Geology topics
Publications and source records attributed to R.A. Lidwin.
As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is depended upon to collect data of the highest quality. This document provides the framework for collecting, analyzing and reporting ground-water data that are quality assured and quality controlled.
Unconsolidated glacial sand and gravel deposits provide virtually all water used by residents of the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation. Well yields of 10 to 20 gallons per minutecan be obtained from these deposits throughoutthe reservation. Yields of 1,200 gallons perminute are obtained from wells for a fish-rearingfacility near the village of Lac du Flambeau. Thesaturated thickness of glacial deposits rangesfrom 100 to just less than 200 feet throughout thereservation. Domestic water-supply wells aretypically 50 to 150 feet deep. Estimates of the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of glacial deposits generally range from about 1 to 50 feet per day and average about 20 feet per day. However, a horizontal hydraulicconductivity of about 950 feet per day and atransmissivity of about 71,000 feet squared perday were calculated from aquifer-test data at thefish-rearing facility. Lakes cover about 20 percent of the reservation. Many of these lakes are smallseepage lakes or drainage lakes with surfaceareas less than 100 acres. Depth profiles oftemperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specificconductance show that all lakes more than25 feet deep are thermally stratified duringsummer months. The median alkalinity andhardness for 34 lake-water samples were 30 and31 milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate,respectively. The median dissolved-solids concentration was only 50 milligrams per liter. Total phosphorus concentrations in water samples are high enough to classify some lakes as eutrophic. Calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and, to a lesser extent, chloride and sulfate are the major dissolved ions in ground water and surface water.Concentrations of these ions in ground water aretwice those in lake water. Nitrate and chloride concentrations in ground-water samples from 25 wells in the reservation were less than the maximum concentrations allowed by Wisconsin drinking-water standards. Iron and, to a lesserextent, manganese seem to be the only constituentspresent at high enough concentrations tosignificantly affect drinking-water supplies onthe reservation. The maximum concentration of dissolved solids found in ground water on the reservation was 198 milligrams per liter, the median was 86 milligrams per liter. The relatively small amount of dissolved solids in ground water and surface water on the reservation is typical of water quality in northeastern Wisconsin.
Water-resources data were collected in the Bad River Indian Reservation of northern Wisconsin from 1983 through 1987. Some data are interpreted to describe ground-water flow, groundwater quality, streamflow, and surface-water quality. Data also are presented in tables and appendixes for baseline reference. Precambrian sandstone and basalt underlie varying thicknesses of sandy till, outwash sand and gravel, and clay deposited in glacial meltwater lakes. The thickness of glacial deposits generally ranges from 100 to 300 ft but reaches a known thickness of almost 1,000 ft on the east-central edge of the Reservation. Sand and gravel deposits are generally buried beneath 50 to 150 ft of glacial lake clays and silts throughout most of the Reservation. These buried sand and gravel deposits lie directly on Precambrian sandstone of unknown thickness in the northern half of the Reservation. The sand and gravel deposits and the sandstone form a single aquifer system confined by the overlying clay deposits. In and near the village of Odanah, numerous wells finished in either the sand and gravel or in the sandstone flow above land surface. Estimates of the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the sand and gravel based on 30 specific- capacity tests range from about 2 to 700 ft per day with a median value of about 80 ft per day. Horizontal hydraulic conductivity estimates for the sandstone range from about 1 to 360 ft per day with a median of about 2 ft per day. These estimates are based on 42 specific-capacity tests of wells open only to the upper 20 to 60 ft of sandstone. The horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the sandstone appears to decrease with depth; highest estimates were determined for wells open only to the upper 20 ft of sandstone. Ground water in the confined aquifer system is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type with relatively low total dissolved solids concentrations. The median total dissolved solids concentration of water from 17 sand and gravel wells is about 150 milligrams per liter and the median for water from 21 sandstone wells is about 244 milligrams per liter. High concentrations of iron and manganese were found in water from 12 of 36 sampled wells. Total recoverable concentrations of iron exceeded 500 micrograms per liter in 5 wells and concentrations of manganese exceeded 50 micrograms per liter in 7 wells. Streamflow has been continuously measured at a streamflow-gaging station in the Bad River near Odanah for much of the time since 1914. This station monitors drainage from a basin with an area of 597 square miles and the average daily discharge of the Bad River at this gaging station is 622 cubic feet per second. The peak instantaneous flow at the station was 27,700 cubic feet per second on April 24, 1960 and the minimum instantaneous flow was 34 cubic feet per second on November 8,1976. Analysis of water samples collected at 12 sites at 10 small streams during base-flow conditions indicate that the concentrations of common chemical constituents are similar to but lower than those found in ground water. The median concentration of total dissolved solids was about 110 milligrams per liter as compared to about 155 milligrams per liter in ground-water samples from wells finished in sand and gravel.
