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At least 1,603 records · Page 89Linked to original sources
USGS2001

Salt-front movement in the Hudson River estuary, New York — Simulations by one-dimensional flow and solute-transport models

The Hudson River is being considered for use as a supplemental source of water supply for New York City during droughts. One proposal entails withdrawal of Hudson River water from locations near Newburgh, Chelsea, or Kingston, but the extent to which this could cause the salt front to advance upstream to points where it could adversely affect community water supplies is unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) one-dimensional Branch-Network Dynamic Flow model (BRANCH) was used in conjunction with the USGS one-dimensional Branched Lagrangian Solute-Transport Model (BLTM) to simulate the effect of five water-withdrawal scenarios on the salt-front location. The modeled reach contains 132 miles of the lower Hudson River between the Federal Dam at Troy and Hastings-on-Hudson (near New York City). The BRANCH model was calibrated and verified to 19 tidal-cycle discharge measurements made at 11 locations by conventional and acoustic Doppler current-profiler methods. Maximum measured instantaneous tidal flow ranged from 20,000 ft 3 /s (cubic feet per second) at Albany to 368,000 ft 3 /s at Tellers Point; daily-mean flow at Green Island near Troy ranged from 3,030 ft 3 /s to 45,000 ft 3 /s during the flow measurements. Successive ebb- and flood-flow volumes were measured and compared with computed volumes; daily-mean bias was -1.6 percent (range from -21.0 to +23.7 percent; 13.5 percent mean absolute error). Daily-mean deviation between simulated and measured stage at eight locations (from Bowline Point to Albany) over the 19 tidal-cycle measurements averaged +0.06 ft (range from -0.31 to +0.40 ft; 0.21 ft root mean square error, RMSE). These results indicate that the model can accurately simulate flow in the Hudson River under a wide range of flow, tide, and meteorological conditions. The BLTM was used to simulate chloride transport in the 61-mi reach from Turkey Point to Bowline Point under two seasonal conditions in 1990.one representing spring conditions of high inflow and low salinity (April-June), the other representing typical summer conditions of low inflow and high salinity (July-August). Measured chloride concentrations at Bowline Point were used to drive the BLTM simulations, and data collected at West Point were used for calibration. Mean bias in simulated chloride concentration for the April-June 1990 (high flow) data (observed range from 12 to 201 mg/L [milligrams per liter]; 30 mg/L RMSE) was .16 mg/L, and mean bias for the July-August 1990 (low flow) data (observed range from 31 to 2,000 mg/L; 535 mg/ L RMSE) was +126 mg/L. The salt front (saltwater/ freshwater interface) on the Hudson River was defined as the furthest upstream location where the chloride concentration exceeded 100 mg/L. Data from August 1991 were used to evaluate solute transport between West Point and Poughkeepsie because a chloride concentration of 100 mg/L was not observed at Clinton Point in 1990. The BLTM then was used to simulate chloride concentrations at Chelsea Pump Station and Clinton Point. Regression equations, based on daily mean values of specific conductance measured at West Point, were used to estimate daily mean chloride concentrations at Chelsea Pump Station and Clinton Point for model analysis. Mean biases in BLTM-simulated daily mean chloride concentrations for August 1991 were .38 mg/L at Chelsea Pump Station (range from 189 to 551 mg/L; 103 mg/L RMSE) and .9 mg/L at Clinton Point (range from 53 to 264 mg/L; 62 mg/L RMSE). Hypothetical withdrawals at (1) Newburgh, (2) Chelsea, (3) Chelsea and Newburgh, (4) Chelsea and Kingston, and (5) Kingston and Newburgh, were simulated to compute the effects of withdrawals on salt-front movement. Withdrawals of 300 Mgal/d from any combination of Chelsea or Newburgh could result in upstream movement of the salt front of as much as 1.0 mi, given an initial salt-front location between West Point and Rogers Point. Scenarios that included withdrawals at Kingston caused the greatest upstream salt-front movement. Simulation of a 90-day April-June high-flow period during which discharges at Green Island averaged 25,200 ft 3 /s indicated that withdrawals of 1,939 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) at Chelsea Pump Station would not measureably increase chloride concentrations at Chelsea Pump Station under normal tidal and meteorological conditions, but withdrawals at twice that rate (3,878 Mgal/d) could increase the chloride concentration at Chelsea Pump Station to 250 mg/L.

