During 2015-17, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA FS), carried out a study to characterize the hydrology and water chemistry in the Rock Creek and Cumberland River areas of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The study areas were historically mined for coal and have since been the focus of remediation efforts. The study examined the contributions of tributaries and gains/losses in both areas, and continuous water-quality and base flow estimates at Rock Creek, so the USDA FS can thoroughly evaluate the current conditions and move forward with well-informed remediation efforts.

This data release provides water-quality trends for rivers and streams in the Delaware River Basin determined using the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model and the Seasonal Kendall Trend (SKT) test. Sixteen water-quality parameters were assessed, including nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, filtered orthophosphate, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and unfiltered orthophosphate), major ions (calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and sulfate), salinity indicators (total dissolved solids and specific conductance), and sediment (total suspended solids and suspended sediment concentration). The child items include the input and output data used in the modeling and testing of water-quality trends. The attached files include the scripts used in these analyses, a readMe files for these scripts and tables summarizing information about the sites used in the analysis. These trends build off the national efforts of Oelsner and others (2017) and Murphy and others (2018), with some variations in data screening and processing. One major divergence from these previous efforts was that screened site-parameter combinations were screened for the longest period of record that passed various temporal and seasonal criteria ("maximum calibration" approach) instead of screening by pre-defined trend periods. An additional difference was that water-quality data were combined from multiple monitoring locations and collecting organizations using hierarchical clustering based on the distance between monitoring locations on the same stream reach (as determined by the National Hydrography Dataset comid). Data that were a part of these "cluster sites" were manually reviewed prior to running SKT and WRTDS. Input data for SKT includes 124 sites (including individual sites and cluster sites) and 1,208 site-parameter combinations. Input data for WRTDS, which required additional screening beyond those used for the SKT test and a paired streamflow gage, includes 62 sites and 476 site-parameter combinations. For both methods, some site-parameter combinations were not run due to the amount of censored data, or the results were rejected due to poor model fit. Trends are reported for four trend periods (1978-2018, 1998-2018, 2003-2018, and 2008-2018), as the available screened data allow, and for the entire screened period of record for each parameter at each site. This collection of trend results leverages the monitoring efforts of many collecting organizations across the Delaware River Basin and can serve to better understand changing water-quality conditions across this basin. References Cited: Murphy, J.C., Farmer, W.H., Sprague, L.A., De Cicco, L.A., and Hirsch, R.M., 2018, Water-quality trends and trend component estimates for the Nation's rivers and streams using Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) models and generalized flow normalization, 1972-2012: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7TQ5ZS3. Oelsner, G.P., Sprague, L.A., Murphy, J.C., Zuellig, R.E., Johnson, H.M., Ryberg, K.R., Falcone, J.A., Stets, E.G., Vecchia, A.V., Riskin, M.L., De Cicco, L.A., Mills, T.J., Farmer, W.H., 2017, Water-quality trends in the Nation’s rivers and streams 1972–2012—Data preparation, statistical methods, and trend results: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20175006. Shoda, M.E., Murphy, J.C., Falcone, J.A., and Duris, J.W., 2019, Multisource surface-water-quality data and U.S. Geological Survey streamgage match for the Delaware River Basin: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9PX8LZO. National Water Quality Monitoring Council, Water Quality Portal (WQP), https://www.waterqualitydata.us/. Accessed 2020-11-03.

