Geology topics

Research about Dutchess County, New York

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Dutchess County, New York.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2015

Geophysical log analysis of selected test and residential wells at the Shenandoah Road National Superfund Site, East Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York

The U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed geophysical logs from 20 test wells and 23 residential wells at the Shenandoah Road National Superfund Site in East Fishkill, New York, from 2006 through 2010 as part of an Interagency Agreement to provide hydrogeologic technical support to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2. The geophysical logs collected include caliper, gamma, acoustic and optical televiewer, deviation, electromagnetic-induction, magnetic-susceptibility, fluid-property, and flow under ambient and pumped conditions. The geophysical logs were analyzed along with single-well aquifer test data and drilling logs to characterize the lithology, fabric, fractures, and flow zones penetrated by the wells. The results of the geophysical log analysis were used as part of the hydrogeologic characterization of the site and in the design of discrete-zone monitoring installations in the test wells and selected residential wells. Most of the logged test and residential wells penetrated gneiss of the Hudson Highlands Complex or dolostones in the Wappinger Group, and some wells penetrated both the dolostone and gneiss. The bedrock fabric reflects the regional northeast-southwest structural trend, as well as localized folding, and includes foliation in the gneiss and bedding in the dolostone. Many fractures were oriented along the bedrock fabric, whereas others were orthogonal to the fabric. Total wellbore transmissivity of the wells was estimated from short-term, single-well aquifer test data through the use of the Cooper-Jacob analytical solution. An empirical relation was established to estimate total wellbore transmissivity from specific-capacity data for wells with insufficient transient drawdown measurements. Wellbore transmissivity estimates ranged from 0.36 to 370 feet squared per day (ft 2 /d), whereas specific capacities ranged from 0.03 to 2.1 gallons per minute per foot ((gal/min)/ft). Transmissivity and hydraulic heads of individual fracture zones were estimated from the total wellbore transmissivity and flow logs through use of an analytical model based on the Thiem equation. The model-estimated transmissivity of 95 fracture zones delineated in the 43 wells ranged from 0.25 to 340 ft 2 /d, with a median value of 6.7 ft 2 /d. The difference between model-estimated fracture-zone heads and the composite heads in each well ranged from less 0.01 to more than 10 feet (ft). Flow-log analysis generally provided an order of magnitude estimate for the fracture-zone hydraulic-head difference on the basis of a comparison of estimated and measured values. The geophysical logs and their analyses are available for display and download from the U.S. Geological Survey, New York Water Science Center, online geophysical log archive ( http://ny.water.usgs.gov/maps/geologs/ ) in LAS (Log ASCII Standard), PDF, and WellCad formats.

New York↗

USGS2002

Parasitism at the landscape scale: Cowbirds prefer forests

Landscape-scale examination of parasitism patterns of Brown-headed Cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ) revealed heterogeneous parasitism rates across the mosaic of a forest and associated old-field communities. In a two year study in Dutchess County, New York, we found a significantly higher parasitism rate in the forest-interior community ( n = 301 nests; 17 species) than on the species in the adjacent and nearby old field and edge ( n = 328 nests; 15 species; 32.3% versus 6.5%; p < 0.0001). Cowbirds invaded a mature 1300-ha forest stand even when their traditional host species were available in adjacent old-field and edge habitats. The forest and old-field study areas were located in a 38,000-ha township with 55% forest cover and contained numerous agriculture, dairy, and horse farms that provided favorable habitat for cowbirds. Within-forest examination of parasitism patterns revealed four aspects of cowbird parasitism that contrasted with patterns described in other regions: (1) parasitism was concentrated significantly more often on ground- and low-nesting (nests ≤ 1 m) forest species than on medium- and high-nesting species (nests> 1 m; 35.01% versus 29.93%; p = 0.0393); (2) parasitism was not significantly greater on Neotropical migrant species than on short-distance migrants and residents; (3) the parasitism rate was not higher in nests close to edges; and (4) the parasitism level was low on certain forest species (such as Wood Thrush) that have experienced high parasitism levels in the Midwest. From a management perspective these data suggest that cowbirds exhibit regional differences in host and habitat use; the target host community of a particular cowbird population is unpredictable at the landscape scale; and a landscape scale should be used in designing cowbird studies to accurately assess local population dynamics.

New York↗

USGS1980

Ground-water appraisal of the Fishkill-Beacon area, Dutchess County, New York

The most productive aquifers in the Fishkill-Beacon area, Dutchess County, N.Y., are the sand and gravel beds in the northeast corner of the area and along the valleys of Fishkill and Clove Creeks. The average yield of these aquifers to wells is 190 gal/min (gallons per minute). The most productive bedrock aquifer is limestone, which yields an average of about 150 gal/min. Shale and granite each yield an average of less than 35 gal/min. About 4 billion gallons of available ground water is estimated to be in storage in the sand and gravel aquifers in the area. The area withdraws an average of 3.3 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) of water in June, July, and August and 2 Mgal/d during the remainder of the year.

New York↗

USGS1950

Ground-water conditions at the Veterans Facility, Castle Point, New York

The rock aquifers in the vicinity of the Castle Point Veterans Hospital yield limited quantities of water which, in general, are sufficient for domestic and farm purposes only. The possibility of obtaining the stated quantity requirements of about 200,000 gallons daily or more from the bedrock formations seems poor with the exception of the Wappinger limestone underlying the Fishkill Valley three miles to the south.

New York↗