Prepared in cooperation with the 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Groundwater Quality in the Lower Hudson River Basin, 

New York, 2008

Open-File Report 2010–1197

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
Cover. View of the Hudson River from near the Bear Mountain bridge
Prepared in cooperation with the

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

Groundwater Quality in the Lower Hudson River Basin, 

New York, 2008

By Elizabeth A. Nystrom

Open-File Report 2010–1197

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
ii

U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 2010

For product and ordering information:

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

Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS

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:

Nystrom, E.A., 2010, Groundwater quality in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2010-1197, 39 p., available only at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1197/.

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.
iii

Contents

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

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

Purpose and Scope ................................................................................................................................................... 2

Hydrogeologic Setting................................................................................................................................................ 2

Methods of Investigation................................................................................................................................................ 4

Well Selection ............................................................................................................................................................ 4

Sampling Methods ....................................................................................................................................................10

Analytical Methods....................................................................................................................................................11

Groundwater Quality.....................................................................................................................................................13

Physiochemical Properties........................................................................................................................................13

Major Ions .................................................................................................................................................................13

Nutrients and Organic Carbon ..................................................................................................................................14

Trace Elements and Radon-222 ...............................................................................................................................15

Pesticides..................................................................................................................................................................17

Volatile Organic Compounds ....................................................................................................................................17

Bacteria.....................................................................................................................................................................17

Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................18

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................................19

Appendix 1: Results of Water-Sample Analyses...........................................................................................................23

Figures

Maps showing:

1. Principal hydrologic and geographic features of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York.......................... 3

2. Topography of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of wells sampled in 2008.............. 5

3. Land cover of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of wells sampled in 2008. .............. 6

4. Generalized bedrock geology of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of bedrock wells 

sampled in 2008. ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

5. Generalized surficial geology of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of sand and gravel 

wells sampled in 2008. .................................................................................................................................................. 8

Tables

1. Information on wells from which water samples were collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 

2008. ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9

2. Summary of information on wells from which water samples were collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, 

New York, 2008. .......................................................................................................................................................... 10

3. Drinking-water standards and summary statistics for concentrations of major ions in groundwater samples 

from the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008................................................................................................. 14

4. Drinking-water standards and summary statistics for concentrations of nutrients in groundwater samples from 

the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008......................................................................................................... 15

5. Drinking-water standards and summary statistics for concentrations of trace elements and radon-222 in 

groundwater samples from the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.............................................................. 16

6. Drinking-water standards for volatile organic compounds detected in groundwater samples from the Lower 

Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.......................................................................................................................... 18
iv

1-1. Constituents that were not detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New 

York, 2008. .................................................................................................................................................................. 24

1-2. Physiochemical properties of groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 

2008. ....................................................................................................................................................................... 28

1-3. Concentrations of major ions in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 

2008. ....................................................................................................................................................................... 29

1-4. Concentrations of nutrients and organic carbon in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008. ............................................................................................................................................... 31

1-5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclide activities in groundwater samples collected in the Lower 

Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.......................................................................................................................... 32

1-6. Concentrations of pesticides detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, 

New York, 2008. .......................................................................................................................................................... 36

1-7. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower 

Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.......................................................................................................................... 38

1-8. Bacteria in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008. ................... 39
v

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Acronyms

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2

Volume

) 

gallon (gal) 3.785 liter (L) 

liter (L) 0.2642 gallon (gal)

Flow rate

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

Radioactivity

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

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

°F=(1.8×°C)+32

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88).

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

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

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

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

Radon-222 activities are given in picocuries per liter (pCi/L).
vi

Acronyms used in this report

AMCL Alternative maximum contaminant level

CFU Colony-forming units

CIAT 2-Chloro-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s

cICP-MS

-triazine

Collision/reaction cell inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

ESA Ethanesulfonic acid

GC-MS Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

GPS Global positioning system

HPLC-MS High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

ICP-AES Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

ICP-MS Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

ICP-OES Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

LC-MS Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

LRL Laboratory reporting level

MCL Maximum contaminant level

MTBE Methyl tert

NWQL

-butyl ether

USGS National Water Quality Laboratory

NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

NYSDOH New York State Department of Health

OA Oxanilic acid

OGRL USGS Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory

OIET 2-Hydroxy-4-isopropylamino-6-ethylamino-s

PERC

-triazine

Tetrachloroethene

PVC Polyvinyl chloride

SDWS Secondary drinking-water standards

TCE Trichloroethene

THM Trihalomethane

USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

VOC Volatile organic compound
Groundwater Quality in the Lower Hudson River Basin, 

New York, 2008

By Elizabeth A. Nystrom

Abstract

Water samples were collected from 32 production and domestic wells in the study area from 

August through November 2008 to characterize the groundwater quality. The study area, which covers 

5,607 square miles, encompasses the part of the Lower Hudson River Basin that lies within New York

plus the parts of the Housatonic, Hackensack, Bronx, and Saugatuck River Basins that are in New York. 

The study area is underlain by mainly clastic bedrock, predominantly shale, with carbonate and crystalline 

rock present locally. The bedrock is generally overlain by till, but surficial deposits of saturated sand and 

gravel are present in some areas. Of the 32 wells sampled, 16 were finished in sand and gravel deposits 

and 16 were finished in bedrock. The samples were collected and processed by standard U.S. Geological 

Survey procedures and were analyzed for 225 physiochemical properties and constituents, including major 

ions, nutrients, trace elements, radon-222, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs); indicator 

bacteria were collected and analyzed by New York State Department of Health procedures.

Water quality in the study area is generally good, but concentrations of some constituents exceeded 

current or proposed Federal or New York State primary or secondary drinking-water standards; the

standards exceeded were color (2 samples), pH (6 samples), sodium (8 samples), fluoride (1 sample), 

aluminum (3 samples), arsenic (1 sample), iron (7 samples), manganese (14 samples), radon-222 (17

samples), tetrachloroethene (1 sample), and bacteria (7 samples). The pH of all samples was typically 

neutral or slightly basic (median 7.2); the median water temperature was 11.8°C. The ions with the 

highest concentrations were bicarbonate [median 167 milligrams per liter (mg/L)] and calcium (median 

38.2 mg/L). Groundwater in the study area ranged from very soft to very hard, but more samples were 

classified as very hard (181 mg/L as CaCO3 or more) than soft (60 mg/L as CaCO3 or less); the median 

hardness was 140 mg/L as CaCO3. The maximum concentration of nitrate plus nitrite was 2.38 mg/L as 

nitrogen, which did not exceed established drinking-water standards for nitrate plus nitrite (10 mg/L as 

nitrogen). The trace elements with the highest concentrations were strontium [median 189 micrograms 

per liter (μg/L)] and barium (median 50.6 μg/L). The highest radon-222 activities were in samples from 

crystalline bedrock wells [maximum 13,800 picocuries per liter (pCi/L)]. Seventeen samples had radon222 activities that exceeded a proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking-water 

standard of 300 pCi/L; activities in two samples exceeded a proposed alternative drinking-water standard 

of 4,000 pCi/L. Ten pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected among 14 samples at 

concentrations of 0.183 μg/L or less; most were herbicides or their degradates. Eight VOCs were detected 

among six samples; these included solvents, gasoline components, and a trihalomethane. Total coliform 

bacteria were detected in seven samples; fecal coliform bacteria, including Escherichia coli, were detected 

in one sample.
2

Introduction 

The Federal Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977 require biennial reports from states on the 

chemical quality of surface water and groundwater within their boundaries (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 1997). In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the New York State 

Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), developed a program to evaluate groundwater

quality throughout the major river basins in New York on a rotating basis. The work parallels the 

NYSDEC Rotating Intensive Basin Study program, which evaluates surface-water quality in 2 or 3 of the 

14 major river basins in the State each year. The USGS groundwater-quality program began in 2002 with 

a pilot study in the Mohawk River Basin (Butch and others, 2003). Sampling was completed in the 

Chemung River Basin in 2003 (Hetcher-Aguila, 2005); the Lake Champlain (Nystrom, 2006) and 

Susquehanna River Basins in 2004 (Hetcher-Aguila and Eckhardt, 2006); the St. Lawrence (Nystrom, 

2007a), Delaware (Nystrom, 2007b), and Genesee River Basins (Eckhardt and others, 2007) in 2005; the 

Mohawk River Basin (Nystrom, 2008) and western New York (Niagara and Allegheny River Basins and 

tributaries to Lake Erie and western Lake Ontario) (Eckhardt and others, 2008) in 2006; and the Upper 

Hudson River Basin (Nystrom, 2009) and central New York (Oswego, Seneca, and Oneida River Basins

and tributaries to Lake Ontario) (Eckhardt and others, 2009) in 2007. Studies in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, the Black River Basin, and the Chemung River Basin were completed in 2008.

Purpose and Scope

This report presents the findings of the 2008 study in the Lower Hudson River Basin and 

surrounding areas, in which 32 groundwater-quality samples were collected from August through 

November 2008. This report (1) describes the hydrogeologic setting and the methods of site selection, 

sample collection, and chemical analysis, and (2) discusses the analytical results for physiochemical

properties and concentrations of major ions, nutrients, trace elements and radon-222, pesticides, volatile 

organic compounds (VOCs), and indicator bacteria. Information about the sampled wells and results of 

the analyses are presented in tables in the text and Appendix 1.

Hydrogeologic Setting 

The Lower Hudson River Basin encompasses 5,313 mi2 in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut,

and New Jersey and is defined as the part of the Hudson River Basin that lies below the Federal Lock and 

Dam at Troy, N.Y. (fig. 1). This study included the 5,001-mi2 part of the Lower Hudson River Basin that 

lies within New York as well as 606 mi2 of the Housatonic, Hackensack, Bronx, and Saugatuck River 

Basins that lie within New York along the southern and eastern border of New York State (hereafter 

referred to as the “study area,” fig. 1). The study area contains all or part of 16 counties, including all of 

Columbia, Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester, Bronx, New York, and Rockland Counties, much of Albany, 

Ulster, Orange, Green, and Rensselaer Counties, and parts of Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, and 

Delaware Counties (fig. 1). Major tributaries to the Lower Hudson River include the Wallkill River, 

Rondout Creek, Esopus Creek, Croton River, Catskill Creek, Kinderhook Creek, and Wappinger Creek. 

New York City maintains a system of several reservoirs for drinking-water supply; several of these 

reservoirs are in the Lower Hudson River Basin, including the Ashokan Reservoir, Rondout Reservoir, 

and the Croton Reservoir system. Aqueducts conduct water from these reservoirs and additional 

reservoirs outside of the Lower Hudson River Basin to New York City for use.
3

Figure 1. Principal hydrologic and geographic features of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York.

")

")

")

")

") Troy

Albany

Newburgh

New York

Poughkeepsie

"

ULSTER

ORANGE

GREENE

DUTCHESS

ALBANY

COLUMBIA

SCHOHARIE

SUFFOLK

SULLIVAN

RENSSELAER

WESTCHESTER

NASSAU

DELAWARE

PUTNAM

ROCKLAND

OTSEGO

QUEENS

SCHENECTADY

KINGS

MONTGOMERY SARATOGA

BRONX

RICHMOND

NEW YORK

Connecticut

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Vermont

New York

PA

Croton

Reservoir

System

Neversink

Reservoir

Ashokan

Reservoir

Rondout

Reservoir

Schoharie

Reservoir

!

Hudson River

Esopus Creek

Hackensack River

Housatonic River

Federal Lock

Normans Kill

Kinderhook Creek

Catskill Creek

Croton River

Bronx River

Rondout Creek

74°30' 74°0' 73°30' 73°0'

42°30'

42°0'

41°30'

41°0'

)

EXPLANATION

State boundary

County boundary

Study area

Bronx and Saugatuck River Basins

Hackensack River Basin

Lower Hudson River Basin

City

Housatonic River Basin

River

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1983, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 18

Hydrology from National Hydrography Dataset

NY

PA

VT NH

MA

NJ

CT RI

Study Area

Location map

0 5 10 20 MILES

0 5 10 20 KILOMETERS
4

The highest elevations in the study area are more than 4,000 ft above NAVD 88 along the western 

edge of the Hudson River Basin, in the Catskill Mountains (fig. 2). The area of greatest precipitation in 

the study area is in the Catskill Mountains, where more than 60 in. of precipitation fall per year; the lowest 

amount of precipitation in the study area occurs along the Hudson Valley, where approximately 40 in. of 

precipitation fall per year (Randall, 1996). The lowest elevations in the study area are along the Hudson 

River, which is tidal for more than 150 mi from its mouth at New York City to the Federal Lock and Dam 

at Troy, N.Y. (fig. 1).

