Groundwater age distributions and susceptibility to natural and anthropogenic contaminants were assessed for selected wells, streambed piezometers, and springs in southeastern Minnesota. The data provide information to understand how long it will take to observe groundwater quality improvements from best management practices implemented at land surface to reduce losses of nitrate (and other chemicals) from agricultural practices. Nineteen water samples were collected from ten wells, three streambed piezometers, and four springs between August 2020 and September 2022. Two of these samples are field replicate samples collected from a spring site and a well site. A child item contains historical data from 15 water samples from 10 wells between July 1996 to May 1997. Groundwater ages were estimated from dissolved gas (neon, argon, krypton, and xenon) and environmental tracer data (tritium, sulfur hexafluoride, chlorofluorocarbons, and tritiogenic helium-3) from field samples using the equations available in TracerLPM (an Excel® workbook for interpreting groundwater age distributions from environmental tracer data) and DGMETA (an Excel® workbook for dissolved gas modeling and environmental tracer analysis); groundwater age estimates are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt. DGMETA was used to compute the optimal water temperature, excess air, entrapped air, fractionation of gases, and excess nitrogen gas (mainly from denitrification) for the measured dissolved gases in a sample; condensed results are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt and these results are reported in detail in Table_2_Dissolved_Gases.txt. These values were then used to convert the raw measured concentrations of environmental tracers into a form appropriate for age dating analysis; these results are reported in Table_3_Computed_Tracer_Concentrations.txt. Calculated concentrations of environmental tracers that were used in groundwater age calculations are the dry air mixing ratio of sulfur hexafluoride or chlorofluorocarbons, and tritiogenic helium-3, which is the concentration of helium-3 from the decay of tritium. Table_4_Site_And_Background_Information.txt reports additional site information and field parameters. In addition to these four tables, two ancillary tables are included to provide more detailed information about the fields and the abbreviations used in tables 1-4. A readme file is provided that describes each table in more detail and processes to use the data in this data release to view age distributions in TracerLPM and to set up TracerLPM to run scenarios for other chemicals of interest.

Groundwater age distributions and susceptibility to natural and anthropogenic contaminants were assessed for selected wells, streambed piezometers, and springs in southeastern Minnesota. The data provide information to understand how long it will take to observe groundwater quality improvements from best management practices implemented at land surface to reduce losses of nitrate (and other chemicals) from agricultural practices. Twenty-five water samples were collected from fifteen wells, three streambed piezometers, and four springs between August 2020 and October 2024. Three of these samples are field replicate samples collected from a spring site and two well sites. A child item contains historical data from 15 water samples from 10 wells between July 1996 to May 1997. Groundwater ages were estimated from dissolved gas (neon, argon, krypton, and xenon) and environmental tracer data (tritium, sulfur hexafluoride, chlorofluorocarbons, and tritiogenic helium-3) from field samples using the equations available in TracerLPM (an Excel® workbook for interpreting groundwater age distributions from environmental tracer data) and DGMETA (an Excel® workbook for dissolved gas modeling and environmental tracer analysis); groundwater age estimates are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt. DGMETA was used to compute the optimal water temperature, excess air, entrapped air, fractionation of gases, and excess nitrogen gas (mainly from denitrification) for the measured dissolved gases in a sample; condensed results are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt and these results are reported in detail in Table_2_Dissolved_Gases.txt. These values were then used to convert the raw measured concentrations of environmental tracers into a form appropriate for age dating analysis; these results are reported in Table_3_Computed_Tracer_Concentrations.txt. Calculated concentrations of environmental tracers that were used in groundwater age calculations are the dry air mixing ratio of sulfur hexafluoride or chlorofluorocarbons, and tritiogenic helium-3, which is the concentration of helium-3 from the decay of tritium. Table_4_Site_And_Background_Information.txt reports additional site information and field parameters. In addition to these four tables, two ancillary tables are included to provide more detailed information about the fields and the abbreviations used in tables 1-4. A readme file is provided that describes each table in more detail and processes to use the data in this data release to view age distributions in TracerLPM and to set up TracerLPM to run scenarios for other chemicals of interest.

