SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Resources”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,135 records · Page 63Linked to original sources

USGS1985

Water-resources appraisal of the Camp Swift lignite area, central Texas

The Camp Swift lignite area was studied to describe the hydrogeology and to provide baseline data of the ground-water and surface-water resources that could be affected by the strip mining of lignite. The investigation was centered on the 18-square mile Camp Swift Military Reservation where a reported 80 to 100 million short tons of commercially mineable lignite occurs within 200 feet of the land surface. Monthly ground-water levels from a network of 22 wells showed that water levels in wells in the Hooper, Simsboro, and Calvert Bluff Formations of the Wilcox Group had slight and generally insignificant waterlevel changes from May 1980 to May 1981. The water quality in the Calvert Bluff Formation, which contains the lignite, and in the Simsboro Formation, which is the major aquifer beneath the Calvert Bluff, generally is satisfactory for most uses. Hydraulic pressures in the Calvert Bluff are greater than in the Simsboro, and this pressure differential results in the potential for downward movement of water from the Calvert Bluff to the Simsboro. However, confining beds of lignite, clay, silt, and other fine-grained material at and near the base of the Calvert Bluff greatly retard this interformational movement of water but do not totally prevent downward leakage. Data were collected from four streamflow stations and five automated rain gages to appraise the quantity and quality of the surface-water resources. Big Sandy Creek, which crosses Camp Swift, generally has a base flow of less than 0.5 cubic feet per second and infrequently is dry. Dogwood Creek, which originates on Camp Swift, normally is dry. The flow of both streams changes rapidly in response to rainfall in the watersheds. The quality of the water in both streams generally is suitable for most uses, but varies significantly in response to variations in discharge and related factors. Alithologic examination of 255 feet of cored section that represents the overburden and the included lignite showed cyclic layering of fine sand, silt, clay, and lignite. Chemical analyses of the core were performed to determine the contents of major inorganic and trace constituents. These analyses indicate that the content of pyritic sulfur generally is small but variable.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1986

Water resources of the Lower Rio Grande de Arecibo alluvial valley, Puerto Rico

An assessment of the surface and groundwater resources of the lower Rio Grande de Arecibo alluvial valley was made between 1981 and 1983. Rio Grande de Arecibo is the major source of water in the valley with a mean-annual discharge of 527 cu ft/sec (382,000 acre-ft/yr). Its lowest mean-daily flow (low flow) during 12 yr of record is 50 cu ft/sec. Withdrawals of water from Rio Grande de Arecibo exceeding 15 cu ft/sec during periods of extreme low flows could cause reduction of recharge to the aquifer. However, withdrawals of as much as 35 cu ft/sec are possible when base flow ranges from 90 to 200 cu ft/sec without causing a reduction of aquifer recharge. An unconfined aquifer within the alluvial valley is hydraulically continuous with bordering limestone formations. A clay layer divides the alluvial aquifer into two separate hydraulic systems. Groundwater from the alluvial aquifer above the clay layer has not been widely developed. However, high yielding wells presently yield as much as 9.6 mil gal/day (10,800 acre-ft/yr) from the aquifers occurring below the clay layer within the alluvium and underlaying limestones. Transmissivity ranges from 3,000 sq ft/day in the alluvial area to 42,000 sq ft/day in the adjacent limestone areas. Total groundwater flow through aquifers within the study area (excluding water withdrawn by wells) is about 20.6 mil gal/day (23,100 acre-ft/yr). 50% of this amount is estimated to flow to the eastern area of Cano Tiburones and discharges as springs and seeps. An estimated 9.4 mil gal/day (10,500 acre-ft/yr) of additional groundwater can be withdrawn from the aquifers below the clay layer without reversing the northward hydraulic gradient. Seepage from Rio Grande de Arecibo to the groundwater system at the east side of the valley is probably the key to the development of groundwater resources in the Arecibo area. San Pedro spring, with an average discharge of 8.6 mil gal/day (9,600 acre-ft/yr), is undeveloped and represents a potential alternate source of water. (Author 's abstract)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1987

Overview of water resources in Owens Valley, California

In 1982-84, a water resources appraisal of Owens Valley was made by using available hydrologic information. Results of the appraisal provided an overview of water resources in Owens Valley; a better understanding of the groundwater system; and a framework for additional studies. Owens Valley is in east-central California and is the major source of water supply for the city of Los Angeles, located 233 mi to the south. Since 1913, with the completion of the first aqueduct, surface water has been diverted from the Owens River to Los Angeles. In 1970, a second Aqueduct was completed. Groundwater pumping was increased to supplement the water needed for the increasing population in Los Angeles. Most of the outflow of water from Owens Valley is from exports via the aqueduct system and by evapotranspiration loss; principal sources of water are runoff, inflow from Pleasant Valley Reservoir, and precipitation. Streamflow from the Sierra Nevada is a source of tremendous quantities of water to the valley. Pumping from more than 90 pump-equipped wells averaged about 98,000 acre-ft/yr from 1971 to 1983, but it was generally < 10,000 acre-ft/yr from 1932 to 1970, except during dry years. Groundwater pumping is primarily from deep wells adjacent to the volcanic rocks near Big Pine. Wells completed in the volcanic rocks yield large quantities of groundwater. Water level fluctuations in deep wells indicate a direct correlation with groundwater pumpage. Fluctuations in shallow wells are affected not only by pumping, but also by evapotranspiration and precipitation. The cause-and-effect relation of water level fluctuations in deep and shallow wells is not well understood and is partly the subject of a 5-yr study currently being conducted by Inyo County, the city of Los Angeles, and the U.S. Geological Survey, which emphasizes: (1) vegetation, (2) plant survivability, and (3) groundwater. It is hoped that this study will better define the quantity and availability of groundwater in the valley, as well as determine the effects of groundwater withdrawals on native vegetation. (Lantz-PTT)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1988

