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USGS2006

Generalized boundaries of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Study-Unit Investigations in the conterminous United States 2001-2012

This is a GENERALIZED version of the boundaries and codes used for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program Study-Unit investigations in the conterminous United States, excluding the High Plains Regional Ground-Water Study. The data set represents the areas to be studied during the second decade of the NAWQA Program, from 2001-2012 ("cycle 2"). The coverage is intended only for drawing ILLUSTRATIONS, NOT for spatial analysis.

Report↗

USGS2009

Pesticides in ground water in selected agricultural land-use areas and hydrogeologic settings in Pennsylvania, 2003-07

This report was prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) as part of the Pennsylvania Pesticides and Ground Water Strategy (PPGWS). Monitoring data and extensive quality-assurance data on the occurrence of pesticides in ground water during 2003–07 are presented and evaluated; decreases in the land area used for agriculture and corresponding changes in the use of pesticides also are documented. In the Pennsylvania ground waters assessed since 2003, concentrations of pesticides did not exceed any maximum contaminant or health advisory levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; PPGWS actions are invoked by the PDA at fractions of these levels and were needed only in areas designated by the PDA for special ground-water protection. Previous investigations through 1998 of pesticides in Pennsylvania ground water identified land use, as a surrogate for pesticide use, and rock type of the aquifer combined with physiography as key hydrogeologic setting variables for understanding aquifer vulnerability to contamination and the common occurrence of atrazine and metolachlor in ground water. Of 20 major hydrogeologic settings in a framework established in 1999 for pesticide monitoring in Pennsylvania, 9 were identified as priorities for data collection in order to change the monitoring status from "inadequate" to "adequate" for the PPGWS. Agricultural and forested land-use areas are decreasing because of urban and suburban growth. In the nine hydrogeologic settings evaluated using 1992 and 2001 data, decreases of up to 12 percent for agricultural land and 10 percent for forested land corresponded to increases of up to 11 percent for urban land. Changes in agricultural pesticide use were computed from crop data. For example, from 1996 to 2004–05, atrazine use declined by about 15 percent to 1,314,000 lb/yr (pounds per year) and metolachlor use increased by about 20 percent to 895,000 lb/yr; these compounds are the two most-used agricultural pesticides statewide. In 2003–07, a baseline assessment of pesticides was conducted in five of nine hydrogeologic settings with inadequate monitoring data—the Blue Ridge crystalline and Triassic Lowland siliciclastic, Eastern Lake surficial, Devonian-Silurian carbonate, Great Valley siliciclastic, and Northeastern Glaciated surficial settings. Between 20 and 30 wells in each setting were monitored. Of the 126 wells sampled, 96 well-water samples were analyzed for at least 52 pesticide compounds at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) using a method with a minimum reporting level (MRL) at or above 0.002 µg/L (micrograms per liter). Of the 96 well waters analyzed by NWQL, 43 had measureable concentrations of one or more pesticides. Atrazine and (or) deethylatrazine (CIAT), a degradation product of atrazine, were reported at or above the MRL in 39 of the 43 well waters. Neither atrazine nor CIAT were reported at concentrations exceeding 0.10 µg/L; all measured concentrations in these five settings were below PPGWS action levels. Metolachlor was present in 7 of the 43 well waters with measureable concentrations of 1 or more pesticides; however, concentrations were below the MRL. The other 30 samples (10 of 20 wells in the Blue Ridge crystalline and Triassic Lowland siliciclastic setting and all 20 wells in the Eastern Lake surficial setting) were analyzed for at least 19 pesticide compounds at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Laboratory (PADEPL); the PADEPL reported no concentrations of pesticides at or above an MRL of 0.10 µg/L. Statistical tests using the NWQL analytical results showed correlations between pesticide occurrence and two indicators of water-quality degradation—the occurrence of total coliform bacteria and nitrate concentration. A 2 × 2 contingency-table test indicated a relation between presence or absence of atrazine or metolachlor and presence or absence of bacteria only for the 10 wells representing the Blue Ridge crystalline and Triassic Lowland siliciclastic setting. Results of Spearman’s rank test showed strong positive correlations in the Devonian-Silurian carbonate setting between 1) the number of pesticides above the MRLs and nitrate concentration, and 2) concentrations of atrazine and nitrate. Atrazine concentration and nitrate concentration also showed a statistically significant positive correlation in the Great Valley siliciclastic setting. An additional component of baseline monitoring was to evaluate changes in pesticide concentration in water from wells representing hydrogeologic settings most vulnerable to contamination from pesticides. In 2003, 16 wells originally sampled in the 1990s were resampled—4 each in the Appalachian Mountain carbonate, Triassic Lowland siliciclastic, Great Valley carbonate, and Piedmont carbonate settings. Nine of these wells, where pesticide concentrations from 1993 and 2003 were analyzed at the NWQL, were chosen for a paired-sample analysis using concentrations of atrazine and metolachlor. A statistically significant decrease in atrazine concentration was identified using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p = 0.004); significant temporal changes in metolachlor concentrations were not observed (p = 0.625). Monitoring in three areas of special ground-water protection, where selected pesticide concentrations in well water were at or above the PPGWS action levels, was done at wells BE 1370 (Berks County, Oley Township), BA 437 (Blair County, North Woodbury Township), and LN 1842 (Lancaster County, Earl Township). Co-occurrence of pesticide-degradation products with parent compounds was documented for the first time in ground-water samples collected from these three wells. Degradation products of atrazine, cyanazine, acetochlor, alachlor, and metolachlor were commonly at larger concentrations than the parent compound in the same water sample. Pesticide occurrence in water from wells neighboring the hot-spot wells was highly variable; however, the same sets of pesticide compounds that were present in wells BA 437, BE 1370, and LN 1842 were present to some degree in water from neighboring wells. To evaluate temporal changes in concentration, nonparametric statistical tests were used to determine overall and seasonal monotonic trends. Concentrations of alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor, and nitrate were examined using the 5-year (2003–07) and the long-term data from wells BA 437 and LN 1842 (1996–2007 and 1995–2007, respectively), and the long-term data for well BE 1370 (1998–2007); results showed either downward trends or no trends. Trends in acetochlor concentrations were tested only at well LN 1842 using the 5-year data; no trends were observed. Homogeneity of trend tests indicated statistically significant downward concentration trends in the long-term data were due to seasonal trends as follows: BA 437—alachlor and atrazine (summer); BE 1370—atrazine and metolachlor (winter) and alachlor (winter and spring); LN 1842—alachlor (summer and fall) and atrazine (spring and fall).

