Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at 

the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph by M.J. Rymer, U.S. Geological Survey

Photograph by M.J. Rymer, U.S. Geological Survey

Data Series 283
Michael Lyttge, USGS intern and Sacramento State Geology student, pauses on the Moses Spring trail, Pinnacles 

National Monument on June 6, 2006,
Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality 

Inventory at the Pinnacles National 

Monument, June 2006

By James W. Borchers and Michael S. Lyttge

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Data Series 283

U.S. Department of the Interior

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

Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Mark D. Myers, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2007

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Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Borchers, J.W., and Lyttge, M.S., 2007, Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National 

Monument, June 2006: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 283, 45 p. 
iii

Contents

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

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................1

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................3

Sampling Plan.................................................................................................................................................4

Sampling Protocols........................................................................................................................................4

Water-Quality Results .................................................................................................................................21

Physical Properties.............................................................................................................................21

Major-Ion Composition ......................................................................................................................21

Oxygen-18 and Deuterium.................................................................................................................21

Tritium ..................................................................................................................................................22

Trace Elements and Nutrients ..........................................................................................................23

Summary........................................................................................................................................................26

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................26

Appendix A. Water-quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions ..............................................28

Figures

Figure 1. Map showing location of Pinnacles National Monument, California.................. 2

Figure 2. Map showing location of springs in Pinnacles National Monument sampled 

by the USGS during June 2006 ............................................................ 3

Figure 3. Photo showing Willow Spring sampling site at Willow Spring South Rivulet......... 10

Figure 4. Photo showing a chain-link enclosure sometimes used to trap feral pigs, 

adjacent to the sampling site at Willow Spring South Rivulet ........................ 10

Figure 5. Photo showing the concrete cistern at Oak Tree Spring opened for 

examination ................................................................................. 11

Figure 6. Photo showing the overflow pipe on the west side of the 

Oak Tree Spring cistern .................................................................. 11

Figure 7. Photo showing view upslope (to the east) toward McCabe Canyon 

Spring No. 1 ................................................................................. 12

Figure 8. Photo showing McCabe Canyon Spring No. 1 .......................................... 12

Figure 9. Photo showing seepage at Chalone Bridge Spring .................................... 13

Figure 10. Photo showing an inscription on the downslope end of the concrete cistern at 

Chalone Bridge Spring indicating that the cistern was constructed by the Civilian 

Conservation Corps on January 12, 1937 ................................................ 13

Figure 11. Photo showing seepage from Superintendent’s Spring ................................. 14

Figure 12. Photo showing mossy “levees” adjacent to the spring outflow channel 

downslope from Superintendent’s Spring ................................................ 14
iv

Figure 13. Photo showing location of the subterranean concrete cistern at 

Split Rock Spring ........................................................................... 15

Figure 14. Photo showing inflow to the cistern at Split Rock Spring ................................. 15

Figure 15. Photo showing ground water discharging from Moses Spring ........................ 16

Figure 16. Photo showing Moses Spring in a 1.5-foot-wide declivity in the rock wall 

adjacent to the Moses Spring Trail ...................................................... 16

Figure 17. Photo showing ground water issuing from Moses Spring at a hole in rhyolite 

breccia about 1.5 feet above the mossy spring pool .................................... 17

Figure 18. Diagram showing major-ion composition of samples from springs in 

Pinnacles National Monument in June 2006 ............................................. 22

Figure 19. Graph showing stable isotopic composition of samples from springs in 

Pinnacles National Monument in June 2006 ............................................. 23

Figure 20. Graph showing the concentrations of tritium in ground water sampled from 

springs in Pinnacles National Monument in June 2006 as triangles plotted at 

zero years, or present day at the time of this study, and the concentration range 

of tritium that remained in water that fell as precipitation in central coastal 

California when tritium concentrations in atmospheric water were at 

background levels ........................................................................... 24

Tables

Table 1. Location and description of spring sampling sites in Pinnacles National 

Monument, California, June 2006 ......................................................... 5

Table 2. Physical property, major-ion, trace-element, and isotopic data for ground 

water sampled from springs at Pinnacles National Monument, California, 

June 2006 .................................................................................... 18

Table 3. Statistical summary of the concentration of major ions, trace elements, 

nutrients, and isotopes in spring samples, type of comparison threshold for 

drinking water and the corresponding threshold level, and threshold levels for 

freshwater aquatic life ..................................................................... 25
Conversion Factors

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

acre 4,047 square meter (m2)

Volume

quart (qt) 0.9464 liter (L)

Flow rate

gallon per minute (gal/min) 0.06309 liter per second (L/s)

Mass

pound, avoirdupois (lb) 0.4536 kilogram (kg)

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

Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the National Geodetic Vertical Datum 

of 1929 (NGVD29).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83).

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).

Abbreviations

meq/L milliequivalents per liter

per mil parts per thousand
This page intentionally left blank.
Abstract

To help define baseline water quality of key water 

resources at Pinnacles National Monument, California, the 

U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed ground water 

from seven springs sampled during June 2006. During the 

dry season, seeps and springs are the primary source of water 

for wildlife in the monument and provide habitat for plants, 

amphibians, and aquatic life. Water samples were analyzed 

for dissolved concentrations of major ions, trace elements, 

nutrients, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, and tritium. 

In most cases, the concentrations of measured water-quality constituents in spring samples were lower than California 

threshold standards for drinking water and Federal threshold 

standards for drinking water and aquatic life. The concentrations of dissolved arsenic in three springs were above the 

Federal Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water (10 

μg/L). Water-quality information for samples collected from 

the springs will provide a reference point for comparison of 

samples collected from future monitoring networks and hydrologic studies in the Pinnacles National Monument, and will 

help National Park Service managers assess relations between 

water chemistry, geology, and land use.

Introduction

In 1992, the National Park Service established, through 

its Inventory and Monitoring Program, a nationwide Level-1 

Water-Quality Inventory process to obtain baseline waterquality information on key water bodies, to identify possible 

water-quality issues in national parks and monuments through 

the United States. Key water bodies are identified as those that 

are essential to the cultural, historical, or natural resourcemanagement themes, or that provide habitats for threatened 

or endangered plants and animals. During June 2006, the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected water samples 

from seven springs in the Pinnacles National Monument in 

support of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory program of 

the National Park Service (NPS). These samples were analyzed to obtain water-quality information regarding key water 

resources at the Monument.

Description of Study Area

Pinnacles National Monument encompasses 24,265 

acres in the Gabilan Range of San Benito and Monterey 

Counties, California (figs. 1 and 2). It is bordered by the San 

Andreas Fault on the northeast and the Salinas Valley to the 

southwest (fig. 1). Most of the monument is underlain by 

volcanic rocks—rhyolite flows, breccias, and tuffs that have 

been moved about 195 mi northwest along the San Andreas 

Fault from the western Mojave Desert. These rocks have been 

fractured, faulted, and deeply incised by streams, producing 

valleys and ridges of high topographic relief. Rocky ridges 

are typically more than 1,000 ft above adjacent stream valleys. Parts of the Monument northeast from Chalone Creek 

are underlain by granitic fanglomerate—cemented sandy to 

bouldery sediments derived from a granitic source. Granitic 

rocks are exposed on the western and southeastern sides of the 

monument.

The area has a Mediterranean climate, with cold wet 

winters and hot dry summers. Average precipitation during 

1948–2005 was 16.6 in. (http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?capinn+sca, accessed September 12, 2005). Many 

streams in the monument are intermittent (drying up during 

the summer or fall) or ephemeral (flowing during and shortly 

after storms). Except for water from Bear Gulch Reservoir 

(fig. 2), and a few stock ponds, surface water is scarce; most 

of the monument’s water resources are ground water (Mary 

Cooprider, National Park Service, written commun., 2005). 

During the dry season, the source of streamflow in perennial 

stream reaches is ground water that is discharged to stream 

channels diffusely through channel boundaries, or through 

seeps and springs that flow into the channels. During the dry 

season, ground-water discharge is a primary source of water 

for wildlife in the Monument and provides habitat for plants, 

amphibians, and aquatic life.

Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the 

Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006

By James W. Borchers and Michael S. Lyttge
Soledad

121 15 0 0.5 1 2 3 4 5 MILES

0 0.5 1 2 3 4 5 KILOMETERS

Salinas Valley

Pinnacles

36 30

National

Monument

Area shown in Figure 2

San Andreas Fault

GABILAN RANGE

River

Salinas

RT. 25

RT. 146

HWY. 101

RT. 25

Pinnacles

National

Monument

SAN BENITO

MONTEREY

Figure 1. Location of Pinnacles National Monument, California.

   Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Purpose and Scope

This data report summarizes the objectives, sampling 

plan, and sampling and analysis protocols used by the U.S. 

Geological Survey in conducting the level-1 baseline waterquality inventory of springs at Pinnacles National Monument. 

The objective of the report is to present water-quality information describing the general chemistry and isotopic composition 

of key water resources at the monument. The level-1 baseline 

water-quality inventory described in this data report focuses on 

perennial springs. NPS and USGS staff determined that waterquality samples should be collected from these springs and 

analyzed to determine the concentration of dissolved major 

ions, trace elements, nutrients, stable isotopes, and tritium. 

The National Park Service can use information in this data 

report to assess the current water quality of key springs and 

as a reference point for comparison of samples collected from 

future monitoring networks and hydrologic studies. The NPS 

can use the tritium and stable-isotope data in this report to 

derive some information on the recharge dates and 

evaporative history, respectively, of ground water in the monument. Establishing baseline water quality, ground-water age, 

and evaporative history of water from the springs provides 

information that will facilitate future study of ground-waterflow systems, stream-aquifer interaction, and wetlands. 

Ultimately, these data and future studies will improve the 

understanding of ground-water-flow systems that must be 

considered during the resource management decision-making 

process by NPS staff at Pinnacles National Monument.

The water quality of springs in the monument described 

in this report also is important from a critical habitat perspective. The California red-legged frog, listed as a threatened 

amphibian species by the Federal Government in 1996 (U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, 2006), inhabits streams in Pinnacles 

National Monument. This amphibian species inhabits intermittent and perennial stream reaches (T. Leatherman, National 

Park Service, oral commun., 2005). The Pinnacles riffle beetle 

is found only in Pinnacles National Monument and surrounding area, and is ranked as an extremely endangered California 

endemic species in the California Natural Diversity Database. 

RT. 146

RT. 146

0 0.5 1 2 MILES

0 0.5 1 2 KILOMETERS

(Source: USGS 7.5 minute topographic maps: North Chalone Peak, California and 

Bickmore Canyon, California. Contour interval: 40 ft.)

Chalone Creek

T16S T17S

R7E R8E

McCabe Canyon 

Spring No. 1

Willow Spring South Rivulet

Willow Spring

Chalone Bridge Spring

Superintendent’s Spring

Split Rock Spring

Oak Tree Spring

Moses Spring

Bear Gulch

Reservoir

McCabe

Canyon

Bear

Bear

Gulch

Valley

Chaparral Visitor Center

Bear Gulch Visitor Center

EXPLANATION

Sample locations

Spring

Intermittent stream

Visitor center

Pinnacles national monument boundary

121 10

36 30

36 29

36 28

121 12

Figure 2. Location of springs in Pinnacles National Monument sampled by the USGS during June 2006. 

Introduction 
Additionally, Chalone Creek is habitat for an annelid worm 

that has not been identified elsewhere (S. Fend, USGS, oral 

commun., 2007). The sensitivity of the amphibian, beetle, 

and worm species to water availability, and possibly to water 

chemistry, requires that the Monument establish the baseline 

water quality of springs that are a primary source of stream 

water. This report provides that baseline information.

Sampling Plan

Historical information collected by the NPS helped 

identify candidate springs for sampling. NPS staff inventoried 

the location of 16 springs and seeps in 1997. In 2000, NPS 

staff surveyed the location of these 16 springs using Global 

Positioning System (GPS) receivers and determined the 

locations of an additional 23 possible seeps or springs from 

satellite infrared imagery or recollection of park staff. To help 

establish a ranking of key water resources at the monument 

springs that were visited by NPS staff during the GPS survey 

were described as either perennial or intermittent. Springs that 

are considered key resources by the NPS are those that provide 

flow to streams throughout the year, or those that provide 

enough flow to sustain aquatic habitat in parts of intermittent 

stream channels. The Level-1 Baseline Water-Quality Inventory described in this data report focuses on these key springs.

Using historical water-quality, streamflow, and NPS 

spring survey data, Geographic Information System (GIS) 

information provided by NPS staff (Mary Cooprider and Jason 

Herynk), topographic maps, and information provided by local 

residents, the USGS identified candidate springs for sampling. 