New York↗
USGS1999

Bathymetry of Bonnie Doone Lake, Kornbow Lake, Mintz Pond, and Glenville Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, 1996-98

Bathymetric surveys were conducted at four water-supply impoundments of Little Cross Creek in Cumberland County, North Carolina. The surveys were conducted in April 1996 at Mintz Pond and Glenville Lake, and in January 1998 at Bonnie Doone Lake and Kornbow Lake. The resulting bathymetric maps are the first to cover the entire range in depth for these reservoirs and provide a framework for future evaluations of bathymetry and storage capacity. Bathymetric maps were constructed from depth and position data collected at each reservoir. A boat-mounted, research-grade fathometer was used to record water depths with a vertical accuracy of 0.1 foot. At Mintz Pond and Glenville Lake, position was measured by using a wide-band laser tracking system interfaced with a total station survey instrument. This positioning method required multiple land-based control points to be established and was hampered by line-of-sight restrictions between the control points and the boat. At Bonnie Doone Lake and Kornbow Lake, a global positioning system was used to collect differentially corrected location data. This positioning method enabled more rapid data collection, eliminated the need for land-based control points, and provided improved data coverage. Spillway elevations range from 172.8 feet above mean sea level at Bonnie Doone Lake to 113.1 feet at Glenville Lake. Surface area and storage volume were computed for each reservoir and were related to water-surface elevations at 1-foot intervals. The combined surface acreage of the four Little Cross Creek reservoirs at their full-pool elevations is 120.97 acres, consisting of 21.20 acres at Bonnie Doone Lake, 47.09 acres at Kornbow Lake, 15.56 acres at Mintz Pond, and 37.12 acres at Glenville Lake. The four reservoirs have a combined usable storage capacity of 674.91 acre-feet, which is the sum of 127.93 acre-feet in Bonnie Doone Lake, 320.62 acre-feet in Kornbow Lake, 53.25 acre-feet in Mintz Pond, and 173.11 acre-feet in Glenville Lake.

North Carolina↗
USGS1999

Ground-water resources in Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Island of Hawaii, and numerical simulation of the effects of ground-water withdrawals

Within the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, which was established in 1978, the ground-water flow system is composed of brackish water overlying saltwater. Ground-water levels measured in the Park range from about 1 to 2 feet above mean sea level, and fluctuate daily by about 0.5 to 1.5 feet in response to ocean tides. The brackish water is formed by mixing of seaward flowing fresh ground water with underlying saltwater from the ocean. The major source of fresh ground water is from subsurface flow originating from inland areas to the east of the Park. Ground-water recharge from the direct infiltration of precipitation within the Park area, which has land-surface altitudes less than 100 feet, is small because of low rainfall and high rates of evaporation. Brackish water flowing through the Park ultimately discharges to the fishponds in the Park or to the ocean. The ground water, fishponds, and anchialine ponds in the Park are hydrologically connected; thus, the water levels in the ponds mark the local position of the water table. Within the Park, ground water near the water table is brackish; measured chloride concentrations of water samples from three exploratory wells in the Park range from 2,610 to 5,910 milligrams per liter. Chromium and copper were detected in water samples from the three wells in the Park and one well upgradient of the Park at concentrations of 1 to 5 micrograms per liter. One semi-volatile organic compound, phenol, was detected in water samples from the three wells in the Park at concentrations between 4 and 10 micrograms per liter. A regional, two-dimensional (areal), freshwater-saltwater, sharp-interface ground-water flow model was used to simulate the effects of regional withdrawals on ground-water flow within the Park. For average 1978 withdrawal rates, the estimated rate of fresh ground-water discharge to the ocean within the Park is about 6.48 million gallons per day, or about 3 million gallons per day per mile of coastline. Although the coastal discharge within the Park is actually brackish water, the model assumes that freshwater and saltwater do not mix and therefore the model-calculated coastal discharge within the Park is in the form of freshwater discharge. Model results indicate that ground-water withdrawals in excess of average 1978 withdrawal rates will reduce the rate of freshwater coastal discharge within the Park. Withdrawals from wells directly upgradient of the Park had the greatest effect on the model-calculated freshwater coastal discharge within the Park, whereas withdrawals from wells south of Papa Bay had little effect on the freshwater discharge within the Park. For an increased ground-water withdrawal rate of 56.8 million gallons per day, relative to average 1978 withdrawal rates in the Kona area, model-calculated freshwater coastal discharge within the Park was reduced by about 47 percent.

