Prepared in cooperation with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, 

New York, 2005-2006 

Open-File Report 2007–1093 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey 
This page has been left blank intentionally. 
 

Prepared in cooperation with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, 

New York, 2005-2006 

By David A.V. Eckhardt, J.E. Reddy, and Kathryn L. Tamulonis 

Open-File Report 2007–1093 

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

Revised June 2008

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, 

its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: 

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov 

Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS 

Suggested citation: 

Eckhardt, D.A., Reddy, J.E., and Tamulonis, K.L., 2007, Ground-water quality in the Genesee River Basin, 

New York, 2005-2006: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1093, 26 p., online only. 

Revised June 2008. 

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply 

endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

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

copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. 

ii
Contents 

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

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

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

Study Area .......................................................................................................................................................................3

Methods ...............................................................................................................................................................................6

Site Selection ..................................................................................................................................................................6

Sampling and Analytical Methods...............................................................................................................................8

Ground–Water Quality.......................................................................................................................................................9

Physical Properties ........................................................................................................................................................9

Nutrients.........................................................................................................................................................................10

Major Ions......................................................................................................................................................................10

Trace Elements and Radionuclides...........................................................................................................................10

Pesticides.......................................................................................................................................................................11

Volatile Organic Compounds ......................................................................................................................................11

Bacteria ..........................................................................................................................................................................11

Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................12

References Cited ..............................................................................................................................................................13

Figures 

1. Map showing geographic features of Genesee River Basin and locations of the 22 wells sampled in 

2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1) ....................................................................................................2

2. Map showing land use in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 22 wells sampled in 

2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1) .....................................................................................................4

3. Map showing surficial geology in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 11 wells in sand and 

gravel aquifers sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1) ...................................................5 

4. Map showing generalized bedrock geology in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 11 

bedrock wells sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1).......................................................7

Tables 

1. Well information and physical properties of ground-water samples from selected wells in the 

Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006 ..................................................................................................15

2. Compounds for which ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin were analyzed but not 

detected, New York, 2005-2006 ... ....................................................................................................................16

3. Concentrations of nutrients, total organic carbon, and total phenols in ground-water samples from 

the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006 ...........................................................................................20

4. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, 

New York, 2005-2006 .. ......................................................................................................................................21

iii
5. Concentrations of trace elements, metals, and radionuclides in ground-water samples from the 

Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006 ..................................................................................................22

6. Concentrations of pesticides and caffeine detected in ground-water samples from the Genesee 

River Basin, New York, 2005-2006 ...................................................................................................................24

7. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground-water samples from the Genesee 

River Basin, New York, 2005-2006 ...................................................................................................................25

8. Concentrations of bacteria in unfiltered ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, 

New York, 2005-2006 ..........................................................................................................................................26 

 

iv
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) 

square mile (mi2

) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

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

 °F=(1.8×°C)+32 

Abbreviations 

AMCL Alternative maximum contaminant level 

GC-MS Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry 

GPS Global positioning unit 

GWSI Ground-Water Site Inventory 

HA Health Advisory for drinking water 

HPLC-MS High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry 

LCMS Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry 

MCL Maximum contaminant level 

MTBE Methyl-tert-butyl ether 

NWQL USGS National Water Quality Laboratory 

NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

NYSDOH New York State Department of Health 

OGRL USGS Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory 

SMCL Secondary maximum contaminant level 

USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

USGS U.S. Geological Survey 

VOC Volatile organic compound 

Other abbreviations in this report: 

micrometer (μm) 

micrograms per liter (μg/L) 

milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

picocuries per liter (pCi/L) 

microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) 

Datum: Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29). 

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

v
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vi
Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, 

New York, 2005–2006 

By David A.V. Eckhardt, J.E. Reddy, and Kathryn L. Tamulonis 

Abstract 

Water samples were collected from 7 community water system wells and 15 private 

domestic wells throughout the Genesee River Basin in New York State (downstream from the 

Pennsylvania border) from October 2005 through March 2006 and analyzed to characterize the 

chemical quality of ground water in the basin. The wells were selected to represent areas of greatest 

ground-water use and to provide a representative sampling from the 2,439 square-mile basin area in 

New York. Samples were analyzed for five physical properties and 226 constituents that included 

nutrients, major inorganic ions, trace elements, radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic 

compounds, and bacteria. 

The results show that ground water used for drinking water is generally of good quality in 

the Genesee River Basin, although concentrations of seven constituents exceeded drinking water 

standards. The cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, 

and sodium; the anions that were detected in the greatest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, 

and sulfate. The predominant nutrient was nitrate, and nitrate concentrations were greater in 

samples from sand and gravel aquifers than in samples from bedrock aquifers. The trace elements 

barium, boron, cobalt, copper, and nickel were detected in every sample; the highest concentrations 

were barium, boron, chromium, iron, manganese, strontium, and lithium. Fourteen pesticides 

including seven pesticide degradates were detected in water from 12 of the 22 wells, but none of 

the concentrations exceeded Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Eight volatile organic 

compounds (VOCs) were detected in six samples, but none of the concentrations exceeded MCLs. 

Seven chemical analytes and three types of bacteria were present in concentrations that 

exceeded Federal and New York State water-quality standards, which are typically identical. 

Sulfate concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Secondary 

Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in three samples; the 

chloride SMCL (250 mg/L) was exceeded in one sample. Sodium concentrations exceeded the 

USEPA Drinking Water Health Advisory of 60 mg/L in five samples. The SMCL for iron (300 

μg/L) was exceeded in 11 filtered samples; the USEPA SMCL for manganese (50 μg/L) was 

exceeded in 10 filtered samples, and the New York State MCL (300 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 

filtered sample. The MCL for aluminum (200 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 sample, and the MCL for 

arsenic (10 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 sample. Radon-222 exceeded the proposed USEPA MCL of 

300 picocuries per liter in 16 samples. Any detection of total coliform or fecal coliform bacteria is 

considered a violation of New York State health regulations; in this study, total coliform was 

detected in eight samples; fecal coliform was detected in two samples, and Escherichia coli was 

detected in one sample. 

1
Introduction 

The Genesee River Basin encompasses 2,439 mi2 in west-central New York and 95 mi2 in 

north-central Pennsylvania (fig. 1). The Genesee River drains northward from its headwaters in 

Pennsylvania to its confluence with Lake Ontario. The basin is about 40 miles wide in its central 

part and about 90 miles long. Gilbert and Kammerer (1971) and the U.S Army (1969) have 

described the geography and hydrology of the Genesee River Basin, but a comprehensive 

assessment of the quality of ground water throughout the basin has been needed. 

Figure 1. Geographic features of Genesee River Basin and locations of the 22 wells sampled in 

2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1) 

2
Section 305(b) of the Federal Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977 (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1997) requires all states to undertake a comprehensive water-quality monitoring 

program for surface-water and ground-water resources. In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS), in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

(NYSDEC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), initiated an assessment of 

ground-water quality in river basins throughout the State, as specified in Section 305(b). As part of 

this program, ground-water-quality studies have been conducted in the Mohawk River Basin, the 

Chemung River Basin (Hetcher-Aguila, 2004), the Lake Champlain Basin (Nystrom, 2006), the 

upper Susquehanna River basin (Hetcher-Aguila and Eckhardt, 2006), the Delaware River basin 

(Nystrom, 2007a), and the St. Lawrence River basin (Nystrom, 2007b). 