Candidate springs included perennial springs and springs of 

unknown flow constancy identified by NPS staff, and other 

springs identified on USGS topographic maps or suggested by 

local residents. Springs on privately owned land in the headwaters of Bear Gulch upstream from Bear Gulch Reservoir 

were not sampled because permission to access the springs 

was not obtained. As a result of consultation and field reconnaissance with NPS natural resources (Denise Louie, Paul 

Johnson), maintenance (John Osborne), and trail crew (Lisa 

Smith) staff during early June 2006, the USGS narrowed the 

list of candidate springs to seven. Spring sampling sites shown 

on figure 2 are described in table 1. Photographs of each site 

are shown in figures 3–17.

During June 2006, USGS staff, assisted by NPS staff, 

sampled and measured field water-quality parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, temperature, and 

alkalinity) for seven springs characterized by NPS staff as 

likely to flow perennially. The source of flow from Willow 

Spring could not be determined precisely, owing to mass 

wasting, fallen timber, and heavily overgrown terrain in the 

small canyon containing the spring. A sample collected from 

Willow Spring South Rivulet, downstream from the mapped 

location of Willow Spring, is believed to be representative of 

ground water discharging from Willow Spring. Samples from 

other springs were collected from or close to the spring pool 

or cistern. All samples were analyzed for dissolved concentrations of major ions, trace elements, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, and for tritium. The constituents and analytical results are listed in table 2.

Sampling Protocols

Springs were sampled using equipment that had been 

cleaned with detergent and rinsed as described in the National 

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

Geological Survey, 1998), sealed in plastic bags, and packed 

in backpacks for transport, on foot, to the sampling sites. 

Water-quality samples were withdrawn from spring pools or 

from inflows or outflows of spring pools, using 140-mL plastic 

syringes. Samples were processed on site. Samples requiring 

filtration were passed from the syringe through a disposable 

disk or capsule filter (0.45-μm pore diameter) and into the 

appropriate sample bottle. Disk and capsule filters were rinsed 

with sample water before sample collection. Bottled samples 

for major-ion, trace-element, stable-isotope, and tritium 

analyses were sealed in a plastic bag and stored in a backpack 

for transport to an ice-filled cooler in a field vehicle at the 

trailhead. Samples for nutrient analysis and alkalinity titration 

were stored on ice in an insulated container and transported by 

backpack to an ice-filled cooler in a vehicle at the trailhead. 

Alkalinity samples were titrated within 5 or 6 hours of sample 

collection. Additional information about sample processing 

can be found in Appendix A.

Field measurements taken on-site included: dissolved 

oxygen, pH, specific conductance, and air and water temperature. Except for dissolved oxygen, these parameters were 

measured using meters and by methods outlined by the USGS 

(1998). Dissolved oxygen was measured using a CHEMetrics 

colorimetric test kit (Gilbert and others, 1982).

The flow rate of water discharging from springs was 

either estimated visually or measured using the volumetric 

method described by Rantz and others (1982). Spring discharge was estimated visually at Willow Spring South Rivulet, 

Superintendent’s Spring, Chalone Bridge Spring, and McCabe 

Canyon Spring No. 1. Discharge was measured volumetrically 

with a 5-qt container and stop watch at Split Rock Spring and 

Moses Spring, and with a 1-qt container and stop watch at Oak 

Tree Spring.

 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Table 1. Location and description of spring sampling sites in Pinnacles National Monument, California, June 2006—Continued.

[CA, California; CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps; GPS, Global Positioning System; NGVD, North American Vertical Datum; NAD, North American 

Datum; USGS, Rt, Route; U.S. Geological Survey; mi, mile; ft, foot; in., inch]

Local name Station name USGS Site ID Site 

type Access directions and site description Purpose of monitoring

Willow Spring 

South 

Rivulet

16S/7E-26MS1 363028121105801 Spring Willow Spring is located in a gaining reach of a small 

unnamed tributary to Chalone Creek on the east side 

of the monument. Drive southwest on Rt. 146 past the 

east monument entrance and then northwest on Rt. 146 

past the Maintenance Headquarters. Park at the North 

Wilderness trailhead. Walk about 0.7 mi northwest on the 

North Wilderness/Balconies Cave Trail (Old Pinnacles 

Trail). At the trail split, walk north on the North Wilderness Trail. Proceed about 0.4 mi to an unnamed tributary 

on the northeast side of Chalone Creek. The unnamed 

tributary drainage contains two distributary channels, or 

rivulets. The sample site is on the southernmost of the 

two rivulets, 250 ft upstream from Chalone Creek, and 

approximately 100 ft upstream from the North Wilderness Trail. The sample site is adjacent to a wild pig trap 

(chain link enclosure) about 0.1 mi downstream from the 

location of Willow Spring (as shown on the USGS 7.5-

minute topographic quadrangle map, Bickmore Canyon, 

CA). This spring once served as a water supply for the 

old campground that was located at the present monument maintenance headquarters but is no longer used 

(figs. 3–4). 

This spring is identified 

on USGS topographic 

maps. National Park 

Service records 

indicate that Willow 

Spring flows perennially. The quality of 

water from this spring 

is important because it 

is a substantial source 

of dilute inflow to 

Chalone Creek.

Oak Tree 

Spring

16S/7E-34NS1 362920121122001 Spring Oak Tree Spring is located in Juniper Canyon on the west 

side of the monument. Drive about 9 mi on Rt. 146 north 

and east from Metz-Soledad Road in the Salinas Valley. 

Walk southeast on the Juniper Canyon Trail from the trail 

head near the Chaparral Ranger Station. The spring is 

located about 1,600 ft southeast from the trailhead and 

155 ft northwest from where the trail crosses the stream. 

An old concrete spring cistern (approximately 6 ft × 6 ft 

× 4 ft) built by the CCC, is located in dense brush about 

30 ft east from the trail. When sampled, the spring cistern 

was filled with water and overflowed through a 1.25-in 

pipe to the land surface (figs. 5–6). 

This spring is identified 

on USGS topographic 

maps. National Park 

Service records 

indicate that Oak Tree 

Spring flows perennially. Discharge from 

Oak Tree Spring is low 

and infiltrates hillside 

colluvium downhill 

from the spring. The 

quality of water from 

this spring may be 

important because it is 

likely that the infiltrated water re-emerges 

and contributes to the 

base flow of the unnamed tributary (adjacent to Juniper Canyon 

Trail) that eventually 

joins Chalone Creek 

about 0.5 mi west from 

Machete Ridge.

Sampling Protocols 

Table 1. Location and description of spring sampling sites in Pinnacles National Monument, California, June 2006.

[CA, California; CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps; GPS, Global Positioning System; NGVD, National Geodetic Vertical Datum; NAD, North American 

Datum; Rt, Route; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; mi, mile; ft, foot; in., inch]
Local name Station name USGS Site ID Site 

type Access directions and site description Purpose of monitoring

McCabe 

Canyon 

Spring 

No. 1

16S/7E-36HS1 362944121090801 Spring McCabe Canyon Spring No. 1 is located in lower McCabe 

Canyon on the east side of the monument. Drive about 

2 mi south on Rt. 146 from Rt. 25 to a dirt road (McCabe Canyon Road) on northwest side of Rt. 146 across 

(northwest) from the National Park Service campground 

near the monument entrance. Turn onto the dirt road, 

which is gated and locked. The spring is located about 

200 ft east from—and about 70 ft vertically higher 

than—the road bed, approximately 2,200 ft northwest on 

McCabe Canyon Road from Rt. 146. The spring issues 

from granitic fanglomerate from which it has piped finegrained material and eroded about 20 ft into the hillslope. 

A marshy area just down slope (west) is fed by spring 

discharge and by a nearby seep about 20 ft north from the 

rivulet discharging from the spring. According to a local 

resident, wild pigs disturb marshy areas near seeps and 

springs in McCabe Canyon (figs. 7–8).

This is the most prominent spring in McCabe 

Canyon. It likely flows 

perennially. The quality of 

water from this spring is 

important because it contributes to the base flow of 

an unnamed tributary that 

joins Chalone Creek near 

the mouth of Bear Valley.

Chalone 

Bridge 

Spring

17S/7E-1DS1 362912121101101 Spring 

(seep)

Chalone Bridge Spring issues from the west bank of 

Chalone Creek on the east side of the monument. Drive 

southwest on Rt. 146 past the east monument entrance 

and then northwest on Rt. 146. Turn left onto Bear Gulch 

Road; you will immediately cross Chalone Bridge. Park 

on road shoulder on the southwest side of the bridge. The 

spring is on the steep hillside, about 50 ft south from the 

bridge and about 40 ft west from the road. The hatch of a 

concrete cistern—of the same style and dimensions as the 

cistern at Oak Tree Spring—is sealed closed by the root 

of a live oak grown into the annulus between the hatch 

and the hatch opening. No discharge from the cistern 

was located during the USGS visit. Sample was collected 

from water seeping from colluvium on the top rear of the 

cistern (figs. 9–10). 

National Park Service 

records indicate that this 

spring may flow perennially. Discharge from Chalone Spring is extremely 

low where it was sampled, 

and infiltrates hillside 

colluvium downhill from 

the spring. The quality 

of water from this spring 

may be important if the 

infiltrated water re-emerges and provides base flow 

to Chalone Creek. Also, 

this sample may indicate 

the quality of ground 

water that discharges to 

Chalone Creek from other 

seeps and springs reported 

in the area. 

Superintendent’s 

Spring

17S/7E-2GS1 362856121103801 Spring 

(seep)

Superintendent’s Spring is located behind a National 

Park Service residence (formerly the Superintendent’s 

residence), located on the east side of the monument, 

on the south side of Bear Gulch Road, approximately 

0.2 mi northeast from the entrance to the Bear Gulch 

Visitor’s Center. Climb about 250 ft (horizontal distance) from the northeast corner of the house, up the 

steep north-facing hill slope. Climb just east from the 

residence avoiding the dense brush directly behind the 

house. Superintendent’s Spring issues from an opening eroded in sandy colluvium and flows downslope 

in a 1–3-ft wide channel/trough bordered by unusual, 

moss-covered, woody levees. See figures 11 and 12. 

National Park Service 

records indicate that this 

spring flows perennially. Discharge from 

Superintendent’s Spring is 

low and infiltrates hillside 

colluvium downhill from 

the spring. The quality 

of water from this spring 

may be important if the 

infiltrated water re-emerges and provides base flow 

to Bear Creek. 

   Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Local name Station name USGS Site ID Site 

type Access directions and site description Purpose of monitoring

Split Rock 

Spring

17S/7E-2MS1 362840121110801 Spring Split Rock Spring is located in Bear Gulch on the east 

side of the monument. Hike southwest from the Moses 

Spring/High Peaks trailhead at the southwest end of Bear 

Gulch Road. Approaching the split between Bear Gulch 

and High Peaks Trail, look west across Bear Creek. 

A pile of large boulders on the west bank of the creek 

blocks the view of the 20-ft square, 8.2-ft high, concrete, 

subterranean, spring cistern beneath a flat, grassy clearing. To access the cistern, follow the High Peaks Trail for 

about 200 ft around a curve to the west. Proceed straight 

north, off the trail, at the first switchback. Continue to 

the flat grassy clearing and find the locked steel cistern 

hatch under duff. Inflow to the cistern is from a 2-in 

diameter pipe near the cistern ceiling on the south side 

of the concrete cistern. Water flows from the cistern at 

a sump at the base of the northern cistern wall. National 

Park Service records indicate that cistern inflow is piped 

from an upslope spring and french drain. The CCC built 

the cistern in the 1930s to store water for NPS supply and 

fire fighting (figs. 13–14). 

National Park Service 

records indicate that 

Split Rock Spring may 

flow perennially. The 

quality of water from 

this spring is important 

because it likely contributes to the base flow 

of Bear Creek. 

Moses Spring 17S/7E-2NS1 362830121111201 Spring Moses Spring is located in Bear Gulch on the east side of 

the monument. Hike southwest from the Moses Spring/

High Peaks trailhead at the southwest end of Bear Gulch 

Road. At the split in the trail, follow sign and proceed on 

Bear Gulch Trail. The spring is on the west side of the 

trail about 0.4 mi southwest from the Moses Spring/High 

Peaks trailhead. The small spring pool is hidden by ferns 

and other vegetation; it’s outflow runs down the trail 

slope to the northeast. Ground water discharges from a 

0.10-in × 0.10-in hole in rhyolite breccia that is 1.5 ft 

vertically above a mossy pool. The spring was discovered 

in 1923, 12 years earlier than the construction of Bear 

Gulch Reservoir, which is located about 0.2 mi upstream 

from Moses Spring on Bear Creek (figs. 15–17).