Water resources of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, northern Wisconsin

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore consists of 21 islands, part of the Bayfield Peninsula, and the adjacent waters of Lake Superior. Selected water resources of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore were assessed to aid the National Park Service in developing and managing the Lakeshore and to provide a data base against which future changes can be compared. This summary of water-resources data, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1979-84, provides a qualitative description of selected hydrologic components of the Lakeshore. Streamflow in the Lakeshore area is characterized by typical seasonal fluctuations. Flow in Sand River at State Highway 13 ranged from 3.9 to 1,630 cubic feet per second. The recurrence interval of the maximum observed discharge was about 4 years. The minimum observed 7-day low flow was 3.86 cubic feet per second. The greatest concentrations of most chemical constituents in Bayfield Peninsula streams occurred during base flow. Annual sediment loads in Sand River at State Highway 13 ranged from 977 tons in 1980 water year to 24,600 tons in 1984 water year.The average annual sediment load transported by Bayfield Peninsula streams to the National Lakeshore area of Lake Superior is estimated to be 44,000 tons. Annual phosphorus loads ranged from 1,400 pounds in 1980 water year to 11,100 pounds in 1984 water year. The average annual phosphorus load transported by Bayfield Peninsula streams to the National Lakeshore area of Lake Superior is estimated to be 21,500 pounds. Few island streams flow perennially, but Oak Island streams generally yield more base-flow runoff than Stockton Island streams. The base flow of Oak Island streams is dominated by ground-water discharge, whereas Stockton Island stream base flow is sustained by seepage from wetlands and beaver ponds. There are two major lagoons in the Lakeshore, the Outer Island Lagoon's area is 53 acres and its maximum depth is 7 feet. Dominant inflow to the lagoon is from precipitation on its surface and seepage from an adjacent bog. Outflow during open-water periods is dominated by evaporation. Ground-water seepage from the lagoon toward Lake Superior occurs yearround. The lagoon's water is acidic and has low specific conductance and generally small concentrations of most chemical constituents. The Michigan Island Lagoon is about 4 acres in area and its maximum depth is 6.5 feet. The most significant sources of inflow appear to be precipitation and wave washover from Lake Superior. Water from four deep-water monitoring sites in Lake Superior revealed concentrations of total phosphorus, organic carbon, and recoverable mercury ranging from <0.01 to 0.02 milligrams per liter, 1.1 to 5.3 milligrams per liter and <0.1 to 0.1 micrograms per liter, respectively. Neither pesticide residues nor fecal coliform bacteria were detected in the water column. Total phosphorus concentrations in bottom sediment ranged from 50 to 470 milligrams per kilogram and were related directly to the percentage of fine-grained (< 0.0625 millimeters) sediment particles. Traces of only two pesticide residues- DDE and DDT were detected in sediment. The most abundant benthic macroinvertebrate was Pontoporeia affinis, which was found in densities of from 960 to 2,100 organisms per square meter. No adverse affects resulting from visitor use were detected in the shallow-water, heavy-use areas in Presque Isle Bay off Stockton Island or in the waters between Rocky and South Twin Islands. Phosphorus and organic-carbon concentrations were similar to those observed in the deep-water area; mercury was not detected in water from either area. Ground-water use in the National Lakeshore is primarily for consumption by Lakeshore visitors and employees. Of 14 wells constructed from 1979-84, 4 were finished in glacial sand and gravel, and 10 were finished in sandstone. Specific capacities ranged from 0.63 to 50 gallon per minute per foot. Average concentrations of dissolved solids are moderate and concentrations of heavy metals did not exceed Wisconsin's primary health standard.

