From abstract: This report presents chemical-quality data collected from May 1980 to January 1981 at several locations within the Delaware River estuary and selected New Jersey tributaries.

From abstract: A digital model was used to simulate the response of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system to pumping stresses during the 18-year period, 1956-73. The model was used to compute projected potentiometric heads and trends to the year 2000. Three sets of conditions were simulated: (1) no increase in ground-water extractions, (2) continued growth in ground-water extractions at the rate of 3 percent annually, and (3) continued growth in ground-water extractions at the rate of 3 percent annually, in conjunction with the activation of a freshwater head barrier in the fresh-salty water transition zone.

Water-quality data collected in the upper Oyster Creek drainage basin indicate that the stream has excellent water quality except for a persistently low pH. The mean concentrations of the major inorganic ions were all less than 6.0 mg/L. Mean concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were 0.15 mg/L and 0.01 mg/L, respectively. Dissolved oxygen averaged 8.7 mg/L and 81 percent saturation. Low pH levels are typical of streams draining cedar swamps. In Oyster Creek, the pH tended to decrease downstream due to chemical and biological processes. The pH levels in swamps were one-half unit or more lower than the pH levels in the adjacent stream. Sharp declines in stream pH were noted during runoff periods as the result of the mixing of poorly-buffered stream water with more highly acidic water from surrounding swamp areas. The quality of ground water within the study area was similar to the quality of stream flow, except for higher iron and ammonia-nitrogen concentrations and a higher pH range of 4.9-6.5. Precipitation represented a major source of many chemical constituents in the ground- and surface-waters of Oyster Creek basin.

"This report was prepared in fulfillment of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Contract No. AT(05-1)-1623 to the University of North Carolina during the Period May 1973 through September 1981."