, and smaller parts of Virginia, Maryland, and 

Tennessee. The Marcellus Shale ranges in depth from about 

2,000 feet below mean sea level (MSL) along the western 

edge of its extent to greater than 6,000 feet below MSL 

along the eastern edge, with the thicker deposits occurring 

at greater depths. A recent assessment estimated that 84,198 

billion cubic feet of natural gas and 3,379 million barrels of 

natural gas liquids are technically recoverable from the Marcellus Shale (Coleman and others, 2011). On the basis of the 

2009 consumption of 23 trillion cubic feet (ft3

), this is enough 

natural gas to meet the needs of the entire Nation for about 15 

years (Coleman and others, 2011). 

The low permeability and low recovery factors of Marcellus Shale, as with other shale-gas fields, makes extraction 

with vertical drilling challenging. However, the use of horizontal, or directional drilling, and hydraulic fracturing allow 

recovery of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale. Directional 

drilling and hydraulic fracturing capitalize upon and augment 

naturally occurring fractures, thereby enhancing permeability 

and gas recovery (U.S. Department of Energy, 2013).

A horizontal well begins with a vertical well drilled to 

a depth approaching that of the targeted shale bed, 5,000 to 

9,000 feet below MSL in the Marcellus Shale in West Virginia 

(U.S. Department of Energy, 2013). Once the desired depth 

of vertical well bore is reached, a steerable downhole motor 

is used to drill the well at an angle. The steerable motor will 

eventually impart sufficient angular deviation to turn the 

well bore 90 degrees from the vertical. The well bore is then 

extended as a lateral well bore, or “lateral,” through the shale 

bed. These laterals can extend for 3,000 to 10,000 feet from 

the vertical well bore (U.S. Department of Energy, 2013). 

Once the horizontal wells are completed, the recovery 

of gas from the Marcellus Shale is further enhanced through 

hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as “fracking.” 

Hydraulic fracturing uses fluids under high pressure to create 

fractures in the rock, increasing gas flow to the well bore. The 

well casing and cement are perforated with small explosive 

charges prior to injection of the pressurized fluid. The fluid 

contains quartz sand or other materials of similar size or shape 

(proppants) that remain in the newly created fractures to keep 

them from closing. The hydraulic-fracturing fluid and formation fluid can flow back to land surface as the injection pressure is reduced.

Although natural gas has been promoted as the cleanestburning fossil fuel, emitting only 53 kilograms (kg) of carbon 

dioxide (CO2

) per million British thermal units (Btu); coal 

emits an average of 95 kg of CO2 per million Btu (U.S. Energy 

Information Administration, 1999). Production of natural gas 

is not without environmental consequences. Kappel and others 

(2013) presented critical water-resources issues associated 

with shale-gas development in the Appalachian Basin, grouped 

into the following categories: water supply, stray gas, radioactivity in shale waste, fluid waste treatment and disposal, 

deep well injection of fluid waste, solid waste disposal, and 

construction and transportation.

Large quantities of water are used during the hydraulic 

fracturing, posing potential water-quality issues. As much as 

3 million gallons of water can be used for a single hydraulic fracturing treatment. Hydraulic fracturing fluids contain 

chemicals that increase the viscosity to a gel-like consistency 

and allow the transport of a proppant, usually sand, into the 

hydraulically created fractures to keep them open. Other 

chemicals allow the viscosity of the fluid to break down 

quickly so that the fluid can be easily removed. In addition 

to chemical additives in the hydraulic fracturing fluids, the 

contact of fluids with the rock matrix introduces a variety 

of formation constituents, including brines, trace elements, 

and radionuclides.
Introduction 

3

Figure 1. Extent of the Marcellus Shale in the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia. 

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 1:200,000, digital line graphics

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

Physiography from Fenneman and Johnson, 1946;

Marcellus Shale thickness from Schwietering and Bocan, 2011

EXPLANATION

Physiographic province

Appalachian PlateausBlue RidgeCentral LowlandPiedmontValley and Ridge

Thickness of Marcellus Shale, in feet

Marcellus assumed to be absentUncertain thickness21–4040–6061–8081–100Greater than 100

Monongahela River basin boundary

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Area of detail

Monongahe

al

i R

ev r

hS

va

re s

Fork

Tygart

aV l el y

i R ver se W t Fork

vi R

re

Cheat River
4 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12Base map from U.S. Geological Survey 1:200,000 digital line graphics Marcellus Shale well locations from West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Technical Application GIS Unit, 2013;

Marcellus Shale thickness from Schwietering and Bocan, 2011

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Thickness of Marcellus Shale, in feet

Marcellus assumed to be absentUncertain thickness21–4040–6061–8081–100Greater than 100

Monongahela River Basin boundaryWell completed in Marcellus Shale

in West Virginia, September 2012

Horizontal well completed in

Marcellus Shale in West Virginia,September 2012

A

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

Area of detail

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Figure 2.

A, Thickness of the Marcellus Shale, wells completed in the Marcellus Shale, and horizontal wells, and 

B, locations of all gas wells, including 

abandoned wells, Monongahela River Basin and vicinity, West Virginia, 2012. 
Introduction 

5

Base map from U.S. Geological Survey 1:200,000 digital line graphics Marcellus Shale well locations from West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection,

Technical Application GIS Unit, 2013

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Monongahela River Basin boundaryLocation of gas well

ActiveAbandoned

B

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

Area of detail

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Figure 2. A, Thickness of the Marcellus Shale, wells completed in the Marcellus Shale, and horizontal wells, and B, locations of all gas wells, including 

abandoned wells, Monongahela River Basin and vicinity, West Virginia, 2012. —Continued
6 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Hydraulic fracturing fluids and formation waters are 

highly contaminated and must be captured and disposed of 

properly when the fluids flow back to land surface. Initial 

recovery of hydraulic fracturing fluids in the Marcellus Shale 

is 20–25 percent (U.S. Department of Energy, 2013). Industry 

estimates for continued recovery of hydraulic fracturing fluid 

and formation water, even after the well is on-line, range from 

5 to 50 barrels per week. Current regulations in West Virginia 

require offsite disposal of fracturing fluids and flowback from 

horizontal wells (West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, 2010). Fluids are collected in either a sealed 

tank or a lined open pit and hauled by truck to a disposal site. 

The preferred method of disposal (as of 2014) for hydraulic 

fracturing fluids is underground injection into deep formations 

(West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, 2010), 

often former oil- and gas-producing formations. This disposal 

practice could also be a threat to water quality because of the 

potential for spills during the fluid handling and transportation 

process or leakage from natural faults and fractures or from former gas and oil wells that have not been properly constructed 

or abandoned.

Documentation of the 2011–12 baseline quality of shallow groundwater underlain by the Marcellus Shale in northcentral West Virginia can be used for comparison with future 

water quality to monitor and recognize potential water-quality 

changes from gas-production activities should they occur. The 

West Virginia’s Monongahela River Basin was identified as 

an area of rapid Marcellus Shale gas development. Therefore, 

in 2011 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation 

with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), Division of Water and Waste Management, 

began a study to obtain baseline water-quality information for 

the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia. The waterquality properties and constituents documented during this 

study include those that are naturally occurring in the Marcellus Shale and are likely to be elevated in shallow groundwater 

through contact with return flows or leakage from hydraulic 

fracturing activities. Because groundwater discharge to streams 

forms base flow, potential water-quality changes to groundwater may also affect base-flow quality. 

 Purpose and Scope

This report describes the water quality of groundwater 

and stream base flow in that part of north-central West Virginia 

drained by the Monongahela River during early development 

of the Marcellus Shale gas field. Groundwater samples were 

collected during June–September 2011, and base-flow samples 

were collected in 2012. The conditions described in this report 

include those affected by human activities that potentially introduce contaminants into surface water and groundwater similar 

to those expected from shale-gas development. Concentrations 

of water-quality constituents are presented in figures and tables. 

Description of Study Area

The study area is the Monongahela River Basin in West 

Virginia (fig. 1) and encompasses a drainage area of 7,377 

square miles (mi2) (19,106 square kilometers [km2]) in the 

north-central part of West Virginia. Major tributaries to the 

Monongahela River are the Cheat River, Tygart Valley River, 

and the West Fork River. The study area was selected because 

of the large number of vertical and horizontal gas wells that 

are proposed for the Marcellus Shale. 

Physiography and Climate

The study area is mostly within the Appalachian Plateaus 

Physiographic Province, but a small area in the southeastern 

part of the study area has been mapped as lying within the 

Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province (Fenneman, 1938). 

The Appalachian Plateaus are characterized by flat to slightly 

dipping sedimentary rocks that have been eroded by fluvial 

processes to form a rolling topography with a dendritic stream 

drainage pattern. 

 The boundary between the two provinces is known as the 

Allegheny Front, an abrupt and complex transition between 

the two physiographic provinces. To the west of the Allegheny 

Front, lie the relatively flat to slightly dipping rocks of the 

Appalachian Plateaus; to the east of the Allegheny Front, lie 

steeply dipping, long linear ridges and valleys of the Valley 

and Ridge Physiographic Province. 

Within the Valley and Ridge, topography varies and is 

marked by steep ridges, typically formed by more weather 

resistant sandstones and limestone, and narrow valleys, which 

tend to form in areas underlain by less resistant shales and 

siltstones (West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 

2014b). Orogenic processes compressed rocks to form the 

Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province. The compressional stress resulted in significant folding and faulting of the 

bedrock strata, and resulted in the characteristic alternating 

long linear valleys and ridges from which the province derived 

its name. Stream drainages in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province commonly exhibit a predominantly trellis 

drainage pattern.

Elevation in the study area ranges from about 790 ft 

above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) 

near the Monongahela River at the border of West Virginia 

and Pennsylvania to about 4,850 ft in the southern part of the 

study area. Mean annual precipitation within the Appalachian 

Plateaus Physiographic Province varies with elevation owing 

to orographic lifting. Mean annual precipitation (1981–2010) 

ranged from 44 inches per year (in/yr) to 66 in/yr (PRISM 

Climate Group, 2012). Maximum precipitation occurs in the 

mountains in the southern part of the study area, and minimum precipitation occurs near the Monongahela and West 

Fork Rivers. 
Introduction 7

Geologic Setting

Geologic strata in the study area are composed of several 

formations and groups (fig. 3), ranging in age from Devonian 

through Permian with Quaternary alluvial deposits along 

the streams and rivers. The strata include parts of geologic 

formations of Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian 

age, and all bedrock in the study area is sedimentary in origin. 

Geologic nomenclature used in this report conforms with that 

used by the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 

as depicted on the 1968 State geologic map of West Virginia 

(Cardwell and others, 1968). Bedrock composition of the formations is described below (Cardwell and others, 1968).

Devonian-age geologic strata exposed at land surface 

in the study area include parts of the Harrell Shale, Brallier 

Formation, Chemung Group, and the Hampshire Formation (fig. 3). The Harrell Shale and the Brallier Formation 

are composed predominantly of dark marine shales with thin 

interspersed lenses of limestone, siltstone, and sandstone. The 

Chemung Group is characterized as mostly siltstone and sandstone with shale and conglomerate interbeds. The Hampshire 

Formation is predominantly shale and fine micaceous sandstone, with siltstone, sandstone, and conglomerate. The oldest 

rocks that crop out in the study area are in the Harrell Shale 

Formation. The Mahantango Formation, which is composed 

predominantly of thick laminated marine shale, siltstone, sandstone, and some limestone (Cardwell and others, 1968), does 

not crop out within the study area, but immediately underlies 

the Harrell Shale. The Marcellus Shale, which also does not 

crop out in the study area but is the primary emphasis of this 

study, underlies the Mahantango Formation and is composed 

of predominantly gray black to black thinly laminated pyritic 

shales (Cardwell and others, 1968). 

Mississippian-age strata include parts of the Price 

Formation, the Greenbrier Group, and the Bluefield, Hinton, 

Princeton Sandstone, and Bluestone Formations (fig. 3). The 

Price Formation is composed predominantly of hard massive 

sandstones with some shale. The Price Formation was previously referred to as the Pocono Group but was later revised 

as a result of additional stratigraphic studies. Some older 

geologic maps, as well as the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database still refer to the Price Formation 

as the Pocono Group. The Greenbrier Group is composed of 

massive marine limestones with associated shales and minor 

sandstone beds. Outside the study area, the Greenbrier Group 

is one of the more prominent karst regions in West Virginia. 

The Bluefield and Hinton Formations are composed of shale 

and sandstone with minor interbeds of limestone. The Bluestone Formation and Princeton Sandstone are composed 

predominantly of shale and sandstone. The Bluefield, Hinton, 

and Bluestone Formations, and the Princeton Sandstone, are 

thin exposures in the outcrop and are commonly collectively 

referred to, and shown on the accompanying geologic map 

(fig. 3), as the Mauch Chunk Group.

Pennsylvanian-age strata within the study area include 

important coal seams, such as the Pittsburgh, Freeport, Kittanning, and Sewickley seams. Pennsylvanian-age strata 

in the study area include parts of the New River Formation, Kanawha Formation, Allegheny Formation, Conemaugh Group, Monongahela Group, and the Dunkard Group 

(fig. 3). In the northeast part of the study area the depositional sequence thins, and the Pocahontas, New River, and 

Kanawha Formations are collectively referred to as the 

Pottsville Group (fig. 3). The Pottsville Group is composed 

of sandstones and some conglomerate with thin shales and 

coal seams. Where the New River and Kanawha Formations 

crop out in sufficient area, they are mapped separately from 

the Pottsville Group (fig. 3). The New River and Kanawha 

Formations are composed of sandstone with some shale, 

siltstone, and coal. The Allegheny Formation is composed 

of cyclic sequences of sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, 

and coal. The more economically relevant coal seams in the 

Allegheny Formation are the Freeport, Kittanning, and Clarion coal seams. The Conemaugh Group is composed of cyclic 

sequences of shale, siltstone, sandstone, thin limestones, and 

coal. Economically important coal seams in the Conemaugh 

Group are the Bakerstown, Brush Creek, and Mahoning coal 

seams. The Monongahela Group is also composed predominantly of sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, and coal. Economically important coal seams in the Monongahela Group 

are the Pittsburgh, Sewickley, Uniontown, Waynesburg, and 

Redstone coal seams. 

There is debate about the geologic age of the Dunkard 

Group, but it occurs either at the top of the stratigraphic 

sequence of Pennsylvanian strata or at the base of Permian 

strata. The Dunkard Group is composed of sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, and coal similar to that of most of the 

Pennsylvanian-age strata. Economically important coal seams 

in the Dunkard Group are the Washington and Waynesburg A 

coal seams.

Because this report presents baseline water-quality 

conditions in the Marcellus Shale gas field of the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia, and because the Marcellus 

Shale does not crop out in the study area, a discussion of the 

depth of burial of the Marcellus Shale within the study area 

is warranted. The USGS recently published geologic cross 

sections that encompass the study area (Ryder and others, 

2008; 2009). On the basis of these cross sections, the depth 

to the Marcellus Shale may be inferred. The Marcellus Shale 

ranges in depth from approximately 7,100 feet below land 

surface (bls) in Marion County, West Virginia, where rocks 

are slightly dipping, to 4,200 feet bls along the crest of the 

Deer Park–Leadmine anticline in Preston County, and to only 

1,400 feet bls along the crest of the Elkins Valley Anticline 

in Randolph County, West Virginia, based on the geologic 

cross sections. The geologic cross sections indicate that 

thrust faults cut through the Marcellus Shale and extend to 

the surface.
8 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12 WESTON ELKINS MORGANTOWN CLARKSBURG BUCKHANNON Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 1:200,000, digital line graphics Geology from Cardwell and others, 1968 Surficial Geology Quaternary alluvium Dunkard Group Monongahela Group Conemaugh Group Allegheny Formation Kanawha Formation New River Formation Pottsville Group Mauch Chunk Group Hinton Formation Bluefield Formation and Princeton Sandstone Bluefield Formation Greenbrier Group Pocono Group Hampshire Formation Chemung Group Brallier Formation Harrell Shale Formation Monongahela River Basin boundary EXPLANATION

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

Area of detail

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Figure 3. Geologic map of the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia.
Introduction 9

Land Use

Forest is the most extensive land use in the study area. 

Agriculture is generally limited and of low intensity (National 

Agricultural Statistics Service, 2014). The study area includes 

the cities of Morgantown and Clarksburg, West Virginia, 

and their suburbs. Morgantown and the surrounding area is 

among the fastest growing in West Virginia; the population of 

Morgantown increased 4.5 percent between 2010 and 2012, 

in contrast to a population growth of 0.2 percent for West 

Virginia as a whole (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). 

Coal mining was the principal industry in the study area 

for most of the 20th century. The most important mined coal 

seams in the study area, underground and surface (fig. 4), 

are near the western edge, especially within the Dunkard 

and Monongahela Groups and the Allegheny Formation. The 

Pittsburgh coal seam is the most historically productive and 

economically important seam in the study area (Tewalt and 

others, 2001). The Kittanning, Freeport, Sewickley, Redstone, 

and Bakerstown coals have also been extensively mined, and 

at least 15 named coal seams have been mined in the study 

area. Approximately 16.5 percent of the study area has been 

mined. Most mines are underground (15.0 % of the study 

area), and the remainder are either surface mines (2.8 % of 

the study area) or auger mines (0.02 % of the study area), 

both of which may overlay underground mines. Many areas 

have been mined multiple times, using multiple methods, or 

in more than one seam, so that the two-dimensional footprint 

of mining is an inadequate measure of mining intensity. Most 

of the coal mined in the study area has high sulfur concentrations (>2.5 percent), and demand for the high-sulfur coal 

mined here declined following a mandate in the 1991 Clean 

Air Act amendments to reduce acid precipitation (Milici and 

Dennen, 2009).

The hydrologic and water-quality effects of both underground and surface mining in the study area are well documented (Anderson and others, 2000; Cravotta, 2008a–b). Acid 

mine drainage (AMD) from coal mining has had major effects 

on the quality of water in streams in the region. A variety of 

acid mine drainage treatment techniques are being used within 

the study area, and water quality has improved since in the 

1970s (Lambert and others, 2004). Continued treatment is necessary to maintain water quality in many places where mining 

has ended. Typical water-quality effects of coal mining in the 

study area include increases in concentrations of iron, manganese, aluminum, and sulfate. 

Hydrologic effects of coal mining include several important alterations to the movement of water and the magnitude 

and timing of flow. In underground coal mines, water flows 

downdip along the mine floor, even in areas where the dip is 

slight. If the mined seam is above grade, or higher than the 

valley floor, water is transferred from the updip side of the 

mountain to the downdip side (Kozar and others, 2013). If 

the mined seam is below grade, or if it dips from above grade 

on its uphill side to below grade on the downdip side, water 

collects in a pool in the void space in a mine (McColloch and 

others, 2012). Where mining is active, the water is pumped 

to the surface and discharged. Even after mining ends, water 

from mine pools may reach land surface through openings if 

hydraulic head is sufficient. 

 Recent development of the Marcellus Shale by horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has increased interest in natural gas development, but gas has been produced 

in the study area for decades. Nearly 6,400 gas wells had 

been completed in the study area through 2012 (fig. 2; West 

Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, 2013). The 

earliest recorded completion date for these wells is during 

1895, but completion dates are unknown for most wells drilled 

before permitting began in 1929. At least 29 named formations have been the targets for gas development in the study 

area, although the target formation for many older wells is not 

recorded. Beginning about 2002, the targeting of multiple formations in a single well became common. Through September 

2012, 147 wells had been completed in the Marcellus Shale 

within the study area, 75 of which are horizontal wells.

Both current oil and gas extraction and the legacy effects 

of improperly abandoned oil and gas wells have affected 

groundwater and surface-water quality in the region. Natural 

gas in West Virginia is typically associated with sediments of 

marine origin, so gas typically is found in association with 

salty water (Price and others, 1937). Salt and other elements 

of marine origin are among the common constituents that have 

become elevated in surface or shallow water as a result of gas 

development (Bain, 1970). Changes to water quality related to 

gas development may result from initial surface disturbances, 

such as site, access road, and pipeline construction; from drilling and fracturing activities; and from maintenance or reclamation activities, such as condensate spills. For conventional 

wells in West Virginia, activities that may affect water quality 

include onsite disposal of drilling waste, a practice that was 

banned for horizontal wells by the West Virginia Natural Gas 

Horizontal Well Control Act (22-6A-2). Improperly sealed gas 

wells are known to be a pathway for contaminants to migrate 

upward from deep rock layers (Bain, 1970), although saline 

groundwater is naturally as close as 300 feet beneath the surface of some river valleys in the study area (Wilmoth, 1975; 

Foster, 1980). Of the gas wells in the study area, 215 have a 

regulatory status of “abandoned,” meaning that they are no 

longer in production but were never sealed and reclaimed. 

Underground coal mines and deeper oil and gas reservoirs both produce methane, which has the potential to migrate 

either by natural processes or potentially as a result of human 

activities. The isotopic composition, associated ion chemistry, 

and compositions of associated hydrocarbons can be used to 

identify the potential source of the gas. Coal-bed methane 

lacks the associated higher chain hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, butane, pentane, and hexane, that may be associated with gases derived from oil and gas reservoirs. Much of 
10 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12 WESTON ELKINS MORGANTOWN CLARKSBURG BUCKHANNON Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 1:200,000, digital line graphics Coal mine boundaries from West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 2011b EXPLANATION Mine type Auger mine Highwall mine Surface mine Underground mine Monongahela River Basin boundary

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

Area of detail

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Figure 4. Coal mines in the Monongahela River Basin and adjacent areas in West Virginia.
Introduction 11

the most active development of the Marcellus Shale targets 

“wet” gas, or gas rich in ethane and other higher alkanes. 

The study area also includes natural gas storage fields (U.S. 

Energy Information Agency, 2014). Although the gas presently 

stored in these fields is increasingly from the Marcellus Shale, 

the storage fields hold mixtures of natural gas from a wide 

variety of sources and locations (U.S. Energy Information 

Agency, 2004).

Methods of Study

Baseline water-quality conditions were documented 

through sampling a combination of wells, springs, and stream 

sites. Because additives to hydraulic fracturing fluids are 

variable and decrease in flowback water over a relatively 

short time, water-quality analyses for this study documented 

major ions, trace elements, radionuclides, and isotopes 

(table 1) that can be used to identify the different sources of 

water—potable water derived from shallow aquifers, water 

derived from contact with the Marcellus Shale (flowback 

from hydraulic fracturing or formation water), and water with 

constituents from other oil and gas fields, sewage effluent, and 

coal-mine drainage. 

Site Selection

Groundwater and surface-water base-flow quality in the 

Monongahela River Basin was investigated in 2011 and 2012 

to establish baseline water-quality conditions for the study 

area. Wells were sampled in summer 2011, and surface water 

was sampled, under base-flow conditions, in summer and 

fall 2012.

Groundwater 

Groundwater samples were collected from 39 wells and 

2 springs in the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia 

(fig. 5, table 2). The sites were selected from a group of wells 

and springs sampled as part of the West Virginia Ambient 

Groundwater Monitoring network (Chambers and others, 

2012), and information was obtained from a database of 

production wells maintained by the West Virginia Bureau for 

Public Health. The groundwater survey sites were selected 

to provide wide areal distribution throughout the study area. 

However, the distribution of production wells was not sufficient to provide adequate areal coverage. Therefore, samples 

were also collected from domestic wells, USGS water-level 

network wells, other types of wells, or springs to provide additional geographic coverage in areas with few production wells. 

The criteria for a well to be considered for sampling were 

as follows: (1) the well had to be less than 25 years old, (2) the 

well had to have a minimum reported yield of 5 gallons per 

minute, and (3) the well had to be plumbed or open to allow 

sampling of raw water prior to any storage tank or treatment. 

The minimum information required for each well included 

well depth, location (latitude/longitude), and contributing 

geologic unit (aquifer). Available well-construction information was recorded (age, depth, and casing length). An on-site 

inspection was conducted to verify well-casing integrity and 

adequate well-pad construction to prevent surface contaminants from entering the well bore. Existing submersible pumps 

were most commonly used for water-sample collection, but for 

a small number of wells, turbine pumps, jet pumps, or a portable submersible pump were used. Well and site characteristics 

were obtained during a site visit, from drilling logs, and from 

well-owner records, where available. If both the minimum 

criteria and the minimum information requirements were met, 

the well was selected for sampling. The springs were selected 

for sampling to supplement geographic coverage in areas with 

few production wells. The springs selected had been previously sampled and documented (Chambers and others, 2012; 

Kozar and Brown, 1995).

Surface Water 

Surface-water sites were selected using a stratified design 

on the basis of availability of historical data, basin size and 

location, Marcellus Shale thickness (Schwietering and Bocan, 

2011; West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 2011a), 

and the presence of gas production from wells tapping the 

Marcellus Shale (West Virginia Geological and Economic 

Survey, 2014a) in the hydrologic unit in which the stream is 

located. To be considered for sampling, a site had to have at 

least one previous sample collected by the USGS that was 

analyzed for a full set of major ions and had an associated 

streamflow measurement. The drainage basins for the sites 

were limited to a range of 10–40 mi2. Within the study area, 59 

surface-water sites met these criteria. Sites were grouped on 

the basis of gas production at the 12-digit hydrologic unit code 

(HUC-12) basin level (U.S. Geological Survey, 2005a). Sites 

were not necessarily at the outlet of the HUC-12. Gas production data, in thousand cubic feet (Mcf), were downloaded from 

the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES, 

2012) Marcellus Shale webpage (http://www.wvgs.wvnet.

edu/www/datastat/devshales.htm) on June 4, 2012, and were 

complete through 2010 at that time. Production data include 

information on wells targeting multiple formations, only one 

of which was the Marcellus Shale. “Marcellus wells,” as used 

in this section, includes all of these gas wells. 