This spring is identified 

on USGS topographic 

maps. National Park 

Service records indicate that Moses Spring 

has flowed perennially 

over a long period of 

time. The quality of 

water from this spring 

is important because 

it likely contributes to 

the base flow of Bear 

Creek. 

Sampling Protocols 

Table 1. Location and description of spring sampling sites in Pinnacles National Monument, California, June 2006—Continued.

[CA, California; CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps; GPS, Global Positioning System; NGVD, National Geodetic Vertical Datum; NAD, North American 

Datum; Rt, Route; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; mi, mile; ft, foot; in., inch]
Local name Latitude/ 

Longitude

Latitude/ 

Longitude 

determination 

method

 GPS 

type

Lat/long 

reference 

datum

County, 

State

USGS 

Hydrologic 

Unit 

Code 

(HUC)

Elevation 

(feet)

Elevation

 source

Elevation 

datum

Willow Spring 

South Rivulet

36°30 ́28 ̋ 

121°10 ́58 ̋

Hand-held GPS unit Magellan 

eXplorist 

200

NAD 83 San Benito, 

CA

18060005 1,110 ± 20 USGS 

Quadrangle 

Map—

Bickmore 

Canyon, 

CA. 7.5-

minute 

series

NGVD 29

Oak Tree 

Spring

36°29 ́20 ̋ 

121°12 ́20 ̋

Hand-held GPS unit Magellan 

eXplorist 

200

NAD 83 San Benito, 

CA

18060005 1,480 ± 20 USGS 

Quadrangle 

Map—

North 

Chalone 

Peak, CA. 

7.5-minute 

series

NGVD 29

McCabe 

Canyon 

Spring No. 1

36°29 ́44 ̋ 

121°09 ́08 ̋

Hand-held GPS unit Magellan 

eXplorist 

200

NAD 83 San Benito, 

CA

18060005 1,150 ± 20 USGS 

Quadrangle 

Map—

North 

Chalone 

Peak, CA. 

7.5-minute 

series

NGVD 29

Chalone Bridge 

Spring

36°29 ́12 

121°10 ́11

Hand-held GPS unit Magellan 

eXplorist 

200

NAD 83 San Benito, 

CA

18060005 1020 ± 20 USGS 

Quadrangle 

Map—

North 

Chalone 

Peak, CA. 

7.5-minute 

series

NGVD 29

 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Local name Latitude/ 

Longitude

Latitude/ 

Longitude 

determination 

method

 GPS 

type

Lat/long 

reference 

datum

County, 

State

USGS 

Hydrologic 

Unit 

Code 

(HUC)

Elevation 

(feet)

Elevation

 source

Elevation 

datum

Superintendent’s Spring36°28 ́56 ̋ 

121°10 ́38 ̋

Hand-held 

GPS unit

Magellan 

eXplorist 

200

NAD 83 San Benito, 

CA

18060005 1,390 ± 40 USGS 

Quadrangle 

Map—

North 

Chalone 

Peak, CA. 

7.5-minute 

series

NGVD 29

Split Rock 

Spring

36°28 ́40 ̋ 

121°11 ́08 ̋

Hand-held 

GPS unit

Magellan 

eXplorist 

200

NAD 83 San Benito, 

CA

18060005 1,430 ± 20 USGS 

Quadrangle 

Map—

North 

Chalone 

Peak, CA. 

7.5-minute 

series

NGVD 29

Moses Spring 36°28 ́30 ̋ 

121°11 ́12 ̋

Hand-held 

GPS unit

Magellan 

eXplorist 

200

NAD 83 San Benito, 

CA

18060005 1,580 ± 20 USGS 

Quadrangle 

Map—

North 

Chalone 

Peak, CA. 

7.5-minute 

series

NGVD 29

Sampling Protocols 

Table 1. Location and description of spring sampling sites in Pinnacles National Monument, California, June 2006—Continued.

[CA, California; CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps; GPS, Global Positioning System; NGVD, National Geodetic Vertical Datum; NAD, North American 

Datum; Rt, Route; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; mi, mile; ft, foot; in., inch]
Figure 3. Willow Spring sampling site at Willow Spring South Rivulet.

(The folding scale is bent upward at 2 feet.)

Figure 4. A chain-link enclosure sometimes used to trap feral pigs, adjacent to the sampling site at Willow Spring South Rivulet. 

10 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Figure 5. The concrete cistern at Oak Tree Spring opened for examination. 

Figure 6. The overflow pipe on the west side of the Oak Tree Spring cistern.

Sampling Protocols 11
Figure 7. View upslope (to the east) toward McCabe Canyon Spring No. 1. 

Figure 8. McCabe Canyon Spring No. 1. 

12 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Figure 9. Seepage at Chalone Bridge Spring. 

Figure 10. An inscription on the downslope end of the concrete cistern at Chalone Bridge Spring indicating that the cistern 

was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps on January 12, 1937. 

Sampling Protocols 13
Figure 11. Seepage from Superintendent’s Spring.

(The folding scale is bent to the side at 2 feet.)

Figure 12. Mossy “levees” adjacent to the spring outflow channel downslope from Superintendent’s Spring. 

14  Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Figure 13. View to the west at the location of the subterranean concrete cistern at Split Rock Spring.

Figure 14. Inflow to the cistern at Split Rock Spring through 2-inch diameter steel pipe near the cistern ceiling. 

Sampling Protocols 15
Figure 15. Ground water discharging from Moses Spring. 

Figure 16. Moses Spring in a 1.5-foot-wide declivity in the rock wall adjacent to the Moses Spring Trail.

(The folding scale is bent down at 2.5 feet.)

16 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Figure 17. Ground water issuing from Moses Spring at a hole in rhyolite breccia about 1.5 feet above the mossy spring pool. 

(The folding scale is bent to the side at 1.5 feet.)

Analyses of spring samples to determine the concentration of major ions, nutrients, and trace elements were 

conducted by the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory 

in Lakewood, Colorado. Analytical procedures used at the 

National Water Quality Laboratory are described by Faires 

(1993); Fishman and Friedman (1989); Fishman (1993); 

Garbarino, Kanagy, and Cree (2006); Garbarino (1999); Patton 

and Truitt (1992); and Patton and Krysyalla (2003). In addition, the National Water Quality Laboratory followed laboratory quality-assurance protocols detailed in Maloney (2005). 

The stable-isotope composition (oxygen-18 and deuterium) 

of spring samples was determined at the USGS Isotope Lab 

in Reston, Virginia. The procedural methods for the isotopic analyses are described by Coplen and others (1991) and 

Epstein and Mayeda (1953). Measurements of tritium concentration of spring samples were conducted at the University of 

Miami Tritium Laboratory in Miami, Florida. A description of 

the methods used is described by Östlund (1987).

For quality-assurance purposes, temperature meters were 

calibrated in USGS labs in Sacramento, California, prior 

to field sampling. The pH and specific-conductance meters 

were calibrated in the field twice daily with known standards. 

Sampling equipment was cleaned before the collection of 

each sample. To evaluate the potential for cross-contamination 

during field sampling, a field blank was collected and processed at Moses Spring at the beginning of the sampling effort 

on June 6, 2006. A field blank is an aliquot of inorganic-free 

blank water, purchased from a commercial laboratory and processed identically to environmental samples—passed through 

the 140-mL sampling syringe and 0.45-μm disk filter and into 

a sample bottle. The field blank was analyzed for trace elements, nutrients, and total nitrogen. The field blank was not 

analyzed for major ions because the specific conductance was 

sufficiently low (1 μS/cm) to ensure that the concentrations of 

dissolved major ions were not present at levels within an order 

of magnitude of concentrations in the environmental samples.

Sampling Protocols 17
Local name USGS Site ID Sample type Date Time Medium Sample collector Flow rate (gals/min)

Dissolved 

oxygen, 

field 

(mg/L)

Willow Spring South Rivulet 363028121105801 environmental 06/07/2006 17:00:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge E6.0 7.0

Oak Tree Spring 362920121122001 environmental 06/09/2006 10:30:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge 0.30 1.5McCabe Canyon Spring No.1 362944121090801 environmental 06/09/2006 18:10:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge E1.5 6.5Chalone Bridge Spring 362912121101101 environmental 06/08/2006 17:30:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge E0.10 6.0Superintendent’s Spring 362856121103801 environmental 06/07/2006 14:30:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge E0.25 6.0Split Rock Spring 362840121110801 environmental 06/06/2006 17:00:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge 0.70 7.0Moses Spring 362830121111201 environmental 06/06/2006 12:40:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge 1.5 4.5Moses Spring (QA) 362830121111201 field blank 06/06/2006 12:48:00 water J. Borchers, M. Lyttge

—

—

Local name pH, field

Specific 

conductance, 

field 

(μS/cm)

Temperature, 

air 

(degrees 

Celsius)

Temperature, 

water 

(degrees 

Celsius)

Alkalinity, 

incremental 

titration, 

field 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3

)

Calcium 

(mg/L 

as Ca)

Magnesium

(mg/L 

as Mg)

Potassium 

(mg/L 

as K)

Sodium 

(mg/L 

as Na)

Willow Spring South Rivulet 7.3 287 26.5 19.5 58 11.4 2.19 1.93 42.9Oak Tree Spring 6.7 354 18.0 17.0 144 40.8 0.257 0.55 37.4McCabe Canyon Spring No.1 6.5 171 22.0 18.0 30 9.37 2.12 1.83 19.9Chalone Bridge Spring 7.4 497 25.0 16.0 196 27.6 2.73 0.33 79.5Superintendent’s Spring 7.2 347 28.5 14.5 141 33.2 2.47 0.75 35.7Split Rock Spring 6.6 297

— 17.0 92 21.9 3.35 1.08 32.0

Moses Spring 6.3 274 23.0 17.0 70 14.2 3.10 1.38 33.8Moses Spring (QA) 6.0 1 23.0

—

—

—

—

—

Table 2. Physical property, major-ion, trace-element, and isotopic data for ground water sampled from springs at Pinnacles National Monument, California, June 2006.[gal/min, gallons per minute; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; per mil, per thousand; E, the constituent concentration was below the reporting limit but was estimated at the NWQL or the flow rate was estimated in the field; M, the constituent was detected but not quantified; —, no data. All chemical concentrations are for dissolved constituents unless noted otherwise in the column heading; <, less than; >, greater than; QA, quality assurance sample; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey]

18  Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Local name

Bromide 

(mg/L 

as Br)

Chloride 

(mg/L 

as Cl)

Fluoride 

(mg/L 

as F)

Iodide 

(mg/L 

as I)

Silica

 (mg/L as 

SiO2)

Sulfate 

(mg/L as 

SO4)

Residue on 

evaporation 

at 180 

deg C 

(mg/L)

Ammonia 

(mg/L 

as N)

Nitrite+ 

nitrate 

(mg/L 

as N)

Willow Spring South Rivulet 0.07 19.0 0.3 0.009 71.5 43.1 252 E0.009 <0.06

Oak Tree Spring 0.07 21.4 E0.1 <0.002 88.0 5.0 290 E0.006 0.79

McCabe Canyon Spring No.1 0.07 17.6 0.2 E0.002 62.0 9.5 163 0.022 2.93Chalone Bridge Spring 0.1 23.0 0.6 E0.001 23.2 29.6 310 0.020 <0.06Superintendent’s Spring 0.09 22.6 0.1 0.003 77.6 4.7 272 0.012 1.18Split Rock Spring 0.12 30.0 0.1 <0.002 87.4 5.9 258 E0.006 0.87

Moses Spring 0.14 34.0 0.1 0.003 89.1 6.0 243 E0.006 0.98Moses Spring (QA) — — — — — — <0.010 <0.06

Local name

Nitrite 

(mg/L 

as N)

Total 

Nitrogen, 

by analysis 

(mg/L)

Orthophosphate 

(mg/L 

as P)

Phosphorus 

(mg/L 

as P)

Aluminum 

(μg/L 

as Al)

Antimony 

(μg/L 

as Sb)

Arsenic 

(μg/L 

as As)

Barium 

(μg/L 

as Ba)

Beryllium 

(μg/L 

as Be)

Willow Spring South Rivulet <0.002 0.52 0.398 0.41 16 <0.20 7.5 8 <0.06Oak Tree Spring <0.002 0.84 0.208 0.19 <2 E0.18 19.2 M— 0.08McCabe Canyon Spring #1 0.011 2.86 0.521 0.50 <2 E0.11 3.4 2 <0.06Chalone Bridge Spring <0.002 0.29 0.010 <0.04 2 0.28 7.2 2 <0.06Superintendent’s Spring 0.002 1.35 0.096 0.08 14 0.32 8.2 4 E0.05Split Rock Spring <0.002 0.93 0.218 0.20 E1 0.29 15.5 5 0.19Moses Spring <0.002 0.97 0.242 0.22 E1 0.21 10.9 5 0.24Moses Spring (QA) <0.002 <0.06 <0.006 <0.04 <2 <0.20 <0.12 <0.2 <0.06