Pennsylvania↗

USGS2002

Use of ICP/MS with ultrasonic nebulizer for routine determination of uranium activity ratios in natural water

A method is described that allows precise determination of 234 U/ 238 U activity ratios (UAR) in most natural waters using commonly available inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS) instrumentation and accessories. The precision achieved by this technique (±0.5% RSD, 1 sigma) is intermediate between thermal ionization mass spectrometry (±0.25% RSD, 1 sigma) and alpha particle spectrometry (±5% RSD, 1 sigma). It is precise and rapid enough to allow analysis of a large number of samples in a short period of time at low cost using standard, commercially available quadrupole instrumentation with ultrasonic nebulizer and desolvator accessories. UARs have been analyzed successfully in fresh to moderately saline waters with U concentrations of from less than 1 μg/L to nearly 100 μg/L. An example of the uses of these data is shown for a study of surface-water mixing in the North Platte River in western Nebraska. This rapid and easy technique should encourage the wider use of uranium isotopes in surface-water and groundwater investigations, both for qualitative (e.g. identifying sources of water) and quantitative (e.g. determining end-member mixing ratios purposes.

Environmental Science & Technology↗

USGS1945

The Ogden Valley artesian reservoir

Ogden Valley, in Weber County, Utah, contains an artesian reservoir from which the city of Ogden obtains all except a small part of its municipal water supply. A detailed investigation of the ground-water resources of Ogden Valley, and particularly of this artesian reservoir, was made by the Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the city of Ogden between 1932 and 1934, and the results of this investigation have been reported by Leggette and Taylor. 1 The present paper, which might be termed a sequel to that report, is based on data collected during those years, augmented by records that have been obtained (1935-1940) by the Geological Survey as part of a State-wide project in cooperation with the Utah State Engineer. The conclusions drawn from the study of these records and presented in detail in the following pages are as follows: (1) The artesian reservoir is filled to capacity nearly every year during the spring run-off from melting snow; (2) after the annual freshet, the recharge to the reservoir is insufficient to balance the discharge from artesian wells, which ordinarily is at a maximum during the summer; the reservoir is depleted and is not filled again until the following spring; (3) during the periods when the artesian reservoir is not full the rate of recharge is more or less proportional to the inflow to the valley by streams, except that rain on the recharge area may be of sufficient intensity to contribute some water by infiltration and deep penetration; and (4) the artesian reservoir thus serves to store water that would otherwise be lost to Great Salt Lake in the excess spring overflow, and available records indicate that water used by increased draft from wells would be replenished in normal years by increased recharge during the spring freshet.