The surface-water sites were grouped into “bins” that 

were designated as “High Production,” “Low Production,” 

“Near High Production,” “Near Low Production,” “Underlain 

by the Marcellus Shale greater than 50 feet thick” (Marcellus 

>50 ft thick), and “Underlain by Marcellus Shale less than 50 

ft thick” (Marcellus <50 ft thick). The break point between 

high and low production was 1,000 thousand cubic feet per 

square mile per year (Mcf/mi2

/year). The Near High Production bin included sites in a 10-digit hydrologic unit code basin 

(HUC-10) with gas production exceeding 1,000 Mcf/mi2/year 

from Marcellus Shale wells and a site in a HUC-12 with no 

gas production from Marcellus Shale wells. 
12 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Table 1. Water-quality properties, major ions, trace elements, naturally occurring radioactive materials, and dissolved gases 

analyzed for in groundwater and surface-water samples from the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12.

[NA, not applicable; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; FNU, formazin nephelometric units; 

CaCO3, calcium carbonate; wf, filtered water sample; inflect pt, inflection-point titration; μg/L, micrograms per liter; Cs-137, cesium 137; Th-230, thorium 

230; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; δ, per mil; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate; --, none; *, groundwater samples only]

Constituent or property Reporting limit Constituent or property Reporting limit

Temperature, water, °C NA Molybdenum, wf, μg/L 0.014

Specific conductance, μS/cm at 25 °C NA Nickel, wf, μg/L 0.09

Dissolved oxygen, mg/L NA Silver, wf, μg/L 0.005

pH, standard units NA Strontium, wf, μg/L 0.2–0.8

Redox potential, mV* NA Zinc, wf, μg/L 2.0

Turbidity, FNU NA Antimony, wf, μg/L 0.027

Dissolved solids, dry, at 180 °C, mg/L 12 Aluminum, wf, μg/L 1.7–2.2

Alkalinity, wf, inflect, field, mg/L CaCO3 1 Selenium, wf, μg/L 0.05

Carbonate, wf, inflect pt, field, mg/L 1 Gross beta, wf, Cs-137, pCi/L 4

Bicarbonate, wf, inflect pt, field, mg/L 1 Alpha activity, wf, Th-230, pCi/L 3

Calcium, wf, mg/L 0.022–0.04 Uranium, wf, μg/L 0.004

Magnesium, wf, mg/L 0.08 Uranium-238, wf, pCi/L 0.1

Sodium, wf, mg/L 0.1–0.24 Uranium-234, wf, pCi/L 0.1

Potassium, wf, mg/L 0.022 Uranium-235, wf, pCi/L 0.1

Bromide, wf, mg/L 0.010 Radium-224, wf, pCi/L 1

Chloride, wf, mg/L 0.02–0.06 Radium-226, wf, pCi/L 1

Sulfate, wf, mg/L 0.07–0.09 Radium-228, wf, pCi/L 1

Fluoride, wf, mg/L 0.04 δ13CCH4* --

Silica, wf, mg/L 0.018–0.029 δ13CDIC* --

Arsenic, wf, μg/L 0.02–0.10 δ18OH2O* --

Barium, wf, μg/L 0.07 δ18OSO4* --

Beryllium, wf, μg/L 0.006 δ2

HCH4* --

Boron, wf, μg/L 3.0 δ2

HH2O* --

Cadmium, wf, μg/L 0.016 δ34SSO4* --

Chromium, wf, μg/L 0.06–0.07 Nitrogen, N2

, dissolved, mg/L 0.001

Cobalt, wf, μg/L 0.02 Oxygen, O2

, dissolved, mg/L 0.002

Copper, wf, μg/L 0.5–0.8 Argon, dissolved, mg/L 0.003

Iron, wf, μg/L 3.2 Carbon dioxide, dissolved, mg/L 0.04

Lead, wf, μg/L 0.015–0.025 Methane, dissolved, mg/L 0.001

Manganese, wf, μg/L 0.04
Introduction 13

Tay-0130

Har-0177

Bar-0150

Pre-0178

Pre-0172

Pre-0164

Pre-0177

Bar-0149

Har-0175

Lew-0215

Lew-0221

Ran-0278

Ran-0284

Pre-0173 Pre-0166

Pre-0124

Tuc-0125

Tuc-0129 Tuc-0124

Ran-0260

Tuc-0127

Ups-0177

Ran-0275

Ran-0259

Har-0170

Lew-0218

Har-0173

Tay-0129

Mar-0300

Mar-0296

Ran-0282

Ups-0178

Ran-0280

Ran-0277

Ran-0276

Pre-0176

Pre-0162

Pre-0163

Mng-0582

Bar-0151s

Ran-0261(North Spring at Bowden, WV)

WESTON

ELKINS

MORGANTOWN

CLARKSBURG

BUCKHANNON

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 1:200,000, digital line graphics Coal mine boundaries from West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 2011b

EXPLANATION

Monongahela River Basin boundaryGroundwater survey site and identifier

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

Ups-0177

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

Area of detail

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Figure 5. Groundwater survey sites in the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, June–September 2011. 
14 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Table 2. Site information for wells and springs sampled for the groundwater survey as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline 

survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, June–September 2011.

[WV, West Virginia; Marcellus<50, site in basin underlain by a less than 50-foot Marcellus Shale thickness and neither a gas producing basin nor adjacent to a gas producing basin; NA, not applicable] 

Local well name Geologic unit name1 Well or spring Well depth, in feet Natural gas production bin

Mng-0582 Pottsville Group Well 190 Near production

Pre-0163 Pottsville Group Well 179 Marcellus<50

Pre-0162 Pottsville Group Well 145 Production

Pre-0176 Conemaugh Group Well 200 Near production

Ran-0276 Hampshire Formation Well 320 Not near production

Ran-0277 New River Formation Well 220 Not near production

Ran-0280 Kanawha Formation Well 80 Production

Ups-0178 Kanawha Formation Well 158 Production

Ran-0282 Kanawha Formation Well 105 Production

Mar-0296 Dunkard Group Well 107 Production

Mar-0300 Dunkard Group Well 70 Near production

Tay-0129 Conemaugh Group Well 113 Production

Har-0173 Dunkard Group Well 70 Production

Lew-0218 Monongahela Group Well 60 Near production

Har-0170 Conemaugh Group Well 75 Near production

Ran-0259 Pottsville Group Well 155 Near production

Ran-0275 Kanawha Formation Well 500 Production

Ran-0261(North Spring at Bowden, WV) Greenbrier Group Spring NA Not near production

Ups-0177 Pottsville Group Well 120 Production

Tuc-0127 Chemung Group Well 60 Not near production

Tuc-0124 Greenbrier Group Well 100 Marcellus<50

Tuc-0129 Greenbrier Group Well 45 Marcellus<50

Ran-0260 Price Formation Well 222 Production

Tuc-0125 Greenbrier Group Well 250 Marcellus<50

Pre-0124 Chemung Group Well 205 Not near production

Pre-0166 Price Formation Well 100 Marcellus<50

Pre-0173 Conemaugh Group Well 57 Not near production

Ran-0284 Hampshire Formation Well 200 Marcellus<50

Ran-0278 Chemung Group Well 100 Not near production

Lew-0221 Conemaugh Group Well 100 Production

Lew-0215 Monongahela Group Well 100 Near production

Har-0175 Conemaugh Group Well 45 Near production

Bar-0149 Conemaugh Group Well 180 Production

Pre-0177 Greenbrier Group Well 145 Marcellus<50

Pre-0164 Greenbrier Group Well 207 Marcellus<50

Pre-0172 Allegheny Formation Well 65 Production

Pre-0178 Conemaugh Group Well NA Production

Bar-0150 Conemaugh Group Well 52 Production

Har-0177 Monongahela Group Well 150 Production

Tay-0130 Conemaugh Group Well 160 Not near production

Bar-0151s Conemaugh Group Spring NA Near production

1

Geologic nomenclature used in this report conforms with that used by the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, as depicted on the 1968 

State geologic map of West Virginia (Cardwell and others, 1968).
Introduction 15

The number of sampling sites in a bin was made proportional to the ratio of the area of the binned HUC-12s within the 

study area. For instance, High Production HUC-12s made up 

17.2 percent of the basin, so 17.2 percent of the sites had to be 

from that bin. Since 17.2 percent of 50 is 8.6 and sites could 

only be selected in increments of integers, the number of sites 

in that bin was rounded to 9. The category Marcellus <50 ft 

thick was eliminated from the study because all available sites 

were underlain by the Marcellus Shale at less than 2 ft thick 

and judged to be unlikely candidates for future development. 

The Marcellus <50 ft thick bin made up 10 percent of the 

overall study area, and the five sites that would have represented this bin were allocated to the Near High Production bin.

After setting up the bins, sites were prioritized by assigning at least one site from each HUC-10 that was represented, 

then at least one site in each HUC-12 until the bins filled up 

(fig. 6). If the only available sites for a bin were within the 

same HUC-12, then multiple sites from that HUC-12 were 

used. This was done by assigning random numbers to sites 

within HUC-10s, and then within HUC-12s, and ranking them 

by the random numbers. Sites were then sorted by (1) bin, 

(2) HUC-10 rank, (3) HUC-12 rank, and (4) random number, 

and ordered within bins. Sites with within-bin rank less than or 

equal to the number of sites per bin were included in the study, 

and the next site in rank was assigned as the alternate. Using 

this procedure, two sites were selected in close proximity on 

the same stream; one site with three samples collected during 

1979–80, and the other with an active streamgage, 64 years of 

flow data, and numerous water-quality measurements (fig. 7). 

Both sites drain between 10 mi2 and 20 mi2. Although this 

procedure ranked the ungaged site higher, the streamgage 

site was selected for sampling. Finally, during sampling, field 

crews visited one of the selected sites shortly after limestone 

sand had been applied to treat acid mine drainage. That site 

was dropped from the study and replaced by a site in the 

same bin but with a drainage area of 40.7 mi2, which was 

slightly greater than the original size criterion (table 3, at end 

of report).

Sampling Methods

Both groundwater and base-flow samples were collected 

and processed according to standard USGS operating procedures and protocols. All samples were analyzed for field 

properties, alkalinity, major ions, trace elements, and uranium 

(table 1). Field measurements of water temperature, specific 

conductance, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, alkalinity, and, for groundwater sites, redox potential were made on 

site according to standard protocols (U.S. Geological Survey, 

2006). Samples were processed according to standard USGS 

protocol (Wilde and others, 2004). Water samples for cation analysis were filtered through a 0.45-micron (μm) filter, 

collected in an acid-rinsed 250-milliliter (mL) polyethylene 

bottle, and acidified with 2 mL of nitric acid. Water samples 

for anion analysis were collected in a 250-mL polyethylene 

bottle. Water samples for uranium and radium isotope analysis 

were collected in a 1-liter (L) polyethylene bottle. If uranium 

was detected in a sample, that sample was further analyzed for 

uranium and radium isotopes.

Analyses for major ions, trace elements, and naturally 

occurring radioactive materials (NORM) were conducted at 

the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in 

Denver, Colorado. Stable isotope analyses were performed 

at the West Virginia University Stable Isotope Laboratory 

in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Isotech Laboratories in 

Champaign, Illinois. Dissolved gas samples were analyzed at 

the USGS Dissolved Gas Laboratory in Reston, Virginia.

Groundwater Sampling 

Groundwater samples were collected between June 28 

and September 21, 2011. Prior to sampling, wells were purged 

to remove standing water from the well and ensure that representative water samples were collected. A minimum of one 

well volume was purged from most wells; high-use production wells that did not require purging or low-yielding wells 

that would not recover from purging were pumped until field 

properties stabilized. Field measurements of dissolved oxygen, 

pH, specific conductance, water temperature, and turbidity 

were monitored during purging by using a multi-parameter 

water-quality meter, which was calibrated daily. Water level 

was also monitored where possible. Sample tubing typically 

was connected to a 3⁄4-in. hose bib as close to the wellhead as 

possible, and pumps were kept on to prevent sample contamination from the plumbing or from backflow from holding 

tanks. Existing plumbing and well-casing materials included, 

but were not limited to, steel, galvanized steel, copper, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and other plastics. The purging procedure 

prescribed was assumed to have prevented contamination from 

plumbing materials. Samples were collected after field properties stabilized, according to standard USGS protocols for the 

collection of water-quality data (U.S. Geological Survey, 

2006). Each of the sampled springs discharges into a collection basin, and samples from springs were collected using 

a peristaltic pump to draw water from the collection basin. 

Subsurface-dip samples were collected from the spring’s collection basin for dissolved gas analyses. Field properties were 

measured in the collection basin before and during sample 

collection to monitor the stability of the spring’s discharge. To 

prevent environmental contamination, samples typically were 

collected and processed inside a mobile field laboratory or a 

portable chamber assembled near the well or the spring. 

Base-Flow Sampling 

Base-flow samples were collected from 50 sites in the 

Monongahela River Basin during seasonal base-flow conditions between July 31 and October 26, 2012. Samples were 

collected using methods described in the USGS National 

Field Manual for the collection of Water-Quality Data (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2006). Where possible, depth- and 
16 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12 Was the production in the same HUC12 as the site? Was the production in the same HUC12 as the site? All stream sites in the Monongahela River Basin within West Virginia At least one previous USGS sample with major-ion chemistry? Underlain by Marcellus Shale with average thickness <2 feet? Inside HUC10 with gas production from Marcellus wells? Did HUC10 gas production exceed 1,000 MCF/mi2/yr? Between 10 mi2 and 40 mi2 drainage area? At least one USGS sample with major-ion chemistry? Underlain by Marcellus Shale an average of >50 feet thick? Part 1—Development of tiers Part 2—Selection of sites within bins Low Production (LP) (7 sites) Near-Low Production (NearLP) (12 sites) High Production (HP) (9 sites) Near-High Production (NearHP) 7 sites Underlain by Marcellus shale greater than 50 feet thick (15 sites) Underlain by Marcellus shale less than 50 feet thick (no sites) Assigned at least one site from each HUC10 by random number Assigned at least one site from each HUC12 by random number Where the only available sites for a bin were within the same HUC12, use multiple sites within that HUC12, ranked by random number Eliminated from consideration Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No No Yes No Yes No Yes No Marcellus gas production bins

Figure 6. Flow chart showing the process for stratifying stream-water sampling sites.
Introduction 17

WV Fk

Elk Ck

Polk Ck

Lost Ck

Mill Ck

Sandy Ck

Sandy Ck

Teter Ck

Right Fk

Files Ck

Becky Ck

Salem Ck

Pyles Fk

Glady Fk

Pecks Run

Dolls Run

Brushy Fk

Laurel Fk

French Ck

Gnatty Ck

Indian Ck Indian Ck

Deckers Ck

Buffalo Ck Tenmile Ck

Leading Ck

Hustead Fk

Paw Paw Ck

Tenmile Ck

Laurel Run

Minear Run

Roaring Ck

Clover Run

Hackers Ck

Simpson Ck

Saltlick Ck

Freemans Ck

Miracle Run

Whiteday Ck

Bingamon Ck

Pricketts Ck

Chenoweth Ck

Horseshoe Run

North Fk Blackwater

Right Fk Buckhannon

Tygart at Valley Head

West Fk at Walkersville

Sand Run near Buckhannon

Left Fk Buckhannon at Czar

Left Fk Buckhannon at Palace Valley

WV Fk

Elk Ck

Polk Ck

Lost Ck

Mill Ck

Sandy Ck

Sandy Ck

Teter Ck

Right Fk

Files Ck

Becky Ck

Salem Ck

Pyles Fk

Glady Fk

Pecks Run

Dolls Run

Brushy FkLaurel Fk

French Ck

Gnatty Ck

Indian Ck Indian Ck

Deckers Ck

Buffalo Ck Tenmile Ck

Leading Ck

Hustead Fk

Paw Paw Ck

Tenmile Ck

Laurel Run

Minear Run

Roaring Ck

Clover Run

Hackers Ck

Simpson Ck

Saltlick Ck

Freemans Ck

Miracle Run

Whiteday Ck

Bingamon Ck

Pricketts Ck

Chenoweth Ck

Horseshoe Run

North Fk Blackwater

Right Fk Buckhannon

Tygart at Valley Head

West Fk at Walkersville

Sand Run near Buckhannon

Left Fk Buckhannon at Czar

Left Fk Buckhannon at Palace Valley

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 1:200,000, digital line graphics Marcellus Shale wells and gas production data from West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 2011b

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Marcellus Shale gas production bin

High ProductionLow ProductionNear High ProductionNear Low ProductionUnderlain by Marcellus greater than 50 feet thickUnderlain by Marcellus less than 50 feet thick

Level-12 hydrologic unit boundaryStreamSampling site and local identifier Pyles Fk

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

Area of detail

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Figure 7. Streams, stream sampling sites, gas wells completed in the Marcellus Shale through 2012 showing gas production through 2010, and average thickness of the Marcellus Shale by HUC-12. 
18 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

width-integrated samples were collected using a DH-81 

isokinetic sampler. Where site conditions did not support the 

use of a DH-81, such as insufficient stream depth or velocity, 

samples were collected at multiple points using an openmouthed bottle. Sample aliquots were composited in a churn 

splitter and processed according to standard USGS protocols 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2006). Field properties of water 

temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, alkalinity, and stream discharge were measured at 

the time of sample collection. 

Methods of Analysis

The results of the groundwater survey and base-flow 

survey were examined for geospatial and statistical relations. The geospatial and statistical analyses of the waterchemistry results were conducted to discern patterns in these 

data. Details of these analyses are described in the following 

two sections.

Geospatial Analyses

The wells and springs sampled and the associated waterchemistry data were assessed for spatial trends by loading the 

data into ArcMap, a geographic information system (GIS) tool 

for analysis of geospatial data. Additional geospatial data were 

used to assess potential factors that could affect groundwater 

quality in the region. The geospatial data included (1) location 

of current and legacy coal mines obtained from the WVGES 

(West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 2011b), 

(2) location of current active or recently completed Marcellus 

Shale gas wells (from WVGES, West Virginia Geological and 

Economic Survey, 2014a), (3) geologic maps of the study area 

with significant surficial and deeper structural features such 

as faults and folds (from WVGES), (4) location of current 

and historical oil and gas wells (from WVGES), (5) elevation 

data from the USGS National Elevation Dataset, (6) stream 

coverages from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset 

(NHD), and (7) basin characteristics derived from the USGS 

NHD database.

Statistical Analyses

Descriptive and summary statistics were calculated using 

Spotfire S-PLUS 8.1 statistical and graphing software (TIBCO 

Software, Inc., 2008). Descriptive and summary statistics for 

censored data sets, those with values less than the reporting 

level, were calculated using the Regression on Order Statistics (ROS) and adjusted maximum likelihood estimation 

(AMLE) techniques (TIBCO Software Inc., 2008). Statistics 

were not calculated for sample sets of less than 10 data points. 

Kruskal-Wallis rank test was used for comparison of medians 

among groups. A Tukey’s Honest-Significant-Difference post 

hoc test was used for multiple comparisons. Relations among 

several variables were analyzed through Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Analysis of groundwater-quality data 

for geochemical processes was performed using the PCA in 

Spotfire S-PLUS 8.1 statistical and graphing software. 

Quality Assurance

Quality-assurance samples, blanks, and replicates were 

collected during both the groundwater sampling and the 

surface-water base-flow sampling. Blank samples are used to 

determine the extent to which sampling procedures may contaminate samples, thereby biasing analytical results. Replicate 

samples are used to determine the variability inherent in the 

collection and analysis of environmental samples. Together, 

blank and replicate samples can be used to characterize the 

accuracy and precision of water-quality data. All qualityassurance samples were collected and processed according 

to protocols described in the USGS National Field Manual 

for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2006).

Blank Samples

A combination of equipment blanks and field blanks was 

used to identify and quantify potential sources of contamination. An equipment blank consists of a volume of water of 

known quality that is processed through the sampling equipment in a laboratory environment. A field blank consists of a 

volume of water processed through the sampling equipment 

under the same field conditions in which the samples were 

processed, typically a mobile field laboratory.

Replicate Samples

Comparison of results among replicate samples can provide insight into the sources of variability that are inherent in 

sample collection, processing, and analysis. Sample-collection 

protocols (U.S. Geological Survey, 2006) for groundwater and 

base-flow samples have been developed to produce a sample 

that is representative of the sampled well, spring, or stream. 

If the appropriate sampling procedures have been used, it is 

assumed that the water being collected is representative of 

the sampled environment and that any variability among the 

main and replicate sample is primarily attributable to sample 

processing and analysis (Koterba and others, 1995). 

Variability for a replicate sample pair was quantified by 

calculating the relative percent difference (RPD) of the samples. The RPD was calculated using the following formula: 

R1 − R2

R1 + R2

2

⎛

⎝

⎜ ⎞

⎠

⎟

⎛

⎝

⎜

⎜

⎜

⎞

⎠

⎟

⎟

⎟

×100,

where R1 is the concentration of the analyte in the first replicate sample and R2

 is the concentration of the analyte in the 

second replicate sample. Generally, concentrations in replicate 

sample pairs differed by small amounts, typically less than 

15 percent RPD.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 19

Quality-Assurance Results

Groundwater Samples 

An equipment blank was collected prior to collection of 

groundwater samples in 2011. The blank sample was analyzed 

using the same analytical suite as the environmental samples. 

The only analyte present in this blank at a detectable concentration was cobalt, at 0.052 micrograms per liter (μg/L); the 

detection was confirmed through a re-analysis of the sample. 

The detection appears anomalous because cobalt concentrations in 15 of the 41 environmental samples processed using 

this equipment were lower than the concentrations detected in 

the blank sample.

Replicate samples were collected at two sites, Har-0177 

and Ran-0259 (table 2), during the groundwater survey. 

In general, the replicate samples were in good agreement, 

with most analyses within 5 percent RPD. All values for the 

Har-0177 sample pair were within 15 percent RPD. However, the replicate samples from Ran-0259 differed by more 

than 15 percent RPD for aluminum and arsenic. The aluminum results for the Ran-0259 sample pair were 3.4 μg/L 

and 2.1 μg/L, a difference of 47 percent RPD. The reporting 

level for aluminum analysis using this method was 1.7 μg/L. 

However, the long-term minimum detection level (LTMDL) 

for this method is 2.2 μg/L, a value calculated using data from 

the period this sample pair was analyzed. The sample pair 

results for arsenic were 0.1 μg/L and 0.08 μg/L, a difference of 

22 percent RPD with a reporting level of 0.04 μg/L. 

Base-Flow Samples

Field blank samples were collected at the Tygart Valley 

River at Valley Head and the Elk Creek at Romines Mills sites. 

Lead was the only analyte detected in the Tygart Valley River 

blank with a concentration of 0.027 μg/L, 0.002 μg/L greater 

than the method reporting level of 0.025 mg/L. Lead was 

not detected in the environmental sample collected from the 

Tygart Valley River. Both silica and cobalt were detected in 

the Elk Creek blank, silica at 0.043 milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

and cobalt 0.038 μg/L, analytes with laboratory reporting 

limits of 0.018 mg/L and 0.021 μg/L, respectively. The silica 

concentration in the blank is much lower than the minimum 

environmental concentration of 1.68 mg/L measured and 

two orders of magnitude less than the median environmental 

concentration. It is unlikely silica contamination significantly 

affected the analysis of any environmental sample or the interpretation of the data. Cobalt concentrations in environmental 

samples ranged from 0.043 to 20.6 μg/L. The cobalt concentrations in samples collected in the weeks immediately prior 

to collection of the blank sample were an order of magnitude 

greater than concentrations for the blank. The Tygart Valley 

River blank, which had no detectable cobalt, was processed 

the week following the Elk Creek blank. The presence of 

cobalt at a detectable concentration in the Elk Creek blank is 

unlikely to affect the interpretation of cobalt data.

A replicate sample was collected at Little Sandy Creek at 

Evansville, W.Va. A replicate sample consists of two samples 

collected from the same sampling location at the same time. 

Replicate samples chiefly provide data on variability associated with sampling and analytical methods. The replicate 

sample pair agreed well; concentrations for 32 of 37 analytes 

in both samples differed by less than 5 percent RPD. Only one 

analyte in this sample pair, molybdenum, differed by greater 

than 15 percent RPD, at17 percent RPD. The concentrations 

of molybdenum for the sample pair were 0.019 μg/L and 

0.016 μg/L, and the reporting level was 0.014 μg/L.

Water Quality in the Monongahela 

River Basin 

The baseline water-quality assessment of that part of the 

Monongahela River Basin underlain by the Marcellus Shale 

consisted of a groundwater survey and a base-flow survey. The 

results of both surveys were compared to historical waterquality data for the study area stored in NWIS databases. Historical data used for comparison to the base-flow survey data 

were restricted to samples collected during the same season, 

July through October. For the base-flow survey results, further 

comparisons were made among gas-production bins described 

in the section “Surface Water” under “Site Selection.” Owing 

to the small number of sites in some of the bins, a simplified classification structure was used consisting of only three 

bins— Production, basins with high or low gas production; 

Near Production, basins without gas production but adjacent to 

production basins; and Not Near Production, basins underlain by greater than a 50-ft thickness of the Marcellus Shale 

but neither producing gas nor adjacent to a Marcellus Shale 

gas-producing basin. Groundwater-survey sites were binned 

using the same basin designation as that used for the base-flow 

survey with the addition of a fourth group “Marcellus <50” 

for groundwater sites not in basins underlain by at least a 50-ft 

thickness of the Marcellus shale. These comparisons reflect 

both temporal and current land-use patterns. The results of this 

study can be found in data tables included in the appendixes 

for this report; groundwater survey results are in Appendix 1, 

and the base-flow survey results are in Appendix 2.

Specific Conductance, Total Dissolved Solids, 

and pH 

Specific conductance and pH of groundwater and 

surface water provide a general indication of water quality 

and can affect other chemical constituents present by affecting solubility, partitioning, and valence states. Although 

much of the variability of specific conductance and pH in 

groundwater is due to natural factors, human activities, such 
20 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

as coal mining, also contribute to this variability (McAuley 

and Kozar, 2006). Total dissolved solids, the concentration of 

dissolved substances in water, is often highly correlated with 

specific conductance.