This report presents data from a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Forest County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin, to document the hydrology and water quality of the Potawatomi Indian Reservation in southern Forest County. Data were collected from October 1981 through September 1987. Glacial sand and gravel forms the primary aquifer on the reservation. This aquifer is unconfined, and its saturated thickness ranges from approximately 200 feet to zero feet in areas where the bedrock crops out. Horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the glacial deposits is estimated to range from 0.4 to 48 feet per day. Three watersheds encompass the Reservation: The Wolf, the North Branch Oconto, and the Peshtigo. Estimates of base-flow discharge that will occur on the average once every 2 years for a 7- day period for Reservation streams range from 7.5 ft3/s (cubic feet per second) for North Branch Oconto at Wabeno to 32 ft3/s for the Rat River near Wabeno. Ground water in the study area is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type and is suitable for most uses. The ground water sampled during the study was slightly alkaline and moderately hard to very hard; median hardness was 135 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as calcium carbonate. Alkalinity of ground water ranged from 79 to 318 mg/L; median alkalinity was 123 mg/L as calcium carbonate. With the exception of nitrate in water from one well sampled, constituent concentrations were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL's) for drinking water. Nitrate plus nitrite concentration was 15 mg/L as N, or 50 percent greater than the MCL, in one well located one-half mile northeast of Lake Lucerne. Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCL's) for iron were exceeded in water from two wells. In one of these two well waters, the manganese concentration equaled the SMCL. Streams on the Reservation also contain a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type water. The stream waters are slightly alkaline and are considered soft to moderately hard; median hardness in stream samples was 56 mg/L as calcium carbonate. The alkalinity in stream samples ranged from 46 to 59 mg/L as calcium carbonate; the median value was 51 mg/L. Stream water is intermediate between hard, alkaline ground water and soft, acidic precipitation and surface runoff. Low but detectable concentrations of chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, mercury, and zinc were detected in most bottom-material samples. Water quality of three lakes on the Reservation is variable and depends on the degree of connection with the ground-water system. In general, Bug Lake and Devils Lake are in poor hydraulic connection with the ground-water system, and their waters contain low concentrations of dissolved solids and alkalinity and low pH. King Lake is in good hydraulic connection with the ground-water system, and its waters contain higher concentrations of dissolved solids and alkalinity and higher pH than Bug and Devils Lakes.
The Onion River in eastern Wisconsin was studied during the 1979 and 1980 water years to define the relationship between water quality and streamflow. Agricultural nonpoint-source discharges in the lower part of the Onion River are suspected of contributing significantly to degradation of water quality. Two streamflow water-quality monitoring stations were established on the Onion River, one at Hingham upstream of the affected area, and one near Sheboygan Falls downstream of the affected 272 pounds per square mile upstream of Hingham in the 1979 water year. Part of the high nutrient yields are due to point sources from Belgium Creek, which drains an area of 16.2 square miles. In the 1979 water year, point sources contributed an estimated 16,700 pounds of phosphorus or 45 percent of the total annual load downstream of Hingham, whereas, upstream of Hingham point sources contributed an estimated 2,200 pounds of phosphorus, or 18 percent of the total annual load. At Hingham during base flow, four of five phosphorus concentrations exceeded levels recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; most concentrations during storm runoff exceeded these levels. At Sheboygan Falls, all phosphorus concentrations at base flow and most storm runoff concentrations also exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency criteria. All samples at both Hingham and Sheboygan Falls contained concentrations of un-ionized ammonia that were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's criteria (0.02 milligrams per liter), except the March 1980 samples. No samples exceeded the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources criteria for un-ionized ammonia (0.04 milligrams per liter). area. Streamflow at Onion River at Hingham ranged from a minimum 7-day mean low flow (Q?) of 8.7 to a maximum discharge of 600 cubic feet per second; at Onion River near Sheboygan Falls streamflow ranged from a Q7 of 13 to a maximum discharge of 2,350 cubic feet per second. Based on discharges at the Sheboygan River at Sheboygan, these discharges ranged from about double the low flow that occurs on the average of once every 2 years, to discharges of between 5-and 10-year recurrence intervals. The average discharges at Hingham in the 1979 and 1980 water were 32.2 and 27.6 cubic feet per second, respectively. At Sheboygan Falls, the average discharges in the 1979 and 1980 water years were 94.2 and 55.2 cubic feet per second, respectively. Based on the average discharge at the Sheboygan River at Sheboygan, the 1979 discharge was 60 percent greater than average, and the 1980 discharge was about 5 percent less than average. Precipitation in the study area for the 1979 water year was 33.1 inches and for the 1980 water year it was 36.8 inches; these amounts are 3.3 inches and 7.0 inches, respectively, more than average. Suspended-sediment yields and, probably, phosphorus yields were slightly above average for both years because of greater than normal precipitation, and stream discharges that were greater than normal in 1979 and near normal in 1980. Suspended-sediment yields