The largest urban center in the study area is New York City (fig. 1); other urban centers in the 

study area include Albany, Poughkeepsie, and Newburgh. Land use in the study area (fig. 3) reflects these 

urban areas and the terrain of the land. The upland areas of the study area are predominantly forested 

(Vogelmann and others, 2001) (fig. 3); urban development and agriculture occur mainly along the Hudson 

Valley and other low-lying areas. Many fruit orchards are found in the Hudson Valley; numerous 

vegetable farms, especially onions, are located in the organic-rich “black dirt” region of Orange County.

Bedrock in the study area (fig. 4) mainly consists of sedimentary and metamorphic clastic rock 

(Isachsen and others, 2000). The western part of the study area is underlain by shale and sandstone, with a 

band of carbonate rock running from north to south. The southeastern part of the study area is 

predominantly underlain by crystalline rock. The eastern part of the study area is underlain by a mix of 

clastic bedrock, including shale and graywacke, with some carbonate and crystalline rock. Yields from 

bedrock wells in the study area vary greatly, but the carbonate units produce the highest average yields 

(Hammond and others, 1978).

The surficial material throughout the study area was deposited primarily during the Pleistocene 

epoch when glaciers covered most of the Northeast. Till was directly deposited by the glaciers and 

mantles bedrock in the uplands (fig. 5). Ice-contact and lacustrine sediments, outwash, and alluvium were 

deposited mainly in valleys during and following glacial retreat. Ice-contact and outwash sand and gravel

form the most productive aquifers in the study area. Wells screened in these deposits may yield 2,000 

gal/min or more (Hammond and others, 1978, Phillips and Hanchar, 1996).

Methods of Investigation 

The methods used in this study, including (1) well-selection criteria, (2) sampling methods, and (3) 

analytical methods, were designed to maximize data precision, accuracy, and comparability. The 

collection and processing of groundwater samples followed standard USGS procedures documented in the 

National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (U.S. Geological Survey, variously 

dated). Samples were analyzed by documented methods at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory 

(NWQL) in Denver, Colo., the USGS Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) in Lawrence, 

Kans., and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)-certified laboratories.

Well Selection

Wells were selected to provide adequate spatial coverage of the study area; areas of greatest 

groundwater use were emphasized. The final selection was based on the availability of well-construction 

data and hydrogeologic information for each well and its surrounding area. The study did not target 

specific municipalities, industries, or agricultural practices. The 32 wells selected for sampling 

represented rural, residential, and developed, forested, and agricultural areas (fig. 3). The characteristics 

of the wells sampled, including well and casing depths, well type, aquifer type, and the type of land cover 

surrounding each well are listed in table 1. The depths of the wells, the geologic units from which 

samples were collected, and the numbers of production and domestic wells are summarized in table 2.
5

Figure 2. Topography of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of wells sampled in 2008.

ULSTER

ORANGE

GREENE

DUTCHESS

ALBANY

COLUMBIA

SCHOHARIE

SUFFOLK

SULLIVAN

RENSSELAER

WESTCHESTER

NASSAU

DELAWARE

PUTNAM

ROCKLAND

OTSEGO

QUEENS

SCHENECTADY

KINGS

MONTGOMERY SARATOGA

BRONX

RICHMOND

NEW YORK

Connecticut

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Vermont

New York

PA

74°30' 74°0' 73°30' 73°0'

42°30'

42°0'

41°30'

41°0'

EXPLANATION

State boundary

County boundary

Study area

0 (NAVD 88)

Elevation

4,065 feet

<

!(

RE2914

RE1189

Bedrock well sampled

Sand and gravel well sampled

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1983, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 18

Elevations from National Elevation Dataset, 2005

0 5 10 20 MILES

0 5 10 20 KILOMETERS

!(

!<

!(

!(

!<

!(

!(

!<

!<

!<

!<

!(

!(

!(

!< !<

!( !<

!(

!< !<

!< !<

!(

!(

!<

!(

!<

!(

!(

!(

!<

G834

A984

U4172

U3620

U3035

U2669

U1622

RO853

P2209 P1218

O8327 O5700

O2290

O2289

G832

A1420

WE6369

WE1483

WE1482

WE652

RO560

RE2914 RE2323

RE1189

DU6971

DU6186

DU1437

DU1096

DU1058

CB2937

CB1674

CB1073

Catskill

Mountains
6

Figure 3. Land cover of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of wells sampled in 2008.

ULSTER

ORANGE

GREENE

DUTCHESS

ALBANY

COLUMBIA

SCHOHARIE

SUFFOLK

SULLIVAN

RENSSELAER

WESTCHESTER

NASSAU

DELAWARE

PUTNAM

ROCKLAND

OTSEGO

QUEENS

SCHENECTADY

KINGS

MONTGOMERY SARATOGA

BRONX

RICHMOND

NEW YORK

Connecticut

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Vermont

New York

PA

74°30' 74°0' 73°30' 73°0'

42°30'

42°0'

41°30'

41°0'

Water

Developed, low and moderate inten

Developed, high intensity

Forested

Agricultural

Wetlands

Land cover

EXPLANATION

State boundary

County boundary

Study area

<

!(

RE2914

RE1189

Bedrock well sampled

Sand and gravel well sampled

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1983, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 18

Land cover from Vogelmann and others, 2001

0 5 10 20 MILES

0 5 10 20 KILOMETERS

!(

!<

!(

!(

!<

!(

!(

!<

!<

!<

!<

!(

!(

!(

!< !< !< !(

!(

!< !<

!< !<

!(

!(

!<

!(

!<

!(

!(

!(

!<

G834

A984

U4172

U3620

U3035

U2669

U1622

RO853

P2209 P1218

O8327 O5700

O2290

O2289

G832

A1420

WE6369

WE1483

WE1482

WE652

RO560

RE2914 RE2323

RE1189

DU6971

DU6186

DU1437

DU1096

DU1058

CB2937

CB1674

CB1073
7

Figure 4. Generalized bedrock geology of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of bedrock 

wells sampled in 2008.

!<

!<

!<

!<

!<

!<

!< !< !<

!< !<

!< !<

!<

!<

!<

A984

U4172

U3035

RO853

P2209

O8327 O5700

G832

WE6369

RO560

RE2914 RE2323

DU6971

DU6186

DU1437

CB2937

ULSTER

ORANGE

GREENE

DUTCHESS

ALBANY

COLUMBIA

SCHOHARIE

SUFFOLK

SULLIVAN

RENSSELAER

WESTCHESTER

NASSAU

DELAWARE

PUTNAM

ROCKLAND

OTSEGO

QUEENS

SCHENECTADY

KINGS

MONTGOMERY SARATOGA

BRONX

RICHMOND

NEWYORK

KINGS

Connecticut

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Vermont

New York

PA

74°30' 74°0' 73°30' 73°0'

42°30'

42°0'

41°30'

41°0'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1983, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 18

Geology modified from Fisher and others, 1970

0 5 10 20 MILES

0 5 10 20 KILOMETERS

Unknown bedrock geology

EXPLANATION

State boundary

County boundary

Study area

RE2914 < Bedrock well sampled

Carbonate

Clastic

Crystalline

Bedrock geology
8

Figure 5. Generalized surficial geology of the Lower Hudson River Basin in New York, and locations of sand and 

gravel wells sampled in 2008.

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

(!

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

G834

U3620

U2669

U1622

P1218

O2290

O2289

A1420

WE1483

WE1482

WE652

RE1189

DU1096

DU1058

CB1674

CB1073

ULSTER

ORANGE

GREENE

DUTCHESS

ALBANY

COLUMBIA

SCHOHARIE

SUFFOLK

SULLIVAN

RENSSELAER

WESTCHESTER

NASSAU

DELAWARE

PUTNAM

ROCKLAND

OTSEGO

QUEENS

SCHENECTADY

KINGS

MONTGOMERY SARATOGA

BRONX

RICHMOND

NEW YORK

Connecticut

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Vermont

New York

PA

74°30' 74°0' 73°30' 73°0'

42°30'

42°0'

41°30'

41°0'

EXPLANATION

State boundary

County boundary

Study area

Alluvium and outwash

Lacustrine sand, silt, and clay

Ice-contact deposits

Till

RE1189 !( Sand and gravel well sampled

Surficial material

Bedrock

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1983, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 18

Geology modified from Fisher and others, 1970

0 5 10 20 MILES

0 5 10 20 KILOMETERS
9

Table 1. Information on wells from which water samples were collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 

2008.

[--, unknown; well types: P, production; D, domestic. Land-cover categories: D, developed; F, forested;

A, agricultural; W, wetlands and open water. Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Well 

number

Date 

sampled 1

Well depth, 

feet below 

land 

surface

Casing 

depth, feet 

below land 

surface

Well 

type Bedrock type

Land cover2

D

, percentage by category

F A W

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 8/5/2008 42 30 P

CB1073 9/9/2008 15 -- P

CB1674 8/6/2008 58 43 P

DU1058 9/30/2008 120 98 P

DU1096 8/26/2008 50 -- P

G834 11/20/2008 20 -- P

O2289 8/19/2008 91 82 P

O2290 8/19/2008 66 28 P

P1218 9/22/2008 50 -- P

RE1189 9/16/2008 90 -- P

U1622 8/13/2008 60 50 P

U2669 9/8/2008 100 100 D

U3620 8/11/2008 202 202 D

WE652 8/12/2008 23 -- P

WE1482 10/1/2008 75 -- P

WE1483 8/14/2008 40 25 P

Bedrock wells

A984 8/18/2008 215 78 D Sandstone and shale

CB2937 8/11/2008 265 32 D Shale and other clastic

DU1437 8/27/2008 300 -- P Shale and other clastic

DU6186 8/26/2008 303 20 D Shale

DU6971 8/6/2008 460 80 D Carbonate

G832 8/27/2008 353 60 P Sandstone and shale

O5700 8/7/2008 505 20 D Shale and other clastic

O8327 8/7/2008 403 160 D Shale

P2209 8/28/2008 265 32 D Crystalline

RE2323 8/5/2008 270 40 D Shale and other clastic

RE2914 11/17/2008 51 50 D Shale and other clastic

RO560 9/3/2008 363 65 P Sandstone

RO853 9/3/2008 575 80 D Crystalline

U3035 8/20/2008 143 20 D Shale and other clastic

U4172 8/13/2008 540 212 D Carbonate

WE6369 8/14/2008 405 52 D Crystalline

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam County; 

RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.

2 Land cover by category within a 0.5-mile radius of the well, determined from the National Land Cover Data set, 2001.

25

19

80

9

4

54

14

53

19

22

38

28

13

27

6

7

67

74

14

87

52

20

53

37

11

41

48

76

62

56

16

4

5

1

2

32

1

78

54

8

23

4

4

33

41

4

2

6

4

43

24

1

9

2

13

13

1

7

7

5

36

22

50

17

20

87

12

5

5

3

5

9

4

5

41

5

4

70

25

21

38

6

38

92

91

32

59

37

30

18

28

58

81

5

5

32

5

40

3

1

52

16

34

53

76

31

34

13

3

20

30

37

7

10

0

3

13

20

20

13

1

0

3

2
10

Table 2. Summary of information on wells from which water samples were collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008. [--, no wells]

Type of well

Number of wells

Production Domestic Total

Wells finished in sand and gravel (15 to 202 feet deep) 14 2 16

Wells finished in bedrock (51 to 575 feet deep) 3 13 16

Carbonate bedrock -- 2

Shale bedrock

2

-- 2

Sandstone bedrock

2

1 --

Sandstone and shale bedrock

1

1 1

Shale and other clastic bedrock

2

1 5

Crystalline bedrock

6

-- 3

Total number of wells

3

17 15 32

The 15 domestic wells were selected on the basis of information from the NYSDEC Water Well 

program, which began in 2000. The program requires that licensed well drillers file a report with 

NYSDEC containing basic information about each well drilled—such as well and casing depth and 

diameter, yield, and a hydrogeologic log. Inspection of well-completion reports identified about 400 wells 

as potential sampling sites. A letter that included a request for permission to sample the well and a 

questionnaire about the well was sent to the well owners. Well owners who granted permission and whose 

wells were selected for sampling were contacted later by phone to verify well information and to arrange a 

convenient time for sampling.

