U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Open-File Report 2012–1150

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units 

Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, 

New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, 2011
Cover. Sunrise at Diamond Point at New River Gorge National River in West Virginia. (Photograph by Gary Hartley, National Park Service)
Baseline Groundwater Quality in National 

Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica 

Shale Gas Plays, New York, Pennsylvania, 

and West Virginia, 2011

By David A.V. Eckhardt and Ronald A. Sloto

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Open-File Report 2012–1150

U.S. Department of the Interior

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

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012

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Suggested citation:

Eckhardt, D.A., and Sloto, R.A., 2012, Baseline groundwater quality in national park units within the Marcellus and 

Utica Shale gas plays, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, 2011: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

2012–1150, 20 p., at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1150/.
iii

Contents

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

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

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................3

Site Selection.........................................................................................................................................3

Sampling and Analytical Methods.....................................................................................................4

Baseline Groundwater Quality in the National Park Units......................................................................5

Summary of Water-Quality Results....................................................................................................6

Results for Individual Park Units ........................................................................................................6

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area....................................................................8

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site................................................................8

Johnstown Flood National Monument.....................................................................................8

Flight 93 National Memorial .......................................................................................................9

Fort Necessity National Battlefield...........................................................................................9

New River Gorge National River...............................................................................................9

Upper Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River...................................................9

Saratoga National Historical Park ..........................................................................................10

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site ...............................................................................10

Summary........................................................................................................................................................10

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................11

Figure

1. Map showing location of national park units that were sampled as part of the 

baseline groundwater-quality assessment in 2011 and the extent of the Marcellus 

Shale and Utica Shale gas play areas in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia....2
iv

Tables

1. Information on 15 wells and 1 spring sampled at national park units within the 

Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia 

in 2011 .............................................................................................................................................4

2. Summary statistics for concentrations of major ions and properties of samples from 

15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica 

Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011................................................5

3. Summary statistics for concentrations of nutrients in samples from 15 wells and 

1 spring at national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in 

New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011 ...............................................................6

4. Summary statistics for concentrations of trace elements and radioactivity in 

samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the Marcellus Shale 

and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011 .............................7

5. Summary statistics for physical properties and concentrations of dissolved gases in 

samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the Marcellus Shale 

and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011 .............................8

6. Physical properties and dissolved gas concentrations for samples from 15 wells 

and 1 spring at national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in 

New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011 .............................................................14

7. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at 

national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, 

Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011 ................................................................................15

8. Concentrations of nutrients in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park 

units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and 

West Virginia in 2011 ..................................................................................................................17

9. Concentrations of trace elements and radioactivity in samples from 15 wells and 

1 spring at national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in 

New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011 .............................................................18
v

Conversion Factors, Datum, and Abbreviations

Multiply By To obtain

Length

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

acre 0.405 hectare (ha)

Volume

gallon (gal) 3.785 liter (L)

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

°F=(1.8×°C)+32

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).

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

Abbreviations

AMCL alternative maximum contaminant level

CFC chlorofluorocarbon

COD chemical oxygen demand

HA health advisory for drinking water

MCL maximum contaminant level

NB national battlefield

NHS national historic site

NM national monument

NR national river

NRA national recreation area

NSRR national scenic and recreational river

NWIS National Water Information System

NWQL USGS National Water Quality Laboratory

SMCL secondary maximum contaminant level

USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

μm micrometer

μg/L micrograms per liter

mg/L milligrams per liter

μS/cm microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius

pCi/L picocuries per liter
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
Abstract

Groundwater samples were collected from 15 production wells and 1 spring at 9 national park units in New York, 

Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in July and August 2011 and 

analyzed to characterize the quality of these water supplies. 

The sample sites generally were selected to represent areas of 

potential effects on water quality by drilling and development 

of gas wells in Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale areas of the 

northeastern United States. The groundwater samples were 

analyzed for 53 constituents, including nutrients, major inorganic constituents, trace elements, chemical oxygen demand, 

radioactivity, and dissolved gases, including methane and 

radon-222.

Results indicated that the groundwater used for water 

supply at the selected national park units is generally 

of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some 

constituents exceeded at least one drinking-water guideline at 

several wells. Nine analytes were detected in concentrations 

that exceeded Federal drinking-water standards, mostly 

secondary standards that define aesthetic properties of 

water, such as taste and odor. One sample had an arsenic 

concentration that exceeded the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 

10 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The pH, which is a measure 

of acidity (hydrogen ion activity), ranged from 4.8 to 8.4, 

and in 5 of the 16 samples, the pH values were outside the 

accepted U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary 

maximum contaminant level (SMCL) range of 6.5 to 8.5. 

The concentration of total dissolved solids exceeded the 

SMCL of 500 milligrams per liter (mg/L) at four sites. The 

sulfate concentration exceeded the SMCL of 250 mg/L 

concentration in one sample, and the fluoride concentration 

exceeded the SMCL of 2 mg/L in one sample. Sodium 

concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency drinking water health advisory of 60 mg/L at four 

sites. Iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 300 μg/L 

in two samples, and manganese concentrations exceeded the 

SMCL of 50 μg/L in five samples. Radon-222 concentrations 

exceeded the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in eight samples.

Introduction

New advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic 

fracturing for natural gas development have made the 

Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale formations a large, 

exploitable natural gas resource in the northeastern United 

States (fig. 1). Gas production is being accelerated in States 

within the shale gas areas due to national energy security 

needs and the potential economic benefits (Kerr, 2010). In 

order to produce natural gas from a low-permeability rock 

such as shale, permeable flowpaths for the gas to move to the 

well bore must be created in the tight gas-bearing formations 

through use of high-pressure hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic 

fracturing for a gas well drilled horizontally in shale uses 

substantial volumes of water and chemical additives, often 

in excess of 1 million gallons, and much of the injected fluid 

may flow back to the surface through the well bore and casing 

(Soeder and Kappel, 2009). Fluids that return to the surface 

during hydraulic fracturing (“flowback”) in the Marcellus 

Shale can have elevated levels of total dissolved solids (TDS), 

naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), and other 

contaminants including arsenic and barium (Palmerton Group, 

Inc., 2011). Thus, large volumes of drilling and hydraulic 

fracturing fluids, drill cuttings, and formation water from 

shale formations will require careful handling, treatment, 

and disposal. While Federal and State regulations can largely 

minimize water-quality contamination issues, shale gas 

production activities may potentially lead to the contamination 

of water resources in some areas (Kargbo and others, 2010; 

Kerr, 2010; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011b).

Recent information from water-quality analyses of 

flowback fluid from gas wells drilled in the Marcellus Shale 

in Pennsylvania indicates that these fluids can contain 

concentrations as high as 290,000 milligrams per liter 

(mg/L) of TDS, 105,000 mg/L of chloride, 50,200 mg/L 

of sodium, and 7,090 mg/L of barium (Palmerton Group, 

Inc., 2011; updated by Hayes (2011) and Keister (2010)). 