Hawaii↗
USGS1999

Geohydrology and numerical simulation of the ground-water flow system of Kona, Island of Hawaii

Prior to the early 1990's, ground-water in the Kona area, which is in the western part of the island of Hawaii, was withdrawn from wells located within about 3 mi from the coast where water levels were less than 10 feet above sea level. In 1990, exploratory drilling in the uplands east of the existing coastal wells first revealed the presence of high water levels (greater than 40 feet above sea level) in the Kona area. Measured water levels from 16 wells indicate that high water levels exist in a zone parallel to and inland of the Kona coast, between Kalaoa and Honaunau. Available hydrologic and geophysical evidence is generally consistent with the concept that the high ground-water levels are associated with a buried dike complex. A two-dimensional (areal), steady-state, freshwater-saltwater, sharp-interface ground-water flow model was developed for the Kona area of the island of Hawaii, to enhance the understanding of (1) the distribution of aquifer hydraulic properties, (2) the conceptual framework of the ground-water flow system, and (3) the regional effects of ground-water withdrawals on water levels and coastal discharge. The model uses the finite-difference code SHARP. To estimate the hydraulic characteristics, average recharge, withdrawals, and water-level conditions for the period 1991-93 were simulated. The following horizontal hydraulic-conductivity values were estimated: (1) 7,500 feet per day for the dike-free volcanic rocks of Hualalai and Mauna Loa, (2) 0.1 feet per day for the buried dike complex of Hualalai, (3) 10 feet per day for the northern marginal dike zone (north of Kalaoa), and (4) 0.5 feet per day for the southern marginal dike zone between Palani Junction and Holualoa. The coastal leakance was estimated to be 0.05 feet per day per foot. Measured water levels indicate that ground water generally flows from inland areas to the coast. Model results are in general agreement with the limited set of measured water levels in the Kona area. Model results indicate, however, that water levels do not strictly increase in an inland direction and that a ground-water divide exists within the buried dike complex. Data are not available, however, to verify model results in the area near and inland of the model-calculated ground-water divide. Three simulations to determine the effects of proposed withdrawals from the high water-level area on coastal discharge and water levels, relative to model-calculated, steady-state coastal discharge and water levels for 1997 withdrawal rates, show that the effects are widespread. During 1997, the total withdrawal of ground water from the high water-level area between Palani Junction and Holualoa was about 1 million gallons per day. Model results indicate that it may not be possible to withdraw 25.6 million gallons per day of freshwater from this area between Palani Junction and Holualoa, but that it may be possible to withdraw between 5 to 8 million gallons per day from the same area. For a proposed withdrawal rate of 5.0 million gallons per day uniformly distributed to 12 sites between Palani Junction and Holualoa, the model-calculated drawdown of 0.01 foot or more extends about 9 miles north-northwest and about 7 miles south of the proposed well sites. In all scenarios, freshwater coastal discharge is reduced by an amount equal to the additional freshwater withdrawal. Additional data needed to improve the understanding of the ground-water flow system in the Kona area include: (1) a wider spatial distribution and longer temporal distribution of water levels, (2) improved information about the subsurface geology, (3) independent estimates of hydraulic conductivity, (4) improved recharge estimates, and (5) information about the vertical distribution of salinity in ground water.

Hawaii↗
USGS2001

Hydrogeology and extent of saltwater intrusion of the Great Neck peninsula, Great Neck, Long Island, New York

Great Neck, a peninsula, in the northwestern part of Nassau County, N.Y., is underlain by unconsolidated deposits that form a sequence of aquifers and confining units. Seven public-supply wells have been affected by the intrusion of saltwater from the surrounding embayments (Little Neck Bay, Long Island Sound, Manhasset Bay). Fifteen observation wells were drilled in 1991–96 for the collection of hydrogeologic, geochemical, and geophysical data to delineate the subsurface geology and extent of saltwater intrusion within the peninsula. Continuous high-resolution seismic-reflection surveys in the embayments surrounding the Great Neck peninsula and the Manhasset Neck peninsula to the east were completed in 1993 and 1994. Two hydrogeologic units are newly proposed herein.the North Shore aquifer and the North Shore confining unit. The new drill-core data collected in 1991–96 indicate that the Lloyd aquifer, the Raritan confining unit, and the Magothy aquifer have been completely removed from the northern part of the peninsula by extensive glacial erosion. Water levels at selected observation wells were measured quarterly throughout the study. The results from two studies of the effects of tides on ground-water levels in 1992 and 1993 indicate that water levels at wells screened within the North Shore and Lloyd aquifers respond to tides and pumping effects, but those in the overlying upper glacial aquifer (where the water table is located) do not. Data from quarterly water-level measurements and the tidal-effect studies indicate the North Shore and Lloyd aquifers to be hydraulically connected. Offshore seismic-reflection surveys in the surrounding embayments indicate at least two glacially eroded buried valleys with subhorizontal, parallel reflectors indicative of draped bedding that is interpreted as infilling by silt and clay. The buried valleys (1) truncate the surrounding coarse-grained deposits, (2) are asymmetrical and steep sided, (3) trend northwest-southeast, (4) are 2-4 miles long and about 1 mile wide, and (5) extend to more than 200 feet below sea level. Water from six public-supply wells screened in the Magothy and upper glacial aquifers contained volatile organic compounds in concentrations above the New York State Department of Health Drinking Water Maximum Contaminant Levels, as did water from one public-supply well screened in the Lloyd aquifer, and from three observation wells screened in the upper glacial and Magothy aquifers. Four distinct wedge-shaped areas of saltwater intrusion have been delineated within the aquifers in Great Neck; three areas extend into the Lloyd and North Shore aquifers, and the fourth area extends into the upper glacial aquifer. Three other areas of saltwater intrusion also have been detected. Borehole-geophysical-logging data indicate that four of these saltwater wedges range from 20 to 125 feet in thickness and have sharp freshwater-saltwater interfaces, and that maximum chloride concentrations in 1996 ranged from 141 to 13,750 milligrams per liter. Seven public-supply wells have either been shut down or are currently being affected by saltwater intrusion.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2000

Site Selection for a Deep Monitor Well, Kualapuu, Molokai, Hawaii

Management of the ground-water resources near Kualapuu on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, is hindered by the uncertainty in the vertical salinity structure in the aquifer. In the State of Hawaii, vertical profiles of ground-water salinity are commonly obtained from deep monitor wells, and these profiles are used to estimate the thicknesses of the freshwater part of the ground-water flow system and the freshwater-saltwater transition zone. Information from a deep monitor well would improve the understanding of the ground-water flow system and the ability to effectively manage the ground-water resources near Kualapuu; however, as of mid-1999 no deep monitor wells had been drilled on the island of Molokai. Selection of an appropriate site for drilling a deep monitor well in the Kualapuu area depends partly on where future ground-water development may occur. Simulations using an areally two-dimensional, steady-state, sharp-interface ground-water flow model previously developed for the island of Molokai, Hawaii, indicate that the southeastern part of the Kualapuu area is a possible area of future ground-water development because (1) withdrawals from this area have a small effect on water levels at existing wells in the Kualapuu area (relative to effects from withdrawals in other parts of the Kualapuu area that are outside of the dike complex), and (2) model-calculated water levels in this part of the Kualapuu area are high relative to water levels in other parts of the Kualapuu area that are outside of the dike complex. Additional site-selection criteria include (1) ground-water level, (2) ground-surface altitude, (3) land classification, ownership, and accessibility, (4) geology, (5) locations of existing production wells, and (6) historical ground-water quality information. A deep monitor well in the Kualapuu area will likely be most useful for management purposes if it is located (1) in the vicinity of future ground-water development, (2) in an area where water levels are between about 8 and 12 feet above sea level, (3) at a ground-surface altitude that is between about 1,000 and 1,100 feet, (4) on government-owned land, (5) outside of the dike complex and as far from known volcanic vents as possible, (6) at least about 1,000 feet from, but within the same hydrogeologic setting as, existing or proposed production wells, and (7) east of well 0902-01. A viable area for drilling a deep monitor well is about a half mile southeast of existing wells 0801-01 to -03 and a half mile north of a known volcanic vent, Puu Luahine.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1964

Hydrology of the Babylon-Islip area, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York