Wisconsin↗

USGS1992

Water resources and aquifer yields in the Charles River basin, Massachusetts

In 1984, about 66 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) of municipally supplied water was used by towns in the middle and upper Charles River basin and by the city of Cambridge in the lower basin. The Division of Water Resources of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management estimates that by the year 2020 an additional 11 Mgal/d of water will be needed to meet demands. The largest sources of un used water in the basin are 15 stratified-drift aquifers along the Charles River that are hydraulically con nected to the river and to its major tributaries. These aquifers, which consist mainly of medium to coarse sand and gravel, are generally unconfined, narrow, and discontinuous. They are as much as 100 feet thick, and transmissivity ranges from about 1,000 to 25,000 cubic feet per day per square foot times foot of aquifer thickness. The depth to the water table from the land surface generally is less than 15 feet and the water table fluctuates about 3 to 5 feet annually. Recharge to the aquifers is mostly derived from precipita tion, and the aquifers continuously discharge ground water to streams, ponds, lakes, and wetlands. Aquifer yields from the 15 aquifers under normal climatic conditions were related to the estimated duration of flow of the streams that drain the aquifers. Long-term (180 days or more) aquifer yields that are derived from interception of ground-water discharge range from less than 1 to more than 5 Mgal/d at the streamflow that is exceeded 95 percent of the time. However, because withdrawal may reduce streamflow in the Charles River to unacceptable levels, these yield estimates were adjusted to meet commonly cited minimum-streamflow criteria. For example, if minimum streamflows in the Charles River are maintained at no less than the annual 7-day, 10-year, mean low flow for 95 percent of the time, only three of the 15 aquifers could sustain yields of more than 1 Mgal/d from intercepted ground-water discharge. However, none of the aquifers could yield an appreciable amount of water from this source if streamflows are maintained at no less than this minimum for 99 percent of the time. Yields also are available to wells front water in duced by pumping to infiltrate through a streambed. Yields front induced infiltration from the Charles River were estimated for four aquifers and range from about 4 to 11 Mgal/d at the 95-percent flow duration. If minimum-streamflow criteria are to be maintained, these yield estimates would be substantially lower. A streamflow-accounting model was used to demonstrate the possible streamflow reductions that could result from further development of the water resources of the middle and upper Charles River basin. Results indicate that pumpage of an additional 11 Mgal/d could reduce flow in the river at Waltham by about 6 ft 3 /s (cubic feet per second) (4 Mgal/d) throughout the year--alt amount equal to about 24 percent of the flow that is exceeded 95 percent of the time. Also, model results indicate that increases in punzpage and the export of was-tewater from the basin of 23 Mgal/d would reduce streamflow at Waltham by about 14 ft 3 / s (9 Mgal/d) throughout the year.

Massachusetts↗

USGS1989

Water resources of Brookings and Kingsbury counties, South Dakota

Surface water and groundwater resources are widely distributed in Brookings and Kingsbury Counties, an area of nearly 1,700 sq mi of glaciated plains of the Coteau des Prairies plateau in eastern South Dakota. The resources are relatively undeveloped except for large withdrawals for irrigation from shallow glacial aquifers. Groundwater withdrawals accounted for 90% of the 16 ,000 acre-ft of water withdrawn in 1985. The Big Sioux River drains an area of about 2,400 sq mi and flows southward through Brookings County. Discharge of the Big Sioux River near Brookings has averaged 117,000 acre-ft/yr but can decrease to 17 ,600 acre-ft/yr during drought periods. West of the river are thousands of shallow ponds, marshes, and lakes. The largest, Lake Thompson in central Kingsbury County, rose nearly 20 ft during 1985-86 because of record precipitation and large overflow from upstream lakes. Six major glacial aquifers of outwash sand and gravel store 8 million acre-ft of fresh to slightly saline, very hard water beneath nearly 1,300 sq mi at depths ranging from land surface to more than 700 ft. Concentrations of dissolved solids and hardness of water from the aquifers exceed 1,000 mg/L at many places. The 600 sq mi of the surficial, freshwater Big Sioux and Vermillion East Fork aquifers contain more than 200 large-capacity wells that can be pumped from 200 to as much as 1,300 gal/min. Three extensive bedrock aquifers store 67 million acre-ft of slightly saline, soft water at depths ranging from 320 to 1,300 ft. Maximum yields for wells in the sandstone of the Codell and Dakota aquifers are estimated to be 100 gal/min. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1989

Water resources and effects of potential surface coal mining on dissolved solids in Hanging Woman Creek basin, southeastern Montana

Groundwater resources of the Hanging Woman Creek basin, Montana include Holocene and Pleistocene alluvial aquifers and sandstone , coal, and clinker aquifers in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation. Surface water resources are composed of Hanging Woman Creek, its tributaries, and small stock ponds. Dissolved-solids concentrations in groundwater ranged from 200 to 11,00 mg/L. Generally, concentrations were largest in alluvial aquifers and smallest in clinker aquifers. Near its mouth, Hanging Woman Creek had a median concentration of about 1,800 mg/L. Mining of the 20-foot to 35-foot-thick Anderson coal bed and 3-foot to 16-foot thick Dietz coal bed could increase dissolved-solids concentrations in shallow aquifers and in Hanging Woman Creek because of leaching of soluble minerals from mine spoils. Analysis of saturated-paste extracts from 158 overburden samples indicated that water moving through mine spoils would have a median increase in dissolved-solids concentration of about 3,700 mg/L, resulting in an additional dissolved-solids load to Hanging Woman Creek of about 3.0 tons/day. Hanging Woman Creek near Birney could have an annual post-mining dissolved-solids load of 3,415 tons at median discharge, a 47% increase from pre-mining conditions load. Post-mining concentrations of dissolved solids, at median discharge, could range from 2,380 mg/L in March to 3,940 mg/L in August, compared to mean pre-mining concentrations that ranged from 1,700 mg/L in July, November, and December to 2,060 mg/L in May. Post-mining concentrations and loads in Hanging Woman Creek would be smaller if a smaller area were mined. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1991

