Groundwater/Surface-Water Interactions Along Ellerbe Creek in Durham, North Carolina, 2016–18

A hydrologic study involving the investigation of groundwater-surface water interactions along Ellerbe Creek, a major tributary to upper Falls Lake, was conducted in order to determine if groundwater is a likely source of nitrate input to the stream. Groundwater-surface water interactions were characterized by synoptic streamflow measurements, groundwater-level monitoring, hydrograph-separation methods and a continuous streambed temperature survey to aid in the collection and interpretation of water-quality samples along the stream.