The report area comprises 270 square miles, and includes most of the Towns of Babylon and Islip, and parts of the Towns of Huntington, Smithtown, and Brookhaven, in southwestern Suffolk County, New York. Almost all the water used in the area is obtained from wells screened in permeable zones of the ground-water reservoir which consists of unconsolidated deposits of gravel, sand, silt, and clay as much as 1,800 feet thick. The ground-water reservoir contains three principal aquifers. From the surface down these are (a) surficial deposits of sand and gravel of Pleistocene age, (b) sands of the Magothy (?) Formation of Cretaceous age, and (c) the Lloyd Sand Member of the Raritan Formation of Cretaceous age. At present only the upper two aquifers are tapped by wells. Natural replenishment of the ground-water reservoir in the area takes place entirely by infiltration of precipitation and averages about 215 mgd (million gallons per day). Average ground-water runoff to streams above tidewater is 114 mgd, and it is estimated that an additional 54 mgd is discharged into tidal reaches of streams. Ground-water evapotranspiration is computed to be about 10 mgd and submarine outflow from the area is estimated to be 18 mgd. The average streamflow of the area above tidewater is 120 mgd. Because of the permeable soils and low relief, direct runoff is only about 5 percent of the average streamflow. Streams are perennial along their middle and lower reaches and exhibit well-sustained low flows. Flooding rarely occurs although continued urbanization may result in minor flooding problems as additional storm sewers are constructed. Water in most of the area is generally of good quality; however, it may be contaminated locally. Some streams and parts of the water-table aquifer contain low concentrations of synthetic detergents and other dissolved constituents from domestic and industrial wastes. Salty water occurs in parts of the water-table aquifer in the area under and bordering Great South Bay and under the barrier beaches. Present information, however, indicates that submarine outflow in the artesian aquifers is sufficient to maintain the fresh water-salt water interface some distance seaward of the barrier beaches. Ground-water withdrawals in 1960 averaged 39 mgd, most of which was returned to the ground through cesspools, leaching beds, and recharge wells; pumpage did not appreciably affect the natural water balance of the groundwater reservoir. If withdrawals continue to be artificially recharged, pumpage can be increased at least fivefold before consumptive losses materially reduce ground-water levels. However, if the area were completely sewered in the future, an adequate supply of ground water for a substantially increased population could not be obtained without (a) reducing the amount of ground water in storage in the reservoir or (b) recharging treated-sewage effluent.

New York↗
USGS1966

Utilization of ground water in the Santa Maria Valley area, California

Overdraft in the Santa Maria Valley ground-water basin since about 1946 has resulted in a significant decline in water levels throughout the basin as ground water has been removed from storage. In 1959 approximately 2,200,000 acre-feet of ground water was in storage above sea level in the ground-water reservoir. Estimates of storage depletion are not consistent with estimates of groundwater recharge and discharge. The natural perennial yield of the basin probably is about 50.000 acre-feet, on the basis of estimated recharge and natural discharge. The augmented perennial yield probably is about 70,000 acre-feet and includes 21,200 acre-feet of water per year released at Twitchell Dam. Storage depletion, not estimated in the seaward ends of the aquifers, will result as the fresh watersea water interface moves landward in response to the continuing decrease in hydraulic gradient in the aquifer system. Evidence of sea-water intrusion into the basin has not been observed, but limited sea-water encroachment may have occurred at the offshore ends of the aquifers. Additional observation wells will be necessary to provide supplemental data to insure that hydraulic heads and gradients in the deeper aquifers are properly monitored.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1982

Summary of hydrologic testing in Tertiary limestone aquifer, Tenneco offshore exploratory well--Atlantic OCS, lease-block 427 (Jacksonville NH 17-5)

A summary of hydrologic testing in an offshore oil-test well (LB427) drilled for Tenneco, Inc., 55 miles east of Fernandina Beach, Florida, is presented. The interval tested (1,050 to 1,070 feet below sea level) is in a calcarenite that is equivalent to the Ocala Limestone (late Eocene) of onshore Florida and South Georgia. At this site the Ocala forms the highly productive Tertiary limestone aquifer system of the southeastern United States. Pressure-head measurements indicate an equivalent freshwater head of 24 to 29 feet above sea level. These pressure-head measurements and an earlier one made in the nearby JOIDES J- I hole are the only hydraulic head determinations to date in the offshore extensions of any of the aquifers underlying the Atlantic coastal plain. A drill-stem test recovered water samples containing about 7,000 milligrams per liter chloride. However, seawater used in the drilling process apparently contaminated the samples and the formation water is considered slightly fresher. The head and salinity data from the Tenneco well suggest that the sampled interval lies in the transition zone between fresh and seawater in the limestone aquifer. These data, when viewed with similar data from JOIDES J-I, show the transition zone to slope very slightly landward. The interface position is probably intermediate between a position compatible with present-day heads and a position compatible with predevelopment heads.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1985

Digital models of ground-water flow in the Cape Cod aquifer system, Massachusetts