Radioactivity levels higher than the drinking water standard 

of 5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) have been documented 

for brine produced from gas wells in New York, where 

the levels of radium-226 were 16,030 pCi/L, gross-alpha 

Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units 

Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, 

New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, 2011

By David A.V. Eckhardt and Ronald A. Sloto
2 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

Figure 1. Location of national park units that were sampled as part of the baseline groundwater-quality assessment in 2011 and the 

extent of the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale gas play areas in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

"

"

"

" "

"

"

"

"

"

"

Saratoga

Flight 93

Fort Necessity

Upper Delaware

New River Gorge

Johnstown

Flood

Martin Van Buren

Delaware

Water Gap

Allegheny-Portage

Railroad

Erie

Albany

Richmond

New York

Syracuse

Baltimore

Charleston

Washington

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia Columbus

85° 80° 75°

45°

42°

39°

36°

0 40 80 MILES

0 40 80 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, Seamless Data Distribution System,

accessed in December, 2011 at http://seamless.usgs.gov 

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 18, NAD 83

MICHIGAN

OHIO

PENNSYLVANIA

NEW YORK

VIRGINIA

NORTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE

KENTUCKY

WEST

VIRGINIA

MD NJ

VT

MA

CT

DE

CANADA

EXPLANATION

Major cities

! National park units with wells 

 sampled for water quality

Marcellus Shale extent

Utica Shale extent

National Heritage Areas

Utica Shale extent where 

it underlies Marcellus Shale
Methods 3

particles were 123,000 pCi/L, and gross-beta particles were 

12,000 pCi/L for a well in Schuyler County (New York State 

Department of Environmental Conservation, 2011). Methane 

gas concentrations have apparently increased in some watersupply wells through gas migration in subsurface fractures 

from nearby gas well activities in Pennsylvania (Osborn 

and others, 2011). In 2008 and 2009, concentrations of TDS 

periodically exceeded the drinking water standard of 500 mg/L 

in Pennsylvania’s Monongahela River, which supplies water to 

approximately 350,000 people; in response, the Pennsylvania 

Department of Environmental Protection ordered wastewater 

facilities that discharge to the river to restrict their intake 

of drilling waste water (Pennsylvania Department of 

Environmental Protection, 2008).

The National Park Service and regional publicwater-supply and water-management agencies, such as the 

Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the Delaware 

River Basin Commission, have a need for water-quality data to 

evaluate the potential impact of shale gas development on the 

water resources they manage for the public. Production wells 

and springs that are used for drinking water within national 

park units in the shale gas play areas may be susceptible to 

potential contamination. Of the 30 national park units within 

the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale gas play region, more 

than half are within “fairway” areas that are most likely to 

experience gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing development.

Groundwater is used in many of these parks as the 

primary water supply for park staff and visitors. Most groundwater sources at the parks have not been assessed for waterquality constituents that may be associated with hydraulic 

fracturing activities. Without baseline data for associated 

water-quality constituents, it is not possible to evaluate possible connections between gas production activities and the 

well-water chemistry that might be affected.

The objective of this report is to characterize the existing 

water quality and radiochemistry of national park unit 

production wells and springs as drilling activities commence 

in the shale gas play areas of New York, Pennsylvania, 

and West Virginia. This water-quality characterization of 

the national park wells and springs provides a baseline of 

information for chemical and radiochemical constituents to 

assess if contamination from drilling and gas development 

occurs. Baseline data for one park (Martin Van Buren National 

Historic Site), which lies just outside the Utica Shale play 

area, also are included.

Methods

Water samples were collected from 15 production 

wells and 1 spring at 9 national park units in New York, 

Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in July and August 2011 and 

analyzed to characterize their physical and chemical quality 

(table 1). Samples were analyzed for 53 constituents, including 

nutrients, major inorganic constituents, trace elements, 

chemical oxygen demand, radioactivity, and dissolved gases, 

including methane and radon-222. Two samples, one field 

blank and one replicate sample, were also collected for quality 

assurance and quality control (QA/QC).

Site Selection

Contact was made with each park superintendent within 

the study area for water-supply information regarding sources, 

location, characteristics, water use, and sampling accessibility. Because of the large number of wells identified as potential candidate sampling sites in the Delaware Water Gap and 

Upper Delaware units, sample sites were selected based on 

the importance and use of each well. A total of 16 groundwater sources were selected for sampling within 9 national park 

units (table 1), largely within the Appalachian Plateau and the 

Appalachian Valley and Ridge Provinces (Sevon, 2000). Seven 

of the nine park units are within national heritage areas, where 

Congress has designated the natural, cultural, and historic 

resources as nationally important landscapes (fig. 1).

Thirteen of the wells were constructed in bedrock 

aquifers, with well depths that ranged from 193 to 400 feet 

(ft) (table 1); these wells typically have a steel casing set into 

competent bedrock, and water yields are obtained by flow 

from bedrock fractures intersected by the open borehole. The 

bedrock aquifers in the study consist of relatively flat-lying, 

interbedded sedimentary units of shale, siltstone, sandstone, 

coal, limestone, dolostone, and evaporites of Paleozoic age 

(Broughton and others, 1962; Cardwell and others, 1968; Berg 

and others, 1980). The well in Saratoga National Historical 

Park tapped water through a shallow (28-ft-deep) well screen 

that was set in an unconsolidated glacial-lake sand aquifer that 

is highly susceptible to contamination. One well at Delaware 

Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA–3) is cased to 

192 ft and open to a sand and gravel deposit at the end of the 

steel casing. The spring sampled at Fort Necessity National 

Battlefield is also susceptible to contamination. In addition to 

contaminants from human activities, groundwater may contain 

naturally derived elements that can diminish water quality, 

such as sodium, chloride, sulfate, iron, manganese, and trace 

elements such as arsenic; some aquifers may also contain 

natural gas (methane, hydrogen sulfide, and radon) from geologic sources (Molofsky and others, 2011).

The Marcellus Shale of Devonian age is a regionally 

continuous and commonly identified bedrock geologic unit. 

The Marcellus crops out at land surface in upstate New York, 

and the unit gently dips to the south at the rate of about 50 feet 

per mile under the Appalachian Plateau. The unit is at depths 

of about 3,000 to 4,000 ft at the border of Pennsylvania and 

New York (Martin and others, 2004). Further to the south 

and west, the Marcellus Shale is present at even greater and 

more variable depth as the bedrock sequence is influenced by 

folding in the Ridge and Valley Province in Pennsylvania and 

West Virginia (Harper, 2008; Harper and Kostelnik, 2010). 

The thickness of the Marcellus Shale ranges from about 300 ft 
4 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

in northeastern Pennsylvania to less than 50 ft in southwestern 

West Virginia and Ohio.

The Utica Shale of Ordovician age lies a few thousand 

feet under the Marcellus Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, 

Ohio, and West Virginia and extends under adjacent parts 

of Ontario and Quebec in Canada and Kentucky, Maryland, 

Tennessee, and Virginia in the United States. The Utica Shale 

has recently become the target of natural gas exploration in 

Pennsylvania where it is at a depth of about 8,000 ft. The 

thickness of the Utica Shale ranges from less than 70 ft in 

Ohio and western West Virginia to 1,000 ft in eastern 

New York.

Sampling and Analytical Methods

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 

sampled the individual water-supply sources for the national 

park units using standard USGS field-sampling protocols. 