Purpose and Scope 

The objective of this report is to describe the quality of ground water that is used for 

drinking water in the Genesee River Basin in New York. The report describes the sampling and 

analytical methods and presents the results of the water-quality analyses conducted on groundwater samples from 22 wells throughout the basin. Results are given in tables 1–8 (at end of 

report). Analytical results for selected constituents are compared with Federal and State drinkingwater standards, which are typically identical. The standards include Maximum Contaminant 

Levels (MCLs), Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs), and Health Advisories (HAs) 

established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2002; 2004; 2006) and the New York 

State Department of Health (NYSDOH, 2006). MCLs are typically based on human health criteria 

and are legally enforceable by Federal and State authorities; SMCLs are non-enforceable guidelines 

based on cosmetic and aesthetic criteria; and HAs are non-enforceable guidelines on contaminants 

that can effect human health. 

Study Area 

The Genesee River drains northward from north-central Pennsylvania to its outlet at Lake 

Ontario north of Rochester, N.Y. (fig. 1). Its drainage area is 2,534 mi2

, of which 95 mi2 are in 

Pennsylvania. The central and southern parts of the basin lie within the glaciated Appalachian 

Plateau physiographic province, and the northern part of the basin is in Lake Ontario Lowlands 

province. Forest and pasture are the main land uses in the steep uplands and narrow valleys that 

dominate the southern area of the basin; row-crop and dairy agriculture is concentrated in the 

broad alluvial valley and the low rolling hills of the central basin; and the Rochester metropolitan 

area dominates the relatively flat plain of the northern basin (fig. 2). The Genesee River Basin 

contains four of the western Finger Lakes (Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, and Honeoye Lakes) and 

is crossed by the New York State Barge (Erie) Canal near Rochester. The main tributaries to the 

Genesee River are Black Creek, Canaseraga Creek, Oatka Creek, and Honeoye Creek. In New 

York, the basin lies mostly within Allegany, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, and Wyoming 

Counties. 

During deglaciation of the region, thick deposits of fluvial sand and gravel (deposited 

beneath, in front of, or alongside a glacier by meltwater streams) and lacustrine clay, silt, and fine 

sand (deposited within proglacial lakes) were left within the Genesee River valley. As a result, 

glacially derived landforms are present throughout the study area (fig. 3); these include the sand 

and gravel deposits that form outwash plains, eskers, kettles, kames, and kame terraces, and the 

fine-grained, poorly-sorted morainal deposits that form valley plugs and low ridges. The glaciers 

also left a thin mantle of poorly-sorted till on top of the bedrock in upland areas. Recent alluvium 

covers some of the glacial deposits and forms the flood plains along the larger streams and rivers. 

3
The glacial and alluvial deposits within the study area are described in detail by Fairchild (1928), 

Coates (1966), Gilbert and Kammerer (1971), Cadwell and Muller (1986), Miller (1988), and 

Randall (2001). 

Figure 2. Land use in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 22 wells sampled 

in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1)

4
Land surface elevations range from about 250 ft at Lake Ontario to about 2,500 ft in the 

central and southern uplands. The basin has a humid climate, and temperatures are moderated by its 

proximity to Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Precipitation is the primary source of water in the basin 

and averages about 33 in/yr. About 15 percent of the annual precipitation infiltrates the land surface 

and recharges ground-water storage in the bedrock and sand and gravel aquifers (Gilbert and 

Kammerer, 1971). 

Figure 3. Surficial geology in the Genesee River Basin and locations of the 11 

wells in sand and gravel aquifers sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in 

table 1.) 

The south and central parts of the study area are predominantly rural, although there are 

several large villages (Avon, Dansville, Geneseo, LeRoy, Mount Morris, Warsaw, and Wellsville 

[fig. 1]) and many small villages and hamlets. Most of the developed area is in the City of 

Rochester and its suburbs in Monroe County. Total population of the study area in 2000 was about 

5
805,000 people; about 70 percent of the people were in the Rochester area (U.S. Department of 

Commerce, 2000). Community water system wells provide water to about 95,000 people in the 

villages, towns, and cities within the study area (NYSDOH, 2005). The largest water suppliers are 

the Monroe County Water Authority and the City of Rochester, which serve most of the residents 

in the Rochester area with surface water from Lake Ontario (15 miles northwest of the city) and 

Hemlock and Canadice Lakes (23 miles south of the city). In the southern and central areas of the 

basin, many of the rural community water systems use ground water from surficial deposits of sand 

and gravel. In areas where the surficial aquifers are thin or absent, some systems use surface water 

from small reservoirs and lakes, and others use a combination of surface water and ground water. 

Most rural homeowners that live beyond the service areas of community water systems rely on 

private wells that tap ground water from bedrock and surficial deposits for their domestic water use. 

The most productive aquifers within the study area are the glacial and alluvial deposits of 

sand and gravel (fig. 3). Lacustrine and till deposits are relatively impermeable and yield little 

water to wells; the lacustrine beds may confine underlying sand and gravel aquifers. Bedrock 

aquifers are used for water supply in areas where significant thicknesses of saturated sand and 

gravel are unavailable, typically in upland areas (fig. 4). The bedrock aquifers are relatively flatlying, interbedded sedimentary units of shale, siltstone, sandstone, limestone, and dolostone of 

Silurian and Devonian age (Broughton and others, 1962). 

Methods 

In the Genesee River Basin, 22 wells were selected for sample collection. Wells at 11 of 

the sites are in sand and gravel aquifers (fig. 3) and 11 are in bedrock aquifers (fig. 4). Of the 11 

wells in sand and gravel, 7 are community water system wells and 4 are private domestic wells; the 

11 bedrock wells are all private domestic wells. Sampling commenced in October 2005 and was 

completed in March 2006. The water samples were analyzed for 226 constituents and 5 physical 

properties. Two samples were collected for quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC)—one 

field blank and one replicate sample—as required for the Federal 305(b) program. 

Site Selection 

The wells were identified through the USGS Ground-Water Site Inventory (GWSI) 

database and NYSDEC Water-Well Reporting Program and through contacts with representatives 

from county health departments. The Water-Well Reporting Program was implemented in 2000 to 

collect information about newly drilled wells throughout New York from licensed well drillers; the 

subsequent database provides useful information for ground-water studies. A letter that described 

the project and requested permission to sample the water was sent to the owner of each well that 

was identified as a potential sampling site. It included a questionnaire asking the location of the 

well, the most convenient times for sampling, any safety concerns around the well, and other 

information. 

Community water system wells were identified through the New York State Department of 

Health Public-Water Supply Database and local officials, including the Departments of Health from 

Allegany, Genesee, Livingston, and Wyoming Counties, and water managers of villages and cities 

throughout the basin. The water managers were sent a project description and a questionnaire 

similar to those sent to residential-well owners. Telephone calls were made to well owners who 

responded favorably to clarify information about the wells and to arrange sampling dates. 

Most of the wells finished in sand and gravel were in the valleys and ranged from 20 to 161 

ft deep (table 1); the community water system wells have slotted screens, but most domestic wells 

simply have an open-bottomed casing in the sand and gravel. The bedrock wells were generally in 

6
upland terrain and ranged from 65 to 360 ft deep; the wells typically have casing set into competent 

rock with open boreholes in the bedrock. 

