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USGS staff collecting water.quality samples on the Tar River near Tar River (site 7) was sampled the day following the peak when the flow was about 50 percent of the peak discharge. Peak or near peak discharges were sampled on the Neuse River at Clayton (site 22), Smithfield (site 23), and Fort Barnwell (site 32). The Neuse River at Goldsboro (site 27) and Kinston (site 28) were sampled within 3 days in advance of the peak at 63 and 75 percent of the peak discharge, respec- tively. Two tributaries, Crabtree Creek (site 21) and Contentnea Creek at Hook- erton (site 31), were sam- pled at about 75 percent of the peak flow and after the peak discharge had occurred, In the Cape Fear and Lumber River Basins, samples were collected within 3 days after the peak discharge. The Cape Fear River at Lock I (site 40) was sampled at 72 percent of the peak, the Northeast Cape Fear River (site 43) at 60 per- cent, and the Lumber River at Boardman (site 45) at 92 percent. Samples were analyzed for nutri- ents, trace metals, dissolved and suspended organic carbon, sus- pended sediment, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Clostridium perji-il1gel1s (C. petji-il1gel1s) bacteria (table 6). In addition, 28 samples were analyzed for 47 pesticide com- pounds and 4 samples were analyzed for 7 volatile organic compounds related to fuels. Dissolved oxygen concentrations, pH, specific conduc- tance, and water temperature were measured at all sites. Analyses reported for nitrate plus nitrite are given herein as nitrate concentrations because nitrite concentrations were less than reporting levels. All nitrogen species are reported in milligrams per liter as nitrogen (N). Results are compared to other water- quality samples collected by the USGS since 1990 at the Tar River at Tarboro; the Neuse River near Clayton, at Smithfield, near Goldsboro, at Kinston, and near Fort Barnwell; Contentnea Creek at Hookerton; and the Cape Fear River at Lock 1, including samples collected at most of these sites during flooding from Hurricane Fran in 1996. Dissolved Oxygen, pH, and Specific Conductance Dissolved oxygen concentra- tions less than the established mini- mum standard concentration of 4 milligrams per liter (mg/L) by the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources (1997) were measured in the Tar River at Tarboro and Green- ville; the Neuse River at Kinston and near Goldsboro; Contentnea Creek; the Northeast Cape Fear River; and the Lumber River. Concentrations measured by the USGS during the Hurricane Floyd flooding ranged from 0.99 mg/L on the Tar River at Tarboro (site 14) to 8.7 mg/L on the Tar River at Rocky Mount (site 10), both of which occurred on Sep- tember 23, or I week after the peak discharge at the sites. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were between 2 and 3 mg/L in the N euse River 5 days after the peak streamflow. In the Northeast Cape Fear River, dissolved oxygen concentrations were at or below 3.5 mglL 12 days after the peak streamflow. Staff from the North Carolina Division of Water Quality measured '" " '" ~ Water-quality samples are processed on.site in specially equipped vehicles Two Months of Flooding in Eastem North Carolina, September-October 1999 dissolved oxygen concentrations at many sites throughout eastern North Carolina on September 27-28 after the flooding (North Carolina Division of Water Quality, 1999).