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Water resources data for South Carolina, water year 1979
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Application of aerial gamma-ray spectrometric and magnetic surveys in geologic mapping: a case study in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina
Aerial gamma-ray spectrometric and magnetic survey maps are valuable aids for geologic mapping where rocks are poorly exposed in south-central Virginia and northernmost North Carolina. Broad low areas on the potassium and thorium gamma-ray survey maps distinguish the Carolina, Spring Hope, and Roanoke Rapids terranes from more highly radiogenic areas of the Raleigh and Triplet terranes, reflecting differences in the compositions of residual soils. Granitic rocks are delineated most clearly by potassium highs and less clearly by thorium highs. Nearly all the thorium highs other than those related to granites are associated with amphibolite-facies rocks of the Raleigh and Triplet terranes. Contrasting thorium lows within these terranes help to distinguish the individual rock units. In the Carolina and Roanoke Rapids terranes, high-gradient magnetic patterns delineate stratified metavolcanic and metasedimentary units that are not discernible from the gamma-ray surveys. Circular magnetic highs coincide with gabbro plutons, and numerous magnetic lineaments correspond to Jurassic diabase dikes. Magnetically uniform, low-gradient areas coincide with less mafic plutons. A magnetic lineament (high) coincides with the Nutbush Creek fault zone, and other faults are distinguished as boundaries between zones of contrasting geophysical properties. The gamma-ray spectrometric and magnetic survey maps most effectively indicate geologic features in the region if they are employed collectively, and if they are interpreted in concert with simultaneous geologic field investigations.
Geology of the Southern Appalachian Mountains
The Southern Appalachian Mountains includes the Blue Ridge province and parts of four other physiographic provinces. The Blue Ridge physiographic province is a high, mountainous area bounded by several named mountain ranges (including the Unaka Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains) to the northwest, and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the southeast. Metamorphic rocks of the mountains include (1) fragments of a billion-year-old supercontinent, (2) thick sequences of sedimentary rock that were deposited in subsiding (sinking) basins on the continent, (3) sedimentary and volcanic rocks that were deposited on the sea floor, and (4) fragments of oceanic crust. Most of the rocks formed as sediments or volcanic rocks on ocean floors, islands, and continental plates; igneous rocks formed when crustal plates collided, beginning about 450 million years ago. The collision between the ancestral North American and African continental plates ended about 270 million years ago. Then, the continents began to be stretched, which caused fractures to open in places throughout the crust; these fractures were later filled with sediment. This product (U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 2830) consists of a geologic map of the Southern Appalachian Mountains overlain on a shaded-relief background. The map area includes parts of southern Virginia, eastern West Virginia and Tennessee, western North and South Carolina, northern Georgia and northeastern Alabama. Photographs of localities where geologic features of interest can be seen accompany the map. Diagrams show how the movement of continental plates over many millions of years affected the landscapes seen today, show how folds and faults form, describe important mineral resources of the region, and illustrate geologic time. This two-sided map is folded into a convenient size (5x9.4 inches) for use in the field. The target audience is high school to college earth science and geology teachers and students; staffs of educational and interpretive programs within Federal, State, and private agencies; and tourists and residents of the Southern Appalachian region who want to know more about the area. The map is companion to the DVD, 'The Southern Appalachians, a Changing World' (http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/so_app/) and the Teacher's Guide and brochure, 'Birth of the Mountains' (http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/birth). The map shows the location of sites that are featured in these publications.
Water resources data for South Carolina, water year 1984
Water resources data for the 1984 water year for South Carolina consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels of ground-water wells. This volume contains records for water discharge at 93 gaging stations, stage only at 5 gaging stations, stage and contents at 11 lakes and reservoirs, water quality at 49 gaging stations, and water levels at 62 observation wells. Also included are data for 40 crest-stage partial-record station. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 3, 4, 5, and 6. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Water resources data, South Carolina, water year 1986
Water resources data for the 1986 water year for South Carolina consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels of ground-water wells. This volume contains records for water discharge at 100 gaging stations, stage only at 7 gaging stations, stage and contents at 13 lakes and reservoirs, water quality at 47 gaging stations, and water levels at 40 observation wells. Also included are data for 38 crest-stage partial-record stations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 3,4,5, and 6. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Hydrogeology and hydrogeologic terranes of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Physiographic Provinces in the eastern United States
Severe and prolonged droughts between 1961 and 1988, combined with increased demands for freshwater supplies in the United States, have resulted in a critical need to assess the potential for development of ground- and surface-water supplies. Rapid industrial growth and urban expansion have caused existing freshwater supplies to be used at or near maximum capacity. Begun in 1978, the Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is a systematic effort to study a number of the Nation's most important aquifer systems, which, in aggregate, underlie much of the country and represent an important component of the Nation's total water supply. The broad objective for each of the 28 studies in the program is to assemble geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical information, to analyze and develop an understanding of the system, and to develop predictive capabilities that will contribute to the effective management of the system. In 1988, as part of the RASA Program, the USGS began a 6-year study of the ground-water resources of parts of 11 States in the Eastern United States (Swain and others, 1991). The study was designated the Appalachian Valley and Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (APRASA). The APRASA team investigated ground-water resources primarily in the unglaciated part of the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, the New England, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces (fig. 1). For the purposes of this report, the small area in the New England Physiographic Province that is within the study area in New Jersey and Pennsylvania was considered part of the Piedmont Physiographic Province. The results of the APRASA are contained in about 50 reports and abstracts, including reports on simulation of ground-water flow in three type areas, this atlas, and chapters in Professional Paper 1422. These chapters include the summary (Chapter A), descriptions of recharge rates and surface- and ground-water relations (Chapter B), hydrogeologic terranes in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province (Chapter C), and ground-water geochemistry (Chapter D). The purposes of this atlas are to summarize the hydrogeology, to describe an analysis of maps and well records, and to present a classification and map of the hydrogeologic terranes of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Physiographic Provinces within the APRASA study area. Hydrogeologic terranes are defined for this atlas as regionally mappable areas characterized by similar water-yielding properties of a grouping of selected rock types. The hydrogeologic terranes represent areas of distinct hydrologic character. The terranes are intended to help water users locate and develop adequate water supplies and to help hydrologists interpret the regional hydrogeology. Previous investigations provide maps and descriptions of the geologic units, describe the local quantity and quality of ground water within these units, and establish the statistical methods for comparing the water-yielding properties of these units. State geologic maps show the distribution of geologic units at a scale of 1:500,000 for Alabama (Osborne and others, 1989), Georgia (Lawton and others, 1976), North Carolina (Brown and Parker, 1985), and Virginia (Calver and Hobbs, 1963). State maps show geologic units at a scale of 1:250,000 for Maryland (Cleaves and others, 1968), New Jersey (Lewis and Kummel, 1912), Pennsylvania (Berg and others, 1980), South Carolina (Overstreet and Bell, 1965), Tennessee (Hardeman, 1966), and West Virginia (Cardwell and others, 1968). Quadrangle geologic maps show geologic units at a scale of 1:24,000 for parts of Delaware within the APRASA area (Woodruff and Thompson, 1972, 1975). Many reports have been published describing the groundwater resources of a county, parts of a county, multi-county areas, or river basins. The statistical methods used in this atlas are based largely on those used by Helsel and Hirsch (1992) and by Knopman (1990, p. 7-9). In her analysis of well records in the USGS Ground-Water Site Inventory (GWSI) data base, Knopman (1990) ranked factors that must be taken into account when assessing the water-yielding potential of the rocks in the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces in Pennsylvania. Readers are referred to Helsel and Hirsch (1992) and Knopman (1990) for details regarding statistical methods.
Water resources data, South Carolina, water year 2001
Water resources data for the 2001 water year for South Carolina consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and ground-water levels. This report contains discharge records for 121 gaging stations; stage-only records for 44 gaging stations; stage and co ntents for 14 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 47 gaging stations; and water levels for 43 observation wells. Als o included are data for 52 crest-stage partial-record stations and discharge measurements at 7 miscellaneous sites. Add itional water data were collected at various sites, not part of the systematic data collection program, and are publish ed as miscellaneous investigations of water quality. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System co llected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Water resources data for South Carolina, water year 1988
Water resources data for the 1988 water year for South Carolina consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and levels of ground-water wells. This volume contains records for water discharge at 104 gaging stations, stage only at 18 gaging stations, stage and contents at 12 lakes and reservoirs, water-quality at 61 gaging stations, and water levels at 43 observation wells. Also included are data for 41 crest-stage partial-record stations and discharge measurement information at 4 locations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 3, 4, 5, and 6. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U. S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Water resources data, South Carolina, water year 1992
Water Resources data for the 1992 water year for South Carolina consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and levels of ground-water wells. This volume contains records for water discharge at 126 gaging stations, stage only at 25 gaging stations, stage and contents at 12 lakes and reservoirs, water-quality at 35 gaging stations and at one observation well, and water levels at 45 observation wells. Also included are data for 80 crest-stage partial-record stations and discharge measurement information at 4 locations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Water resources data, South Carolina, water year 2002
Water Resources data for the 2002 water year for South Carolina consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and levels of ground-water wells. This volume contains records for water discharge at 128 gaging stations, stage only at 32 gaging stations, stage and contents at 12 lakes and reservoirs, water-quality at 51 gaging stations and one observation well, water levels at 26 observation wells, and precipitation at 5 gaging stations. Also included are data for 57 crest-stage partial-record stations and discharge measurement information at 7 locations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Geologic map of the Hell Hole Bay, Wambaw Swamp, Little Wambaw Swamp, and Wambaw Creek Wildernesses, Berkeley and Charleston counties, South Carolina
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New Paleogene pollen species from the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains
Four new pollen species are described on the basis of specimens from the Paleocene to early middle Eocene interval of the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains. The species and their known geologic and geographic ranges are Trivestibulopollenitcs fissuratus (Midwayan to early Sabinian, Claibornian?; gulf coast?, Georgia to South Carolina); Pseudoplicapollis limitata (Midwayan to late Sabinian; gulf coast to Massachusetts), Tricolpitcs asper (early Midwayan to early Claibornian; gulf coast to Massachusetts), and Tricolpites redactus (early Midwayan to early Sabinian; South Carolina to Massachusetts).