The Cape Cod aquifer system was simulated with three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water-flow models. Five areas were modeled to provide tools that can be used to evaluate the hydrologic impacts of regional water development and waste disposal. The model boundaries were selected to represent the natural hydrologic boundaries of the aquifer. The boundary between fresh and saline ground water was treated as an interface along which there is no dispersion. The saline-water zone was treated as static (nonflowing). Comparisons of calculated and observed values of head, position of the boundary between fresh and saline water, and ground-water discharge (at locations where data were available) indicate that the simulated groundwater reservoirs generally agree with field conditions. Model analyses indicate that the total steady-state freshwater-flow rate through the five modeled areas is approximately 412 cubic feet per second.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1997

Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow in the thick regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system of Indian Creek basin, North Carolina

The Indian Creek Basin in the southwestern Piedmont of North Carolina is one of five type areas studied as part of the Appalachian Valleys-Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System analysis. Detailed studies of selected type areas were used to quantify ground-water flow characteristics in various conceptual hydrogeologic terranes. The conceptual hydrogeologic terranes are considered representative of ground-water conditions beneath large areas of the three physiographic provinces--Valley and Ridge, Blue Ridge, and Piedmont--that compose the Appalachian Valleys-Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System Analysis area. The Appalachian Valleys-Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System Analysis study area extends over approximately 142,000 square miles in 11 states and the District of Columbia in the Appalachian highlands of the Eastern United States. The Indian Creek type area is typical of ground-water conditions in a single hydrogeologic terrane that underlies perhaps as much as 40 percent of the Piedmont physiographic province. The hydrogeologic terrane of the Indian Creek model area is one of massive and foliated crystalline rocks mantled by thick regolith. The area lies almost entirely within the Inner Piedmont geologic belt. Five hydrogeologic units occupy major portions of the model area, but statistical tests on well yields, specific capacities, and other hydrologic characteristics show that the five hydrogeologic units can be treated as one unit for purposes of modeling ground-water flow. The 146-square-mile Indian Creek model area includes the Indian Creek Basin, which has a surface drainage area of about 69 square miles. The Indian Creek Basin lies in parts of Catawba, Lincoln, and Gaston Counties, North Carolina. The larger model area is based on boundary conditions established for digital simulation of ground-water flow within the smaller Indian Creek Basin. The ground-water flow model of the Indian Creek Basin is based on the U.S. Geological Survey?s modular finite-difference ground-water flow model. The model area is divided into a uniformly spaced grid having 196 rows and 140 columns. The grid spacing is 500 feet. The model grid is oriented to coincide with fabric elements such that rows are oriented parallel to fractures (N. 72° E.) and columns are oriented parallel to foliation (N. 18° W.). The model is discretized vertically into 11 layers; the top layer represents the soil and saprolite of the regolith, and the lower 10 layers represent bedrock. The base of the model is 850 feet below land surface. The top bedrock layer, which is only 25 feet thick, represents the transition zone between saprolite and unweathered bedrock. The assignment of different values of transmissivity to the bedrock according to the topographic setting of model cells and depth results in inherent lateral and vertical anisotropy in the model with zones of high transmissivity in bedrock coinciding with valleys and draws, and zones of low transmissivity in bedrock coinciding with hills and ridges. Lateral anisotropy tends to be most pronounced in the north-northwest to south-southeast direction. Transmissivities decrease nonlineraly with depth. At 850 feet, depending on topographic setting, transmissivities have decreased to about 1 to 4 percent of the value of transmissivity immediately below the regolith-bedrock interface. The model boundaries are, for the most part, specified-flux boundaries that coincide with streams that surround the Indian Creek Basin. The area of active model nodes within the boundaries is about 146 square miles and has about 17,400 active cells. The numerical model is designed not as a predictive tool, but as an interpretive one. The model is designed to help gain insight into flow-system dynamics. Predictive capabilities of the numerical model are limited by the constraints placed on the flow system by specified fluxes and recharge distribution.

North Carolina↗
USGS1989

Water movement in the unsaturated zone at a low-level radioactive-waste burial site near Barnwell, South Carolina