Utah↗

USGS1997

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin– Results of investigations through April 1992

A water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin (10,949 square miles) was conducted during water years 1987-91. This assessment involved interpretation of available data; 4 years of intensive data collection, including monthly sample collection at eight fixed-monitoring stations in the basin; and synoptic studies of selected water-quality constituents at many sites. The number of exceedances of water-quality criteria for chromium, copper, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc in water was essentially the same at similar stations between 1978-86 and 1987-90. For water and sediment, a large signature for many trace inorganic constituents was observed from the Chicago metropolitan area, mainly from the Des Plaines River Basin and continuing down the Illinois River. Loads of trace inorganic constituents in water were 2-13 times greater from the Chicago metropolitan area than from rural areas in the upper Illinois River Basin. Concentrations of cadmium, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc appeared to be relatively enriched in biota in the upper Illinois River Basin compared to other river basins. Biota from some urban sites were enriched with respect to several elements. For example, relatively large concentrations of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and nickel were observed in biota from sites in the Chicago River in the metropolitan area and the Calumet River. Results of pesticide sampling in 1988 and 1989 identified the pesticides bromacil, diazinon, malathion, prometon, and simazine as urban related and alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, and metribuzin as agricultural related. Phenol concentrations never exceeded general-use and secondary-contact water-quality standards of 100 and 300 micrograms per liter, respectively. Pentachlorophenol concentrations observed at the Illinois River at Marseilles, Ill., between 1981 and 1992 decreased beginning in 1987. A breakdown product of the organochlorine pesticide dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), p,p'-DDE was the most commonly detected organic compound in biota in both 1989 and 1990. In the nine fish-fillet samples collected in 1989, exceedances of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) fish tissue concentrations were noted for p,p'-DDE in all nine fillets and for dieldrin in five of the nine fillets. Nutrient concentrations in water in the study area generally were larger than concentrations typically found in natural waters. The Des Plaines River Basin contributed approximately 41 percent of the total nitrogen load to the upper Illinois River Basin, whereas the Kankakee River and Iroquois River Basins contributed about 34 and 14 percent of the total load, respectively. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations measured during a 1988 synoptic sampling exceeded State water-quality standards at 76 percent of the sampled sites. Bacteria densities greater than water-quality standards were observed at all of the fixed-monitoring stations, but densities greater than water-quality criteria and standards were observed more often at stations in the Des Plaines River Basin. Results from the analysis of changes in water quality following changes in wastewater-treatment practices indicated that current monitoring programs, although sufficient for their intended purposes, are not suitable for this type of retrospective assessment in large-scale water-quality assessments. Changes were not indicated in fish-community structure and population following changes in wastewater-treatment practices. A strong relation between the quality of the fish community and overall water-quality conditions was observed, although USEPA acute criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life were rarely exceeded. Analyses of fish-community data clearly showed that water quality in the urbanized parts of the study area were degraded relative to those in agricultural areas. Total chromium in streambed sediments and total recoverable sodium in water were highly correlated

Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin↗

USGS2008

Hydrologic Drought of Water Year 2006 Compared with Four Major Drought Periods of the 20th Century in Oklahoma

