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At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources
USGS1974

Geology and ground water for land-use planning in the Eagle River-Chugiak area, Alaska

The Eagle River — Chugiak area is a rapidly growing residential part of the Greater Anchorage Area Borough, south-central Alaska. High-density, urban development in some parts of the area may be restricted because of the nature of the surficial geologic materials and their hydrologic characteristics. This report assembles all information collected by the U.S. Geological Survey on the geology and ground-water resources of the Eagle River — Chugiak area. The study area lies mostly within the Cook Inlet — Susitna Lowland and consists of low hills and intervening channels, hummocky ridges, sloping alluvial fans, and low-lying tidal flats that border Knik Arm. The eastern part of the area lies on the steep slopes of the Chugach Mountains. Drainage is generally to the west and northwest, except that locally the slopes drain southwesterly to the Eagle River, the major stream of the area.

Alaska↗
USGS1975

Hydrology for land-use planning: The Hillside area, Anchorage, Alaska

Rapid residential growth of the Hillside area, Anchorage, Alaska, may cause depletion of aquifers and a change in quality of water resources as a result of extensive development of small-lot tracts. Ground-water yields are low and may be locally inadequate for single family requirements where wells produce from bedrock in the eastern Hillside region. At lower altitudes single family water requirements of 3 to 10 gallons per minute or 0.2 to 0.6 litre per second usually can be obtained, but aquifers capable of being pumped at larger yields for public supplies are uncommon. However, in a few localities, wells do produce 40 to 300 gallons per minute or 2.5 to 19 litres per second from sand and gravel aquifers lying within thick sequences of glacial till. Streamflow within the Hillside area is inadequate as a significant source of water for public supply. Springs, swamps, and water-logged surficial sediments in the Hillside area are mainly caused by hilly terrain and low permeability of surficial materials. The relative vulnerability of streams, lakes, and ground water to pollution caused by the discharge of liquid waste, particularly from onsite sewage-disposal systems, is moderate to high in about half the study area. At higher altitudes contamination of bedrock aquifers may occur if discharge of liquid wastes is not regulated. The deep sedimentary aquifers at lower altitudes are less susceptible to contamination. However, shallow groundwater bodies may become polluted by discharge of sewage effluent and, consequently, some deep wells may be contaminated by seepage down the outside of casings or through leaky casing joints and underground seals.

Alaska↗
USGS1975

Status and plans of the Department of the Interior EROS program

The Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Program of the Department of the Interior has been actively participating in the LANDSAT (formerly ERTS) program and other investigations with remotely sensed data. A large number of applications have been demonstrated that can assist in the discovery of nonrenewable resources, monitoring areal extent of renewable resources, monitoring environmental change, and in providing repetitive data for planimetric revision of small-scale maps and maps showing land cover classes. A new and potentially revolutionary approach, that of "automated cartography," has been initiated through the versatile nature of the data available from LANDSAT. "Automated cartography" as used here refers to the ability to automatically extract land cover classes and relate these classes to geographic position.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1975

United States Geological Survey's hydrogeological research programs and plans related to disposal of radioactive waste into geologic formations

The Geological Survey, United States Department of Interior, has cooperated with the United States Energy Research and Development Administration, formerly the Atomic Energy Commission, for more than 30 years on research related to the disposal of radioactive waste into geological formations. Results of most of this research effort have been published or otherwise released and references to them are in lists of publications of the Geological Survey. Hydrogeological field studies currently underway evaluate bedded salt deposits in New Mexico and Utah, a salt dome in the Gulf Coast region, and shales in the Rocky Mountain area for their potential as host geological formations for high-level waste repositories. Detailed field studies of the potential migration of waste nuclides from shallow land burial sites of low-level waste in Idaho and Tennessee are also underway. As a part of its own research program, the Geological Survey has initiated geochemical and digital model studies of waste transport at four of its research centers. At the same time field studies on the hydrogeology of four state-owned low-level radioactive solid waste burial grounds are being made to provide the field observations of waste migration needed to test the theoretical and laboratory approaches. Hydrogeological criteria will be developed for use in the selection of future radioactive waste disposal sites.

Idaho, New Mexico, Tennessee, Utah↗
USGS1977

Summary of ground-water conditions in the Jaffna Peninsula, Republic of Sri Lanka, with a plan for investigating feasibility of ground-water development

Ground water in the Jaffna Peninsula of Sri Lanka, Ceylon, occurs within solution openings of the Jaffna Limestone of Miocene age. The freshwater forms a complex of lenses up to 25 meters thick overlying saline water derived from the sea. Salt-water intrusion and upconing of the salt water has occurred at several locations primarily along the coast. Recharge to the aquifer occurs during October-December. Discharge is primarily to wells and to springs along the north coast. Spring discharge is small compared to withdrawal from wells. Pumping from wells in an intensively studied 142-square-kilometer area of the Peninsula was 55.5 million cubic meters in 1976, whereas discharge to visible springs was an estimated 9.3 million cubic meters. Pumping during January-September removes water from storage causing heads to decline and the salt water-freshwater interface to rise. The storage is replenished as heads increase and the interface is depressed during the following October-December. Consequently, most of the recharge goes into storage rather than discharging to the sea. (Woodard-USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1979

A plan to study the aquifer system of the Central Valley of California

Unconsolidated Quaternary alluvial deposits comprise a large complex aquifer system in the Central Valley of California. Millions of acre-feet of water is pumped from the system annually to support a large and expanding agribusiness industry. Since the 1950's, water levels have been steadily declining in many areas of the valley and concern has been expressed about the ability of the entire ground-water system to support agribusiness at current levels, not to mention its ability to function at projected expansion levels. At current levels of ground-water use, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million acre-feet is withdrawn from storage each year; that is, 1.5 to 2 million acre-feet of water is pumped annually in excess of annual replenishment. The U.S. Geological Survey has initiated a 4-year study to develop geologic, hydrologic, and hydraulic information and to establish a valleywide ground-water data base that will be used to build computer models of the ground-water flow system. Subsequently, these models may be used to evaluate the system response to various ground-water management alternatives. This report describes current problems, objectives of the study, and outlines the general work to be accomplished in the study area. A bibliography of about 600 references is included. (Kosco-USGS)

California↗
USGS1979

Potential hydrologic effects of peat mining in the Red Lake Peatlands, north-central Minnesota— A project plan

Peat is being considered for fuel in Minnesota. This study will investigate the potential effects of large-scale surface mining of peat on the hydrology and water quality of Upper Red Lake and the Tamarac River. The major aspects of the study are the characterization of the surface-water and groundwater hydrology and water quality, including the trace-metal content of the peat. Data will be collected to construct two- and three-dimensional digital models to simulate the movement of ground water and its relation to surface water in the peatlands, streams, and lakes. After the model is calibrated with field data, it will be used to evaluate the effect of mining peat on the hydrology and water quality of the Upper Red Lake and Tamarac River.

Minnesota↗