Samples were collected at an untreated tap, typically at a 

pressure tank and before any filtration, water softening, or 

bacteriological treatment. Water samples were analyzed for 

physical properties, inorganic major constituents, nutrients, 

trace elements, chemical oxygen demand, gross alpha and beta 

radioactivity, and dissolved gases. The samples were collected 

and processed from each well or spring for these analyses 

by methods described in USGS manuals for the collection of 

water-quality data (Wilde and others, 2004; U.S. Geological 

Survey, variously dated).

Sampling was done at all well sites by the following 

steps. The existing submersible well pump was turned on 

and allowed to run until at least three casing volumes of well 

water had passed the sampling point. A raw-water tap between 

the well and the pressure tank was opened, and the water 

was allowed to flush for several minutes to ensure that the 

water was representative of the aquifer. Samples were collected through a short piece of silicone tubing attached to the 

raw-water tap, which avoided all water-treatment systems. 

Sampling was done at the spring site by the following steps: 

water was collected in a 5-gallon bucket from the pipe providing flow to an underground sump; water was pumped from the 

Table 1. Information on 15 wells and 1 spring sampled at national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, 

Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[Well locations are shown in figure 1. --, information not available]

National park unit name1 State Site name Local site identifier

U.S. Geological 

Survey siteidentification 

number

Date 

sampled

Well 

depth 

(feet below land 

surface)

Delaware Water Gap NRA Pennsylvania DEWA–1 Bushkill Meeting Center well 410524075001501 7/6/2011 193

Delaware Water Gap NRA Pennsylvania DEWA–2 Altman house well 411859074475901 7/7/2011 300

Delaware Water Gap NRA Pennsylvania DEWA–3 Dingmans Falls maintenance well 411252074522001 7/7/2011 200

Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS Pennsylvania ALPO Ranger’s seasonal-use well 402432078273101 7/26/2011 --

Johnstown Flood NM Pennsylvania JOFL Maintenance facility well 402059078461701 7/26/2011 200

Flight 93 NM Pennsylvania FLNI West overlook well 400318078542601 7/27/2011 --

Fort Necessity NB Pennsylvania FONE Water-supply spring 394859079355501 7/28/2011 --

New River Gorge NR West Virginia NERI–1 Sandstone Visitor Center well 374657080534301 8/9/2011 320

New River Gorge NR West Virginia NERI–2 Dun Glen well 375713081043601 8/10/2011 400

New River Gorge NR West Virginia NERI–3 Thurmond Depot well 375727081044601 8/10/2011 255

Upper Delaware NSRR Pennsylvania UPDE–1 Milanville ranger station well 414023075035201 8/16/2011 --

Upper Delaware NSRR Pennsylvania UPDE–2 Headquarters office well 413709075030701 8/16/2011 --

Upper Delaware NSRR Pennsylvania UPDE–3 Zane Grey house well 412908074591401 8/17/2011 200

Saratoga NHP New York SARA Battlefield tour stop 8, well 1 430013073370419 8/30/2011 28

Martin Van Buren NHS New York MAVA–1 Headquarters office well 422210073422801 8/31/2011 300

Martin Van Buren NHS New York MAVA–2 Maintenance facility well 422210073422802 8/31/2011 195

1

NRA, National Recreation Area; NHS, National Historic Site; NM, National Monument; NB, National Battlefield; NR, National River; NSRR, National 

Scenic and Recreational River; NHP, National Historical Park.
Baseline Groundwater Quality in the National Park Units 5

bucket with a peristaltic pump through a short piece of silicone 

tubing. The water was analyzed with a multiprobe meter 

for physical properties (temperature, specific conductance, 

dissolved-oxygen concentration, and pH). After the measurements of these properties had stabilized, pre-rinsed sample 

bottles were filled according to standard protocols.

The analyses for physical properties, chemical oxygen 

demand (COD), radioactivity, and dissolved gases were done 

on unfiltered water samples to obtain total concentrations. 

Samples for dissolved concentrations of nutrients, major inorganic constituents, and trace elements were filtered through 

a pre-rinsed 0.45-micrometer (μm) cellulose capsule filter. 

To prevent sample degradation, sulfuric acid was added to 

the COD samples, and nitric acid was added to the major ion 

and trace-element samples. Samples for radon analysis were 

obtained through an inline septum with a gas-tight syringe to 

avoid atmospheric contact. Samples for dissolved gases were 

obtained through tubing that was placed in glass bottles that 

were filled and stoppered while submerged in a 5-liter beaker 

of pumped water to avoid atmospheric contact.

The samples were stored on ice in coolers and shipped 

by overnight delivery to the following three laboratories: 

(1) the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory in Denver, 

Colorado, for analysis of inorganic major constituents, 

nutrients, trace elements, COD, and radon-222; (2) a USGS 

contract laboratory in California for analysis of gross alpha 

and beta radioactivity; and (3) the USGS Chlorofluorocarbon 

(CFC) Laboratory in Reston, Virginia, for analysis of methane 

and other dissolved gases. Descriptions of analytical methods 

for all constituents except the dissolved gases are available 

through the U.S. Geological Survey (2011); the methods for 

determination of dissolved gases in water are described by 

the U.S. Geological Survey (2009). The analytical results 

are available through the USGS National Water Information 

System (U.S. Geological Survey, 2012).

Baseline Groundwater Quality in the 

National Park Units

The analytical results for the 16 groundwater samples 

collected during this study are summarized in tables 2 through 

5, and the individual sample results are listed in tables 6 

through 9 (at the end of the report). The quality of the sampled 

groundwater was generally within U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guidelines, although in some samples, 

the concentrations of certain constituents exceeded Federal 

drinking-water standards (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2006, 2011a). In general, most of the water-quality 

Table 2. Summary statistics for concentrations of major ions and properties of samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at 

national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[All samples represent filtered water. No., number; mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; --, not applicable; USEPA, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency]

Constituent Drinking-water 

standard

No. of samples 

exceeding standard

All 16 samples

Minimum Median Maximum

Cations

Calcium, mg/L -- -- 1.04 21.3 106

Magnesium, mg/L -- -- .253 4.00 39.7

Potassium, mg/L -- -- .33 .89 3.06

Sodium, mg/L 160 4 1.34 50.2 248

Anions

Bicarbonate, mg/L -- -- 20 153 423

Bromide, mg/L -- -- <.01 .03 1.52

Chloride, mg/L 2250 0 .59 27.2 218

Fluoride, mg/L 22 1 <.04 .11 2.33

Sulfate, mg/L 2250 1 .12 9.78 304

Other

Hardness, mg/L as CaCO3 -- -- 3.73 71.4 398

Alkalinity, mg/L as CaCO3 -- -- 16 126 347

Total dissolved solids, mg/L 2500 4 62 194 691

1

USEPA drinking water health advisory (taste threshold).

2

USEPA secondary maximum contaminant level.
6 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

problems involve aesthetic considerations, such as taste 

or odor from excessive dissolved solids, iron, manganese, 

sodium, and sulfate that develop from natural interactions of 

water and rock minerals in the subsurface.

The QA/QC field-blank sample contained no constituent 

in concentrations greater than the laboratory reporting levels, 

except trace concentrations of total nitrogen (0.08 mg/L), silica (0.04 mg/L), cobalt [0.12 microgram per liter (μg/L)], and 

manganese (0.2 μg/L); this indicates that little to no contamination occurred through the sampling or analytical procedures. 

The results of analysis of the QA/QC replicate sample indicate 

that variability in sample results was within established limits. 

The analytes with the largest percent differences between 

concentration in the groundwater sample and its replicate were 

low-concentration trace elements (concentrations near the 

laboratory reporting level for the elements).

Summary of Water-Quality Results

The results indicate that groundwater used for water 

supply at the selected national park units is generally 

of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some 

constituents exceeded at least one drinking-water standard 

at several wells. Specific conductance of the samples, which 

is an indication of the dissolved mineral content, ranged 

from 105 to 1,160 microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) at 

25 degrees Celsius (tables 5 and 6). Calcium and magnesium 

contribute to water hardness, and 5 of the 16 samples had 

hardness greater than 180 mg/L (table 7), which is classified 

as “very hard” (Hem, 1985). Nutrient concentrations were 

low (tables 3 and 8), and no sample had a detectable chemical 

oxygen demand (table 6), which indicates that sources of 

organic waste are minimal at the sampled sites. Gross alpha 

and gross beta radioactivity levels were low; maximum 

activities were 3.6 and 3.3 pCi/L, respectively (tables 4 

and 9). Dissolved methane gas concentrations ranged from 

nondetected to 30.1 mg/L (tables 5 and 6). These methane 

concentrations, except for the one sample with a concentration 

of 30.1 mg/L, are considered to be within ambient background 

levels (Eltschlager and others, 2001; Osborn and others, 2011).

Nine analytes were detected in concentrations that 

exceeded Federal drinking-water standards (tables 2–5). The 

pH of the samples (tables 5 and 6) ranged from 4.8 to 8.4, and 

the levels of 5 of the 16 samples were outside the accepted 

secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) range of 

6.5 to 8.5 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011a). 

One sample (tables 4 and 9) had an arsenic concentration that 

exceeded the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 

10 μg/L (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011a). The 

concentration of total dissolved solids exceeded the SMCL 

of 500 mg/L in four samples (tables 2 and 7). The sulfate 

concentration exceeded the SMCL of 250 mg/L concentration 

in one sample (tables 2 and 7), and the fluoride concentration exceeded the SMCL of 2 mg/L in one sample (tables 2 

and 7). The USEPA health advisory (HA) for sodium, which 

recommends that concentrations in drinking water not exceed 

60 mg/L to minimize the taste, was exceeded in four samples 

(tables 2 and 7; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002, 

2006). Iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 300 μg/L 

in two samples (tables 4 and 9), and manganese exceeded the 

SMCL of 50 μg/L in five samples (tables 4 and 9). Radon222 exceeded the proposed USEPA MCL of 300 pCi/L in 

eight samples (tables 4 and 9; U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2004).

Results for Individual Park Units

A brief description of the water-supply sources and the 

individual water-quality results at the nine park units follows. 

The water-quality results are presented in tables 6 through 9.

Table 3. Summary statistics for concentrations of nutrients in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the 

Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[All samples represent filtered water except as noted. No., number; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not applicable; <, less than; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; 

USEPA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]

Constituent Drinking-water 

standard

No. of samples 

exceeding limit

All 16 samples

Minimum Median Maximum

Ammonia, mg/L as N -- -- <0.010 0.034 0.491

Nitrate plus nitrite, mg/L as N 110 0 <.02 .05 1.16

Nitrite, mg/L as N 11 0 <.001 <.001 .003

Orthophosphate, mg/L as P -- -- .005 .012 .176

Total nitrogen, unfiltered, mg/L as N -- -- <.05 .11 1.05

1

USEPA maximum contaminant level.
Baseline Groundwater Quality in the National Park Units 7

Table 4. Summary statistics for concentrations of trace elements and radioactivity in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national 

park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[All concentrations in micrograms per liter except as noted. All samples filtered except as noted. No., number; <, less than; --, not applicable; pCi/L, picocuries 

per liter; mrem/yr, millirem per year; USEPA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]

Constituent Drinking-water 

standard

No. of samples 

exceeding standard

All 16 samples

Minimum Median Maximum

Aluminum 350 0 <1.7 <1.7 27.9

Antimony 16 0 <0.03 <0.03 .11

Arsenic 110 1 <.02 .16 32.3

Barium 12,000 0 3 48 1,050

Beryllium 14 0 <.01 <.01 .02

Boron -- -- <3 38 307

Cadmium 15 0 <.02 <.02 .08

Chromium 1100 0 <.06 <.06 .33

Cobalt -- -- <.02 .04 55.1

Copper 31,000 0 <.05 -- 16.2

Iron 3300 2 <3 21 8,340

Lead 215 0 <.01 .17 2.94

Lithium -- -- .06 8.9 98.4

Manganese 350 5 .04 8.9 3,320

Molybdenum -- -- <.01 .13 2.53

Nickel -- -- <.09 .18 76.2

Selenium 150 0 <.03 -- .3

Silver 1100 0 <.01 <.01 <.01

Strontium -- -- 43.3 293 1,210

Thallium 12 0 <.01 <.01 <.01

Vanadium -- -- <.08 <.08 .4

Uranium 130 0 <.004 .02 1.75

Zinc 35,000 0 <1.4 4.6 342

Gross alpha radioactivity, pCi/L, unfiltered 115 0 <.8 <.8 3.6

Gross beta radioactivity, pCi/L, unfiltered 14 mrem/yr -- <.8 .9 3.3

Radon-222, pCi/L, unfiltered 4300 8 54 340 3,030

1

USEPA maximum contaminant level.

2

USEPA treatment technique action level.

3

USEPA secondary maximum contaminant level.

4

USEPA proposed maximum contaminant level.
8 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area 

(DEWA) preserves 70,000 acres along 40 miles (mi) of the 

Delaware River above the Delaware Water Gap in eastern 

Pennsylvania. The park provides opportunities for visitors 

to canoe, hike, camp, swim, picnic, bicycle, cross country 

ski, fish, and hunt. Two bedrock wells, the Bushkill Meeting 

Center well (DEWA–1) and the Altman House well (DEWA–

2), and one well in an unconsolidated sand and gravel aquifer, 

the Dingmans Falls maintenance well (DEWA–3), were 

sampled in July 2011. DEWA–1 is in Devonian limestone 

and chert, and DEWA–2 is in Devonian shale and siltstone. 

DEWA–1 had the highest uranium concentration (1.75 μg/L) 

and the highest gross alpha activity (3.6 pCi/L) of all 

16 samples collected for this study; neither result, however, 

exceeded drinking-water standards. DEWA–3 had the highest 

dissolved oxygen (10.7 mg/L) concentration of all 16 samples 

and also exceeded the proposed USEPA MCL for radon 

(610 pCi/L). Water from DEWA–1 exceeded the USEPA 

SMCL for manganese (85.2 μg/L). The water from DEWA–2 

is soft [17.4 mg/L as calcium carbonate (CaCO3)], water from 

DEWA–3 is moderately hard (81.9 mg/L as CaCO3), and water 

from DEWA–1 is hard (165 mg/L as CaCO3).