Site selection did not target specific municipalities, industries, or agricultural practices; 

rather, sample sites were selected to represent areas of greatest ground-water use and to obtain a 

geographical representation of the basin and its aquifers (figs. 2-4). Site selection included wells in 

each of four predominant land-use categories—agriculture, urban, forest, and wetland. The landuse classification was done through satellite-image analysis to describe the predominant land uses 

within a half-mile radius of each well (fig. 2). Most were surrounded by a predominant land use 

that represented more than 50 percent of the radial well-site area; the other well sites contained a 

combination of land uses. 

Figure 4. Generalized bedrock geology in the Genesee River Basin and locations of 

the 11 bedrock wells sampled in 2005-2006. (Well data are given in table 1.) 

7
Shallow wells that tap sand and gravel aquifers are susceptible to contamination by several 

types of compounds, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, deicing chemicals, 

and nutrients from nearby highways and industrial, agricultural, and residential areas (Eckhardt and 

Stackelberg, 1995). The movement of these contaminants to the water table through the soils and 

surficial sand and gravel can be relatively rapid. Bedrock wells in rural upland areas are generally 

less susceptible to contamination from industrial and urban sources, which are mainly in the 

valleys; also, water movement in the bedrock is generally slower than in sand and gravel. 

Agricultural areas that surround several of the wells are a potential source of contamination from 

fertilizers, pesticides, and animal wastes; residential lawns and domestic septic systems are also a 

potential source of these contaminants. In addition to human contaminants, the aquifers contain 

naturally derived elements that may adversely affect water quality, such as sodium, chloride, iron, 

manganese, and trace elements such as arsenic; some may also contain hydrogen sulfide, methane, 

and radon gases from natural sources. 

Sampling and Analytical Methods 

Water samples that were analyzed for nutrients (table 3), inorganic constituents (table 4), 

trace elements and radionuclides (table 5), and VOCs (table 7) were collected from every well and 

processed by methods described in the USGS manual for the collection of water-quality data (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2006). In addition, pesticide samples (table 6) were collected and processed by 

the methods of Shelton (1994) and Sandstrom and others (2001). These samples were analyzed at 

the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and the USGS Kansas Organic 

Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) for 139 pesticides and pesticide degradates through 

methods described by Zaugg and others (1995), Meyer and others (1993), Furlong and others 

(2001), and Lee and Strahan (2003). The analytical method devised by Zaugg and others (1995) 

was developed in cooperation with the USEPA and allows detection of the nation’s most 

commonly used pesticides. Samples for bacteria analyses (table 8) were collected and processed in 

accordance with NYSDOH regulations. 

At the sample sites, the well pump was turned on (many of the community water system 

wells were already running) and allowed to run until at least five casing-volumes of well water had 

passed the sampling point. A raw-water spigot between the well and the pressure tank was opened, 

and the water was allowed to run for several more minutes to flush the spigot. During this time, a 

general visual evaluation of the area surrounding the sampling site was conducted to identify 

obvious potential nonpoint and point sources of contamination that could affect the well water. 

Samples were collected from the raw-water spigot to avoid all water-treatment systems and to 

ensure that the water collected was representative of the water in the aquifer. 

At each sampling site, a Teflon discharge line was connected to the spigot, and samples 

were analyzed with a multiprobe meter for physical properties, including temperature, specific 

conductance, dissolved-oxygen concentration, and pH. After the measurements of these properties 

had stabilized, a second Teflon discharge line was connected to the first with a stainless-steel 

quick-connect fitting, and the second line was directed into a sampling-chamber bag mounted on a 

plastic box; this sample-collection chamber was used to minimize sample exposure to dust and 

other potential sources of contamination. The bottom of the sampling-chamber bag was pierced 

above a plastic funnel in the top of the box to allow water to run to waste for several minutes to 

flush the Teflon line. Bottles were filled within the chamber bag according to standard USGS field 

methods (U.S. Geological Survey, 2006). 

Analyses for physical properties, most trace elements and metals, radionuclides, and VOCs 

were conducted on unfiltered water samples (tables 1, 5, and 7) to obtain the whole-water 

8
concentrations. Concentrations of most nutrients, major inorganic constituents, three metals, and 

pesticides were obtained from filtered samples (tables 3, 4, 5, and 6). Unfiltered-water 

concentrations were compared with filtered concentrations to estimate the difference between the 

total and dissolved concentrations of some constituents. Sulfuric acid was added to the phenol 

samples, hydrochloric acid was added to the total organic carbon and the VOC samples, and nitric 

acid was added to some trace element samples to prevent degradation of the samples. For samples 

for the dissolved inorganic analytes, filtrate was collected through a 0.45-μm cellulose capsule filter 

that was attached to the Teflon discharge line inside the sample chamber bag; pesticide samples 

were filtered through a 0.7-μm furnace-baked glass-fiber plate filter. 

All Teflon discharge lines were cleaned in the laboratory before each sampling day and in 

the field between each sample. New chamber bags were used at each sampling site. Samples for 

radon analysis were obtained through an in-line septum chamber with a disposable syringe to avoid 

atmospheric contamination. Samples for bacterial analysis were collected within the sampling 

chamber in sterile containers provided by the bacteriological laboratory; the connection of the 

sampling tube to the well tap was not sterilized. 

The samples were stored on ice in coolers and delivered directly or shipped by overnight 

delivery to one of four laboratories: (1) the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory in Denver, 

Colo., for analysis for nutrients (table 3), inorganic constituents (table 4), trace elements and radon222 (table 5), some pesticides (table 6), and VOCs (table 7); (2) the USGS Kansas Organic 

Geochemical Research Laboratory in Lawrence, Kans., for other pesticides (table 6); (3) a New 

York State-certified private laboratory in Waverly, N.Y., for total organic carbon and phenolic 

compounds (table 3); and (4) a local laboratory in Ithaca, N.Y., approved by New York State for 

bacteria analysis (table 8). 

Ground–Water Quality 

The 22 ground-water samples collected during this study were analyzed for 5 physical 

properties and 226 constituents. Most (157) constituents were not detected in any sample (table 2); 

the concentrations of the 69 detected constituents are listed in tables 3–8. The quality of the 

sampled ground water was generally good, except where concentrations of certain constituents 

exceeded recommended MCLs, SMCLs, or HAs set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(2006) and the New York State Department of Health (2006). 

The QA/QC field blank contained no constituent in concentrations above the laboratory 

reporting levels; this indicates that no constituents were affected by artificial contamination from 

the sampling or analytical procedures. The results of the two QA/QC replicate samples showed that 

variability in sample results met the precision requirements of the study. The largest percent 

differences between concentrations in a ground-water sample and the replicate sample were in acidneutralizing capacity, residue on evaporation, and low-concentration trace elements (concentrations 

near the reporting level for the elements). 

Physical Properties 

 The pH of the samples (table 1) ranged from 6.7 to 7.9; none of the 22 samples exceeded 

the accepted SMCL range of 6.5 to 8.5 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006). Specific 

conductance of the samples ranged from 298 to 2,750 μS/cm. Dissolved oxygen concentrations 

(table 1) ranged from less than 0.2 mg/L at six wells to 13.8 mg/L. None of the samples had a 

water color that exceeded the SMCL of 15 (table 1). The odor of hydrogen sulfide gas was noted 

by field personnel in water from 10 of the 22 wells. 