Water Year 2006 (October 1, 2005, to September 30, 2006) was a year of extreme hydrologic drought and the driest year in the recent 2002-2006 drought in Oklahoma. The severity of this recent drought can be evaluated by comparing it with four previous major hydrologic droughts, water years 1929-41, 1952-56, 1961-72, and 1976-81. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, completed an investigation to summarize the Water Year 2006 hydrologic drought and compare it to the four previous major hydrologic droughts in the 20th century. The period of water years 1925-2006 was selected as the period of record because before 1925 few continuous record streamflow-gaging sites existed and gaps existed where no streamflow-gaging sites were operated. Statewide annual precipitation in Water Year 2006 was second driest and statewide annual runoff in Water Year 2006 was sixth driest in the 82 years of record. Annual area-averaged precipitation totals by the nine National Weather Service Climate Divisions from Water Year 2006 are compared to those during four previous major hydrologic droughts to show how rainfall deficits in Oklahoma varied by region. Only two of the nine climate divisions, Climate Division 1 Panhandle and Climate Division 4 West Central, had minor rainfall deficits, while the rest of the climate divisions had severe rainfall deficits in Water Year 2006 ranging from only 65 to 73 percent of normal annual precipitation. Regional streamflow patterns for Water Year 2006 indicate that Oklahoma was part of the regionwide below-normal streamflow conditions for Arkansas-White-Red River Basin, the sixth driest since 1930. The percentage of long-term stations in Oklahoma (with at least 30 years of record) having below-normal streamflow reached 80 to 85 percent for some days in August and November 2006. Twelve long-term streamflow-gaging sites with periods of record ranging from 62 to 78 years were selected to show how streamflow deficits varied by region. The hydrologic drought worsened going from north to south in Oklahoma, ranging from 45 percent in the north, to just 14 percent in east-central Oklahoma, and 20 percent of normal annual streamflow in the southwest. The low streamflows resulted in only 86.3 percent of the statewide conservation storage available at the end of the water year in major reservoirs, and 7 to 47 percent of hydroelectric power generation at sites in Oklahoma in Calendar Year 2005.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS1998

Hydrogeology, water quality, water budgets, and simulated responses to hydrologic changes in Santa Rosa and San Simeon Creek ground-water basins, San Luis Obispo County, California

Santa Rosa and San Simeon Creeks are underlain by thin, narrow ground-water basins that supply nearly all water used for local agricultural and municipal purposes. The creeks discharge to the Pacific Ocean near the northwestern corner of San Luis Obispo County, California. The basins contain heterogeneous, unconsolidated alluvial deposits and are underlain by relatively impermeable bedrock. Both creeks usually stop flowing during the summer dry season, and most of the pumpage during that time is derived from ground-water storage. Annual pumpage increased substantially during 1956?88 and is now a large fraction of basin storage capacity. Consequently, dry-season water levels are lower and the water supply is more vulnerable to drought. The creeks are the largest source of ground-water recharge, and complete basin recharge can occur within the first few weeks of winter streamflow. Agricultural and municipal pumpages are the largest outflows and cause dry-season water-level declines throughout the San Simeon Basin. Pumping effects are more localized in the Santa Rosa Basin because of subsurface flow obstructions. Even without pumpage, a large quantity of water naturally drains out of storage at the upper ends of the basins during the dry season. Ground water is more saline in areas close to the coast than in inland areas. Although seawater intrusion has occurred in the past, it probably was not the cause of high salinity in 1988?89. Ground water is very hard, and concentrations of dissolved solids, chloride, iron, and manganese exceed drinking-water standards in some locations. Probability distributions of streamflow were estimated indirectly from a 120-year rainfall record because the periods of record for local stream-gaging stations were wetter than average. Dry-season durations with recurrence intervals between 5 and 43 years are likely to dry up some wells but not cause seawater intrusion. A winter with no streamflow is likely to occur about every 32 years and to result in numerous dry wells, seawater intrusion, and subsidence. Digital ground-water-flow models were used to estimate several items in the ground-water budgets and to investigate the effects of pumpage and drought. The models also were used to investigate the hydrologic effects of selected water-resources management alternatives. Selection of alternatives was not constrained by issues related to water rights, which were under dispute during the study. Increases in the area and intensity of irrigation could increase agricultural water demand by 26 to 35 percent, an increase that would lower water levels by as much as 10 feet and possibly cause subsidence in the lower Santa Rosa Basin. An additional municipal well in the lower Santa Rosa Basin could withdraw 100 acre-feet per year without causing seawater intrusion, but subsidence might occur. Transferring 270 acre-feet per year of treated wastewater from a percolation area near the coast to an area about 0.5 mile upstream of the municipal well field in the San Simeon Basin could raise upstream water levels by as much as 12 feet without causing significant water-table mounding or seawater intrusion. Decreases in agricultural pumping after a winter without streamflow could prevent seawater intrusion while allowing municipal pumping to continue at normal rates.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1945