Production wells considered for sampling were identified through the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (USEPA) Safe Drinking Water Information System and the NYSDEC Water Well 

program. Town officials and (or) water managers were sent letters requesting permission to sample a 

well, and follow-up phone calls were made to arrange a time for sampling. Well information such as 

depth was provided by water managers if a well-completion report was unavailable. The aquifer type 

indicated for sampled wells was evaluated through review of the hydrogeologic logs and inspection of 

published geologic maps including Fisher and others (1970) and Cadwell (1991).

Sampling Methods

The 32 wells were sampled from August through November 2008, and samples, except bacteria, 

were collected and processed in accordance with documented USGS protocols (U.S. Geological Survey, 

variously dated). Bacteria samples were collected in accordance with documented NYSDEC and 

NYSDOH protocols. The samples were collected from a spigot between the well and the pressure tank, 

where possible, and before any water-treatment system, to be as representative of the aquifer water quality 

as possible. Most samples from domestic wells were collected from a spigot near the pressure tank; 

samples from production wells were collected at the spigot or faucet used for collection of raw-water 

samples by water managers.

One or two wells were sampled per day. Typically, samples were collected from one or more 10-ft 

lengths of Teflon tubing attached to a “garden-hose” type spigot located as close to the well as possible. 

Domestic wells were purged after the tubing was connected by running to waste for at least 20 minutes, or 
11

until at least one well-casing volume of water had passed the sampling point. Many of the production 

wells were pumped for at least 1 hour prior to sampling, typically at rates of about 100 gal/min. Domestic 

wells were purged at pumping rates ranging from about 2 to 5 gal/min. Collection of representative 

samples from wells that had been pumped recently may not require the commonly prescribed removal of

less than three well-casing volumes (U.S. Geological Survey, 2006). During well purging, information

about the well and surrounding land and land use were noted, and a global positioning system (GPS) 

measurement of latitude and longitude was made. After the well was purged, field measurements of water 

temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved-oxygen concentration were recorded at regular 

intervals until these values had stabilized, after which the sample was collected (U.S. Geological Survey, 

variously dated).

The flow rate for sample collection was adjusted to less than 0.5 gal/min when possible. The 

Teflon sampling tube was connected to a sample-collection chamber constructed of a polyvinyl chloride 

(PVC) frame and a clear plastic chamber bag. The sampling chamber was placed on a plastic-box table 

with a built-in drain. Before each day of sampling, the Teflon tubing and spigot-attachment equipment 

were cleaned in the laboratory with a dilute phosphate-free detergent solution, followed by rinses with tap 

water and deionized water. Equipment for filtration of pesticide samples was rinsed with methanol as 

described in Wilde (2004). A new sampling-chamber bag was used at each site. Samples were collected 

and preserved in the sampling chamber according to standard USGS procedures (Wilde and others, 2004). 

Sample bottles for nutrient, major-ion, and some trace-element analyses were filled with water filtered

through disposable (one-time use) 0.45-μm-pore-size polyether sulfone capsule filters that were 

preconditioned in the laboratory with 1 L of deionized water the day of sample collection. Sample bottles 

for pesticide analyses were filled with water filtered through baked 0.7-μm-pore-size glass fiber filters. 

Acid preservation was required for trace element, VOC, and some major-ion analyses. Acid preservative 

was added after the collection of other samples to avoid the possibility of cross contamination by the acid 

preservative; for example, samples preserved with nitric acid were acidified after the collection of samples 

for nutrient analysis. Bacterial samples were collected in accordance with NYSDEC and NYSDOH 

protocols, except that the tap from which each water sample was collected was not flame sterilized. 

Samples for radon analyses were collected through a septum chamber with a glass syringe to avoid 

exposure to the atmosphere according to standard USGS procedures. Water samples analyzed by 

NYSDOH-certified laboratories were collected in bottles provided by the analyzing laboratory. After 

collection, all samples except those for radiochemical analyses were chilled to 4°C or less and were kept 

chilled until delivery to the analyzing laboratory. Bacterial samples were hand-delivered to the analyzing 

laboratory within 6 hours of collection; all other samples were shipped by overnight delivery to the 

designated laboratories.

Most sampling sites had easy access to a garden-hose spigot; however, some wells did not. Wells 

P1218, RO560, U1622, WE652, and WE1482 (fig. 2 and table 1) were sampled from valves at which 

water-system personnel routinely collect raw-water samples. Wells DU1437 and RE2914 were sampled at 

sinks. Well U3620 was a flowing artesian well; the sample was collected at the overflow outlet. The 

syringe for collecting a radon-222 sample at these sites was inserted directly into the flowing water in the 

throat of the valve, tap, or outlet to minimize sample exposure to the atmosphere.

Analytical Methods

Samples were analyzed for 225 physiochemical properties and constituents, including major ions, 

nutrients, trace elements, radon-222, pesticides and pesticide degradates, VOCs, and bacteria. 

Physiochemical properties such as water temperature, pH, dissolved-oxygen concentration, and specific 

conductance were measured at the sampling site. Sample color was measured at the USGS NWQL by 

visual comparison using a color comparator. Major ions, nutrients, trace elements, radon-222, pesticides 

and pesticide degradates, and VOCs were analyzed at the USGS NWQL in Denver, Colo.; additional 
12

pesticide and pesticide degradates were analyzed at the USGS OGRL in Lawrence, Kans. Total organic 

carbon and phenolic compounds were analyzed at H2M Labs in Melville, N.Y., and indicator bacteria 

were analyzed at St. Peter’s Bender Laboratory in Albany, N.Y.; both of these laboratories are certified by 

NYSDOH.

Anion concentrations were measured by ion-exchange chromatography, and cation concentrations 

were measured by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), as described in 

Fishman (1993). Nutrients were analyzed by colorimetry, as described by Fishman (1993), and Kjeldahl 

digestion with photometric finish, as described by Patton and Truitt (2000). Mercury concentrations were 

measured through cold vapor–atomic fluorescence spectrometry according to methods described by 

Garbarino and Damrau (2001). Arsenic, chromium, and nickel analyses used collision/reaction cell 

inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (cICP-MS) as described by Garbarino and others (2006). 

The remaining trace elements were analyzed by ICP-AES (Struzeski and others, 1996), inductively 

coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and inductively coupled plasma-mass 

spectrometry (ICP-MS) (Garbarino and Struzeski, 1998). In-bottle digestions for trace-element analyses 

described by Hoffman and others (1996) were followed. Radon-222 was measured through liquidscintillation counting (ASTM International, 2006).

Samples for pesticide analyses were processed as described by Wilde and others (2004). 

Pesticides and pesticide-degradates were analyzed at the NWQL through gas chromatography-mass 

spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), as 

described by Zaugg and others (1995), Sandstrom and others (2001), and Furlong and others (2001). 

Acetamide parent compounds and degradation-product analyses were done by liquid chromatographymass spectrometry (LC-MS) at the USGS OGRL according to methods described by Lee and Strahan 

(2003). VOCs were analyzed by GC-MS using methods described by Connor and others (1998).

Concentrations of total organic carbon were measured by method SW-846 9060 (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2004); total phenolic compounds were analyzed by USEPA method 

420.2 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1983). Indicator bacteria samples were tested for total 

coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli (E. coli)

In addition to the 32 groundwater samples, 1 equipment blank sample and 2 sequential replicate 

samples were collected for quality assurance. Nitrogen-purged VOC/pesticide-grade blank water and 

inorganic-grade blank water supplied by the USGS-NWQL were used for a laboratory equipment blank. 

The water for unfiltered constituents was run through a piece of the Teflon tubing used for sampling; 

water for filtered-water constituents was pumped through the Teflon tubing into cleaned, preconditioned 

filters. Samples were acidified in the same manner as environmental well-water samples. The only 

constituents that exceeded laboratory reporting levels (LRLs) in the blank were sample color, which was 

measured at 2 platinum-cobalt (Pt-Co) units (LRL 1 Pt-Co unit), and boron, which was measured at 1.3 

μg/L (LRL 1.2 μg/L). The concentration differences in the first of the sequential replicate samples were 

less than 5 percent for all constituents detected above the LRL in the sample except for color, iron, lead,

manganese, zinc, and heterotrophic plate count, which were detected at levels close to the LRL, where 

small differences in concentration make large relative percent-concentration differences. Concentrations 

of trace elements in the second sequential replicate, at well WE652, were markedly different than the 

environmental sample, with the replicate concentrations being generally 30 to 50 percent higher. This 

result is not typical of replicate samples collected previously as part of this study and likely reflects 

unusual sampling conditions at the site. Well WE652 is a production well that was not in general use at 

the time of sampling; when pumped, the water level in the well quickly reached the maximum operational 

drawdown level and the pump was automatically shut off. Concentrations of constituents in the sample 

from well WE652 should be interpreted as having substantially higher than usual variability.

through Standard Method 9222 (American Public 

Health Association, 2005). A heterotrophic plate count test (SM 9215 B) also was done.
13

Groundwater Quality 

The 32 samples were analyzed for 225 constituents and physiochemical properties. Most (153) of 

these were not detected above the LRLs in any sample (appendix table 1-1). Results for the remaining 72

constituents and properties that were detected are presented in the appendix (tables 1-2 through 1-8). 

Some concentrations were reported as “estimated.” Estimated concentrations are typically reported where 

the detected value is less than the established LRL or when recovery of a compound has been shown to be 

highly variable (Childress and others, 1999). Concentrations of some constituents exceeded maximum 

contaminant levels (MCLs) or secondary drinking-water standards (SDWS) set by the USEPA (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2009b) or NYSDOH (New York State Department of Health, 2007). 

MCLs are enforceable standards for finished water at public water supplies; they are not enforceable for 

private homeowner wells but are presented here as a standard for evaluation of the water-quality results. 

SDWS are nonenforceable drinking-water standards that typically relate to aesthetic concerns such as 

taste, odor, or staining of plumbing fixtures.

Physiochemical Properties 

The color of samples ranged from less than (<) 1 to 30 Pt-Co units; the median sample color was 

2 Pt-Co units (appendix table 1-2). The color of two samples, 20 and 30 Pt-Co units, exceeded the 

NYSDOH MCL and USEPA SDWS of 15 Pt-Co units; both these samples were from sand and gravel 

wells. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations ranged from < 0.1 to more than 10 mg/L and were generally 

greater in samples from sand and gravel wells (median 4.6 mg/L) than in samples from bedrock wells 

(median 1.4 mg/L). Sample pH was typically near neutral or slightly basic (median 7.2 in all wells) and 

ranged from 6.2 to 9.4. The pH of six samples exceeded the USEPA SDWS range for pH (6.5 to 8.5); two 

samples had a pH less than the SDWS range and four samples had a pH greater than the SDWS range; all 

six samples were from bedrock wells. Specific conductance ranged from 108 to 1,500 μS/cm at 25°C. 

Water temperature ranged from 9.7 to 19.8°C; the median temperature was 11.8°C. Hydrogen sulfide gas 

was detected in approximately one-third of the bedrock wells sampled; it was not detected in any of the 

sand and gravel wells sampled.

Major Ions 

The anions detected from all wells in the highest concentrations were bicarbonate (median 

concentration 167 mg/L) and chloride (median concentration 42.4 mg/L) (table 3 and appendix table 1-3). 

The cation from all wells with the greatest median concentration (38.2 mg/L) was calcium. The 

concentration of sodium in eight samples exceeded the USEPA nonregulatory drinking-water advisory 

taste threshold of 60 mg/L; the maximum concentration of sodium was 178 mg/L. The concentration of 

fluoride in one sample, 3.46 mg/L, exceeded the NYSDOH MCL of 2.2 mg/L and the USEPA SDWS of 

2.0 mg/L. Concentrations of chloride and sulfate did not exceed established MCLs in any sample.

