Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Answers |
I. Water Information |
1. |
Much of the historical data and current data
for many stations in Pennsylvania
can be accessed on the Pennsylvania Water Science Center Home Page at
http://pa.water.usgs.gov/. Links are provided for stations nationwide.
If you
do not have access to the World Wide Web, call or write the
Information Specialist:
U.S. Geological Survey, WRD
215 Limekiln Road
New Cumberland, PA 17070
(Tel: 717-730-6979)
(Fax: 717-730-6997)
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2. |
Streamflow statistics are available online. This web page also provides more information about streamflow statistics.
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3. |
Where can I get climatic data (precipitation,
air temperature, windspeed, etc...)?
Contact NOAA at:
National Climatic Data Center
Room 120
151 Patton Avenue
Ashville, NC 28801-5001
(Tel: 704-271-4800)
(Fax: 704-271-4876)
http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html
Pennsylvania State Climatologist
503 Walker Building
University Park, PA 16802
(Tel: 814-865-8732)
(Fax: 814-865-3663)
(e-mail: pgk2@psu.edu)
http://climate.met.psu.edu/
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4. |
River stage forecasts for Pennsylvania are available from NOAA on-line at:
National Weather Service Forecast Office, Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
Note – Forecast for some site are issued routinely year-round, while others are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.
The Ohio River Basin forecasts are made by the:
Ohio River Forecast Center
National Weather Service
1901 South State Route 134
Wilmington, OH 45177
For the Susquehanna, Potomac, and Delaware River Basins forecasts are made by the:
Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center
National Weather Service
227 West Beaver Avenue
Suite 402 State College, PA 16801
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5. |
For information on wetlands, the laws that impact them, and ideas
for protecting wetlands, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/
For information on wetlands available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service visit http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/
State Distribution Centers
National Wetlands Inventory Maps can be purchased through various
State Distribution Centers. Currently, there are 34 Centers covering
47 States. Each Center establishes their own pricing structure,
product types and order procedures. For phone numbers and addresses,
go to http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/hardcopymaps.html
State Distribution Center For Pennsylvania Wetlands Inventory Maps:
Dennis Swartwout
Earth Science Information Office
Blaisdell House
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
(Tel: 413-545-0359)
Website: http://www.umass.edu/tei/esio
Email: esic@tei.umass.edu
Other wetlands information may be available from:
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Office of Water Management
Bureau of Watershed Management
Rachel Carson State Office Building
400 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: 717-783-2300
email: ra-epwater@state.pa.us
or contact U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at its appropriate District
Office:
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6. |
For nautical charts and navigation information and products
visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) web site: http://www.noaa.gov/charts.html
Tide and ocean current information is provided at: National Ocean Service
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7. |
Contact: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Order flood plain maps and studies
To create your own online hazard map available from FEMA and ESRI,
visit http://www.esri.com/hazards/.
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For Pennsylvania contact:
Chief of Floodplain Management
Dept of Community & Economic Development
Room 318, Forum Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(Tel: 717-720-7445)
email: kwilson@doc.state.pa.us
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8. |
Where can I get information on drought-related issues?
For drought monitoring conditions across the state, visit Pennsylvania Drought Watch
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II. Water Quality and Health Issues |
9. |
Look under laboratories in the yellow pages of your local telephone
book for water testing services. Prices vary among companies and
will depend on the test you request. Laboratories certified by the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are listed in Excel or PDF format.
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10. |
Call the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at 800-426-4791 or visit the EPA's Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water web site at
http://www.epa.gov/safewater.
For information on radon you may also call the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection, Radon Division at 800-23RADON, or visit
their web page at http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/rp/Radon_Division/Radon_Homepage.htm
.
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11. |
Pennsylvania water-quality standards are published in the Pennsylvania
Code, Title 25, Chapter 93. These standards are compiled in a book
available from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
at 717-783-2959. Information on water quality assessment and standards
are available on the web at http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/025/chapter93/chap93toc.html.
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12. |
Drinking-water standards, both primary maximum contaminant levels
(MCLs) and secondary MCLs can be found on the WWW at
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/watersupply/cwp/view.asp?a=1251&Q=448745&watersupplyNav=|30131|.
Look under "Resources".
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13. |
Where can I find consumption advisories that
are in effect for fish in Pennsylvania?
Look on the WWW at
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/watersupply/cwp/view.asp?a=1261&q=450642.
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III. Mapping and Related Topics |
14. |
First identify the quadrangles you need from the state index,
which can be obtained from the USGS by calling 1-888-ASK-USGS or
from the Pennsylvania Geological Survey by calling 717-787-2169.
Index maps for Pennsylvania and surrounding states are also available
in local USGS offices for viewing only (see question26).
Online USGS facilities to assist in finding and ordering maps
are available at
http://eros.usgs.gov/#/Find_Data/Products_and_Data_Available/Map_Products.
Pennsylvania quads are available online through Penn State University
at http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/maps.html.
Maps may be purchased locally from commercial dealers (see your yellow
pages or
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/z_usgspartnerlist/).
For more information or ordering assistance, contact
USGS Information Services
Box 25286
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
(Tel: 888-ASK-USGS or 303-202-4700)
(FAX 303-202-4693)
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15. |
Contact:
Customer Services
USGS
EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
(Tel: 605-594-6151)
Or see the EROS Data Center's web page at
http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/eros-home.html.
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16. |
Call 1-888-ASK-USGS or contact EROS Data Center (see question
15)
Or see the EROS Data Center's web page at
http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/eros-home.html.
The Pennsylvania Geological Survey Library (www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/library/aerials.aspx) has historic aerial photographs that can be viewed in their office by appointment. These are also available online through Penn Pilot (www.pennpilot.psu.edu).
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17. |
How do I get data on map projections and other
data on how
USGS maps are made?
See the book "Maps for America" published by the USGS. (See question
14 to order this book).
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18. |
USGS survey benchmark data is not yet available on the Internet.
For vertical and horizontal control information on all USGS survey
benchmarks in the eastern U. S., contact USGS - Rolla, MO by telephone
at (573) 308-3500 or (573) 308-3511
For control information on all USGS benchmarks in the western
U.S., contact USGS
- Denver, CO by telephone at: (303) 202-4400
If you need information on a National Geodetic Survey (formerly
Coast and Geodetic Survey [C & GS] ) benchmark contact:
National Geodetic Survey, N/NGS12
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282
(Tel: 301-713-3242)
(Fax: 301-713-4172)
(http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/ - Click on products and services)
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19. |
The national Geodetic Service (NGS) programs NADCOM and UTMS are
available for free downloading at:
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PC_PROD/pc_prod.shtml
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has information on coordinate
conversions and geospatial application software available at:
http://tec.army.mil/product.html
More sites with information on datums and coordinate conversions:
http://thor-f5.er.usgs.gov/drg/datum_shifts_v2.pdf
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/datum/datum_f.html
http://earth-info.nga.mil/GandG/geotrans/index.html
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20. |
The National Geodetic Service (NGS) has GPS correction data available
at:
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/CORS
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21. |
Where can I get information on the official
names of physical and cultural geographic features or how to have
unnamed features named?
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is a Federal body authorized
to establish and maintain uniform geographic name usage throughout
the Federal Government. Geographic name information for the United States, including how to have an unnamed
feature named, is available at the BGN web site. A searchable database contains information about
almost 2 million physical and cultural geographic features in the
United States. The Federally recognized name of each feature described
in the database is identified, and references are made to a feature's
location by State, county, and geographic coordinates.
http://geonames.usgs.gov/
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IV. Geology and Related Topics |
22. |
Historical data on major earthquakes in the U.S. (including Pennsylvania)
is published in Professional Paper 1527. For other earthquake information
contact:
USGS
National Earthquake Information Center
Box 25046, DFC, MS967
Denver, CO 80225
(Tel: 303-273-8500)
(Fax: 303-273-8450)
More information is available on the WWW at
http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/.
Information about the September 1998 Pymatuning Earthquake is
available at http://pa.water.usgs.gov/projects/groundwater/pymatuning/
.
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23. |
For data on trace metals in soils see USGS Professional Paper
1270; for other soils data contact the Natural Resources Conservation
Service at:
State Conservationist
1 Credit Union Place, Suite 340
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(Tel: 717-237-2200)
A list of published soil surveys is available on the WWW at
http://soils.usda.gov/survey/printed_surveys/.
A list of on-line soil surveys is available on the WWW at http://soils.usda.gov/survey/online_surveys/
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24. |
Generally, Pennsylvania Geological Survey Map 61 is the best source
for geological maps of Pennsylvania. This is out of print but available
in many libraries and on the WWW at
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/gismaps/index.aspx. The Pennsylvania
Geological Survey, 3240 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown, PA 17057,
Tel. 717-702-2017, Fax 717-702-2065 can provide a price list of
geological maps that can be purchased from:
The State Book Store
1825 Stanley Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17103
(Tel: 717-787-5109)
To order maps published by the USGS contact USGS Information Services
(see question 14).
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25. |
Where can I get information on mineral resources?
For information on minerals visit the USGS Mineral Resources Program
at
http://minerals.usgs.gov
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V. USGS Activities in Pennsylvania and USGS Publications |
26. |
How do I obtain a USGS publication?
A list of publications for Pennsylvania is available on the Publications Page. To obtain copies of Pennsylvania Water Science Center publications contact the Information Specialist, or the USGS Publications Warehouse. Copies of other USGS publications may also be available from the USGS Publications Warehouse.
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27. |
Online information about Pennsylvania Water Science Center interpretive studies is provided here.
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28. |
Information about USGS careers and employment opportunities is provided at the USGS Employment Home Page. Current openings in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are posted at http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/a9IN08i.aspx.
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29. |
The Pennsylvania Water Science Center Main Office is located at:
215 Limekiln Road
New Cumberland, PA 17070
PHONE: (717) 730-6900
FAX: (717) 730-6997
Other Pennsylvania WSC offices are located at:
Eagleview Corporate Center
770 Pennsylvania Drive, Suite 116
Exton, PA 19341-1129
PHONE: (610) 321-2434
FAX (610) 321-2509
1000 Church Hill Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
PHONE: (412) 490-3800
FAX: (412) 490-3828
Hepburn Plaza
439 Hepburn Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
PHONE: (570) 323-7127
FAX: (570) 323-2137
The Office of
the Delaware River Master is located at:
Milford Professional Park
10 Buist Road
Bldg. 3, Suite 304
Milford, PA 18337
PHONE: (570) 296-7213
FAX: (570) 296-9414
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey