Ground-water quality of the southern High Plains aquifer, Texas and New Mexico, 2001

• DOI: 10.3133/ofr03345
• Publication Date: 2018-08-15T17:33:59Z
• Authors: Lynne Fahlquist
• Keywords: Maximum Contaminant Level; Water well

In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program collected water samples from 48 wells in southern High Plains as part of a larger scientific effort to broadly characterize and understand factors affecting quality aquifer across entire Plains. Water were primarily domestic Texas eastern New Mexico. Depths sampled ranged 100 500 feet, with median depth 201 feet. 34 445 feet below land surface, 134 Of 240 properties or constituents measured analyzed, 10 exceeded Environmental Protection Agency public drinking-water standards guidelines one more - arsenic, boron, chloride, dissolved solids, fluoride, manganese, nitrate, radon, strontium, sulfate. Measured solids concentrations 29 than guideline milligrams per liter. Fluoride 16 samples, mostly study area, standard 4 Nitrate was detected all six Arsenic 14 area new (2002) micrograms Radon 36 proposed 300 picocuries Pesticides at very small concentrations, less 1 microgram liter, 20 percent samples. The most frequently compounds atrazine breakdown products atrazine, finding similar those studies Nation. Four volatile organic About 70 contained some fraction recently (less about 50 years ago) recharged ground water, indicated by presence pesticides, tritium nitrate greater threshold levels.