Water hardness ranged from very soft to very hard – 2 to 440 mg/L as CaCO3 – with a median of

140 mg/L as CaCO3. More samples (11) were very hard (181 mg/L as CaCO3 or more) than were soft (5 

samples, 60 mg/L as CaCO3 or less; Hem, 1985). Alkalinity ranged from 47 to 397 mg/L as CaCO3; the 

median was 138 mg/L of CaCO3. Residue on evaporation at 180°C, a measurement of total dissolved 

solids, ranged from 68 to 822 mg/L, and the median was 286 mg/L.
14

Table 3. Drinking-water standards and summary statistics for concentrations of major ions in groundwater samples 

from the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.

[All concentrations are in milligrams per liter in filtered water; --, no standard; <, less than; E, estimated value]

Summary statistics and concentrations

Drinkingwater 

standard

Number of 

samples 

exceeding 

standard

Median (all 

samples)

Sand and gravel aquifers

(16 samples)

Bedrock aquifers

(16 samples)

Constituent Minimum Median Maximum Minimum Median Maximum

Cations

Calcium -- 38.2 12.6 36.4 116 0.68 40.3 97.6

Magnesium -- 8.25 2.02 8.39 38.3 .123 7.31 30.2

Potassium -- 1.08 .29 1.32 4.60 .54 1.01 4.55

Sodium 160 8 28.2 5.51 23.9 126 1.61 35.7 178

Anions

Bicarbonate -- 167 57 138 483 58 197 372

Chloride 2,3250 0 42.4 .76 42.4 232 2.05 42.2 155

Fluoride

2

2.2

3

1

2.0 1 E .04 < .08 < .12 .17 < .08 E .10 3.46

Silica -- 10.8 4.14 9.19 13.8 5.19 11.5 40.7

Sulfate 2,3250 0 23.8 5.35 16.0 70.8 2.04 24.2 56.1

Hardness as CaCO 140 3 42 125 440 2 140 300

Alkalinity as CaCO 138 3 47 114 397 48 162 330

Residue on evaporation 286 68 214 822 181 322 524

1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Drinking Water Advisory Taste Threshold.

2 New York State Department of Health Maximum Contaminant Level.

3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Standard.

Nutrients and Organic Carbon

The dominant nutrient in the groundwater samples was nitrate. Concentrations of nitrate plus 

nitrite ranged from < 0.04 to 2.38 mg/L as nitrogen (N) (table 4 and appendix table 1-4); the median 

concentration was 0.17 mg/L as N. The concentration of nitrate plus nitrite did not exceed the USEPA 

and NYSDOH MCL of 10 mg/L as N in any sample. Nitrite was detected in less than one fifth of the 

samples and had a maximum concentration of 0.015 mg/L as N; the concentration of nitrite did not exceed 

the MCL (1 mg/L as N) in any sample. The concentrations of ammonia ranged from < 0.020 to 

0.487 mg/L as N. Orthophosphate concentrations ranged from < 0.006 to 0.099 mg/L as phosphorus (P). 

Organic carbon was detected in 18 samples; the maximum concentration was 3.0 mg/L.
15

Table 4. Drinking-water standards and summary statistics for concentrations of nutrients in groundwater samples 

from the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.

[All concentrations in milligrams per liter in filtered water except as noted. N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; --, no standard; <, less 

than; E, estimated.]

Summary statistics and concentrations

Constituent Drinkingwater 

standard

Number of 

samples 

exceeding 

standard

Median 

(all 

samples)

Sand and gravel aquifers

(16 samples)

Bedrock aquifers

(16 samples)

Minimum Median Maximum Minimum Median Maximum

Ammonia plus organic N, as N -- < 0.14 < 0.1 < 0.14 0.44 < 0.14 < 0.14 0.51

Ammonia, as N -- < .020 < .020 < .020 .408 < .020 .036 .487

Nitrite plus nitrate, as N 1,210 0 .17 < .04 .22 2.38 < .04 .14 1.86

Nitrite, as N 1,21 0 < .002 < .002 < .002 .015 < .002 < .002 .015

Orthophosphate, as P -- .008 < .006 .008 .039 E .006 .009 .099

Total organic carbon, unfiltered -- 1.0 < 1.0 1.2 2.0 < 1.0 < 1.0 3.0

1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level.

2 New York State Department of Health Maximum Contaminant Level.

Trace Elements and Radon-222

The trace elements present in the highest median concentrations in the samples were strontium 

(median 189 μg/L), barium (median 50.6 μg/L), iron (median 26 μg/L in unfiltered water; E5 μg/L in 

filtered water), boron (median 16 μg/L), and manganese (median 15.6 μg/L in unfiltered water; 4.8 μg/L

in filtered water) (table 5 and appendix table 1-5). The highest detected concentration of a trace element, 

8,860 μg/L, was iron in an unfiltered sample from a bedrock well. The concentration of aluminum in 

three samples exceeded the USEPA SDWS range of 50 to 200 μg/L. The concentration of arsenic in one 

sample, 13.3 μg/L, exceeded the USEPA and NYSDOH MCLs of 10 μg/L. The concentration of iron in 

seven unfiltered samples and in three filtered samples exceeded the USEPA SDWS and NYSDOH MCL 

for iron of 300 μg/L. The concentration of manganese in 14 unfiltered and 13 filtered samples exceeded 

the USEPA SDWS of 50 μg/L; the concentration in 5 unfiltered and 4 filtered samples exceeded the 

NYSDOH MCL of 300 μg/L. Drinking-water standards for antimony, barium, beryllium, cadmium, 

chromium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, thallium, zinc, and uranium were not exceeded; 

thallium was not detected in any sample (appendix table 1-1).

Radon-222 activities in the water samples ranged from 28 to 13,800 pCi/L; the median was 

355 pCi/L. Radon is currently not regulated in drinking water; however, the USEPA has proposed a twopart standard for radon in drinking water: (1) a 300 pCi/L MCL for areas that do not implement an 

indoor-air radon mitigation program, and (2) an alternative MCL (AMCL) of 4,000 pCi/L for areas that do 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1999). Activities in 17 (53 percent) of the samples exceeded the 

proposed MCL; 10 of these samples were from wells finished in sand and gravel, and 7 were from wells 

finished in bedrock. Activities in two samples, 5,600 and 13,800 pCi/L, exceeded the proposed AMCL; 

both of these samples were from wells finished in crystalline bedrock.
16

Table 5. Drinking-water standards and summary statistics for concentrations of trace elements and radon-222 in 

groundwater samples from the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; M, presence verified but not quantified; --, no standard; pCi/L, 

picocuries per liter]

Summary statistics and concentrations

Drinkingwater 

standard

Number of 

samples 

exceeding 

standard

Median

(all 

samples)

Sand and gravel aquifers

(16 samples)

Bedrock aquifers

(16 samples)

Constituent Minimum Median Maximum Minimum Median Maximum

Aluminum, unfiltered, μg/L 350-200 3 E 2 < 4 < 4 305 < 4 6 114

Antimony, unfiltered, μg/L 1,26 0 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .4 < .1 < .1 1.0

Arsenic, unfiltered, μg/L 1,210 1 E .38 < .60 E .46 6.4 < .60 < .60 13.3

Barium, unfiltered, μg/L 1,22000 0 50.6 1.1 49.8 238 6.0 57.2 904

Beryllium, unfiltered, μg/L 1,24 0 < .04 < .02 < .04 < .04 < .02 < .04 E .04

Boron, filtered, μg/L -- 16 5.9 16 32 2.8 34 1,060

Cadmium, unfiltered, μg/L 1,25 0 < .01 < .01 < .01 .13 < .01 < .01 .02

Chromium, unfiltered, μg/L 1,2100 0 < .40 < .40 < .40 .94 < .40 < .40 2.4

Cobalt, unfiltered, μg/L -- E .02 < .04 E .02 .88 < .04 E .02 1.9

Copper, unfiltered, μg/L 31000 0 2.3 < 1.2 1.8 17.4 E .60 3.0 17.1

Iron, filtered, μg/L 2,3300 3 E 5 < 8 E 5 2,290 < 8 E 4 584

Iron, unfiltered, μg/L 2,3300 7 26 < 6 20 3,330 E 3 30 8,860

Lead, unfiltered, μg/L 415 0 .24 < .06 .20 2.16 < .06 .28 2.81

Lithium, unfiltered, μg/L -- 5.0 .5 2.6 18.5 .7 9.6 448

Manganese, filtered, μg/L

3

50

2

13

300 4 4.8 < .4 60.2 572 < .4 3.4 739

Manganese, unfiltered, μg/L

3

50

2

14

300 5 15.6 < .4 63.2 717 < .4 7.2 806

Mercury, unfiltered, μg/L 1,22 0 < .010 < .010 < .010 < .010 < .010 < .010 .016

Molybdenum, unfiltered, μg/L -- .6 M .5 1.8 < .1 .8 10.9

Nickel, unfiltered, μg/L -- .26 < .12 .30 1.5 < .12 .22 2.2

Selenium, unfiltered, μg/L 1,250 0 E .06 < .08 E .06 .27 < .08 E .06 .40

Silver, unfiltered, μg/L 2,3100 0 < .02 < .02 < .02 .04 < .02 < .02 E .01

Strontium, unfiltered, μg/L -- 189 29.3 157 579 44.3 308 1,950

Zinc, unfiltered, μg/L 2,35000 0 3.1 < 2.0 3.2 25.1 < 2.0 3.1 76.6

Radon-222, unfiltered, pCi/L

5

300

6

17

4,000 2 355 28 495 1,370 29 260 13,800

Uranium, unfiltered, μg/L 130 0 .346 .037 .346 1.74 < .020 .355 26.3

1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level.

2 New York State Department of Health Maximum Contaminant Level.

3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Standard.

4 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Treatment Technique.

5 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Proposed Maximum Contaminant Level.

6 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Proposed Alternative Maximum Contaminant Level.
17

Pesticides

Ten pesticides were detected in 14 samples. Most of the pesticides detected were broadleaf 

herbicides or their degradates; an insecticide (dieldrin) was also detected (appendix table 1-6). Pesticides 

were detected in 10 samples from sand and gravel wells and in 4 samples from bedrock wells. Most 

detections were in hundredths or thousandths of micrograms per liter; the constituent with the highest 

concentration (maximum 0.183 μg/L) was the atrazine degradate, CIAT (2-chloro-4-isopropylamino-6-

amino-s-triazine). The most frequently detected pesticides were CIAT (eight samples), simazine (seven 

samples), atrazine (six samples), and prometon (five samples). More than one pesticide was detected in 

several samples; four samples had detections of five pesticides and five additional samples had detections 

of three pesticides. No pesticide concentrations exceeded established drinking-water standards; pesticide 

degradates are not currently regulated.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Eight VOCs were detected in samples from six wells—two finished in sand and gravel and four

finished in bedrock (appendix table 1-7). Six VOCs were detected in one sample each: 1,1,1-

trichloroethane, a solvent; cis-1,2-dichloroethene, a solvent; methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline 

additive; toluene, a gasoline component; trans

The sample from well P1218 contained detectable concentrations of five VOCs: c

-1,2-dichloroethene, a solvent; and trichloroethene (TCE), a 

solvent; concentrations of these compounds did not exceed MCLs in any sample (table 6). 

Tetrachloroethene (PERC), a solvent sometimes used for dry cleaning, was detected in three samples with 

a maximum concentration of 5.7 μg/L; the concentration in one sample exceeded NYSDOH and USEPA 

MCLs of 5 μg/L (table 6). Trichloromethane, a trihalomethane (THM), was detected in four samples with 

a maximum concentration of 1.0 μg/L. THMs are byproducts that form when chlorine or chloramine is

used as a disinfectant (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2005); THMs are also used as solvents. 

Trichloromethane was the only THM detected; the USEPA and NYSDOH MCLs for total THMs, 80 

μg/L, was not exceeded. 

is-1,2-

dichloroethene (2.8 μg/L), PERC (5.7 μg/L), trans

Bacteria 

-1,2-dichloroethene (0.1 μg/L), TCE (1.6 μg/L), and 

trichloromethane (0.7 μg/L). This well is affected by historic (1978 and earlier) contamination originating 

at a drywell adjacent to a dry cleaner; soils on site have been remediated and a packed-column airstripping unit is used to remove VOCs from the water (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009a).