9
Nutrients 

Nitrate and ammonia were the predominant nutrients in the ground-water samples (table 3). 

Nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.06 (the analytical detection limit) to 6.04 mg/L as 

nitrogen (N); ammonia concentrations ranged from less than 0.04 to 1.80 mg/L as N. The nitrate 

MCL of 10 mg/L (as nitrogen) was not exceeded in any sample, and 12 of the 22 samples had nondetected concentrations (<0.06 mg/L). When nitrate was detected, samples from wells finished in 

sand and gravel had a higher median nitrate concentration (5.30 mg/L) than in wells finished in 

bedrock (0.12 mg/L). Orthophosphate was detected in 5 of the 22 samples, and the maximum 

concentration was 0.14 mg/L (as phosphorus). 

Major Ions 

Water from the wells was generally a calcium-bicarbonate type, although water from three 

wells was a calcium-sulfate type and one well was a sodium-bicarbonate type (Hem, 1985). The 

cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, and sodium 

(table 4). Calcium concentrations ranged from 24.3 to 531 mg/L, and magnesium concentrations 

ranged from 4.58 to 197 mg/L. Calcium and magnesium contribute to water hardness, and 18 of the 

22 wells yielded water with hardness greater than 180 mg/L, which is very hard (Hem, 1985). 

Sodium concentrations ranged from 3.87 to 173 mg/L, and five samples exceeded the USEPA 

Health Advisory (HA), which recommends that sodium concentrations in drinking water not 

exceed 60 mg/L to minimize the taste. The HA for sodium is not federally enforceable but is 

intended as a guideline for consumers (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002; 2006). 

The anions that were detected in the highest concentrations were bicarbonate (alkalinity), 

chloride, and sulfate. Bicarbonate concentrations ranged from 127 to 640 mg/L (as CaCO3), 

chloride concentrations ranged from 1.89 to 271 mg/L, and sulfate concentrations ranged from less 

than 0.2 to 1,470 mg/L (table 4). The chloride SMCL of 250 mg/L was exceeded in one sample, 

and the sulfate SMCL of 250 mg/L was exceeded in three samples. 

Trace Elements and Radionuclides 

The most commonly detected trace elements were barium, boron, chromium, cobalt, copper, 

lithium, nickel, and strontium, all of which were detected in every sample. The elements detected in 

the highest concentrations were barium, boron, iron, lithium, manganese, and strontium (table 5). 

Barium concentrations ranged from 7 to 1,100 μg/L, but the MCL for barium (2,000 μg/L) was not 

exceeded. Boron concentrations ranged from 12 to 913 μg/L, but MCLs have not been established 

for boron. Iron was detected in 20 filtered samples at concentrations ranging from 5 to 2,580 μg/L, 

and the SMCL for iron (300 μg/L) was exceeded in 11 samples. Lithium concentrations ranged 

from 2.6 to 221 μg/L, but MCLs have not been established for lithium. Manganese was detected in 

19 filtered samples at concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 304 μg/L; the Federal SMCL for 

manganese (50 μg/L) was exceeded in 10 samples, and the New York State MCL (300 μg/L) was 

exceeded in 1 sample. Strontium concentrations ranged from 55.4 to 10,700 μg/L, but MCLs have 

not been established for strontium. 

Aluminum was detected in 21 samples, and the SMCL (200 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 

sample. Arsenic was detected in 19 samples, and the MCL for arsenic (10 μg/L) was exceeded in 1 

sample. Lead was detected in 19 samples, but the MCL (15 μg/L) was not exceeded. Uranium was 

detected in 16 samples, but none exceeded the MCL of 30 μg/L. 

10
Beryllium, silver, and thallium were not detected in any sample (table 2). The MCLs for 

antimony (6 μg/L), cadmium (5 μg/L), chromium (100 μg/L), mercury (2 μg/L), and selenium (50 

μg/L) and the SMCLs for copper (1,000 μg/L) and zinc (5,000 μg/L) were not exceeded in any 

sample. 

Radon-222 was detected in every sample, and concentrations ranged from 160 to 1,550 

picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L for radon-222 in drinking water was 

exceeded in 16 samples, but the proposed Alternate Maximum Contaminant Level (ACML) of 

4,000 pCi/L was not exceeded in any sample. The AMCL is the proposed allowable concentration 

of radon in raw-water samples where programs have been implemented to address the health risks 

of radon in indoor air, but none of the 22 well sites sampled in the Genesee River Basin had such 

implementation. The proposed MCL and AMCL for radon are under review and have not been 

adopted (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004; 2006). 

Pesticides 

Fourteen pesticides (including seven pesticide degradates) were detected in water from 12 

of the 22 wells (table 6), but none of the concentrations exceeded MCLs. Eight of the samples 

containing pesticides were from sand and gravel aquifers; the other four samples were from 

bedrock aquifers. Caffeine, which is not a pesticide and can be an indicator of human wastes, is 

included in table 6 because it is measured as part of the pesticide analyses; it was detected at trace 

levels in 12 samples. The pesticide compounds that were detected most frequently were herbicide 

degradation products — CIAT (2-chloro-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s-triazine, also called 

deethylatrazine, a degradation product of atrazine), alachlor ESA (a degradation product of 

alachlor), and metolachlor ESA and OA (degradation products of metolachlor). CIAT was detected 

in 5 samples; the maximum concentration was 0.018 μg/L. Atrazine was detected in 3 samples 

with a maximum concentration of 0.1 μg/L, and metolachlor was detected in 2 samples with a 

maximum concentration of 0.03 μg/L; alachlor was not detected. No Federal MCLs currently have 

been established for pesticide degradation products, and no pesticide concentration exceeded the 

New York State MCL of 50 μg/L. These findings of trace-level detections of pesticides are similar 

to those reported by Eckhardt and others (2001) and Phillips and others (1999) from studies of 

pesticides in ground water throughout New York State. 

Volatile Organic Compounds 

Eight volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in six samples (table 7), but none 

of the concentrations exceeded MCLs. The compounds bromodichloromethane and 

trichloromethane were detected in two samples, and tribromomethane and dibromochloromethane 

were detected in one sample; these four compounds are called trihalomethanes and are typically 

formed as disinfection by-products that result from chlorination of water. Methyl tert-butyl ether 

(MTBE), a gasoline additive that can infiltrate into ground water from leaking fuel tanks, was 

detected in one sample at 3.6 μg/L. The New York State MCL for MTBE is 10 μg/L, which was 

not exceeded. No Federal MCL has been established for MTBE, although the USEPA has 

suggested a limit of 20 to 40 μg/L on the basis of taste and odor of drinking water (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2006). 

Bacteria 

All samples were analyzed for total coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli (E. coli). 

Total coliform was detected in eight samples, fecal coliform was in two samples, and E. coli was in 

11
one sample (table 8). The bacteria were detected in samples from sand and gravel and bedrock 

aquifers; six of the eight wells were private domestic wells. Any detection of these bacteria is 

considered a violation of New York State health regulations. The raw-water samples collected in 

this study were collected prior to disinfection treatments, and most community water system wells 

have chlorination systems that eliminate potential contamination by bacteria before the water is 

distributed to consumers; however, private domestic wells are generally not chlorinated. 

