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Pesticides in Ground Water in Selected Agricultural Land-Use Areas and Hydrogeologic Settings in Pennsylvania, 2003–07

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Pesticides in Ground Water in Selected Agricultural Land-Use Areas and Hydrogeologic Settings in Pennsylvania, 2003–07 In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Pesticides in Ground Water in Selected Agricultural Land-Use Areas and Hydrogeologic Settings in Pennsylvania, 2003–07 Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5139 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey 1. 3. 2. 4. Cover: 1. Application of pesticides in a fruit orchard by use of an air-blast sprayer, May 2008. Photograph taken by Joanne Irvin, U.S. Geological Survey. 2. Application of pesticides to a field near a home with a domestic well by use of a tractor with a spray tank and boom-type applicator, April 2008. Photograph taken by Connie Loper, U.S. Geological Survey. 3. Application of pesticides on corn by use of helicopter with boom-type applicator, July 2007. Photograph taken by John Clune, U.S. Geological Survey. 4. Pesticide application to row crops by use of a commercial or custom boom-type applicator, May 2007. Photograph by Connie Loper, U.S. Geological Survey. Pesticides in Ground Water in Selected Agricultural Land-Use Areas and Hydrogeologic Settings in Pennsylvania, 2003–07 By Connie A. Loper, Kevin J. Breen, Tammy M. Zimmerman, and John W. Clune In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5139 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2009 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Loper, C.A., Breen, K.J., Zimmerman, T.M., and Clune, J.W., 2009, Pesticides in ground water in selected agricultural land-use areas and hydrogeologic settings in Pennsylvania, 2003–07: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investiga- tions Report 2009–5139, 123 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Hydrogeologic Settings .......................................................................................................................3 Patterns of Pesticide Use ....................................................................................................................3 Changing Patterns of Land Use ..........................................................................................................6 Previous Investigations with Emphasis on the Period 1997–2002 ................................................6 Methods.........................................................................................................................................................11 Baseline-Assessment Areas.............................................................................................................11 Areas of Special Ground-Water Protection ...................................................................................11 Evaluation of Water-Quality Conditions ..........................................................................................13 Physical Characteristics ...........................................................................................................13 Chemical Sampling and Processing .......................................................................................13 Laboratory Analyses..................................................................................................................14 Quality Assurance and Quality Control ....................................................................................................20 Quality-Assurance Objectives ..........................................................................................................20 Qualifying Sample Results Based on Quality-Assurance Objectives ........................................23 Pesticides in Ground Water for the Baseline Assessment of Hydrogeologic Settings, 2003–07 ...24 Blue Ridge Crystalline and Triassic Lowland Siliciclastic ...........................................................24 Eastern Lake Surficial ........................................................................................................................24 Devonian-Silurian Carbonate ...........................................................................................................29 Great Valley Siliciclastic ....................................................................................................................32 Northeastern Glaciated Surficial .....................................................................................................35 Correlating Pesticide Occurrence with Other Indicators of Water-Quality Degradation ...............38 Trend Assessments .....................................................................................................................................40 Pesticide Concentration Changes for Selected Wells in Baseline-Assessment Areas .........40 Pesticide and Nitrate Concentration Changes for Three Hot-Spot Wells in Areas of Special Ground-Water Protection .................................................................................44 Pesticides and Pesticide-Degradation Products in Ground Water near Hot-Spot Wells ...............56 Berks County, Oley Township ............................................................................................................57 Blair County, North Woodbury Township ........................................................................................61 Lancaster County, Earl Township .....................................................................................................66 Summary and Conclusions .........................................................................................................................71 Changing Patterns of Pesticide Use Related to Land-Use Changes ..........................................72 Investigations of Pesticides in Pennsylvania Ground Water, 1997–2002 ..................................72 Quality Assurance and Quality Control ...........................................................................................72 Monitoring Data for Pesticide Occurrence, 2003–07 ....................................................................73 Patterns of Pesticide Concentration Change, 1993–2004 ............................................................74 Pesticides in Ground Waters Representing Three Areas of Special Ground-Water Protection ...............................................................................................................................74 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................76 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................76 iv Appendix 1. Methods for Estimating Pesticide Use ...........................................................................94 References Cited.................................................................................................................................95 Appendix 2. Detailed Description of Quality-Control Methods and Data Analyses ......................96 Representativeness of Sampling of Hydrogeologic Settings ......................................................96 False Positives .....................................................................................................................................96 False Negatives .................................................................................................................................103 Bias and Variability ...........................................................................................................................103 Pesticides ..................................................................................................................................106 Nitrate and Nitrite ....................................................................................................................106 Bacteria .....................................................................................................................................110 References Cited...............................................................................................................................110 Appendix 3. List of Electronic Databases Used in This Report .......................................................122 Appendix 4. Regulatory Information
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