Table 2. Physical property, major-ion, trace-element, and isotopic data for ground water sampled from springs at Pinnacles National Monument, California, June 2006—Continued.[gal/min, gallons per minute; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; per mil, per thousand; E, the constituent concentration was below the reporting limit but was estimated at the NWQL or the flow rate was estimated in the field; M, the constituent was detected but not quantified; —, no data. All chemical concentrations are for dissolved constituents unless noted otherwise in the column heading; <, less than; >, greater than; QA, quality assurance sample; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey]

Sampling Protocols 19
Local name

Boron 

(μg/L 

as B)

Cadmium 

(μg/L 

as Cd)

Chromium 

(μg/L 

as Cr)

Cobalt 

(μg/L 

as Co)

Copper 

(μg/L 

as Cu)

Iron

(μg/L 

as Fe)

Lead 

(μg/L 

as Pb)

Lithium 

(μg/L 

as Li)

Manganese

(μg/L 

as Mn)

Willow Spring South Rivulet 32 <0.04 0.10 0.081 0.9 63 0.14 21.3 8.4Oak Tree Spring 19 <0.04 0.06 0.069 E0.2 <6 <0.08 103 E0.1McCabe Canyon Spring No.1 19 <0.04 0.05 E0.031 <0.4 E5 <0.08 7.1 2.5Chalone Bridge Spring 56 <0.04 0.10 0.052 1.5 E4 0.31 158 6.3Superintendent’s Spring 30 <0.04 0.06 0.097 E0.3 E5 E0.05 65.3 8.0Split Rock Spring 23 <0.04 E0.03 0.056 0.6 <6 E0.05 65.1 E0.1Moses Spring 20 <0.04 0.04 0.041 <0.4 <6 <0.08 71.3 <0.2Moses Spring (QA) <8 <0.04 0.04 <0.040 <0.4

— <0.08 <0.6 <0.2

Local name

Molybdenum 

(μg/L 

as Mo)

Nickel 

(μg/L 

as Ni)

Selenium 

(μg/L 

as Se)

Silver 

(μg/L 

as Ag)

Strontium 

(μg/L 

as Sr)

Thallium 

(μg/L 

as Tl)

Uranium 

(μg/L 

as U)

Vanadium 

(μg/L as V)

Zinc 

(μg/L 

as Zn)

Willow Spring South Rivulet 3.1 0.52 0.09 <0.2 112 <0.04 0.16 0.67 1.6Oak Tree Spring <0.4 0.59 0.26 <0.2 664 <0.04 23.8 E0.06 1.0

McCabe Canyon Spring No.1 1.0 0.21 1.9 <0.2 85.7 <0.04 1.06 1.6 E0.6Chalone Bridge Spring 1.5 0.40 0.16 <0.2 258 <0.04 17.7 0.18 1.4Superintendent’s Spring E0.4 0.85 0.44 <0.2 293 <0.04 14.6 0.24 1.6Split Rock Spring E0.3 0.50 0.35 <0.2 214 <0.04 2.86 0.40 1.8Moses Spring E0.2 0.33 0.20 <0.2 154 <0.04 1.62 0.31 E0.6Moses Spring (QA) <0.4 <0.06 <0.08 <0.2 <0.40 <0.04 <0.04 <0.10 0.7

Local name

Deuterium/

Protium 

ratio 

(per mil)

18O/16O

ratio 

(per mil)

Tritium 

(pCi/L)

Tritium, 

2 sigma 

(pCi/L)

Willow Spring South Rivulet -54.10 -7.85 1.2 0.58Oak Tree Spring -58.30 -8.67 M— 0.58McCabe Canyon Spring No.1 -51.30 -7.45 2.2 0.58Chalone Bridge Spring -59.10 -8.67 0.5 0.58Superintendent’s Spring -55.10 -8.29 1.0 0.58Split Rock Spring -56.40 -8.42 0.1 0.58Moses Spring -57.70 -8.49 0.6 0.58Moses Spring (QA)

—

—

—

—

Table 2. Physical property, major-ion, trace-element, and isotopic data for ground water sampled from springs at Pinnacles National Monument, California, June 2006—Continued.[gal/min, gallons per minute; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; per mil, per thousand; E, the constituent concentration was below the reporting limit but was estimated at the NWQL or the flow rate was estimated in the field; M, the constituent was detected but not quantified; —, no data. All chemical concentrations are for dissolved constituents unless noted otherwise in the column heading; <, less than; >, greater than; QA, quality assurance sample; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey]

20 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Water-Quality Results

Physical Properties

Even though the spring of 2006 was wetter and cooler 

than is typical, the springs at Pinnacles National Monument 

discharged water at relatively low rates—from about 0.1 to 

about 6 gallons per minute. The importance of ground water 

discharged at low rates from Superintendent’s Spring, Chalone 

Bridge Spring, and Oak Tree Spring to the health of nearby 

stream environments is uncertain. Ground water discharging 

from these three springs and McCabe Canyon Spring No. 1 

reinfiltrated the soil after flowing downslope approximately 

30 ft, 5 ft, 15 ft, and 70 ft from the respective spring pools. If 

the infiltrated water reemerges in adjacent stream channels, 

the springs may provide baseflow to these streams. Although 

the flow rates of springs were low when they were sampled, 

the water quality of the sampled springs may be similar to the 

water quality of other diffuse seepage that provides baseflow 

to streams.

Water-quality analytical results from spring samples

are presented in table 2. Spring pH was found to be near 

neutral, ranging only from 6.3 to 7.4. Considering that the 

springs are in similar environments and relatively 

closely spaced, there was substantial variability in spring 

temperature (14.5–19.5°C), specific electrical conductance 

(171–497 μS/cm), and dissolved oxygen concentration 

(1.5–7.0 mg/L).

Major-Ion Composition

Hydrologists often classify natural waters by chemical 

water type, that is, by the dominant cation (positively charged 

ion) and anion (negatively charged ion), as expressed in milliequivalents per liter. For example, samples from Chalone 

Bridge Spring and Moses Spring contained more than 50 percent sodium (the dominant cation) and more than 50 percent 

bicarbonate (the dominant anion) on a milliequivalent-per-liter 

basis. These samples, therefore, were classified as sodium 

bicarbonate waters. Likewise, the sample from Oak Tree 

Spring was a calcium bicarbonate water. The sample from 

Split Rock Spring does not contain a single dominant cation. 

This sample was classified as a sodium calcium bicarbonate 

water because sodium and calcium concentrations together 

(on a milliequivalent basis) comprised substantially more that 

50 percent of the dissolved cations. Because the sodium concentration is greater than the calcium concentration (on a milliequivalent basis) the sodium cation is listed first in the water 

type designation. Likewise, the sample from Superintendent’s 

Spring was a calcium sodium bicarbonate and the samples 

from Willow Spring and McCabe Canyon Spring No. 1 were 

sodium bicarbonate chloride waters. The relative proportion of 

major cations and anions in each water sample is shown on a 

trilinear diagram (fig. 18) as a percentage of the total cationic 

or anionic content measured in milliequivalents per liter. The 

ionic composition of ground water varied with spring location. 

Variability in chemical composition of ground water often 

results from differences in geology, land use, residence time in 

the aquifer, and other factors.

Oxygen-18 and Deuterium

The proportion of heavy stable isotopes of oxygen (18O) 

and hydrogen (2H, deuterium) in water molecules can be used 

to infer the source and evaporative history of water. Atoms of 

oxygen-18 (18O) and deuterium (2H) have more neutrons and 

a greater atomic mass than do atoms of the more common 

isotopes, oxygen-16, and hydrogen. The difference in weight 

results in differences in the physical and chemical behavior of 

the heavier, less abundant isotopes. Oxygen-18 and deuterium 

abundances are expressed as ratios of the heavy isotope to the 

light isotope, in delta notation (δ), as per mil (parts per thousand) differences, relative to Vienna Standard Mean Ocean 

Water (VSMOW) (Gonfiantini, 1978). By convention, the 

value of both oxygen-18 and deuterium abundance ratios in 

VSMOW is 0 per mil. Oxygen-18 (δ18O) and deuterium (δD) 

ratios, relative to VSMOW, can be measured more precisely 

than absolute abundance, and these ratios are useful in 

hydrologic studies (International Atomic Energy Agency, 

1981).

Most ground water is meteoric, that is, it is derived from 

direct infiltration of precipitation or infiltration of surface 

water that was derived from precipitation. Most precipitation throughout the world originates from the evaporation of 

seawater. The ratios δ18O and δD are relatively constant in 

atmospheric moisture at given latitudes over the oceans. Water 

molecules composed of oxygen-18 and deuterium atoms need 

slightly more energy to evaporate than water molecules composed of lighter oxygen (16O) and hydrogen (1

H) atoms. Thus, 

atmospheric moisture over the oceans is slightly depleted in 

oxygen-18 and deuterium, compared to VSMOW. Thermodynamic processes slightly favor the condensation of water vapor 

containing oxygen-18 and deuterium. Condensation of water 

vapor containing oxygen-18 and deuterium occurs at higher 

temperatures than condensation of water vapor containing 16O 

and 1H. As water droplets repeatedly undergo evaporation and 

condensation, the aqueous phase becomes isotopically heavier 

and the vapor phase becomes isotopically lighter. Generally, 

as atmospheric moisture moves inland from coastal areas, the 

ratio of the heavy isotopes to the lighter isotopes decreases. 

Heavy isotopes are more concentrated during initial precipitation, which occurs at lower altitudes in coastal areas, and 

most depleted during later precipitation, which occurs inland 

at higher altitudes. Oxygen-18 and deuterium are affected 

similarly by this isotopic fractionation process; a plot of the 

isotopic ratios of oxygen-18 to deuterium in precipitation is a 

straight line with a slope similar to the global meteoric water 

line (Craig, 1961; Gat and Gonfiantini, 1981). The position of 

a stable-isotopic analysis from a precipitation sample, relative to the line of isotopic fractionation, is controlled by air 

temperature and storm duration.

Water-Quality Results 21
Often, the isotopic composition of ground-water samples 

collected from wells and springs in the same general area plot 

on a straight line (the local ground-water line) representing 

the variability of isotopic composition of local precipitation. 

Waters with isotopic compositions that plot low on the local 

ground-water line likely condensed at cooler temperatures—at 

a higher altitude or in a cooler climate long ago—than waters 

with isotopic compositions plotting higher on the line. Isotopic compositions that plot below and to the right of a local 

ground-water line likely indicate that the water sampled has 

undergone some evaporation since falling as precipitation.

Figure 19 shows the relation between oxygen-18 and deuterium for all ground-water samples collected from springs at 

Pinnacles National Monument by the USGS. Too few samples 

were collected to accurately define a local ground-water line, 

but most samples plot linearly between the global meteoric 

water line and a line defined by precipitation collected at Santa 

Maria, California (International Atomic Energy Agency, 1981) 

about 110 miles southeast from Pinnacles National Monument.

Tritium

Tritium (3H) is a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of hydrogen that has a half-life of 12.43 years. Tritium 

is produced naturally by the interaction of cosmic rays with 

nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere. Tritium exists in 

the atmosphere as tritiated water and is transferred from the 

atmosphere to the sea-surface through vapor exchange and 

rainfall. In this report, tritium was measured in picocuries per 

liter (pCi/L); 1 pCi/L is equivalent to 1 tritium atom in about 

1,018 atoms of hydrogen. Prior to 1952, the tritium concentration in precipitation in coastal California ranged from 9.6 

to 16 pCi/L (R. Michel, USGS, oral commun., 2006). About 

800 kg of tritium was released to the atmosphere as a result of 

the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during 1952–62 

(Michel, 1976), and the tritium concentration of precipitation 

increased to a maximum of about 3,840 pCi/L. After the cessation of atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in 1962, the 

tritium concentration of precipitation decreased; 

present-day tritium levels in precipitation are near the pre1952 levels. Because tritium is part of the water molecule, 

tritium is not affected by reactions other than radioactive 

PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL MILLIEQUIVALENTS PER LITER

CALCIUM

 100

 80

 60

 40

 20

 0 0

 20

 40

 60

 80

 100

MAGNESIUM

 0

 20

 40

 60

 80

 100

SODIUM PLUS POTASSIUM

B A

C D E

F

G

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

B A C

D

E

F

G

 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

A B

C

D

F

G

PERCENT

PERCENT

McCabe

Moses

Willow

Split Rock

Chalone

Oak Tree

Superintendent’s

Figure 18. Major-ion composition of samples from springs in Pinnacles National Monument in 

June 2006. 