Summary 

In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the New York State 

Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (USEPA), initiated an assessment of ground-water quality in river basins throughout the 

State. Water samples collected from 22 community water system and private domestic wells 

throughout the Genesee River Basin from October 2005 through March 2006 were analyzed for 

five physical properties and 226 constituents that included nutrients, inorganic constituents, trace 

elements, radionuclides, VOCs, pesticides, and bacteria. The quality of the sampled ground water 

was generally good, except where concentrations of certain constituents exceeded recommended 

MCLs, SMCLs, or HAs set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State 

Department of Health. Of the 69 constituents that were detected, seven exceeded Federal and State 

drinking-water standards at specific sites. 

The cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, and 

sodium; the anions that were detected in the highest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and 

sulfate. The predominant nutrients were nitrate and ammonia. The Health Advisory for sodium in 

drinking water (60 mg/L) was exceeded in five samples; the sulfate SMCL (250 mg/L) was 

exceeded in three samples; and the chloride SMCL (250 mg/L) was exceeded in one sample. 

The trace elements detected in the highest concentrations were barium, boron, iron, lithium, 

manganese, and strontium, but only dissolved iron and manganese concentrations exceeded 

SMCLs. Dissolved iron was detected in 20 samples at concentrations ranging from 5 to 2,580 

μg/L, and the SMCL for iron (300 μg/L) was exceeded in 11 samples. Dissolved manganese was 

detected in 19 samples at concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 304 μg/L; the USEPA SMCL for 

manganese (50 μg/L) was exceeded in 10 samples, and the New York State MCL (300 μg/L) was 

exceeded in 1 sample. Aluminum was detected in 21 samples, and the SMCL (200 μg/L) was 

exceeded in 1 sample. Arsenic was detected in 19 samples, and the NYSDOH MCL for arsenic (10 

μg/L) was exceeded in 1 sample. Lead was detected in 19 samples, but the MCL (15 μg/L) was not 

exceeded. Radon was detected in every sample; the proposed Federal MCL for radon-222 in 

drinking water (300 pCi/L) was exceeded in 16 samples, but the proposed AMCL (4,000 pCi/L) 

was not exceeded in any sample. 

Fourteen pesticides including seven pesticide degradates were detected in water from 12 of 

the 22 wells; most of the concentrations were at or near the detection limits, and no concentration 

exceeded an MCL. Eight of the samples containing pesticides were from sand and gravel aquifers; 

the other four samples were from bedrock aquifers. Caffeine was detected at trace levels in 12 

samples. Eight VOCs were detected in 6 samples, but no concentration exceeded an MCL. Any 

detection of total coliform or fecal coliform bacteria is considered a violation of New York State 

health regulations; in this study, total coliform was detected in eight samples; fecal coliform was 

detected in two samples, and Escherichia coli was detected in one sample. 

12
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U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of pesticides in 

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Table 1. Well information and physical properties of ground-water samples from selected wells in the Genesee River Basin, Ne

[Well locations are shown in figure 1. All samples unfiltered except where noted. mg/L, milligrams per liter; ° C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C; (00080), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code; --, no data; <, less 

Water DissolvedWell color, filtered oxygen pH, field, 

Casing Depth depth (feet (platinum concentration, (standard 

Well Aquifer Well (feet below below land Sample cobalt units) field (mg/L) units) 

number 1 type 2 type 3 land surface) surface) Date (00080) (00300) (00400) 

AG 263 SG C -- 160 1/19/2006 2 3.8 7.8 

AG 264 SG C 128 144 1/11/2006 5 <0.2 7.4 

AG 1235 SG P 161 161 11/1/2005 10 <0.2 7.4 

GS 312 SG P 56 60 1/11/2006 5 0.8 7.1 

LV 329 SG C 96 106 12/15/2005 5 <0.2 7.9 

LV 331 SG C 40 40 2/14/2006 <1 1.6 7.4 

LV 637 SG P 119 119 11/3/2005 2 5.7 7.2 

LV 865 SG P 75 102 2/8/2006 <1 <0.2 6.7 WO 349 SG C 32 32 12/1/2005 2 5.6 7.1 

WO 350 SG C 150 150 12/1/2005 8 0.5 7.4 WO 445 SG C 20 20 12/8/2005 2 2.8 7.0 AG 1225 B P 33 170 2/14/2006 2 3.1 6.7 

AG 1277 B P 131 135 11/1/2005 12 0.4 7.4 GS 617 B P 25 65 3/16/2006 5 2.8 7.1 

LV 620 B P 80 360 10/27/2005 <1 7.6 7.5 

LV 838 B P 31 130 11/17/2005 2 3.0 7.7 

LV 847 B P 36 100 3/16/2006 5 2.8 7.3 

LV 905 B P 64 205 11/9/2005 5 <0.2 7.7 

MO 1524 B P 216 260 2/8/2006 8 0.3 7.0 

MO 1605 B P 67 80 11/3/2005 8 6.4 7.0 

OT 1559 B P 64 200 11/9/2005 5 <0.2 7.3 

WO 821 B P 31 70 3/9/2006 <10 2.8 7.3 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County;  number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 2SG, Sand and Gravel; B, Bedrock 3C, Production well; P, Private domestic well 

15
Table 2. Compounds for which ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin 

were analyzed but not detected, 2005-2006.—Continued

Laboratory 

reporting level 

(micrograms per liter, except 

as noted) 

USGS 

parameter 

code 

Constituent 

Nutrients in filtered water

00613 Nitrite, milligrams per liter as nitrogen 0.008 

Trace elements in unfiltered water

01012 Beryllium .06 

01077 Silver .16 

01059 Thallium .2 

Pesticides in filtered water

50470 2,4-D methyl ester .016 

39732 2,4-D .04 

38746 2,4-DB .02 

82660 2,6-Diethylaniline .006 

04038 2-Chloro-6-ethylamino-4-amino-s-triazine (CEAT) .08 

49308 3-Hydroxy carbofuran .008 

50295 3-Ketocarbofuran .02 

61029 Acetochlor ethanesulfonic acid .02 

63782 Acetochlor ethanesulfonic acid second amide .02 

61030 Acetochlor oxanilic acid .02 

62847 Acetochlor sulfynilacetic acid .02 

49315 Acifluorfen .028 

62849 Alachlor ethanesulfonic acid secondary amide .02 

61031 Alachlor oxanilic acid .02 

62848 Alachlor sulfynilacetic acid .02 

46342 Alachlor .005 

49313 Aldicarb sulfone .02 

49314 Aldicarb sulfoxide .022 

49312 Aldicarb .04 

34253 alpha-HCH .005 

82686 Azinphos-methyl .050 

50299 Bendiocarb .02 

82673 Benfluralin .010 

50300 Benomyl .022 

61693 Bensulfuron .02 

38711 Bentazon .01 

04029 Bromacil .02 

49311 Bromoxynil .03 

04028 Butylate .004 

49310 Carbaryl .02 

82680 Carbaryl .041 

49309 Carbofuran .016 

82674 Carbofuran .020 

16
Table 2. Compounds for which ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin 

were analyzed but not detected, 2005-2006.—Continued

Laboratory 

reporting level 

(micrograms per liter, except 

as noted) 

