Learn about groundwater-testing program in the Cascades and Modoc Plateau
For Immediate Release
July 6, 2010
The State Water Resources Control Board and the U.S. Geological Survey will present information Thursday, July 15th, on a large-scale study of groundwater quality they are launching in northeastern California. The study area will cover Modoc County and parts of Siskiyou, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, Plumas, and Butte counties, and will include the cities of Alturas, Susanville, Tulelake, Burney, Weed, Dorris, and Mount Shasta, among others.
The meeting, conducted by the Water Board and the USGS, is set from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, July 15th, at the Mount Shasta Community Center, 629 Alder Street, Mount Shasta, CA.
Maps, an agenda and other information are available at the State Water Board’s Web site.
The Water Board is collaborating with the USGS and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL) to conduct the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The main goals of GAMA are to improve comprehensive statewide groundwater monitoring and to increase the availability of information about groundwater quality to the public.
The USGS California Water Science Center is the project lead for the GAMA Priority Basin Project. With the voluntary cooperation of local water agencies and well owners, USGS is testing water in California groundwater basins over a 10-year period.
The Cascades-Modoc study unit is one of 35 GAMA study units across the state. It includes 55 volcanic and sedimentary groundwater basins, as defined by the state Department of Water Resources.
Starting July 12th and continuing for about 12 weeks, USGS scientists will collect water-quality samples from an estimated 90 wells. A report on the data is expected to be available in about a year.
The GAMA Priority Basin Project is designed to characterize water quality in groundwater basins. GAMA does not evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers. After withdrawal from the ground, water for public systems is typically treated or mixed before consumers receive it to maintain water quality.
Links and contacts within this release are valid at the time of publication.
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