Water resources data, South Carolina, water year 2003
Water Resources data for the 2003 water year for South Carolina consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and levels of ground-water wells. This volume contains records for water discharge at 109 gaging stations, stage only at 32 gaging stations, stage and contents at 12 lakes and reservoirs, water-quality at 52 gaging stations and one observation well, water levels at 26 observation wells, and precipitation at 22 gaging stations. Also included are data for 60 crest-stage partial-record stations and discharge measurement information at 8 locations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Water resources data, South Carolina, water year 1993
Water Resources data for the 1993 water year for South Carolina consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and levels of ground-water wells. This volume contains records for water discharge at 121 gaging stations, stage only at 39 gaging stations, stage and contents at 12 lakes and reservoirs, water-quality at 34 gaging stations and at one observation well, water temperature at 18 gaging stations, and water levels at 32 observations wells. Also included are data for 80 crest-stage partial-record stations and discharge measurement information at 4 locations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in South Carolina.
Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow near Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Predevelopment, 2004, and predicted scenarios for 2030
Heavy water use from the Cretaceous Middendorf aquifer in South Carolina has created a large, regional cone of depression in the potentiometric surface of the Middendorf aquifer in Charleston and Berkeley Counties, South Carolina. Water-level declines of up to 249 feet have been observed in wells over the past 125 years and are a result of ground-water use for public-water supply, irrigation, and private industry. To address the concerns of users of the Middendorf aquifer, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Mount Pleasant Waterworks, updated an existing ground-water flow model to incorporate additional data that have been compiled since 1989. The updated ground-water flow model incorporates water-level data collected from 349 wells in 2004, baseflow data measured at 17 streams, hydraulic property data from 265 wells, and water-use data compiled for more than 2,700 wells for the period between the early 1900s to 2004. The ground-water flow system of the Coastal Plain physiographic province of South Carolina and parts of Georgia and North Carolina was simulated using the U.S. Geological Survey finite-difference code MODFLOW-2000. The model was vertically discretized into nine layers to include the five aquifers of the surficial, the combined Floridan aquifer system and Tertiary sand aquifer, Black Creek, Middendorf, and Cape Fear, separated by four intervening confining units. Specified-head boundary conditions were used at the lateral boundaries of the model and for the lower Coastal Plain part of the surficial aquifer; no-flow boundary conditions were used at the updip and downdip extent of the model layers and at the base of the Cape Fear aquifer. Ground-water conditions for predevelopment and 2004 were simulated using steady-state and transient approximations, respectively. Simulated water levels generally matched the observed conditions, plus or minus a 20-foot calibration target, with 56.4 and 64.8 percent of the simulated values approximating the measured values for predevelopment and 2004 hydrologic conditions, respectively. The root-mean-square error of the water-level residuals for the various model layers varied between 20.2 and 34.4 feet for predevelopment and 18.2 and 36.7 feet for 2004. The general goodness of fit also was apparent in the calculation of the ratio of standard deviation of residuals to range of observations for each modeled aquifer layer. The calculated ratios for the predevelopment and 2004 hydrologic conditions were less than 0.10 for all model layers except for the Cape Fear aquifer in both predevelopment and 2004 simulations. The Mount Pleasant model was most sensitive to changes in simulated specific storage of most model layers, vertical anisotropy of the confining units above and below the Middendorf aquifer, hydraulic conductivity of the confining units, and the specified-head boundary conditions for the surficial aquifer. The model also is sensitive to horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the Floridan aquifer system and Tertiary sand aquifer and the Black Creek and Middendorf aquifers. Simulated water budgets indicate that the primary sources of water to the model are recharge and the specified-head boundaries in layers 1 and 3. More than 88 percent of the water that discharges from the model discharges from layers 1-3 through specified-head boundaries and rivers. Approximately 11 percent of the water budget was discharged through wells for the 2004 budget. In 2004, 8.11 million gallons of water per day was discharged from wells in the Mount Pleasant area. Water to these wells is provided predominantly by lateral flow within the Middendorf aquifer. Additional water is provided from aquifer storage and leakage from confining units located above and below the Middendorf aquifer. Downward flow through the Middendorf confining unit is a reversal of the predevelopment flow direction. Five predictive water-management scenarios were simulated to determine the effects on the