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic 

Site

The remnants of the Allegheny Portage Railroad (ALPO), 

the first railroad constructed through the Allegheny Mountains 

in central Pennsylvania and the first railroad tunnel in the 

United States, are preserved at the Allegheny Portage Railroad 

National Historic Site. One bedrock well at the ranger’s 

seasonal-use residence (ALPO) was sampled in July 2011. The 

well is in Devonian sandstone and shale and had the highest 

concentrations of dissolved solids (691 mg/L), chloride 

(218 mg/L), magnesium (39.7 mg/L), and silica (14.4 mg/L) 

of all 16 samples collected for this study. Water from ALPO 

exceeded the USEPA SMCL for dissolved solids (691 mg/L) 

and the USEPA HA for sodium (61.5 mg/L). Elevated 

concentrations of sodium and chloride (218 mg/L) contribute 

to the elevated dissolved solids concentration; the chloride-tobromide ratio (1,800) indicates possible contamination from 

road deicing salt (Davis and others, 1998). The water from 

ALPO is very hard (398 mg/L as CaCO3) and has the highest 

hardness of all 16 samples. Elevated concentrations of calcium 

(93.4 mg/L) and magnesium (39.7 mg/L) contribute to the 

hardness of the water.

Johnstown Flood National Monument

The 164-acre Johnstown Flood National Memorial 

(JOFL) commemorates the approximately 2,200 people who 

died in the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, flood on May 31, 1889. 

The flood was caused by the failure of the South Fork Dam, 

which spilled the entire contents of Lake Conemaugh into 

the valley leading to Johnstown. The memorial preserves the 

remains of the dam and parts of the former Lake Conemaugh 

bed. One bedrock well at the maintenance facility (JOFL) was 

sampled in July 2011. The well is in Pennsylvanian shale, 

siltstone, and sandstone with thin beds of limestone and coal. 

Water from the JOFL well exceeded the proposed USEPA 

MCL for radon (670 pCi/L). Water from the JOFL was very 

hard (260 mg/L as CaCO3).

Table 5. Summary statistics for physical properties and concentrations of dissolved gases in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at 

national park units within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[All samples represent unfiltered water. No., number; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not applicable; 

USEPA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]

Property or constituent Drinking-water 

standard

No. of samples 

exceeding limit

All 16 samples

Minimum Median Maximum

pH 16.5–8.5 5 4.8 6.7 8.4

Specific conductance, μS/cm -- -- 105 347 1,160

Oxygen, mg/L -- -- <0.2 1.4 10.7

Methane, mg/L 228 1 <0.001 0.001 30.1

Argon, mg/L -- -- 0.62 0.75 1.1

Nitrogen, mg/L -- -- 15.3 20.7 40.1

Carbon dioxide, mg/L -- -- 0.23 11.4 91.8

1

USEPA secondary maximum contaminant level.

2

Office of Surface Mining recommended action level (Eltschlager and others, 2011).
Baseline Groundwater Quality in the National Park Units 9

Flight 93 National Memorial

The 817 acre Flight 93 National Memorial (FLNI) is 

the site of the crash of United Airlines flight 93, which was 

hijacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001. The memorial 

was created to honor the 40 passengers and crew who thwarted 

a potential terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol. One bedrock 

well at the west overlook (FLNI) was sampled in July 2011. 

Water from the well is used for sanitary purposes and not as a 

source of drinking water. The well is at the site of the former 

Diamond-T welding facility. The well is in Pennsylvanian 

sandstone, shale, limestone, and coal. The area surrounding 

the well is the site of a former coal strip-mining operation. 

Samples from the FLNI well had the highest concentrations 

of calcium (106 mg/L), cobalt (55.1 μg/L), iron (8,340 μg/L), 

manganese (3,320 μg/L), nickel (76.2 μg/L), and sulfate 

(304 mg/L) of all 16 samples collected for this study. Elevated 

concentrations of these constituents likely are the result of 

the nearby mining operation. Wood (1996) reported elevated 

concentrations of calcium, cobalt, iron, manganese, nickel, and 

sulfate in water samples from mine discharges in eastern 

Pennsylvania. An acid mine drainage remediation system is 

located in the park unit. Water from the FLNI well exceeded 

USEPA SMCLs for pH (5.9), sulfate (304 mg/L), dissolved solids (554 mg/L), iron (8,340 μg/L), and manganese 

(3,320 μg/L) and is classified as very hard (369 mg/L as 

CaCO3).

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

The battle at Fort Necessity, which took place on July 3, 

1754, was the prelude to the war fought by England and 

France for control of the North American continent (French 

and Indian war). The action at Fort Necessity was the first 

major event in the military career of George Washington. The 

battle resulted in the surrender of the British under Colonel 

Washington to the French and Indian forces. A spring at the 

Fort Necessity National Battlefield (FONE), which serves 

as the water supply for the 903-acre park, was sampled in 

July 2011. The spring is in Pennsylvanian shale, and sandstone 

with thin beds of limestone and coal. Water from the FONE 

well is dilute and has the lowest dissolved solids concentration (62 mg/L) and specific conductance (105 μS/cm) of 

all 16 samples collected for this study and did not meet the 

USEPA SMCL for pH (4.8). Water from FONE is classified as 

soft (49.1 mg/L as CaCO3).

New River Gorge National River

The New River Gorge National River (NERI) is a whitewater river that flows through deep canyons in a mountainous 

region of south-central West Virginia. The park encompasses 

more than 70,000 acres of land that provides access to scenic 

and recreational opportunities in an area rich in cultural and 

natural history. Three bedrock wells, the Sandstone Visitor 

Center well (NERI–1), the Dun Glen well (NERI–2), and the 

Thurmond Depot well (NERI–3), were sampled in August 

2011. NERI–1 is in upper Mississippian shale and sandstone, 

and NERI–2 and NERI–3 are in Lower Pennsylvanian formations of sandstone, shale, and coal. NERI–2 has the highest 

specific conductance (1,160 μS/cm) and the highest concentration of fluoride (2.33 mg/L, which exceeds the USEPA 

SMCL) of all 16 wells sampled in the study. NERI–1 and 

NERI–2 have concentrations of sodium (63.6 and 248 mg/L, 

respectively) and total dissolved solids (506 and 677 mg/L, 

respectively) that exceed USEPA HA and SMCL guidelines 

and radon-222 activity (390 and 420 pCi/L, respectively) that 

exceeds the proposed USEPA MCL. The concentration of 

iron (463 μg/L) exceeds the USEPA SMCL at NERI–3. The 

concentrations of manganese (862 and 182 μg/L, respectively) 

exceed the USEPA SMCLs at NERI–1 and NERI–3. Water 

from NERI–2 has a methane concentration of 30.1 mg/L, 

which may be derived from coal bed sources; this concentration (greater than 28 mg/L dissolved in water) may potentially 

create an explosive condition in the air within the well bore 

at NERI–2 (Eltschlager and others, 2001). Hydrogen sulfide 

is present in the water from NERI–2 and NERI–3. The water 

from NERI–1 is very hard (290 mg/L as CaCO3) and water 

from NERI–3 is moderately hard (92.5 mg/L as CaCO3), 

whereas water from NERI –2 is soft (3.73 mg/L as CaCO3).