Water utilization in the Nooksack River, Washington

The primary purpose of the investigation of the water resources of the Nooksack River was land classification. The Nooksack basin lies largely within the Mt. Baker National Forest and a considerable area of public lands will be involved in any plan for the ultimate development of its water power. Surveys on a scale of 1:24,000 and 1:31,680 were made from the mouth of the Nooksack River upstream to include such stretches of ell streams in the basin as appear to have sufficient flow and head or storage possibilities to attract future power development. A dam site on the main stream and one on South Fork were mapped on a scale of 400 feet to the inch. A dam site on the main stream near Deming was mapped in 1938 by the U.S. Engineers. Areas within the basin not covered by these surveys are largely shown on quadrangle maps, The lower basin has been mapped on a scale of one inch to the mile, and the upper basin on a scale of one quarter inch to the mile (Mt. Baker district). These surveys and a brief record of discharge on the principal streams of the basin together with a general reconnaissance form the basis of this report. It outlines roughly a plan of development showing the potential power of the Nooksack River and its tributaries, and considers briefly the problems of flood control and irrigation within the basin.

Washington↗

USGS1994

Physical characteristics and quality of water from selected springs and wells in the Lincoln Point-Bird Island area, Utah Lake, Utah

From February 1991 to October 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, investigated the hydrology of the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area in the southeast part of Utah Lake, Utah. The investigation included measurements of the discharge of selected springs and measurements of the physical and chemical characteristics of water from selected springs and wells in the LincolnPoint - Bird Island area. This report contains data for twenty-one distinct springs in the study area including two springs beneath the surface of Utah Lake at Bird Island. Data from this study, combined with data from previous studies, indicate that the location of springs in the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area probably is controlled by fractures that are the result of faulting. Measured discharge of springs in the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area ranged from less than 0.01 cubic foot per second to 0.84 cubic foot per second. Total discharge in the study area, including known unmeasured springs and seeps, is estimated to be about 5 cubic feet per second. Reported and measured temperatures of water from springs and wells in the Lincoln Point - Bird Island area ranged from 16.0 degrees Celsius to 36.5 degrees Celsius. Dissolved-solids con-centrations ranged from 444 milligrams per liter to 7,932 milligrams per liter, and pH ranged from 6.3 to 8.1. Physical and chemical characteristics of spring and well water from the west side of Lincoln Point were virtually identical to the physical and chemical characteristics of water from the submerged Bird Island springs, indicating a similar source for the water. Water chemistry, isotope analyses, and geothermometer calculations indicate deep circulation of water discharging from the springs and indicate that the source of recharge for the springs at Lincoln Point and Bird Island does not appear to be localized in the LincolnPoint - Bird Island area.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1978

Evaluation and design of a streamflow-data network in Washington

A method of evaluating the transferability of streamflow information by regional regression analysis was applied in Washington to several streamflow variables. The annual mean and annual standard deviation were chosen to represent the development potential of the water resource, while the mean, standard deviation, and the 50-year recurrence interval of the annual flood series were chosen to represent flood potential. Low-flow characteristics were not used because of the inability to model them by regression analysis. Ephemeral streams in the vicinity of the Columbia Plateau were ignored for the same reason. The results of the study indicate that the standard errors of estimate of the regression relations were good approximations of the medians of the Bayesian distributions of estimates of inaccuracy and that for the streamflow variables used in the study, little if any improvement can be expected in the regression relations by the collection of additional streamflow data. Improved transferability of streamflow information for these variables has a prerequisite of more accurate information-transfer models. It is therefore recommended that the future streamflow-data network contain only those streamflow stations needed to provide data for (1) the design or operation of water-resources projects, (2) the investigation and study of water resources, and (3) monitoring long-term trends in streamflow.

Washington↗

USGS1995

Geochemical processes and the effects of natural organic solutes on the solubility of selenium in coal-mine backfill samples from the Powder River basin, Wyoming

Geochemical processes and the effects of natural organic solutes on the solubility of selenium in coal-mine backfill aquifers were investigated. Backfill and ground-water samples were collected at coal mines in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Backfill was generally dominated by aluminum (14,400 to 49,000 mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram)), iron (3,330 to 23,200 mg/kg), and potassium (7,950 to 18,000 mg/kg). Backfill saturated-paste selenium concentrations ranged from 1 to 156 mg/kg (microsiemens per kilogram). Ground-water total selenium concentrations ranged from 3 to 125 mg/L. Dissolved organic carbon in all ground-water samples was dominated by hydrophobic and hydrophilic acids (38 to 84 percent). Selenite sorption/desorption experiments were conducted using background solutions of distilled-deionized water, 0.1 molar calcium chloride, and isolated hydrophobic and hydrophilic acids. Selenite sorption was larger when 0.1 molar calcium chloride was used. The addition of hydrophilic acid decreased selenite sorption more than the addition of hydrophobic acids. Geochemical modelling was used to predict the solid phases controlling dissolved selenium concentrations and to evaluate the effects of dissolved organic carbon on selenium solubility. Results suggested that 55 to 90 percent of selenium in backfill precipitation/dissolution extracts was dominated by magnesium selenate ion pairs. Dissolved organic carbon had little effect on selenium speciation. A redox chamber was constructed to control Eh and pH in water and backfill-core sample suspensions. The response of selenite and selenate in water samples to redox conditions did not follow thermodynamic predictions. Reduction of selenate in water samples did not occur at any of the redox levels tested.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2007

