DSG05-2 – NJ Geological Survey

DGS05-2 New Jersey’s Ambient Ground Water Quality Network Data

Updated (1/14/2014)

Abstract

The Ambient Ground-Water Quality Monitoring Network (AGWQMN) is an NJDEP/USGS cooperative project. The original (pre-1999) network mainly focused on determining ground-water quality as a function of geology throughout New Jersey using public, private, irrigation, observation and other types of existing wells. This network is no longer included in the following downloads but can be found in the comprehensive Microsoft Excel™ workbook. The goals of the redesigned network are to determine the status and trends of shallow ground-water quality as a function of land use related to non-point source pollution in New Jersey. Most of the shallow wells used were installed by the NJGWS or their contractors to meet the goals of the1999 redesigned network. This network consists of 150 wells screened at the water table. Thirty of these are sampled per year on a 5 year cycle. The first and second cycles were completed and the third began in 2009. The New Jersey Geological and Water Survey (NJGWS) manages the network design, well installation, well maintenance, data interpretation, reporting, and a portion of the well sampling. The NJDEP Bureau of Fresh Water and Biological Monitoring and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) collect the remaining well-water samples and the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory in Denver, Colorado analyzes them. Chemical and physical parameters analyzed at each well include: field parameters such as pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, water temperature and alkalinity, major ions, trace elements (metals), gross-alpha particle activity (radionuclides), volatile organic compounds, nutrients, and pesticides.

A value of -99999 implies the constituent was detected but the concentration could not be quantified or was estimated below the reporting limit and the confidence in the concentration determination is not acceptable for standard reporting. Note: an estimated value can also be designated for other reasons. See the annual USGS Water-Data Reports NJ-(year of interest) for the estimated values and an explanation. The actual estimated value is not shown in this database. A zero (0) implies no sampling was performed for that parameter.

This update (2013) includes the GIS data from the complete second sampling cycle (2004-2008). The MS Excel™ workbook includes the data from the original network (pre-1999) and both complete sampling cycles of the updated ambient network (1999-2004 and 2004-2008).