This data release provides water-quality trends for rivers and streams in the Delaware River Basin determined using the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model and the Seasonal Kendall Trend (SKT) test. Sixteen water-quality parameters were assessed, including nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, filtered orthophosphate, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and unfiltered orthophosphate), major ions (calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and sulfate), salinity indicators (total dissolved solids and specific conductance), and sediment (total suspended solids and suspended sediment concentration). The child items include the input and output data used in the modeling and testing of water-quality trends. The attached files include the scripts used in these analyses, a readMe files for these scripts and tables summarizing information about the sites used in the analysis. These trends build off the national efforts of Oelsner and others (2017) and Murphy and others (2018), with some variations in data screening and processing. One major divergence from these previous efforts was that screened site-parameter combinations were screened for the longest period of record that passed various temporal and seasonal criteria ("maximum calibration" approach) instead of screening by pre-defined trend periods. An additional difference was that water-quality data were combined from multiple monitoring locations and collecting organizations using hierarchical clustering based on the distance between monitoring locations on the same stream reach (as determined by the National Hydrography Dataset comid). Data that were a part of these "cluster sites" were manually reviewed prior to running SKT and WRTDS. Input data for SKT includes 124 sites (including individual sites and cluster sites) and 1,208 site-parameter combinations. Input data for WRTDS, which required additional screening beyond those used for the SKT test and a paired streamflow gage, includes 62 sites and 476 site-parameter combinations. For both methods, some site-parameter combinations were not run due to the amount of censored data, or the results were rejected due to poor model fit. Trends are reported for four trend periods (1978-2018, 1998-2018, 2003-2018, and 2008-2018), as the available screened data allow, and for the entire screened period of record for each parameter at each site. This collection of trend results leverages the monitoring efforts of many collecting organizations across the Delaware River Basin and can serve to better understand changing water-quality conditions across this basin. References Cited: Murphy, J.C., Farmer, W.H., Sprague, L.A., De Cicco, L.A., and Hirsch, R.M., 2018, Water-quality trends and trend component estimates for the Nation's rivers and streams using Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) models and generalized flow normalization, 1972-2012: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7TQ5ZS3. Oelsner, G.P., Sprague, L.A., Murphy, J.C., Zuellig, R.E., Johnson, H.M., Ryberg, K.R., Falcone, J.A., Stets, E.G., Vecchia, A.V., Riskin, M.L., De Cicco, L.A., Mills, T.J., Farmer, W.H., 2017, Water-quality trends in the Nation’s rivers and streams 1972–2012—Data preparation, statistical methods, and trend results: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20175006. Shoda, M.E., Murphy, J.C., Falcone, J.A., and Duris, J.W., 2019, Multisource surface-water-quality data and U.S. Geological Survey streamgage match for the Delaware River Basin: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9PX8LZO. National Water Quality Monitoring Council, Water Quality Portal (WQP), https://www.waterqualitydata.us/. Accessed 2020-11-03.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected stream samples at 19 sites in tributaries to the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River during 2012-15 in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS) through the USGS-NPS Water-Quality Partnership to provide data on existing water-quality in small watersheds not previously characterized and where there was potential for unconventional gas development. USGS discrete data consist of water-quality and discharge values for stream samples collected monthly from November 2012 to June 2015 at one site on each of 6 tributaries under a range of hydrologic conditions and twice in 2014 (April and September) at one site on each of 13 other tributaries in New York and Pennsylvania. Two of the 6 sites sampled monthly were also sampled in September 2015. Drainage areas above sampling sites ranged from 2.19 to 67.6 square miles. Water-quality data includes USGS field measurements (water temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen) and results of USGS laboratory analysis for major ions and selected minor ions and trace elements, including constituents present in high concentrations in brines and unconventional gas well flow-back such as barium, chloride, lithium, and strontium. Other trace elements. including arsenic, cobalt, and molybdenum were analyzed in 4 to 5 samples at each of 6 sites sampled monthly and in both samples at the 13 sites sampled twice in 2014. One sample at each of 6 sites sampled monthly also was analyzed for uranium, radium-226, and gross alpha and beta radioactivity. Other data collected for the study includes selected continuous water-quality (water temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen) measured using in-situ sondes operated by the NPS for periods of 3 to 8 months during 2013-2015 at the 6 stream sites sampled monthly and one of the 13 stream sites sampled twice in 2014.

This dataset includes discrete water quality and discharge data for three streams running through wetlands. Each location has two sites: one upstream from the wetland and one downstream from the wetland. Measurements were taken in 2010 and 2011 at West Twin Creek, AK; in 2019 and 2020 at Allequash Creek, WI; and in 2013, 2014, and 2017 at the Big Thompson River, CO. The upstream and downstream data from Allequash Creek and the Big Thompson River are from established USGS sites. At Allequash Creek, the downstream site is USGS 05357206 Allequash Creek Site No. 3 Nr Boulder Junction, WI, and the upstream site is USGS 5357205 Allequash Creek Near Sayner, WI. At the Big Thompson River, the downstream site is 402114105350101 Big Thompson Bl Moraine Park Nr Estes Park, CO, and the upstream site is USGS 402123105370401 Big Thompson R Nr Fern Lake Road, RMNP, CO. All measurements were recorded over water years (October 1 - September 30). Some of these data are also available in the National Water Information System by the United States Geological Survey, but are included here for dataset completeness. The overlapping data includes discharge at the Allequash Creek downstream gage and the Big Thompson River downstream gage, and specific conductivity at the Allequash Creek downstream gage, the Big Thompson River downstream gage, and the Big Thompson River upstream gage.