Natural gases in ground water near Tioga Junction, Tioga County, north-central Pennsylvania: Occurrence and use of isotopes to determine origins, 2005

In January 2001, State oil and gas inspectors noted bubbles of natural gas in well water during a complaint investigation near Tioga Junction, Tioga County, north-central Pa. By 2004, the gas occurrence in ground water and accumulation in homes was a safety concern; inspectors were taking action to plug abandoned gas wells and collect gas samples. The origins of the natural-gas problems in ground water were investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, in wells throughout an area of about 50 mi2, using compositional and isotopic characteristics of methane and ethane in gas and water wells. This report presents the results for gas-well and water-well samples collected from October 2004 to September 2005. Ground water for rural-domestic supply and other uses near Tioga Junction is from two aquifer systems in and adjacent to the Tioga River valley. An unconsolidated aquifer of outwash sand and gravel of Quaternary age underlies the main river valley and extends into the valleys of tributaries. Fine-grained lacustrine sediments separate shallow and deep water-bearing zones of the outwash. Outwash-aquifer wells are seldom deeper than 100 ft. The river-valley sediments and uplands adjacent to the valley are underlain by a fractured-bedrock aquifer in siliciclastic rocks of Paleozoic age. Most bedrock-aquifer wells produce water from the Lock Haven Formation at depths of 250 ft or less. A review of previous geologic investigations was used to establish the structural framework and identify four plausible origins for natural gas. The Sabinsville Anticline, trending southwest to northeast, is the major structural feature in the Devonian bedrock. The anticline, a structural trap for a reservoir of deep native gas in the Oriskany Sandstone (Devonian) (origin 1) at depths of about 3,900 ft, was explored and tapped by numerous wells from 1930-60. The gas reservoir in the vicinity of Tioga Junction, depleted of native gas, was converted to the Tioga gas-storage field for injection and withdrawal of non-native gases (origin 2). Devonian shale gas (shallow native gas) also has been reported in the area (origin 3). Gas might also originate from microbial degradation of buried organic material in the outwash deposits (origin 4). An inventory of combustible-gas concentrations in headspaces of water samples from 91 wells showed 49 wells had water containing combustible gases at volume fractions of 0.1 percent or more. Well depth was a factor in the observed occurrence of combustible gas for the 62 bedrock wells inventoried. As well-depth range increased from less than 50 ft to 51-150 ft to greater than 151 ft, the percentage of bedrock-aquifer wells with combustible gas increased. Wells with high concentrations of combustible gas occurred in clusters; the largest cluster was near the eastern boundary of the gas-storage field. A subsequent detailed gas-sampling effort focused on 39 water wells with the highest concentrations of combustible gas (12 representing the outwash aquifer and 27 from the bedrock aquifer) and 8 selected gas wells. Three wells producing native gas from the Oriskany Sandstone and five wells (two observation wells and three injection/withdrawal wells) with non-native gas from the gas-storage field were sampled twice. Chemical composition, stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes of methane (13CCH4 and DCH4), and stable carbon isotopes of ethane (13CC2H6) were analyzed. No samples could be collected to document the composition of microbial gas originating in the outwash deposits (outwash or 'drift' gas) or of native natural gas originating solely in Devonian shale at depths shallower than the Oriskany Sandstone, although two of the storage-field observation wells sampled reportedly yielded some Devonian shale gas. Literature values for outwash or 'drift' gas and Devonian shale gases were used to supplement the data collection. Non-native gases fr

Pennsylvania↗

USGS1988

Summary of water data for the Janzen recharge investigation, Scott County, Kansas, 1980-86