Total coliform bacteria were detected in seven samples (appendix table 1-8). The NYSDOH and 

USEPA MCL for total coliform bacteria is exceeded when 5 percent of samples of finished water 

collected in 1 month test positive for total coliform (if 40 or more samples are collected per month) or 

when 2 samples are positive for total coliform (if fewer than 40 samples are collected per month). The 

owners of the wells were notified of the detection upon receipt of the results from the laboratory. Fecal 

coliform and E. coli were detected in one sample from a sand and gravel well. The heterotrophic plate 

count ranged from < 1 colony-forming unit per milliliter (CFU/mL) to 106 CFU/mL. The USEPA MCL 

for the heterotrophic plate count is 500 CFU/mL; this limit was not exceeded in any sample.
18

Table 6. Drinking-water standards for volatile organic compounds detected in groundwater samples from the Lower 

Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.

[NYSDOH, New York State Department of Health; USEPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency; MCL, Maximum 

Contaminant Level; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Constituent

NYSDOH MCL,

μg/L

USEPA MCL,

μg/L

Maximum detected 

concentration,

μg/L

Number of 

samples 

exceeding 

standards

1,1,1-Trichloroethane 5 200 0.3 0

cis-1,2-Dichloroethene 5 70 2.8 0

Methyl tert-butyl ether 10 -- .2 0

Tetrachloroethene 5 5 5.7 1

Toluene 5 1,000 .1 0

trans-1,2-Dichloroethene 5 100 .1 0

Trichloroethene 5 5 1.6 0

Trichloromethane 180 180 1.0 0

1 80 μg/L MCL applies to total trihalomethane concentration; trichloromethane is one of the four compounds included in this total 

concentration.

Summary 

Groundwater samples were collected from August through November 2008 from 16 wells finished 

in sand and gravel and 16 wells finished in bedrock to characterize the groundwater quality in the Lower 

Hudson River Basin in New York State. The wells finished in sand and gravel ranged from 15 to 202 ft 

deep; those finished in bedrock ranged from 51 to 575 ft deep. Seventeen of the 32 wells sampled were 

production wells; 15 were domestic wells. Sample collection and analyses followed standard USGS 

procedures, except bacteria samples, which were collected by NYSDEC and NYSDOH procedures. 

Samples were analyzed for physiochemical properties and concentrations of major ions, nutrients, trace 

elements, radon-222, pesticides, VOCs, and bacteria. Of the 225 constituents, 153 were not detected in 

any of the samples.

The samples generally indicated good water quality, although concentrations of some 

constituents—color, pH, sodium, fluoride, aluminum, arsenic, iron, manganese, radon-222, PERC, and 

bacteria—exceeded primary, secondary, or proposed drinking-water standards. The constituents most 

frequently detected in concentrations exceeding drinking-water standards were radon-222 (17 samples 

with concentrations greater than the USEPA proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L), manganese (14 unfiltered 

samples with concentrations greater than the USEPA SDWS of 50 μg/L), and sodium (8 samples with 

concentrations greater than the USEPA drinking-water advisory taste threshold of 60 mg/L). 

Sample pH was typically near neutral or slightly basic. Water hardness ranged from very soft to 

very hard; more samples were classified as hard than were classified as soft. The ions detected in the 

highest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and calcium. The dominant nutrient was nitrate; 

concentrations of nitrate and nitrite did not exceed established drinking-water standards. Iron was the 

trace element with the highest concentration detected; strontium had the highest median concentrations. 

The highest radon-222 activities were in samples from bedrock wells finished in crystalline rock 
19

(maximum 13,800 pCi/L). Ten pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in 14 samples; 10

samples were from sand and gravel wells and 4 were from bedrock wells; most were trace-level detections 

of broadleaf herbicides or their degradates. Eight VOCs were detected in six samples, including two 

components of gasoline (MTBE and toluene), a disinfection byproduct, and six solvents. One sample had 

detectable concentrations of five VOCs, including 5.7 μg/L of PERC, which exceeded the NYSDOH and 

USEPA MCLs of 5 μg/L. Coliform bacteria were detected in seven samples; fecal coliform and E. coli

were detected in one sample.

References Cited 

American Public Health Association, 2005, Standard methods for the examination of water and 

wastewater (21st ed.): Washington, D.C., American Public Health Association, American Water Works 

Association, and Water Environment Federation [variously paged].

ASTM International, 2006, D5072-98(2006), Standard test method for radon in drinking water: ASTM 

International, accessed December 28, 2006, available online at http://www.astm.org.

Butch, G.K., Murray, P.M., Hebert, G.J., and Weigel, J.F., 2003, Water resources data, New York, water 

year 2002: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report NY-02-1, p. 502–520.

Cadwell, D.H., 1991, Surficial geologic map of New York: New York State Museum Map and Chart 

Series no. 40, Lower Hudson sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Childress, C.J.O., Foreman, W.T., Connor, B.F., and Maloney, T.J., 1999, New reporting procedures 

based on long-term method detection levels and some considerations for interpretations of water-quality 

data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 99–193, 19 p.

Connor, B.F., Rose, D.L., Noriega, M.C., Murtagh, L.K., and Abney, S.R., 1998, Methods of analysis by 

the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of 86 volatile organic 

compounds in water by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, including detections less than reporting 

limits: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97–829, 78 p.

Eckhardt, D.A., Reddy, J.E., and Shaw, S.B., 2009, Groundwater quality in central New York, 2007: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009–1257, 40 p., available online only at 

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

Basin, New York, 2005–06: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1093, 26 p., available 

online only at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1257/.

Eckhardt, D.A., Reddy, J.E., and Tamulonis, K.L., 2008, Ground-water quality in western New York, 

2006: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1140, 36 p., available online only at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1093/.

Fisher, D.W., Isachsen, Y.W., and Rickard, L.V., 1970, Geologic map of New York State: New York 

State Museum Map and Chart Series no. 15, Lower Hudson sheet, scale 1:250,000. 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1140/.

Fishman, M.J., ed., 1993, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality 

Laboratory—Determination of inorganic and organic constituents in water and fluvial sediments: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 93–125, 217 p.

Furlong, E.T., Anderson, B.D., Werner, S.L., Soliven, P.P., Coffey, L.J., and Burkhardt, M.R., 2001, 

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination 

of pesticides in water by graphitized carbon-based solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid 

chromatography/mass spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 

01–4134, 73 p.
20

Garbarino, J.R., and Damrau, D.L., 2001, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National 

Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of organic plus inorganic mercury in filtered and unfiltered 

natural water with cold vapor-atomic fluorescence spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey WaterResources Investigations Report 01–4132, 16 p.

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

sediment and soil samples using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: 

U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 5, chap. B1, 88 p.

Garbarino, J.R., and Struzeski, T.M., 1998, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National 

Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of elements in whole-water digests using inductively coupled 

plasma-optical emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 98–165, 101 p.

Hammond, D.S., Heath, R.C., and Waller, R.M., 1978, Ground-water data on the Hudson River Basin, 

New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78–710, 18 p.

Hem, J.D., 1985, Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural water: U.S. 

Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2254, 264 p.

Hetcher-Aguila, K.K., 2005, Ground-water quality in the Chemung River Basin, New York, 2003: U.S.

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004–1329, 19 p., available online only at 

Hetcher-Aguila, K.K., and Eckhardt, D.A., 2006, Ground-water quality in the upper Susquehanna River 

Basin, New York, 2004: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006–1161, 21 p., available online 

only at 

http://ny.water.usgs.gov/pubs/of/of041329/.

Hoffman, G.L., Fishman, M.J., and Garbarino, J.R., 1996, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological 

Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—In-bottle acid digestion of whole-water samples: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 96–225, 28 p.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1161/.

Isachsen, Y.W., Landing, E., Lauber, J.M., Rickard, L.V., and Rogers, W.B., eds., 2000, Geology of New 

York—A simplified account (2d ed.): Albany, N.Y., New York State Museum/Geological Survey, 

294 p. 

Lee, E.A., and Strahan, A.P., 2003, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic 

Geochemistry Research Group—Determination of acetamide herbicides and their degradations products 

in water using online solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 03–173, 17 p.

New York State Department of Health, 2007, New York State Health Department public water systems 

regulations: Albany, N.Y. [variously paged], accessed March 25, 2009, at 

Nystrom, E.A., 2006, Ground-water quality in the Lake Champlain Basin, New York, 2004: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006–1088, 22 p., available online only at 

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/water/drinking/part5/tables.htm.

Nystrom, E.A., 2007a, Ground-water quality in the St. Lawrence River Basin, New York, 2005–06: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1066, 33 p., available online only at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1088/.

Nystrom, E.A., 2007b, Ground-water quality in the Delaware River Basin, New York, 2001 & 2005–06: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1098, 36 p., available online only at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1066/.

Nystrom, E.A., 2008, Ground-water quality in the Mohawk River Basin, New York, 2006: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1086, 33 p., available online only at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1098/.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1086/.
21

Nystrom, E.A., 2009, Groundwater quality in the Upper Hudson River Basin, New York, 2007: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009–1240, 37 p., available online only at 

Patton, C.J., and Truitt, E.P., 2000, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water

Quality Laboratory—Determination of ammonium plus organic nitrogen by a Kjeldahl digestion method 

and an automated photometric finish that includes digest cleanup by gas diffusion: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 00–170, 31 p.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1240/.

Phillips, P.J., and Hanchar, D.W., 1996, Water-quality assessment of the Hudson River Basin in New 

York and adjacent States—Analysis of available nutrient, pesticide, volatile organic compound, and 

suspended-sediment data, 1970–90: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 

96–4065, 77 p.

Randall, A.D., 1996, Mean annual runoff, precipitation, and evapotranspiration in the glaciated 

northeastern United States, 1951–80: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 96–395, 2 pl., 

1:250,000.

Sandstrom, M.W., Stroppel, M.E., Foreman, W.T., and Schroeder, M.P., 2001, Methods of analysis by the 

U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of moderate-use pesticides 

and selected degradates in water by C-18 solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass 

spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 01–4098, 70 p.

Struzeski, T.M., DeGiacomo, W.J., and Zayhowski, E.J., 1996, Methods of analysis by the U.S. 

Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of dissolved aluminum and 

boron in water by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 96–149, 17 p.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1983, Methods for chemical analysis of water and wastes: 

Washington, D.C., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring and Support 

Laboratory Office of Research and Development, EPA 600/4-79-020, p. 420.2-1-5.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1997, Guidelines for preparation of the comprehensive state water 

quality assessments (305(b) Reports) and electronic updates: Washington, D.C., U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA 841-B-97-002A and EPA 841-B-97-002B, PL95-217, 271 p.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1999, Proposed radon in drinking water rule: Washington, D.C., 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA 815-F-99-006, 6 p.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004, Test methods for evaluating solid waste—

Physical/chemical methods: EPA SW-846, p. 9060A1–5, available online at 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2005, Fact Sheet—Stage 2 disinfectants and disinfection 

byproducts rule: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA 815-F-05-003, 4 p.

http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/testmethods/sw846/pdfs/9060a.pdf.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009a, Brewster Well Field Site Description: U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, Region 2, available online at

http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/0202153c.pdf. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009b, National primary drinking water standards and national 

secondary drinking water standards: Washington, D.C., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office 

of Water, EPA 816-F-09-0004, 6 p., available online at 

U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated, National field manual for the collection of water-quality data: 

U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resource Investigations, book 9, chaps. A1-A9 [variously 

paged].

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/consumer/pdf/mcl.pdf.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2006, Collection of water samples (ver. 2.0): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques 

of Water-Resources Investigations, book 9, chap. A4, September, accessed March 4, 2010, at 

http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A4/.
22

Vogelmann, J.E., Howard, S.M., Yang, L., Larson, C.R., Wylie, B.K., and Van Driel, J.N., 2001, 

Completion of the 1990’s National Land Cover Data Set for the conterminous United States: 

Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, v. 67, p. 650–662.

Wilde, F.D., ed., 2004, Cleaning of equipment for water sampling (ver. 2.0): U.S. Geological Survey 

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 9, chap. A3, April, accessed March 4, 2010, at 

http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A3/.