22 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
decay, and—neglecting the effects of dispersion and mixing 

with older or younger waters—tritium is an excellent tracer of 

the movement of ground water recharged fewer than 50 years 

before present. Figure 20 shows tritium concentrations for 

samples collected from springs at Pinnacles National Monument (table 2). These samples are plotted at zero years on the 

time scale, that is, present day at the time of the sampling. For 

comparison with tritium concentrations in the spring samples, 

time-decayed tritium concentrations were calculated for water 

that contains levels of tritium similar to background levels 

measured in precipitation falling in central coastal California 

(9.6-16 pCi/L). These calculations are plotted as theoretical 

decay curves (fig. 20) that describe the tritium concentration 

remaining in water that initially (at year zero) had tritium 

concentrations of 9.6 and 16 pCi/L. The decay curves illustrate the changing tritium concentration in recharge water that 

slowly moves through the ground-water-flow system. Because 

tritium concentrations in the initial waters for the decay curve 

calculations contained only background levels of tritium the 

area between the two curves in figure 20 represents the likely 

tritium concentration range for precipitation that occurred 

during periods when atmospheric moisture was not affected 

by nuclear tests. Tritium concentrations plotting below the two 

background decay curves represent old water that mostly is 

unaffected by infiltration of post-1952 rainwater.

Trace Elements and Nutrients

A statistical summary of water-quality results is presented 

in table 3, along with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(USEPA) and California Department of Health Services 

(CADHS) standards for drinking water. The standards provide 

a basis for evaluating the results of this study.

In general, concentrations of chemical constituents in 

spring waters sampled for this study were lower than USEPA 

and CADHS drinking-water standards and USEPA recommended water-quality criteria for freshwater aquatic life. 

However, the concentrations of dissolved arsenic in Oak Tree 

Spring, Split Rock Spring, and Moses Spring of 19.2, 15.5, 

and 10.9 μg/L, respectively, were above the new USEPA 

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic in drinking 

water that took effect on January 23, 2006 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006a). Historically, Oak Tree 

Spring and Split Rock Spring were used as sources of drinking 

water at the Monument. Until recently, the concentration of 

arsenic in these springs would not have exceeded the Federal 

MCL. The Federal MCL, for dissolved arsenic in drinking 

water was lowered from 50 μg/L to 10 μg/L in January 2006 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006a). The state 

of California complies with the Federal MCL with respect to 

monitoring requirements and is expected to adopt a revised 

McCabe Canyon No. 1

Oak Tree

Chalone Bridge

Willow Superintendent's

Split Rock

Moses

–70

–65

–60

–55

–50

–45

–40

–10 –9 –8 –7 –6 –5

DELTA 18-OXYGEN, IN PER MIL

DELTA DEUTERIUM, IN PER MIL

GLOBAL METEORIC

 WATER LINE

SANTA MARIA METEORIC

WATER LINE

Figure 19. Stable isotopic composition of samples from springs in Pinnacles National Monument in June 2006. 

(The dashed line may represent the trend of the local meteoric ground-water line as suggested by the alignment of samples on 

the graph.)

Water-Quality Results 23
State MCL for arsenic of 10 μg/L during 2007. Historically, 

Willow Spring also has been used as a source of drinking 

water; the arsenic concentration of water in Willow Spring 

South Rivulet (7.5 μg/L) was lower than the federal MCL. The 

concentrations of dissolved uranium in all spring samples were 

below the USEPA MCL for drinking water, 30 μg/L, although 

the uranium concentration in samples from Oak Tree Spring 

(23.8 μg/L), Superintendents Spring (14.6 μg/L), and Chalone Bridge Spring (17.7 μg/L) were higher than in samples 

collected at the other four springs (median concentration, 

1.34 μg/L).

Nutrient concentrations in all samples were lower than 

USEPA and CADHS drinking water standards and USEPArecommended water-quality criteria for freshwater aquatic life. 

The highest concentration of dissolved nitrate plus nitrite was 

in the sample from McCabe Canyon Spring No. l, 2.93 mg/L 

(as N), which is close to the estimated national background 

nitrate concentration in ground water of 2 mg/L (Mueller and 

Helsel, 1996).

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0 20 40 60 80 100

TIME, IN YEARS SINCE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED

TRITIUM CONCENTRATION, IN PICOCURIES PER LITER

Ground water recharged from precipitation 

with initial tritium concentration = 9.6 pCi/L

Ground water from springs sampled 

at Pinnacles National Monument 

Ground water recharged from precipitation 

with initial tritium concentration = 16 pCi/L

The concentrations of all constituents in the field blank 

(table 2) were less than minimum reporting limits, except for 

a chromium concentration of 0.04 μg/L (equal to the reporting 

level) and a zinc concentration of 0.7 μg/L (reporting level: 

0.6 μg/L). The absence of appreciable trace element and nutrient concentrations in the field blank indicates that sampling 

techniques likely were sufficiently rigorous, and sampling 

equipment sufficiently clean, to preclude cross-contamination 

of ground water collected from springs during sampling.

The percent difference in the sum of dissolved cations 

and anions (in milliequivalents per liter) for all the samples 

was small (less than ±3 percent), indicating that spring waters 

are electrically balanced and that laboratory analytical techniques likely produced valid data. 

Figure 20. The concentrations of tritium in ground water sampled from springs in Pinnacles National Monument in June 2006 

are shown as triangles plotted at zero years, or present day at the time of this study, and the concentration range of tritium that 

remained in water that fell as precipitation in central coastal California when tritium concentrations in atmospheric water were 

at background levels between 9.6 and 16 pCi/L (green and black lines respectively).

24  Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Water-Quality Results 25

Table 3. Statistical summary of the concentration of major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and isotopes in spring samples, type of 

comparison threshold for drinking water and the corresponding threshold level, and threshold levels for freshwater aquatic life—

Continued.

[Threshold levels are maximum permissible levels unless otherwise indicated (For example, the alkalinity CCC for freshwater aquatic life indicates that the 

alkalinity concentration should be greater than 20 mg/L as CaCO3; HA-L, lifetime health advisory (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); MCLCA, California Department of Health Services Maximum Contaminant Level (California Department of Health Services, 2005); MCL-US, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); MCLtt-US, action level for treatment technique (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); SMCL-US, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 2006b); CCC, Criterion Continuous Concentration (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006c); CMC, Criterion Maximum Concentration (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006c); n/a, not applicable; E, value is estimated at or less than USGS reporting limit, or estimated flow rate; 

M, constituent detected but not quantified; gal/min, gallons per minute; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; pCi/L, picocuries per 

liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; >, greater than]

Constituent

Springs at Pinnacles 

National Monument Drinking Water Freshwater Aquatic Life

Maximum Minimum Median

Type of 

comparison 

threshold

Threshold 

level CMC CCC

Field Parameters

Flow rate (gal/min) E6.0 E0.10 0.70 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 7.0 1.5 6.0 n/a n/a (1) (1)

pH 7.4 6.3 6.7 SMCL-US 6.5-8.5 n/a 6.5-9

Specific Conductance (μS/cm) 497 171 297 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Temperature (°C) 19.5 14.5 17.0 n/a n/a (1) (1)

Alkalinity (mg/L as CaCO3) 196 30 92 n/a n/a n/a >20

Major Ions (mg/L)

Calcium 40.8 9.37 21.9 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Magnesium 3.35 0.257 2.47 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Potassium 1.93 0.33 1.08 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Sodium 79.5 19.9 35.7 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Bromide 0.14 0.07 0.09 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Chloride 34.0 17.6 22.6 SMCL-US 250 860 230

Fluoride 0.6 0.1 0.1 MCL-CA 2.0 n/a n/a

Iodide 0.009 E0.001 E0.002 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Silica 89.1 23.2 77.6 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Sulfate 43.1 4.7 6.0 SMCL-US 250 n/a n/a

Residue on evaporation 310 163 258 SMCL-US 500 n/a n/a

Nutrients (mg/L)

Ammonia 0.022 E0.006 E0.009 HA-L 30 (1) (1)

Nitrite + Nitrate 2.93 <0.06 0.87 SMCL-US 10 (as N) n/a n/a

Nitrite 0.011 <0.002 <0.002 SMCL-US 1 (as N) n/a n/a

Total Nitrogen 2.86 0.29 0.93 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Orthophosphate 0.521 0.010 0.218 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Phosphorus 0.50 <0.04 0.20 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Trace Elements (μg/L)

Aluminum 16 E1 <2 MCL-US 1,000 750 87

Antimony 0.32 E0.11 0.21 MCL-US 6 n/a n/a

Arsenic 19.2 3.4 8.2 MCL-US 10 340 150

Barium 8 2 5 MCL-CA 1,000 n/a n/a

Beryllium 0.24 E0.05 <0.06 MCL-US 4 n/a n/a

Boron 56 19 23 HA-L 1,000 n/a n/a

Cadmium <0.04 <0.04 <0.04 MCL-US 5 2 0.25

Chromium [total/VI](III/VI) 0.10 E0.03 0.06 MCL-CA [50/1] (570/16) (74/11)

Cobalt 0.097 E0.031 0.056 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Copper 1.5 E0.2E <0.4 MCLtt-US 1,300 13 9

Iron 63 E4 <6 SMCL-US 300 n/a 1000

Lead 0.31 E0.05 <0.08 MCLtt-US 15 65 2.5

Lithium 158 7.1 65.3 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Manganese 8.4 E0.1 2.5 SMCL-US 50 n/a n/a

Table 3. Statistical summary of the concentration of major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and isotopes in spring samples, type of 

comparison threshold for drinking water and the corresponding threshold level, and threshold levels for freshwater aquatic life.

[Threshold levels are maximum permissible levels unless otherwise indicated (For example, the alkalinity CCC for freshwater aquatic life indicates that the 

alkalinity concentration should be greater than 20 mg/L as CaCO3; HA-L, lifetime health advisory (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); MCL-CA, 

California Department of Health Services Maximum Contaminant Level (California Department of Health Services, 2005); MCL-US, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); MCLtt-US, action level for treatment technique (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); SMCL-US, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2006b); CCC, Criterion Continuous Concentration (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006c); CMC, Criterion Maximum Concentration (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2006c); n/a, not applicable; E, value is estimated at or less than USGS reporting limit, or estimated flow rate; M, constituent detected but not quantified; gal/min, gallons per minute; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; μg/L, 

micrograms per liter; <, less than; >, greater than]
Summary

This data report summarizes the objectives, sampling 

plan, and sampling and analysis protocols used by the U.S. 

Geological Survey in conducting the level-one baseline waterquality inventory of springs at Pinnacles National Monument. The resulting water-quality data indicate that the seven 

sampled springs are of generally good quality, although three 

of the springs had dissolved arsenic concentrations that were 

higher than the USEPA drinking water standard of 10 μg/L 

that took effect on January 23, 2006. The data collected in this 

study provide baseline water-quality information that can be 

used in conjunction with future water-quality data to assess 

temporal chemical trends. The data also provide information 

that will facilitate future study of ground-water-flow systems, 

stream-aquifer interactions, and wetlands. Ultimately, these 

data and future studies will improve the understanding of 

ground-water-flow systems that must be considered during the 

resource management decision-making process by National 

Park Service staff at Pinnacles National Monument.

References Cited

California Department of Health Services, 2005, MCLs, 

DLRs, and PHGs for regulated drinking water contaminants, accessed November 8, 2006, at http://www.dhs.

ca.gov/ps/ddwem/chemicals/phgs/chemicalinformation/

default.htm 

Childress, C.J., Foreman, W.T., Connor, B.F., and Maloney, 

T.J., 1999, New reporting procedures based on long-term 

method detection levels and some considerations for 

interpretations of water-quality data provided by the U.S. 

Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 99–193, 19 p.

Coplen, T.B., Wildman, J.D. and Chen, J., 1991. Improvements in the gaseous hydrogen-water equilibration technique for hydrogen isotope ratio analysis: Analytical 

Chemistry, v. 63, p. 910–912.

Table 3. Statistical summary of the concentration of major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and isotopes in spring samples, type of 

comparison threshold for drinking water and the corresponding threshold level, and threshold levels for freshwater aquatic life—

Continued.

