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USGS1988

Activities of the Water Resources Division, California District, in the 1987 fiscal year

The mission of the Water Resources Division is to provide the hydrologic information and understanding needed for the optimum utilization and management of the Nation 's water resources for the overall benefit of the people of the United States. Several of the most relevant and visible studies being conducted by the California District deal with selenium toxicity in the western San Joaquin Valley; groundwater export from the Owens Valley, coupled with vegetation survivability studies; hydrodynamics variability in San Francisco Bay; reclaimed water use; seawater intrusion in the Santa Barbara area; and involvement in the water-quality standard/water-rights hearing for the San Francisco Bay/Delta. Thirty-nine project summaries are provided. Water Resources Division basic mission and program, California District organization and funding, and 1987 water conditions are also summarized. (Lantz-PTT)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1974

Summary appraisals of the Nation's ground-water resources; Texas Gulf region

Ground water in the Texas-Gulf Region is a large and important resource that can provide a more significant percentage of the total water supply of the region. Total water requirements within the region are projected to rise sharply from 14 million acre-feet (17 cubic kilometres) in 1970 to nearly 26 million acre-feet (32.cubic kilometres) in 2020. About half of the water used in 1970 was ground water. An estimated total of 1.04 billion acre-feet (1,280 cubic kilometres) of recoverable water containing less than 3,000 milligrams per litre dissolved solids is stored above a depth of 400 feet (122 metres) in the aquifers of the region. In addition, part of an estimated 3.28 billion acre-feet (4,040 cubic kilometres) of water in storage below 400 feet (122 metres) is recoverable. Although not all of the ground water in storage is recoverable, a significant amount is available for development, and an enormous quantity is accessible should occasions prompt its use on a time-limited basis. The total steady-state yield (amount of water that approximates the maximum perennial replenishment from precipitation) of the region's aquifers is about 4.6 million acre-feet (5.7 cubic kilometres) annually, or about 2.3 times the ground-water usage in 1970 if the large mining draft on the High Plains is not considered as part of the total steady-state yield. Because of the large quantity of recoverable ground water in storage, the steady-state yield can be augmented for a very long time on a 'deferred' basis, whereby the economic use of the water that is withdrawn from storage in excess of the steady-state yield may result in a strengthened economy. An important goal in programs for meeting future water needs should be to identify the full potential of the available ground-water resources. The subsurface reservoirs may be utilized not only as sources of fresh and treatable water, but as storage facilities for other fresh-water-supplies and as possible sources of geothermal energy. Some saline-water reservoirs may be suitable for liquid-waste storage or disposal. Large-scale and unregulated ground-water pumping may result in hydrologic problems such as declining water levels, streamflow depletion, and land-surface subsidence; but studies on proper development of the groundwater reservoirs could provide solutions to many of the problems. Water rights and other legal concepts should be based on sound hydrologic principles to assist development of water resources in an orderly and efficient manner. Because significant amounts of ground water are available, the opportunities for expanded and conjunctive use of ground water and surface water should be considered in regional plans for water development and conservation. The complexities of water management and the difficulties of achieving an integrated system of total water management will require additional technical information.

Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas↗
USGS1977

Summary appraisals of the Nation's ground-water resources; Souris-Red-Rainy region

A broad-perspective analysis of the ground-water resources and present and possible future water development and management in the Souris-Red-Rainy Region is presented. The region includes the basins of the Souris River within Montana and North Dakota; the Red River of the North in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota; and the Rainy River within Minnesota. The region includes 59,645 square miles, mostly in North Dakota and Minnesota. The terrain is relatively flat, but ranges in altitude from 2,541 to 750 feet. Annual average precipitation ranges from 14 inches in the west to 28 inches in the east and about 75 percent of it is rain. The mean annual snow fall ranges from 32 inches in the west to 64 inches in the east. Temperatures range from -55° to 118°F (-48.3° to 47.8°C). Irrigation is needed at least part of the time to assure crop production, particularly in the western part of the region. Sand and gravel deposits in the drift form the most important fresh-water aquifers. Other aquifers are found in at least parts of the region in the Precambrian, Paleozoic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary rocks. The potentiometric surface in the bedrock generally decreases in altitude toward the Red River of the North, indicating that the general direction of ground-water movement is toward the river. Ground-water with less than 3,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids is available throughout the region. Ground water with less than 1,000 milligrams per liter occurs in most of the region east of the Red River of the North and in most of the shallow aquifers west of the river. The total volume of water available from storage having less than 3,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids is estimated to be 5 x 10 8 acre-feet. In addition to the fresh and slightly saline water, the region has abundant highly mineralized water that can be considered as a resource. Yields of wells in individual bedrock aquifers are generally less than 100 gallons per minute but locally yields may be as much as 500 gallons per minute and more. Yields in drift aquifers are frequently less than 100 gallons per minute but range from 5 to 1,000 gallons per minute. In a few places outwash yields more than 1,000 gallons per minute. Ground water is the sole or a primary source of water supply in much of the region, including supplies for irrigation, domestic and livestock, municipal, and industrial needs. Reportedly, the potential irrigation development is 1,550,000 acres, as compared with 50,200 acres in 1975. Both ground- and surface-water supplies would be required to meet these demands. Rural domestic and livestock water supplies are derived almost entirely from ground-water sources. Smaller communities and towns generally rely on ground water, and the cities and industries use ground water, surface water, or both. The municipalities using surface water generally depend upon reservoir storage. Water quality rather than quantity is the greater water-supply problem for many communities in the region. Increased demands on both ground-water and surface-water supplies likely will be made in the future. Storage of surface water in the ground-water reservoirs during times of surplus for withdrawal during times of scarcity would aid in meeting these demands. The surplus (flood) water is of better chemical quality than underlying ground water in parts of the western half of the region. Fresh water could be stored in saline- or fresh-water aquifers, and pumped out later, as needed. Thus, the ground-water reservoirs have a definite present and potential role in water management. To understand the hydrologic system for management purposes there is a need to determine more adequately the geologic and hydrologic characteristics of existing aquifers and the location of new aquifers. Also, as pumping and other stresses on any part of the hydrologic system affect other parts of the system, monitoring programs ideally should be started and maintained to detect changes and determine effects of the stresses. Many alternatives are available for managing water in the region. Some of these are operational and others are undergoing research. Adequate hydrologic information is needed to aid in solving problems of water supply, use and pollution.

Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS1974

Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Ohio region

Ground water in the Ohio Region is a large, important, and manageable resource that should have a significant role in regional water development. On the basis of a comparison of ground-water withdrawals with estimated ground-water recharge, it appears that the ground-water resources of the Ohio Region probably will not be used at full potential under existing development plans. Annual ground-water use (1960) by municipalities and rural residents was about 1,000 million gallons per day. Average annual regional ground-water recharge is about 35,000 million gallons per day. Therefore, base-year (1960) municipal and rural ground-water use is only about 3 percent of recharge. Annual regionwide ground-water use (1965) by industry also is only about 3 percent of recharge. Not all ground water in storage is recoverable for development, but estimates of the amounts that can be obtained from storage, under specified conditions, are calculated to show the magnitude of water that is available. Total potable ground water available from storage in the outwash and alluvial aquifers in the Ohio River valley and the subbasins is about 23,000 billion gallons. This about four times the floodcontrol storage of all Ohio Region Corps of Engineers reservoirs constructed, under construction, or in advance planning as of July 1965. Approximately 85,000 billion gallons of potable ground water is available from storage in the region in aquifers other than the outwash and alluvial aquifers. This is about 20 percent of estimated storage in Lake Ontario. About 5 percent of the region has ground-water resources capable of supplying more than local needs. For example, under certain specified conditions the excess of ground-water recharge over base-year (1960) ground-water use is available for 22 million additional people in the Wabash subbasin; for 4, 1.5, and 12 million additional people, respectively, in the Miami, lower Scioto, and Allegheny subbasins; for 5 million additional people in the Ohio River valley; or for equivalent quantities of water supply for industrial or a~ricultural expansion or other use. A reasonable assumption is that much of the available ground water in these areas can be pumped and transported to reasonably distant points of need. The Wabash and White subbasins probably have the highest potential of all Ohio River subbasins for additional ground-water development. About 30,000 billion gallons, or about 28 percent of the total potable ground water available from storage in the Ohio Region, is in storage in these subbasins. Estimated average annual ground-water recharge in the Wabash and White subbasins is 7,300 million gallons per day. Annual ground-water use (1960) by municipalities and rural residents of the subbasins of about 220 million gallons per day is only about 3 percent of estimated annual ground-water recharge and only about 0.3 percent of the potable ground water in storage in the subbasins. Also, many high-yield aquifers are present and offer excellent reservoir-manipulation possibilities in conjunction with existing and planned surface reservoirs. Practically all areas of high population density in the Ohio Region have the potential for development of ground-water resources. The Indianapolis, Ind., area probably has the highest potential. Assuming that future population growth will be heaviest in the areas paralleling the interstate highway system, much of the increased water demand associated with these growth areas can be supplied by ground water. The areas of population growth in Indiana and southwestern and south-central Ohio are especially well situated in terms of potential ground-water supplies. Underground space in the Ohio Region, consisting of natural pore spaces and fractures in rocks and sediments, can be considered a regional resource in the sense that it can be included in regional water-pollution control or waste-disposal plans. Much of this space is already occupied by ground water or other fluids which must be displaced for any alternate use. There is a potential for underground waste storage in practically the entire Ohio Region. Rapid advance of techniques in ground-water hydrology during recent years has provided methods which the hydrologist can use for evaluating planned ground-water development. Therefore, the manager can resolve the inherent problems that historically have bred caution when this part of our total water resource was considered for development.

Ohio↗
USGS1975

Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Upper Mississippi region

The Upper Mississippi Region in general is rich in water-surface water is plentiful, and ground water is a large, important, and manageable resource. Total potable water in storage in the outwash and alluvial aquifers of the Mississippi River valley and the subbasins is about 45,000 billion gallons. This is about 10 percent of the water in storage in Lake Ontario. Water in storage in other aquifers of the region is probably at least several times that in the outwash and alluvial aquifers. Estimated ground-water recharge in the subbasins is 23,000 million gallons per day. A comparison of ground-water withdrawals with estimated ground-water recharge suggests that the large ground-water resource of the region is not being fully utilized. Ground-water use by domestic, commercial, and rural interests is only 4 percent of recharge. Ground-water use (1965) by industry is only 3 percent of recharge. Water in the outwash and alluvial aquifers of much of the valley of the Mississippi River in and south of St. Paul, Minn. of the Illinois River, the Lower Minnesota River, the Wisconsin River, the Lower Black River, the Wapsipinicon River, the Lower Rock River, and the Upper Des Moines River can be considered a regional resource. In these areas the ground-water resources are of sufficient magnitude to satisfy more than just local needs. For example, under certain specified conditions, ground water in the above areas can supply approximately 20 million additional people. Factors other than water supply, of course, will be constraints on development in the region. Advances in techniques in ground-water hydrology during recent years have provided methods that the hydrologist and planner can use for planning and design of ground-water developments. Therefore, the planner can now resolve some of the development and management questions that historically have bred uncertainty when this part of the water resource was considered for development.

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Sout↗
USGS1974

Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Upper Colorado region

The Upper Colorado Region covers about 113,500 square miles (293,965 km 2 ) in parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Drainage from about 97 percent of the region is to the Colorado River. About 60 percent of the land is owned or administered by the Federal Government, and another 15 percent is in Indian trust. The predominantly arid to semiarid region is sparsely populated (averaging about three persons per square mile, or about two and one-half persons per km 2 ) and is used chiefly for grazing, recreation, and mineral development. The water supply for the region comes from precipitation within the region, which averages about 95 million acre-feet (117,182.5 hm 3 ) per year. Development of the region's water supply has been limited almost entirely to surface water. Only about 2 percent of the total estimated volume of water withdrawn (about 5.7 million acre-ft, or 7,030.9 hm 3 ) and consumed (about 3.6 million acre-ft, or 4,440.6 hm 3 ) in the region in 1970 came directly from ground-water sources. By the year 2020 consumptive use of water within the region and water exports to adjacent regions are expected to total more than 6.5 million acre-feet (8,017.8 hm 3 ) per year. Use of the ground-water resources of the Upper Colorado Region in water-resources management can help to meet these water needs. A tremendous amount of water is stored in the rocks (ground-water reservoirs) of the Upper Colorado Region. Recoverable water in just the upper 100 feet (30.5 m) of saturated rocks is estimated to be as much as 115 million acre-feet (141,852.5 hm 3 ). That amount is nearly four times the total active storage capacity of all surface-water reservoirs in the region. The average annual replenishable supply of the ground-water reservoir is about 4 million acre-feet (4,934 hm 3 ). This amount of water could irrigate about 1.3 million acres (526,1,10 ha) of crops having an annual water requirement of 3 feet per acre (0.9 m/ha), or it could provide about 3,600 million gallons (13,627,440 m 3 ) per day for industrial use. Most of the ground water is in consolidated rocks, which generally yield water to wells slowly. Much of the ground water is saline and, in some places, occurs at great depths. Nevertheless, the ground water is more uniformly distributed than is surface water, both areally and with time; therefore, it can be used advantageously in overall waterresources management. Recent advancements in the field of demineralization and in evaluation and development of ground water make this possible. Options available for use of ground water in water-resources management·in the·region include conjunctive use with surface water or development of ground water as an independent supply. The latter option could be for & perennial supply or for a time-limited supply (mining ground water), depending on the need and the existing ground-water conditions. All options can be carried out so as to meet the requirements of the Colorado River Compact. The options could be implemented to optimally develop the Upper Colorado River Basin's allocation of Colorado River water while meeting the Compact commitments to the Lower Basin.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming↗
USGS1975

Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Rio Grande region

The Rio Grande is an interstate and international stream which begins in high mountains of Colorado, flows across New Mexico, and forms the boundary between Texas and Mexico. Precipitation ranges from 8 inches (20 em) to more than 30 inches (76 em), but irrigation is required for growing crops throughout the region. The population of the region has been increasing rapidly, from 750,000 in 1929 to 1,700,000 in 1970, and it is expected to increase to 2,500,000 by 2020. The basic economy of the region was agricultural until recent years. Since 1950, the mining and petroleum industries have increased much more rapidly than agriculture. Annual precipitation on the region is about 86 million acre-feet (110,000 hm 3 ); however, all but 4 million acre-feet (4,900 hm 3 ) is returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration. The ground-water reservoirs contain an aggregate of 5,800 million acre-feet (7,200,000 hm 3 ) of fresh and slightly saline water in storage, which could be withdrawn through wells. In contrast, the surface reservoirs have a combined storage capacity of only 18 million acre-feet (22,000 hm 3 ). Thick deposits of valley fill in stream and intermontane valleys comprise the principal ground-water reservoirs. In most areas they are capable of yielding large supplies of water to wells. In some areas, limestone constitutes major aquifers. Withdrawal of ground water in the region in 1970 was 2.7 million acre-feet (3,300 hm 3 ), of which 88 percent was used for irrigation. About 53 percent of the water withdrawn was consumed. Ground water has been "mined" in some areas, and severe declines in water levels have resulted. The loss of water by evapotranspiration in wetlands and phreatophyte areas is 2.5 million acre-feet (3,100 hm 3 ) per year. In comparison, about 3. 7 million acre-feet (4,600 hm 3 ) per year of surface water and ground water is consumed by man's activities. Salvage of water lost to noneconomic evapotranspiration in wet and phreatophyte-infested areas offers the greatest possibility of improving the effective water supply in the region. Salvage of half the water lost would increase the effective supply by 1.2 million acre-feet (1,500 hm 3 ) per year. The usable water supply could be increased tremendously by drawing on the large reserve of ground water in storage, but this withdrawal could affect the flow of streams in some areas. The region appears to offer several possibilities for utilizing underground space for purposes other than the withdrawal of water, such as waste disposal, artificial recharge, water-quality control, and development of geothermal energy. Planners for ground-water management should have detailed information on the physical parameters that affect ground water, so improved management would be possible.

Colorado, New Mexico, Texas↗