were 79.1 tons per square mile for the 1979 water year and 63.9 tons per square mile for the 1980 water year at Hingham, while downstream of Hingham the yields were 93.5 tons per square mile for the 1979 water year and 84.2 tons per square mile for the 1980 water year. Phosphorus yields were 331 pounds per square mile for the 1979 water year and 317 pounds per square mile for the 1980 water year at Hingham. Downstream of Hingham, the phosphorus yields were 656 pounds per square mile for the 1979 water year and 647 pounds per square mile for the 198Q water year. A population of bottom-dwelling carp resuspends the bottom sediments during its late spring and early summer active period, possibly causing high concentrations of suspended sediment and phosphorus. Nutrient yields and loading rates were highest downstream of Hingham. Nonpoint-source contribution of phosphorus amounted to 362 pounds per square mile downstream of Hingham compared to 272 pounds per square mile upstream of Hingham in the 1979 water year. Part of the high nutrient yields are due to point sources from Belgium Creek, which drains an area of 16.2 square miles. In the 1979 water year, point sources contributed an estimated 16,700 pounds of phosphorus or 45 percent of the total annual load downstream of Hingham, whereas, upstream of Hingham point sources contributed an estimated 2,200 pounds of phosphorus, or 18 percent of the total annual load. At Hingham during base flow, four of five phosphorus concentrations exceeded levels recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; most concentrations during storm runoff exceeded these levels. At Sheboygan Falls, all phosphorus concentrations at base flow and most storm runoff concentrations also exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency criteria. All samples at both Hingham and Sheboygan Falls contained concentrations of un-ionized ammonia that were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's criteria (0.02 milligrams per liter), except the March 1980 samples. No samples exceeded the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources criteria for un-ionized ammonia (0.04 milligrams per liter).
Steiner Branch basin in southwestern Wisconsin has rugged mature topography. Corn is planted in 30 percent of the basin on slopes ranging from 0 to 20 percent. Although contour stripcropping is a recommended practice for these easily eroded soil slopes, few conservation practices are followed to reduce soil losses. Because the stream drains into a manmade lake used for recreation, its water quality is of major concern. The purpose of this report is to assess the magnitude and types of nonpoint discharges that affect the water quality of Steiner Branch. Total stream discharge for the 1978 and 1979 water years was 1,500 cubic feet per second per day and 1,800 cubic feet per second per day, respectively. The 1978 water year discharge was about 90 percent of the average and the 1979 discharge was 120 percent of average. During the 1978 water year, base flow was about 60 percent of the stream discharge, and in 1979 it was about 78 percent. Streamflow during the 2-year study period ranged from 1.5 cubic feet per second, which is approximately the low flow that occurs on the average of once every 2 years, to 392 cubic feet per second, a discharge of about a 5-year flood-recurrence interval. Suspended-sediment yields were 369 tons per square mile in the 1978 water year and 84.6 tons per square mile in 1979. These yields were 1.66 times higher than those monitored in an adjoining basin where more typical conservation practices were employed. However, suspended-sediment yield per unit of stream discharge was only 1.30 times higher in the Steiner Branch basin than in the adjoining basin. The estimated long-term annual suspended-sediment yield for the Steiner Branch basin is 444 tons per square mile. Sediment concentrations in Steiner Branch ranged from 3 to 6,430 milligrams per liter. Most of the nutrient load of the stream was transported during runoff: total organic nitrogen, 80 percent; ammonia nitrogen, 80 percent; total phosphorus, 84 percent; and total orthophosphorus, 77 percent. Transport of nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen and total nitrogen occurred primarily during baseflow conditions, with 75 and 56 percent, respectively, of the total load for the study period being transported during these conditions. The time distribution of total phosphorus, total orthophosphorus, ammonia nitrogen, and total organic nitrogen transport was very similar to suspended-sediment transport in Steiner Branch.
This report presents the results of biologic investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources during a study of hydrology and water quality in a small drainage basin in the "Driftless Area" of southwest Wisconsin. The investigation included aquatic macrophytes, periphytic and planktonic algae, benthic invertebrates, and trout population dynamics during 1967-78. The aquatic community is diverse and reasonably stable with little indication of environmental disturbance. Aquatic macrophyte population (dominated by Ranunculus aquatilis L., Veronica catenata Penn., and Nasturtium offlcinale) varies little from spring to fall. Periphytic and planktonic algae are predominantly diatoms, with the genus Achnanthes dominating both communities. Most genera of planktonic algae originate in the periphyton, but some true planktonic algae were identified. The benthic invertebrate population is dominated by Trichoptera and is a major food source for trout and forage fish. Biotic index values calculated from benthic invertebrate data indicate that water quality is very good to excellent. The trout population is low and represents only a small part of the total fish population both in biomass and numbers. Brown trout are usually stocked annually in the spring to enhance sport fishing, but by fall most trout are wild. The major environmental factors limiting trout population seem to be insufficient cover, insufficient pool depth and volume, and small spawning areas. The wild trout population is highly dependent on spawning success the previous fall.