[Threshold levels are maximum permissible levels unless otherwise indicated (For example, the alkalinity CCC for freshwater aquatic life indicates that the 

alkalinity concentration should be greater than 20 mg/L as CaCO3; HA-L, lifetime health advisory (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); MCLCA, California Department of Health Services Maximum Contaminant Level (California Department of Health Services, 2005); MCL-US, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); MCLtt-US, action level for treatment technique (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b); SMCL-US, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 2006b); CCC, Criterion Continuous Concentration (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006c); CMC, Criterion Maximum Concentration (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006c); n/a, not applicable; E, value is estimated at or less than USGS reporting limit, or estimated flow rate; 

M, constituent detected but not quantified; gal/min, gallons per minute; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; pCi/L, picocuries per 

liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; >, greater than]

Constituent

Springs at Pinnacles 

National Monument Drinking Water Freshwater Aquatic Life

Maximum Minimum Median

Type of 

comparison 

threshold

Threshold 

level CMC CCC

Trace Elements (μg/L)—Continued

Molybdenum 3.1 E0.2 E0.4 HA-L 40 n/a n/a

Nickel 0.85 0.21 0.50 MCL-CA 100 470 52

Selenium 1.9 0.09 0.26 MCL-US 50 n/a 5

Silver <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 HA-L 100 3.2 n/a

Strontium 664 85.7 214 HA-L 4,000 n/a n/a

Thallium <0.04 <0.04 <0.04 MCL-US 2 n/a n/a

Uranium 23.8 0.16 2.86 MCL-US 30 n/a n/a

Vanadium 1.6 E0.06 0.31 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Zinc 1.8 0.6 1.4 SMCL-US 5,000 120 120

Stable Isotopes (per mil)

Deuterium/Protium ratio –51.30 –59.10 –56.40 n/a n/a n/a n/a 18O/16O ratio –7.45 –8.67 –8.42 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Radioisotopes (pCi/L)

Tritium 2.2 M 0.6 MCL-CA 20,000 n/a n/a

1

Threshold level dependent on aquatic species, or other chemical or physical constituent (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1986).

26 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Michel, R.L., 1976, Tritium inventories of the world’s oceans 

and their implications: Nature, v. 263, p. 103–106.

Mueller, D.K., and Helsel, D.R., 1996, Nutrients in the 

nation’s waters—Too much of a good thing?: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1136, 24 p.

Östlund, H.G., 1987, Tritium, in GEOSECS Atlantic, Pacific, 

and Indian Ocean Expeditions, Vol. 7, Shorebased Data and 

Graphics, 7-10. (Contains a description of lab methods)

Patton, C.J., Kryskalla, J.R., 2003, Methods of analysis by 

the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory: Evaluation of Alkaline Persulfate Digestion as an 

Alternative to Kjeldahl Digestion for Determination of Total 

and Dissolved Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Water, WaterResources Investigations Report 03–4174, 33 p.

Patton, C.J., and Truitt, E.P., 1992, Methods of analysis by 

the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of total phosphorus by a Kjeldahl 

digestion method and an automated colorimetric finish that 

includes dialysis: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

92–146, 39 p.

Rantz, S.E., and others, 1982, Measurement and computation 

of streamflow, Measurement of stage and discharge: U.S. 

Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2175, v. 2, 284 p.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006a, Arsenic in 

drinking water, accessed December 20, 2006, at http://www.

epa.gov/safewater/arsenic/index.html

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006b, 2006 edition 

of the drinking water standards and health advisories, 12 p., 

accessed November 8, 2006, at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/drinking/dwstandards.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006c, National recommended water quality criteria, 24 p., accessed November 

8, 2006, at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/wqcriteria.html.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Threatened and endangered 

species system (TESS), accessed December 21, 2006, at 

http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/StartTESS.do

U.S. Geological Survey, 1998, National field manual for the 

collection of water-quality data: U.S. Geological Survey 

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 9, 

variously paginated.

Craig, Harmon, 1961, Isotopic variation in meteoric waters: 

Science, v. 133, p. 1702–1703.

Epstein, S. and Mayeda, T., 1953, Variation of O-18 content 

of water from natural sources: Geochimica Cosmochimica 

Acta, v. 4, p. 213–224.

Faires, L.M., 1993, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of metals in water by inductively coupled plasma-mass 

spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

92–634, 28 p.

Fishman, M.J., 1993, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of inorganic and organic constituents in water and 

fluvial sediments: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

93–125, 217 p.

Fishman, M.J., and Friedman, L.C., 1989, Methods for 

determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial 

sediments: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of WaterResources Investigations, book 5, chap. A1, 545 p.

Garbarino, J.R., 1999, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of dissolved arsenic, boron, lithium, selenium, 

strontium, thallium, and vanadium using inductively 

coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 99–093, 31 p.

Garbarino, J.R., Kanagy, L.K., and Cree, M.E., 2006, Determination of elements in natural-water, biota, sediment and soil 

samples using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled 

plasma-mass spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 5, sec. B, chap.1, 88 p.

Gat, J.R., and Gonfiantini, R., eds., 1981, Stable isotope 

Hydrology—Deuterium and oxygen-18 in the water cycle: 

International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Report 

Series No. 210, 335 p.

Gilbert, T.W., Behymer, T.D., Castaneda, H.B., Determination 

of dissolved oxygen in natural and wastewaters: American 

Laboratory, March 1982, p. 119–134.

Gonfiantini, R., 1978, Standards for stable isotope measurements in natural compounds: Nature, v. 271, p. 534–536.

International Atomic Energy Agency, 1981, Statistical treatment of environmental isotope data in precipitation: Technical Research Report Series No. 206, 255 p.

Maloney, T.J., ed., 2005, Quality management system, U.S. 

Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1263, version 

1.3, accessed December 20, 2006, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/

of/2005/1263/pdf/OFR2005-1263.pdf

References Cited 27
Long-Term Method Detection Level (LT-MDL) is a 

detection level derived by determining the standard deviation of 20 or more MDL spike-sample measurements over 

an extended period of time. LT-MDL data are collected on 

a continuous basis to assess year-to-year variations in the 

LT-MDL (Childress and others, 1999). The LT-MDL controls 

false positive error (reporting an analyte present when it is not 

in the sample at a concentration equal to or greater than the 

reporting level). The chance of falsely reporting a concentration greater than or equal to the LT-MDL for a sample that did 

not contain the analyte is predicted to be less than or equal 

to 1 percent. The USGS National Water Quality Laboratory 

collects quality-control data from selected analytical methods 

on a continuing basis to determine LT-MDL and establish 

laboratory reporting levels (LRL). These concentrations are 

reevaluated annually based on the most current quality-control 

data and may therefore change. In cases where there is not sufficient quality-control data for a given analytical method, the 

LT-MDL is the LRL (Childress and others, 1999).

Reporting Level (RL) generally is equal to twice the 

yearly determined LT-MDL (Childress and others, 1999). 

The LRL controls false negative error (stating the analyte 

is not detected when present at or greater than the detection 

level). The probability of falsely reporting a nondetection for 

a sample that contained an analyte at a concentration equal to 

or greater than the RL is predicted to be less than or equal to 

1 percent. The value of the RL will be reported with a “less 

than” (<) remark code for samples in which the analyte was 

not detected (Childress and others, 1999).

Dissolved Oxygen—field

1. Parameter name: Dissolved oxygen is molecular 

oxygen (oxygen gas) dissolved in water.

2. Sample fraction: Dissolved oxygen samples 

were taken from a sample cup by immediate transfer into an 

ampoule to minimize aeration or other sources of contamination.

3. Measurement units: Dissolved oxygen is reported as 

milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Dissolved oxygen 

measurements were conducted in the field.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

CHEMet ampoules were filled from a 25-mL sample cup, 

the ampoule was inverted several times to mix its contents, 

after 2 minutes the ampoule was held up to the color comparator beneath a bright source of light. The concentration 

of dissolved oxygen is determined by color matching the test 

ampoule to the color comparator.

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: Dissolved oxygen measurements were made in the field. Preservation and transportation of water sampled were not necessary.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: Indigo Carmine—ASTM D 888-87, Colorimetric Indigo Carmine, Test Method A (Gilbert and others, 1982).

9. Name and model number of field equipment: CHEMetrics, CHEMets Kit K-7512 was used in this field study.

10. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure:

a. Range: 1–12 mg/L

b. Resolution: 0.5 mg/L

pH—field

1. Parameter name: pH is a measure representing the 

negative base-10 logarithm of hydrogen-ion activity of a 

solution in moles per liter: pH= –log10(aH+)

2. Sample fraction: pH for this study was measured on 

unfiltered water samples.

3. Measurement units: pH is reported on a scale that 

ranges from 0 to 14 and is directly related to the ratio of 

hydrogen (H+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ion activity at a given 

temperature.

4. Field or lab measurement: pH measurements were 

made in the field.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: The 

pH meter was checked and calibrated twice daily in the field 

using pH buffers (pH 7 and pH 10 or pH 4). Buffers were 

allowed to equilibrate to approximate sample temperatures 

prior to calibration of the instrument. pH was measured either 

directly in the source or, when water depth was inadequate, 

from a beaker of sample water. The electrode was allowed to 

equilibrate until the pH reading was stable. The probe was 

rinsed with deionized water and stored upright in electrode 

storage solution.

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: pH 

measurements of sample water were conducted in the field. 

Preservation and transportation of sample water was not 

necessary.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: pH measurement procedures were followed 

according to the NFM, chapter A6, section 6.4 (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 1998).

9. Name and model number of field equipment: Orion 

model 250A temperature-compensated pH meter with 

gel-filled ATC combination electrode.

10. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method/procedure: pH measurement

a. Range: –2.00 to 19.99

b. Resolution: 0.01/0.1

c. Relative accuracy: ±0.02

d. Slope: 80 to 120 percent

e. Temperature measurement

f. Range: -5.00 to 105.0°C

g. Resolution: 0.1°C

h. Relative accuracy: ±1.0°C

Appendix A. Water-quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions

28  Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Specific [Electrical] Conductance (SC)—field

1. Parameter name: Specific [electrical] conductance is 

a measure of the capacity of water (or other media) to conduct an electrical current. Electrical conductance of water is a 

function of the types and quantities of dissolved substances in 

water.

2. Sample fraction: Specific conductance for this study 

was measured in unfiltered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Specific conductance is reported 

in microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) at 25°C.

4. Field or Lab Measurements: Specific conductance 

for this study was measured in the field.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: The 

specific conductance instrument was calibrated prior to sample 

measurements with standards that bracket the expected sample 

conductance. Standards were equilibrated to the approximate 

sample temperature. Measurements were made either directly 

from the source or when water depth was inadequate, from a 

beaker of sample water. The conductivity probe was immersed 

in sample water until it equilibrated to sample temperature. 

The probe was stored in a bottle containing deionized water.

7. Description of sample transport/preservation:

Specific conductance of sample water was measured in the 

field. Preservation and transportation of sample water was not 

necessary.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: Specific conductance measurement procedures 

were followed according to the NFM, chapter A6, section 6.3 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 1998).

9. Name and model number of field equipment: ColeParmer model 1481-61 temperature-compensated specificconductance meter with probe model 01481-64, platinum 

dip-type sensor.

10. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method/procedure:

Conductivity range: 0–200,000 μS/cm (microsiemens per 

centimeter)

Temperature compensation:

Temperature coefficient: 2 percent per degree Celsius

Reference temperature: 25°C

Compensation range: 5–45°C

Temperature range: 5–45°C

Alkalinity—field

1. Parameter name: Alkalinity refers to the acid-neutralizing capacity of solutes in a water sample. Alkalinity, thus, 

consists of the sum of titratable carbonate and noncarbonate chemical species in a filtered sample. In most aqueous 

systems, alkalinity is controlled by carbonate chemistry and 

is mainly attributed to bicarbonate (HCO3) ion, with lesser 

contributions by carbonate (CO3) and hydroxide (OH) ions.

2. Sample fraction: Alkalinity (CaCO3) was measured 

from filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Alkalinity is reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L) as CaCO3

.

4. Field or lab measurement: Alkalinity concentrations 

were determined in the field.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 500-mL polyethylene bottle 

and tightly capped without headspace. (At Superintendent’s 

Spring, USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge 

Spring, USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 

0.45-micron pore capsule filters were used due to excess 

turbidity). Sample bottles previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water.

7. Description of sample transport/preservation:

Samples were stored on ice in an insulated container and 

transported by backpack from the collection sites to an ice 

filled cooler in a field vehicle at the trailhead. Prior to titration the samples were transferred to a refrigerator. Samples 

were titrated on the evening of their collection at field technicians’ lodging usually within 5 or 6 hours of sample collection. Samples were allowed to equilibrate to room temperature 

before titration.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: Alkalinity measurement procedures were 

followed according to the NFM, chapter A6, section 6.6 (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 1998).

9. Name and model number of field equipment: Hach 

Digital Titrator, Model 16900-01.

10. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method is suitable for water 

containing alkalinity regardless of concentration; however, 

if the Hach Digital Titrator is used with 0.16 N sulfuric acid 

solution, as was done for this study, the minimum quantification limit is 1 mg/L.

11. Method/procedure detection limit: The current 

long-term method detection limit for alkalinity determined at 

the USGS NWQL is 1 mg/L.

