USGS New England Water Science Center

06/23/2026

06/17/2026

Dirt detectives 🔎

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), manmade contaminants associated with public health concerns, have been found in shallow soils throughout northern New England, according to a new USGS study.

Looking to define where and how much PFAS may be present, researchers used advanced modeling techniques to predict background PFAS concentrations across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Key findings:

🔑 Widespread Contamination: Approximately 73% of soils in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are predicted to exceed New Hampshire’s soil remediation standards for PFAS.

🔑 Groundwater Risk Factor: Where there was less PFAS in the soil, there was a higher chance there could be PFAS in the groundwater. This is because soils with high pH tend to not "hold on" to the PFAS, allowing it to filter down to the aquifer.

As the first regional model to predict PFAS background levels in soils, this tool enables decision-makers to establish a baseline of PFAS presence not originating from a known source. This information can be used to evaluate future sampling results and identify areas where groundwater monitoring may be needed.

Learn more about the study: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/new-england-water-science-center/news/usgs-predicts-pfas-shallow-soils-throughout-northern

📷 1 & 2: USGS staff take a soil sample from a collection site in New Hampshire. The shallow soils were collected as part of a statewide monitoring effort to identify the prevalence of "background" PFAS in the environment

06/17/2026

For the third week of World Rivers Month, the USGS New England Water Science Center is focusing on the Battenkill River in Vermont (also known as the Batten Kill)!

🔵 The Battenkill River runs southwest nearly 60 miles from the Green Mountains in East Dorset, Vermont, to the Hudson River in New York.

🔵 This river is well known for its trout fishing and attracts fly fishermen from across the area!

🔵 The Battenkill River is fed by springs, making its waters clear, cold, and rich in dissolved oxygen.

📸: A wintry view of the Battenkill River in Arlington, Vermont. Credit: Public Domain

06/15/2026

The USGS New England Water Science Center conducts advanced research — combining cutting edge methods with traditional hydrology to answer multifaceted water science questions and challenges. 🧑‍🔬📈

Through our advanced research at the center, we deliver objective, credible science and useful web tools to the public. This work expands our understanding of water science and supports water management.

Some of our current advanced research projects include:
🔵 estimating nutrient loads to Long Island Sound using SPARROW models
🔵 evaluating the effects porous pavement has on highway runoff
🔵 predicting future water conditions using climate hydrology models

Learn more about our advanced research here: https://ow.ly/bgWq50Z6LfN

📸: A highway monitoring station in Vernon, Connecticut, used to collect discharge and precipitation data. Credit: USGS

06/11/2026

After high concentrations of per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) were found in the groundwater in areas where people source their drinking water from wells, USGS and U.S. EPA New England Region looked at groundwater movement around the Coakley Landfill Superfund Site in southeastern New Hampshire.

USGS developed a groundwater flow model that simulates how groundwater travels within the region's complex geology to figure out why PFAS concentrations were high in some places and low in others.

Learn more about this study here: https://ow.ly/A0qK50Z4o9x

📸: A view of the north-facing slope of the Coakley Landfill in New Hampshire. Credit: USGS/Phil Harte

06/10/2026

Continuing to recognize World Rivers Month, the USGS New England Water Science Center will be highlighting another river this week -- the Merrimack River! 🛶

🔵 The Merrimack River starts where the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee Rivers meet in Franklin, New Hampshire, and runs about 177 miles to where it empties into the Gulf of Maine at Newburyport, Massachusetts.

🔵 The river passes through some major cities in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts and is the primary drinking water source for approximately 550,000 people across both states.

🔵 The upper segment of the Merrimack River north of Concord, New Hampshire, is surrounded by undeveloped land and protected under New Hampshire's Rivers Management and Protection Program.

📸: A USGS water quality monitoring buoy located near the mouth of the Merrimack River. Credit: USGS

06/08/2026

Today is World Oceans Day! 🌊

A quick peek at the water cycle will show you that oceans are a vital part of our hydrologic system!

When ocean water evaporates into the atmosphere to form clouds, it falls back to the ocean or land as precipitation and then enters rivers and streams either directly or by flowing across the Earth's surface into the waterways that flow back into the ocean! 🌧️ Some of the precipitation also soaks into the soil to become groundwater and -- while it takes a much, much slower journey -- groundwater that flows downhill towards the coast will eventually reach the ocean as well!🐢

📸: A view of the ocean from the cliffs next to the Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown, Rhode Island. Credit: USGS/Katrina Rossos

06/05/2026

Acadia National Park has received a once over by the USGS -- when it comes to their culverts and bridges anyway!

The USGS and the National Park Service used new lidar data and modeling to pinpoint the stream crossings around Mount Desert Island that are more likely to face erosion or flood damage under future climate conditions (which are forecasted to be wetter). An online dashboard was also created to help inform the park where restorations or repairs are needed in order to protect natural areas or park infrastructure. 🌿💧

Learn more about it here: https://ow.ly/VVEP50Z4oEm

📸1: An image of a small culvert under a trail road at Acadia National Park. Credit: USGS/Meghan McCallister