Specific Conductance

Specific conductance, the ability of water to conduct an 

electrical current, is dependent upon the amount of dissolved 

ions present in the water. Specific conductance in groundwater samples ranged from 44 microsiemens per centimeter 

at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm) to 794 μS/cm, with a median 

value of 295 μS/cm. In the base-flow survey samples, specific 

conductance ranged from 56 μS/cm to 5,380 μS/cm with a 

median value of 280 μS/cm (table 4). It is worth noting that 

although the minimum and median specific conductance 

values for the groundwater and base-flow surveys are similar, 

the maximum value for the groundwater survey is an order 

of magnitude lower than the median value for the base-flow 

survey. Specific conductance did not differ significantly from 

historical values in either the groundwater survey or the baseflow survey (fig. 8). Specific conductance varied significantly 

among the base-flow survey gas-production bins (KruskalWallis test, p = 0.011) with the highest values in the Production bin (fig. 9). The groundwater production bins did not 

differ in regard to specific conductance (p = 0.435).

Table 4. Statistical summary of water-quality field measurements and major ions in samples collected for the groundwater 

survey and base-flow survey as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12. 

[μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; wf, filtered sample; SMCL, secondary maximum contaminant 

level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009); <, less than; NA, not applicable]

Constituent Reporting 

unit

Method 

reporting level Survey Minimum value

Maximum 

value

Median 

value SMCL

pH Standard unit NA

Groundwater 4.5 9.4 7

6.5–8.5

Base flow 4.8 8.7 7.7

Specific conductance μS/cm NA

Groundwater 44 794 295

NA

Base flow 56 5,380 280

Total dissolved solids mg/L 12

Groundwater <12 522 168

NA

Base flow 37 4,380 171

Calcium, wf mg/L 0.022–0.04

Groundwater 0.672 91 16.9

NA

Base flow 5.51 291 28.3

Magnesium, wf mg/L 0.08

Groundwater 0.105 19.1 4.07

NA

Base flow 1.26 86.3 28.3

Potassium, wf mg/L 0.022

Groundwater 0.43 2.9 1.17

NA

Base flow 0.66 8.85 1.98

Sodium, wf mg/L 0.1–0.24

Groundwater 0.46 186 17.2

NA

Base flow 0.89 949 8.31

Bicarbonate, wf mg/L 1.

Groundwater 2.3 382 99.8

NA

Base flow <1 401 65

Chloride, wf mg/L 0.02–0.06

Groundwater 0.57 67.6 9.42

250

Base flow 0.87 100 6.94

Bromide, wf mg/L 0.010

Groundwater <0.01 0.598 0.027

NA

Base flow 0.014 0.692 0.031

Fluoride, wf mg/L 0.04

Groundwater <0.04 1.85 0.1

4

Base flow <0.04 0.27 .06

Sulfate, wf mg/L 0.07–0.9

Groundwater <0.09 231 10.18

250

Base flow 3.42 2,640 9.1
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 21

(41) (59) (50) (254)

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(50)

EXPLANATION

10

100

1,000

10,000

A

10

100

1,000

10,000

B

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter

at 25 degrees Celsius

Specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter

at 25 degrees Celsius

Figure 8. Distribution of specific conductance for samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 2011–12, and 

historical specific conductance for samples collected in the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia: A, groundwater samples and B, 

base-flow samples.

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

A

10

100

1,000

10,000

10

100

1,000

10,000

B

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter

at 25 degrees Celsius

Specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter

at 25 degrees Celsius

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

Figure 9. Distribution of specific conductance for samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River 

Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, grouped by gas production type: A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples.
22 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Total Dissolved Solids

Concentrations of total dissolved solids in groundwater survey samples ranged from less than the reporting level 

of 12 mg/L to 522 mg/L with a median value of 168 mg/L. 

Concentrations of total dissolved solids in base-flow survey 

samples ranged from 37 mg/L to 4,380 mg/L with a median 

of 171 mg/L (table 4), the same as the median groundwater 

concentration. As with specific conductance, there are no 

significant differences between historical data and either 

groundwater survey or base-flow survey data. Also, as was the 

case for specific conductance, total dissolved solids concentrations in base-flow survey samples varied significantly by gasproduction bin (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.019). The highest 

concentrations were in the Production bin, and there were no 

significant differences among the groundwater survey gasproduction bins.

pH

The pH of a solution plays an important role in the solubility of metals. The pH of the groundwater survey samples 

ranged from 4.5 to 9.4 with a median of 7.0. The pH of baseflow survey samples ranged from 4.8 to 8.7 with a median 

of 7.7 (table 4). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) has established a secondary maximum contaminant 

level (SMCL) for pH. The SMCL is a recommendation based 

on aesthetic effects, primarily taste, that ideally pH would fall 

within the range of 6.5 to 8.5 (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2009). A total of 14 samples fell outside the SMCL 

range—9 groundwater samples, (6 samples were less than 

6.5 and 3 samples exceeded 8.5) and 5 base-flow samples 

(2 samples were less than 6.5 and 3 samples exceeded 8.5). 

Values of pH in samples collected for the 2011groundwater survey did not differ significantly from values of the 

historical data (fig. 10). However, pH measured during the 

2012 base-flow survey was significantly higher than historical values (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.001). The difference 

between base-flow survey pH values and historical pH values 

is most likely attributable to changes in coal-mining practices 

and acid-mine-drainage treatment that have occurred between 

the 2012 and historical surveys. Among base-flow survey 

samples, pH values in the Production bin were higher than 

those in the Not Near Production bin (Kruskal-Wallis test, 

p = 0.097) (fig. 11A). There was no difference among groundwater survey bins (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.252) (fig. 11B).

Major Ions

The major ions calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, 

bicarbonate from field alkalinity, chloride, and sulfate exert 

a strong influence on, and are strongly influenced by, geochemical and anthropogenic processes. Patterns in major ion 

composition were examined by determination of water type, as 

well as comparison of historical and 2011–12 survey data. For 

the base-flow survey samples, further comparisons were made 

among the gas-production bins. 

The relative proportion of major ions in natural waters 

is the basis for classifying samples by water type. Water 

(41) (59) (50) (236)

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(50)

EXPLANATION

3

5

4

10

A

3

4

5

6

8

7

6

7

8

9 9

10

B

pH, in standard unitspH, in standard units

2011 survey Historical

Groundwater samples

2011 survey Historical

Base-flow samples

Figure 10. Distribution of pH in samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 2011–12, and historical pH 

in samples from the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia: A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 23

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(50)

EXPLANATION

4

5

10

A

4

5

6

8

7

6

7

8

9 9

10

B

pH, in standard unitspH, in standard units

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

Figure 11. Distribution of pH in samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study in the Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2011–12: A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples. 

samples with a specific cation or anion constituting more than 

one-half the total cations or anions can be classified by water 

type, calcium-carbonate type water for example (Hem, 1985). 

However, waters in which no single cation or anion constitutes 

greater than one-half of the total cations or anions are classed 

as mixed-type waters (Hem, 1985). 

Major-ion composition of the water for the 41 groundwater samples was predominantly either a calcium-bicarbonate type or a sodium-bicarbonate type (fig. 12A). A few 

wells exhibited other signatures, however, including 3 wells 

(2 completed in the Pottsville Group and one in the Kanawha 

Formation) that exhibited a calcium-sulfate signature and 

1 well (completed in the Allegheny Formation) that exhibited 

a sodium-sulfate signature. Wells completed in the Greenbrier Group exhibited a strong calcium-bicarbonate signature, 

which is expected because the Greenbrier Limestone is a 

significant karst bedrock-forming unit in the study area. 

The major ion composition of the groundwater survey samples (fig. 12A) is similar to that found in a study of 

groundwater downgradient from reclaimed surface mines 

and in unmined areas in Pennsylvania and West Virginia 

(McAuley and Kozar, 2006), part of which was conducted in 

the Monongahela River Basin. In that study, median chloride 

concentrations for mined and un-mined areas were 5.1 mg/L 

and 7.3 mg/L, respectively; median sodium concentrations 

for mined and unmined areas were 9.35 mg/L and 18.0 mg/L, 

respectively. Median calcium concentrations for mined and 

unmined areas were 35.9 mg/L and 21.0 mg/L, respectively, 

and median magnesium concentrations for mined and unmined 

areas were 9.9 mg/L and 4.4 mg/L, respectively. Median chloride concentrations for wells sampled as part of the current 

study were slightly higher (table 4) at 9.42 mg/L. 

Salt waters and brines are found as shallow as 300 feet 

below land surface in certain valleys in Pennsylvanian- and 

Permian-aged aquifers (Wilmoth, 1975). Chloride and 

bromide concentrations can be indicative of salt waters 

and brines. Chloride concentrations in groundwater survey 

samples ranged from 0.57 mg/L to 67.6 mg/L with a median 

value of 9.42 mg/L, and bromide ranged from less than the 

reporting level of 0.010 mg/L to 0.598 mg/L with a median 

value of 0.027 mg/L. The relative concentrations of chloride and bromide can be used to characterize sources of salt 

waters and brines because bromide concentrations are greater 

than chloride concentrations in deep brines (Hem, 1985). 
24 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

EXPLANATION

Dunkard Group

Monongahela Group

Conemaugh Group

Allegheny Formation

Kanawha Formation

New River Formation

Pottsville Group

Greenbrier Group

Price Formation

Hampshire Formation

Chemung Group

EXPLANATION

Near Production

Not Near Production

Production

Percent

Calcium

100

80

60

40

20

0

0

20

40

60

80

100

Magnesium

0

20

40

60

80

100

Sodium plus potassium

Chloride plus fluoride

0

20

40

60

80

100

100

80

60

40

20

0

Carbonate plus bicarbonate

100

80

60

40

20

0

Sulfate

0

20

40

60

80

100

Sulfate plus chloride

0

20

40

60

80

100

Calcium plus magnesium

100

80

60

40

20

0

100

80

60

40

20

0

Percent

Percent

Percent

Calcium

100

80

60

40

20

0

0

20

40

60

80

100

Magnesium

0

20

40

60

80

100

Sodium plus potassium

Chloride, fluoride. nitrite, plus nitrate

0

20

40

60

80

100

100

80

60

40

20

0

Carbonate plus bicarbonate

100

80

60

40

20

0

Sulfate

0

20

40

60

80

100

Sulfate plus chloride

0

20

40

60

80

100

Calcium plus magnesium

100

80

60

40

20

0

100

80

60

40

20

0

Percent

Percent

A

B

Figure 12. Piper diagrams showing major ion composition of samples collected as part 

of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, 2011–12, from the Monongahela River Basin, West 

Virginia: A, groundwater survey samples classified by geologic formation and B, base-flow 

survey samples.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 25

Chloride concentrations did not vary significantly among the 

gas-production bins (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.169). Bromide 

concentrations in groundwater survey samples were significantly higher in the Near Production bin than in the other bins 

(Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.058). Although the concentrations 

of the chloride and bromide may indicate potential mixing 

of shallow groundwater with deeper saline or brine waters, it 

takes very little saline water or brine to impart a brine signature (Llewellyn, 2014). 

Most of the samples from the 2012 base-flow survey 

were either calcium-carbonate or calcium-sulfate type waters 

(fig. 12B). The remainder of samples were mostly either 

sodium-carbonate or sodium-sulfate type waters. Although 

samples from Production bins accounted for most of the 

calcium-sulfate waters, there was no clear pattern of watertype distribution among the bins.

With the exception of chloride in base-flow-survey 

samples, no significant differences were noted in a comparison 

of historical data with either groundwater survey or the baseflow survey data (fig. 13). Chloride was significantly higher 

in the 2012 base-flow survey samples than in the historical 

data from the Monongahela River Basin (Kruskal-Wallis test, 

p < 0.01). As noted in the discussion of ionic composition of 

groundwater survey samples, increased chloride concentration 

may be related to the presence of saline waters or brines from 

deep aquifers.

A comparison of major-ion concentrations among the 

Production, Near Production, and Not Near Production bins 

revealed no significant differences with the exception of 

fluoride (fig. 14). Fluoride concentrations in the Production 

bin were significantly higher than concentrations in either the 

Near Production or Not Near Production bins (Kruskal-Wallis 

test, p = 0.0416, fig. 13H).

(41) (53) (50) (137)

0.1

1

10

1,000

100

0.1

1

10

1,000

100

A

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Calcium concentration, in milligrams per literCalcium concentration, in milligrams per liter

(41) (53) (50) (137)

0.1

1

10

1,000

100

0.1

1

10

1,000

100

B

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Sodium concentration, in milligrams per literSodium concentration, in milligrams per liter

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(41)

EXPLANATION

Figure 13. Distribution of majorion concentrations in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as 

part of the Marcellus Shale baseline 

study, 2011–12, and historical majorion concentrations, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia: A, 

calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, 

D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, 

G, bromide, and H, fluoride. 
26 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

(41) (53) (50) (137)

0.1

1

10

100

0.1

1

10

100

C

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Magnesium concentration, in milligrams per literMagnesium concentration, in milligrams per liter

(41) (53) (50) (137)

0.1

1

10

0.1

1

10

D

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Potassium concentration, in milligrams per literPotassium concentration, in milligrams per liter

(41) (53) (50) (143)

0.1

1

10

10,000

100

0.1

1

10

10,000

1,000 1,000

100

E

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Chloride concentration, in milligrams per literChloride concentration, in milligrams per liter

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(41)

EXPLANATION

Figure 13. Distribution of majorion concentrations in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as 

part of the Marcellus Shale baseline 

study, 2011–12, and historical majorion concentrations, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia: A, 

calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, 

D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, 

G, bromide, and H, fluoride. 

—Continued
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 27

(41) (53) (50) (152)

0.011

10

10,000

100

0.01

0.1 0.11

10

10,000

1,000 1,000

100

F

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Sulfate concentration, in milligrams per literSulfate concentration, in milligrams per liter

(41) (46)

0.001

0.01

0.1

101

G

2011 survey Historical

Groundwater samples

Bromide concentration, in milligrams per liter

(41) (50)

0.01

0.1

101

H

2011 survey Historical

Groundwater samples

Fluoride concentration, in milligrams per liter

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(41)

EXPLANATION

Figure 13. Distribution of majorion concentrations in groundwater 

and base-flow samples collected as 

part of the Marcellus Shale baseline 

study, 2011–12, and historical majorion concentrations, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia: A, 

calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, 

D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, 

G, bromide, and H, fluoride. 

—Continued
28 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

0.1

10

1

100

1,000

0.1

10

1

100

1,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Calcium concentration, in milligrams per literCalcium concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

A

0.1

10

1

100

10,000

1,000

0.1

10

1

100

10,000

1,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Sodium concentration, in milligrams per literSodium concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

B

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 14. Distribution of major-ion 

concentrations in groundwater and 

base-flow samples collected as part 

of the baseline study, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, 

grouped by gas production bin: A, 

calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, 

D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, 

G, bromide, and H, fluoride.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 29

0.1

10

1001

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples

Magnesium concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16)

C

0.11

10

0.11

10

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Potassium concentration, in milligrams per literPotassium concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

D

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 14. Distribution of major-ion 

concentrations in groundwater and 

base-flow samples collected as part 

of the baseline study, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, 

grouped by gas production bin: A, 

calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, 

D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, 

G, bromide, and H, fluoride.

—Continued
30 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

0.1

10

1

100

1,000

0.1

10

1

100

1,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Chloride concentration, in milligrams per literChloride concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

E

0.01

10

1

100

10,000

1,000

0.01

10

1

0.1 0.1

100

10,000

1,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Sulfate concentration, in milligrams per literSulfate concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

F

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 14. Distribution of major-ion 

concentrations in groundwater and 

base-flow samples collected as part 

of the baseline study, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, 

grouped by gas production bin: A, 

calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, 

D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, 

G, bromide, and H, fluoride.

—Continued
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 31

0.001

0.01

0.11

0.001

0.01

0.11

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Bromide concentration, in milligrams per literBromide concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

G

0.011

10

0.01

0.1 0.11

10

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Fluoride concentration, in milligrams per literFluoride concentration, in milligrams per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

H

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 14. Distribution of major-ion 

concentrations in groundwater and 

base-flow samples collected as part 

of the baseline study, Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, 

grouped by gas production bin: A, 

calcium, B, sodium, C, magnesium, 

D, potassium, E, chloride, F, sulfate, 

G, bromide, and H, fluoride.

—Continued
32 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Trace Elements

Trace elements are those constituents that are commonly 

found in waters at concentrations less than 1.0 mg/L (Hem, 

1985). The presence or absence of certain trace elements can 

provide insight into the origin and composition of sampled 

waters. In the groundwater survey and the base-flow survey, 

several of the trace elements (beryllium, cadmium, chromium, 

copper, lead, nickel, silver, antimony, and selenium) were 

infrequently detected and, therefore, are not discussed within 

this report. Aluminum, iron, manganese, barium, strontium, 

cobalt, molybdenum, and arsenic were more frequently 

detected in either groundwater or base-flow survey samples 

(table 5) and are discussed below. 

Aluminum, the third most common crustal element, typically occurs in concentrations less than 0.1 mg/L in natural 

waters (Hem, 1985). The median aluminum value for groundwater survey samples was less than the laboratory reporting 

level of 1.7 μg/L. However, concentrations of aluminum in 

base-flow survey samples ranged from less than the 2.2 μg/L 

reporting level to 4,420 μg/L; the median concentration of 

aluminum was 9.1 μg/L. Aluminum concentrations in groundwater survey did not differ from historical data. Historical 

data were insufficient for a comparison with base-flow survey 

data. Aluminum concentrations for these samples did not vary 

significantly among the gas-production bins (figs. 15 and 16). 

Iron and manganese are common constituents of groundwater in the study area. Both usually occur in natural waters 

as a trace element (Hem, 1985). The oxidation of pyrite (iron 

sulfide) or less commonly siderite (iron carbonate) minerals 

in bedrock of the region are a major source of iron in West Virginia’s waters. Iron concentrations in groundwater survey samples ranged from less than the reporting level of 3.2 μg/L to 

11,600 μg/L with a median of 84 μg/L. This median concentration is similar to that found for wells from unmined parts of 

the Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins sampled as part 

of a mining land-use assessment (McAuley and Kozar, 2006). 

Iron concentrations from the groundwater survey did not differ 

significantly from historical data (fig. 15B). Iron concentrations in base-flow survey samples ranged from less than 

the reporting level of 3.2 μg/L to 1,040 μg/L with a median 

concentration of 32.6 μg/L. Results from the 2012 base-flow 

survey did not differ significantly from historical data for the 

Monongahela River Basin (fig. 15B), nor did iron concentrations in either groundwater or base-flow survey samples vary 

significantly among the gas-production bins (fig. 16B).

The presence of manganese in the waters of West Virginia 

is associated with coal mining. In the groundwater samples, 

manganese concentrations ranged from less than a reporting 

level of 0.13 μg/L to 1,670 μg/L with a median concentration of 84.9 μg/L. The median value for manganese compared 

well with the median concentration for wells in unmined parts 

of the Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins, 94 μg/L 

(McAuley and Kozar, 2006), and the groundwater survey 

manganese concentrations did not differ significantly from 

historical data (fig. 15C). Manganese concentrations in the 

base-flow samples ranged from 1.66 μg/L to 473 μg/L with a 

median concentration of 26.8 μg/L. Manganese concentrations 

in samples from the base-flow survey did not differ significantly from historical values (fig. 15C). Among base-flow 

samples, manganese concentrations were significantly lower in 

the Not Near Production bin than either the Production or Near 

Production bins (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.006). Groundwater 

samples did not vary significantly among the gas-production 

bins (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.383) (fig. 16C). 

The EPA SMCL, guidelines established on the basis of 

aesthetic effects, have been developed for iron and manganese 

in domestic water because they can stain laundry and plumbing fixtures. Iron and manganese concentrations exceeded EPA 

SMCL drinking water standards of 300 μg/L and 50 μg/L, 

respectively, in 46 percent (19 of 41) and 59 percent (24 of 41) 

of the groundwater samples for this study. 

Barium is a relatively abundant element; the dissolution of the common mineral barite (barium sulfate) is the 

chief source of barium in water. Barium is considered to 

be a common constituent of deeper brines in the study area 

(Engle and Rowan, 2013). The median concentration in the 

groundwater-survey samples was 207 μg/L with a concentration range of 22.1–1,400 μg/L. Barium concentrations in the 

groundwater survey did not differ significantly from historical 

data (fig. 15D). The median concentration of barium in the 

base-flow survey samples was 51.7 μg/L, with concentrations 

ranging from 18.1 μg/L to 98.4 μg/L. The 2012 base-flow 

survey barium concentrations did not differ significantly from 

historical concentrations of barium (fig. 15D). Among the gasproduction bins, barium concentrations in base-flow samples 

were significantly higher (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.0487) in 

the Production bin than in either the Near Production bin or 

the Not Near Production bin (fig. 16D).

Strontium geochemistry is similar to that of calcium 

(Hem, 1985), and like barium, strontium is considered a common constituent of deeper brines in the study area (Engle and 

Rowan, 2013). The median concentration of strontium in the 

groundwater survey samples was 176 μg/L, with a concentration range of 9.6–787 μg/L. Strontium concentrations in baseflow survey samples ranged from 23.6 μg/L to 4,470 μg/L 

with a median concentration of 117 μg/L. Historical strontium data for groundwater samples were insufficient to make 

comparisons with samples collected as part of this study. Data 

were available for the base-flow samples, and concentrations 

in the base-flow survey samples were significantly higher 

than concentrations in the historical data for West Virginia’s 

Monongahela River Basin (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.01) 

(fig. 15E). Strontium concentrations did not vary significantly 

among gas-production bins (fig. 16E).

Median cobalt concentrations in samples from the 

groundwater survey and the base-flow survey were 0.091 μg/L 

and 0.420 μg/L, respectively. Historical cobalt data were 
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 33

Table 5. Statistical summary of trace elements in samples collected for the groundwater survey and the base-flow survey as part 

of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, West Virginia, 2011–12.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water sample; <, less than; MCL, maximum contaminant level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009), 

SMCL, secondary maximum contaminant level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009); TT, treatment technique action level (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 2009); NA, not applicable]

Trace element Method 

reporting level Survey Minimum concentration

Maximum 

concentration

Median 

concentration MCL or TT SMCL

Aluminum, wf, μg/L 1.7–6.6 Groundwater <1.7 979 <1.7 NA 200 Base flow <2.2 4,420 9.1

Iron, wf, μg/L 3.2 Groundwater <3.2 11,600 84 NA 300 Base flow <3.2 1,040 32.6

Manganese, wf, μg/L 0.4–0.13 Groundwater <0.13 1,670 84.9 NA 50 Base flow 1.66 473 26.8

Barium, wf, μg/L 0.07 Groundwater 22.1 1,400 207 2,000 NA Base flow 18.1 98.4 51.7

Strontium, wf, μg/L 0.2–0.8 Groundwater 9.6 787 176 NA NA Base flow 23.6 4,470 117

Cobalt, wf, μg/L 0.02 Groundwater <0.02 9.48 0.091 NA NA Base flow <0.02 20.6 0.420

Molybdenum, wf, μg/L 0.014 Groundwater <0.014 2.4 0.154 NA NA Base flow <0.014 2.21 0.232

Arsenic, wf, μg/L 0.02–0.10 Groundwater <0.02 6.3 0.35 10 NA Base flow 0.06 1.4 0.29

Beryllium, wf, μg/L 0.006 Groundwater <0.006 0.495 <0.006 NA NA Base flow <0.006 1.8 <0.006

Cadmium, wf, μg/L 0.016 Groundwater <0.016 0.658 <0.0165 NA Base flow <0.016 0.21 <0.016

Chromium, wf, μg/L 0.06–0.07 Groundwater <0.06 0.75 <0.06 100 NA Base flow <0.07 0.37 <0.07

Copper, wf, μg/L 0.5–0.8 Groundwater <0.5 155 <0.5 1,300TT NA Base flow <0.8 3.7 <0.8

Lead, wf, μg/L 0.015–0.025 Groundwater <0.015 3.74 <0.015 15TT NA Base flow <0.025 1.21 0.034

Nickel, wf, μg/L 0.09 Groundwater <0.09 8.1 0.19 NA NA Base flow 0.14 34 0.75

Silver, wf, μg/L 0.005 Groundwater <0.005 0.015 <0.005 NA 100 Base flow <0.005 0.037 <0.005

Antimony, wf, μg/L 0.027 Groundwater <0.027 0.09 <0.027 6 NA Base flow <0.027 0.343 0.077

Selenium, wf, μg/L 0.03 Groundwater <0.03 0.3 <0.03 50 NA Base flow <0.03 0.57 0.11

insufficient for comparisons with groundwater and base-flow 

samples collected as part of this study. Concentrations of 

cobalt in base-flow survey samples did not vary significantly 

among gas-production bins (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.244) 

(fig. 16F). However, cobalt concentrations in groundwater survey samples varied significantly among gas-production bins 

(Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.033); concentrations were higher in 

the Production bin than in the other bins. 

Molybdenum is a rare trace element and an essential 

micronutrient (Hem, 1985). Molybdenum concentrations in 

the groundwater survey samples ranged from less than the 

laboratory reporting level of 0.014 μg/L to 2.4 μg/L with a 

median concentration of 0.154 μg/L. The base-flow survey 

molybdenum concentrations ranged from less than the laboratory reporting level of 0.014 μg/L to 2.21 μg/L with a median 

concentration of 0.232 μg/L. Historical molybdenum data 
34 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

were insufficient for comparisons with groundwater or baseflow samples collected as part of this study. Molybdenum concentrations did not vary significantly among gas-production 

bins (fig. 16G).

