Urban Atlanta Hydrologic Monitoring

Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the most rapidly growing urban centers in the United States. As Atlanta has expanded and the population has increased, the current storm and sanitary sewer systems have been unable to meet increasing demands. During 1998, Atlanta entered into a consent decree with a group of litigants concerning the combined sewer overflows. As part of this consent decree, Atlanta is required to monitor all sanitary sewer overflows as well as the impacts of stormwater on water-quality.

In response to the monitoring requirements of the consent decree, as well as the State-mandated requirements relative to stormwater, Atlanta—in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)—has implemented a real-time hydrologic monitoring network (20 sites, map below); augmented with an intensive sampling program that includes both automated and manual sampling. The program is designed to:

• assess baseline water-quality conditions within the Atlanta
• identify sources of impairment throughout the network
• document water quality response to the improved infrastructure
• consolidate water-quality program requirements
• recommend/design changes to the monitoring network based on the results of the existing program
• provide data and interpretations, such as long-term trend analyses, to facilitate remediation

The monitoring program also includes two synoptic surveys; one at high flow and one at low flow. The synoptic surveys consist of 43 additional sampling sites selected to:

• increase the resolution of the network;
• identify potential sources of water-quality impairment;
• provide a framework for the long-term water-quality monitoring data; and
• provide an indication of the relative importance of point-source, predominant at low flow, and nonpoint-source, predominant at high flow, water-quality impairments throughout the network.

These surveys took place during the initial stages of program implementation.

The map below shows the continuous surface-water, water-quality, and surface sampling water-monitoring sites in the Atlanta region. Select a site on the map to view data and information for that site.
 Synoptic water-monitoring sites | All monitoring sites

More information

 The water-sampling programs

For more information contact:
Ed Martin
Director, USGS Georgia Water Science Center
3039 Amwiler Road, Suite 130
Atlanta, GA 30360-2824
770-903-9100

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