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Western Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 1, established data collection instrumentation around an earthen dam in Scott County , west-central Kansas. The dam was placed on an ephemeral drainage to monitor water storage behind the dam, precipitation, and groundwater levels in the vicinity. This report briefly describes the site and summarizes the data collected at that site from May 1980 through September 1986, when data collection was discontinued. The dam is capable of impounding 300-acre-ft of water at the level of the emergency spillway, draining to 24 acre-ft of water at the level of the principal spillway. The reservoir behind the dam receives surface water runoff from a drainage area of about 8,000 acres. Water storage behind the dam occurred three times during the period of data collection, but water never reached the level of the principal spillway. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

USGS1966

Hydrologic and climatologic data, 1965, Salt Lake County, Utah

An investigation of the water resources of Salt Lake County, Utah, was undertaken by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in July 1963. This investigation is a cooperative project financed equally by the State of Utah and the Federal Government in accordance with an agreement between the State Engineer and the Geological Survey. The Utah Water and Power Board, Utah Fish and Game Commission, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Power and Light Company, Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. contributed funds to the State Engineer's office toward support of the project. The investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a large variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic data in and near Salt Lake County. Utah Basic-Data Release No. 11 contains data collected through 1964. This release contains climatologic and surface-water data for the 1965 water year (October 1964 to September 1965) and ground-water data collected during the 1965 calendar year. Similar annual releases will contain data collected during the remainder of the investigation, and interpretive reports will be prepared as the investigation proceeds. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in station descriptions and footnotes to tables.

Utah↗

USGS1989

Water resources of northeast Iowa

In 1965 a cooperative investigation with the U.S. Geological Survey produced Water Atlas No. 1 (Twenter and Coble, 1965). It presented information on the occurrence, availability, use, quality, and future demand of water in 10 counties in the central part of the state. Subsequent investigations produced Water Atlases No. 4 (Coble and Roberts, 1971) for southeast Iowa, No. 5 (Cagle and Heinitz, 1978) for south-central Iowa, No. 6 (Wahl et al., 1978) for east-central Iowa, and No. 7 (Buchmiller et al., 1985) for north-central Iowa. The present study, Water Atlas No. 8 (1989), describes the surface-water and groundwater resources of 11 counties in extreme northeast Iowa. With the publication of this report, water atlases are now available for the eastern two-thirds of the state.

Iowa↗

USGS2010

Potentiometric Surfaces and Water-Level Trends in the Cockfield (Upper Claiborne) and Wilcox (Lower Wilcox) Aquifers of Southern and Northeastern Arkansas, 2009

Eocene-age sand beds near the base of the Cockfield Formation of Claiborne Group constitute the aquifer known locally as the Cockfield aquifer. Upper-Paleocene age sand beds within the lower parts of the Wilcox Group constitute the aquifer known locally as the Wilcox aquifer. In 2005, reported water withdrawals from the Cockfield aquifer in Arkansas totaled 16.1 million gallons per day, while reported water withdrawals from the Wilcox aquifer in Arkansas totaled 27.0 million gallons per day. Major withdrawals from these units were for industrial and public water supplies with lesser but locally important withdrawals for commercial, domestic, and agricultural uses. During February 2009, 56 water-level measurements were made in wells completed in the Cockfield aquifer and 57 water-level measurements were made in wells completed in the Wilcox aquifer. The results from the 2009 water-level measurements are presented in potentiometric-surface maps and in combination with previous water-level measurements. Trends in water-level change over time within the two aquifers are investigated using water-level difference maps and well hydrographs. Water-level difference maps were constructed for each aquifer using the difference between depth to water measurements made in 2003 to 2009. Well hydrographs for each aquifer were constructed for wells with 20 or more years of historical water-level data. The hydrographs were evaluated individually using linear regression to calculate the annual rise or decline in water levels, and by aggregating the regression results by county and statistically summarizing for the range, mean, and median water-level change in each county. The 2009 potentiometric surface of the Cockfield aquifer map indicates the regional direction of groundwater flow generally towards the east and southeast, except in two areas of intense groundwater withdrawals that have developed into cones of depression. The lowest water-level altitude measured was 43 feet and the highest water-level altitude measured was 351 feet. A water-level difference map was constructed from 54 wells completed in the Cockfield aquifer within Arkansas. The largest rise in water level was 14.9 feet and the largest decline was 27.4 feet. Seven wells had a rise in water level, and the remaining 47 wells had a decline in water level. Hydrographs for 33 wells completed in the Cockfield aquifer were developed. Hydrographs indicate water-level changes in individual wells ranged from rises of 0.33 feet per year to declines of 1.21 feet per year over the 20-year period (1990-2009). County summaries of the linear regression analysis indicate Cleveland and Columbia Counties have mean annual rises. Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Desha, Drew, Lincoln, and Union Counties have mean annual declines. The potentiometric surface for the Wilcox aquifer is presented using two maps, one for a southern area and another for a northeastern area, because of the absence of water-level data in the central part of the State. The direction of groundwater flow in the southern area is generally the east, except around two cones of depression and around two mounds of elevated water levels. Water-level altitudes in the southern area range from 147 feet to 400 feet. The direction of groundwater flow in the northeastern area is generally to the south and southeast except in an area of intense groundwater withdrawals that has altered the flow to a westerly direction. Two water-level difference maps were constructed using water-level altitudes measured in 2003 to 2009 from 53 wells completed in the Wilcox aquifer within southern and northeastern Arkansas. In the southern area the largest rise in water level was 16.0 feet and the largest decline was 17.7 feet. Eight wells in the southern area had rising water levels and the remaining five wells had declining water levels. In the northeastern area, the largest rise in water level was 1.3 feet and the larg

