The USGS has a long history of providing speakers and fieldtrip leaders for schools, colleges, scout troops, and other community groups. The goal of the Partnership is to improve the quality of education in earth and physical sciences and related subjects by assisting the school system in providing long-term, active learning projects related to the environment. A USGS employee describes sediment characteristics in a split-spoon sample to teachers and students from Parish Hill Regional High School. Specific conductance and concentrations of calcium, magnesium, chloride, dissolved solids, and total solids generally increased from 1975 through 1988 and indicate a general increase statewide in dissolved constituents in streamflow. The effects of increased urbanization, which include municipal and industrial wastewater, septic system leachate, and runoff from streets and highways, are possible causes for increases in chloride concentration.
Blue dots are stations with no significant trend.
Increasing concentrations of dissolved and suspended constituents, which indicate deterioration in water quality, have been detected in small, sparsely developed drainage basins that previously were considered to represent water quality that is relatively unaffected by human activities. Although typically small in magnitude, these changes may indicate increasing contamination from various nonpoint sources in the less developed areas of the State. The USGS provides maps, reports, and information to help others meet their needs to manage, develop, and protect America's water, energy, mineral, biological, and land resources. We help find the natural resources needed to build tomorrow and supply the scientific understanding needed to help minimize or mitigate the effects of natural hazards and environmental damage caused by natural and human activities. The results of our efforts touch the daily life of almost every American.