Four unsaturated-zone monitoring sites and a meteorologic station were installed at the low-level radioactive-waste burial site near Barnwell, S.C., to investigate the geohydrologic and climatologic factors affecting water movement in the unsaturated zone. The study site is located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The unsaturated zone consists of a few centimeters to more than 1 meter of surface sand, underlain by up to 15 meters of clayey sand. Two monitoring sites were installed in experimental trenches, and two were installed in radioactive-waste trenches. Two different trench designs were evaluated at the monitoring sites. A meteorologic station was used to measure precipitation and to calculate actual evapotranspiration using the Bowen ratio method. Soil-moisture tensiometers, soil-moisture conductance probes, and temperature sensors were used to monitor soil-water movement in and adjacent to the trenches. Tracer tests using sodium chloride were conducted at each monitoring site. Hydrologic properties of unsaturated-zone materials were also determined. Data collection at the monitoring sites began in January 1982 and continued until early May 1984. Tensiometer data show that the unsaturated materials had their highest percent saturations in winter and spring. Saturations in the backfill sand varied from 20 to 100 percent, and in the adjacent undisturbed and overlying compacted clayey sand, from about 75 to 100 percent. The same pattern generally was observed at all four monitoring sites. The tracer-test data indicate that water movement occurred mainly during the recharge period, winter and spring. The tracer-test results enabled computation of rates of unsaturated flow in the compacted clayey-sand cap, the compacted clayey-sand barrier, and the backfill sand. A micro-scale hydrologic budget was determined for an undisturbed part of the site from July 1983 through June 1984.Total precipitation was 144 centimeters, and actual evapotranspiration was 101 centimeters. Additionally, because tensiometer data indicate negligible water-storage changes in the unsaturated zone, it is estimated that approximately 43 centimeters of recharge reached the water table. During 1984, the rise and fall of ponded water in an experimental trench was continuously monitored with a digital recorder. This water-level record was used to compute the rate of leakage of ponded water from that trench--1 x 10 -5 centimeter per second. A cross-sectional finite-element model of variably saturated flow was used to test the conceptual model of water movement in the unsaturated zone and to illustrate the effect of trench design on water movement into the experimental trenches. Monitoring and model results show that precipitation on trenches infiltrated the trench cap and moved vertically into the trench backfill material. Precipitation on the undisturbed material adjacent to the trenches moved vertically through the surface sand and continued either downward into undisturbed clayey sand or laterally along the sand/clayey-sand interface into the backfill sand, depending on trench design. The trench construction practice of placing a compacted clayey-sand barrier around the trench greatly inhibits soil water from entering the trench.

South Carolina↗
USGS1994

Hydrogeology and analysis of the ground-water-flow system of the eastern shore, Virginia

Ground water is the sole freshwater supply for the Eastern Shore Peninsula in Virginia. The fresh ground-water-flow system consists of a water-table aquifer underlain by three confined aquifers separated by intervening confining units. Results of simulations using a sharp-interface, ground-water-flow model indicate that current levels of withdrawal have not caused noticeable saltwater intrusion and that lateral movement of the boundary between saltwater and freshwater is slow and takes place over long periods of time.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1997

Effects of simulated ground-water pumping and recharge on ground-water flow in Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket Island basins, Massachusetts

Three-dimensional transient ground-water-flow models that simulate both freshwater and saltwater flow were developed for the flow cells of the Cape Cod Basin to determine the effects of long-term pumping and recharge, seasonal fluctuations in pumping and recharge, and prolonged reductions of natural recharge, on the position of the freshwater-saltwater interface, water-table and pond altitudes, and streamflow and discharge to coastal marshes and embayments. Two-dimensional, finite-difference change models were developed for Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island basins to determine anticipated drawdowns in response to projected summer season pumping rates for 180 days of no recharge.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1998

Use of a ground-water flow model with particle tracking to evaluate ground-water vulnerability, Clark County, Washington

A ground-water flow model was used in conjunction with a particle-tracking program to demonstrate a method of evaluating ground-water vulnerability. The study area encompassed the part of the Portland Basin located in Clark County, Washington. A new computer program was developed that interfaces the particle-tracking program with a geographic information system (GIS). The GIS was used to display and analyze the particle-tracking results and to evaluate ground-water vulnerability by identifying recharge areas and their characteristics, determining the downgradient impact of land use at recharge areas, and estimating the age of ground water. The report presents a description of the methods used and the results of the evaluation of ground-water vulnerability.