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS1969

Hydrology of the San Luis Valley, south-central Colorado

An investigation of the water resources of the Colorado part of the San Luis Valley was begun in 1966 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. (See index map, fig. 1). The purpose of the investigation is to provide information for planning and implementing improved water-development and management practices. The major water problems in the San Luis Valley include (1) waterlogging, (2) waste of water by nonbeneficial evapotranspiration, (3) deterioration of ground-water chemical quality, and (4) failure of Colorado to deliver water to New Mexico and Texas in accordance with the Rio Grande Compact. This report describes the hydrologic environment, extent of water-resource development, and some of the problems related to that development. Information presented is based on data collected from 1966 to 1968 and on previous studies. Subsequent reports are planned as the investigation progresses. The San Luis Valley extends about 100 miles from Poncha Pass near the northeast corner of Saguache County, Colo., to a point about 16 miles south of the Colorado-New Mexico State line. The total area is 3,125 square miles, of which about 3,000 are in Colorado. The valley is nearly flat except for the San Luis Hills and a few other small areas. The Colorado part of the San Luis Valley, which is described in this report, has an average altitude of about 7,700 feet. Bounding the valley on the west are the San Juan Mountains and on the east the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Most of the valley floor is bordered by alluvial fans deposited by streams originating in the mountains, the most extensive being the Rio Grande fan (see block diagram, fig. 2 in pocket). Most of the streamflow is derived from snowmelt from 4,700 square miles of watershed in the surrounding mountains. The northern half of the San Luis Valley is internally drained and is referred to as the closed basin. The lowest part of this area is known locally as the "sump." The remainder of the valley is drained by the Rio Grande and its tributaries. The climate of the San Luis Valley is arid, and a successful agricultural economy would not be possible without irrigation. It is characterized by cold winters, moderate summers, and much sunshine. The average annual precipitation on the valley floor ranges from 7 to 10 inches. More than half the precipitation occurs from July to September. Moisture deficiency in the valley is shown by the graph comparing pan evaporation and precipitation {fig. 3}. For the years 1961-67 average pan evaporation for the period April through September was 52.25 inches, but average precipitation for the period was only 5.02 inches. Average annual precipitation was 7.8 inches. Owing to the short growing season (90-120 days), crops a.re restricted mainly to barley, oats, potatoes, and other vegetables.

Colorado↗

USGS1967

Hydrologic and climatologic data, 1966, Salt Lake County, Utah

An investigation of the water resources of Salt Lake County, Utah, was undertaken by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in July 1963. This investigation is a cooperative project financed equally by the State of Utah and the Federal Government in accordance with an agreement between the State Engineer and the Geological Survey. The Utah Water and Power Board, Utah Fish and Game Commission, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Power and Light Company, Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District contributed funds to the State Engineer's office toward support of the project. The investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a large variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic data in and near Salt Lake County. Utah Basic-Data Releases 11 and 12 contain data collected through 1965. This release contains climatologic and surface-water data for the 1966 water year (October 1965 to September 1966) and groundwater data collected during the 1966 calendar year. Similar annual releases will contain data collected during the remainder of the investigation, and interpretive reports will be prepared as the investigation proceeds. Organizations that furnished data are acknowledged in station descriptions and footnotes to tables.

Utah↗