Calcium

1. Parameter name: Calcium (calcium as Ca).

2. Sample fraction: Calcium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Calcium concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of calcium 

concentrations was conducted at the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions 29
6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-147287, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 659: Calcium, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), atomic emission spectrometry (Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: This method may be used to 

analyze water containing from 0.01 to 25 mg/L of calcium 

for water that has a measured specific conductance of less 

than 2,000 μS/cm. Samples containing analyte concentrations 

greater than the maximum concentration limit can be analyzed 

for calcium if the sample is diluted, and if after dilution the 

specific conductance is less than 2,000 μS/cm.

10. Method/procedure detection limit: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection limit (LT-MDL) 

for calcium was 0.01 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.02 mg/L.

Magnesium

1. Parameter name: Magnesium (magnesium as Mg).

2. Sample fraction: Magnesium analyses are performed 

on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Magnesium concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of magnesium concentrations was analyzed at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-147287, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 663: Magnesium, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), atomic emission spectrometry 

(Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: This method may be used to 

analyze water containing from 0.004 to 5 mg/L of magnesium 

for water that has a measured specific conductance of less 

than 2,000 μS/cm. Samples containing analyte concentrations 

greater than the maximum concentration limit can be analyzed 

for magnesium if the sample is diluted, and if after dilution the 

specific conductance is less than 2,000 μS/cm.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for magnesium was 0.004 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.008 mg/L.

Potassium

1. Parameter name: Potassium (potassium as K).

2. Sample fraction: Potassium analyses are performed 

on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Potassium concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of potassium was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) 

to a pH of less than 2. The bottle was packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-147287, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 2773: Potassium, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), atomic emission spectrometry 

(Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: This method may be used to 

analyze atmospheric precipitation, water, brines, and watersuspended sediment. The analytical ranges for potassium are 

from 0.08 to 10 mg/L. Sample solutions containing potassium 

concentrations greater than 10 mg/L need to be diluted.

30 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for potassium was 0.08 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.16 mg/L.

Sodium

1. Parameter name: Sodium (sodium as Na).

2. Sample fraction: Sodium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Sodium concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of sodium was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-147287, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 675: Sodium, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), atomic emission spectrometry (Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: This method may be used to 

analyze water containing from 0.10 to 50 mg/L sodium for 

water that has a measured specific conductance of less than 

2,000 μS/cm. Samples containing analyte concentrations 

greater than the maximum concentration limit can be analyzed 

for sodium if the sample is diluted and if after dilution the 

specific conductance is less than 2,000 μS/cm.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

sodium was 0.10 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.20 mg/L.

Bromide

1. Parameter name: Bromide (bromide as Br)

2. Sample fraction: Bromide analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Bromide concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of bromide was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene bottle. 

The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled water 

and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In 

the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once with 

filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule 

filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-2057-85, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 3166: Bromide, using ion 

chromatography.

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: The analytical range for this 

procedure is 0.02 to 0.4 mg/L. Concentrations greater than 

0.4 mg/L must be diluted.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for bromide was 0.01 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.02 mg/L.

Chloride

1. Parameter name: Chloride (chloride as Cl).

2. Sample fraction: Chloride analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Chloride concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of chloride was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene bottle. 

The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled water 

and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In 

the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once with 

filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule 

filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-205785, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 1571: Chloride, using ion chromatography (Fishman and Friedman, 1989).

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  31
9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method is used to analyze 

most samples of water, wastewater, and brines containing from 

0.10 to 50 mg/L chloride. Concentrations greater than 50 mg/L 

must be diluted.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for chloride was 0.10 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.20 mg/L.

Fluoride

1. Parameter name: Fluoride (fluoride as Fl).

2. Sample fraction: Fluoride analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Fluoride concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of fluoride was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene bottle. 

The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled water 

and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In 

the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once with 

filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule 

filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-232785, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 31: Fluoride, using colorimetry, electrometric, ion-selective electrode, automated-segmented flow 

(Fishman and Friedman, 1989).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: This method may be used to 

analyze water and water-suspended sediment containing from 

0.05 to 3.0 mg/L of fluoride with specific conductivities less 

than 20,000 μS/cm.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for fluoride was 0.05 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.10 mg/L.

Iodide

1. Parameter name: Iodide (iodide as I).

2. Sample fraction: Iodide analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Iodide concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of iodide was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene bottle. 

The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled water 

and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In 

the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once with 

filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule 

filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-237189, Lab code 1202: 

Iodide, using colorimetry, automated-segmented flow, cericarsenious (Fishman and Friedman, 1989).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method may be used to determine iodide in fresh water and brines containing from 0.001 

to 0.060 mg/L of iodide. Greater concentrations need to be 

reduced by dilution.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for iodide was 0.001 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.002 mg/L.

Silica

1. Parameter name: Silica as silica dioxide (silica as 

SiO2).

2. Sample fraction: Silica analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Silica concentrations are reported 

in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of silica was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

32 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-147287, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 667, Silica, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), atomic emission spectrometry (Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: This method may be used to 

analyze water containing from 0.01 to 100 mg/L of silica for 

water that has a measured specific conductance of less than 

2,000 μS/cm. Samples containing analyte concentrations 

greater than the maximum concentration limit can be analyzed 

for silica if the sample is diluted, and if after dilution the specific conductance is less than 2,000 μS/cm.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

silica was 0.02 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.04 mg/L.

Sulfate

1. Parameter name: Sulfate (sulfate as SO4).

2. Sample fraction: Sulfate analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Sulfate concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of sulfate was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene bottle. 

The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled water 

and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In 

the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once with 

filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule 

filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-205785, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 1572: Sulfate, using ion chromatography (Fishman and Friedman, 1989).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method is used to analyze 

most samples of water, wastewater, and brines containing from 

0.09 to 100 mg/L sulfate. Concentrations greater than 

100 mg/L must be diluted.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

sulfate was 0.09 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.18 mg/L.

Residue on Evaporation (ROE) at 180°C

1. Parameter name: Residue on evaporation (total 

dissolved solids).

2. Sample fraction: ROE analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: ROE concentrations are reported 

in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of ROE was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene bottle. 

The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled water 

and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In 

the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once with 

filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule 

filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-175089, Schedule 2750: 

Major Ions; Lab code 27: ROE, gravimetric (Fishman and 

Friedman, 1989).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: The residue-on-evaporation 

method is applicable to all water regardless of concentration, 

provided that the residue layer in the evaporation dish is kept 

sufficiently thin.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level was residue 

on evaporation was 10 mg/L. At the time of this study, the 

reporting level (RL) was 10 mg/L.

Ammonia

1. Parameter name: Ammonia (ammonia as N).

2. Sample fraction: Ammonia as nitrogen analyses are 

performed on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Ammonia as nitrogen 

concentrations are reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of ammonia as nitrogen was conducted at the USGS 

NWQL in Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 125-mL brown polyethylene 

bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled 

water and transported to the field half filled with distilled 

water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once 

with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS 

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  33
Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore 

capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

with ice (in order to maintain a temperature of 4°C), for 

prompt shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-2522-90, I-2525-89; Lab 

Schedule 318: Nutrients, Lab code 3116, ammonia as nitrogen, using colorimetry, DA, salicylate-hypochlorite (Fishman, 

1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method is used to analyze 

samples of surface, domestic, and industrial water, and brines 

containing from 0.01 to 1.5 mg/L of ammonia-nitrogen. 

Greater concentrations must be diluted.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for ammonia as nitrogen was 0.005 mg/L. The reporting level 

(RL) was 0.010 mg/L.

Nitrite + Nitrate

1. Parameter name: Nitrite + nitrate (nitrite + nitrate, as 

N).

2. Sample fraction: Nitrite + nitrate as nitrogen analyses 

are performed on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Nitrite + nitrate as nitrogen 

concentrations are reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of nitrite + nitrate as nitrogen was conducted at the 

USGS NWQL in Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Calculated.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 125-mL brown polyethylene 

bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled 

water and transported to the field half filled with distilled 

water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once 

with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore 

capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

with ice (in order to maintain a temperature of 4°C), for 

prompt shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-254590; Lab Schedule 318: 

Nutrients, Lab code 1975, Nitrite + nitrate as nitrogen, using 

colorimetry, automated-segmented flow, cadmium reduction 

– diazotization (Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method is used to analyze 

samples of surface, domestic, and industrial water and brines 

containing from 0.1 to 5.0 mg/L of nitrite + nitrate-nitrogen.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

nitrite + nitrate (as N) was 0.030 mg/L. The reporting level 

(RL) was 0.060 mg/L.

Nitrite

1. Parameter name: Nitrite (nitrite as N).

2. Sample fraction: Nitrite as nitrogen analyses are 

performed on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Nitrite as nitrogen concentrations 

are reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of nitrite as nitrogen was conducted at the USGS 

NWQL in Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 125-mL brown polyethylene 

bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled 

water and transported to the field half filled with distilled 

water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once 

with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore 

capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

with ice (in order to maintain a temperature of 4°C), for 

prompt shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Methods I- 2540-90, I-2542-89; Lab 

Schedule 318: Nutrients, Lab code 3117, Nitrite as nitrogen, 

using colorimetry, DA (Fishman and Friedman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: These methods are used to analyze 

samples of precipitation or natural water containing from 

0.001 to 1.0 mg/L of nitrite-nitrogen. Concentrations greater 

than 1.0 mg/L must be diluted.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

nitrite (as N) was 0.001 mg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.002 mg/L.

Total Nitrogen

1. Parameter name: Total dissolved nitrogen 

(NO2+NO3+NH3+organic nitrogen, as N)

2. Sample fraction: Total dissolved nitrogen analyses are 

performed on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Total dissolved nitrogen concentrations are reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen was conducted at the USGS 

NWQL in Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

34  Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 125-mL brown polyethylene 

bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled 

water and transported to the field half filled with distilled 

water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once 

with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore 

capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

with ice (in order to maintain a temperature of 4°C), for 

prompt shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-265003; Lab code 2754, Total 

dissolved nitrogen, using alkaline persulfate digest (Patton and 

Kryskalla, 2003).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: The analytical range for this 

method is 0.03 to 5.00 mg/L. Greater concentrations must be 

diluted.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

total dissolved nitrogen (as N) was 0.03 mg/L. The reporting 

level (RL) was 0.06 mg/L.

Orthophosphate

1. Parameter name: Orthophosphate as phosphorus 

(orthophosphate as P)

2. Sample fraction: Orthophosphate as phosphorus 

analyses are performed on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Orthophosphate as phosphorus 

concentrations are reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of Orthophosphate as phosphorus was conducted at 

the USGS NWQL in Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 125-mL brown polyethylene 

bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled 

water and transported to the field half filled with distilled 

water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once 

with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore 

capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

with ice (in order to maintain a temperature of 4°C), for 

prompt shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-2601-90 Lab Schedule 318; 

Lab code 3118, orthophosphate as phosphorus, using colorimetry, DA, phosphomolybdate (Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method is used to analyze 

most samples of water, wastewater, and brines containing from 

0.01 to 1.0 mg/L of orthophosphate-phosphorus. 

Concentrations greater than 1.0 mg/L must be diluted.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for total dissolved orthophosphate (as P) was 0.003 mg/L. The 

reporting level (RL) was 0.006 mg/L.

Phosphorus

1. Parameter name: Phosphorus (phosphorus as P)

2. Sample fraction: Phosphorus analyses are performed 

on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Phosphorus concentrations are 

reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of concentrations of phosphorus was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 125-mL brown polyethylene 

bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with distilled 

water and transported to the field half filled with distilled 

water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed once 

with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, USGS 

Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore 

capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

with ice (in order to maintain a temperature of 4°C), for 

prompt shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-2610-99; Lab Schedule 

318; Lab code 1983, phosphorus, using colorimetry, automated-segmented flow, Microkjeldahl Digestion (Patton and 

Truitt, 1992).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: This method is used to determine 

total phosphorus in water, wastewater, brines, and water-suspended sediment. The analytical range of this method is 0.01 

to 2.00 mg/L of phosphorus.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

phosphorus (as P) was 0.02 mg/L. The reporting Level (RL) 

was 0.04 mg/L.

Aluminum

1. Parameter name: Aluminum (aluminum as Al).

2. Sample fraction: Aluminum analyses are performed 

on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Aluminum concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  35
4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of aluminum concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 1784: Aluminum, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

aluminum analysis by the ICP-MS method is 2,500 μg/L for 

samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. 

If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for aluminum was 0.8 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

1.6 μg/L.