Washington↗
USGS1998

Analysis of ground-water flow and saltwater encroachment in the shallow aquifer system of Cape May County, New Jersey

Cape May County, New Jersey, is on a natural peninsula that is virtually surrounded by saltwater. A calibrated quasi-three-dimensional sharp-interface model was used to simulate ground-water flow in the shallow aquifer system under two water-supply-development alternatives for a 30-year planning period. The alternatives involve modest increases in withdrawals in combination with desalination of brackish ground water or inland relocation of wells. Simulation results indicate that projected withdrawals for the two alternatives can be sustained without significant additional saltwater encroachment over the planning period.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1925

Power resources of Snake River between Huntington, Oregon and Lewiston, Idaho: Chapter C in Contributions to the hydrology of the United States, 1923-1924

Thousands of people are familiar with that part of Snake River where it flows for more than 300 miles in a general westward course across the plains of southern Idaho, but few have traversed the river where it flows northward and for 200 miles forms the boundary between Idaho and Oregon and for 30 miles the boundary between Idaho and Washington. Below the mining town of Homestead, Oreg., which is the end of a branch line of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, Snake River finds its way through the mountain ranges that seem to block its way to Columbia River in a canyon which, though not so well known, so majestic, nor so kaleidoscopic in color, is in some respects worthy of comparison with the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, for at some places it is deeper and narrower than the Grand Canyon at El Tovar. The Snake, unlike the Colorado, can be reached at many points through the valleys of tributary streams, and the early prospectors no doubt thoroughly explored all parts of the canyon. To traverse the river between Homestead, Oreg., and Lewiston, Idaho, is, however, a difficult undertaking and there are only a few records of boat journeys through the entire stretch. It has long been known that this portion of Snake River contains large potential water powers, but until recently no detailed surveys or examinations covering the entire stretch of the river had been made to determine their location or extent. A railroad has been proposed between Homestead and Lewiston which would provide a direct connection between the railroad systems of northern and southern Idaho. One function of the Geological Survey is to determine the possible interface between transportation routes on land and potential water-power development, and the information set forth in this paper has a bearing on that problem.

Idaho;Oregon↗
USGS2022

Geochemical studies of the Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin, Colorado: I. Major, minor, and trace elements

The Eocene Green River Formation contains the largest oil shale deposits in the world and is a welldocumented example of a lacustrine depositional system. In addition, mineral resources associated with oil shale in the Piceance Basin nahcolite [NaHCO3] and dawsonite [NaAl(CO3)(OH)2)] are of current and potential economic value, respectively. Detailed geochemical analysis across the basin can aid in the understanding of the depositional environment, sedimentary processes, and water-chemistry evolution in this system. Quantitative geochemical data for Green River oil shale from the Piceance Basin of Colorado were collected by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry as part of this study. The basin margin is represented by samples from exposures at Douglas Pass (Garfield County) and the basin center area is characterized by core samples from two drilled wells: the Shell 23X-2 and John Savage 24-1 (Rio Blanco County). Major elements and groups of elements are used as proxies for clastic influx (Si, Al, K, Ti), carbonate deposition (Ca, Mg), salinity (Na), paleo-productivity (P), and redox state (Fe, S), respectively. Minor and trace elements reinforce observations based on major elements, including Rb, Zr, Nb for clastic influx and Mn, Sr for carbonate. Trace elements are used to characterize redox conditions (As, Mo, U, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) and salinity (Rb/K, B/Ga). Chemical distinctions between the basin margin and the basin center, in terms of these components and total organic carbon concentrations, support the model of a permanently stratified lake through most of the depositional interval. A primary purpose of the study was to conduct more extensive sampling to confirm conclusions of a previous reconnaissance study. Geochemical data from this study indicates elevated Na around the basin margin occurring earlier than in the deeper basin. Early in the history of Lake Uinta, the salinity may have been elevated first in the shallower marginal waters, due to increased evaporation, which then led to elevated salinity in the basin center through transport of saline density currents. Other indicators of salinity (Rb/K, B/Ga) do not track Na content in intervals where clay minerals are absent due to diagenetic alteration under hypersaline conditions but may be used to indicate the salinities at which authigenic Na-bearing minerals begin to form. Most Na-rich samples show high proportions of clastic constituents (Si, Al, K, Ti) compared to conventional carbonate constituents (Ca, Mg). Redox-sensitive period IV transition metal elements (V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) show only local occurrence of significant enrichment relative to average shale abundances. Analysis of Fe/Al ratios for this dataset suggests that the depletion of these elements may be related to source rocks depleted in mafic constituents, with apparent redox-related enrichments subdued by this effect. The basin margin samples reflect generally oxic bottom waters, with some intervals deposited under more reducing, possibly dysoxic to anoxic conditions. The basin center results indicate more reducing conditions, with Mo and U enrichment factors suggesting operation of a particulate shuttle mechanism that scavenged Mo on Fe/Mn-oxyhydroxides that redissolved at depth, with Mo precipitating along with sulfides and/or organic matter at or near the sediment/water interface.

Colorado↗