USGS 

parameter 

code 

Constituent 

61188 Chloramben methyl ester .02 

50306 Chlorimuron .032 

04039 Chlorodiamino-s-triazine .04 

49306 Chlorothalonil .04 

38933 Chlorpyrifos .005 

82687 cis-Permethrin .006 

49305 Clopyralid .02 

04041 Cyanazine .018 

04031 Cycloate .01 

49304 Dacthal monoacid .03 

82682 DCPA .003 

63778 Dechloroacetochlor .02 

63777 Dechloroalachlor .02 

63779 Dechlorodimethenamid .02 

63780 Dechlorometolachlor .02 

62170 Desulfinyl fipronil .012 

39572 Diazinon .005 

38442 Dicamba .04 

49302 Dichlorprop .03 

39381 Dieldrin .009 

61951 Dimethenamid ethanesulfonic acid .02 

62482 Dimethenamid oxanilic acid .02 

61588 Dimethenamid .02 

04033 Diphenamid .01 

82677 Disulfoton .02 

49300 Diuron .02 

82668 EPTC .004 

82663 Ethalfluralin .009 

82672 Ethoprop .005 

49297 Fenuron .02 

62169 Desulfinylfipronil amide .029 

62167 Fipronil sulfide .013 

62168 Fipronil sulfone .024 

62166 Fipronil .016 

61952 Flufenacet ethanesulfonic acid .02 

62483 Flufenacet oxanilic acid .02 

62481 Flufenacet .02 

61694 Flumetsulam .04 

38811 Fluometuron .02 

04095 Fonofos .003 

63784 Hydroxyacetochlor .02 

63783 Hydroxyalachlor .02 

63785 Hydroxymetolachlor .02 

17
Table 2. Compounds for which ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin 

were analyzed but not detected, 2005-2006.—Continued

Laboratory 

reporting level 

(micrograms per liter, except 

as noted) 

USGS 

parameter 

code 

Constituent 

64045 Hydroxydimethenamid .02 

50356 Imazaquin .02 

61695 Imidacloprid .020 

39341 Lindane .004 

38478 Linuron .01 

82666 Linuron .035 

39532 Malathion .027 

38482 MCPA .03 

38487 MCPB .01 

50359 Metalaxyl .01 

38501 Methiocarb .010 

49296 Methomyl .020 

82667 Methyl parathion .015 

82630 Metribuzin .006 

61697 Metsulfuron .07 

82671 Molinate .003 

61692 N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-N'-methylurea .04 

82684 Napropamide .007 

49294 Neburon .01 

50364 Nicosulfuron .04 

49293 Norflurazon .02 

49292 Oryzalin .01 

38866 Oxamyl .03 

34653 p,p'-DDE .003 

39542 Parathion .010 

82669 Pebulate .004 

82683 Pendimethalin .022 

82664 Phorate .011 

49291 Picloram .03 

82676 Propyzamide .004 

62766 Propachlor ethanesulfonic acid .05 

62767 Propachlor oxanilic acid .02 

04024 Propachlor .025 

82679 Propanil .011 

82685 Propargite .02 

49236 Propham .030 

50471 Propiconazole .01 

38538 Propoxur .008 

38548 Siduron .02 

50337 Sulfometuron .091 

82670 Tebuthiuron .02 

82665 Terbacil .034 

04032 Terbacil .016 

18
19

Table 2. Compounds for which ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin 

were analyzed but not detected, 2005-2006.—Continued

Laboratory 

reporting level 

(micrograms per liter, except 

as noted) 

USGS 

parameter 

code 

Constituent 

82675 Terbufos .02 

82681 Thiobencarb .010 

82678 Triallate .006 

49235 Triclopyr .03 

82661 Trifluralin .009 

Volatile organic compounds, in unfiltered water

34506 1,1,1-Trichloroethane .1 

77652 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane .1 

34496 1,1-Dichloroethane .1 

34501 1,1-Dichloroethene .1 

34536 1,2-Dichlorobenzene .1 

32103 1,2-Dichloroethane .2 

34541 1,2-Dichloropropane .1 

34566 1,3-Dichlorobenzene .1 

34571 1,4-Dichlorobenzene .1 

34030 Benzene .1 

34301 Chlorobenzene .1 

34496 1,1-Dichloroethane .1 

77093 cis-1,2-Dichloroethene .1 

32105 Dibromochloromethane .2 

34423 Dichloromethane .2 

34668 Dichlorodifluoromethane .2 

81576 Diethyl ether .2 

81577 Diisopropyl ether .2 

34371 Ethylbenzene .1 

50005 Methyl tert-pentyl ether .2 

77128 Styrene .1 

50004 tert-Butyl ethyl ether .1 

34475 Tetrachloroethene .1 

32102 Tetrachloromethane .2 

34546 trans-1,2-Dichloroethene .1 

34506 1,1,1-Trichloroethane .1 

39180 Trichloroethene .1 

34488 Trichlorofluoromethane .2 

77135 o-Xylene .1 
Table 3. Concentrations of nutrients, total organic carbon, and total phenols in ground-water samples 

from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006. [Well locations are shown in figure 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; <, less than; (00623), USGS National Water 

System (NWIS) parameter code; E, estimated value—constituent was detected in the sample but with low or inconsistent recovery]

Ammonia plus Total organic Phen

organic nitrogen, Ammonia, Nitrate, Orthophosphate, carbon, reco

filtered filtered filtered filtered unfiltered un

Well (mg/L as N) (mg/L as N) (mg/L as N) (mg/L as P) (mg/L) (

number 1 (00623) (00608) (00618) (00671) (00680) (3

AG 263 0.12 0.12 E 0.06 < 0.02 < 1.0 < 

AG 264 0.74 0.66 < 0.06 0.11 < 1.0 < 

AG 1235 0.52 0.53 < 0.06 0.14 < 1.0 < 

GS 312 E .10 0.05 < 0.06 < 0.18 < 1.0 < LV 329 <.10 < 0.04 < 0.06 < 0.02 < 1.0 

LV 331 0.10 < 0.04 1.08 < 0.02 < 1.0 < LV 637 E 0.08 < 0.04 6.04 < 0.02 < 1.0 < LV 865 0.13 0.05 < 0.06 < 0.02 1.2 < WO 349 E 0.09 < 0.04 5.57 < 0.02 < 1.0 < WO 350 0.13 0.10 < 0.06 E 0.01 < 1.0 < 

WO 445 0.17 < 0.04 5.30 < 0.02 < 1.0 < 

AG 1225 <.10 < 0.04 0.12 < 0.02 < 1.0 < 

AG 1277 0.40 0.39 < 0.06 E 0.01 < 1.0 < 

GS 617 0.15 < 0.04 0.16 < 0.04 1.1 < LV 620 <.10 < 0.04 1.58 < 0.02 < 1.0 < LV 838 <.10 < 0.04 E 0.05 < 0.02 < 1.0 < 

LV 847 2.0 1.80 E 0.03 0.04 1.1 < 

LV 905 1.8 1.69 < 0.06 < 0.02 < 1.0 < 

MO 1524 0.28 0.27 < 0.06 < 0.02 < 1.0 < MO 1605 0.28 0.28 < 0.06 < 0.02 < 1.0 < OT 1559 0.97 0.85 < 0.06 < 0.02 < 1.0 < 

WO 821 0.34 0.27 < 0.06 < 0.02 1.4 < 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County; 