This dataset includes discrete water quality and discharge data for three streams running through wetlands. Each location has two sites: one upstream from the wetland and one downstream from the wetland. Measurements were taken in 2010 and 2011 at West Twin Creek, AK; in 2019 and 2020 at Allequash Creek, WI; and in 2013, 2014, and 2017 at the Big Thompson River, CO. The upstream and downstream data from Allequash Creek and the Big Thompson River are from established USGS sites. At Allequash Creek, the downstream site is USGS 05357206 Allequash Creek Site No. 3 Nr Boulder Junction, WI, and the upstream site is USGS 5357205 Allequash Creek Near Sayner, WI. At the Big Thompson River, the downstream site is 402114105350101 Big Thompson Bl Moraine Park Nr Estes Park, CO, and the upstream site is USGS 402123105370401 Big Thompson R Nr Fern Lake Road, RMNP, CO. All measurements were recorded over water years (October 1 - September 30). Some of these data are also available in the National Water Information System by the United States Geological Survey, but are included here for dataset completeness. The overlapping data includes discharge at the Allequash Creek downstream gage and the Big Thompson River downstream gage, and specific conductivity at the Allequash Creek downstream gage, the Big Thompson River downstream gage, and the Big Thompson River upstream gage.

For about 10 years, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has monitored water quality and streamflow in three agricultural drainage ditches in an effort to evaluate the influence of best management practices on water quality. These ditches are small tributaries to oxbow lakes located in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain of northwestern Mississippi--two sites (LWSR and LWT2) drain to Lake Washington and one site (BLT1) drains to Bee Lake. Streamflow was intermittent at these sites and the ditches were dry much of the year. When streamflow was present, flows were measured on 15-minute intervals and water-quality samples were collected over the course of the flow event using an automated sampler. These datasets were aggregated by flow event and include various flow statistics (mean flow, peak flow, total flow volume, and event duration), flow-weighted mean concentration (total constituent load divided by total flow volume) and total constituent load for each flow event. The water-quality constituents include total nitrogen, organic nitrogen, ammonia, ammonia plus organic nitrogen (total Kjeldahl nitrogen), nitrate plus nitrite, total phosphorus, organic carbon, chloride and suspended sediment; USGS parameter codes 00600, 00605, 00610, 00625, 00630, 00665, 00680, 99220, and 80154. All samples were unfiltered. Data were collected from approximately 2007-2016, depending on the site.

For about 10 years, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has monitored water quality and streamflow in three agricultural drainage ditches in an effort to evaluate the influence of best management practices on water quality. These ditches are small tributaries to oxbow lakes located in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain of northwestern Mississippi--two sites (LWSR and LWT2) drain to Lake Washington and one site (BLT1) drains to Bee Lake. Streamflow was intermittent at these sites and the ditches were dry much of the year. When streamflow was present, flows were measured on 15-minute intervals and water-quality samples were collected over the course of the flow event using an automated sampler. These datasets were aggregated by flow event and include various flow statistics (mean flow, peak flow, total flow volume, and event duration), flow-weighted mean concentration (total constituent load divided by total flow volume) and total constituent load for each flow event. The water-quality constituents include total nitrogen, organic nitrogen, ammonia, ammonia plus organic nitrogen (total Kjeldahl nitrogen), nitrate plus nitrite, total phosphorus, organic carbon, chloride and suspended sediment; USGS parameter codes 00600, 00605, 00610, 00625, 00630, 00665, 00680, 99220, and 80154. All samples were unfiltered. Data were collected from approximately 2007-2016, depending on the site.