Water resources of the Red Lake Indian Reservation, northwestern Minnesota

This report presents the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, done in cooperation with the Red Lake Indian Reservation Tribal Council, to evaluate the water resources of the contiguous Red Lake Indian Reservation. Water resources of the contiguous Red Lake Indian Reservation meet the present (1989) needs for potable supply and other household uses. In addition, they provide ecological, recreational, and aesthetic benefits. Mean annual precipitation in the study area is 22.7 inches. Approximately 90 percent of this precipitation returns to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration; the remainder becomes runoff. Some of the precipitation that contributes to evapotranspiration and runoff initially infiltrates the land surface and recharges the ground-water reservoir. The net recharge to ground water generally ranges from roughly 0.5 to 1.35 inches per year. Assuming negligible long-term changes in the amount of ground water in storage, the recharge to and discharge from the ground-water reservoir balance each other over time. Glacial-drift aquifers are the source of ground water in the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The most significant sources of ground-water supply are confined glacial-drift aquifers, which are discontinuous lenses of sand and gravel 50 to 150 feet below land surface. Estimated yields of wells completed in these aquifers range from approximately 20 to 240 gallons per minute. Lower and Upper Red Lakes, which extend over one fourth of the study area, are the largest surface-water bodies. The study area also includes streams and many smaller lakes. Most of the streams drain into Lower and Upper Red Lakes, and the lakes discharge into the Red Lake River. Spring snowmelt generally causes peak flows in the streams. Low-flow conditions commonly occur during midsummer to early fall and winter. The quality of ground water is suitable for drinking and other household uses, and the quality of the surface water generally meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criteria necessary for the maintenance of aquatic life. The major ions in both ground and surface water are calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. Lower and Upper Red Lakes are eutrophic to mesotrophic on the basis of their summer Secchi disk-transparency readings, which ranged from 2.6 to 8.2 feet. The concentration of total organic carbon in samples from Lower and Upper Red Lakes and four streams were below or, in the case of one stream, about equal to 30 milligrams per liter, which is indicative of water little affected by human activities. The sample with the highest organic carbon content was collected from a stream that drained peatlands, which were probably sources of organic matter in the runoff. The concentration of nitrite plus nitrate in samples collected from Lower and Upper Red Lakes in late summer was below 0.01 milligrams per liter, which is characteristic of water uncontaminated by animal wastes. Total phosphorus in these samples ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 milligrams per liter. Most of this phosphorus was in the particulate organic fraction because of the abundance of phytoplankton.

Minnesota↗

USGS1994

Ground-water resources of southern Tangipahoa Parish and adjacent areas, Louisiana

Groundwater resources in southern Tangipahoa Parish and adjacent areas were studied to determine their potential for development as an alternative to the Mississippi River as a water-supply source for Jefferson Parish. Eight major aquifers consisting of thick sand units that underlie the study area are, in descending order: (1) shallow, (2) upper Ponchatoula, (3) lower Ponchatoula, (4) Abita, (5) Covington, (6) Tchefuncta, (7) Hammond, and (8) Amite. A fault zone, referred to as the Baton Rouge fault, crosses southern Tangipahoa Parish. Analyses of geophysical logs indicated that the deep aquifers south of the fault zone had been displaced from 350 to 400 feet, and that the deeper aquifers were not in hydraulic connection with the flow system north of the fault. The groundwater resources of southeastern Louisiana are immense and the quality of groundwater in Tangipahoa Parish is suitable for most uses. The quality of water in these aquifers generally meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standards for public supply. The hydrologic system underlying Tangipahoa Parish and adjacent areas in 1990 supplied about 19 Mgal/d of water that was suitable for public supply. However, substantial increases in pumping from the aquifer system would result in renewed water-level declines throughout the hydrologic system until a new equilibrium is established. A test we11 in southern Tangipahoa Parish, penetrated all eight aquifers. Total thickness of freshwater sand beds penetrated by the 3003-ft test hole was more than 1900 ft. Resistivity values from an electric log of the test typically averaged 200 ohm-meters, which indicates that the water has low dissolved-solids and chloride concentrations. An analysis of the Abita aquifer at Ruddock in St. John the Baptist Parish, for two of three hypothetical well fields, indicated that for a hypothetical we11 field with a pumping rate of 112 Mgal/d, the freshwater/saltwater interface could arrive at the outer perimeter we11 in 10 to 14 years. The 1990 location of the interface in the Abita aquifer is 1.9 mi from the southernmost part of the potential location of the 112 Mgal/d well field.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1993

Development, description, and application of a geographic information system data base for water resources in karst terrane in Greene County, Missouri