Groundwater age distributions and susceptibility to natural and anthropogenic contaminants were assessed for selected wells across Minnesota. The data provide information to understand how long it will take to observe groundwater quality improvements from best management practices implemented at land surface to reduce losses of nitrate (and other chemicals) from agricultural practices. A total of 13 age estimates were done on samples collected from 8 wells between July 1996 and May 1997. Groundwater ages were estimated from dissolved gas (argon and nitrogen) and environmental tracer data (tritium, chlorofluorocarbons, and tritiogenic helium-3) from field samples using the equations available in TracerLPM (an Excel® workbook for interpreting groundwater age distributions from environmental tracer data) and DGMETA (an Excel® workbook for dissolved gas modeling and environmental tracer analysis); groundwater age estimates are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt. DGMETA was used to compute optimal water temperature and excess air that explain the measured dissolved gases (argon and nitrogen) in a sample; condensed results are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt and these results are reported in detail in Table_2_Dissolved_Gases.txt. These values were then used to convert the raw measured concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons into a form appropriate for age dating analysis, the dry air mixing ratio of chlorofluorocarbons; these results are reported in Table_3_Computed_Tracer_Concentrations.txt. Table_4_Additional_Helium.txt reports calculated concentrations of tritiogenic helium that were used in groundwater age calculations and the measured concentrations used in those calculations. Table_5_Site_And_Background_Information.txt reports additional site information and field parameters. In addition to these five tables, two ancillary tables are included to provide more detailed information about the fields and the abbreviations used in tables 1-5. A readme file is provided that describes each table in more detail and processes to use the data in this data release to view age distributions in TracerLPM and to set up TracerLPM to run scenarios for other chemicals of interest.

Groundwater age distributions and susceptibility to natural and anthropogenic contaminants were assessed for selected wells across Minnesota. The data provide information to understand how long it will take to observe groundwater quality improvements from best management practices implemented at land surface to reduce losses of nitrate (and other chemicals) from agricultural practices. A total of 13 age estimates were done on samples collected from 8 wells between July 1996 and May 1997. Groundwater ages were estimated from dissolved gas (argon and nitrogen) and environmental tracer data (tritium, chlorofluorocarbons, and tritiogenic helium-3) from field samples using the equations available in TracerLPM (an Excel® workbook for interpreting groundwater age distributions from environmental tracer data) and DGMETA (an Excel® workbook for dissolved gas modeling and environmental tracer analysis); groundwater age estimates are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt. DGMETA was used to compute optimal water temperature and excess air that explain the measured dissolved gases (argon and nitrogen) in a sample; condensed results are reported in Table_1_Age_Information.txt and these results are reported in detail in Table_2_Dissolved_Gases.txt. These values were then used to convert the raw measured concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons into a form appropriate for age dating analysis, the dry air mixing ratio of chlorofluorocarbons; these results are reported in Table_3_Computed_Tracer_Concentrations.txt. Table_4_Additional_Helium.txt reports calculated concentrations of tritiogenic helium that were used in groundwater age calculations and the measured concentrations used in those calculations. Table_5_Site_And_Background_Information.txt reports additional site information and field parameters. In addition to these five tables, two ancillary tables are included to provide more detailed information about the fields and the abbreviations used in tables 1-5. A readme file is provided that describes each table in more detail and processes to use the data in this data release to view age distributions in TracerLPM and to set up TracerLPM to run scenarios for other chemicals of interest.

