Northeast Region—Urban Landscapes Capability Team

Contaminants in Urban Waters—Science Capabilities of the 

U.S. Geological Survey

Streams and estuaries with urban watersheds commonly exhibit increased streamflow and decreased base flow; diminished streamchannel stability; excessive amounts of contaminants such as pesticides, metals, industrial and municipal waste, and combustion 

products; and alterations to biotic community structure. Collectively, these detrimental effects have been termed the “urban-stream 

syndrome.” Water-resource managers seek to lessen the effects on receiving water bodies of new urban development and remediate 

the effects in areas of existing urbanization. Similarly, the scientific community has produced extensive research on these topics, with 

researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) leading many studies of urban streams and the processes responsible for the 

urban-stream syndrome. Increasingly, USGS studies are evaluating the effects of management and restoration activities to better 

understand how urban waters respond to the implementation of management practices. The USGS has expertise in collecting and 

interpreting data for many physical, chemical, and ecological processes in urban waters and, thus, provides holistic assessments to 

inform managers of urban water resources.

Expertise and Resources

The USGS scientists of the Northeast Region Urban Landscapes Capability Team share expertise and resources to provide 

and interpret data on a wide range of urban-related issues at 

local, regional, and national levels. Monitoring contaminants in 

urban waters is one such area of expertise. The USGS develops and uses nationally-consistent methods for sampling and 

continuous monitoring. Scientists with the USGS work with 

stakeholders and industry to develop specialized sampling equipment, such as automated and passive samplers, for use in rivers, 

streams, estuaries, and groundwater. The USGS laboratories 

have developed state-of-the-art analytical methods for environmental samples such as the methods used to detect pharmaceuticals and pesticides and to operate at production levels supportive 

of USGS activities nationwide. Data generated by these monitoring and analytical programs are retained by the USGS National 

Water Information System database (http://dx.doi.org/10.5066/

F7P55KJN). Scientists and statisticians of the USGS develop 

and utilize cutting-edge modeling and statistical analysis tools 

to interpret the data that result from these monitoring activities. 

This combination of nationally-consistent data-collection methods, centralized laboratory services, and advanced interpretive 

capabilities are unparalleled outside of the USGS. These capabilities have been relied on by resource managers to determine the 

effectiveness of stormwater-management infrastructure (including green infrastructure effectiveness), evaluate improvements in 

wastewater-treatment processes, and evaluate the feasibility of 

water reuse.

Nutrients

The overenrichment of nutrients in an ecosystem, which is 

termed eutrophication, creates a detrimental imbalance of the 

ecosystem. Though often associated with agricultural watersheds, eutrophication is common in urban streams and also in 

A U.S. Geological Survey scientist collecting a water-quality sample in 

an urban stream in Virginia. Photograph by U.S. Geological Survey.

receiving water bodies. Eutrophication is the result of over-application of fertilizers on urban turf, leaking municipal sewer infrastructure, increased density of septic systems, and other nutrient 

sources. The USGS has expertise in monitoring nutrients and 

in modeling loads and trends using a combination of traditional 

methods and advanced technologies. Additional USGS expertise 

pertaining to nutrient cycles in the urban environment includes 

identifying nutrient sources and assessing the effectiveness of 

management mitigation actions.

Suspended Sediment

Sediment loads can increase dramatically in watersheds 

undergoing urbanization because of increased sediment-laden 

runoff and because of aggravated erosion of stream channels 

that have more frequent high-energy stormflow events. Increases 

in sediment loads are often associated with destabilization of 

stream channels and degradation of habitat quality and also 

increases in the transport of sediment-associated contaminants. 

The USGS expertise in sediment-generation and transport 

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Banner photograph: Richmond, Virginia, skyline by the U.S. Geological Survey. Fact Sheet 2016–3024

April 2016
related issues in urban streams includes geomorphic watershed 

assessment and monitoring; suspended sediment and sedimentassociated contaminant loads, yields, and trends monitoring; 

and application of state-of-the-art continuous monitoring 

technologies.

Toxic Substances

Anthropogenic activities in urban areas release a broad range 

of chemical substances to the environment. Contamination by 

these substances, which include pesticides; pharmaceuticals; 

detergents and surfactants; fire suppressants; polychlorinated 

biphenyls; metals; and biological constituents such as bacteria, 

viruses, and other pathogens, can result in environmental degradation as well as effects to human health. Through programs 

such as the Toxic Substances Hydrology Program (http://toxics.usgs.gov/), the USGS has developed extensive expertise in 

characterizing the processes that control contaminant transport 

and degradation in aquatic environments, including methods of 

measuring and modeling these contaminants and their transport 

and fate.

EXPLANATION

10 to 19

20 to 29

30 to 39

40 to 49

0 to 9 50 to 59

60 to 69

70 to 79

80 to 89

90 to 100

Water-resources region boundary

Predicted share of long-term mean annual 

 incremental-catchment yield of dissolved 

 solids from human sources, as a percent 

 of the total from all sources 

The U.S. Geological Survey spatially referenced regressions on watershed model (also known as SPARROW) has been used to predict the 

percentage of dissolved solids yields contributed from human sources 

throughout the conterminous United States. Percentages represented 

by the color gradient from 0 to 100 percent of contribution. Note the 

widespread areas of greater human sources throughout the densely 

populated northeastern United States. From Anning and Flynn (2014).

Contaminants of Emerging Concern

Contaminants of emerging concern are natural or synthetic 

chemicals that commonly have been monitored in the environment but have the potential to enter the environment and are 

known or suspected to cause adverse environmental or human 

health effects. This class of contaminants includes potential 

endocrine disrupting compounds such as hormones, pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, pesticides, and other compounds 

that are associated with human activity and, therefore, commonly are detected in many densely populated urban areas. The 

USGS has pioneered many of the methods used for sample collection and analyses of these compounds in natural waters.

Examples of Current USGS Studies of Urban Water 

Quality

Scientists with the USGS are currently (2016) studying water 

quality in urban waters in the following areas:

• Fairfax County, Virginia—http://va.water.usgs.gov/fairfax

• Hampton Roads Region, Virginia—http://va.water.usgs.gov/

HRstormwater

• Anacostia River, Maryland—http://md.water.usgs.gov/

projects/qw/anacostia_nebranch

• Paint Branch, Maryland—http://md.water.usgs.gov/projects/

qw/paint_branch

• Bronx and Harlem Rivers, New York—

http://ny.cf.er.usgs.gov/nyprojectsearch/projects/LK00-

DU700.html

Partnering Opportunities

The USGS is committed to expanding studies of urban 

streams. Access to USGS expertise, such as that described 

herein, is possible through numerous partnering opportunities. State and local agencies may partner with the USGS and 

access matching funds through the Cooperative Water Program 

(http://water.usgs.gov/coop/). Federal agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other entities may partner 

with USGS through a variety of programs.

Reference Cited

Anning, D.W, and Flynn, M.E., 2014, Dissolved-solids sources, 

loads, yields, and concentrations in streams of the conterminous United States: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5012, 101 p., accessed April 12, 2016, at 

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145012.

By John D. Jastram and Kenneth E. Hyer

For more information about these USGS projects and about 

partnering opportunities, contact:

USGS Northeast Region Urban Landscapes Capability Team

Email: GS-NE_ULCT@usgs.gov

or contact your local USGS office

https://www.usgs.gov/contact_us

ISSN 2327-6932 (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20163024