A geographic information system data base was developed for Greene County, Missouri, to provide data for use in the protection of water resources. The geographic information system data base contains the following map layers: geology, cave entrances and passages, county and quadrangle boundary, dye traces, faults, geographic names, hypsography, hydrography, lineaments, Ozark aquifer potentio- metric surface, public land survey system, sink- holes, soils, springs, and transportation. Several serious incidents of ground-water contamination have been reported in the karst terrane developed in soluble carbonate rocks in Greene County. Karst terranes are environmentally sensitive because any contaminant carried by surface runoff has the potential for rapid transport through solution enlarged fractures to the ground-water system. In the karst terrane in Greene County, about 2,500 sinkholes have been located; these sinkholes are potential access points for contamination to the ground-water system. Recent examples of ground-water contamination by sewage, fertilizers, and hydrocarbon chemicals have demonstrated the sensitivity of ground water in the Greene County karst terrane to degradation. The ground-water system is a major source of drinking water for Greene County. The population in Greene County, which includes Springfield, the third largest city in Missouri, is rapidly increasing and the protection of the water resources of Greene County is an increasing concern.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1993

Geology and ground-water resources in the Zebulon area, Georgia

The current (1991) surface-water source of drinking-water supply for the city of Zebulon, Pike County, Georgia, no longer provides an adequate water supply and periodically does not meet water-quality standards. The hydrogeology of crystalline rocks in the Zebulon area was evaluated to assess the potential of ground-water resources as a supplemental or alternative source of water to present surface-water supplies. As part of the ground-water resource evaluation, well location and construction data were compiled, a geologic map was constructed, and ground water was sampled and analyzed. Three mappable geologic units delineated during this study provide a basic understanding of hydrogeologic settings in the Zebulon area. Rock types include a variety of aluminosilicate schists, granitic rocks, amphibolites/honblende gneisses, and gondites. Several geologic features that may enhance ground-water availability were identified in the study area. These features include contacts between contrasting rock types, where a high degree of differential weathering has occurred, and well-developed structural features, such as foliation and jointing are present. High-yielding wells (greater than 25 gallons per minute) and low-yielding wells (less than one gallon per minute) were located in all three geologic units in a variety of topographic settings. Well yields range from less than one gallon per minute to 250 gallons per minute. The variable total depths and wide ranges of casing depths of the high-yielding wells are indicative of variations in depths to water-bearing zones and regolith thicknesses, respectively. The depth of water-bearing zones is highly variable, even on a local scale. Analyses of ground-water samples indicate that the distribution of iron concentration is as variable as well yield in the study area and does not seem to be related to a particular rock type. Iron concentrations in ground-water samples ranged from 0.02 to 5.3 milligrams per liter. Both iron concentration and well yield vary substantially over a relatively small area. Implementation and Verification of a One-Dimensional, Unsteady-Flow Model for Spring Brook near Warrenville, Illinois By Mary J. Turner, Anthony P. Pulokas, and Audrey L. Ishii Abstract A one-dimensional, unsteady-flow model, Full EQuations (FEQ) model, based on de Saint-Venant equations for dynamic flow in open channels, was calibrated and verified for a 0.75-mile reach of Spring Brook, a tributary to the West Branch Du Page River, near Warrenville in northeastern Illinois. The model was used to simulate streamflow in a small urban stream reach with two short culverts, one with overbank flow around the culvert during high flows. Streamflow data were collected on the reach during three high-flow periods. Data from one period were used to calibrate the model, and data from the other two periods were used to verify the model. Stages and discharges over the periods were simulated, and the results were compared graphically with stage and discharge data collected at 10 sites in the study reach. Errors in simulated stage and discharge were small except when debris, not represented in the model, clogged the culvert. The effects of changes in physical and computational model parameters also were studied. The model was insensit'lve to replacement of measured cross sections with interpolated cross sections, especially if the measured thalweg elevation was preserved. Variation of the roughness, slope, and length of the culvert over-bank section, as well as the chosen representative measured cross section, caused only slight changes in the simulated peak stage and discharge. Changes in the modeled culvert area caused large differences in the simulated highflows in the vicinity of the culvert, whereas simulated low flows were unaffected. At all flows, the misrepresentation of the culvert area caused the simulated water-surface elevations to deviate from the measured elevations, especially on the falling

Georgia↗

USGS1995

Reconnaissance of ground-water quality in the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, eastern Nebraska, July through September 1992

