The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment Program is currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation of water-quality trends in the Nation’s streams and rivers as part of its goal to document and explain how water quality has been changing over time. The trend results will be used to describe the geographic distribution, environmental significance, and causes of water-quality changes over time throughout the Nation. Understanding how, where, and why water quality has changed over time is needed to gauge the value of the billions of dollars spent on pollution control in the United States and to adapt future management strategies to better protect and improve water quality on local, regional, and national scales.
Summary
The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment Program is currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation of water-quality trends in the Nation’s streams and rivers as part of its goal to document and explain how water quality has been changing over time. The trend results will be used to describe the geographic distribution, environmental significance, and causes of water-quality changes over time throughout the Nation. Understanding how, where, and why water quality has changed over time is needed to gauge the value of the billions of dollars spent on pollution control in the United States and to adapt future management strategies to better protect and improve water quality on local, regional, and national scales.