Upper Delaware National Scenic and 

Recreational River

The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River 

(UPDE) provides recreational access along 73.4 mi of the 

Delaware River. Sightseeing, boating, camping, hunting, 

fishing, hiking, and bird watching are popular activities in the 

river area. Most of the land in this unit is privately owned; 

the National Park Service owns only 30 acres. Three bedrock 

wells, the Milanville ranger station well (UPDE–1), the headquarters office well (UPDE–2), and the Zane Grey House well 

(UPDE–3), were sampled in August 2011. The wells are in 

Devonian sandstone, siltstone, and shale with some conglomerate. Water from UPDE–1, UPDE–2, and UPDE–3 had the 

highest radon-222 activities (3,030, 1,310, and 1,210 pCi/L, 

respectively) of all 16 samples, and all exceeded the proposed 

USEPA MCL. Water from UPDE–1 and UPDE–2 exceeded 

the USEPA SMCL for pH (5.7 and 5.5, respectively). Water 

from UPDE–3 had the highest concentration of arsenic 

(32.3 μg/L) of all 16 samples and exceeded the USEPA MCL 

of 10 μg/L. Water from UPDE–3 also exceeded the USEPA 

HA for sodium (68.8 mg/L) and the USEPA SMCL for manganese (95.1 μg/L). Hydrogen sulfide is present in water from 

UPDE–3. Water from UPDE–3 is used for sanitary purposes 

and is not used as a source of drinking water. Water from all 

three wells is classified as soft.
10 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

Saratoga National Historical Park

Saratoga National Historical Park (SARA), an area of 

3,400 acres in northeastern New York, comprises three separate historic sites, the battlefield area, the Schuyler House, and 

the Saratoga Monument. The Revolutionary War battles at 

Saratoga in 1777 were major American victories that assured 

international recognition and helped secure the independence 

of the United States. Three wells exist at the park, one at the 

visitor center and two at battlefield tour stop 8; the selected 

sample site was well number 1 at tour stop 8 (SARA), which 

is screened at a 28-ft depth in an unconsolidated glacial-lake 

sand aquifer. The well sample, collected in August 2011, contains among the lowest dissolved solids and nutrient concentrations of all wells sampled in the study, and the water meets 

all drinking-water standards for the sampled constituents.

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

The Martin Van Buren National Historic Site (MAVA) 

preserves Lindenwald, Van Buren’s historic home and grounds 

where he lived after having served as eighth President of the 

United States (1837–1841) until his death. The 40-acre site is 

about 30 mi southeast of Albany in eastern New York. Two 

bedrock wells, the headquarters office well (MAVA–1) and 

the maintenance facility well (MAVA–2), completed in lower 

Ordovician shale and siltstone were sampled in August 2011. 

The results for samples from both wells meet all drinkingwater standards for the sampled constituents. Water from 

MAVA–1, however, contains hydrogen sulfide; it also has the 

highest barium concentration of all 16 samples (1,050 μg/L), 

which is below the SMCL of 2,000 μg/L. The water from 

MAVA–1 is soft (34 mg/L as CaCO3), whereas the water from 

MAVA–2 is very hard (254 mg/L as CaCO3). This park lies 

within a designated national heritage area near the eastern 

shore of the Hudson River, which places it just outside of 

the shale gas play area. The park was included in the waterquality assessment to establish a baseline for this historic site’s 

groundwater resources. 

Summary

New developments in horizontal drilling for natural 

gas and increasing prices of natural gas have made the large 

natural gas resource of the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale 

formations an exploitable resource in the northeastern United 

States. To produce natural gas from a low-permeability rock 

such as shale, permeable flowpaths for the gas to move to 

the well bore must be created in the gas-bearing formations 

through the use of high-pressure hydraulic fracturing. A single 

hydraulic fracturing treatment for a gas well drilled horizontally in shale uses substantial volumes of water and chemical 

additives, often in excess of 1 million gallons, and much of 

the injected fluid may flow back to the surface through the 

well bore and casing. The injected fluids and natural brine in 

the shale that do flow to the surface can have elevated levels 

of total dissolved solids and naturally occurring radioactive 

material. Water-supply wells and springs within national 

park units in the shale gas play areas may be susceptible to 

potential contamination because many national park units and 

adjacent lands are within some of the most desirable locations 

for drilling. The objective of this study was to characterize the 

existing water quality and radiochemistry of national park unit 

water-supply wells and springs before drilling activities commence in the most desirable shale gas play areas of New York, 

Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. This water-quality characterization of the national park wells and springs provides a 

baseline of information for chemical and radiochemical constituents that could be affected if contamination from drilling 

and gas development occurs. Two production wells also were 

sampled in one national park outside the gas play area in an 

area vulnerable to contamination from increased urbanization.

A total of 16 groundwater sources were selected for 

sampling. Water samples were collected from 15 production 

wells and 1 spring at 9 national park units in New York, 

Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in July and August 2011 

and analyzed to characterize the chemical quality. Samples 

were analyzed for 53 constituents, including nutrients, major 

inorganic constituents, trace elements, chemical oxygen 

demand, radioactivity, and dissolved gases, including methane 

and radon-222.

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey sampled the 

individual water-supply sources for the national park units 

using standard USGS field-sampling protocols. Samples were 

collected from each well at an untreated tap, typically at a 

pressure tank and before any filtration, water softening, or bacteriological treatment. Thirteen of the wells were constructed 

in bedrock aquifers, with well depths that ranged from 193 to 

400 feet (ft). One well tapped water through a shallow well 

screen (28-ft-deep) that was set in an unconsolidated glaciallake sand aquifer. One well was cased to 192 ft and open to 

a sand and gravel deposit. In addition, one spring used as a 

source of water supply was sampled.

The quality of the sampled groundwater was generally within U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 

guidelines, although in some samples, the concentrations of 

certain constituents exceeded Federal drinking-water standards. In general, most of the water-quality problems involve 

aesthetic considerations, such as taste or odor from excessive 

dissolved solids, iron, manganese, sodium, and sulfate that 

develop from natural interactions of water and rock minerals 

in the subsurface. The results of laboratory analysis indicate 

that groundwater used for water supply at the selected national 

park units is generally of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some constituents exceeded at least one drinkingwater standard at several wells.

Specific conductance of the samples, which is an 

indication of the dissolved mineral content, ranged from 
References Cited 11

105 to 1,160 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees 

Celsius. Calcium and magnesium contribute to water 

hardness, and 5 of the 16 samples had hardness greater than 

180 milligrams per liter (mg/L), which is classified as very 

hard. Nutrient concentrations were low, and no sample had a 

detectable chemical oxygen demand, indicating that sources 

of organic waste are minimal at the sampled sites. Gross-alpha 

and gross-beta radioactivity levels were low at all sites; nine 

well sites had nondetectable gross-alpha activity, seven sites 

had nondetectable gross-beta activity, and maximum activities 

were 3.6 and 3.3 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), respectively. 

The dissolved methane gas concentrations ranged from 

nondetected to 30.1 mg/L. The methane concentrations, except 

for the one sample with a concentration of 30.1 mg/L, are 

considered to be within ambient background levels.

Nine analytes were detected in concentrations that 

exceeded Federal drinking-water standards. The pH, which 

is a measure of acidity (hydrogen ion activity), ranged from 

4.8 to 8.4, and in 5 of the 16 samples, the pH values were 

outside the accepted USEPA secondary maximum contaminant 

level (SMCL) range of 6.5 to 8.5. One sample had an arsenic 

concentration that exceeded the USEPA maximum contaminant level of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The concentration of total dissolved solids exceeded the SMCL of 500 mg/L 

in four samples. The sulfate concentration exceeded the SMCL 

of 250 mg/L in one sample, and the fluoride concentration 

exceeded the SMCL of 2 mg/L in one sample. The USEPA 

health advisory for sodium, which recommends that concentrations in drinking water not exceed 60 mg/L to minimize 

the taste, was exceeded in four samples. Iron concentrations 

exceeded the SMCL of 300 μg/L in two samples, and manganese concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 50 μg/L in five 

samples. Radon-222 concentrations exceeded the proposed 

USEPA MCL of 300 pCi/L in eight samples.