Wilde, F.D., Radtke, D.B., Gibs, Jacob, and Iwatsubo, R.T., eds., 2004 with updates through 2009, 

Processing of water samples (version 2.2): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources 

Investigations, book 9, chap. A5, April, accessed March 4, 2010, at http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A5/.

Zaugg, S.D., Sandstrom, M.W., Smith, S.G., and Fehlberg, K.M., 1995, Methods of analysis by the U.S. 

Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of pesticides in water by C-18 

solid-phase extraction and capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion 

monitoring: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95–181, 60 p.
23

Appendix 1: Results of Water-Sample Analyses

The following tables summarize results of the chemical analyses of the 32 samples collected in 

the Lower Hudson River Basin of eastern New York from August through November 2008.

1-1. Constituents that were not detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, 

New York, 2008. ...................................................................................................................................................... 24

1-2. Physiochemical properties of groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 

2008. ................................................................................................................................................................... 28

1-3. Concentrations of major ions in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New 

York, 2008. .............................................................................................................................................................. 29

1-4. Concentrations of nutrients and organic carbon in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson 

River Basin, New York, 2008................................................................................................................................... 31

1-5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclide activities in groundwater samples collected in the Lower 

Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008...................................................................................................................... 32

1-6. Concentrations of pesticides detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, 

New York, 2008. ...................................................................................................................................................... 36

1-7. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower 

Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008...................................................................................................................... 38

1-8. Bacteria in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008. ............... 39
24

Table 1-1. Constituents that were not detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008. [WY, water year, the 12-month period from October 1 through September 30 of the following year. The water year is 

designated by the calendar year in which it ends.]

U.S. 

Geological 

Survey

parameter 

code Compound

Laboratory reporting level

WY08 WY09

Trace Elements in unfiltered water, micrograms per liter

01059 Thallium 0.08 0.12

Pesticides in filtered water, micrograms per liter

50470 2,4-D methyl ester .040 .200

39732 2,4-D .02 .06

38746 2,4-DB .02 .02

82660 2,6-Diethylaniline .002 .006

62850 2-[(2-Ethyl-6-methylphenyl)amino]-2-oxoethanesulfonic acid .02 .02

04038 2-Chloro-6-ethylamino-4-amino-s-triazine .08 .06

63781 2-Chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)acetamide .02 .02

63782 2-Chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)acetamide .02 .02

49308 3-Hydroxy carbofuran .040 .040

61029 Acetochlor ethanesulfonic acid .02 .02

61030 Acetochlor oxanilic acid .02 .02

62847 Acetochlor sulfynilacetic acid .02 .02

49260 Acetochlor .006 .010

49315 Acifluorfen .040 .040

62849 Alachlor ethanesulfonic acid secondary amide .02 .02

61031 Alachlor oxanilic acid .02 .02

62848 Alachlor sulfynilacetic acid .02 .02

46342 Alachlor .006 .008

49313 Aldicarb sulfone .08 .08

49314 Aldicarb sulfoxide .060 .060

49312 Aldicarb .12 .12

34253 alpha-HCH .002 .008

82686 Azinphos-methyl .120 .120

50299 Bendiocarb .04 .04

82673 Benfluralin .004 .014

50300 Benomyl .040 .060

61693 Bensulfuron .06 .06

38711 Bentazon .04 .06

04029 Bromacil .02 .06

49311 Bromoxynil .12 .12

04028 Butylate .002 .002

50305 Caffeine .060 .080

49310 Carbaryl .04 .04

82680 Carbaryl .060 .200

49309 Carbofuran .020 .040

82674 Carbofuran .020 .060

61188 Chloramben methyl ester .10 .10
25

Table 1-1. Constituents that were not detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008.—Continued

[WY, water year, the 12-month period from October 1 through September 30 of the following year. The water year is 

designated by the calendar year in which it ends.]

U.S. 

Geological 

Survey

parameter 

code Compound

Laboratory reporting level

WY08 WY09

Pesticides in filtered water, micrograms per liter (continued)

50306 Chlorimuron 0.080 0.080

38933 Chlorpyrifos .005 .010

82687 cis-Permethrin .010 .014

49305 Clopyralid .06 .06

04041 Cyanazine .020 .040

04031 Cycloate .02 .04

49304 Dacthal monoacid .02 .04

82682 DCPA .003 .006

63778 Dechloroacetochlor .02 .02

63777 Dechloroalachlor .02 .02

63779 Dechlorodimethenamid .02 .02

63780 Dechlorometolachlor .02 .02

62170 Desulfinyl fipronil .012 .012

39572 Diazinon .005 .005

38442 Dicamba .04 .04

49302 Dichlorprop .02 .04

61951 Dimethenamid ethanesulfonic acid .02 .02

62482 Dimethenamid oxanilic acid .02 .02

61588 Dimethenamid .02 .02

49301 Dinoseb .04 .04

04033 Diphenamid .04 .04

82677 Disulfoton .04 .04

49300 Diuron .04 .04

82668 EPTC .002 .002

82663 Ethalfluralin .009 .009

82672 Ethoprop .012 .016

49297 Fenuron .04 .06

62169 Desulfinylfipronil amide .029 .029

62167 Fipronil sulfide .013 .013

62168 Fipronil sulfone .024 .024

62166 Fipronil .020 .040

61952 Flufenacet ethanesulfonic acid .02 .02

62483 Flufenacet oxanilic acid .02 .02

62481 Flufenacet .02 .02

61694 Flumetsulam .06 .06

38811 Fluometuron .04 .04

04095 Fonofos .010 .010

63784 Hydroxyacetochlor .02 .02

63783 Hydroxyalachlor .02 .02

64045 Hydroxydimethenamid .02 .02
26

Table 1-1. Constituents that were not detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008.—Continued

[WY, water year, the 12-month period from October 1 through September 30 of the following year. The water year is 

designated by the calendar year in which it ends.]

U.S. 

Geological 

Survey

parameter 

code Compound

Laboratory reporting level

WY08 WY09

Pesticides in filtered water, micrograms per liter (continued)

63785 Hydroxymetolachlor 0.02 0.02

50356 Imazaquin .04 .06

50407 Imazethapyr .04 .06

61695 Imidacloprid .060 .060

39341 Lindane .006 .014

38478 Linuron .02 .04

82666 Linuron .060 .060

39532 Malathion .016 .020

38482 MCPA .06 .04

38487 MCPB .06 .20

50359 Metalaxyl .02 .04

38501 Methiocarb .040 .040

49296 Methomyl .120 .120

82667 Methyl parathion .008 .008

39415 Metolachlor .010 .014

82630 Metribuzin .012 .016

82671 Molinate .002 .002

61692 N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-N'-methylurea .12 .06

82684 Napropamide .018 .018

49294 Neburon .02 .02

50364 Nicosulfuron .10 .10

49293 Norflurazon .02 .04

49292 Oryzalin .04 .04

38866 Oxamyl .12 .12

34653 p,p'-DDE .003 .003

39542 Parathion .010 .020

82669 Pebulate .004 .016

82683 Pendimethalin .012 .012

82664 Phorate .040 .020

49291 Picloram .12 .12

82676 Propyzamide .004 .004

62766 Propachlor ethanesulfonic acid .05 .05

62767 Propachlor oxanilic acid .02 .02

04024 Propachlor .006 .012

82679 Propanil .006 .014

82685 Propargite .04 .02

49236 Propham .040 .040

50471 Propiconazole .04 .04

38538 Propoxur .040 .060

38548 Siduron .02 .04
27

Table 1-1. Constituents that were not detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008.—Continued

[WY, water year, the 12-month period from October 1 through September 30 of the following year. The water year is 

designated by the calendar year in which it ends.]

U.S. 

Geological 

Survey

parameter 

code Compound

Laboratory reporting level

WY08 WY09

Pesticides in filtered water, micrograms per liter (continued)

50337 Sulfometuron 0.060 0.060

82665 Terbacil .018 .040

04032 Terbacil .040 .040

82675 Terbufos .02 .02

82681 Thiobencarb .010 .016

82678 Triallate .006 .006

49235 Triclopyr .08 .08

82661 Trifluralin .006 .012

Volatile organic compounds in unfiltered water, micrograms per liter

32730 Total Phenolic Compounds 4.0 4.0

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

34496 1,1-Dichloroethane .1 .1

34501 1,1-Dichloroethene .1 .1

34536 1,2-Dichlorobenzene .1 .1

32103 1,2-Dichloroethane .2 .2

34541 1,2-Dichloropropane .1 .1

34566 1,3-Dichlorobenzene .1 .1

34571 1,4-Dichlorobenzene .1 .1

34030 Benzene .1 .1

32101 Bromodichloromethane .1 .1

34301 Chlorobenzene .1 .1

32105 Dibromochloromethane .2 .2

34668 Dichlorodifluoromethane .2 .2

34423 Dichloromethane .2 .2

81576 Diethyl ether .2 .2

81577 Diisopropyl ether .2 .2

34371 Ethylbenzene .1 .1

50005 Methyl tert-pentyl ether .2 .2

85795 m-Xylene plus p-xylene .2 .2

77135 o-Xylene .1 .1

77128 Styrene .1 .1

50004 tert-Butyl ethyl ether .1 .1

32102 Tetrachloromethane .2 .2

32104 Tribromomethane .2 .2

34488 Trichlorofluoromethane .2 .2

39175 Vinyl chloride .2 .2
28

Table 1-2. Physiochemical properties of groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New 

York, 2008. [mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; (00080), U.S. Geological Survey

National Water Information System parameter code; >, greater than; <, less than. Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinkingwater standards. Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Color, 

platinumcobalt units

(00080) 1

Dissolved

oxygen, 

mg/L

(00300)

pH, 

standard 

units

(00400)

Specific 

conductance, 

μS/cm

(00095)

Water 

temperature, 

degrees 

Celsius

(00010)

Hydrogen 

sulfide

(71875)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 5 0.3 7.2 577 10.6 Absent 

CB1073 2 3.7 6.5 387 13.5 Absent 

CB1674 2 5.2 7.4 2253 11.8 Absent 

DU1058 2 .4 7.3 378 13.9 Absent 

DU1096 2 > 10.0 7.8 295 10.7 Absent 

G834 2 8.8 6.8 183 11.2 Absent 

O2289 5 .2 7.0 944 11.6 Absent 

O2290 5 .9 6.9 1,500 11.8 Absent 

P1218 2 1.6 6.7 1,090 11.5 Absent 

RE1189 < 1 8.3 7.7 269 10.7 Absent 

U1622 30 10.6 7.2 2611 13.0 Absent

U2669 20 3.9 7.1 243 13.2 Absent 

U3620 2 11.4 7.3 108 9.7 Absent

WE652 2 > 10.0 7.0 778 14.6 Absent 

WE1482 2 1.3 7.3 450 19.8 Absent 

WE1483 5 13.0 6.8 389 13.9 Absent

Bedrock wells

A984 2 .3 8.8 2642 10.8 Present 

CB2937 < 1 < .1 8.9 747 13.4 Present 

DU1437 2 > 10.0 7.0 631 10.7 Absent 

DU6186 5 5.2 7.5 442 12.4 Absent

DU6971 8 7.4 7.3 523 10.7 Absent 

G832 2 < .1 7.9 727 10.6 Present 

O5700 2 4.4 6.4 361 12.1 Absent 

O8327 5 .1 7.6 411 14.4 Present 

P2209 2 7.8 6.2 316 10.6 Absent 

RE2323 2 .1 6.7 400 10.7 Absent 

RE2914 12 1.4 7.4 505 11.8 Absent 

RO560 2 5.9 6.5 568 11.8 Absent 

RO853 2 1.3 8.8 416 14.3 Absent 

U3035 < 1 .6 7.3 794 11.9 Present 

U4172 5 < .1 9.4 2761 13.3 Present 

WE6369 < 1 1.5 7.2 379 12.8 Absent 

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.