This data release documents nine Microsoft Excel tables that contain data for understanding groundwater ages in the Glacial aquifer system. Results for the four sample networks (PAS, principal aquifer study; MSS, modeling support study; FPS, flow path study) are described by three tables each: dissolved gas modeling results, environmental tracer concentrations (tritium, tritiogenic helium-3, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon-14, and radiogenic helium-4), and results for the mean age and age distribution. Tables are labeled by network and data type (as described below) separated by an underscore (_). For example, dissolved gas modeling results from the PAS network is label ‘PAS_NGmodel’. Dissolved gas modeling results (NGmodel) contains detailed information on the calibration of dissolved gas models to dissolved gas concentrations (neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and nitrogen). Calibration was done using methods described by Aeschbach-Hertig and others (1999) with modifications to include nitrogen gas (Weiss 1970). In most cases, a single set of noble gas data (neon, argon, krypton, and xenon) were used to determine recharge conditions (recharge temperature, excess air or entrapped air, fractionation). In cases where noble gas data were not available, multiple analyses of nitrogen and argon (collected sequentially on the same sample date) were used to determine recharge conditions. Environmental tracer results (Tracers) contain detailed information on calculations of environmental tracer data. Dissolved gas models were paired with sulfur hexafluoride and helium isotopes (3He/4He) and helium to determine concentrations of tritiogenic helium-3 (from decay of tritium; Solomon and Cook, 2000) and radiogenic helium-4 (from decay of uranium and thorium in aquifer materials; Solomon, 2000). Multiple tracer concentrations were computed when sites had multiple dissolved gas model results and analyses for sulfur hexafluoride or helium isotopes. Mean age and age distribution results (LPMModOut) contain final models of groundwater age by calibration of lumped parameter models to tracer concentrations (Jurgens and others, 2012). One additional table describes LPM results from a previous sampling of the FPS network in 2004. Tracer concentrations from 2004 FPS sampling are described in previous publication (Tesoriero et al., 2007; Saad, 2008). Dissolved gas modeling and environmental tracer results were averaged when multiple dissolved gas models and tracer concentrations were computed. In cases where age was modeled with a binary lumped parameter model (BMM), the mean age was computed from the mean age and fraction of the two components in the mixture. Please see the processing steps below and the main manuscript for additional details on the results presented in this table.

This data release documents nine Microsoft Excel tables that contain data for understanding groundwater ages in the Glacial aquifer system. Results for the four sample networks (PAS, principal aquifer study; MSS, modeling support study; FPS, flow path study) are described by three tables each: dissolved gas modeling results, environmental tracer concentrations (tritium, tritiogenic helium-3, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon-14, and radiogenic helium-4), and results for the mean age and age distribution. Tables are labeled by network and data type (as described below) separated by an underscore (_). For example, dissolved gas modeling results from the PAS network is label ‘PAS_NGmodel’. Dissolved gas modeling results (NGmodel) contains detailed information on the calibration of dissolved gas models to dissolved gas concentrations (neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and nitrogen). Calibration was done using methods described by Aeschbach-Hertig and others (1999) with modifications to include nitrogen gas (Weiss 1970). In most cases, a single set of noble gas data (neon, argon, krypton, and xenon) were used to determine recharge conditions (recharge temperature, excess air or entrapped air, fractionation). In cases where noble gas data were not available, multiple analyses of nitrogen and argon (collected sequentially on the same sample date) were used to determine recharge conditions. Environmental tracer results (Tracers) contain detailed information on calculations of environmental tracer data. Dissolved gas models were paired with sulfur hexafluoride and helium isotopes (3He/4He) and helium to determine concentrations of tritiogenic helium-3 (from decay of tritium; Solomon and Cook, 2000) and radiogenic helium-4 (from decay of uranium and thorium in aquifer materials; Solomon, 2000). Multiple tracer concentrations were computed when sites had multiple dissolved gas model results and analyses for sulfur hexafluoride or helium isotopes. Mean age and age distribution results (LPMModOut) contain final models of groundwater age by calibration of lumped parameter models to tracer concentrations (Jurgens and others, 2012). One additional table describes LPM results from a previous sampling of the FPS network in 2004. Tracer concentrations from 2004 FPS sampling are described in previous publication (Tesoriero et al., 2007; Saad, 2008). Dissolved gas modeling and environmental tracer results were averaged when multiple dissolved gas models and tracer concentrations were computed. In cases where age was modeled with a binary lumped parameter model (BMM), the mean age was computed from the mean age and fraction of the two components in the mixture. Please see the processing steps below and the main manuscript for additional details on the results presented in this table.