A reconnaissance of ground-water quality was conducted in the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District of eastern Nebraska. Sixty-one irrigation, municipal, domestic, and industrial wells completed in the principal aquifers--the unconfined Elkhorn, Missouri, and Platte River Valley alluvial aquifers, the upland area alluvial aquifers, and the Dakota aquifer--were selected for water-quality sampling during July, August, and September 1992. Analyses of water samples from the wells included determination of dissolved nitrate as nitrogen and triazine and acetanilide herbicides. Waterquality analyses of a subset of 42 water samples included dissolved solids, major ions, metals, trace elements, and radionuclides. Concentrations of dissolved nitrate as nitrogen in water samples from 2 of 13 wells completed in the upland area alluvial aquifers exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water of 10 milligrams per liter. Thirty-nine percent of the dissolved nitrate-as-nitrogen concentrations were less than the detection level of 0.05 milligram per liter. The largest median dissolved nitrate-as-nitrogen concentrations were in water from the upland area alluvial aquifers and the Dakota aquifer. Water from all principal aquifers, except the Dakota aquifer, had detectable concentrations of herbicides. Herbicides detected included alachlor (1 detection), atrazine (13 detections), cyanazine (5 detections), deisopropylatrazine (6 detections), deethylatrazine (9 detections), metolachlor (6 detections), metribuzin (1 detection), prometon (6 detections), and simazine (2 detections). Herbicide concentrations did not exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels for drinking water. In areas where the hydraulic gradient favors loss of surface water to ground water, the detection of herbicides in water from wells along the banks of the Platte River indicates that the river could act as a line source of herbicides. Water from the alluvial and bedrock aquifers generally was a calcium bicarbonate type and was hard. Two of nine water samples collected from the Dakota aquifer contained calcium sulfate type water. Results of analyses of 42 groundwater samples for major ions, metals, trace elements, and radionuclide constituents indicated that statistically at least one principal aquifer had significant differences in its water chemistry. In general, the water chemistry of the Dakota aquifer was similar to the water chemistry of the upland area alluvial aquifers in areas where there was a hydraulic connection. The water from the Dakota aquifer had large dissolved-solids, calcium, sulfate, chloride, iron, lithium, manganese, and strontium concentrations in areas where the aquifer is thought not to be in hydraulic connection with the Missouri River Valley and upland area alluvial aquifers. Ground-water quality in the Papio-MissouriRiver Natural Resources District is generally suitable for most uses. However, the numerous occurrences of herbicides in water of the Elkhorn and Platte River Valley alluvial aquifers, especially near the Platte River, are of concern because U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels could be exceeded. Concentrations in three of nine water samples collected from wells completed in the Dakota aquifer exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels or Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels for gross alpha activity, radon-222 activity, dissolved solids, sulfate, or iron. Also of concern are the exceedances of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency proposed Maximum Contaminant Level for radon-222 activity.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1997

Ground-water resources of Catron County, New Mexico

This report describes the occurrence, availability, and quality of ground-water and related surface-water resources in Catron County, the largest county in New Mexico. The county is located in the Lower Colorado River Basin and the Rio Grande Basin, and the Continental Divide is the boundary between the two river basins. Increases in water used for mining activities (coal, mineral, and geothermal), irrigated agriculture, reservoir construction, or domestic purposes could affect the quantity or quality of ground- water and surface-water resources in the county. Parts of seven major drainage basins are within the two regional river basins in the county--Carrizo Wash, North Plains, Rio Salado, San Agustin, Alamosa Creek, Gila, and San Francisco Basins. The San Francisco, Gila, and Tularosa Rivers typically flow perennially. During periods of low flow, most streamflow is derived from baseflow. The stream channels of the Rio Salado and Carrizo Wash Basins are commonly perennial in their upper reaches and ephemeral in their lower reaches. Largo Creek in the Carrizo Wash Basin is perennial downstream from Quemado Lake and ephemeral in the lower reaches. Aquifers in Catron County include Quaternary alluvium and bolson fill; Quaternary to Tertiary Gila Conglomerate; Tertiary Bearwallow Mountain Andesite, Datil Group, and Baca Formation; Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Crevasse Canyon Formation, Gallup Sandstone, Mancos Shale, and Dakota Sandstone; Triassic Chinle Formation; and undifferentiated rocks of Permian age. Water in the aquifers in the county generally is unconfined; however, confined conditions may exist where the aquifers are overlain by other units of lower permeability. Yields of ground water from the Quaternary alluvium in the county range from 1 to 375 gallons per minute. Yields of ground water from the alluvium in the Carrizo Wash Basin are as much as 250 gallons per minute for short time periods. North of the Plains of San Agustin, ground-water yields from the alluvium in the San Agustin Basin range from 1 to 10 gallons per minute. Irrigation wells completed in the Quaternary bolson fill produce as much as 975 gallons per minute immediately east of the county. Water from the bolson fill in the Plains of San Agustin has specific-conductance values generally ranging from 180 to 3,300 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (microsiemens/cm). Yields from the Gila Conglomerate generally range from 2 to 5 gallons per minute. Water samples from two springs from the Gila Conglomerate have specific conductances of 289 and 381 microsiemens/cm. The Tertiary Datil Group is present in the Carrizo Wash, San Agustin, San Francisco, and Gila Basins. The Datil Group commonly is unconfined, but may be confined at depth. Water levels of wells completed in this unit range from 60 to 1,260 feet below land surface. Wells completed in the Datil Group typically yield 1 to 15 gallons per minute. Specific conductance of water from the Datil Group ranges from 210 to 820 microsiemens/cm. The Tertiary Baca Formation in the Carrizo Wash Basin produces 5 to 20 gallons per minute in stock wells. Water from wells completed in the Baca Formation has specific-conductance values ranging from 312 to 752 microsiemens/cm. Aquifers in Cretaceous rocks are present in the Carrizo Wash, North Plains, and Rio Salado Basins. The potential yield from wells completed in Cretaceous rocks in northwestern Catron County is from 1 to 122 gallons per minute. Specific conductance of water from Cretaceous rocks ranges from 210 microsiemens/cm in the Moreno Hill Formation to 4,490 microsiemens/cm in the Mancos Shale. Yields of ground water from Cretaceous rocks in the Carrizo Wash Basin typically range from 1 to 100 gallons per minute; in an artesian well, however, the yield in the main body of the Creta

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1998

A simulation-optimization model for water-resources management, Santa Barbara, California

In times of drought, the local water supplies of the city of Santa Barbara, California, are insufficient to satisfy water demand. In response, the city has built a seawater desalination plant and gained access to imported water in 1997. Of primary concern to the city is delivering water from the various sources at a minimum cost while satisfying water demand and controlling seawater intrusion that might result from the overpumping of ground water. A simulation-optimization model has been developed for the optimal management of Santa Barbara?s water resources. The objective is to minimize the cost of water supply while satisfying various physical and institutional constraints such as meeting water demand, maintaining minimum hydraulic heads at selected sites, and not exceeding water-delivery or pumping capacities. The model is formulated as a linear programming problem with monthly management periods and a total planning horizon of 5 years. The decision variables are water deliveries from surface water (Gibraltar Reservoir, Cachuma Reservoir, Cachuma Reservoir cumulative annual carryover, Mission Tunnel, State Water Project, and desalinated seawater) and ground water (13 production wells). The state variables are hydraulic heads. Basic assumptions for all simulations are that (1) the cost of water varies with source but is fixed over time, and (2) only existing or planned city wells are considered; that is, the construction of new wells is not allowed. The drought of 1947?51 is Santa Barbara?s worst drought on record, and simulated surface-water supplies for this period were used as a basis for testing optimal management of current water resources under drought conditions. Assumptions that were made for this base case include a head constraint equal to sea level at the coastal nodes; Cachuma Reservoir carryover of 3,000 acre-feet per year, with a maximum carryover of 8,277 acre-feet; a maximum annual demand of 15,000 acre-feet; and average monthly capacities for the Cachuma and the Gibraltar Reservoirs. The base-case results indicate that water demands can be met, with little water required from the most expensive water source (desalinated seawater), at a total cost of $5.56 million over the 5-year planning horizon. The simulation model has drains, which operate as nonlinear functions of heads and could affect the model solutions. However, numerical tests show that the drains have little effect on the optimal solution. Sensitivity analyses on the base case yield the following results: If allowable Cachuma Reservoir carryover is decreased by about 50 percent, then costs increase by about 14 percent; if the peak demand is decreased by 7 percent, then costs will decrease by about 14 percent; if the head constraints are loosened to -30 feet, then the costs decrease by about 18 percent; if the heads are constrained such that a zero hydraulic gradient condition occurs at the ocean boundary, then the optimization problem does not have a solution; if the capacity of the desalination plant is constrained to zero acre-feet, then the cost increases by about 2 percent; and if the carryover of State Water Project water is implemented, then the cost decreases by about 0.5 percent. Four additional monthly diversion distribution scenarios for the reservoirs were tested: average monthly Cachuma Reservoir deliveries with the actual (scenario 1) and proposed (scenario 2) monthly distributions of Gibraltar Reservoir water, and variable monthly Cachuma Reservoir deliveries with the actual (scenario 3) and proposed (scenario 4) monthly distributions of Gibraltar Reservoir water. Scenario 1 resulted in a total cost of about $7.55 million, scenario 2 resulted in a total cost of about $5.07 million, and scenarios 3 and 4 resulted in a total cost of about $4.53 million. Sensitivities of the scenarios 1 and 2 to desalination-plant capacity and State Water Project water carryover were tested. The scenario 1 sensitivity analysis indicated that incorpo

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1999

Water resources of the Batavia Kill basin at Windham, Greene County, New York

The water resources of a 27.6-square-mile section of the Batavia Kill Basin near the village of Windham, N.Y., which has undergone substantial development, were evaluated. The evaluation entailed (1) estimation of the magnitude and distribution of several hydrologic components, including recharge, (2) measurement of discharge and chemical quality of the Batavia Kill and selected tributaries, (3) analysis of ground-water flow and chemistry, and (4) a conceptualization of the ground-water flow system. The region consists of deeply dissected, relatively flat-lying, clastic sedimentary sequences variably overlain by as much as 120 feet of glacial deposits. The types of bedrock fractures and their distribution in the Batavia Kill valley are consistent with valley stress-relief characteristics. Till predominates in the uplands, and stratified drift typically dominates within the valley of the Batavia Kill and the lower section of its largest tributary valley (Mitchell Hollow). Fractured bedrock is the most commonly used water source within the study area. The areas of highest yielding bedrock generally are with valleys, where the shallow fractures are saturated. Stratified-drift aquifers are also limited to the largest valleys; the greatest saturated thicknesses are in the Batavia Kill valley at Windham. A conceptual model of ground-water flow within the study areas suggests that the zones of most active flow are shallow fractured bedrock in upland areas and the shallow stratified drift in the largest valleys. The hydrogeologic system has been altered by development; major effects include (1) chemical alteration of natural ground-water and surface-water quality by point- and nonpoint-source contaminants, (2) hydraulic interconnection of other-wise isolated bedrock fractures by wellbores, and (3) drawdowns in wells within the Batavia Kill valley by pumping from the bedrock aquifer. Water resource development of the most promising unconsolidated aquifer beneath Windham may be precluded by the potential for contamination by leachate from an abandoned landfill, road-salt stockpiles, and domestic septic systems in the area.