Antimony

1. Parameter name: Antimony (antimony as Sb).

2. Sample fraction: Antimony analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Antimony concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of antimony 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 1785: Aluminum, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

antimony analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

antimony was 0.1 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.2 μg/L.

Arsenic

1. Parameter name: Arsenic (arsenic as As).

2. Sample fraction: Arsenic analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Arsenic concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of arsenic 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 3122: Arsenic, using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

arsenic analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

36 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

arsenic was 0.06 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.12 μg/L.

Barium

1. Parameter name: Barium (barium as Ba).

2. Sample fraction: Barium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Barium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of barium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 1786: Barium, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

barium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 2,500 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

barium was 0.1 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.2 μg/L.

Beryllium

1. Parameter name: Beryllium (beryllium as Be).

2. Sample fraction: Beryllium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Beryllium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of beryllium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 1787: Beryllium, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

beryllium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for 

samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. 

If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

beryllium was 0.03 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.06 μg/L.

Boron

1. Parameter name: Boron (boron as B).

2. Sample fraction: Boron analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Boron concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of boron 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  37
8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 2504: Boron, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Garbarino, 1999).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

boron analysis by the ICP-MS method is 1,000 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

boron was 4 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 8 μg/L.

Cadmium

1. Parameter name: Cadmium (cadmium as Cd).

2. Sample fraction: Cadmium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Cadmium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of cadmium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 1788: Cadmium, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

cadmium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

cadmium was 0.02 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.04 μg/L.

Chromium

1. Parameter name: Chromium (chromium as Cr).

2. Sample fraction: Chromium analyses are performed 

on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Chromium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of chromium concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 3126: Chromium, using collision/reaction 

cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

chromium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 100 μg/L for 

samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. 

If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for chromium was 0.02 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.04 μg/L.

Cobalt

1. Parameter name: Cobalt (cobalt as Co).

2. Sample fraction: Cobalt analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Cobalt concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of cobalt 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with 

38  Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then 

rinsed once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s 

Spring, USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge 

Spring, USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-

micron pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 3124: Cobalt, using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

cobalt analysis by the ICP-MS method is 100 μg/L for samples 

with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

cobalt was 0.02 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.04 μg/L.

Copper

1. Parameter name: Copper (copper as Cu).

2. Sample fraction: Copper analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Copper concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of copper 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 3128: Copper, using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

copper analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

copper was 0.02 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.04 μg/L.

Iron

1. Parameter name: Iron (iron as Fe).

2. Sample fraction: Iron analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Iron concentrations are reported 

in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of iron concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in Lakewood, 

Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-147287, Lab Schedule 2750, 

Lab code 645: Iron, using inductively coupled plasma (ICP), 

atomic emission spectrometry (Fishman, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: This method may be used to 

analyze water containing from 5 to 10,000 μg/L of iron for 

water that has a measured specific conductance of less than 

2,000 μS/cm. Iron also can be determined after appropriate 

dilution in samples that have a measured specific conductance 

greater than 2,000 μS/cm; however, detection levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

iron was 3 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 6 μg/L.

Lead

1. Parameter name: Lead (lead as Pb).

2. Sample fraction: Lead analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Lead concentrations are reported 

in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  39
4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of lead concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in Lakewood, 

Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 1792: Lead, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for lead 

analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples with 

specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the specific 

conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm the 

sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

lead was 0.04 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.08 μg/L.

Lithium

1. Parameter name: Lithium (lithium as Li).

2. Sample fraction: Lithium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Lithium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of lithium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 2505: Lithium, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits 

for the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit 

for lithium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for 

samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If 

the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

lithium was 0.3 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.6 μg/L.

Manganese

1. Parameter name: Manganese (manganese as Mn).

2. Sample fraction: Manganese analyses are performed 

on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Manganese concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of manganese concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 1793: Manganese, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit 

for manganese analysis by the ICP-MS method is 

2,500 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 

2,500 μS/cm. If the specific conductance of the sample is 

greater than 2,500 μS/cm the sample must be diluted; however, 

detection levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) 

for manganese was 0.1 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.2 μg/L.

40 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Molybdenum

1. Parameter name: Molybdenum (molybdenum as Mo).

2. Sample fraction: Molybdenum analyses are performed on filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Molybdenum concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of molybdenum concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 1794: Molybdenum, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

molybdenum analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L 

for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/

cm. If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm, the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

molybdenum was 0.2 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.4 μg/L.

Nickel

1. Parameter name: Nickel (nickel as Ni).

2. Sample fraction: Nickel analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Nickel concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of nickel 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with 

distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then 

rinsed once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s 

Spring, USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge 

Spring, USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-

micron pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 3130: Nickel, using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

nickel analysis by the ICP-MS method is 100 μg/L for samples 

with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm, 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

nickel was 0.03 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.06 μg/L.

Selenium

1. Parameter name: Selenium (selenium as Se).

2. Sample fraction: Selenium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Selenium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of selenium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 3132: Selenium, using collision/reaction 

cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  41
9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

selenium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

selenium was 0.04 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.08 μg/L.

Silver

1. Parameter name: Silver (silver as Ag).

2. Sample fraction: Silver analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Silver concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of silver 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 1796: Silver, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

silver analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples 

with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

silver was 0.1 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.20 μg/L.

Strontium

1. Parameter name: Strontium (strontium as Sr).

2. Sample fraction: Strontium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Strontium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of strontium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 2507: Strontium, using inductively 

coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Garbarino, 

1999).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

strontium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 2,500 μg/L for 

samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. 

If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm, the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

strontium was 0.2 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.4 μg/L.

Thallium

1. Parameter name: Thallium (thallium as Tl).

2. Sample fraction: Thallium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Thallium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of thallium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

42 Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 2508: Thallium, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Garbarino, 1999).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

thallium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for 

samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. 

If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm, the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

thallium was 0.02 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.04 μg/L.

Uranium, natural

1. Parameter name: Uranium, natural (uranium as U).

2. Sample fraction: Uranium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Uranium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of uranium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-247792, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 1797: Uranium, using inductively coupled 

plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry (MS) (Faires, 1993).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

uranium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 250 μg/L for samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the 

specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

uranium was 0.02 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.04 μg/L.

Vanadium

1. Parameter name: Vanadium (vanadium as V).

2. Sample fraction: Vanadium analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Vanadium concentrations are 

reported in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of vanadium 

concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in 

Lakewood, Colorado.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: Trace 

elements; Lab code 3134: vanadium, using collision/reaction 

cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

vanadium analysis by the ICP-MS method is 100 μg/L for 

samples with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. 

If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 

2,500 μS/cm the sample must be diluted; however, detection 

levels and sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

vanadium was 0.05 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 

0.10 μg/L.

Zinc

1. Parameter name: Zinc (zinc as Zn).

2. Sample fraction: Zinc analyses are performed on 

filtered water samples.

3. Measurement units: Zinc concentrations are reported 

in micrograms per liter (μg/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of zinc concentrations was conducted at the USGS NWQL in Lakewood, 

Colorado.

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  43
5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: 

Sample water was syringe filtered through a disposable 

0.45-micron pore disk filter into a 250-mL polyethylene, acidrinsed bottle. The bottle previously had been lab-rinsed with 

distilled water and transported to the field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was emptied and then rinsed 

once with filtered sample water. (At Superintendent’s Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring, 

USGS Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron 

pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity).

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: After 

collection, the sample was acidified with nitric acid (HNO3) to 

a pH of less than 2. The bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and 

packed into a cooler, without ice, for shipment to the NWQL.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: NWQL Method I-202005, Schedule 2710: 

Trace elements; Lab code 3138: Zinc, using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled plasma (ICP), mass spectrometry 

(MS) (Garbarino and others, 2006).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The upper calibration limit for 

zinc analysis by the ICP-MS method is 1,000 μg/L for samples 

with specific conductance less than 2,500 μS/cm. If the specific conductance of the sample is greater than 2,500 μS/cm 

the sample must be diluted; however, detection levels and 

sensitivity will change proportionally.

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) for 

zinc was 0.3 μg/L. The reporting level (RL) was 0.6 μg/L.

Deuterium/Protium Ratio

1. Parameter name: Deuterium/protium ratio (2H/1H)

2. Sample fraction: Deuterium/protium ratio analyses 

are performed on unfiltered water samples, except for two 

samples (listed in Item 6 below).

3. Measurement units: Deuterium/protium ratios are 

reported in per mil (indicates parts deuterium per thousand 

parts protium; δ2H/δ1H), relative to Vienna Standard Mean 

Ocean Water.

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of deuterium/protium ratios was conducted at the USGS Reston Stable 

Isotope Laboratory in Reston, Virginia.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: Unfiltered sample water was collected into a 60-mL glass bottle 

with a polyseal cap. (At Superintendent’s Spring-USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring-USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity). Samples were 

allowed to overflow the bottle, and then part of the sample was 

discarded to provide headspace in the bottle. Bottles were not 

field rinsed.

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to USGS Reston, Virginia, Isotope 

Lab.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: Lab Schedule 1142; Lab Code 1574: deuterium/protium ratio, using mass spectrometry (Revesz and 

Coplen, 2003a).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: Not applicable.

10. Method/procedure detection level: The 2-sigma 

uncertainty of hydrogen isotopic results is 2 per mil. This 

means that if the same sample were resubmitted for 

isotopic analysis, the newly measured value would lay within 

the uncertainty bounds 95 percent of the time.

Oxygen-18/Oxygen-16 Ratio

1. Parameter name: Oxygen-18/oxygen-16 ratio 

(

18O/16O)

2. Sample fraction: Oxygen-18/oxygen-16 ratio analyses are performed on unfiltered water samples, except for two 

samples (listed in Item 6 below).

3. Measurement units: Oxygen-18/oxygen-16 ratios are 

reported in per mil (indicates parts oxygen-18 per thousand 

parts oxygen-16; δ18O/δ16O), relative to Vienna Standard Mean 

Ocean Water.

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of oxygen18/oxygen-16 ratios was conducted at the USGS Reston Stable 

Isotope Laboratory in Reston, Virginia.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure:

Unfiltered sample water was collected into a 60-mL glass 

bottle with a polyseal cap. (At Superintendent’s Spring-USGS 

Site ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring-USGS 

Site ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule filters were used due to excess turbidity). Samples were 

allowed to overflow the bottle, and then part of the sample was 

discarded to provide headspace in the bottle. Bottles were not 

field rinsed.

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to USGS Reston, Virginia, Isotope 

Lab.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: Lab Schedule 1142; Lab Code 489: oxygen18/oxygen-16 ratio, using mass spectrometry (Revesz and 

Coplen, 2003b).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: Not applicable.

10. Method/procedure detection level: The 2-sigma 

uncertainty of oxygen isotopic results is 0.2 per mil. This 

means that if the same sample were resubmitted for isotopic analysis, the newly measured value would lay within the 

uncertainty bounds 95 percent of the time.

44  Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006
Tritium

1. Parameter name: Tritium (3H) (tritium in water 

molecules)

2. Sample fraction: Tritium analyses are performed on 

unfiltered water samples, except for at the two sample sites 

listed in Item 6 below.

3. Measurement units: Tritium is reported in picocuries 

per liter (pCi/L).

4. Field or lab measurement: Measurement of tritium 

concentrations was conducted at the University of Miami, 

Tritium Laboratory, Miami, Florida.

5. Value type: Actual.

6. Description of sample preparation procedure: Unfiltered sample water was collected into a 1L polyethylene bottle 

with a Polyseal cap. (At Superintendent’s Spring-USGS Site 

ID 362856121103801 and Chalone Bridge Spring-USGS Site 

ID 362912121101101—disposable 0.45-micron pore capsule 

filters were used due to excess turbidity). The bottle previously 

had been lab-rinsed with distilled water and transported to the 

field half filled with distilled water. In the field, the bottle was 

Appendix A. Water-Quality Terminology and Parameter Definitions  45

emptied and then rinsed once with unfiltered sample water. 

Samples were allowed to overflow the bottle, and part of the 

sample was discarded to provide headspace in the bottle.

7. Description of sample transport/preservation: The 

bottle was sealed in a plastic bag and packed into a cooler, 

without ice, for shipment to the University of Miami, Tritium 

Laboratory.

8. Lab analytical method/procedure name, source 

citation, and ID: Lab Code 1043: Tritium, by electrolytic 

enrichment and gas counting (Östlund, 1987).

9. Maximum and minimum quantification limits for 

the method or procedure: The limit of detection for tritium is 

0.1 TU (tritium units—1TU = 3.19 pCi/L).

10. Method/procedure detection level: At the time of 

this study, the reporting level (RL) for tritium was 

0.300 pCi/L.
Borchers and Lyttge—Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006—Data Series 283