2 Specific conductance measured in the laboratory due to a malfunction of the field instrument.
29

Table 1-3. Concentrations of major ions in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New 

York, 2008. [mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; (00900), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information 

System parameter code; <, less than; E, estimated value. Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinking-water standards. Well 

locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Hardness, 

filtered, 

mg/L as 

CaCO

1

3

Calcium, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(00900) (00915)

Magnesium, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(00925)

Potassium, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(00935)

Sodium, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(00930)

Acid 

neutralizing 

capacity,

unfiltered,

mg/L as 

CaCO3

Alkalinity,

filtered,

incremental 

titration,field,

mg/L as 

CaCO

(90410)

3

Sand and gravel wells

(39086)

A1420 210 66.0 11.7 1.08 26.6 181 175

CB1073 100 33.0 4.36 1.40 33.0 94 90

CB1674 100 37.1 2.82 .71 8.60 100 94

DU1058 150 40.9 12.6 .91 14.9 121 119

DU1096 100 28.3 8.16 1.41 13.1 88 82

G834 65 22.5 2.02 .72 10.2 63 59

O2289 380 116 22.1 1.31 28.2 251 243

O2290 440 115 38.3 1.44 126 401 397

P1218 340 85.5 30.4 4.60 80.9 196 205

RE1189 96 26.9 7.04 1.08 20.2 115 114

U1622 210 68.5 8.34 1.33 36.9 181 174

U2669 110 33.2 5.85 .92 5.51 117 113

U3620 42 12.6 2.64 .29 6.28 50 47

WE652 200 51.5 16.1 3.48 66.3 151 150

WE1482 130 34.6 10.0 2.64 34.7 103 100

WE1483 120 35.8 8.44 2.69 21.2 106 100

Bedrock wells

A984 37 9.78 3.16 .58 139 332 320

CB2937 4 1.11 .247 .82 178 345 328

DU1437 240 87.3 6.46 .94 28.4 210 218

DU6186 150 42.1 11.2 1.76 28.3 144 164

DU6971 270 57.9 30.2 .81 1.61 253 2

G832

252

140 39.3 11.2 .74 109 265 257

O5700 130 41.3 6.30 1.00 21.0 113 104

O8327 110 30.9 8.16 .54 49.1 160 2

P2209

161

74 24.0 3.44 4.55 28.1 51 48

RE2323 150 52.5 4.69 .82 12.3 87 81

RE2914 300 97.6 14.2 1.08 47.9 157 151

RO560 220 65.8 12.7 1.46 26.3 128 125

RO853 53 12.9 4.97 1.02 74.4 120 116

U3035 260 78.8 15.0 1.65 43.0 170 169

U4172 2 .68 .123 1.80 169 339 330

WE6369 140 33.3 13.1 3.01 8.35 86 84

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.

2 Laboratory value, fixed endpoint titration.
30

Table 1-3. Concentrations of major ions in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New 

York, 2008.—Continued

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; (00453), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information 

System parameter code; <, less than; E, estimated value. Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinking-water standards. Well 

locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Bicarbonate,

filtered,

incremental 

titration,field, 

mg/L

(00453) 1

Chloride, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(00940)

Fluoride, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(00950)

Silica, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(00955)

Sulfate,

filtered, 

mg/L

(00945)

Residue on 

evaporation, 

filtered, 

mg/L

(70300)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 212 42.6 E 0.11 9.81 43.6 335

CB1073 109 49.1 < .12 6.55 12.4 205

CB1674 114 13.7 < .12 7.21 9.05 155

DU1058 144 27.7 < .12 8.57 25.4 220

DU1096 99 24.7 < .12 6.58 14.0 149

G834 71 13.1 < .08 4.14 7.20 97

O2289 296 99.5 E .09 10.8 70.8 562

O2290 483 232 < .12 12.8 36.0 822

P1218 250 212 < .12 12.6 25.6 648

RE1189 138 3.80 .17 11.9 24.3 163

U1622 212 69.2 E .08 7.83 27.0 350

U2669 137 .76 .15 10.7 7.59 137

U3620 57 2.33 < .12 6.46 5.35 68

WE652 182 130 .15 13.8 18.0 414

WE1482 122 63.9 E .04 7.14 11.1 238

WE1483 122 42.1 < .12 13.0 12.9 209

Bedrock wells

A984 368 5.65 .67 8.19 22.6 399

CB2937 372 35.9 .50 10.2 7.31 425

DU1437 265 54.6 < .12 8.40 24.1 357

DU6186 198 23.0 .16 11.8 33.7 239

DU6971 2307 2.83 < .12 5.19 25.4 290

G832 309 62.4 .60 9.14 30.1 420

O5700 127 26.1 E .08 11.5 28.0 221

O8327 2196 2.05 .18 11.5 56.1 270

P2209 58 52.7 < .12 11.1 13.2 181

RE2323 98 55.4 E .11 12.5 14.8 310

RE2914 183 155 < .08 14.9 28.3 524

RO560 152 81.8 < .12 12.3 24.2 335

RO853 133 45.9 E .09 40.7 22.6 281

U3035 203 109 E .07 11.6 49.9 466

U4172 312 31.6 3.46 9.79 2.04 436

WE6369 102 38.5 .12 16.8 23.4 207

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.

2 Laboratory value, fixed endpoint titration.
31

Table 1-4. Concentrations of nutrients and organic carbon in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson

River Basin, New York, 2008. [N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; mg/L, milligrams per liter; (00623), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information

System parameter code; <, less than; E, estimated value. Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Well 

number

Ammonia plus 

organic-N, 

filtered, 

mg/L as N

(00623) 1

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)

Organic 

carbon, 

unfiltered, 

mg/L

(00680)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 E 0.07 0.020 < 0.04 < 0.002 0.008 1.1

CB1073 < .14 < .020 .69 < .002 E .005 < 1.0

CB1674 < .14 < .020 .19 < .002 .007 < 1.0

DU1058 < .14 < .020 .15 .015 .008 1.5

DU1096 < .14 < .020 .29 < .002 E .005 1.0

G834 < .10 < .020 .22 < .002 .011 1.5

O2289 < .14 E .016 < .04 < .002 .007 1.1

O2290 .15 < .020 2.38 < .002 .008 2.0

P1218 .17 .064 .91 E .002 .007 1.9

RE1189 .22 .192 < .04 < .002 .019 < 1.0

U1622 .44 .408 < .04 < .002 .036 1.7

U2669 < .14 .023 < .04 < .002 < .006 < 1.0

U3620 < .14 < .020 .45 < .002 .015 < 1.0

WE652 E .09 < .020 1.25 .002 .039 1.6

WE1482 E .12 .026 .22 < .002 E .007 1.8

WE1483 < .14 < .020 .74 < .002 .012 1.2

Bedrock wells

A984 .33 .290 < .04 < .002 .099 < 1.0

CB2937 .34 .298 < .04 < .002 .026 2.0

DU1437 < .14 < .020 1.86 < .002 E .006 1.6

DU6186 E .12 .092 .14 .015 .007 3.0

DU6971 < .14 < .020 .82 < .002 E .006 < 1.0

G832 .22 .170 < .04 < .002 .058 2.4

O5700 < .14 < .020 .14 < .002 .007 < 1.0

O8327 E .08 .051 < .04 < .002 .009 < 1.0

P2209 < .14 < .020 .48 < .002 E .006 1.5

RE2323 < .14 < .020 < .04 < .002 .009 < 1.0

RE2914 .14 .121 < .04 < .002 .012 1.0

RO560 < .14 < .020 1.44 < .002 .062 < 1.0

RO853 < .14 < .020 1.09 < .002 E .006 < 1.0

U3035 .24 .184 .14 .003 .007 < 1.0

U4172 .51 .487 < .04 < .002 .079 1.9

WE6369 < .14 < .020 .37 .002 .023 < 1.0

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
32

Table 1-5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclide activities in groundwater samples collected in the 

Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; (01105), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System parameter code; <, less 

than; E, estimated value; M, presence verified but not quantified. Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinking-water standards. 

Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Aluminum,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(01105) 1

Antimony,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(01097)

Arsenic,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(01002)

Barium, 

unfiltered,

μg/L

(01007)

Beryllium,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(01012)

Boron,

filtered,

μg/L

(01020)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 < 4 < 0.1 1.6 30.6 < 0.04 15

CB1073 18 < .1 < .60 54.2 < .04 15

CB1674 < 4 < .1 E .41 45.7 < .04 7.5

DU1058 < 4 < .1 E .54 33.8 < .04 8.6

DU1096 < 4 < .1 E .43 3.5 < .04 5.9

G834 E 3 < .4 .23 12.1 < .02 9.8

O2289 < 4 < .1 E .56 71.8 < .04 16

O2290 12 < .1 < .60 71.4 < .04 31

P1218 < 4 < .1 < .60 118 < .04 16

RE1189 10 < .1 6.4 152 < .04 32

U1622 < 4 < .1 < .60 238 < .04 19

U2669 13 < .1 .61 34.5 < .04 11

U3620 E 2 < .1 E .48 1.1 < .04 6.3

WE652 305 < .1 E .57 75.8 < .04 21

WE1482 14 < .4 E .17 28.9 < .02 16

WE1483 < 4 < .1 < .60 53.9 < .04 22

Bedrock wells

A984 23 < .1 < .60 27.0 < .04 611

CB2937 12 < .1 < .60 67.0 < .04 202

DU1437 < 4 E .1 < .60 47.4 < .04 16

DU6186 114 1.0 2.3 110 E .04 56

DU6971 17 .2 < .60 7.4 < .04 2.8

G832 4 < .1 < .60 164 < .04 329

O5700 E 2 < .1 < .60 38.1 < .04 21

O8327 7 < .1 .75 34.0 < .04 93

P2209 21 < .1 < .60 120 < .04 9.7

RE2323 < 4 < .1 .76 69.8 < .04 9.7

RE2914 < 6 < .4 13.3 904 < .02 6.5

RO560 < 4 < .1 E .39 87.1 E .03 18

RO853 15 < .1 .61 6.0 < .04 1,060

U3035 < 4 .2 < .60 145 E .02 46

U4172 51 < .1 < .60 29.4 < .04 752

WE6369 < 4 < .1 E .37 19.8 < .04 11

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
33

Table 1-5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclide activities in groundwater samples collected in the 

Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.—Continued

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; (01027), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System parameter code; <, less 

than; E, estimated value; M, presence verified but not quantified. Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinking water standards. 

Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Cadmium,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(01027) 1

Chromium,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(01034)

Cobalt,

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01037)

Copper, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01042)

Iron, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(01046)

Iron, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01045)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 < 0.01 < 0.40 < 0.04 < 1.2 85 85

CB1073 < .01 < .40 < .04 3.2 < 8 23

CB1674 < .01 < .40 < .04 E .72 < 8 < 6

DU1058 < .01 < .40 E .02 < 1.2 < 8 E 4

DU1096 < .01 < .40 < .04 < 1.2 < 8 < 6

G834 < .06 < .40 < .10 14.9 5 < 14

O2289 < .01 < .40 .42 2.5 213 224

O2290 < .01 .56 .07 16.9 28 91

P1218 .04 < .40 .09 1.3 12 18

RE1189 < .01 < .40 E .03 2.3 34 54

U1622 E .01 < .40 E .04 < 1.2 2,290

U2669

3,020

< .01 < .40 .11 2.4 834

U3620

1,220

< .01 < .40 < .04 < 1.2 < 8 E 3

WE652 .13 .94 .88 17.4 < 8

WE1482

3,330

< .06 < .40 < .10 E 3.2 E 2 < 14

WE1483 < .01 < .40 E .03 2.2 E 5 < 6

Bedrock wells

A984 < .01 < .40 < .04 E .75 51 82

CB2937 < .01 < .40 < .04 E .60 < 8 28

DU1437 < .01 E .25 E .02 3.9 E 4 E 3

DU6186 .02 2.4 1.9 3.5 < 8

DU6971

8,860

< .01 E .32 E .03 10.8 13

G832

4,740

< .01 < .40 < .04 E 1.0 E 5 22

O5700 < .01 < .40 .06 17.1 < 8 18

O8327 .02 < .40 < .04 E .64 28 31

P2209 E .01 .44 .06 13.3 13 142

RE2323 < .01 < .40 < .04 3.3 E 5 22

RE2914 < .06 < .40 < .10 E 3.9 584

RO560

1,000

< .01 .44 E .02 2.3 < 8 9

RO853 < .01 < .40 < .04 1.6 < 8 12

U3035 < .01 < .40 .18 3.8 15 22

U4172 < .01 < .40 .04 2.7 < 8

WE6369

487

E .01 E .31 E .03 5.4 < 8 40

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
34

Table 1-5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclide activities in groundwater samples collected in the 

Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.—Continued

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; (01051), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System parameter code; <, less 

than; E, estimated value; M, presence verified but not quantified. Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinking water standards. 

Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Lead, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01051) 1

Lithium, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01132)

Manganese, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(01056)

Manganese, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01055)

Mercury,

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(71900)

Molybdenum, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01062)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 0.35 6.3 263 271 < 0.010 0.6

CB1073 .28 .5 .5 E .7 < .010 .1

CB1674 .52 3.0 < .4 < .4 < .010 M

DU1058 E .04 2.9 119 121 < .010 .8

DU1096 .21 1.2 E .2 < .4 < .010 .3

G834 .73 .8 .5 .5 < .010 E .1

O2289 .08 14.5 519 546 < .010 .6

O2290 1.82 8.2 1.7 2.0 < .010 .3

P1218 .20 2.1 286 283 < .010 .6

RE1189 .15 18.5 61.8 64.9 < .010 1.1

U1622 E .04 4.5 532 569 < .010 1.8

U2669 .08 2.9 572 584 < .010 1.3

U3620 < .06 .6 .6 1.7 < .010 .1

WE652 2.16 2.3 134 717 < .010 .3

WE1482 .13 1.0 58.5 61.6 < .010 .6

WE1483 .35 1.8 2.6 2.3 < .010 .4

Bedrock wells

A984 < .06 448 5.5 5.6 < .010 1.1

CB2937 < .06 370 1.5 1.4 < .010 < .1

DU1437 .12 6.5 < .4 < .4 < .010 .1

DU6186 2.81 27.2 47.6 256 < .010 4.4

DU6971 1.52 .7 2.3 32.7 < .010 1.7

G832 .21 242 81.0 80.0 < .010 .8

O5700 1.08 13.1 .4 7.9 < .010 E .1

O8327 < .06 6.7 79.7 81.6 < .010 10.9

P2209 .54 1.7 4.0 5.9 < .010 .7

RE2323 .11 9.2 51.5 51.5 < .010 2.2

RE2914 .29 10.1 739 806 < .010 .2

RO560 .08 4.5 E .2 < .8 .016 .1

RO853 .44 5.4 < .4 < .8 < .010 .5

U3035 1.36 14.9 22.4 23.3 < .010 .5

U4172 .27 430 2.1 6.6 < .010 3.6

WE6369 1.01 3.5 2.8 3.2 < .010 3.8

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
35

Table 1-5. Concentrations of trace elements and radionuclide activities in groundwater

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; (01067), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System parameter code; <, less 

than; E, estimated value; M, presence verified but not quantified. 

samples collected in the 

Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008.—Continued

Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinking water standards. 

Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

Nickel, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01067) 1

Selenium, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01147)

Silver, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01077)

Strontium, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01082)

Zinc, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(01092)

Radon-222, 

unfiltered, 

picoCuries 

per liter

(82303)

Uranium, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(28011)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 1.1 < 0.08 < 0.02 259 4.3 52 0.582

CB1073 .51 .14 < .02 192 5.5 600 .092

CB1674 < .12 E .06 < .02 171 9.1 510 .100

DU1058 E .10 .25 < .02 104 < 2.0 185 .361

DU1096 < .12 .18 < .02 98.9 E 1.1 770 .167

G834 .40 < .12 < .06 45.4 14.0 500 .037

O2289 .59 < .08 < .02 267 E 1.2 76 1.50

O2290 .70 E .07 .04 219 25.1 500 .733

P1218 .35 .08 < .02 209 13.1 650 1.74

RE1189 E .06 < .08 E .01 579 E 1.2 113 .047

U1622 .16 < .08 < .02 200 E 1.8 28 .330

U2669 .19 < .08 < .02 90.0 4.4 340 1.09

U3620 < .12 .18 < .02 29.3 < 2.0 1,370 .090

WE652 1.5 .27 E .01 143 13.5 145 .554

WE1482 .48 < .12 < .06 94.6 2.0 540 .109

WE1483 .26 E .07 < .02 111 < 2.0 490 .513

Bedrock wells

A984 < .12 < .08 < .02 520 < 2.0 56 < .020

CB2937 < .12 < .08 < .02 88.2 < 2.0 37 < .020

DU1437 .25 .22 < .02 489 22.6 277 .143

DU6186 2.0 .14 < .02 586 6.2 29 1.51

DU6971 .46 .40 E .01 45.2 11.3 480 1.49

G832 .19 < .08 < .02 587 < 2.0 153 .104

O5700 .83 E .05 < .02 234 20.9 140 .061

O8327 < .12 < .08 < .02 1,080 2.2 420 1.93

P2209 .46 E .07 < .02 73.1 76.6 13,800 26.3

RE2323 .20 < .08 < .02 383 12.7 1,920 1.40

RE2914 < .20 < .12 < .06 532 E 1.3 243 .294

RO560 2.2 .10 < .02 104 E 1.1 370 2.27

RO853 E .07 .21 < .02 112 < 2.0 110 .219

U3035 1.2 .23 < .02 1,950 4.0 400 .416

U4172 E .11 < .08 < .02 44.3 E 1.2 33 < .020

WE6369 .93 .29 < .02 186 22.8 5,600 2.33

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
36

Table 1-6. Concentrations of pesticides detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; CIAT, 2-chloro-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s-triazine; OIET, 2-hydroxy-4-isopropylamino-6-

ethylamino-s

Well 

number

-triazine; ESA, ethanesulfonic acid; OA, oxanilic acid; (04040), U.S. Geological Survey National Water 

Information System parameter code; <, less than; E, estimated value; M, presence verified but not quantified. Well locations 

are shown in fig. 2.]

CIAT, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(04040) 1

OIET, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(50355)

Alachlor ESA, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(50009)

Atrazine, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(39632)

Dieldrin, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(39381)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 < 0.014 < 0.040 < 0.02 < 0.007 < 0.009

CB1073 E .007 < .040 < .02 E .006 < .009

CB1674 E .003 < .040 < .02 E .002 < .009

DU1058 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

DU1096 E .003 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

G834 < .014 < .060 < .02 < .007 < .009

O2289 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

O2290 < .014 < .040 < .02 E .001 < .009

P1218 E .003 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

RE1189 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

U1622 < .014 < .040 .10 < .007 < .009

U2669 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

U3620 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

WE652 < .014 < .040 < .02 E .003 .025

WE1482 E .002 E .005 < .02 E .002 < .009

WE1483 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

Bedrock wells

A984 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

CB2937 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

DU1437 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

DU6186 E .002 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

DU6971 E .183 E .010 < .02 .092 < .009

G832 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

O5700 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

O8327 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

P2209 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

RE2323 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

RE2914 < .014 < .060 .03 < .007 < .009

RO560 E .002 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

RO853 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

U3035 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

U4172 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

WE6369 < .014 < .040 < .02 < .007 < .009

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
37

Table 1-6. Concentrations of pesticides detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River 

Basin, New York, 2008.—Continued

[μg/L, micrograms per liter; CIAT, 2-chloro-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s-triazine; OIET, 2-hydroxy-4-isopropylamino-6-

ethylamino-s

Well 

number

-triazine; ESA, ethanesulfonic acid; OA, oxanilic acid; (61043), U.S. Geological Survey National Water 

Information System parameter code; <, less than; E, estimated value; M, presence verified but not quantified. Well locations 

are shown in fig. 2.]

Metolachlor ESA, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(61043) 1

Metolachlor OA, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(61044)

Prometon,

filtered,

μg/L

(04037)

Simazine, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(04035)

Tebuthiuron, 

filtered, 

μg/L

(82670)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 < 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.01 < 0.006 < 0.02

CB1073 < .02 < .02 < .01 .006 < .02

CB1674 < .02 < .02 < .01 .007 < .02

DU1058 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

DU1096 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

G834 < .02 < .02 < .01 E .007 < .02

O2289 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

O2290 .04 .02 < .01 E .002 M

P1218 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

RE1189 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

U1622 .05 .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

U2669 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

U3620 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

WE652 < .02 < .02 E .01 E .001 E .03

WE1482 < .02 < .02 E .01 .029 < .02

WE1483 < .02 < .02 M < .006 < .02

Bedrock wells

A984 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

CB2937 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

DU1437 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

DU6186 .06 .04 < .01 < .006 < .02

DU6971 .07 < .02 .01 < .006 < .02

G832 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

O5700 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

O8327 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

P2209 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

RE2323 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

RE2914 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .010 < .02

RO560 < .02 < .02 M E .005 < .02

RO853 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

U3035 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

U4172 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

WE6369 < .02 < .02 < .01 < .006 < .02

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
38

Table 1-7. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds detected in groundwater samples collected in the Lower 

Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; (34506), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System parameter code; <, less 

than. Bold

Well 

number

values exceed one or more drinking-water standards. Well locations are shown in fig. 2.]

1,1,1-

Trichloroethane,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(34506) 1

cis-1,2- Methyl 

Dichloroethene,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(77093)

tert Tetrachloroethene, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(34475)

-butyl 

ether, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(78032)

Toluene, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(34010)

trans

Trichloroethene,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(39180)

-1,2-

Dichloroethene,

unfiltered,

μg/L

(34546)

Trichloromethane, 

unfiltered, 

μg/L

(32106)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.2 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1

CB1073 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

CB1674 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

DU1058 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

DU1096 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

G834 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

O2289 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

O2290 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

P1218 < .1 2.8 < .2 5.7 < .1 .1 1.6 .7

RE1189 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

U1622 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

U2669 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

U3620 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

WE652 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 .2

WE1482 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

WE1483 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

Bedrock wells

A984 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

CB2937 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

DU1437 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

DU6186 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

DU6971 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

G832 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

O5700 .3 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

O8327 < .1 < .1 < .2 .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

P2209 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

RE2323 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

RE2914 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

RO560 < .1 < .1 .2 .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 .2

RO853 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 .1 < .1 < .1 1.0

U3035 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

U4172 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

WE6369 < .1 < .1 < .2 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1 < .1

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
39

Table 1-8. Bacteria in groundwater samples collected in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008. [CFU, colony-forming unit; mL, milliliter; (31691), U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System parameter 

code; <, less than. Bold

Well 

number

values indicate detections of coliform bacteria. Well locations are shown in fig. 2]

Escherichia coli, 

unfiltered, 

CFU/100mL

(31691) 1

Fecal coliform, 

unfiltered, 

CFU/100mL

(61215)

Heterotrophic plate 

count, 

unfiltered, 

CFU/mL

(31692)

Total coliform, 

unfiltered, 

CFU/100mL

(61213)

Sand and gravel wells

A1420 < 1 < 1 < 1

CB1073

7

< 1 < 1 106

CB1674

88

< 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

DU1058 < 1 < 1 1 < 1

DU1096 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

G834 < 1 < 1 4

O2289

16

< 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

O2290 < 1 < 1 14 < 1

P1218 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

RE1189 < 1 < 1 16 < 1

U1622 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

U2669 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

U3620 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

WE652 1 1 44

WE1482

26

< 1 < 1 6 < 1

WE1483 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

Bedrock wells

A984 < 1 < 1 6 < 1

CB2937 < 1 < 1 100 < 1

DU1437 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

DU6186 < 1 < 1 40

DU6971

20

< 1 < 1 20

G832

5

< 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

O5700 < 1 < 1 18 < 1

O8327 < 1 < 1 11

P2209

1

< 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

RE2323 < 1 < 1 2 < 1

RE2914 < 1 < 1 1 < 1

RO560 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

RO853 < 1 < 1 11 < 1

U3035 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

U4172 < 1 < 1 4 < 1

WE6369 < 1 < 1 < 1 < 1

1 A, Albany County; CB, Columbia County; DU, Dutchess County; G, Greene County; O, Orange County; P, Putnam 

County; RE, Rensselaer County; RO, Rockland County; U, Ulster County; WE, Westchester County.
This page has been left blank intentionally.
For more information concerning this report, contact

Director

U.S. Geological Survey

New York Water Science Center

425 Jordan Road

Troy, NY 12180-8349

dc_ny@usgs.gov

or visit our Web site at:

http://ny.water.usgs.gov
Nystrom—Groundwater Quality in the Lower Hudson River Basin, New York, 2008—Open-File Report 2010–1197