In New England, groundwater arsenic occurrence has been linked to bedrock geology on regional scales. To ascertain and quantify this linkage at intermediate (100-101 km) scales, 790 groundwater samples from fractured bedrock aquifers in the greater Augusta, Maine area are analyzed. 31% of the sampled wells have arsenic >10 μg/L. The probability of [As] exceeding 10 μg/L mapped by indicator kriging is highest in Silurian pelite-sandstone and pelite-limestone units (~40%). This probability differs significantly (p<0.001) from those in the Silurian-Ordovician sandstone (24%), the Devonian granite (15%) and the Ordovician-Cambrian volcanic rocks (9%). The spatial pattern of groundwater arsenic distribution resembles the bedrock map. Thus, bedrock geology is associated with arsenic occurrence in fractured bedrock aquifers of the study area at intermediate scales relevant to water resources planning. The arsenic exceedance rate for each rock unit is considered robust because low, medium and high arsenic occurrences in 4 cluster areas (3-20 km2) with a low sampling density of 1-6 wells per km2 are comparable to those with a greater density of 5-42 wells per km2. About 12,000 people (21% of the population) in the greater Augusta area (~1135 km2) are at risk of exposure to >10 μg/L arsenic in groundwater.

Richard Knowlton of AquaAmerica and AquaMaine was generous in sharing information on water use and hydrogeologic data. Robert Gerber, of Ransom Environmental Consultants, kindly shared many unpublished reports and drilling records on the geology and hydrology of the Freeport aquifer.

The search for a Dark Matter particle is the new grail and hard-sought nirvana of the particle physics community. From the theoretical side, it is the main challenge to provide a consistent and model-independent tool for comparing the bounds and reach of the diverse experiments. We propose a first complete classification of minimal consistent Dark Matter models, which provides the missing link between experiments and top-down models. Consistency is achieved by imposing renormalisability and invariance under the full Standard Model symmetries. We apply this paradigm to fermionic Dark multiplets with up to one mediator. We also reconsider the one-loop contributions to direct detection, including the relevant effect of (small) mass splits in the Dark multiplet. Our work highlights the presence of unexplored viable models, and paves the way for the ultimate systematic hunt for the Dark Matter particle.

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, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Nielsen, M.G., and Locke, D.B., 2015, Simulation of groundwater flow and streamflow depletion in the Branch Brook, Merriland River, and parts of the Mousam River watersheds in southern Maine: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5235, 78 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145235. ISSN 2328-0328 (online) iii AcknowledgmentsStaff of the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District (KKWWD), and the Sanford Water District (SWD) were very generous in sharing numerous well logs and reports of previous aquifer investigations in the study area. John Roberts of the Maine Turnpike Authority shared drilling and engineering reports. J.H. Swett generously shared his experience and insight as local driller in the area for the last 40 years. The Nature Conservancy allowed access to wells at the Wells Blueberry Preserve for the water-level survey, and Matthew Reynolds of Drumlin Environmental provided field assistance in collecting water-level data during the water-level survey. Mark Holden of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection shared water-level measurements in monitoring wells in the Sanford area for the water-level survey. KKWWD and SWD staff also assisted in the water-level survey effort. Numerous residents of Sanford, Wells, and Kennebunk generously provided access to private wells for water-level measurements. Robert Gerber also was particularly generous in sharing reports, drilling records, and insight into the hydrogeology of the study area from previous modeling efforts. Luke Sturtevant, U.S. Geological Survey volunteer, was very helpful in the assembling and organizing well log data from the various agencies. Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).Elevation, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum. AbstractWatersheds of three streams, the Mousam River, Branch Brook, and Merriland River in southeastern Maine were investigated from 2010 through 2013 under a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Maine Geological Survey. The Branch Brook watershed previously had been deemed "at risk" by the Maine Geological Survey because of the proportionally large water withdrawals compared to estimates of the in-strea...

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract