South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)
Welcome to USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center's (SAWSC) Website. We offer water information for Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
News
Wildfires continue to burn in Georgia, North and South Carolina
Wildfires continue to burn in Georgia, North and South Carolina
USGS experts responding simultaneously to two major natural hazards
USGS experts responding simultaneously to two major natural hazards
Hurricane Helene Weakens to Tropical Storm, Brings Flooding to Georgia and Western Carolinas
Hurricane Helene Weakens to Tropical Storm, Brings Flooding to Georgia and Western Carolinas
Publications
Tapwater exposures, residential risk, and mitigation in a PFAS-impacted-groundwater community
Tapwater (TW) safety and sustainability are priorities in the United States. Per/polyfluoroalkyl substance(s) (PFAS) contamination is a growing public-health concern due to prolific use, widespread TW exposures, and mounting human-health concerns. Historically-rural, actively-urbanizing communities that rely on surficial-aquifer private wells incur elevated risks of unrecognized TW...
Statewide cumulative human health risk assessment of inorganics-contaminated groundwater wells, Montana, USA
Across the United States, rural residents rely on unregulated and generally unmonitored private wells for drinking water, which may pose serious health risks due to unrecognized contaminants. We assessed the nature, degree, and spatial distribution of cumulative health risks from inorganic contaminants in groundwater. Our analysis included nearly 84,000 data points from 6500+ wells...
Ecohydrological response of a forested headwater catchment to a flash drought in the Southeastern U.S.
Flash droughts differ from traditionally defined droughts in their rapidity of intensification and often associated high vapor-pressure deficit. These droughts can lead to declines in streamflow and water table depth and induce water stress to vegetation at a greater rate than droughts that manifest over longer periods. However, little is known regarding the response of forested...
Science
The 1977 Toccoa Flood, Report of Failure of Kelly Barnes Dam Flood and Findings
The Kelly Barnes Dam, located above the Toccoa Falls Bible College near Toccoa, Georgia, failed in the early morning hours of November 6, 1977. Thirty-nine people died in the resulting flood, which inundated part of the campus including a trailer park. These Web pages make available two historical reports on the flood and an album of photos of the disaster.
Current Water Conditions - Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina
Water Data for the Nation: Current Water Conditions ("Real-time") in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. WaterWatch: View maps, graphs, and tables describing real-time, recent, and past streamflow conditions for the United States.
Beneath the Surface: Exploring PFAS and Drinking Water on French Island, Wisconsin
The growing concern of finding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water has led USGS scientists to conduct more comprehensive analyses that encompass an extensive list of compounds that can be found in drinking water. These analyses will develop a more complete drinking water contaminant list that managers can use to make more informed public health decisions.