Prepared in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board A product of the California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Ground-Water Quality Data in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Study Unit, November 2006-March 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program Data Series 404 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Upper photo: Urban development overlooking the Santa Ana River near Yorba Linda. (Photo credit: Phil Contreras, U.S. Geological Survey, 1998) Lower photo: Production well in Riverside County (Photo credit: Mike Judd, U.S. Geological Survey, 2007) Ground-Water Quality Data in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Study Unit, November 2006–March 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program By Robert Kent and Kenneth Belitz Prepared in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board Data Series 404 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: Kent, Robert, and Belitz, Kenneth, 2009, Ground-water quality data in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Study Unit, November 2006 to March 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 404, 116 p. Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/404 iii Contents Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................4 Hydrogeologic Setting ........................................................................................................................4 Methods ..........................................................................................................................................................7 Study Design ..........................................................................................................................................7 Sample Collection and Analysis .........................................................................................................9 Data Reporting.....................................................................................................................................10 Quality Assurance ..............................................................................................................................10 Water-Quality Results ................................................................................................................................10 Quality-Control Sample Results ........................................................................................................11 Comparison Thresholds .....................................................................................................................11 Ground-Water-Quality Data ..............................................................................................................12 Water-Quality Indicators ..........................................................................................................12 Organic Constituents .................................................................................................................12 Constituents of Special Interest ..............................................................................................13 Inorganic Constituents ..............................................................................................................14 Isotopic Tracer Constituents ....................................................................................................15 Dissolved Standard and Noble Gases ....................................................................................15 Radioactive Constituents ..........................................................................................................15 Microbial Indicators ..................................................................................................................16 Future Work .........................................................................................................................................16 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................16 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................17 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................17 Appendix .......................................................................................................................................................89 iv Figures Figure 1. Map of the hydrogeologic provinces of California and the location of the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study unit, California ……………………………………… 3 Figure 2. Map showing the California Department of Water Resources defined ground-water basins and major hydrologic features in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study unit, California …………………………………………………………………… 5 Figure 3. Map showing the California Department of Water Resources defined ground-water subbasins of the Upper Santa Ana Valley ground-water basin in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study unit, California ……………………………………… 6 Figure 4. Map showing the distribution of study unit grid cells and the location of sampled grid wells and understanding wells in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study unit, California …………………………………………………………………… 8 Tables Table 1. Identification, sampling, and construction information for wells sampled for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………… 23 Table 2. Classes of chemical and microbial constituents and water-quality indicators collected for the slow, intermediate, fast, and topical well sampling schedules in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………… 25 Table 3A. Volatile organic compounds, primary uses or sources, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2020 ………………………………………………………… 26 Table 3B. Pesticides and pesticide degradates, primary uses or sources, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2033 ………………………………………… 28 Table 3C. Polar pesticides and pesticide degradates, primary uses or sources, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2060 ……………………… 30 Table 3D. Pharmaceutical compounds, primary uses or sources, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2080 ………………………………………………………… 32 Table 3E. Wastewater-indicator compounds, primary uses or sources, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 4433 ………………………………………… 33 Table 3F. Constituents of special interest, primary uses or sources, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the Montgomery Watson-Harza Laboratory ………………………………………………………………………… 35 Table 3G. Nutrients and dissolved organic carbon, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2755 and lab code 2612 …………………………………… 35 v Tables—Continued Table 3H. Major and minor ions, silica, total dissolved solids, and trace elements, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 1948 ………………………………………… 36 Table 3I. Arsenic, chromium, and iron species, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey Trace Metal Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado ………………………………………………………………………… 37 Table 3J. Isotopic and radioactive constituents, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for laboratories ……………………………………………………… 38 Table 3K. Dissolved and noble gases, comparative thresholds, and reporting information for dissolved gases analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey Chlorofluorocarbon Laboratory (CFC) and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) ……… 39 Table 3L. Microbial constituents, comparison thresholds, and reporting information for the U.S. Geological Survey Ohio Microbiology Laboratory parameter codes 90901, 90900, 99335 and 99332 …………………………………………………… 39 Table 4. Water-quality indicators in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ………………………………… 40 Table 5. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………… 44 Table 6. Pesticides and pesticide degradates detected in samples analyzed using schedules 2033 and 2060 collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………………………………………………… 54 Table 7. Pharmaceutical compounds detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ………………………… 62 Table 8. Constituents of special interest (perchlorate, N-Nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA], and 1,2,3-trichloropropane [1,2,3-TCP], and 1,4-dioxane) detected in samples collected in the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……… 63 Table 9. Nutrients and dissolved organic carbon detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, California, November 2006–February 2007 ……… 66 Table 10. Major and minor ions, silica, and total dissolved solids detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………………………………………………………………… 69 Table 11. Trace elements detected in ground-water samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ………………………… 72 Table 12. Species of inorganic arsenic, iron, and chromium detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, California, November 2006–February 2007 …………………………………………………… 78 vi Tables—Continued Table 13. Results for analyses of stable isotope ratios, carbon-14, and tritium activities in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study unit, California, November 2006–February 2007 …………………………………………………… 79 Table 14. Dissolved gases detected in ground-water samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, California, November 2006–February 2007 …………………… 82 Table 15. Results for analyses of noble gases detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………… 84 Table 16. Radioactive constituents in ground-water samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, California, November 2006–February 2007 …………………… 87 Table 17. Microbial indicators detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ………………………………………… 88 Appendix Tables Table A1. Methods used to measure organic, inorganic, and microbial constituents analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and contract laboratories …………………………………… 98 Table A2. Analytical schedules for constituents appearing on multiple schedules used to analyze samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………………………………………………100 Table A3. Constituents detected in field blanks collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………………………………………101 Table A4A. Quality-control summary of replicate analyses of organic and inorganic compounds detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2008 ……………………………………………………102 Table A4B. Quality-control summary for replicate analyses of constituents of special interest, stable isotopes, dissolved gases, noble gases, and radioactive constituents detected in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2008 ……………………………………………………103 Table A5A. Quality-control summary of matrix-spike recoveries of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………………………………………………104 Table A5B. Quality-control summary of matrix-spike recoveries of polar pesticides and pesticide degradates (lab analytical schedule 2060) in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………106 vii Appendix Tables—Continued Table A5C. Quality-control summary of matrix-spike recoveries of pesticides and pesticide degradates (lab analytical schedule 2033) in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………………………108 Table A5D. Quality-control summary of matrix-spike recoveries of pharmaceutical compounds in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………………………………………………110 Table A5E. Quality-control summary of matrix-spike recoveries of wastewater indicator compounds in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………………………………………………111 Table A5F. Quality-control summary of matrix-spike recoveries of 1,4-Dioxane, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, and N-Nitrosodimethylamine in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………113 Table A5G. Quality-control summary of matrix-spike recoveries of radioactive constituents in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………………………………………………113 Table A6. Quality-control summary for surrogate recoveries of volatile organic compounds, pesticides and pesticide degradates, pharmaceutical compounds, wastewater-indicator compounds, and constituents of special interest in samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 ……………………………………………………………………114 Table A7A. Quality-control summary for laboratory “set blanks” for pharmaceutical compounds corresponding to analyses of samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………………………115 Table A7B. Quality-control summary for laboratory “set spikes” for pharmaceutical compounds corresponding to analyses of samples collected for the Upper Santa Ana Watershed Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) study, California, November 2006 to March 2007 …………………………115 viii Abbreviations and Acronyms AB Assembly Bill (through the California State Assembly) CAS Chemical Abstracts Service (American Chemical Society) CSU combined standard uncertainty E estimated or having a higher degree of uncertainty GAMA Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment program GPS Global Positioning System HAL-US Lifetime Health Advisory Level (USEPA) HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography LRL laboratory reporting level LT-MDL long-term method detection level MCL-CA maximum contaminant level (CDPH) MCL-US maximum contaminant level (USEPA) MDL method detection limit MRL minimum reporting level MU method uncertainty N Normal (1-gram-equivalent per liter of solution) na not available nc sample not collected NL-CA California notification level (CDPH) NWIS National Water Information System (USGS) PCFF-GAMA personal computer field forms program designed for GAMA sampling QC quality control RPD relative percent difference RSD relative standard deviation RSD5 risk-specific dose at 10–5 (USEPA) SMCL-CA secondary maximum contaminant level (CDPH) SMCL-US secondary maximum contaminant level (USEPA) SSMDC sample-specific minimum detectable concentration TML Trace Metal Laboratory TT-US Treatment Technique (USEPA) US United States USAW Upper Santa Ana Watershed GAMA study unit V analyte was detected in sample and an associated blank; thus, data are not included in ground-water quality assessment