A review of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Pilot Program

The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is to provide information that will assist resource managers and policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels in making sound decisions. This information is generated through assessments of the quantity and quality of the nation's natural resources, including minerals, energy resources, and water. In the case of our water resources, the USGS has collected and interpreted data on water quality for more than 100 years. Initial water quality investigations were directed toward the suitability of water for domestic consumption, irrigation, and industrial use. Since these early investigations, the USGS has performed studies directed at a wide array of water quality issues. These studies have ranged from hydrological investigations to interdisciplinary biogeochemical studies. Issues that have been addressed by the USGS include nutrient enrichment of water bodies, dissolved oxygen depletion in rivers, contamination of streambed sediments, acid rain, and contamination of aquifers and rivers by potentially toxic, anthropogenic organic compounds.