New York↗

USGS1998

Water-quality and algal conditions in the North Umpqua River Basin, Oregon, 1992-95, and implications for resource management

This report describes the results of a synoptic water-quality and algal investigation during July 1995 at 36 stream sites in a 1,350 square-mile area of the North Umpqua River Basin, Oregon. The study area includes a headwaters hydroelectric project area, a Wild and Scenic reach in the main stem immediately downstream, and the watersheds of several major tributaries. Additional data from previous investigations are reviewed, and impacts on water quality in the Wild and Scenic reach from resource management, including forestry and reservoir operations, are inferred where sufficient data exist. Water-quality standards were occasionally exceeded for dissolved oxygen and pH, and daily maximum stream temperatures in the Wild and Scenic reach were higher than both the 1996 standard for the State of Oregon and the optimal temperature ranges for many anadromous fish. Dissolved oxygen in the basin was controlled more by stream temperature and reaeration than by primary production. Arsenic concentrations in the river during low flow (1 µg/L [microgram per liter]) indicate a potential cancer risk of between 1:5,000 and 1:20,000 for people using the river as a source of drinking water and fish for consumption. Streambed-sediment concentrations of arsenic, chromium, copper, manganese, and nickel were approximately double the sediment-quality criteria values adopted by New York State and by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. High concentrations of phosphorus in bed sediments indicated that much of the phosphorus observed in the water column throughout the basin (medians: 32, 9, and 50 µg/L in the main stem, tributaries, and hydroelectric project areas, respectively) could have been geologically derived. Inorganic and organic nitrogen concentrations in water were mostly below minimum reporting limits (5 and 200 µg/L, respectively), indicating severe nitrogen limitation at most locations. Benthic algal biomass, biovolume, and chlorophyll a concentrations were highest at the sites directly below impoundments and at one headwater tributary (medians: 46 grams per square meter, 821 million cubic micrometers per square centimeter, and 126 milligrams per square meter, respectively), and were also somewhat elevated downstream in the Wild and Scenic reach compared with those in similar streams in the Pacific Northwest. Classification of the algal taxa indicated that, among all sites sampled, alkaliphilic taxa, nitrogen fixing taxa, and eutrophic taxa were the most abundant on the basis of biovolume and density. Cold-water taxa, facultative nitrogen heterotrophs, and oligotrophic taxa constituted the remainder of the taxa. Multivariate analyses indicated that algal communities at the hydroelectric-project-affected sites were distinct from communities at sites on the main stem and Steamboat Creek. At many locations, the river’s algal community might be compensating for the low nitrogen concentrations by fixation of atmospheric nitrogen or through heterotrophic assimilation of organic nitrogen. Water quality in the Wild and Scenic reach is dominated by water released from the hydroelectric project area during summer. Effects of the hydroelectric project include seasonal control of streamflow, water temperature, and phosphorus concentrations, and the possible release of low but ecologically important concentrations of organic nitrogen. A review of available data and literature suggests that the reservoirs can increase the interception of sediments and large organic debris, and promote their conversion into fine-grained particulate and dissolved organic matter for downstream transport. These effects could be compounded by the effects of forestry in the basin, including alteration of hydrologic cycles, changes in sediment and nutrient runoff, reductions of the transport of large woody debris, and degradation of habitat quality. It is hypothesized that, in the North Umpqua River, these processes have induced a fundamental shift in the river’s food web, from a detritus-based system to a system with a 2 higher emphasis on algal production. Confirmation of these changes and their effects on higher trophic levels are needed to properly manage the aquatic resources for all designated beneficial uses in the basin.

Oregon↗

USGS2013

Priority data on marine and estuarine resources within northeastern National Parks: Inventory and acquisition needs

The purpose of this project was to guide development of a strategy for the inventory and mapping of submerged natural resources associated within 10 coastal parks of the National Park Service (NPS) Northeast Region (NER; see Table 1). Priority data needs were identified by the NER Ocean Stewardship Task Force. The majority of the NER priority data needs involve the biotic, chemical, and geological characterization of the seabed. Taken collectively, this demands a consistent and unified approach to habitat classification. The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) is endorsed by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC-STD-018) for classifying ecological units in coastal and marine environments, and is recommended as a framework for acquiring and organizing NER data. We prepared an inventory of existing data on priority marine and estuarine natural resources within the ten NER coastal parks. This report describes the data and information sources relevant to each park and identifies gaps in available data. Overwhelmingly and uniformly across all parks, the most pressing needs are consistent, high-resolution bathymetry and seafloor characterization data. Approaches for acquiring these data using an integrated, multi-resolution sampling framework are recommended.

Natural Resource Report↗

USGS1954

Summary of geology and ground-water resources of the Eastern Shore peninsula, Virginia: a preliminary report

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Virginia Division of Geology (Virginia Division of Mineral Resources), conducted an investigation of the geology and ground-water resources of the Coastal Plain of Virginia. This report summarizes preliminary findings from exploratory test drilling done to ascertain whether there are any satisfactory water-bearing zones deeper than those in general use.

Virginia↗