Arsenic, a metalloid element, when consumed in drinking water can cause bladder, lung, and skin cancers, and can 

also be responsible for neurological and cardiovascular effects 

(National Research Council, 2001; World Health Organization, 

2006). Arsenic concentrations in groundwater samples ranged 

from less than 0.02 μg/L to 6.3 μg/L. The median concentration of arsenic in groundwater samples was 0.35 μg/L. 

Arsenic concentrations in the base-flow samples ranged from 

0.06 μg/L to 1.4 μg/L The median arsenic concentration for 

base-flow survey samples was 0.29 μg/L. Comparisons of 

arsenic concentrations from historical data and concentrations 

in samples from the groundwater and base-flow surveys were 

complicated by the wide range of reporting levels in the historical data, from 0.18 μg/L to 4.0 μg/L, whereas the analyses 

for the groundwater and base-flow surveys had a reporting 

limit of 0.02–0.1 μg/L. No significant difference was observed 

among the gas-production bins for groundwater (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.147) or base-flow samples (Kruskal-Wallis test, 

p = 0.638) (fig. 16H). In 2006, the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total arsenic was lowered from 50 μg/L 

to 10 μg/L (Federal Register, 2001); no sample from either 

the groundwater survey or the base-flow survey exceeded 

the MCL. 

(41) (59)

1

10

100

10,000

1,000

A

2011 survey Historical

Groundwater samples

Aluminum concentration, in micrograms per liter

(41) (53) (50) (149)

1

10

100

100,000

1,000

1

10

100

100,000

10,000 10,000

1,000

B

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Iron concentration, in micrograms per literIron concentration, in micrograms per liter

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(50)

EXPLANATION

Figure 15. Distribution of 

trace-element concentrations 

in groundwater and base-flow 

samples collected as part of 

the Marcellus Shale baseline 

study, 2011–12, and historical 

trace-element concentrations, 

Monongahela River Basin, West 

Virginia: A, aluminum, B, iron, C, 

manganese, D, barium, and E, 

strontium in base flow only.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 35

(41) (53) (50) (135)

0.11

10

10,000

100

0.11

10

10,000

1,000 1,000

100

C

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Manganese concentration, in micrograms per literManganese concentration, in micrograms per liter

(41) (53) (50) (149)

10

100

1,000

10,000

10

100

1,000

10,000

D

2011 survey Historical 2012 survey Historical

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Barium concentration, in micrograms per literBarium concentration, in micrograms per liter

(50) (50)

1

10

100

10,000

1,000

E

2012 survey Historical

Base-flow samples

Strontium concentration, in micrograms per liter

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(50)

EXPLANATION

Figure 15. Distribution of 

trace-element concentrations 

in groundwater and base-flow 

samples collected as part of 

the Marcellus Shale baseline 

study, 2011–12, and historical 

trace-element concentrations, 

Monongahela River Basin, West 

Virginia: A, aluminum, B, iron, C, 

manganese, D, barium, and E, 

strontium in base flow only.

—Continued
36 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

0.1

10

1

100

10,000

1,000

0.1

10

1

100

10,000

1,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Aluminum concentration, in micrograms per literAluminum concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

A

0.1

100

10

1,000

100,000

10,000

0.1

1 1

100

10

1,000

100,000

10,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Iron concentration, in micrograms per literIron concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

B

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 16. Distribution of 

trace-element concentrations 

in groundwater and base-flow 

samples collected as part of 

the baseline study, 2011–12, 

Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, grouped by gas 

production bin: A, aluminum, B, 

iron, C, manganese, D, barium, 

E, strontium, F, cobalt, G, 

molybdenum, and H, arsenic.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 37

0.01

101

100

10,000

1,000

0.01

0.1 0.1

101

100

10,000

1,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Manganese concentration, in micrograms per literManganese concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

C

1

100

10

1,000

10,000

1

100

10

1,000

10,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Barium concentration, in micrograms per literBarium concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

D

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 16. Distribution of 

trace-element concentrations 

in groundwater and base-flow 

samples collected as part of 

the baseline study, 2011–12, 

Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, grouped by gas 

production bin: A, aluminum, B, 

iron, C, manganese, D, barium, 

E, strontium, F, cobalt, G, 

molybdenum, and H, arsenic.

—Continued
38 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

1

10

100

1,000

10,000

1

10

100

1,000

10,000

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Strontium concentration, in micrograms per literStrontium concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

E

0.001

0.1

0.01

1

100

10

0.001

0.1

0.01

1

100

10

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Cobalt concentration, in micrograms per literCobalt concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

F

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 16. Distribution of 

trace-element concentrations 

in groundwater and base-flow 

samples collected as part of 

the baseline study, 2011–12, 

Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, grouped by gas 

production bin: A, aluminum, B, 

iron, C, manganese, D, barium, 

E, strontium, F, cobalt, G, 

molybdenum, and H, arsenic.

—Continued
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 39

0.001

0.01

0.11

10

0.001

0.01

0.11

10

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Molybdenum concentration, in micrograms per liter

Molybdenum concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (14) (20) (17)

G

0.001

0.01

0.11

10

0.001

0.01

0.11

10

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Arsenic concentration, in micrograms per liter

Arsenic concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (17)

H

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

Figure 16. Distribution of 

trace-element concentrations 

in groundwater and base-flow 

samples collected as part of 

the baseline study, 2011–12, 

Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, grouped by gas 

production bin: A, aluminum, B, 

iron, C, manganese, D, barium, 

E, strontium, F, cobalt, G, 

molybdenum, and H, arsenic.

—Continued
40 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials

Numerous sources of naturally occurring radioactive 

material (NORM), such as uranium and radium, are present 

in the study area, including sandstone and shale, coal, and the 

deep formation water associated with oil and gas. Both uranium and thorium, NORMs that radioactively decay to radium 

isotopes, occur within the deeper shale-gas bearing formations 

of the Appalachian region (Rowan and others, 2011). Hem 

(1985) states that the range of uranium concentrations is typically between 0.10 μg/L and 10.0 μg/L. 

For this study, only the more common NORMs—uranium 

(U), uranium isotopes (U-234, U-235, U-238), and radium 

(Ra) isotopes (Ra-224, Ra-226, Ra-228)—were analyzed 

(table 1). All samples were analyzed for total uranium. If 

uranium was detected in a sample, that sample was further 

analyzed for uranium and radium isotopes. Total uranium is 

composed of several isotopes including U-234, U-235, and 

U-238. U-238 is the dominant form and is the starting point 

in a radioactive decay series that ends with lead-206 (Hem, 

1985). Radium has four naturally occurring isotopes (Ra223, Ra-224, Ra-226, and Ra-228). Ra-228 and Ra-224 are 

disintegration products of thorium-232, Ra-223 is a disintegration product of U-235, and Ra-226 is a disintegration product 

of U-238 (Hem, 1985). Additionally, gross alpha and beta 

activities were determined for all samples (table 6).

Of the 41 groundwater samples analyzed for uranium, 

none exceeded the USEPA MCL of 30 μg/L (table 6). Eighteen of 41samples had concentrations less than the 0.004 μg/L 

analytical method detection limit, and the median concentration was only 0.007 μg/L. Ra-224, Ra-226, and Ra-228 had 

similar low activities. None of the samples from the 41 wells 

that were analyzed for Ra-226, or the samples from 14 wells 

that were analyzed for Ra-228, had concentrations exceeding 

5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and only 1 site (Pre-0163) had 

a concentration of combined Ra-228 and Ra-228 (5.1 pCi/L) 

greater than 5 pCi/L, which is the EPA MCL drinking water 

standard for combined Ra-226 and Ra-228. Median activities 

of Ra-226 and Ra-228 were only 0.27 pCi/L and 0.42 pCi/L, 

respectively (table 6). Of the 41 wells sampled, only 5 wells—

Pre-0163 , Pre-0162, Lew-0221, Tay-0130, and Pre-0172—

had either a single value or combined value of Ra-226 or 

Ra-228 exceeding 1.0 pCi/L. The source of radium in these 

outlier wells is unknown.

Table 6. Statistical summary of naturally occurring radioactive materials in groundwater and base-flow samples collected as part of 

the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; U, uranium; Ra, radium; Th, thorium; pCi/L, picoCuries per liter; wf, filtered water sample, SSLC, sample-specific 

laboratory criteria; MCL, maximum contaminant level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009); NA, not applicable]

Trace element 

in filtered samples 

Method 

reporting level Survey Minimum value

Maximum 

value

Median 

value MCL

Uranium, wf, μg/L 0.004

Groundwater <0.004 0.682 0.007

30

Base flow <0.004 1.39 0.066

U-234, wf, pCi/L 0.1

Groundwater <SSLC 0.43 0.34

NA

Base flow <SSLC 0.590 0.120

U-235, wf, pCi/L 0.1

Groundwater <SSLC 0.025 <SSLC

NA

Base flow <SSLC 0.03 <SSLC

U-238, wf, pCi/L 0.1

Groundwater <SSLC 0.24 0.015

NA

Base flow <SSLC 0.44 0.10

Ra-224, wf, pCi/L 1

Groundwater <SSLC 3.90 <SSLC

NA

Base flow <SSLC 0.80 <SSLC

Ra-226, wf, pCi/L 1

Groundwater <SSLC 1.90 0.27

NA

Base flow <SSLC 3.00 <SSLC

Ra-228, wf, pCi/L 1

Groundwater <SSLC 3.20 0.42

NA

Base flow <SSLC 0.41 <SSLC

Ra-228 + Ra-226, wf, pCi/L 1

Groundwater <SSLC 5.10 0.42 1

5 for Ra226 + Ra228

Base flow <SSLC 3.00 <SSLC

Alpha-radioactivity, wf, 

as Th-230, pCi/L 4

Groundwater <SSLC 6.80 0.80

15

Base flow <SSLC 2.60 <SSLC

Gross beta-radioactivity, wf, 

as cesium-137, pCi/L 3

Groundwater <SSLC 5.10 1.20

NA

Base flow <SSLC 7.40 2.20

1

One sample exceeded the 5 pCi/L MCL for Ra-226 plus Ra-228, Pre-0163 with an activity of 5.1 pCi/L.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 41

Uranium was detected in 47 of the 50 base-flow survey 

samples. Concentrations in four samples were less than the 

laboratory reporting of 0.004 μg/L. The highest uranium 

concentration was 1.39 μg/L, and the median concentration 

was 0.066 μg/L (table 6). Uranium concentrations did not vary 

significantly among the gas-production bins (Kruskal-Wallis 

test, p = 0.0678) (fig. 17). The 47 samples with quantifiable 

concentrations of uranium were analyzed for uranium isotopes U-234, U-235 and U-238. Uranium-238 was found in 

the greatest number of samples, 31, with a maximum activity 

of 0.44 pCi/L. 

Radium-226, the most common radium isotope, was 

found in only 13 of the 50 base-flow survey samples. The 

highest activity was 3.0 pCi/L (table 6) in the sample from Elk 

Creek near Romines Mills, W.Va. No base-flow survey sample 

exceeded the EPA MCL of 5.0 pCi/L. The other radium isotopes analyzed for, radium 224 and radium 228, were detected 

in 7 and 2 samples, respectively. 

Isotopes

Isotopic data sampling and analytical methods are discussed in detail by Mulder (2012) and Pelak (2014). The studies by Mulder (2012) and Pelak (2014) included analysis for 

δ18OH2O, δ2HH2O, δ13CDIC, δ34SSO4, δ18OSO4, δ2HCH4, and δ13CCH4. 

These studies also present analysis of the isotopic and supporting major ion data, and interpretation of processes and major 

findings based on the isotopic analysis. 

Numerous studies have been done to analyze national 

and global trends in oxygen-18 (δ18O) and hydrogen (δ2H) in 

precipitation and rivers. Kendall and Coplen (2001) correlated 

areas across the United States using δ18OH2O, δ2HH2O, deuterium 

excess (d-excess), and the corresponding Global Meteoric 

Water Line (GMWL) slope. Groundwater results for the study 

area fall within the range of the central east coast data for all 

mentioned constituents. Topography, latitude, and temperature 

are shown to affect the composition of δ18OH2O on the east 

coast and, therefore, the study area.

The composition of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in 

groundwater samples shows signatures similar to those of 

precipitation and river water in the study area, which are more 

depleted on the east coast than on the west coast. The isotopic 

signatures in the groundwater samples also have corresponding higher d-excess values. These higher d-excess values are 

the result of the study area being downwind of air masses 

originating in the Great Lakes area. The original air masses are 

subjected to high rates of evaporation over the water bodies, 

and the evaporative vapor is mixed with atmospheric waters. 

In conjunction with local processes, such as altitude and latitude, the isotopic signatures of δ18OH2O and δ2

HH2O plot above 

the GMWL in the area of an arid vapor mass.

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range

Number of samples

-1.5 times interquartile range

Outlier

(8)

EXPLANATION

A

0.001

0.01

1

10

0.001

0.01

0.1 0.1

1

10

B

Not near production

Marcellus, less than 50 feet

Production

Near production

Not near production

Production

Near production

Groundwater samples Base-flow samples

Uranium concentration, in micrograms per literUranium concentration, in micrograms per liter

(8) (8) (9) (16) (13) (20) (20)

Figure 17. Distribution of uranium concentrations in groundwater and base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale 

baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, grouped by gas production bin: A, groundwater samples and B, 

base-flow samples.
42 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Groundwater Survey

The overall signatures of the study area groundwater 

demonstrate a combination of local effects with processes 

moving downwind from the Great Lakes, affecting precipitation and, therefore, groundwater recharge. The processes 

may involve elevation, topography, temperature, and humidity levels. The cluster of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic data 

points along the GMWL indicate steady vapor mass sources 

(fig. 18). The position of data points on the GMWL indicates a 

deceivingly arid source but is the result of a mixed vapor mass 

of evaporative and atmospheric moisture originating from the 

Great Lakes.

Isotope analyses were done for dissolved methane in 11 

of the 41 groundwater samples. The isotopic signatures of 

methane (δ2HCH4 and δ13CCH4) in groundwater can be plotted to evaluate several possible sources of methane, including thermogenic, biogenic, or mixed sources (fig. 19A–C). 

Dominantly deep microbial stimulated methane with mixing is 

shown in Coleman (1994). Methane originating from biogenic and thermogenic sources and a mix of the two is shown 

in Whiticar (1999), and a dominantly thermogenic source is 

shown in Molofsky and others (2011). Methane in all groundwater samples falls within a cluster distinct from that of the 

Marcellus Shale gas collected from Greene County, Pa., and 

distinct from gases collected from Ordovician-, Silurian- and 

Devonian-age formations in West Virginia and Pennsylvania 

(Sharma and others, 2013a; 2014a; 2014b). The isotopic signatures of methane in the 11 samples from this study are generally similar to the isotopic signatures of coal-bed methane—a 

mixture of methane from both biogenic and thermogenic 

processes, or a mixture of methane from all three sources, 

biogenic, thermogenic and coal-bed methane. 

Base-Flow Survey

No major deviations from the GMWL were observed 

for base-flow samples, indicating that meteoric water and 

shallow groundwater are major components in these streams. 

Water samples collected from streams at highest elevations, 

1,335 to 2,854 feet above MSL, on the eastern and southern 

edges of the study area had the most depleted values of δ18OH2O

and δ2HH2O owing to the elevation effect (Dansgaard, 1964, 

Pelak and Sharma, 2014). None of the base-flow samples had 

enriched δ18OH2O and δ2HH2O composition, which is seen in 

backflow waters associated with Marcellus Shale development 

(Dresel and Rose, 2010; Warner and others, 2012; Sharma 

and others, 2014a). In addition, none of the base-flow samples 

show preferential enrichment of δ18OH2O over δ2HH2O, leading 

to a more horizontal shift to the right of the GMWL, as seen 

in the brines of the area (Warner and others, 2012; Sharma and 

others, 2014a; Pelak and Sharma, 2014). Variations in δ18OH2O

and δ2HH2O are likely due to local differences in soil water, 

groundwater recharge, and elevation effects. 

Global Meteoric Water Line

Global Meteoric Water Line

-75

-70

-65

-60

-55

-50

-45

-40

-11.0 -10.5 -10.0 -9.5 -9.0 -8.5 -8.0 -7.5 -7.0 -6.5 -6.0

δ18OH2O, in per mil

δ18OH2O, in per mil

A.

δ2

HH2O, in per mil δ2

HH2O, in per mil

B.

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0

Figure 18. Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of water 

in A, groundwater samples and B, base-flow samples collected 

as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study in the Monongahela 

River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12, and the Global Meteoric 

Water Line (Global Meteoric Water Line from Craig, 1961).

The main sources of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) 

in surface waters are the decay of organic matter, carbonate 

dissolution, and diffusion of atmospheric CO2. The relative 

contribution of carbon from different end members and carbon 

speciation ultimately controls the overall δ13CDIC composition of the water. The range of δ13CDIC in most natural waters 

receiving almost equal contributions from decaying organic 

matter and soil carbonate dissolution is from -16 to -11 per 

mil (‰) Vienna Peedee belemnite (VPDB; Clark and Fritz, 

1997). The δ13CDIC in most of the base-flow survey samples 
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 43

-90 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20

-100-150-200-250-300-350-400

-50

δ13CCH4, in per mil Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite

δ2HCH4, in per mil Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water

-90 -80 -70 -120 -110 -100 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0

-100-150-200-250-300-350-400-450

-50

δ13CCH4, in per mil Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite

δ2HCH4, in per mil Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water

-80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20

-100-150-200-250-300-350-375

-50

-125-175-225-275-325

-75

δ13CCH4, in per mil Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite

δ2HCH4, in per mil Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water

Atmospheric

Microbial

Microbial,

methyl-type

fermentation

Microbial, carbon dioxide reduction

Artificial, bit 

metamorphic

Abiogenic

mantle

Geothermal, 

hydrothermal, 

crystalline

Early maturethermogenic

associated

humic

Mix and

transition

A

B

C

EXPLANATION

Groundwater site

Subsurface microbial gas Thermogenic gas

Near-surface

microbial gas

Mixed gas

Oxidation effect

Biogenic:

CO2 reduction

Biogenic:

Acetate fermentation

Thermogenic Marcellus

Shale

Stratigraphically above

Marcellus Shale

Atmospheric

Microbial

Microbial,

methyl-type

fermentation

Microbial, carbon dioxide reduction

Artificial, bit 

metamorphic

Abiogenic

mantle

Geothermal, 

hydrothermal, 

crystalline

Early maturethermogenic

associated

humic

Mix and

transition

A

B

C

EXPLANATION

Groundwater site

Figure 19. Isotopic signatures of dissolved methane in 11 groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011, in samples from the Pittsburgh Coal, in a Marcellus Shale gas separation tank, and in various other sources: 

A, deep, microbially stimulated 

methane (Coleman, 1994); 

B, biogenic, thermogenic, and mixed source methane (Whiticar, 1999); and 

C, predominantly thermogenic methane signature (Molofsky and 

others, 2011).
44 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

ranged from -14.57 to -5.87 ‰ VPDB, but two samples had 

δ13CDIC values of -24.61 ‰ and -24.05 ‰ VPDB (fig. 19). 

These two samples were collected from the High Production 

and Near Low Production bins in study area. In a recent study, 

the δ13CDIC values of backflow water collected from Marcellus 

Shale wells was found to be highly enriched with an average 

value +21 ‰ VPDB owing to late stage biogenic methanogenesis (Sharma and others, 2013b). However, no water samples 

had positive δ13CDIC signatures similar to that of backflow water 

from Marcellus Shale operations. The two samples with low 

δ13CDIC values (~ -24 ‰) are most likely receiving carbon from 

oxidation of isotopically depleted sources, such as soil organic 

matter decay or coals/shales in the region, which are known to 

have a range of -25.4 to -21.6 ‰ VPDB (Sharma and others, 

2013b). Out of the remaining samples, 58 percent have δ13CDIC

values greater than -11 ‰, indicating a contribution from dissolution of isotopically enriched carbonate rocks (fig. 20). 

Oxidation of pyritic sulfides in coal beds can result in 

the production of sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which can result 

in enhanced dissolution of isotopically enriched carbonate 

(Sharma and others, 2013b). In addition, degassing of isotopically depleted CO2

 species from total DIC in standing or slow 

moving streams or invasion of isotopically enriched atmospheric CO2 in waters with low partial pressures of CO2

 can 

also result in slight enrichment of δ13CDIC in waters (Atekwana 

and Krishnamurthy, 1998; Doctor and others, 2008; Sharma 

and others, 2013b). This indicates that some of the enriched 

δ13CDIC signatures seen in streams could be the result of a 

contribution from mine discharges or atmospheric exchange, 

especially in slow moving streams. 

The stable isotopes of δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 have been used 

to distinguish sources of dissolved sulfate in streams and the 

processes controlling the overall sulfate concentration. The 

stable isotopes for the base-flow samples were δ34SSO4,ranging from -7.60 to +13.40 ‰ Vienna Canyon Diablo Troilite 

(VCDT) and δ18OSO4,ranging from-6.4 ‰ to +10.6 ‰.

No pattern was observed among concentrations of δ18OSO4 

and δ34SSO4 and Marcellus Shale gas-production bins. It is 

assumed that the primary source of dissolved sulfate in the 

samples for this study is from the oxidation of pyritic minerals (Cravotta, 2008a). The large variation in values of δ34SSO4 

in this study could be due to the wide range in values for 

pyrite minerals found in many strata in the study area (Mulder, 2012). There is little to no fractionation of sulfur during 

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

110 100 1,000

Dissolved inorganic carbon concentration, in milligrams per liter

δ13C in dissolved inorganic carbon, in per mil

Figure 20. Isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon in base-flow samples 

collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2012.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 45

the oxidation of sulfide, meaning δ34SSO4 values will remain 

virtually the same as that in the material they were derived 

from. The δ34SSO4 value of pyrite in general has a wide range, 

from -25 to 0 ‰ VCDT (Clark and Fritz, 1997). A recent study 

(Sharma and others, 2013b) found that coals and shales of the 

Pittsburgh coal bed had δ34SSO4 values ranging from +0.6 ‰ to 

+2.4 ‰ VCDT. Reducing conditions for the surface waters in 

this study would be limited to stagnant pools with an organic 

substrate, wetland areas, and similar situations; the bacterial 

sulfate reduction of pyrite in surface water is limited. However, bacterial sulfate reduction occurring in anaerobic waters, 

such as water from coal mines, causes δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 

enrichment as a result of the preferential use of the lighter 32S 

isotope by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Contributions to streamflow from flooded underground mines or abandoned surface 

mines are common and widespread in the study area (McColloch and others, 2012). Reducing conditions are possible in 

mine pools, and bacterial reduction of sulfate in these pools 

confounds the interpretation of the isotopic composition of 

sulfate. Because the samples show δ34SSO4 values ranging from 

-7.60 to +13.40 ‰ VCDT, it is not clear whether samples 

with enriched values of δ34SSO4 are due to streams receiving 

input from dissolved sulfate that has been bacterially reduced 

or whether the pyrite from which the sulfate is derived has 

enriched values (>0 ‰) for δ34SSO4.

Stable isotope values of δ18OSO4 also show a wide range 

of values for the base-flow samples. The source of oxygen 

in dissolved sulfate is derived from the oxygen in water and 

from atmospheric O2 (Gu and others, 2008; Toran and Harris, 

1989). The value of δ18OSO4 depends largely upon the environment in which the sulfide oxidation occurred. For base-flow 

samples, 85 percent had δ18OSO4 values greater than 0‰, indicating that these samples are receiving 18O from atmospheric 

O2, which has a more enriched value (+23.5 ‰; Kroopnick 

and Craig, 1972) relative to surface waters in the study area. 

Because of the large range in δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 values in the 

samples, multiple processes, such as sulfate reduction, atmospheric input, and a wide range of sulfur isotope values for 

pyrite, are likely to affect the isotopic composition of sulfate.

Dissolved Gases

Gases, either atmospheric or derived from biogeochemical processes in aquifers, can provide information to better 

understand the source of recharge to the groundwater system. 

Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide, the primary 

gases in the atmosphere, are present at concentrations of 

approximately 78.1 percent (N2), 20.9 percent (O2), 0.93 percent (Ar), and 0.03 percent (CO2

), respectively (Hem, 1985). 

Atmospheric gases are absorbed by precipitation; the partial 

pressures of the gases are in proportion to barometric pressure 

(Busenberg and others, 2001). When precipitation falls on the 

surface of the earth, some of the water seeps into soil and rock, 

recharging the groundwater system. As the water percolates 

through the soil and rock, soil gases become entrained and 

eventually are dissolved in the recharge water. The addition 

of soil gases to recharge water can result in the presence of 

dissolved gases in proportions greater than that in the atmosphere, referred to as excess air (Busenberg and others, 2001). 

Methane, another gas found in the groundwaters of the 

study area, is present in the atmosphere but at low concentrations (0.00015 %; Hem, 1985). Methane in groundwater is 

primarily due to methanogenesis, the breakdown of organic 

compounds, in either shallow biogenic environments, such as 

wetlands and landfills, or deeper thermogenic environments, 

such as oil and gas reservoirs. Methanogenesis in groundwater is indicative of reducing environments within the aquifer. 

Coal-bed methane (CBM) is another source of methane in 

groundwater, but it is not well understood whether CBM in the 

study area is derived from biogenic or thermogenic methanogenesis (Mulder, 2012).

In addition, because dissolved gas concentrations in the 

atmosphere are dependent on barometric pressure, the sum of 

all gases in the atmosphere is equal to the barometric pressure 

(Busenberg and others, 2001). The partial pressure of gases 

decreases as elevation increases and increases as elevation 

decreases. In addition, the temperature of water recharging 

an aquifer can be calculated from the concentrations of N2

, 

Ar, and other noble gases, based on the principles of Henry’s 

Law, assuming that gases in the recharging water were in 

equilibrium with the atmosphere at the temperature at which 

recharge became isolated from the atmosphere (Busenberg and 

others, 2001). The analyses of dissolved gases in groundwater 

samples can provide significant insight into the origin of water 

recharging an aquifer.