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Tables 6–9
14 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

Table 6. Physical properties and dissolved gas concentrations for samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within 

the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[Locations are shown in figure 1; site information is listed in table 1. μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; mg/L, milligrams per liter; <, less than; 

(00400), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code. Bold values exceed drinking-water standard]

Site name

pH, field, 

standard 

units 

(00400)

Specific 

conductance, field, 

μS/cm 

(00095)

Dissolvedoxygen unfiltered, field, 

mg/L 

(00300)

Chemical 

oxygen demand 

unfiltered, 

mg/L 

(00340)

Nitrogen gas 

unfiltered, 

mg/L 

(00597)

Carbon 

dioxide 

unfiltered, 

mg/L 

(00405)

Methane 

unfiltered, 

mg/L 

(85574)

Argon 

unfiltered, 

mg/L 

(82043)

Hydrogen 

sulfide 

(71875)

DEWA–1 7.4 349 0.2 <10 21.9 4.44 0.007 0.76 Absent

DEWA–2 8.1 261 <.2 <10 40.1 0.23 2.52 1.1 Absent

DEWA–3 6.9 292 10.7 <10 21.2 5.33 <0.001 0.78 Absent

ALPO 6.7 879 4.6 <10 20.0 15.8 <0.001 0.73 Absent

JOFL 6.5 706 7.1 <10 20.6 12.9 <0.001 0.75 Absent

FLNI 5.9 730 2.4 <10 20.8 91.8 0.013 0.74 Absent

FONE 4.8 105 10.3 <10 17.0 21.6 <0.001 0.65 Absent

NERI–1 6.7 819 0.3 <10 19.5 44.6 <0.001 0.67 Absent

NERI–2 8.4 1,160 <.2 <10 15.3 0.34 30.1 0.62 Present

NERI–3 5.6 412 <.2 <10 18.8 24.2 4.11 0.66 Present

UPDE–1 5.7 117 7.4 <10 19.3 32.4 <0.001 0.73 Absent

UPDE–2 5.5 131 8.7 <10 18.7 37.8 0.001 0.71 Absent

UPDE–3 8.0 345 <.2 <10 25.7 0.44 4.77 0.84 Present

SARA 6.5 138 5.5 <10 21.4 4.59 <0.001 0.77 Absent

MAVA–1 7.4 298 <.2 <10 25.7 0.45 0.302 0.81 Present

MAVA–2 6.6 760 0.3 <10 24.8 9.91 <0.001 0.78 Absent
Table 7 15

Table 7. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units 

within the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[Well locations are shown in figure 1; site information is listed in table 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; 

(00900), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code. Bold values exceed drinking-water standard]

Site name

Hardness, 

filtered, 

mg/L as CaCO3

(00900)

Calcium, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00915)

Magnesium, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00925)

Potassium, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00935)

Sodium, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00930)

Alkalinity,1

filtered, 

mg/L as CaCO3

(29801)

DEWA–1 165 47.5 11.2 0.43 6.85 145

DEWA–2 17.4 5.22 0.951 0.33 54.6 127

DEWA–3 81.9 27.3 3.31 0.55 22.5 48

ALPO 398 93.4 39.7 1.17 61.5 216

JOFL 260 74.0 18.2 1.34 53.4 152

FLNI 369 106 25.0 1.20 4.91 41

FONE 49.1 13.0 4.03 0.78 1.34 41

NERI–1 290 75.6 24.3 0.85 63.6 220

NERI–2 3.73 1.04 0.253 0.39 248 347

NERI–3 92.5 24.8 7.30 1.04 51.1 144

UPDE–1 45.0 13.0 2.99 0.96 3.51 38

UPDE–2 34.6 8.99 2.92 0.87 9.35 16

UPDE–3 19.2 4.85 1.56 0.80 68.8 110

SARA 60.8 17.8 3.96 0.90 1.69 61

MAVA–1 34.0 7.75 3.12 3.06 51.8 124

MAVA–2 254 72.9 17.1 2.06 49.3 183
16 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

Table 7. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the 

Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.—Continued

[Well locations are shown in figure 1; site information is listed in table 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; C, Celsius; <, less 

than; (29805), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code. Bold values exceed drinking-water standard]

Site name

Bicarbonate,2

filtered, 

mg/L as CaCO3

(29805)

Bromide 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(71870)

Chloride, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00940)

Fluoride, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00950)

Silica, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00955)

Sulfate, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(00945)

Dissolved solids 

dried at 180°C, 

filtered, 

mg/L 

(70300)

DEWA–1 177 0.03 9.89 0.05 11.1 24.4 195

DEWA–2 155 0.02 9.96 0.28 8.04 1.78 156

DEWA–3 59 0.02 52.4 <.04 8.15 11.2 171

ALPO 264 0.12 218 0.17 14.4 29.7 691

JOFL 185 0.05 149 0.16 10.2 25.1 480

FLNI 50 0.06 19.7 <.04 7.29 304 554

FONE 50 0.01 3.17 <.04 6.83 8.43 62

NERI–1 268 0.13 50.7 0.13 13.1 128 506

NERI–2 423 1.52 151 2.33 7.35 0.27 677

NERI–3 176 0.30 34.6 0.24 12.3 6.73 231

UPDE–1 46 <.01 5.58 <.04 9.68 9.55 82

UPDE–2 20 <.01 19.0 <.04 8.82 10.0 75

UPDE–3 134 0.38 39.0 0.54 7.11 0.12 193

SARA 74 <.01 0.59 0.06 12.8 6.63 79

MAVA–1 151 <.01 16.8 0.45 10.6 3.13 181

MAVA–2 223 0.03 110 0.09 10.7 35.2 414

1

Fixed-endpoint titration at pH 4.5.

2

Calculated from alkalinity.
Table 8 17

Table 8. Concentrations of nutrients in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within 

the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[Well locations are shown in figure 1; site information is listed in table 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; <, less than; (00608), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code]

Site name

Ammonia, 

filtered, 

mg/L as N 

(00608)

Nitrate plus 

nitrite, filtered, 

mg/L as N 

(00631)

Nitrite, filtered, 

mg/L as N 

(00613)

Orthophosphate, 

filtered, 

mg/L as P 

(00671)

Total nitrogen 

filtered, 

mg/L as N 

(62854)

DEWA–1 0.082 <.02 <.001 0.011 0.06

DEWA–2 0.285 <.02 <.001 0.032 0.29

DEWA–3 <.010 0.23 <.001 0.007 0.29

ALPO <.010 0.16 <.001 0.012 0.17

JOFL <.010 0.80 <.001 0.010 0.81

FLNI 0.037 <.02 <.001 0.006 0.06

FONE <.010 0.13 <.001 0.012 0.14

NERI–1 0.074 0.04 0.003 0.005 0.07

NERI–2 0.147 <.02 <.001 0.057 0.06

NERI–3 0.122 <.02 <.001 0.040 <.05

UPDE–1 <.010 0.09 <.001 0.018 0.08

UPDE–2 <.010 1.16 <.001 0.008 1.05

UPDE–3 0.060 <.02 <.001 0.176 <.05

SARA <.010 0.07 <.001 0.022 <.05

MAVA–1 0.491 <.02 <.001 0.006 0.48

MAVA–2 0.032 0.15 <.001 0.005 0.15
18 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

Table 9. Concentrations of trace elements and radioactivity in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the 

Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.