This dataset provides groundwater age estimates for 203 wells used as public- and domestic-supply in two selected areas of California. Groundwater ages were estimated by calibration of environmental tracers (tritium, tritiogenic helium-3, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon-14 and radiogenic helium-4) to lumped parameter models (LPMs). Calibrated lumped parameter models provide the optimal mean age and mixing parameter(s) used to compute the distribution of ages that explain the measured tracer concentrations in a sample. Groundwater samples were collected between March 2006 and October 2022 as part of four studies done for the California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Priority Basin Project (GAMA-PBP): (1) Central Eastside San Joaquin Basin public-supply, (2) South Coast Interior Basins - Gilroy public-supply, (3) Modesto, Turlock, and Merced subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley groundwater basin domestic-supply, and (4) Gilroy-Hollister groundwater basin and adjacent areas outside of the basin domestic-supply. Table 1 reports the primary results of this assessment including mean groundwater age, linear recharge rate, groundwater age classification based on tritium, condensed results from dissolved gas modeling, and calculated environmental tracer concentrations. Tables 2, 3, and 4 provide results in support of Table 1. Table 2 reports detailed results for the calibration of dissolved gas models to neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and nitrogen. Calibrated dissolved gas models provide the optimal water temperature, excess air, entrapped air, fractionation of gases, and excess nitrogen gas (mainly from denitrification) that explain the measured dissolved gases in a sample. Table 3 reports measured concentrations and the detailed calculations of environmental tracer concentrations derived from the dissolved gas modeling results in Table 2. Calculated concentrations of environmental tracers that can be used in groundwater age calculations are the dry air mixing ratio of sulfur hexafluoride, tritiogenic helium-3, which is the concentration of helium-3 from the decay of tritium, and radiogenic helium-4. Table 4 reports information used to calculate carbon-14 dilution for use in groundwater age calculations. In addition to these five tables, two ancillary tables (Table 5 and Table 6) are included to provide more detailed information about the fields and the abbreviations used in Tables 1-4.

This dataset provides groundwater age estimates for 203 wells used as public- and domestic-supply in two selected areas of California. Groundwater ages were estimated by calibration of environmental tracers (tritium, tritiogenic helium-3, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon-14 and radiogenic helium-4) to lumped parameter models (LPMs). Calibrated lumped parameter models provide the optimal mean age and mixing parameter(s) used to compute the distribution of ages that explain the measured tracer concentrations in a sample. Groundwater samples were collected between March 2006 and October 2022 as part of four studies done for the California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Priority Basin Project (GAMA-PBP): (1) Central Eastside San Joaquin Basin public-supply, (2) South Coast Interior Basins - Gilroy public-supply, (3) Modesto, Turlock, and Merced subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley groundwater basin domestic-supply, and (4) Gilroy-Hollister groundwater basin and adjacent areas outside of the basin domestic-supply. Table 1 reports the primary results of this assessment including mean groundwater age, linear recharge rate, groundwater age classification based on tritium, condensed results from dissolved gas modeling, and calculated environmental tracer concentrations. Tables 2, 3, and 4 provide results in support of Table 1. Table 2 reports detailed results for the calibration of dissolved gas models to neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and nitrogen. Calibrated dissolved gas models provide the optimal water temperature, excess air, entrapped air, fractionation of gases, and excess nitrogen gas (mainly from denitrification) that explain the measured dissolved gases in a sample. Table 3 reports measured concentrations and the detailed calculations of environmental tracer concentrations derived from the dissolved gas modeling results in Table 2. Calculated concentrations of environmental tracers that can be used in groundwater age calculations are the dry air mixing ratio of sulfur hexafluoride, tritiogenic helium-3, which is the concentration of helium-3 from the decay of tritium, and radiogenic helium-4. Table 4 reports information used to calculate carbon-14 dilution for use in groundwater age calculations. In addition to these five tables, two ancillary tables (Table 5 and Table 6) are included to provide more detailed information about the fields and the abbreviations used in Tables 1-4.

This data release describes one (1) Microsoft Excel table of lumped parameter models of groundwater age for groundwater discharging to the South Loup River, Nebraska. The table (LPMAgeResults) includes final models of groundwater age and metrics by calibration of lumped parameter models to tracer concentrations using TracerLPM software (Jurgens and others, 2012). Interpreted results presented here were used to guide hydrologic interpretations of groundwater sources and flow paths of groundwater discharging to the South Loup River, NE.

This data release describes one (1) Microsoft Excel table of lumped parameter models of groundwater age for groundwater discharging to the South Loup River, Nebraska. The table (LPMAgeResults) includes final models of groundwater age and metrics by calibration of lumped parameter models to tracer concentrations using TracerLPM software (Jurgens and others, 2012). Interpreted results presented here were used to guide hydrologic interpretations of groundwater sources and flow paths of groundwater discharging to the South Loup River, NE.