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Potomac River Watershed Accumulated Wastewater Ratios and Predicted Environmental Concentrations

Metadata Updated: November 19, 2025

Treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contains contaminants not fully removed during the treatment process and that may pose environmental health risks when discharged to surface waters. This data release presents inputs for and results from a wastewater reuse model that used data compiled from several sources to calculate the following estimates for each non-tidal, non-coastline, initialized National Hydrography Dataset Version 2.1 (NHDPlus V2) stream segment in the Potomac River watershed: (1) accumulated wastewater as a percent of total streamflow (ACCWW%); and (2) predicted environmental concentrations (PECs, in micrograms per liter) of 69 municipal effluent-derived contaminants. ACCWW% values were calculated for mean-monthly and mean-annual streamflow conditions for both municipal (model results table: Table1_PotomacACCWW_municipal.csv) and industrial-plus-municipal effluent discharges (model results table: Table2_PotomacACCWW_municipal_plus_industrial.csv). PECs were calculated for mean-monthly and mean-annual streamflow conditions for municipal effluent discharges (model results tables: Table3_PotomacPECs.zip, containing comma separated value files of results for mean-monthly and mean-annual conditions). Model estimates at a stream reach of interest represent the combined total upstream wastewater discharges as well as direct discharges into the segment. Model input data included: (1) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System-permitted facility outfall locations and 2016 average daily effluent discharges linked to a NHDPlus V2 stream Common Identifier (COMID) and facility-specific information on treatment levels and population served per capita (model input table: Table4_PotomacWWTPs.csv); (2) NHDPlus V2 stream geometry and hydrologic attributes (hydrosequence, startflag, terminalfl, divergence, fromnode, tonode, and Enhanced Runoff Method mean-monthly and mean-annual gage-adjusted streamflow and velocity, 1971-2000) (model input table: Table5_PotomacNHDPlusV2.1_flowlines_hydrology.csv); and (3) contaminant-specific data on consumption, fate, and transport compiled from literature sources or estimated from physicochemical properties (see: supplementary table in Larger Work Citation). In Table 4, where information on population served by the facility was missing, this value was estimated by standardizing to 100 gallons per capita per day. Information on population served was only acquired and estimated for municipal facilities. Where treatment level information was missing, the treatment level was assumed to be primary. Ninety-two percent of WWTPs have an assumed treatment as none was reported. R (version 4.0.4) and Python (version 2.7.16) scripts were used to summarize wastewater inputs from outfall locations by COMID and route and accumulate each wastewater and predicted contaminant loads while accounting for in-stream dilution and attenuation of contaminants. Any users of these data should review the entire metadata record and the associated manuscript (see Larger Work Citation). See 'Distribution liability' statements for more information.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 19, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 19, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-609c01dcd34ea221ce39b784
Data Last Modified 2023-02-27T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id a583a026-bec4-47bb-a0c0-68b6e61b1e82
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash b763264eb7e5feb5b9a23f462a4b7f09168e576abb569df0d9d4970b3c219a92
Source Schema Version 1.1

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