For this study, samples were collected from 39 wells and 

2 springs in the study area and analyzed for dissolved gas concentrations of nitrogen (N2

), argon (Ar), oxygen (O2), carbon 

dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4), which are summarized in 

table 7. The concentration of Ar in relation to the concentration of N2

 is shown in figure 21, which also shows estimates 

of excess air content and recharge temperature, based on 

normalized sea-level concentrations. Samples clustering along 

the water in equilibrium with air (WEA) line are indicative of 

shallow groundwater with dissolved gas concentrations similar 

to that of the atmosphere. In the dissolved gas plot, samples 

cluster in three distinct groups (A-B-C in fig. 21) with the 

exception of the sample from well UPS-0178 (D in fig. 21), 

which had no close affinity to any of the groups. 

The dissolved-gas concentration signatures in most of 

the samples, 38 of 41, indicate a shallow groundwater source. 

These 38 samples cluster in two groups of 33 and 5 samples. 

The larger of the two clusters (group C in fig. 21) had excess 

air components between 0 mL and 5 mL and estimated 

recharge temperatures between 5 degrees Celsius ( oC) and 

15 oC, dissolved gas profiles similar to those of typical shallow 

groundwater found in domestic wells within the study area 

(McCoy and Kozar, 2007). The estimated recharge temperatures point towards recharge occurring during colder months 

of the year. The cluster of five samples (group B, fig. 21) had 
46 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Table 7. Statistical summary of dissolved gases in groundwater samples collected as part of 

the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011.

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; <, less than]

Trace element 

in filtered samples 

Method 

reporting level

Minimum 

concentration

Maximum 

concentration

Median 

concentration

Nitrogen, N2

, dissolved, mg/L 0.001 9.6 27.2 18.8

Oxygen, O2

, dissolved, mg/L 0.002 0.104 8.19 0.252

Argon, dissolved, mg/L 0.003 0.419 0.804 0.676

Carbon dioxide, dissolved, mg/L 0.04 0.33 68.8 18.5

Methane, dissolved, mg/L 0.001 <0.001 48.2 0.04

Group A

Group D

Group B

Group C

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

1.1

1.2

1.3

Argon concentration, in milligrams per liter

Nitrogen concentration, in milligrams per liter

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

WEA line ->

30

0

5

25

10

15

0

5

10

15

20

20

Excess air, in cubic centimeters

Temperature, in degrees Celsius

Water in equilibrium with air (WEA) line 

Figure 21. Concentrations of dissolved nitrogen in relation to concentrations of dissolved argon in samples from 39 wells and 2 

springs collected as part of the baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011, with associated estimates of recharge 

temperature and excess air, based on normalized sea-level concentrations. (WEA, water-in-equilibrium-with-air line; boxes labeled A 

through D indicate groups of similar samples)
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 47

little excess air and plot near the WEA line; only 1 of the 5 

sites had a detectable concentration of methane. Two of the 5 

sites are springs, and the remaining 3 sites are shallow wells 

with depths of 70, 80, and 145 feet. All five sites had warmer 

than average recharge-temperature estimates for groundwater 

in the study area, ranging from about 15 oC to 25 oC, likely 

representing a significant component of recharge that occurred 

just prior to the sampling in June through September 2011.

Of the three remaining samples, two were clustered 

(group A, fig. 21) and the third was not associated with any 

group (fig. 21). The two samples of group A are enriched in 

methane and have partial pressures of atmospheric gases that 

are below equilibrium with the atmosphere. These samples 

have the highest concentrations of methane gas of the 41 wells 

sampled, 21.9 mg/L and 48.2 mg/L. These samples likely 

reflect a mixture of shallow groundwater with a thermogenic 

gas component, possibly derived from deeper gas and hydrocarbon reservoirs. Low concentrations of atmospheric gases 

in these samples may also be partially a result of air stripping, 

whereby a portion of gases is carried along with the methane 

as it percolates upward from a hydrocarbon reservoir. The 

outlier sample (well Ups-0178) not associated with any group 

is distinguished from all other samples by a much higher than 

average N2

 concentration, 27.2 mg/L compared to an average 

concentration of 18.6 mg/L. None of the other atmospheric 

gases (O2, CO2, and Ar) were present in high concentrations. 

Methane was present at a concentration of 7.5 mg/L in water 

from well Ups-0178.

Water-Quality Patterns 

The primary goal of this study was to describe groundwater and base-flow water quality during the early stages of 

shale-gas development. Water-quality data from early shalegas development then could be used for comparison with data 

collected later as development proceeds. The collection of 

the water-quality data has afforded an opportunity to examine 

patterns in water quality. Data from the groundwater survey 

and the base-flow survey were compared with historical data 

from sites in the study area to determine whether temporal 

changes had occurred. The base-flow survey was designed 

to facilitate a comparison of sites grouped by gas-production 

land use, and comparisons were made among these classifications. Additionally, groundwater survey data were examined 

using a multivariate analysis to discern relations among the 

water-quality data.

Patterns in groundwater quality were examined by comparing data collected in this study with data collected for other 

purposes, such as the West Virginia Ambient Groundwater 

Network database (Chambers and others, 2012), a principal 

components analysis, and a geospatial analysis of dissolved 

gas. The comparison of groundwater data from this study with 

historical data found no significant difference for any of the 

constituents examined and therefore warrant no further discussion. The PCA and the geospatial analysis are discussed below.

A PCA was conducted to discern patterns in groundwater 

quality. An initial PCA was run on all available groundwaterquality constituents and properties, including major ions, 

trace metals, dissolved gases, radionuclides, isotopes, and 

well depth. Correlations among variables also were assessed 

by computing correlation matrices. Variables with a majority 

of missing values or values below the laboratory reporting 

level, variables that contributed insignificantly to component loadings, or variables that exhibited no correlation with 

other variables were excluded from subsequent PCAs. The 

first two principal components from the final PCA explained 

54 percent of the variance—principal component 1, 31 percent 

and principal component 2, 23 percent—within the data 

matrix (fig. 22). 

The first principal component indicates gradients of redox 

conditions and dissolved solids concentrations with strong 

negative loadings for sodium, bromide, chloride, fluoride, 

barium, total dissolved solids, specific conductance, pH, and 

methane, which were inversely proportional to dissolved 

oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, nitrogen, and redox potential 

(table 8). This gradient may reflect a continuum from deeper 

waters with higher concentrations of sodium, barium, chloride, bromide, methane, and fluoride, constituents typically 

found in higher concentrations in deeper brines, and shallow, 

more dilute, more recent waters with higher concentrations of 

dissolved atmospheric gases. Whether this continuum reflects 

a typical gradient from recharge to shallow groundwaters 

to deeper groundwaters or indicates other pathways resulting in mixing of shallow groundwaters and deeper brines 

is unknown. 

The second principal component had strong positive 

loadings for calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese, 

sulfate, total dissolved solids, specific conductance, argon, 

nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hardness, and negative loadings for geologic age, methane, redox potential, bromide, and 

dissolved oxygen. In a pattern similar to the first principal 

component, the second component reflects a gradient from 

conditions typical of shallow groundwaters in the Appalachian 

region, which have high concentrations of total dissolved 

solids, iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and sulfate, to 

conditions more typical of deeper groundwaters. Carbonate 

dissolution and reduction of pyrite and siderite are dominant 

processes in the shallow aquifers of the region and can result 

in elevated concentrations of total dissolved solids, iron, calcium, and sulfate, whereas higher concentrations of chloride 

and bromide are more common in deeper waters. Because the 

primary cations and anions are inversely correlated with geologic age, this component may also reflect the effects of coal 

mining, which is prevalent in younger Pennsylvanian-age geologic formations, such as the Dunkard, Monongahela, Conemaugh, and Pottsville Groups, and the Allegheny, Kanawha, and 

New River Formations (fig. 2), all of which contain minable 
48 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Figure 22. Principal component axis scores for the two principal components for selected groundwater samples 

collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011.

-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 4

Principal component 1

-4

0

6

2

4

8

Principal component 2

0 2 6

-2

Methane

Carbon dioxide

Nitrogen

Argon

Geologic age

Dissolved oxygen

pH

Specific conductance

Redox potential

Total dissolved solids

Hardness

Calcium

Magnesium

Potassium

Sodium

Alkalinity

Bromide

Chloride Fluoride

Sulfate

Barium

Iron

Manganese

Component name Component 1 

loadings

Component 2 

loadings

Specific conductance (μS/cm) -0.311 0.194

pH (standard units) -0.301 1

Dissolved oxygen, field (mg/L) 0.199 -0.111

Argon (mg/L) 0.143 0.126

Nitrogen (mg/L) 0.117 0.138

Carbon dioxide (mg/L) 0.226 0.127

Methane (mg/L) -0.291 -0.109

Geologic age2 1 -0.128

Redox Potential (mV) 0.209 -0.126

Total dissolved solids (mg/L) -0.295 0.221

Water hardness (mg/L) 1 0.378

Calcium (mg/L) 1 0.357

Table 8. Principal component loadings from analysis of 23 variables potentially affecting groundwater quality in the Monongahela 

River Basin in West Virginia, 2011. 

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; mV, millivolts; CaCO3, calcium carbonate]

Component name Component 1 

loadings

Component 2 

loadings

Magnesium (mg/L) 1 0.405

Potassium (mg/L) 1 0.128

Sodium (mg/L) -0.331 1

Alkalinity (mg/L as CaCO3) -0.316 0.116

Bromide (mg/L) -0.268 -0.108

Chloride (mg/L) -0.262 1

Fluoride (mg/L) -0.301 1

Sulfate (mg/L) 1 0.367

Barium (μg/L) -0.130 1

Iron (μg/L) 1 0.251

Manganese (μg/L) 1 0.345

1

Loadings less than 0.100 were not considered relevant and were not included.

2

Geologic age used in this analysis is based on relative age of the geologic formation or group in millions of years.
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 49

coal seams. Mississippian- and Devonian-aged rocks within 

the study area do not contain minable coal seams.

The presence of constituents often associated with deeper 

brines, as indicated by the first principal component discussed 

above, and the frequent presence of methane in groundwater 

survey samples (56 percent of samples) may indicate mixing of a very small component of deeper groundwater with 

shallow groundwater. Bromide and methane frequently were 

present in the same groundwater samples. 

To assess the potential for migration of brine waters and 

associated methane gas from deeper geologic strata or from 

shallow coal seams, the location of wells with elevated concentrations of methane were plotted on a map (fig. 23), along 

with the location of mined coal seams and shallow and deep 

structural geologic features (faults, synclines, and anticlines). 

None of the wells with samples containing methane concentrations greater than 1.0 mg/L are located within the footprint of 

current or abandoned underground or surface mines. The highest concentration of methane (48.2 mg/L) detected in this study 

was from a well (Ran-0276) at the southern end of the Elkins 

Valley Anticline. A nearby well (Ran-0278) also had an elevated concentration (8.39 mg/L) of methane. A thrust fault cuts 

through numerous formations, including the Marcellus Shale, 

and is expressed at the surface in the crest of the Elkins Valley 

Anticline (Ryder and others, 2008). However, no clear pattern 

linking methane concentrations to the presence of a geologic 

structure was noted because there were an approximately equal 

number of samples with detectable concentrations of methane 

from wells not located in or near geologic structures as there 

were samples from wells located in such structures. 

No strong patterns were noted in the base-flow survey 

data. There were significant differences for some constituents 

in comparison to historical water-quality data or in comparisons among gas-production bins. Although there were 

no strong patterns obvious in the base-flow data, some more 

subtle patterns that may represent early changes in water quality as shale gas development proceeds were observed. These 

subtle patterns may warrant closer scrutiny as development 

intensifies and the effects of this development are realized 

over time.

Coal mining continues to exert a strong effect on water 

quality in the Monongahela River Basin (Anderson and 

others, 2000). A simple mining intensity index was developed for this report; mined areas in all the coal seams (West 

Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 2011b) within a 

HUC-12 were summed, divided by the total surface area in 

the HUC-12, and expressed as a percentage. Values greater 

than 100 percent represent those areas where multiple seams 

that had been mined exceeded the overall surface area. No 

attempt was made to account for thickness, mining method or 

time, or mine discharge location. Had the primary focus of this 

study been on exploring the effects of coal mining on water 

quality, accounting for these factors would have allowed the 

development of a more sophisticated index. Mining intensity 

was significantly related to sulfate concentration and specific 

conductance (fig. 24); both characteristics are related to mining in other studies (Anderson and others, 2000; McAuley and 

Kozar, 2006; Cravotta, 2008a). 

Values for pH, chloride, and strontium from the base-flow 

survey were all significantly higher than historical data for the 

Monongahela River Basin. Higher pHs in base-flow survey 

samples are likely due to changes in coal-mining practices 

and treatment of mine drainage. The historical dataset spans a 

period of time before and through the implementation of mine 

regulation under the United States Surface Mine Control and 

Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1201-1328; 91 Stat.). 

Chloride and strontium are constituents associated with deep 

brines (Engle and Rowan, 2013). Increases in chloride concentrations may have many causes, including mine discharges. 

The increase in strontium is unlikely to be due to coal mining. 

Possible mechanisms for increases in deep-brine constituents 

in surface waters include upward migration of brines through 

faults and fractures, upward migration of brines along improperly constructed or sealed gas wells, and accidental discharge 

of well brines to surface waters. Further study would be 

necessary to determine the source of increased concentrations 

of chloride and strontium and mechanisms through which they 

enter surface water. 

Concentrations of fluoride and barium, both constituents 

associated with deep brines (Engle and Rowan, 2013), varied 

significantly among base-flow survey samples grouped by gasproduction bins. In the case of fluoride and barium, concentrations were significantly higher in the Near Production bin than 

in either the Production or Not Near Production bins. Further 

study would be needed to extrapolate this pattern. 

Any similarity between the groundwaters and surface 

waters of a region are likely to be most evident in base flow. 

The stable isotope compositions of the groundwater- and 

surface-water base-flow survey samples were similar to one 

another as well as to precipitation in the area. Although the 

stable isotope composition indicates similar sources of the 

waters sampled in this study, the major ion compositions of 

the groundwater survey samples and the base-flow survey 

samples show distinct differences. Sulfate was the dominant 

anion in a greater proportion of base-flow survey samples than 

in groundwater survey samples and may reflect coal-mining 

land uses and the effects of mine drainage. 

Further studies in this area could focus on deep brine constituents, examine the possibilities of flow-path alteration and 

inter-basin transfers of water, and more thoroughly investigate 

the influence of legacy gas wells in the region. The USGS is 

currently (2013–14) investigating the possibility of inter-basin 

transfer of water in the area, a study prompted by an examination of streamflow data collected as part of this study.
50 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 1:200,000, digital line graphics Coal mine boundaries from West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 2011b

0 20 MILES0 20 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Mine type

Auger mineHighwall mineSurface mineUnderground mine

FaultSynclinal/anticlinal axisMonongahela River basin boundaryMethane concentration, in 

milligrams per liter

Less than 0.0040.004–1.01.01–10.010.1–20.0Greater than 20.0

79°30' 80° 80°30' 81° 81°30'

39°30'

39°

38°30'

Area of detail

WV

PA

OH

KY

VA

MD

Figure 23. Concentrations of methane in groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline study, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011, and the location of mined coal seams and geologic structural features. 
Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin 51

y = 0.9964x + 2.0545

R2

 = 0.6782

y = 1.5938x + 0.9432

R2

 = 0.6666

A

B

0 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 1.20 1.40 1.60

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Proportion of basin mined, arcsine transformed

Sulfate concentration, in milligrams per liter,

Log10 transformed

0 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 1.20 1.40 1.60

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

Proportion of basin mined, arcsine transformed

Specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius,

Log10 transformed

Figure 24. Concentration of constituent or property in relation to the mining intensity, measured 

as the sum of mined areas in the 12-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC-12) areas, expressed as a 

proportion of the HUC-12 surface area for A, sulfate and B, specific conductance in base-flow 

samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, 2012.
52 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Summary

The Marcellus Shale gas field underlies parts of New 

York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, and 

West Virginia. Development of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology led to extensive development of gas 

in the Marcellus Shale beginning about 2007. A recent assessment estimated that 84,198 billion cubic feet of natural gas 

were recoverable from the Marcellus Shale, enough natural 

gas to meet the needs of the entire Nation for about 15 years. 

The recovery of this gas is not without potential environmental 

consequences, including contamination of water resources by 

flowback water, hydraulic fracturing fluids, radioactivity in 

shale waste, and fluid waste disposal. 

The primary goal of this study, conducted by the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the West 

Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division 

of Water and Waste Management, was to establish a baseline 

of water-quality conditions in West Virginia’s Monongahela 

River Basin, an area of intensive development of the Marcellus Shale gas field. Groundwater (39 wells and 2 springs) and 

streamwater under base-flow conditions (50 stream sampling 

sites) were sampled, and the samples were analyzed for a 

broad suite of major ions, trace elements, naturally occurring 

radioactive materials (NORMs), and stable isotopes that can 

be used as markers for the potential effects of shale gas recovery. The baseline study, conducted during 2011–12, is intended 

to serve as a point of comparison for samples collected as the 

development of the Marcellus Shale gas field continues.

In addition to describing baseline conditions, results of 

water-quality analyses of samples collected during the groundwater and surface-water base-flow surveys were compared to 

historical water-quality data from USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) databases. The base-flow results were 

also examined for differences among gas-production classifications. Although no significant differences were observed in 

comparisons of groundwater survey data with historical data, 

there were a few significant differences for base-flow data, 

either with historical data or by Marcellus Shale gas-production classification (bins); the classification scheme did not 

account for conventional gas wells. The results for pH, chloride, and strontium were significantly higher in the base-flow 

survey samples than in the historical data. In a comparison of 

base-flow survey results classified by gas production, fluoride 

and barium were higher in bins with gas production than either 

bins adjacent to basins producing gas or bins neither producing gas nor adjacent to gas-producing bins. Four constituents 

that had a significant difference (p < 0.1)—chloride, strontium, 

fluoride, and barium—either compared to historical data or by 

gas-production category are often associated with deep saline 

groundwater. Saline water occurs naturally within 300 feet of 

the land surface in parts of the study area. 

All samples were analyzed for total uranium. If uranium 

was detected in a sample, that sample was further analyzed for 

uranium and radium isotopes. One sample from well Pre-0163, 

exceeded the 5.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant 

level (MCL) with a combined value of Ra-226 and Ra-228 of 

5.1 pCi/L. Other than 3 samples, 2 from the groundwater survey and 1 from the base-flow survey, that exceeded 1.0 pCi/L 

with either a single value of Ra-226 or Ra-228 or combined 

value, NORMs were not elevated above background levels in 

either groundwater or base-flow samples.

The composition of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in 

groundwater samples shows signatures similar to those of the 

precipitation and river water in the area. The overall signatures 

in groundwater reflect both local effects and a Great Lakes 

signature affecting precipitation and, therefore, groundwater 

recharge. Additionally, no major deviations from the Global 

Meteoric Water Line were observed for base-flow samples, 

indicating that meteoric water and shallow groundwater represent a major component in these streams.

Isotope analysis showed no clear indication of mixing of 

shallow groundwater and deep groundwater brines, which are 

found in the Marcellus Shale. None of the water samples had 

preferential enrichment of δ18OH2O over δ2HH2O, which is seen 

in the deep brines of the area. Furthermore, no water samples 

had positive δ13CDIC signatures similar to those of flowback 

water from Marcellus Shale operations. The isotopic signatures of the 11 methane samples from this study are generally similar to the isotopic signatures of coal-bed methane, 

typically a mixture of methane produced by both biogenic 

and thermogenic processes, or a mixture of coal-bed methane, 

biogenic, and thermogenic methane. Also, no pattern was 

observed in a comparison of concentrations of δ18OSO4 and concentrations of δ34SSO4 among Marcellus Shale gas-production 

bins. However, the interpretation of sulfate data was possibly 

confounded by reducing conditions and bacterial reduction of 

sulfate in mine pools, potentially altering sulfate signatures.

Dissolved-gas analyses indicate that most of the groundwater samples, 38 of 41, were from a shallow groundwater 

source. Of these 38 samples, 33 had dissolved gas profiles 

similar to those of typical shallow groundwater found in 

domestic wells within the study area. The remaining 5 samples, 2 of which were springs, were estimated to have had a 

significant component of recharge that occurred just prior to 

the sampling in June through September 2011. Of the three 

sites not having a typical shallow groundwater dissolved gas 

profile, two were enriched in methane and the third had a 

greater than average concentration of nitrogen.

This study represents a “snap shot in time,” an indication 

of regional water-quality conditions early in the development 

of the Marcellus Shale gas field. Changes in water quality may 

result from this development and without a set of baseline conditions these changes cannot be reliably discerned. Although 

not all encompassing, this dataset should provide a sufficient 

baseline to be used to identify changes in water quality as gas 

field development proceeds, regardless of whether the changes 

are due to the intensity of development or the changes are 

those that would occur over time. 
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Table 3 57

Table 3. Site information for streams sampled during base flow as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 

July–October 2012.—Continued

[NWIS, National Water Information System; CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; @, at; HP, High Production, site in basin with gas production greater than 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; LP, Low Producing, site in basin with gas production between zero and 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; nearHP, site in basin adjacent to high-production basin; nearLP, site in basin adjacent to low-production basin; Marcellus >50, site in basin underlain by a greater than 50-foot Marcellus Shale thickness and neither a gas producing basin nor adjacent to a gas producing basin] 

NWIS site name Short name NWIS station number Latitude, in decimal degrees Longitude, in decimal degrees Drainage area, in square miles Natural gas production bin Simplified natural gas production bin

INDIAN CREEK AT CROWN, WV Indian Ck 03062215 39.577 -80.097 11.8 NearLP No Production

E07.0INDIAN CR @ HWY 45/2 BR @ 

OSGOOD WV

Indian Ck 393408080045039 39.569 -80.080 19.7 NearLP No Production

D15.0SIMPSON CR @ HWY 13/13 BR 

@ ROSEMONT WV

Simpson Ck 391605080094739 39.268 -80.163 33.4 LP Production

D12.0GNATTY CR @ HWY 20/20 BR 

@ ROMINES MILLS WV

Gnatty Ck 390947080154239 39.163 -80.261 32.7 HP Production

D13.0ELK CR @ HWY 57/2 BR NR 

ROMINES MILLS WV

Elk Ck 391023080140539 39.173 -80.235 32.7 NearHP No Production

D10.0HACKERS CR @ HWY 14 BR 

NR JANE LEW WV

Hackers Ck 390520080232239 39.089 -80.389 31.2 LP Production

F03.0GLADY FK @ HWY 33 BR @ 

ALPENA WV

Glady Fk 385333079384039 38.893 -79.644 39.8 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

D21.0BINGAMON CR @ HWY 8 BR 

@ PINE BLUFF WV

Bingamon Ck 392457080192939 39.416 -80.325 32.3 HP Production

E08.0WHITEDAY CR @ HWY 36 BR 

NR SMITHTOWN WV

Whiteday Ck 393250080023439 39.547 -80.043 31.1 LP Production

E02.0PYLES FK @ HWY 250/5 BR 

NR METZ WV

Pyles Fk 393320080212239 39.556 -80.356 18.5 NearLP No Production

C12.0R F BUCKHANNON R @ HWY 

48 BR @ NEWLONTON WV

Right Fk Buckhannon 384440080140939 38.745 -80.236 25.4 HP Production

F12.0CLOVER RUN @ HWY 21 BR @ 

ST. GEORGE WV

Clover Run 390853079424839 39.148 -79.713 28.6 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

C16.0FRENCH CR @ HWY 20 BR @ 

FRENCH CREEK WV

French Ck 385307080175339 38.885 -80.298 14.5 HP Production
58 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12 Table 3. Site information for streams sampled during base flow as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued [NWIS, National Water Information System; CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; @, at; HP, High Production, site in basin with gas production greater than 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; LP, Low Producing, site in basin with gas production between zero and 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; nearHP, site in basin adjacent to high-production basin; nearLP, site in basin adjacent to low-production basin; Marcellus >50, site in basin underlain by a greater than 50-foot Marcellus Shale thickness and neither a gas produc- ing basin nor adjacent to a gas producing basin] NWIS site name Short name NWIS station number Latitude, in decimal degrees Longitude, in decimal degrees Drainage area, in square miles Natural gas production bin Simplified natural gas production bin ROARING CREEK AT NORTON, WV Roaring Ck 03050800 38.935 -79.950 29.2 NearLP No Production C13.0L F R F BUCKHANNON R @ HWY 46 BR @ CZAR WV Left Fk Buckhannon at Czar 384352080084839 38.731 -80.146 15.4 nearHP No Production F11.0MINEAR RUN @ HWY 5 BR @ ST. GEORGE WV Minear Run 391000079421039 39.167 -79.703 11.9 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50 C15.0LAUREL FK @ HWY 20/10 BR NR ADRIAN, WV Laurel Fk 385232080155239 38.876 -80.264 11.7 HP Production C05.0CHENOWETH CR @ HWY 23 BR @ ELKINS AIRPORT Chenoweth Ck 385342079512439 38.895 -79.856 18.9 NearLP No Production D14.0BRUSHY FK @ HWY 42 BR NR STONEWOOD WV Brushy Fk 391353080172039 39.231 -80.289 20.2 HP Production F21.0LAUREL RUN @ HWY 73/73 BR NR LAUREL RUN WV Laurel Run 393903079432039 39.651 -79.722 20.2 NearLP No Production E06.0PRICKETTS CR @ HWY 73 BR @ MEADOWDALE WV Pricketts Ck 392947080054139 39.496 -80.095 22.0 NearLP No Production C14.0L F BUCKHANNON R @ HWY 9 BR @ PALACE VLY WV Left Fk Buckhannon at Palace Valley 384517080093039 38.755 -80.158 27.4 NearHP No Production D18.0SALEM CR @ HWY 5/9 BR NR MAKEN WV Salem Ck 391817080291539 39.305 -80.487 16.4 HP Production C02.0BECKY CR @ HWY 56 BR NR HUTTONSVILLE WV Becky Ck 383936079585339 38.660 -79.981 13.2 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

C01.0TYGART VLY R @ HWY 15 BR 

@ VALLEY HEAD WV

Tygart at Valley Head 383309080021539 38.553 -80.037 38.2 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

D19.0L TENMILE CR @ HWY 20 BR 

@ ROSEBUD WV

Tenmile Ck 392203080243739 39.368 -80.410 25.6 HP Production
Table 3 59

Table 3. Site information for streams sampled during base flow as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 

July–October 2012.—Continued

[NWIS, National Water Information System; CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; @, at; HP, High Production, site in basin with gas production greater than 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; LP, Low Producing, site in basin with gas production between zero and 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; nearHP, site in basin adjacent to high-production basin; nearLP, site in basin adjacent to low-production basin; Marcellus >50, site in basin underlain by a greater than 50-foot Marcellus Shale thickness and neither a gas producing basin nor adjacent to a gas producing basin] 

NWIS site name Short name NWIS station number Latitude, in decimal degrees Longitude, in decimal degrees Drainage area, in square miles Natural gas production bin Simplified natural gas production bin

C04.0FILES CR @ HWY 219 BR @ 

BEVERLY WV

Files Ck 385015079523339 38.838 -79.876 20.8 NearLP No Production

C03.0MILL CR @ HWY 46 BR @ 

MILL CREEK WV

Mill Ck 384401079584939 38.734 -79.980 16.1 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

E04.0PAW PAW CR @ HWY 17 BR @ 

GRANT TOWN WV

Paw Paw Ck 393308080100339 39.552 -80.167 28.6 LP Production

G02.0MIRACLE RUN @ HWY 7 BR 

@ BULA WV

Miracle Run 394212080152739 39.703 -80.257 20.5 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

G01.0WEST VIRGINIA FK @ HWY 7 

BR @ WANNA WV

WV Fk 394208080180239 39.702 -80.300 24.0 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

D24.0HUSTEAD FK @ HWY 3/16 BR 

@ BOOTHSVILLE WV

Hustead Fk 392335080114839 39.393 -80.196 16.8 HP Production

G03.0DOLLS RUN @ HWY 7 BR NR 

CORE WV

Dolls Run 394227080065739 39.708 -80.116 11.0 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50

D01.0WEST FK R @ HWY 44 BR @ 

WALKERSVILLE, WV

West Fk at Walkersville 385207080272939 38.869 -80.458 29.0 NearHP No Production

C06.0LEADING CR @ HWY 3 BR NR 

KERNS WV

Leading Ck 390134079491139 39.026 -79.820 18.1 NearLP No Production

D08.0FREEMANS CR @ BR @ VALLEY CHAPEL WV Freemans Ck 390627080294039 39.108 -80.494 22.4 NearHP No Production

D11.0LOST CR @ HWY 27/2 BR @ 

LOST CREEK WV

Lost Ck 391000080220739 39.167 -80.368 13.1 NearHP No Production

C11.0RIGHT FK @ HWY 28/1 BR NR 

KEDRON WV

Right Fk 385346080065239 38.896 -80.114 30.0 LP Production

D17.0TENMILE CR @ HWY 31 BR @ 

MAKEN WV

Tenmile Ck 391632080292039 39.276 -80.489 15.9 HP Production
60 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12 Table 3. Site information for streams sampled during base flow as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued [NWIS, National Water Information System; CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; @, at; HP, High Production, site in basin with gas production greater than 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; LP, Low Producing, site in basin with gas production between zero and 1,000 thousand cubic feet per year; nearHP, site in basin adjacent to high-production basin; nearLP, site in basin adjacent to low-production basin; Marcellus >50, site in basin underlain by a greater than 50-foot Marcellus Shale thickness and neither a gas produc- ing basin nor adjacent to a gas producing basin] NWIS site name Short name NWIS station number Latitude, in decimal degrees Longitude, in decimal degrees Drainage area, in square miles Natural gas production bin Simplified natural gas production bin D07.0POLK CR @ HWY 33 BR @ WESTON WV Polk Ck 390253080283839 39.048 -80.477 11.0 NearHP No Production BUFFALO CREEK NEAR ROWLES- BURG, WV Buffalo Ck 03069880 39.289 -79.704 12.2 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50 E09.0DECKERS CR @ HWY 27 BR @ REEDSVILLE WV Deckers Ck 393059079483739 39.516 -79.810 13.7 NearLP No Production C24.0TETER CR @ HWY 92 BR NR NESTORVILLE WV Teter Ck 391212079545339 39.203 -79.915 40.7 NearLP No Production F10.0HORSESHOE RUN @ HWY 9 BR @ LEAD MINE WV Horseshoe Run 391108079354239 39.186 -79.595 36.9 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50 F09.0N FK BLACKWATER R @ HWY 27 BR @ COKETON WV North Fk Blackwater 390820079304039 39.139 -79.511 13.6 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50 C20.0PECKS RUN @ HWY 1/13 BR @ TETER WV Pecks Run 390334080091839 39.060 -80.155 10.4 HP Production F14.0SALTLICK CR @ RR BR @ ROWLESBURG WV Saltlick Ck 392105079394839 39.351 -79.663 34.6 NearLP No Production C18.0SAND RUN NR BUCKHAN- NON WV Sand Run near Buckhannon 385750080091039 38.964 -80.153 14.3 NearHP No Production C26.0L SANDY CR @ HWY 92/14 BR @ EVANSVILLE WV Sandy Ck 391958079520739 39.333 -79.868 25.4 Marcellus >50 Marcellus >50 F19.0L SANDY CR @ HWY 3/4 BR NR BRANDONVILLE WV Sandy Ck 393838079361239 39.644 -79.603 29.0 HP Production
Appendixes 1–2
62 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale baseline survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

Sample 

date

Sample 

start time

Air pressure, 

in mmHg

Dissolved 

oxygen, 

in mg/L

Dissolved 

oxygen, 

in percent 

saturation

pH, 

in standard 

units

Specific 

conductance, 

in μS/cm

Water 

temperature, 

in °C

Turbidity, 

in formazin 

nephelometric 

units

Depth 

of well, 

in ft bls

Ran-02611 8/3/2011 920 698 2.5 25 7.1 110 11.9 0.5 NA

Ran-0276 7/5/2011 1330 695 0.3 3 9.4 794 13.4 0.5 320

Ran-0278 8/23/2011 930 698 0.2 2 8.7 396 13.7 0.1 100

Ran-0277 7/6/2011 1030 678 0.2 2 6.7 127 11.4 0.6 220

Ran-0280 7/6/2011 1410 694 6.2 68 6.5 158 14.8 1.8 80

Ran-0282 7/7/2011 1430 706 0.9 9 6.7 201 12.6 0.2 105

Ups-0178 7/7/2011 1100 712 6.6 66 7.8 403 12.5 1 158

Ran-0284 8/22/2011 1330 689 1.4 15 7 160 11.9 0.1 200

Ran-0259 8/2/2011 1020 703 1.7 18 6.7 147 13.1 0.1 155

Ran-0260 8/10/2011 940 694 0.1 1 8 407 11.7 1.6 222

Lew-0215 8/24/2011 1010 729 1.7 17 7.5 327 14 0.8 100

Ran-0275 8/2/2011 1410 714 1.2 13 6.7 235 15.5 0.2 500

Lew-0221 8/23/2011 1445 733 0.2 3 7.4 485 13.8 0.4 100

Lew-0218 8/1/2011 1140 733 1.7 17 6.7 741 14.1 1.3 60

Ups-0177 8/3/2011 1410 709 0.8 8 7.2 224 14.1 2 120

Tuc-0125 8/10/2011 1400 673 4.3 44 7.8 295 10.6 0.1 250

Tuc-0124 8/9/2011 920 668 7.4 76 7.2 314 10.9 0.8 100

Tuc-0129 8/9/2011 1155 670 5.5 56 7.2 393 10.5 0.2 45

Har-0175 8/24/2011 1405 729 1.9 20 7.9 548 14.8 0.4 45

Har-0170 8/1/2011 1700 735 0.2 2 7.3 410 15.5 0.3 75

Tuc-0127 8/8/2011 1420 712 1.2 12 8.2 192 13.6 0.1 60

Bar-0150 9/19/2011 1220 728 2.2 23 6.7 380 15.7 36 52

Bar-0149 8/25/2011 940 726 4.4 46 7.4 782 15.3 17 180

Bar-0151s 9/21/2011 1145 717 8.8 93 6 67 15.4 1.7 NA

Har-0173 7/28/2011 945 734 0.5 5 8.2 680 14.7 0.4 70

Pre-0124 8/11/2011 1020 710 0.3 3 7 349 15.5 0.5 205

Tay-0130 9/20/2011 1300 729 1.4 14 6.7 226 13.6 1.2 160

Pre-0173 8/12/2011 1000 717 1.3 13 7.9 174 13.3 0.2 57

Pre-0166 8/11/2011 1500 696 0.6 6 6.8 146 12.8 0.4 100

Har-0177 9/19/2011 1645 731 0.3 3 6.8 550 14.5 4.1 150

Tay-0129 7/27/2011 1005 734 4.9 49 6 103 13.7 360 113

Pre-0164 8/30/2011 1005 697 2.8 29 7 323 12.2 2.7 207

Pre-0177 8/29/2011 1500 696 2.6 27 7.6 225 12.1 0.5 145

Pre-0176 6/30/2011 1030 718 0.3 3 9.2 480 13.1 0.3 200

Mar-0300 7/26/2011 1100 731 0.7 7 8 613 16.4 0.5 70

Mar-0296 7/25/2011 1450 733 1.7 17 6.7 487 13.4 11 107

Pre-0162 6/29/2011 1355 691 8.1 80 4.5 46 10.6 2.1 145

Pre-0163 6/29/2011 1035 691 8.6 86 4.5 44 11 0.5 179

Pre-0172 8/30/2011 1325 704 7.2 76 4.5 233 14.4 0.1 65

Pre-0178 8/31/2011 1005 722 2.1 21 6.3 117 11.7 9.6 NA

Mng-0582 6/28/2011 1355 703 7.1 77 6.6 200 15.6 0.9 190
Appendix 1 63

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

Total dissolved 

solids, 

dried at 180°C, 

in mg/L

Hardness, 

water, 

in mg/L 

as CaCO3

Noncarbonate 

hardness, wf, 

in mg/L 

as CaCO3

Calcium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Magnesium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Potassium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Sodium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Alkalinity, 

wf, inflection point, 

laboratory titration, 

in mg/L as CaCO3

Alkalinity, 

wf, inflection point, 

field titration, 

in mg/L as CaCO3

Ran-02611 61 49.2 5 16.9 1.66 0.5 1.54 -- 44.1

Ran-0276 467 2.24 -- 0.672 0.105 1 186 -- 316

Ran-0278 220 15.2 -- 4.5 0.903 1.2 77.3 -- 140

Ran-0277 75 48.2 0 12.5 4.05 1.53 3.58 -- 48.1

Ran-0280 103 43.2 8 14.7 1.57 0.79 13 -- 34.8

Ran-0282 98 35.5 -- 10.1 2.42 1.19 20.3 -- 54.6

Ups-0178 221 39.2 -- 11.2 2.58 2.55 70.3 -- 106

Ran-0284 90 52.6 -- 13.7 4.35 1.31 9.25 -- 69.8

Ran-0259 84 55.4 18 14.5 4.54 2.9 2.93 -- 37

Ran-0260 226 85.2 -- 26.2 4.56 2.26 48 -- 130

Lew-0215 183 98.7 -- 30.9 4.95 1.01 32.1 -- 138

Ran-0275 134 69.7 8 19 5.14 2.45 12 -- 61.9

Lew-0221 277 197 -- 60.7 10.7 1.74 23.5 -- 208

Lew-0218 522 307 148 91 19.1 1.59 32 -- 159

Ups-0177 115 41.8 -- 12.6 2.36 1.71 30.8 -- 81.9

Tuc-0125 168 124 -- 35.3 8.66 0.88 11.5 135 --

Tuc-0124 179 155 7 55.4 4.07 0.54 1.4 -- 149

Tuc-0129 220 186 6 66 5.11 0.48 4.79 -- 180

Har-0175 337 82.6 -- 24.9 4.89 1.07 94.2 256 --

Har-0170 235 161 -- 48 9.74 1.36 24.4 -- 221

Tuc-0127 130 45.4 -- 14.7 1.99 0.55 20.9 -- 68.3

Bar-0150 213 178 -- 55.3 9.49 1.17 9.41 158 --

Bar-0149 493 141 -- 48.3 4.81 0.81 120 271 --

Bar-0151s 38 27 -- 8.6 1.33 0.68 0.46 21.6 --

Har-0173 410 12.9 -- 3.81 0.684 0.92 162 -- 313

Pre-0124 200 123 -- 39.6 5.68 0.88 19.2 132 --

Tay-0130 124 97.2 -- 28.4 6.27 1.65 7.3 108 --

Pre-0173 101 47.4 -- 11.3 4.28 1.25 17.2 76.9 --

Pre-0166 97 45.1 -- 11.6 3.9 1.34 8.15 43.8 --

Har-0177 344 240 -- 74.8 12.8 1.56 28.9 235 --

Tay-0129 54 30 2 7.04 3 0.99 0.91 -- 28.3

Pre-0164 200 129 -- 40.1 6.92 1.79 11 106 --

Pre-0177 131 109 -- 39.7 2.29 0.64 1.71 105 --

Pre-0176 282 3.5 -- 1.16 0.137 0.6 117 -- 254

Mar-0300 359 70.6 -- 22.7 2.99 1.09 118 -- 298

Mar-0296 313 151 1 42.4 10.8 1.61 45.2 -- 150

Pre-0162 27 6.49 2 1.96 0.376 0.49 0.81 -- 4.8

Pre-0163 <12 8.06 6 2.12 0.662 0.43 0.47 -- 1.9

Pre-0172 113 24 -- 6.62 1.78 1.52 27.6 <4.0 --

Pre-0178 65 35.3 -- 9.01 3.02 0.96 8.67 51.9 --

Mng-0582 116 95 27 24.6 8.15 1.48 1.9 -- 67.7
64 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

Bicarbonate, 

wf, inflection point, 

field titration, 

in mg/L 

Bromide, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Carbon dioxide, 

water, 

in mg/L

Carbonate,

wf, inflection point, 

field titration 

in mg/L

Chloride,

wf, 

in mg/L

Fluoride, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Silica, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Sulfate, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Aluminum, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Ran-02611 53.7 0.015 6.9 -- 2.08 <.04 3.17 5.13 4.2

Ran-0276 77.7 0.598 0.9 152 67.6 1.85 8.63 4.39 4.4

Ran-0278 170 0.384 0.6 -- 45.5 0.22 11.9 <.09 1.7

Ran-0277 58.7 0.012 24.9 -- 1.32 <.04 7.34 7.25 <1.7

Ran-0280 42.4 0.015 28.2 -- 17 <.04 3.48 6.66 <1.7

Ran-0282 66.6 0.033 29.9 -- 20.5 0.1 7.31 0.25 <1.7

Ups-0178 129 0.461 8.3 -- 48.4 0.42 7.81 <.09 <1.7

Ran-0284 85 0.015 15 -- 3.75 0.07 11.8 14.4 <1.7

Ran-0259 45.1 <.010 14 -- 1.49 0.1 7.03 11.6 2.1

Ran-0260 159 0.163 2.7 -- 40.8 0.18 9.83 9.63 <1.7

Lew-0215 168 0.034 7.8 -- 8.44 0.24 13.4 12.7 <1.7

Ran-0275 75.4 0.018 24 -- 20.9 0.09 6.93 22 <1.7

Lew-0221 254 0.078 18 -- 27.1 0.16 14.2 <.09 <1.7

Lew-0218 194 0.035 58 -- 6.48 0.42 18.4 231 <1.7

Ups-0177 99.8 0.119 10 -- 14.5 0.33 7.42 <.09 <1.7

Tuc-0125 -- 0.014 3.8 -- 3.21 <.04 8.13 8.92 7.9

Tuc-0124 181 0.065 19 -- 3.16 <.04 5.77 9.97 5.2

Tuc-0129 219 0.024 21 -- 12 <.04 7.17 11.7 <1.7

Har-0175 -- 0.027 7 -- 2.19 0.29 10.4 39.2 <1.7

Har-0170 270 0.109 21 -- 10.9 0.2 14 13.3 <1.7

Tuc-0127 83.3 0.081 0.9 -- 11 0.07 9.82 10.7 7.1

Bar-0150 -- 0.036 69 -- 10.4 0.12 13.4 23.4 <1.7

Bar-0149 -- 0.112 23 -- 49.3 0.72 7.74 53.4 4

Bar-0151s -- <.010 42 -- 0.57 <.04 8.48 7.6 10.4

Har-0173 382 0.107 4.1 -- 39.1 0.59 12.1 0.21 <1.7

Pre-0124 -- 0.071 26 -- 21 0.05 18.1 6.1 <1.7

Tay-0130 -- 0.033 38 -- 3.78 0.16 8.47 1.63 <1.7

Pre-0173 -- 0.029 1.8 -- 5.83 0.07 12.1 0.46 <1.7

Pre-0166 -- <.010 14 -- 7.03 0.05 14.7 13.2 <1.7

Har-0177 -- 0.019 73 -- 1.86 0.14 11.1 59.8 <1.7

Tay-0129 34.5 0.019 55 -- 1.05 0.09 8.41 10.9 2.5

Pre-0164 -- 0.019 18 -- 21.2 0.08 11.4 20.1 <1.7

Pre-0177 -- <.010 5.5 -- 2.75 <.04 3.31 6.21 1.8

Pre-0176 235 0.01 0.3 36.4 4.96 1.32 7.96 10.4 4.5

Mar-0300 364 0.156 5.8 -- 42.9 0.7 13.6 <.09 <1.7

Mar-0296 182 0.066 59 -- 12.2 0.12 8.99 83.6 5.7

Pre-0162 5.9 <.010 53.6 -- 1.46 <.04 3.63 13.5 979

Pre-0163 2.3 <.010 58.9 -- 0.94 <.04 5.03 13 563

Pre-0172 -- 0.021 <225 -- 53.6 0.07 5.09 14.1 696

Pre-0178 -- 0.019 46 -- 3.24 0.11 7.6 0.76 <1.7

Mng-0582 82.6 <.010 32 -- -- -- 8.77 -- <1.7
Appendix 1 65

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

Barium, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Beryllium, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Cadmium, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Chromium, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Cobalt, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Copper, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Iron, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Lead, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Manganese, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Ran-02611 30.8 <.006 0.032 0.11 0.051 <.50 <3.2 <.015 0.23

Ran-0276 125 0.008 <.016 <.06 <.020 <.50 <3.2 <.015 3.52

Ran-0278 228 <.006 <.016 <.06 <.020 <.50 46.1 0.015 11.6

Ran-0277 172 0.031 <.016 <.06 2.04 <.50 3240 <.015 279

Ran-0280 37.5 <.006 0.026 <.06 0.302 1.3 10.2 0.389 0.77

Ran-0282 267 0.037 <.016 <.06 0.091 <.50 7910 <.015 348

Ups-0178 439 <.006 <.016 0.26 0.113 <.50 83 0.016 16.2

Ran-0284 292 0.022 <.016 <.06 0.027 <.50 1690 0.023 621

Ran-0259 400 0.039 <.016 <.06 0.359 <.50 3100 0.019 148

Ran-0260 563 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.154 <.50 31.6 <.015 28

Lew-0215 618 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.029 <.50 84.4 0.026 141

Ran-0275 660 0.041 <.016 <.06 0.175 <.50 5240 <.015 356

Lew-0221 1250 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.894 <.50 666 <.015 194

Lew-0218 62.4 0.027 <.016 <.06 1.36 <.50 11600 <.015 1670

Ups-0177 430 0.009 <.016 <.06 0.035 <.50 890 <.015 49.4

Tuc-0125 262 <.006 <.016 0.18 0.026 <.50 <3.2 0.043 1.26

Tuc-0124 44.6 <.006 0.018 0.28 0.027 0.75 <3.2 0.037 <.13

Tuc-0129 207 <.006 <.016 0.2 0.049 <.50 <3.2 0.033 <.13

Har-0175 238 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.024 <.50 905 <.015 131

Har-0170 236 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.024 <.50 751 <.015 145

Tuc-0127 514 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.055 <.50 10.9 <.015 70.9

Bar-0150 346 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.084 <.50 1050 <.015 420

Bar-0149 93.9 <.006 <.016 0.75 0.077 <.50 8.4 0.099 12.2

Bar-0151s 22.1 0.063 0.027 0.15 0.073 <.50 <3.2 <.015 2.99

Har-0173 528 0.007 <.016 <.06 0.251 <.50 27.7 <.015 8.96

Pre-0124 645 0.01 <.016 <.06 0.058 0.54 1560 0.017 416

Tay-0130 392 0.03 <.016 <.06 0.267 <.50 1940 0.036 185

Pre-0173 1400 <.006 <.016 <.06 <.020 <.50 64.4 <.015 61

Pre-0166 112 0.016 <.016 <.06 0.541 <.50 1440 <.015 149

Har-0177 192 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.149 <.50 775 <.015 353

Tay-0129 81.7 0.016 <.016 0.1 4.3 <.50 7830 <.015 290

Pre-0164 159 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.469 <.50 1360 0.04 256

Pre-0177 60.2 <.006 <.016 0.09 0.046 <.50 3.7 0.016 0.14

Pre-0176 31.7 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.153 <.50 <3.2 <.015 2.57

Mar-0300 1350 <.006 <.016 <.06 0.046 <.50 84 0.016 32.6

Mar-0296 104 0.013 <.016 <.06 0.615 <.50 574 0.017 184

Pre-0162 35.8 0.134 0.347 0.12 2.5 2.8 3.6 0.619 61.4

Pre-0163 37.6 0.206 0.174 0.21 3.32 21.3 7.7 1.64 84.9

Pre-0172 186 0.495 0.658 0.07 9.48 155 14.5 3.74 291

Pre-0178 206 0.017 <.016 <.06 1.34 <.50 1920 <.015 263

Mng-0582 53.9 0.007 <.016 0.14 0.033 1.9 3.9 0.05 0.29
66 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