[Well locations are shown in figure 1; site information is listed in table 1. μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; (01106), USGS National Water Information 

System (NWIS) parameter code. Bold values exceed drinking-water standard]

Well number1

Aluminum, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01106)

Antimony, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01095)

Arsenic, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01000)

Barium, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01005)

Beryllium, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01010)

Boron, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01020)

Cadmium, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01025)

Chromium, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01030)

Cobalt, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01035)

DEWA–1 <1.7 0.11 3.6 59 <.01 22 <.02 0.09 0.09

DEWA–2 27.9 <.03 0.03 20 0.01 264 <.02 <.06 0.03

DEWA–3 <1.7 <.03 0.06 3 <.01 7 <.02 <.06 0.13

ALPO <1.7 0.06 0.21 252 <.01 122 0.08 0.25 0.05

JOFL <1.7 0.04 0.12 172 <.01 11 0.02 0.09 0.07

FLNI <1.7 <.03 0.19 38 0.01 63 <.02 <.06 55.1

FONE 4.4 <.03 0.03 37 <.01 8 <.02 0.21 0.12

NERI–1 <1.7 0.03 3.0 27 <.01 39 <.02 <.06 0.10

NERI–2 8.8 <.03 0.10 31 0.01 307 <.02 <.06 <.02

NERI–3 <1.7 <.03 0.05 198 0.02 59 <.02 <.06 <.02

UPDE–1 <1.7 <.03 0.49 23 <.01 5 <.02 0.09 0.02

UPDE–2 <1.7 <.03 0.06 73 0.01 4 <.02 <.06 0.04

UPDE–3 <1.7 <.03 32.3 327 <.01 109 <.02 <.06 0.30

SARA 2.6 <.03 0.43 7 <.01 <3 <.02 0.33 <.02

MAVA–1 5.0 <.03 <.02 1,050 <.01 205 <.02 <.06 <.02

MAVA–2 <1.7 <.03 0.46 173 <.01 37 <.02 <.06 0.03
Table 9 19

Table 9. Concentrations of trace elements and radioactivity in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the 

Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.—Continued

[Well locations are shown in figure 1; site information is listed in table 1. μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; (01040), USGS National Water Information 

System (NWIS) parameter code. Bold values exceed drinking-water standard]

Site name

Copper, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01040)

Iron, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01046)

Lead, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01049)

Lithium, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01130)

Manganese, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01056)

Molybdenum, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01060)

Nickel, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01065)

Selenium, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01145)

Silver, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01075)

DEWA–1 <.50 161 0.19 10.8 85.2 1.44 0.16 <.03 <.01

DEWA–2 <.50 22 <.01 98.4 8.0 0.47 <.09 <.03 <.01

DEWA–3 0.52 36 0.15 2.9 4.0 0.03 0.23 0.05 <.01

ALPO 5.5 <3 0.72 34.2 8.7 0.11 1.5 0.04 <.01

JOFL 6.6 <3 0.05 5.0 7.7 0.14 0.31 0.15 <.01

FLNI <.50 8,340 0.06 10.4 3,320 0.03 76.2 <.03 <.01

FONE <.50 <3 0.02 0.6 1.3 0.05 1.3 0.30 <.01

NERI–1 2.4 10 2.94 12.4 862 2.53 0.28 <.03 <.01

NERI–2 <.50 33 <.01 15.4 2.7 0.99 <.09 <.03 <.01

NERI–3 <.50 463 <.01 5.3 182 0.08 <.09 <.03 <.01

UPDE–1 6.3 <3 0.46 5.9 0.4 0.02 0.13 0.07 <.01

UPDE–2 16.2 223 0.48 1.6 9.0 <.01 0.33 0.09 <.01

UPDE–3 <.50 83 0.24 7.4 95.1 0.58 <.09 <.03 <.01

SARA 0.75 9 0.28 1.0 1.0 0.03 <.09 0.05 <.01

MAVA–1 0.51 6 0.02 63.8 15.3 0.88 <.09 <.03 <.01

MAVA–2 <.50 19 0.19 20.6 11.7 0.82 0.20 0.05 <.01
20 Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011

Table 9. Concentrations of trace elements and radioactivity in samples from 15 wells and 1 spring at national park units within the 

Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in 2011.—Continued

[Well locations are shown in figure 1; site information is listed in table 1. μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; (01080), USGS National Water Information 

System (NWIS) parameter code. Bold values exceed drinking-water standard]

Site name

Strontium, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01080)

Thallium 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01057)

Vanadium 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01085)

Uranium, 

filtered

 μg/L 

(22703)

Zinc, 

filtered, 

μg/L 

(01090)

Gross alpha 

radioactivity 

unfiltered, 

pCi/L 

(01519)

Gross beta 

radioactivity 

unfiltered, 

pCi/L 

(85817)

Radon-222, 

unfiltered, 

pCi/L 

(82303)

DEWA–1 586 <.01 <.08 1.75 1.7 3.6 1.2 175

DEWA–2 395 <.01 <.08 0.01 <1.4 <0.8 <0.8 77

DEWA–3 77.7 <.01 <.08 0.01 7.7 <0.8 1.3 610

ALPO 1,100 <.01 <.08 0.08 342 <0.8 <0.8 100

JOFL 297 <.01 <.08 0.21 158 <0.8 1.6 670

FLNI 144 <.01 <.08 <.004 45.7 1.0 <0.8 <12

FONE 43.3 <.01 <.08 0.05 1.6 1.1 <0.8 530

NERI–1 753 <.01 <.08 0.64 2.8 <0.8 <0.8 390

NERI–2 59.4 <.01 0.09 0.02 <1.4 2.2 <0.8 420

NERI–3 288 <.01 <.08 <.004 <1.4 <0.8 <0.8 72

UPDE–1 220 <.01 <.08 0.35 7.5 <0.8 1.6 3,030

UPDE–2 55.2 <.01 <.08 0.01 10.2 <0.8 0.9 1,310

UPDE–3 375 <.01 <.08 0.01 4.1 1.4 1.3 1,210

SARA 72.3 <.01 0.40 0.03 8.9 0.8 0.8 190

MAVA–1 898 <.01 <.08 0.01 <1.4 1.0 3.3 54

MAVA–2 1,210 <.01 0.10 1.07 5.0 <0.8 2.0 290
Prepared by the Pembroke Publishing Service Center.

For additional information write to:

New York Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

30 Brown Rd.

Ithaca, NY 14850

Information requests:

(518) 285-5602

or visit our Web site at:

http://ny.water.usgs.gov/
Eckhardt and Sloto—Baseline Groundwater Quality in National Park Units Within the Marcellus and Utica Shale Gas Plays, Eastern U.S., 2011—Open-File Report 2012–1150