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<br />Study-U nit Investigations
<br />
<br />The major activities of the NAWQAProgram are
<br />organized to take place within a set of hydrologic
<br />systems referred to as study units. Sixty study units
<br />(fig. 1, table 1), in which both ground- and surface-
<br />water quality will be studied, have been identified.
<br />Collectively, the study units encompass about 45 per-
<br />cent of the land area of the conterminous United
<br />States, an area in which withdrawals account for 60 to
<br />70 percent of the Nation's water use as measured by
<br />total withdrawal and population served by public
<br />water supply. The water resource to be emphasized in
<br />each study-unit investigation will depend on water use
<br />in the study unit and the nature and importance of the
<br />ground- or surface-water-quality concerns. Coordi-
<br />nating activities among the USGS and representatives
<br />of Federal, State, and local interests will aid in identi-
<br />fication of water-quality concerns. In FY 1991, plan-
<br />ning and some limited water-quality sampling will
<br />begin in 20 study units. Selection of these 20 units will
<br />be based on the following criteria: (1) coverage of
<br />major hydrologic regions, (2) coverage of agricultural
<br />areas in keeping with the President's Water-Quality
<br />Initiative, (3) consideration of water-quality concerns
<br />and programs of other Federal and State agencies,
<br />and (4) water-quality concerns of the USGS.
<br />
<br />Investigation Phases
<br />
<br />The assessment activities in each of the study units
<br />will include 4 to 5 years of continuous and intensive
<br />data collection and analysis, immediately followed by
<br />5 years of less intensive assessment activities (chiefly
<br />intermittent monitoring of water quality). The study-
<br />unit investigations will be conducted so that one-third
<br />will be in intensive assessment activities at a given
<br />time. In 12 years (FY 1991-2002), an intensive activity
<br />period will have been completed for all 60 study units.
<br />The schedule of investigations by principal activity for
<br />the NAWQA Program for FY 1991-2000 is shown in
<br />figure 2. During the less-intensive low-level activity
<br />period of each study-unit investigation, a project chief
<br />and one or two support project members will be
<br />needed to continue assessment activities. During the
<br />intensive period, as many as 10 project members hav-
<br />ing expertise in a wide range of scientific disciplines,
<br />including ground- and surface-water hydrology, water
<br />quality, geochemistry, ecology, geomorphology, and
<br />statistics will be involved in a study-unit investigation.
<br />
<br />Scope of Activities
<br />
<br />Major activities to be performed as part of the
<br />study-unit investigations include the compilation of
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<br />available water-qually information, sampling and
<br />analysis of water quality for a wide array of physical,
<br />chemical, and bio~gical properties, and the
<br />interpretation and reiJorting of results. Although the
<br />NAWQA Program is 1- esigned as an operational pro-
<br />gram, the approaches 0 be used will be "state-of-the-
<br />science" techniques a d methodologies. Throughout
<br />the program, improvtd methods will be developed
<br />and adapted to meetlthe objectives of the program.
<br />Priority will be giten to the development of
<br />(1) improved analyti<(l.l methods for quantifying t~e
<br />concentrations of traJ:e elements and trace-organic
<br />compounds in water, tediment, and tissue; (2) biolog-
<br />ical assessment techniques; (3) methods for evaluat-
<br />ing ground- and St' face-water quality; and (4)
<br />statistical and determ nistic techniques of data a~aly-
<br />ses and interpretati n on a regional and natIOnal
<br />scale. I
<br />
<br />Water-quality dat~ available from water-resource
<br />agencies at all governjnentallevels will be assembled,
<br />screened, and eValUatd to the extent possible. These
<br />data will be stored i the computerized USGS data
<br />base for the study- nit investigations. Additional
<br />water-quality data coVected specifically f~r the .study
<br />units including quality-assurance ~nd anCillary .mfor-
<br />mation, such as loca~ land use, Will be stored m the
<br />computerized data blfes and made readily accessible.
<br />The intent of this effqrt is to ensure that the data can
<br />be used effectively afd efficiently for .the study-un!t
<br />investigations and fOlhegional and national syntheSIS
<br />of study-unit investigfions results by USGS and other
<br />Fe.deral, State and loral agencies, academia, and the
<br />private sector.
<br />
<br />Stucf,.-unlt Reports
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<br />Results of each 1- tudy- unit investigation will be
<br />presented in several, reports during each period of
<br />intensive activ~ty. Eprly in each investi~ation, t~e
<br />project team Will prepare a work plan. ThiS plan Will
<br />present refined bounp~ries of the study uni!, d.escri?e
<br />the hydrogeologic st#tmg of the study umt, Identify
<br />major water-qUality~- ncerns, define specific objec-
<br />tives of the assessme .t, and describe approaches that
<br />will be used. Briefi materials on planned water-
<br />quality assessments 'fill be prepared and released to
<br />the public to aid in !coordinating and ensuring that
<br />local interests are a4<1ressed by the p~o~am~ and to
<br />keep the public in~ rmed about activIties m each
<br />study-unit investig tion. Informal reporting on
<br />activities through p rticipation in public meetings
<br />addressing local w' er-quality concerns will be an
<br />important compone of the study-unit investigations.
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