Molybdenum, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Nickel, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Silver, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Strontium, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Zinc, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Antimony, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Arsenic, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Boron, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Selenium, 

wf, 

in μg/L

Ran-02611 0.07 0.15 <.005 36.4 1.5 <.027 0.09 6 0.07

Ran-0276 1.13 <.09 <.005 34.3 <1.4 0.09 5.3 370 <.03

Ran-0278 0.174 <.09 <.005 57.8 1.4 <.027 1 101 <.03

Ran-0277 0.069 0.89 <.005 178 13.5 <.027 2.1 5 <.03

Ran-0280 0.026 0.82 <.005 39 10.7 0.063 0.05 9 0.27

Ran-0282 0.023 <.09 <.005 91.3 4.9 <.027 0.19 16 <.03

Ups-0178 0.05 0.21 <.005 288 <1.4 <.027 0.11 41 <.03

Ran-0284 0.272 <.09 <.005 172 1.5 <.027 2.8 15 <.03

Ran-0259 <.014 0.49 <.005 197 2.2 <.027 0.08 11 <.03

Ran-0260 0.816 <.09 <.005 526 <1.4 0.03 0.31 52 0.04

Lew-0215 1.25 0.1 <.005 705 17.7 <.027 6.3 21 <.03

Ran-0275 0.146 0.33 <.005 508 2 <.027 0.18 14 <.03

Lew-0221 0.418 0.15 <.005 773 <1.4 0.039 0.73 22 <.03

Lew-0218 0.394 0.97 <.005 752 2.5 <.027 1.5 26 <.03

Ups-0177 0.014 <.09 <.005 234 1.6 <.027 <.02 33 <.03

Tuc-0125 0.817 <.09 <.005 495 10.6 0.036 1.2 14 0.27

Tuc-0124 0.154 0.19 <.005 105 4.4 <.027 0.13 5 0.1

Tuc-0129 0.054 0.14 <.005 115 <1.4 <.027 0.18 6 0.1

Har-0175 1.93 <.09 <.005 176 <1.4 <.027 2.7 40 <.03

Har-0170 0.327 <.09 <.005 555 <1.4 <.027 1.2 27 <.03

Tuc-0127 0.158 <.09 <.005 102 <1.4 <.027 1 31 <.03

Bar-0150 0.215 0.24 <.005 182 13 <.027 0.6 15 <.03

Bar-0149 2.4 0.59 <.005 244 3.2 0.048 0.29 77 0.06

Bar-0151s <.014 1.7 <.005 16.8 2.9 <.027 0.03 7 0.05

Har-0173 0.686 <.09 <.005 197 <1.4 <.027 0.1 85 <.03

Pre-0124 0.127 0.18 <.005 212 7.5 <.027 5.7 91 <.03

Tay-0130 0.017 0.52 <.005 222 48.2 <.027 0.39 16 <.03

Pre-0173 0.088 <.09 <.005 558 3.1 <.027 0.97 108 <.03

Pre-0166 0.144 1.3 <.005 91 3.2 <.027 1.1 17 <.03

Har-0177 0.164 0.27 <.005 787 1.7 <.027 1.2 34 <.03

Tay-0129 0.07 4.4 <.005 21.8 6 <.027 4.1 7 <.03

Pre-0164 0.865 0.85 <.005 152 2.2 0.047 2.3 18 0.13

Pre-0177 0.328 0.17 <.005 63 7 0.035 0.28 6 0.15

Pre-0176 0.208 <.09 <.005 15.7 <1.4 <.027 0.05 128 <.03

Mar-0300 1.56 <.09 <.005 507 <1.4 <.027 0.45 94 <.03

Mar-0296 0.175 0.49 <.005 355 5.4 0.056 0.35 37 0.1

Pre-0162 <.014 2.3 <.005 9.6 24.5 <.027 <.02 7 0.11

Pre-0163 <.014 5.8 0.014 13.2 87.9 <.027 <.02 5 0.17

Pre-0172 <.014 8.1 0.015 37.4 78.8 <.027 0.07 11 0.09

Pre-0178 0.022 1.1 <.005 131 5.1 <.027 0.12 12 0.04

Mng-0582 0.041 0.2 <.005 91 26.1 0.042 0.09 19 0.3
Appendix 1 67

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

Alpha activity, 

wf, Thorium-230, 

in pCi/L

Gross beta, 

wf, Cesium-137, 

in pCi/L

Radium-224, 

wf, 

in pCi/L

Radium-226, 

wf, 

in pCi/L

Radium-228, 

wf, 

in pCi/L

Uranium, 

wf, 

in pCi/L

Uranium-234, 

wf, 

in pCi/L

Uranium235, 

wf pCi/L

Uranium-238, 

wf, 

in pCi/L

Ran-02611 R.6 R1.0 R.05 R.03 -- 0.074 0.028 R-.007 0.015

Ran-0276 R1.2 R.8 R.1 0.2 -- 0.043 0.13 R.009 0.025

Ran-0278 R-.6 1.1 R.00 1 -- <.004 -- -- --

Ran-0277 R.1 1.1 R-.1 R-.16 -- <.004 -- -- --

Ran-0280 R.2 2.3 R.2 0.15 -- 0.005 0.03 R-.007 0.033

Ran-0282 0.9 1.3 R.2 0.29 -- <.004 -- -- --

Ups-0178 R.1 1.7 R-.10 0.15 -- <.004 -- -- --

Ran-0284 0.7 1.2 R.12 R.15 -- <.004 -- -- --

Ran-0259 1.9 3.3 R.16 0.15 -- <.004 -- -- --

Ran-0260 R-.1 2.1 0.4 0.31 0.3 0.122 0.13 R.009 0.043

Lew-0215 1 R.6 R.2 0.3 -- 0.039 0.02 R.006 0.012

Ran-0275 1.5 3.3 0.34 0.3 0.44 <.004 -- -- --

Lew-0221 R1.0 2.7 0.33 0.65 0.49 <.004 -- -- --

Lew-0218 1.1 1.7 R.2 0.39 -- <.004 -- -- --

Ups-0177 1.1 2.6 R.03 0.2 -- <.004 -- -- --

Tuc-0125 R.6 1.4 R.03 0.08 -- 0.518 0.34 R.004 0.16

Tuc-0124 R.3 R.6 R.00 0.26 -- 0.487 0.22 0.021 0.12

Tuc-0129 1.9 R.3 0.14 R.05 R-.15 0.421 0.28 R.005 0.12

Har-0175 0.6 R.5 0.34 0.5 R.12 0.062 0.034 R-.003 0.012

Har-0170 R.9 R.1 R.29 0.28 -- <.004 -- -- --

Tuc-0127 0.7 0.9 R.03 0.2 -- <.004 -- -- --

Bar-0150 2 1.4 R-.09 0.8 -- 0.017 0.024 R.009 R.007

Bar-0149 2 R-.5 0.25 0.14 R.06 0.682 0.43 0.025 0.24

Bar-0151s 0.9 R.2 -- R.07 -- 0.029 R.010 R.003 R.005

Har-0173 2.7 1.1 R.20 0.27 -- <.004 -- -- --

Pre-0124 R-.2 1.5 0.42 0.48 0.5 0.007 0.03 R.005 R.004

Tay-0130 1.1 2.9 0.4 0.59 0.55 <.004 -- -- --

Pre-0173 3.6 1.8 R.25 0.85 -- <.004 -- -- --

Pre-0166 0.8 1.4 R.00 0.73 -- <.004 -- -- --

Har-0177 R.7 2 0.8 0.8 0.4 0.085 0.035 R.000 0.011

Tay-0129 1.5 1.1 R.00 0.14 -- <.004 -- -- --

Pre-0164 2 1.5 R-.16 R.10 -- 0.205 0.084 0.009 0.079

Pre-0177 R.1 0.9 R-.11 0.33 -- 0.237 0.109 R.008 0.067

Pre-0176 R.5 R.4 R.10 0.2 -- 0.011 0.07 R.005 0.039

Mar-0300 1.2 0.8 R.4 0.5 -- 0.005 R.011 R.003 0.011

Mar-0296 R-.4 1.7 R.3 0.22 -- 0.166 -- -- --

Pre-0162 2.5 1 0.8 0.79 0.83 0.022 R.011 R-.004 0.011

Pre-0163 6.8 5.1 3.9 1.9 3.2 0.041 0.033 R.005 0.041

Pre-0172 6 4.8 2.2 1.5 2.48 0.025 0.024 R.000 R.007

Pre-0178 1 R.4 0.23 0.23 R.21 <.004 -- -- --

Mng-0582 R.3 R.6 0.5 0.21 R.20 0.164 0.04 R.000 R.016
68 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

Dissolved 

methane, 

in mg/L

Dissolved 

carbon 

dioxide, 

in mg/L

Dissolved 

nitrogen 

gas (N2

), 

in mg/L

Dissolved oxygen, 

in mg/L, laboratory 

analysis

Dissolved 

argon,

 in mg/L

18OSO4,

in ‰

34SSO4, 

in ‰

13CDIC, 

in ‰

2

HH2O, 

in ‰

Ran-02611 0.001 7.529 15.377 1.903 0.556 0.8 2.9 -12.2 -56.0

Ran-0276 48.204 0.742 9.585 0.104 0.457 1.8 5.6 -7.9 -60.1

Ran-0278 8.376 0.609 18.038 0.221 0.665 -- -- -13.2 -62.4

Ran-0277 0.04 23.735 19.453 0.246 0.696 1.6 4.0 -15.0 -67.8

Ran-0280 0.001 28.136 16.292 5.525 0.612 -2.4 3.1 -15.8 -57.0

Ran-0282 2.353 29.516 19.412 0.246 0.701 -- -- -16.1 -59.5

Ups-0178 7.31 8.401 27.179 0.259 0.805 -- -- -1.1 -59.9

Ran-0284 0.01 10.892 19.535 0.25 0.672 3.0 -17.1 -17.3 -65.1

Ran-0259 0.35 18.473 20.227 0.262 0.715 nd nd -14.1 -64.0

Ran-0260 0.963 3.469 19.141 0.236 0.662 1.3 -1.8 -13.6 -62.6

Lew-0215 0.001 7.584 20.899 0.266 0.717 2.3 -7.5 -18.5 -53.3

Ran-0275 0.143 19.434 18.668 0.248 0.657 3.1 1.5 -14.5 -60.3

Lew-0221 21.916 15.707 10.688 0.114 0.419 -3.3 8.9 -20.0 -51.1

Lew-0218 0.079 47.99 20.701 0.252 0.727 0.3 5.4 -17.5 -52.1

Ups-0177 12.839 8.911 17.689 0.202 0.676 -- -- -7.5 -61.0

Tuc-0125 0.001 5.836 18.768 1.349 0.677 0.7 3.5 -12.1 -63.2

Tuc-0124 0.001 22.685 20.825 2.172 0.719 0.1 -3.4 -12.8 -61.6

Tuc-0129 0.001 21.023 18.845 1.482 0.683 0.4 1.3 -13.2 -62.3

Har-0175 0.009 6.821 20.748 0.273 0.722 3.8 -4.9 -19.2 -53.0

Har-0170 2.112 13.589 20.214 0.249 0.708 10.9 14.6 -20.9 -52.0

Tuc-0127 0.325 0.787 18.712 0.249 0.665 1.3 -4.6 -18.4 -60.6

Bar-0150 0.001 49.47 21.16 0.223 0.671 3.2 -6.2 -16.8 -55.1

Bar-0149 0.406 17.225 17.411 0.228 0.632 5.4 4.5 -18.7 -51.1

Bar-0151s 0.001 48.887 15.511 6.095 0.588 -0.4 -0.4 -19.8 -59.9

Har-0173 12.264 3.595 18.173 0.212 0.657 -- -- -12.7 -51.7

Pre-0124 1.629 28.386 21.642 0.257 0.736 3.5 -3.9 -16.8 -60.7

Tay-0130 3.069 32.457 19.205 0.242 0.682 3.6 17.1 -9.8 -59.5

Pre-0173 3.159 2.137 18.348 0.237 0.662 -- -- -15.0 -60.5

Pre-0166 0.003 15.067 20.132 0.252 0.688 1.2 -7.4 -16.8 -66.6

Har-0177 0.001 60.142 19.833 0.554 0.729 -3.2 -1.1 -12.2 -50.0

Tay-0129 0.001 68.831 18.331 1.196 0.679 3.8 0.7 -17.3 -57.0

Pre-0164 0.001 20.281 19.623 0.233 0.656 -0.4 -7.0 -13.2 -62.5

Pre-0177 0.001 5.825 15.327 0.214 0.561 2.4 -2.5 -12.6 -59.8

Pre-0176 0.381 0.327 22.274 0.28 0.762 -0.3 3.8 -13.0 -58.5

Mar-0300 17.839 4.715 14.968 0.15 0.526 -- -- -19.5 -52.5

Mar-0296 0.001 47.655 19.568 0.245 0.679 7.8 8.1 -15.9 -51.1

Pre-0162 0.001 53.295 18.524 8.204 0.687 -0.8 1.5 -23.4 -63.5

Pre-0163 0.001 58.565 17.185 8.071 0.66 -- -- -22.9 -66.3

Pre-0172 0.001 64.834 17.199 5.76 0.648 1.4 1.8 -23.4 -61.9

Pre-0178 0.387 43.301 21.802 0.273 0.783 -- -- -18.1 -57.8

Mng-0582 0.001 31.883 17.32 3.047 0.65 0.8 2.8 -16.2 -63.5
Appendix 1 69

Appendix 1. Data for groundwater samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, June–September 2011.—Continued

[<, less than; mmHg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, micrograms 

per liter; wf, filtered water; ft bls, feet below land surface; NA, not applicable; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; NA, not applicable; R, non-detect, result 

below sample-specific critical level; nd, not detected; ‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; 

CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Local 

well 

name

18OH2O, 

in ‰

13CCH4, 

dissolved, 

in ‰

2

HCH4, 

dissolved, 

in ‰

Ran-02611 -9.0 nd nd

Ran-0276 -9.0 -57.8 -222.1

Ran-0278 -9.1 -69.9 -233.9

Ran-0277 -10.0 -- --

Ran-0280 -8.6 nd nd

Ran-0282 -9.1 -61.4 -201.1

Ups-0178 -9.4 nd nd

Ran-0284 -10.1 nd nd

Ran-0259 -9.9 nd nd

Ran-0260 -9.8 -59.5 -157.0

Lew-0215 -8.3 nd nd

Ran-0275 -9.4 nd nd

Lew-0221 -8.2 -52.7 -214.5

Lew-0218 -8.2 -42.0 --

Ups-0177 -9.6 -54.9 -229.9

Tuc-0125 -9.7 -- --

Tuc-0124 -9.6 nd nd

Tuc-0129 -9.4 nd nd

Har-0175 -8.7 -- --

Har-0170 -8.5 nd nd

Tuc-0127 -9.2 -63.1 -151.0

Bar-0150 -8.3 -- --

Bar-0149 -7.5 -50.4 -99.2

Bar-0151s -9.0 -- --

Har-0173 -8.5 nd nd

Pre-0124 -9.4 nd nd

Tay-0130 -8.7 -50.4 -191.7

Pre-0173 -9.7 nd nd

Pre-0166 -10.3 nd nd

Har-0177 -8.0 -- --

Tay-0129 -9.1 nd nd

Pre-0164 -10.1 nd nd

Pre-0177 -9.5 -- --

Pre-0176 -9.1 nd nd

Mar-0300 -8.4 -55.6 -192.8

Mar-0296 -8.5 nd nd

Pre-0162 -9.5 -- --

Pre-0163 -9.8 nd nd

Pre-0172 -9.8 -- --

Pre-0178 -9.1 -67.2 -171.0

Mng-0582 -9.5 nd nd 1

North Spring at Bowden, West Virginia.
70 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 2 . Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, July–October 2012.

[CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; <, less than; mmHg, 

millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water; cm, centimeter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; R, non-detect, result below sample-specific critical level; 

‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Station number Station name Sample 

date

Sample 

start time

Air pressure, 

in mmHg

Discharge, 

instantaneous, 

in ft3/s

Dissolved 

oxygen,

in mg/L

03050800 ROARING CREEK AT NORTON, WV 8/27/2012 1330 718 2.3 8.8

03062215 INDIAN CREEK AT CROWN, WV 8/21/2012 1240 738 6.2 11.3

03069880 BUFFALO CREEK NEAR ROWLESBURG, WV 10/16/2012 935 716 4.9 10.5

383309080021539 C01.0TYGART VLY R @ HWY 15 BR @ VALLEY HEAD WV 8/29/2012 940 701 1.6 8.9

383936079585339 C02.0BECKY CR @ HWY 56 BR NR HUTTONSVILLE WV 8/29/2012 1220 706 0.55 8.4

384352080084839 C13.0L F R F BUCKHANNON R @ HWY 46 BR @ CZAR WV 8/28/2012 1510 706 1.2 8.4

384401079584939 C03.0MILL CR @ HWY 46 BR @ MILL CREEK WV 8/29/2012 1415 709 0.57 7.9

384440080140939 C12.0R F BUCKHANNON R @ HWY 48 BR @ NEWLONTON WV 8/28/2012 1000 713 2.3 8.6

384517080093039 C14.0L F BUCKHANNON R @ HWY 9 BR @ PALACE VLY WV 8/30/2012 1050 711 1.2 9

385015079523339 C04.0FILES CR @ HWY 219 BR @ BEVERLY WV 8/28/2012 835 711 0.8 7.3

385207080272939 D01.0WEST FK R @ HWY 44 BR @ WALKERSVILLE, WV 8/29/2012 1340 734 0.47 4.6

385232080155239 C15.0LAUREL FK @ HWY 20/10 BR NR ADRIAN, WV 8/23/2012 1035 727 0.64 9.1

385307080175339 C16.0FRENCH CR @ HWY 20 BR @ FRENCH CREEK WV 8/23/2012 915 727 1.2 5.6

385333079384039 F03.0GLADY FK @ HWY 33 BR @ ALPENA WV 8/28/2012 1110 695 6.4 8.3

385342079512439 C05.0CHENOWETH CR @ HWY 23 BR @ ELKINS AIRPORT 8/27/2012 1715 712 1 7.6

385346080065239 C11.0RIGHT FK @ HWY 28/1 BR NR KEDRON WV 8/29/2012 1710 713 0.34 7.5

385750080091039 C18.0SAND RUN NR BUCKHANNON WV 8/27/2012 1350 724 3.1 8.8

390134079491139 C06.0LEADING CR @ HWY 3 BR NR KERNS WV 8/28/2012 1400 712 0.27 7.4

390253080283839 D07.0POLK CR @ HWY 33 BR @ WESTON WV 8/29/2012 915 736 0.05 7.9

390334080091839 C20.0PECKS RUN @ HWY 1/13 BR @ TETER WV 10/16/2012 1415 719 0.95 10.4

390520080232239 D10.0HACKERS CR @ HWY 14 BR NR JANE LEW WV 8/22/2012 1520 739 5.2 13.6

390627080294039 D08.0FREEMANS CR @ BR @ VALLEY CHAPEL WV 8/22/2012 1330 739 0.27 8.6

390820079304039 F09.0N FK BLACKWATER R @ HWY 27 BR @ COKETON WV 10/15/2012 1320 680 15 10.1

390853079424839 F12.0CLOVER RUN @ HWY 21 BR @ ST. GEORGE WV 8/30/2012 1105 726 -- 9.1

390947080154239 D12.0GNATTY CR @ HWY 20/20 BR @ ROMINES MILLS WV 8/23/2012 1345 740 9.9 8.7

391000079421039 F11.0MINEAR RUN @ HWY 5 BR @ ST. GEORGE WV 8/30/2012 835 723 0.85 8.7

391000080220739 D11.0LOST CR @ HWY 27/2 BR @ LOST CREEK WV 8/22/2012 940 739 0.15 6

391023080140539 D13.0ELK CR @ HWY 57/2 BR NR ROMINES MILLS WV 8/23/2012 1045 739 9.2 8.7

391108079354239 F10.0HORSESHOE RUN @ HWY 9 BR @ LEAD MINE WV 10/15/2012 1530 709 7.6 10

391212079545339 C24.0TETER CR @ HWY 92 BR NR NESTORVILLE WV 10/10/2012 1000 726 15 11

391353080172039 D14.0BRUSHY FK @ HWY 42 BR NR STONEWOOD WV 8/20/2012 1305 733 1.1 8.7

391605080094739 D15.0SIMPSON CR @ HWY 13/13 BR @ ROSEMONT WV 8/20/2012 1555 733 10 8.6

391632080292039 D17.0TENMILE CR @ HWY 31 BR @ MAKEN WV 8/22/2012 1045 739 0.17 4.9

391817080291539 D18.0SALEM CR @ HWY 5/9 BR NR MAKEN WV 8/20/2012 1355 733 0.73 8.8

391958079520739 C26.0L SANDY CR @ HWY 92/14 BR @ EVANSVILLE WV 10/11/2012 1310 731 4.4 10.2

392105079394839 F14.0SALTLICK CR @ RR BR @ ROWLESBURG WV 10/16/2012 1015 723 5 10.4

392203080243739 D19.0L TENMILE CR @ HWY 20 BR @ ROSEBUD WV 8/22/2012 1400 740 0.99 9.4

392335080114839 D24.0HUSTEAD FK @ HWY 3/16 BR @ BOOTHSVILLE WV 8/1/2012 1320 734 0.38 9.9

392457080192939 D21.0BINGAMON CR @ HWY 8 BR @ PINE BLUFF WV 8/1/2012 1510 734 4.2 10.1

392947080054139 E06.0PRICKETTS CR @ HWY 73 BR @ MEADOWDALE WV 7/31/2012 1650 734 1 9.2

393059079483739 E09.0DECKERS CR @ HWY 27 BR @ REEDSVILLE WV 10/10/2012 1435 714 3.5 10.3

393250080023439 E08.0WHITEDAY CR @ HWY 36 BR NR SMITHTOWN WV 7/31/2012 1650 734 3.7 9

393308080100339 E04.0PAW PAW CR @ HWY 17 BR @ GRANT TOWN WV 8/21/2012 1005 738 0.92 5.9

393320080212239 E02.0PYLES FK @ HWY 250/5 BR NR METZ WV 8/1/2012 930 733 2 6

393408080045039 E07.0INDIAN CR @ HWY 45/2 BR @ OSGOOD WV 8/21/2012 1505 738 9.1 9.4

393838079361239 F19.0L SANDY CR @ HWY 3/4 BR NR BRANDONVILLE WV 10/9/2012 1245 719 12 11

393903079432039 F21.0LAUREL RUN @ HWY 73/73 BR NR LAUREL RUN WV 7/31/2012 1310 721 0.98 9.3

394208080180239 G01.0WEST VIRGINIA FK @ HWY 7 BR @ WANNA WV 8/21/2012 930 737 0.54 4.8

394212080152739 G02.0MIRACLE RUN @ HWY 7 BR @ BULA WV 8/21/2012 1235 737 0.48 8.1

394227080065739 G03.0DOLLS RUN @ HWY 7 BR NR CORE WV 8/21/2012 1540 738 0.2 9.5
Appendix 2 71

Appendix 2 . Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued

[CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; <, less than; mmHg, 

millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water; cm, centimeter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; R, non-detect, result below sample-specific critical level; 

‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Station number

Dissolved 

oxygen, 

in percent 

saturation

pH, 

in standard units

Specific 

conductance, 

in μS/cm

Water 

temperature, 

in °C

Turbidity, 

in formazin 

nephelometric 

units

Total dissolved 

solids, 

dried at 180°C, 

in mg/L

Hardness, water, 

in mg/L as CaCO3

Noncarbonate 

hardness, wf, 

in mg/L as CaCO3

Calcium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

03050800 101 5.4 274 19.2 0 168 112 112 28.3

03062215 133 8.3 5,380 21.3 2 4,380 1,090 750 291

03069880 100 7.3 75 10.5 0 44 29.1 2 8.94

383309080021539 101 8 176 17.2 0.7 102 76 3 25.7

383936079585339 104 7.7 105 22.1 0.2 73 47 5 15.2

384352080084839 104 8.2 256 22.6 0.5 165 30.8 -- 9.63

384401079584939 98 7.5 81 22.4 2 55 38.5 7 12.6

384440080140939 103 8.6 113 20.6 0.8 66 25.2 -- 7.68

384517080093039 98 7.2 57 16.6 0.3 37 20.2 5 5.51

385015079523339 87 7.2 102 20.5 0.6 77 42.2 2 13.3

385207080272939 55 7 200 22.8 3.4 113 68 10 21

385232080155239 98 7.4 101 17.2 0.8 69 40.6 10 13.2

385307080175339 62 7 118 18.1 5.9 72 47.3 4 14.6

385333079384039 100 7.2 56 20.1 2.1 45 23.5 3 7.3

385342079512439 97 7.7 239 23.9 0 144 88.4 9 28.4

385346080065239 89 7.4 103 20.7 0.2 60 46 7 15.6

385750080091039 103 7.6 305 20.4 2.5 195 137 105 28.9

390134079491139 102 7.2 115 28.1 6.2 63 42.5 4 12.9

390253080283839 90 7.8 466 19.6 0.6 278 189 48 53.1

390334080091839 108 7.6 751 14.4 8.4 495 386 277 105

390520080232239 171 8.7 701 25.7 4.6 486 280 154 74.9

390627080294039 105 7.9 360 23.7 6 225 174 65 48.1

390820079304039 106 8.1 165 12.5 6.8 98 72.1 34 21.4

390853079424839 97 7.2 62 16.4 0 44 24 6 6.63

390947080154239 101 8.2 1,220 20.9 10 908 500 256 126

391000079421039 94 7.2 63 16.6 2.6 44 24.1 4 6.5

391000080220739 68 7.6 557 19.6 12 334 230 110 65

391023080140539 97 8 769 19.3 3.6 622 378 252 97.1

391108079354239 100 7.5 68 12.1 1.8 49 25.8 5 7.33

391212079545339 103 7.6 96 10.3 -- 64 39.7 8 12.3

391353080172039 104 8.1 843 21.8 2.9 615 453 320 120

391605080094739 98 8 1,120 19.8 1.5 872 534 442 145

391632080292039 53 7.4 378 18.4 16 216 150 5 44.4

391817080291539 102 7.9 499 20.8 3.8 280 151 40 46.7

391958079520739 93 4.8 305 9.6 0.9 190 106 99 31.2

392105079394839 100 7.6 126 11.2 0.2 71 52.7 14 15.6

392203080243739 113 8.1 1,080 23.1 -- 744 418 228 125

392335080114839 120 8.2 285 23.2 2.7 174 122 56 37.7

392457080192939 127 8.4 1,110 25.2 -- 762 259 101 69.7

392947080054139 117 8.5 316 25.3 0.9 192 127 26 40

393059079483739 100 7.4 611 11.5 2.4 441 314 261 104

393250080023439 113 8.6 136 25.3 1.8 80 53.8 11 16.9

393308080100339 67 7.7 1,080 19.6 18 725 276 92 75.2

393320080212239 71 7.8 366 21.9 12 211 95 -- 28.8

393408080045039 111 8.3 4,080 21.2 1.5 3,300 889 649 227

393838079361239 101 7.7 236 9.3 1.1 139 85.6 48 23.6

393903079432039 113 7.9 125 21.9 -- 74 37.6 14 11.8

394208080180239 53 7.6 435 18.9 20 263 121 -- 35.1

394212080152739 92 8 985 20.4 5.3 626 193 40 50.3

394227080065739 110 8.3 415 21.3 2 242 147 3 43.2
72 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 2 . Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued

[CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; <, less than; mmHg, 

millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water; cm, centimeter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; R, non-detect, result below sample-specific critical level; 

‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Station number

Magnesium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Potassium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Sodium, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Alkalinity, wf, 

inflection point 

field titration, 

in mg/L as CaCO3

Bicarbonate, wf, 

inflection point 

field titration,

in mg/L 

Bromide, 

wf, 

in mg/L

Carbon dioxide, 

water, 

in mg/L

Carbonate,wf, 

inflection point 

field titration,

 in mg/L

Chloride, 

wf,

in mg/L

03050800 10 1.33 3.99 0.1 0.4 0.027 2.6 -- 5.68

03062215 86.3 8.85 949 337 401 0.692 3.2 4.5 100

03069880 1.63 1.36 2.91 26.9 32.8 0.016 2.7 -- 3.25

383309080021539 2.85 1.14 6.26 73.4 88.4 0.018 1.5 0.5 6.24

383936079585339 2.17 1.08 1.93 41.7 50.8 0.021 1.6 0.1 1.61

384352080084839 1.61 1.13 45 83.5 101 0.024 0.9 0.6 3.73

384401079584939 1.72 0.92 0.89 31.6 38.5 0.018 1.9 -- 0.87

384440080140939 1.45 0.78 14 36 43.7 0.02 0.2 0.1 2.44

384517080093039 1.55 0.66 2.65 14.8 18 0.025 1.8 -- 2.21

385015079523339 2.16 1.29 3.26 40 48.7 0.018 5.1 -- 3.11

385207080272939 3.74 2.76 11.9 58.1 70.9 0.083 11 -- 15.9

385232080155239 1.8 1.34 3.75 30.9 37.6 0.048 2.7 0.1 6.59

385307080175339 2.63 1.76 4.37 42.9 52.2 0.031 7.7 -- 5.69

385333079384039 1.26 0.88 1.27 20 24.4 0.015 2.3 -- 1.1

385342079512439 4.2 1.93 12.7 79.2 95.7 0.04 3.3 0.4 15.4

385346080065239 1.72 1.04 2.02 39.4 48 0.026 3.4 -- 2.14

385750080091039 15.6 2.18 4.24 31.8 38.6 0.03 1.5 0.1 6.13

390134079491139 2.47 1.98 4.61 38.2 46.5 0.027 4.2 0.1 6.16

390253080283839 13.7 4.9 25.7 141 170 0.069 4.8 1.4 42.8

390334080091839 29.8 3.59 22.8 109 133 0.035 5.5 0.1 8.86

390520080232239 22.4 3.31 50 125 152 0.045 0.5 0.6 5.96

390627080294039 13.1 3.85 6.25 110 134 0.031 2.7 0.1 3.82

390820079304039 4.49 1.6 5.04 38.4 46.7 0.026 0.6 0.1 6.79

390853079424839 1.81 1.06 2.06 18.5 22.5 0.017 2 -- 1.73

390947080154239 44.9 3.93 102 244 286 0.039 3.3 5.1 6.94

391000079421039 1.89 1.26 1.72 20 24.4 0.018 2.6 -- 1.88

391000080220739 16.3 3.55 26.7 119 145 0.052 6.5 0.3 40.3

391023080140539 32.8 3.1 50 126 154 0.038 2.7 -- 7.29

391108079354239 1.8 1.23 2.45 20.8 25.4 0.014 1.2 -- 3.81

391212079545339 2.15 1.4 3.35 31.8 38.8 0.014 1.5 -- 4.09

391353080172039 37.2 4.33 17.6 133 160 0.041 2 0.9 6.39

391605080094739 41.2 3.53 56.1 92 111 0.038 1.7 0.4 5.39

391632080292039 9.36 3.92 24.6 145 174 0.035 13 0.9 9.02

391817080291539 8.28 5.07 41.2 111 134 0.069 2.5 0.6 63.1

391958079520739 6.78 2 7.5 5.8 8.3 0.018 208 -- 8.15

392105079394839 3.3 1.33 4.02 39 47.6 0.019 1.8 -- 6.06

392203080243739 25 4.72 93.8 190 228 0.049 3.1 1.9 10.8

392335080114839 6.71 2.81 8.96 65.7 79.5 0.036 0.7 0.3 11

392457080192939 20.2 3.45 151 158 192 0.164 1.2 0.4 26.6

392947080054139 6.56 2.59 16.7 103 123 0.029 0.6 -- 13.9

393059079483739 13.5 5.12 8.31 53.1 64.6 0.036 4 -- 10.7

393250080023439 2.76 1.76 5.15 43.3 52.3 0.018 0.2 0.2 6.38

393308080100339 21.3 3.38 134 184 223 0.259 7.1 0.4 41.5

393320080212239 5.55 1.88 40.5 116 141 0.156 4.1 0.3 21.8

393408080045039 77.4 7.05 697 241 290 0.459 2.2 1.8 71.2

393838079361239 6.48 2.36 12.9 38 46.3 0.037 1.4 -- 17.4

393903079432039 1.93 0.9 8.29 23.4 28.4 0.022 0.6 -- 14.2

394208080180239 7.91 2.86 49.8 160 194 0.051 7.7 0.6 14.4

394212080152739 16.4 3.09 151 154 184 0.21 2.8 1.5 42

394227080065739 9.46 2.82 32.2 145 174 0.067 1.5 0.8 14.6
Appendix 2 73

Appendix 2 . Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued

[CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; <, less than; mmHg, 

millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water; cm, centimeter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; R, non-detect, result below sample-specific critical level; 

‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Station number

Fluoride, 

wf,

in mg/L

Silica, 

wf,

in mg/L

Sulfate, 

wf,

in mg/L

Aluminum, 

wf,

in μg/L

Barium, 

wf,

in μg/L

Beryllium, 

wf,

in μg/L

Cadmium, 

wf,

in μg/L

Chromium, 

wf,

in μg/L

Cobalt, 

wf,

in μg/L

03050800 <.04 7.01 112 99.8 51.3 0.245 0.188 <.07 2.9

03062215 0.26 10.1 2,640 <6.6 18.1 <.018 <.048 <.21 0.52

03069880 <.04 4.65 6.76 4.8 50.8 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.224

383309080021539 <.04 5.5 5.52 <2.2 49.8 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.323

383936079585339 <.04 6.28 5.79 2.9 36.5 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.043

384352080084839 0.1 3.27 34.5 19.8 43 <.006 <.016 0.07 0.346

384401079584939 <.04 2.83 4.17 22.7 41.9 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.107

384440080140939 <.04 2.22 13.3 8.7 43.4 0.006 <.016 <.07 0.194

384517080093039 <.04 2.67 7.64 5.6 35.5 0.008 0.034 <.07 0.09

385015079523339 <.04 3.94 5.86 3.2 48 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.324

385207080272939 <.04 3.72 8.32 3.6 84.6 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.727

385232080155239 0.05 3.66 5.84 38.8 74.5 0.025 0.017 <.07 0.524

385307080175339 0.05 4.87 6.36 10.8 49.5 0.009 <.016 0.08 0.788

385333079384039 <.04 3 3.42 9.1 37 0.006 0.017 <.07 0.347

385342079512439 <.04 4.45 13.5 3.9 58.7 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.507

385346080065239 <.04 2.56 6.7 8.1 67.3 0.014 <.016 <.07 0.416

385750080091039 0.05 4.04 101 10.5 51.7 0.007 <.016 <.07 0.348

390134079491139 <.04 2.2 5.24 19.1 57.7 0.011 0.019 0.07 1.11

390253080283839 0.13 3.16 40.2 2.7 71.6 <.006 <.016 0.07 0.64

390334080091839 0.16 1.69 280 61.9 58.5 0.012 0.067 <.07 3.99

390520080232239 0.18 3.86 220 12.2 64.9 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.224

390627080294039 0.1 3.75 60.1 6.9 70.8 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.862

390820079304039 0.06 2.95 26.8 35.7 35.1 0.01 0.018 0.11 1.5

390853079424839 <.04 4.91 5.69 3.6 27.6 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.078

390947080154239 0.23 4.45 433 10.2 54.8 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.337

391000079421039 <.04 4.28 5.98 5.1 30 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.08

391000080220739 0.12 4.12 82.2 4.9 95 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.894

391023080140539 0.14 4.58 309 14.2 49 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.272

391108079354239 <.04 3.87 5.95 5 32.3 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.461

391212079545339 <.04 3.36 7.45 4.6 42.3 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.157

391353080172039 0.15 4.06 301 5.6 65.9 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.578

391605080094739 0.25 9.93 470 41 36.7 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.753

391632080292039 0.1 4.23 23 11.5 98.4 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.423

391817080291539 0.14 3.06 23.7 10.8 86.5 0.039 0.053 0.1 0.435

391958079520739 0.09 9.61 144 4,420 47.3 1.8 0.21 0.37 20.6

392105079394839 <.04 4.27 12.6 2.7 58.9 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.106

392203080243739 0.27 6.32 363 13.1 66.2 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.341

392335080114839 0.09 3.98 42 8 62.2 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.327

392457080192939 0.22 2.64 369 7.1 67.5 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.434

392947080054139 0.11 2.91 31.1 13.9 78.7 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.548

393059079483739 0.18 2.55 261 4.2 37.4 0.006 0.025 <.07 1.01

393250080023439 0.06 2.05 11.8 25 56.2 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.311

393308080100339 0.2 3.65 302 9.5 69.8 0.007 <.016 <.07 0.681

393320080212239 0.17 4.63 28.6 15.9 82.5 <.006 0.022 <.07 0.483

393408080045039 0.27 7.28 2,040 6.5 20.9 <.012 0.033 <.14 0.401

393838079361239 0.06 4.47 43.7 13 48.3 0.01 <.016 <.07 0.304

393903079432039 0.05 2.95 12.1 23 48.9 0.012 0.017 <.07 0.081

394208080180239 0.15 3.08 41.3 11.4 83.9 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.599

394212080152739 0.17 1.68 284 10.2 72.4 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.769

394227080065739 0.14 4.99 43.9 8 65.1 <.006 <.016 <.07 0.172
74 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 2 . Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued

[CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; <, less than; mmHg, 

millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water; cm, centimeter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; R, non-detect, result below sample-specific critical level; 

‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Station number

Copper, 

wf,

in μg/L

Iron, 

wf,

in μg/L

Lead, 

wf,

in μg/L

Manganese, 

wf,

in μg/L

Molybdenum, 

wf,

in μg/L

Nickel, 

wf,

in μg/L

Silver, 

wf,

in μg/L

Strontium, 

wf,

in μg/L

Zinc, 

wf,

in μg/L

03050800 <.80 32.6 <.025 351 <.014 18.5 <.005 71.9 33.7

03062215 <2.4 10 <.075 91.1 0.442 1.2 <.015 4,470 <4.2

03069880 <.80 23.4 0.048 3.5 0.06 0.34 <.005 39.3 <1.4

383309080021539 <.80 4.9 <.025 5.95 0.23 0.22 <.005 75.2 <1.4

383936079585339 <.80 <3.2 <.025 1.66 0.077 0.14 <.005 45.9 <1.4

384352080084839 <.80 87.9 <.025 14.8 0.222 0.43 <.005 49.6 <1.4

384401079584939 <.80 66.8 0.032 12.8 0.041 0.27 <.005 27.1 <1.4

384440080140939 <.80 70.2 0.025 21.3 0.077 0.42 <.005 28.3 <1.4

384517080093039 0.8 11.7 0.039 6.06 0.078 0.28 <.005 23.6 <1.4

385015079523339 <.80 93.9 0.032 21.2 0.075 0.35 <.005 43.2 <1.4

385207080272939 <.80 596 0.071 441 0.194 0.62 <.005 118 <1.4

385232080155239 <.80 158 0.048 26.8 0.098 1.1 <.005 73.7 <1.4

385307080175339 0.83 505 0.104 155 0.137 0.75 <.005 61.1 <1.4

385333079384039 <.80 72.5 0.055 22.1 0.067 0.38 <.005 23.8 <1.4

385342079512439 <.80 185 0.031 37.3 1.45 0.44 <.005 106 <1.4

385346080065239 <.80 177 0.044 20.3 0.039 0.75 <.005 36.9 <1.4

385750080091039 <.80 59.3 0.028 24.4 0.068 0.99 <.005 54.9 <1.4

390134079491139 0.8 662 0.201 108 0.205 0.98 <.005 50.9 <1.4

390253080283839 1.4 64.8 0.051 258 1.25 1.3 <.005 215 <1.4

390334080091839 0.85 41.7 <.025 473 0.234 5.5 <.005 448 2.6

390520080232239 0.81 13.6 <.025 67 0.619 0.75 <.005 494 <1.4

390627080294039 0.84 29.6 0.06 132 1.05 0.93 <.005 197 <1.4

390820079304039 <.80 134 0.11 18.6 0.248 1.8 <.005 141 1.7

390853079424839 0.86 12.6 0.028 1.78 0.035 0.14 <.005 26.8 <1.4

390947080154239 <.80 9.3 <.025 64 0.843 1.1 <.005 960 <1.4

391000079421039 <.80 10.4 <.025 2 0.035 0.2 <.005 25.5 <1.4

391000080220739 <.80 37.5 0.056 349 1.04 1 <.005 228 <1.4

391023080140539 <.80 18.8 <.025 45.1 0.466 0.96 <.005 633 <1.4

391108079354239 <.80 9.9 0.048 4.43 0.039 0.27 <.005 28.8 <1.4

391212079545339 <.80 98.9 <.025 5.54 0.169 0.4 <.005 43.7 <1.4

391353080172039 0.87 12.3 <.025 50.5 0.901 1.3 <.005 568 <1.4

391605080094739 <.80 5.7 <.025 124 0.259 2.6 <.005 971 <1.4

391632080292039 <.80 45.8 0.065 278 1.4 0.64 <.005 253 <1.4

391817080291539 1.8 32.6 0.13 45.5 1.06 0.94 0.037 245 <1.4

391958079520739 3.7 1,040 0.387 401 0.019 34 <.005 149 85.4

392105079394839 <.80 5 <.025 3.09 0.099 0.25 <.005 86.8 <1.4

392203080243739 <.80 6.6 <.025 83.4 0.64 1.1 <.005 1,720 <1.4

392335080114839 1 16 0.031 14 0.787 0.77 <.005 117 <1.4

392457080192939 <.80 8.8 <.025 21.8 1.03 1.6 <.005 930 <1.4

392947080054139 1.1 31.5 0.06 11.4 0.804 0.87 <.005 152 <1.4

393059079483739 <.80 32.9 <.025 174 0.131 2.6 <.005 278 2.3

393250080023439 0.8 57.9 0.042 13.4 0.265 0.72 <.005 65 <1.4

393308080100339 0.8 19.4 0.044 383 2 0.99 <.005 689 <1.4

393320080212239 0.99 89.8 0.111 45.7 1.4 0.5 <.005 195 <1.4

393408080045039 <1.6 16.7 <.050 49.6 0.548 1.1 <.010 3,210 <2.8

393838079361239 <.80 150 1.21 18.9 0.107 1.6 <.005 66.8 <1.4

393903079432039 <.80 29.5 <.025 19.7 0.109 0.66 <.005 31.2 <1.4

394208080180239 0.81 88.9 0.11 240 1.35 0.63 <.005 254 <1.4

394212080152739 1.1 43.7 0.062 50.2 2.21 2.5 <.005 400 <1.4

394227080065739 <.80 22.9 <.025 15.8 0.787 0.47 <.005 228 <1.4
Appendix 2 75

Appendix 2 . Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued

[CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; <, less than; mmHg, 

millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water; cm, centimeter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; R, non-detect, result below sample-specific critical level; 

‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Station number

Antimony, 

wf,

in μg/L

Arsenic, 

wf,

in μg/L

Boron, 

wf,

in μg/L

Selenium, 

wf,

in μg/L

Alpha activity, 

wf, Thorium-230, 

in pCi/L

Gross beta, 

wf,Cesium-137

in pCi/L

Radium-224, 

wf

in pCi/L

Radium-226, 

wf,

in pCi/L

Radium-228, 

wf,

in pCi/L

03050800 <.027 0.07 13 0.57 0.7 2 0.52 R.10 0.29

03062215 <.081 0.37 312 0.2 R1 7.4 R.00 R.00 --

03069880 0.051 0.2 13 <.03 R-.2 1.4 R.14 R.08 --

383309080021539 0.075 0.33 10 0.04 R.2 1 R.07 R.037 --

383936079585339 <.027 0.22 10 0.04 R-.04 0.6 R.06 R-.05 --

384352080084839 0.04 0.2 27 0.08 0.9 1.5 0.18 R.09 R.16

384401079584939 0.035 0.16 8 0.03 R.03 1.4 R.00 0.09 --

384440080140939 0.053 0.13 14 0.07 0.4 1.4 R.07 R.04 --

384517080093039 0.031 0.06 -- 0.06 R-.1 1.1 R.08 0.15 --

385015079523339 0.066 0.35 14 0.03 R.0 1.9 R.07 R.05 --

385207080272939 0.086 0.54 18 0.11 R-.29 2.7 R-.06 R-.10 --

385232080155239 0.07 0.18 11 0.08 0.5 1.2 R-.16 R.00 --

385307080175339 0.108 0.58 15 0.11 R.1 1.7 R.00 R.13 --

385333079384039 0.069 0.34 7 0.04 R.3 1.4 R.00 R.10 --

385342079512439 0.124 0.63 24 0.15 0.7 2.2 R-.18 R.05 --

385346080065239 0.043 0.16 9 0.07 0.4 1.4 R.09 0.26 --

385750080091039 0.067 0.18 13 0.12 R.3 2.5 R-.08 R.00 --

390134079491139 0.14 1.1 22 0.1 R.3 2.1 R-.14 R.06 --

390253080283839 0.144 0.97 42 0.18 R.6 3.7 R.12 R.10 --

390334080091839 0.112 0.24 34 0.23 R.3 3.1 R.18 R.00 --

390520080232239 0.103 0.71 35 0.22 2 3.4 R.00 R.12 --

390627080294039 0.198 0.83 23 0.19 R.0 3.8 R.11 R.00 --

390820079304039 0.139 0.21 19 0.26 0.8 1.8 R.11 R.00 --

390853079424839 <.027 0.19 9 <.03 R-.09 0.9 R-.06 R.14 --

390947080154239 0.086 0.57 54 0.31 R1.1 3.6 R.08 R-.08 --

391000079421039 0.047 0.23 11 <.03 R-.33 1.2 R-.05 R.00 --

391000080220739 0.218 0.83 32 0.16 R.1 3.7 R.00 R-.06 --

391023080140539 0.067 0.28 38 0.15 1.1 3.3 0.8 3 R.00

391108079354239 0.053 0.2 9 <.03 0.4 R.7 R.00 R.05 --

391212079545339 0.038 0.16 10 0.06 R-.1 R.3 R.05 R.038 --

391353080172039 0.151 0.63 35 0.2 2.6 3.9 R.00 R-.05 --

391605080094739 0.077 0.24 58 0.14 R.9 3.8 R.00 R.10 --

391632080292039 0.118 0.96 39 0.16 R.7 3.1 R.22 R.12 --

391817080291539 0.285 1.4 65 0.49 R-.4 3.4 R.06 R.02 --

391958079520739 <.027 0.25 14 0.08 0.8 1.6 0.66 0.25 R.08

392105079394839 0.079 0.14 18 <.03 0.5 1 R.00 R.02 --

392203080243739 0.071 0.26 79 0.1 1.9 4.3 R.3 R-.15 --

392335080114839 0.106 0.51 26 0.13 R.1 2.4 R-.09 0.13 --

392457080192939 0.11 0.29 57 0.16 R.2 3.7 0.13 0.11 R.07

392947080054139 0.134 0.51 39 0.12 0.6 2.8 R.00 0.11 --

393059079483739 0.072 0.22 25 0.09 R-.7 5.1 R-.06 R.05 --

393250080023439 0.083 0.29 19 0.11 R.4 2.1 R.11 0.07 --

393308080100339 0.343 0.65 106 0.22 2 3.6 R.00 R.02 --

393320080212239 0.136 0.92 44 0.13 R.5 2.2 R-.02 0.07 --

393408080045039 0.072 0.35 217 0.15 R-4 6.1 R.00 0.16 --

393838079361239 0.054 0.12 17 0.08 R-.1 2.2 R-.20 R.04 --

393903079432039 0.033 0.14 15 0.06 0.6 1.3 0.28 0.11 0.41

394208080180239 0.146 1.3 49 0.2 0.8 2.4 R.04 R.06 --

394212080152739 0.165 0.81 81 0.22 R1 2.6 R.13 R.02 --

394227080065739 0.093 0.51 38 0.14 1.2 3.1 0.12 0.08 R.05
76 Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12

Appendix 2 . Data for base-flow samples collected as part of the Marcellus Shale base-line survey, Monongahela River Basin, 

West Virginia, July–October 2012.—Continued

[CR, Creek; Ck, creek; HWY, highway; WV, West Virginia; BR, bridge; NR, near; FK, Fork; Fk, fork; ST., Saint; RR, railroad; <, less than; mmHg, 

millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; wf, filtered water; cm, centimeter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, no data; R, non-detect, result below sample-specific critical level; 

‰, per mil; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; 13C, carbon-13, 18O, oxygen-18; 2H, deuterium; 34S, sulfur-34; CH4, methane; DIC, dissolved inorganic carbon; 

H2O, water; SO4, sulfate]

Station number

Uranium, 

wf,

in μg/L

Uranium-234, 

wf,

in pCi/L

Uranium-235,

 wf,

in pCi/L

Uranium-238, 

wf,

in pCi/L

18OSO4, 

in ‰

34SSO4, 

in ‰

13CDIC, 

in ‰

2

HH2O, 

in ‰

18OH2O, 

in ‰

03050800 0.011 R.000 R.005 R.000 -6.4 -0.9 -- -51.50 -9.32

03062215 0.51 0.26 R-.008 0.18 5.7 12.1 -8.80 -- -8.15

03069880 0.006 -- -- -- 4.5 1.4 -9.46 -46.30 -8.90

383309080021539 0.079 R.009 R.011 R.000 4.4 1.0 -10.34 -54.80 -8.56

383936079585339 0.014 R.002 R.000 R.000 -- -- -11.23 -50.40 -7.77

384352080084839 0.066 0.036 R-.005 0.023 0.2 2.4 -6.80 -55.10 -9.15

384401079584939 0.011 R.006 R.004 R.009 5.5 4.7 -7.72 -50.50 -8.46

384440080140939 0.006 -- -- -- 3.5 3.5 -7.85 -52.60 -7.80

384517080093039 <.004 -- -- -- 2.9 5.1 -7.18 -54.80 -8.29

385015079523339 0.01 R-.009 0.011 R-.009 4.6 0.9 -12.09 -53.80 -8.83

385207080272939 0.043 R.014 R.000 R.010 6.6 3.9 -11.90 -36.70 -6.56

385232080155239 0.013 R.010 R.000 0.02 3.3 1.9 -9.71 -45.80 -7.51

385307080175339 0.023 R.007 R-.009 R.004 -- 3.6 -12.77 -42.30 -6.74

385333079384039 0.007 -- -- -- 3.9 3.9 -9.13 -45.00 -9.46

385342079512439 0.182 0.11 R.012 0.058 2.2 -7.6 -10.81 -45.00 -8.72

385346080065239 0.012 R.006 R.004 0.03 4.1 2.9 -9.37 -51.30 -7.70

385750080091039 0.033 R-.009 R.000 0.028 -1.1 -6.0 -8.48 -50.40 -8.22

390134079491139 0.024 R-.017 0.01 R-.009 5.3 2.2 -11.66 -39.70 -7.17

390253080283839 0.651 0.27 R.01 0.2 10.6 6.5 -11.80 -- -4.25

390334080091839 0.369 0.17 0.013 0.16 1.6 1.5 -8.73 -48.00 -7.78

390520080232239 0.785 0.34 0.021 0.26 -1.1 1.8 -7.89 -36.53 -7.14

390627080294039 0.7 0.4 R-.005 0.24 3.8 -3.4 -11.33 -25.90 -4.45

390820079304039 0.043 0.063 R.000 0.054 -0.2 -0.8 -6.32 -47.50 -8.59

390853079424839 <.004 -- -- -- 3.9 3.8 -10.13 -48.60 -8.61

390947080154239 1.39 0.55 0.03 0.39 -1.9 0.1 -5.87 -49.90 -7.67

391000079421039 <.004 -- -- -- 4.1 3.6 -9.30 -48.40 -8.43

391000080220739 0.816 0.33 0.01 0.19 1.1 1.2 -12.36 -38.00 -5.71

391023080140539 0.83 0.31 R.000 0.27 -1.1 0.3 -9.19 -50.70 -7.13

391108079354239 <.004 -- -- -- 3.2 2.0 -8.16 -52.80 -8.75

391212079545339 0.023 R.000 R-.003 R.003 4.5 -7.48 -50.10 -8.51

391353080172039 1.3 0.59 0.027 0.44 4.0 -1.3 -10.84 -33.60 -6.22

391605080094739 0.447 0.2 R-.006 0.15 -2.5 0.3 -6.51 -46.90 -8.43

391632080292039 0.676 0.28 R.000 0.17 2.4 -2.1 -12.77 -41.40 -6.42

391817080291539 0.582 0.2 R.000 0.18 6.2 2.0 -10.96 -36.60 -6.11

391958079520739 0.255 0.09 R-.006 0.1 -3.3 0.4 -- -48.90 -8.55

392105079394839 0.005 -- -- -- 3.7 1.3 -9.92 -49.83 -8.62

392203080243739 0.521 0.21 0.017 0.18 2.1 3.2 -10.88 -47.00 -7.35

392335080114839 0.22 0.14 R-.004 0.077 6.4 -4.7 -11.16 -34.00 -5.52

392457080192939 0.512 0.17 R.020 0.14 1.9 -4.9 -9.74 -42.10 -7.28

392947080054139 0.432 0.17 R.000 0.13 3.6 -3.4 -10.00 -38.10 -6.01

393059079483739 0.058 0.042 R.008 0.04 1.8 4.0 -24.61 -40.16 -6.70

393250080023439 0.064 0.023 R.000 0.011 7.4 2.1 -10.07 -24.40 -5.78

393308080100339 0.773 0.35 R.000 0.32 6.6 13.4 -12.00 -46.80 -6.89

393320080212239 0.365 0.12 R-.010 0.1 6.4 2.6 -14.14 -43.10 -7.12

393408080045039 0.452 0.16 R-.005 0.12 4.9 11.5 -9.52 -- -7.73

393838079361239 0.046 R.000 R-.004 0.02 1.1 -3.6 -24.05 -59.80 -8.75

393903079432039 0.012 R-.020 R-.005 R.012 4.0 1.1 -12.22 -42.40 -7.50

394208080180239 0.602 0.27 R.000 0.18 4.8 5.3 -14.57 -48.70 -7.36

394212080152739 0.779 0.31 0.017 0.25 5.3 11.8 -11.60 -47.80 -7.20

394227080065739 0.547 0.3 R.000 0.17 4.4 4.0 -11.68 -48.90 -7.52
For additional information call or write to:

Director, U.S. Geological Survey

West Virginia Water Science Center

11 Dunbar Street, Charleston, WV 25301

(304) 347-5130

http://wv.usgs.gov

Document prepared by the West Trenton Publishing Service Center
Chambers and others—Water quality in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011–12—Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5233, ver. 1.1

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145233