Methods to Characterize Environmental Settings of Stream and Groundwater Sampling Sites for National Water-Quality Assessment

Nakagaki, Naomi; Hitt, Karie J; Price, Curtis V; Falcone, James A

ISBN 10: 1500492337 / ISBN 13: 9781500492335

Published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014

About this Item

Print on Demand.

Seller Inventory # I-9781500492335

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Methods to Characterize Environmental Settings of Stream and Groundwater Sampling Sites for National Water-Quality Assessment
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication Date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1500492337
• ISBN 13: 9781500492335
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Characterization of natural and anthropogenic features that and groundwater, including drainage basins and groundwater study areas, is an essential component of water-quality and ecological investigations being conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment program. Quantitative characterization of environmental settings, combined with physical, chemical, and biological data collected at sampling sites, contributes to understanding conditions. To support studies for the National Water-Quality Assessment program, a geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop a standard set of methods to consistently characterize the sites, drainage basins, and groundwater study areas across the nation. This report describes three methods used for characterization—simple overlay, area-weighted areal interpolation, and land-cover-weighted areal interpolation— and their appropriate applications to geographic analyses that have different objectives and data constraints. In addition, this document records the GIS thematic datasets that are used for the Program’s national design and data analyses.