Genesee County; number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 

20
Table 4. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006.

[Well locations are shown in figure 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; ANC, acid neutralizing capacity; (90410), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code; °C, degrees Celsius; <, less than; 

E, estimated value—constituent was detected in the sample but with low or inconsistent recovery] 

Bicarb- 

ANC,2 Alkalinity,2 onate,3 Hardness, 

unfiltered filtered filtered Calcium, filtered Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, Fluorid

(mg/L, (mg/L, (mg/L, filtered (mg/L, filtered filtered filtered filtered filtere

Well as CaCO3) as CaCO3) as CaCO3) (mg/L) as CaCO3) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L

number 1 (90410) (29801) (29805) (00915) (00900) (00925) (00935) (00930) (00940) (0095

AG 263 172 172 208 26.4 92 6.39 2.19 53.0 10.0 0.3 

AG 264 230 234 283 57.3 190 12.2 1.59 29.1 17.8 0.2 

AG1235 274 293 355 58.1 230 20.0 1.59 56.3 16.8 0.1 

GS 312 291 292 353 66.0 290 30.1 1.31 3.87 1.89 1.0 

LV 329 177 170 206 75.9 270 18.9 1.18 9.85 31.3 0.1 LV 331 208 208 252 82.0 290 21.2 3.29 54.8 87.4 0.2 LV 637 160 184 223 113 460 42.6 1.60 32.4 109 0.1 

LV 865 527 529 640 373 1,700 197 3.25 102 20.8 0.3 WO 349 252 273 330 96.2 310 16.6 3.07 38.9 48.4 E 0.1 

WO 350 185 190 230 64.0 240 19.0 1.11 21.3 37.1 0.1 

WO 445 215 235 284 99.9 320 17.8 1.44 20.5 35.1 E 0.1 

AG1225 192 192 232 50.3 260 31.6 2.63 7.53 5.78 0.2 

AG1277 304 300 363 33.7 120 7.80 2.12 150 90.2 0.3 

GS 617 387 386 467 129 460 32.9 8.03 156 271 0.2 

LV 620 103 105 127 41.0 140 10.2 0.86 4.29 8.34 0.1 

LV 838 162 172 208 50.7 200 18.3 2.33 6.30 9.90 0.1 

LV 847 267 280 339 44.3 210 23.1 3.63 32.5 4.96 0.6 

LV 905 373 354 428 24.3 80 4.58 3.43 173 72.0 0.4 

MO1524 164 164 198 531 1,500 51.8 5.32 32.5 6.32 0.7 MO1605 176 141 171 424 1,200 29.9 6.00 25.3 4.83 0.5 OT1559 379 372 450 65.8 310 34.8 3.71 70.1 9.93 0.6 

WO 821 191 193 234 103 340 20.6 2.07 11.6 115 0.1 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County;  number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 2fixed-endpoint titration at pH 4.5. 3calculated from alkalinity. 

21
Table 5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclides in ground-water samples 

from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006. 

[Well locations are shown in figure 1. μg/L, micrograms per liter; (01105), USGS National Water Information System NWIS) 

parameter code; >, less than; E, estimated value—constituent was detected in the sample but with low or inconsistent recovery; M, constituent was detected in the sample but was not quantified] 

Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Boron, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, 

unflitered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered filtered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered filtered un

Well (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (

number 1 (01105) (01097) (01002) (01007) (01020) (01027) (01034) (01037) (01042) (01046) (0

AG 263 3 < 0.2 0.31 70 145 < 0.04 0.05 0.057 0.8 28 

AG 264 E 1 < 0.2 26.0 770 78 < 0.04 0.14 0.164 29.9 1,490 

AG 1235 4 < 0.2 7.2 724 154 < 0.04 0.07 0.162 E 0.5 2,580 

GS 312 < 2 < 0.2 < 0.12 179 22 < 0.04 0.16 0.225 1.1 309 LV 329 E 1 < 0.2 1.3 146 14 < 0.04 0.21 0.197 4.8 320 

LV 331 E 1 E 0.1 0.27 82 34 E 0.02 0.14 0.274 1.1 11 

LV 637 3 < 0.2 E 0.09 180 25 < 0.04 0.34 0.312 5.5 8 

LV 865 E 2 < 0.4 0.88 35 103 < 0.08 0.19 4.63 15.5 678 

WO 349 E 1 < 0.2 0.18 52 31 < 0.04 0.25 0.420 3.2 < 6 

WO 350 E 2 < 0.2 8.8 164 24 < 0.04 0.20 0.366 2.4 422 

WO 445 7 < 0.2 E 0.10 43 31 E 0.02 2.3 0.465 2.7 16 

AG 1225 4 < 0.2 0.52 55 71 < 0.04 0.15 0.203 6.0 45 

AG 1277 E 1 < 0.2 4.0 615 294 < 0.04 0.08 0.080 1.6 855 

GS 617 5 < 0.2 0.31 193 78 E 0.04 0.18 0.790 58.7 14 

LV 620 12 < 0.2 E 0.06 25 12 < 0.04 0.15 0.103 2.5 < 6 

LV 838 3 < 0.2 1.0 79 35 < 0.04 E 0.02 0.159 3.1 E 5 

LV 847 12 E 0.1 0.15 118 913 < 0.04 0.08 0.218 1.5 78 

LV 905 9 < 0.2 < 0.12 208 818 < 0.04 0.07 0.080 1.5 338 

MO 1524 E 1 E 0.1 0.88 7 529 < 0.04 0.17 1.33 8.5 2,010 

MO 1605 2 0.2 3.2 11 486 < 0.04 0.08 0.760 5.1 1,280 

OT 1559 778 < 0.2 < 0.12 570 645 < 0.04 2.4 0.860 1.3 112 

WO 821 4 < 0.2 0.16 1,100 23 < 0.04 0.15 0.219 1.1 338 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County;  number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 

22
23

Table 5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclides in ground-water samples 

from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006. - Continued 

Radon-222, 

unfiltered Uranium, 

Manganese, Manganese, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Selenium, Strontium, (picocuries (natural), Zi

filtered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered per liter) unfiltered unfil

Well (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (pCi/L) (μg/L) (μg

number1 (01056) (01055) (71900) (01062) (01067) (01147) (01082) (82303) (28011) (01

AG 263 13.4 13.8 < 0.01 0.5 E 0.13 < 0.08 377 280 0.032 

AG 264 67.4 67.8 < 0.01 8.0 0.74 < 0.08 439 410 < 0.012 AG 1235 74.7 74.0 < 0.01 0.3 0.88 < 0.08 512 810 < 0.012 GS 312 3.5 3.7 < 0.01 0.4 0.72 < 0.08 1,280 160 < 0.012 LV 329 44.1 44.0 < 0.01 1.4 1.32 0.11 99.3 300 0.758 

