Summary of Data on Chemical Quality of Streams of North Carolina, 1943-67 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1895-B Prepared in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Heater and Air Resources Summary of Data on Chemical Quality of Streams of North Carolina, 1943-67 By HUGH B. WILDER and LARRY J. SLACK QUALITY OF SURFACE WATERS OF NORTH CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 189S-B Prepared in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Water and Air Resources u. «. te. s. WATER RESOURCES DIVISION ROLL A. MO. RECEIVED APR 14 1971 AM UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1971 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WALTER J. HICKEL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY William T. Pecora, Director Library of Congress catalog card No. 70-609121 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Abstract .............................................................................................................. Bl Introduction .................................................................... ... ... ... 1 Methods of investigation ............................................................. ........ 4 Reporting units .......................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgments ..._......................................................................... ....... 6 Significance and occurrence of each constituent ........................................ 6 Silica (SiO.) ................................................................................................ 6 Iron (Fe) .................................................................................................... 6 Calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) .................................................... 6 Sodium (Na) .............................................................................................. 7 Potassium (K) .......................................................................................... 7 Bicarbonate (HCO8) ................................................................................ 7 Sulfate (SO*) .............................................................................................. 8 Chloride (Cl) .............................................................................................. 8 Flubrjde (F) .............................................................................................. 8 Nitrate (NO.) ............................................................................................ 8 Phosphate (PO*) ........................................................................................ 8 Dissolved solids .......................................................................................... 9 Specific conductance (micromhos) ........................................................ 9 Hardness ...................................................................................................... 9 pH .................................................................................................................. 10 Color .............................................................................................................. 10 Explanation of tabular data .......................................................................... 11 Table 2 ........................................................................................................ 11 Table 3 ........................................................................................................ 12 Table 4 ........................................................................................................ 13 Table 5 ........................................................................................................ 13 Table 6 ........................................................................................................ 14 ILLUSTRATIONS PLATE 1. Map showing location of stations in North Carolina at which more than one sample was collected for chemical analyses .............................................................................. In pocket 2. Map showing location of sites in North Carolina at which only one sample was collected for chemical analysis .............................................................................. In pocket TABLES Page TABLE 1. Historical summary of cooperative quality-of-water in­ vestigations made by the U.S. Geological Survey in North Carolina ........................................................................ B3 2. Description of stations at which more than one sample was collected for chemical analyses .................................... 16 3. Summary of chemical analyses at daily and monthly sampling stations .................................................................. 102 in IV CONTENTS Page TABLE 4. Summary of chemical analyses of water from miscellane­ ous and occasional sampling stations at which two or more samples were collected ................................................ B120 5. Description of sites at which only one sample was col­ lected for chemical analysis ................................................ 154 6. Chemical analyses of water from sites at which only one sample was collected ............................................................ 216 QUALITY OF SURFACE WATERS OF NORTH CAROLINA SUMMARY OF DATA ON CHEMICAL QUALITY OF STREAMS IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1943-67 By HUGH B. WILDER and LARRY J. SLACK ABSTRACT This report summarizes water-quality data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the State of North Carolina during the period 1943-67. Maximum, minimum, and average values are shown for complete analyses of mineral con­ stituents dissolved in water from 177 locations at which samples were collected daily or monthly for at least 1 consecutive year. Maximum and minimum values are given for 460 "miscellaneous and occasional stations" at which two or more chemical analyses were made. Single analyses are shown for 580 additional sampling sites. A total of about 19,000 analyses were used in determining statistical values included in the report. Water in streams of North Carolina is generally of good mineral quality and is acceptable with a minimum amount of treatment for most uses. INTRODUCTION Knowledge of the chemical and physical character of the waters of North Carolina is important for intelligent industrial and mu­ nicipal planning and development. North Carolina's surface waters are generally of good mineral quality, and are acceptable, with a minimum of treatment, for public water supply, industry, irriga­ tion, fish and wildlife, and recreational activities. The collection and publication of basic data on the chemical and physical quality of North Carolina surface waters was started as a joint effort in 1943 by the U.S. Geological Survey and the State of North Carolina. This program was continued through September 1967, at which time it was superseded by a more Bl B2 QUALITY OF SURFACE WATERS OF NORTH CAROLINA specialized program designed to obtain supporting data for the State's pollution monitoring activities. Reports containing the basic data collected under this program have been published an­ nually to meet the current needs of users of water-quality data. Table 1 gives information on these annual reports, including the State department and division cooperating in the program, bulletin number, volume number, and title of the reports. Other information concerning the chemical quality of waters in North Carolina may be found in the following publications: Chemical and Physical Character of Municipal Water Supplies in North Carolina, Bull. 2. (Available from Director, N.C. Department of Water and Air Resources, P.O. Box 9392, Raleigh, N.C. 27603.) Gambell, A. W., and Fisher, D. W., Chemical Composition of Rainfall, Eastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia; U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1535-K. (For sale by Superintendent of Docu­ ments, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Price 65 cents.) Fisher, D. W., Annual Variations in Chemical Composition of Atmos­ pheric Precipitation, Eastern North Carolina and Southeastern Vir­ ginia; U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1535-M. (For sale by Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Wash­ ington, D.C. 20402. Price 15 cents.) Data on the chemical quality of ground-water are contained in a series of reports on areal ground-water investigations. These are available from the Director, N.C. Department of Water and Air Resources, P.O. Box 9392, Raleigh, N.C. 27603. SUMMARY OF DATA ON CHEMICAL QUALITY OP STREAMS B3 TABLE 1. Historical summary of cooperative quality-of-water investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey in North Carolina Code Cooperating agencies: A. North Carolina Department of Conservation and De­ velopment; Division of Water Resources and En­ gineering B. North Carolina Department of Conservation and De­ Publications velopment; Division of Water Water Resources, Inlets year agency Title Volume and Coastal Waterways 1944............ A E 1944 C. North Carolina Department 1945............ A E 1 of Water Resources; Di­ 1946............ A E 2 vision of Stream Sanita­ 1947............ A E 3 tion and Hydrology 1948............ A E 4 D. North Carolina Department 1949............ A E 5 of Water and Air 1950............ A E 6 Resources, Division of 1951............ A E 7 Stream Sanitation and 1952............ B E 8 Hydrology 1953............ B F 9 Publication titles