LV 331 9.3 9.3 < 0.01 0.7 1.69 0.31 155 450 0.492 

LV 637 E 0.4 0.8 < 0.01 0.3 1.86 0.29 238 410 0.929 LV 865 304 304 < 0.01 0.7 7.01 0.12 2,420 210 13.4 

WO 349 < 0.6 < 0.6 < 0.01 E 0.2 2.78 0.09 131 690 0.161 

WO 350 83.5 81.8 < 0.01 2.7 1.68 E 0.05 280 470 0.405 

WO 445 < 0.6 0.7 < 0.01 0.5 5.90 0.19 157 460 0.445 

AG 1225 95.5 190 < 0.01 < 0.2 0.68 E 0.05 88.3 500 E 0.011 

AG 1277 59.2 56.0 < 0.01 E 0.1 0.47 < 0.08 133 940 < 0.012 GS 617 5.8 9.1 < 0.01 0.5 6.92 0.10 540 350 1.01 

LV 620 < 0.6 < 0.6 < 0.01 0.3 0.57 0.08 55.4 1,550 0.375 LV 838 35.5 50.0 < 0.01 3.6 1.07 < 0.08 167 640 0.029 

LV 847 6.9 7.3 < 0.01 0.4 1.24 < 0.08 2,090 550 0.030 LV 905 49.1 45.6 < 0.01 < 0.2 0.69 < 0.08 752 390 < 0.012 

MO 1524 73.2 72.0 < 0.01 1.6 9.21 0.16 10,700 520 0.239 

MO 1605 57 55.5 < 0.01 3.0 6.25 E 0.07 9,860 280 0.187 

OT 1559 129 155 E 0.01 < 0.2 3.10 0.77 4,000 230 0.134 

WO 821 114 115 < 0.01 0.8 0.63 < 0.08 328 390 < 0.012 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County; 

number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 
24

Table 6. Concentrations of pesticides and caffeine detected in ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005

[Well locations are shown in figure 1. <, less than; --, no data; (04040), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code; CIAT, 2-Chloro-4-isopropyl-amino-6-amino-s-triazine; OIET, 2-Hydroxy-4-isopropyl-amino-6-ethyl-amino-s-triazine; ESA, ethanesulfanic acid; 

OA, oxanilic acid; SA, second amide; E, estimated value—constituent was detected in the sample but with low or inconsistent recovery; M, constituent was detected in the sample but was not quantified] 

Acet- 

achlor / a

Alachlor Metol- Metol- Metol- Acet- metol- me

CIAT, OIET, Atrazine, Caffeine, Dinoseb, ESA, chlor ESA, chlor OA, achlor, achlor, achlor SA, E

filtered filtered filtered filtered filtered filtered filtered filtered filtered filtered filtered f

Well (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

number1 (04040) (50355) (39632) (50305) (49301) (50009) (61043) (61044) (39415) (49260) (63781) (

AG 263 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 E 0.014 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

AG 264 E 0.018 < 0.032 0.100 < 0.018 < 0.04 0.03 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.030 0.85 < 0.02 

AG 1235 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

GS 312 < 0.006 < 0.032 < 0.007 E 0.013 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

LV 329 < 0.006 < 0.032 < 0.007 E 0.004 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

LV 331 E 0.002 -- < 0.007 E 0.018 < 0.04 0.03 0.21 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

LV 637 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 0.05 < 0.02 0.41 0.03 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

LV 865 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 WO 349 < 0.006 < 0.032 < 0.007 0.019 < 0.04 < 0.02 0.48 0.28 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

WO 350 < 0.006 < 0.032 < 0.007 0.020 < 0.04 0.03 < 0.02 0.04 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

WO 445 E 0.002 < 0.032 < 0.007 E 0.015 < 0.04 < 0.02 0.93 0.10 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

AG 1225 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 < 0.04 0.03 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

AG 1277 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

GS 617 E 0.005 E 0.010 E 0.005 E 0.010 < 0.04 < 0.02 1.01 < 0.02 E 0.003 < 0.006 0.14 

LV 620 E 0.011 -- 0.008 < 0.018 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

LV 838 < 0.006 < 0.032 < 0.007 0.034 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

LV 847 < 0.006 < 0.032 < 0.007 0.026 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

LV 905 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

MO 1524 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 E 0.007 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

MO 1605 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

OT 1559 < 0.006 -- < 0.007 < 0.018 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

WO 821 < 0.006 < 0.032 < 0.007 E 0.052 < 0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.006 < 0.006 < 0.02 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County;  number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 
Table 7. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground-water samples from the Genesee R

New York, 2005-06.[ Well locations are shown in figure 1. μg/L, micrograms per liter; (32101), USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) parameter code; <, less than] 

Bromo- Dibromodichloro- chloro- Methyl tert- Vinyl Tribromo- Trichloro- 

methane, methane, butyl ether, chloride, methane, methane, Toluene, p

unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered unfiltered 

Well (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

number1 (32101) (32105) (78032) (39175) (32104) (32106) (34010) 

AG 263 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

AG 264 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 0.3 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

AG 1235 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

GS 312 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

LV 329 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

LV 331 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 0.1 

LV 637 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

LV 865 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

WO 349 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 0.8 < 0.1 

WO 350 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

WO 445 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

AG 1225 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

AG 1277 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

GS 617 1.8 2.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 1.5 1.4 < 0.1 

LV 620 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

LV 838 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

LV 847 < 0.1 < 0.2 3.6 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 

LV 905 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

MO 1524 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

MO 1605 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 OT 1559 < 0.2 < 0.4 < 0.4 < 0.4 < 0.4 < 0.2 < 0.2 

WO 821 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County; 

 number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 

25
(31692) 

26

Table 8. Concentrations of bacteria in unfiltered ground-water samples from the Genesee River Basin, New Y

2005-2006.

[Well locations are shown in figure 1. mL, milliliter; <, less than; >, greater than; CFU, colony forming units] Well Escherichia coli Fecal coliform Total coliform Heterotrophic plate counumber1 (colonies per 100 mL) (colonies per 100 mL) (colonies per 100 mL) (CFUs per mL) 

(31691) (61215) (61213) 

AG 263 <1 < 5 < 1 2 

AG 264 <1 < 5 < 1 < 1 AG 1235 <1 < 5 < 1 40 

GS 312 <1 < 5 < 1 < 1 LV 329 <1 < 5 < 1 2 LV 331 <1 < 5 < 1 6 LV 637 <1 < 5 10 2 

LV 865 <1 < 5 < 1 4 WO 349 <1 < 5 < 1 5 

WO 350 <1 < 5 1 2 

WO 445 <1 < 5 1 1 

AG 1225 <1 < 5 < 1 2 AG 1277 <1 < 5 < 1 < 1 GS 617 <1 < 5 < 1 4 

LV 620 <1 < 5 1 2 

LV 838 <1 < 5 > 200 23 

LV 847 <1 < 5 < 1 115 LV 905 <1 5 > 500 131 

MO 1524 <1 < 5 < 1 2 

MO 1605 <1 < 5 < 1 24 

OT 1559 3 15 37 15 

WO 821 <1 < 5 1 < 1 

1LV, Livingston County; AG, Allegany County; MO, Monroe County; OT, Ontario County; WO, Wyoming County; GS, Genesee County; 

 number is local well-identification number assigned by U.S. Geological Survey. 
For additional information write to: 

New York Water Science Center 

U.S. Geological Survey 

30 Brown Rd. 

Ithaca, N.Y. 14850 

Information requests: 

(518) 285-5602 

or visit our Web site at http://ny.water.usgs.gov 
Eckhardt, Reddy, Tamulonis Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006–U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report