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Geology topics

R. W. Davis

Publications and source records attributed to R. W. Davis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1989

Preliminary hydrogeologic evaluation of the Cincinnati Arch region for underground high-level radioactive waste disposal, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio

Preliminary interpretation of available hydrogeologic data suggests that some areas underlying eastern Indiana, north-central Kentucky, and western Ohio might be worthy of further study regarding the disposal of high-level radioactive waste in Precambrian crystalline rocks buried beneath Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the area. The data indicate that (1) largest areas of deepest potential burial and thickest sedimentary rock cover occur in eastern Indiana; (2) highest concentrations of dissolved solids in the basal sandstone aquifer, suggesting the most restricted circulation, are found in the southern part of the area near the Kentucky-Ohio State line and in southeastern Indiana; (3) largest areas of lowest porosity in the basal sandstone aquifer, low porosity taken as an indicator of the lowest groundwater flow velocity and contaminant migration, are found in northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio, central and southeastern Indiana, and central Kentucky; (4) the thickest confining units that directly overlie the basal sandstone aquifer are found in central Kentucky and eastern Indiana where their thickness exceeds 500 ft; (5) steeply dipping faults that form potential hydraulic connections between crystalline rock, the basal sandstone aquifer, and the freshwater circulation system occur on the boundaries of the study area mainly in central Kentucky and central Indiana. Collectively, these data indicate that the hydrogeology of the sedimentary rocks in the western part of the study area is more favorably suited than that in the remainder of the area for the application of the buried crystalline-rock concept.

Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio↗
USGS1987

Movement of ground water in coal-bearing rocks near Fishtrap Lake in Pike County, Kentucky

Eight test holes were core-drilled from various altitudes in a typical coal-bearing sequence rocks of Pennsylvania age in Pike County, eastern Kentucky. Vertical fractures were common in cores from shallow depths, but became less common or absent toward the bottom of two test holes drilled 400 and 291 ft deep. Most fractures readily injected water, and near the bottoms of the two deep holes, coal beds accepted water in the non-fractured rocks. Rhodamin-WT dye was injected in a 61-ft deep ridge-top well on October 24, 1985 and was detected in varying concentrations in water samples taken from all down-gradient piezometers at the study site on November 7, 1985. The presence of dye in down-gradient piezometers indicated that groundwater in the Eastern Kentucky coal field can move from areas of higher head to areas of lower head. The movement probably occurs in a stair-step fashion through a complex system of near-vertical fractures, and laterally through permeable rocks, which probably are the coal beds. This suggests that land uses on ridges could affect the quality of water from wells or springs at lower altitudes on hillsides or in the valley bottoms even though separated by a thick interval of rocks that include beds of low primary permeability. (Author 's abstract)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1985

Summary of northern Atlantic Coastal Plain hydrology and its relation to disposal of high-level radioactive waste in buried crystalline rock – A preliminary appraisal

Interpretation of available hydrologic data suggests that some areas beneath the Coastal Plain in the States of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Virginia might have some potential for the disposal of nuclear waste in crystalline rock that is buried beneath the Coastal Plain sediments. The areas of major interest occur where the top of the basement rock lies between 1,000 and 4,000 feet below sea level, the aquifer(s) immediately above the basement rock are saturated with saline water, confining material overlies the saline water bearing aquifer(s), and groundwater flow in the saline water aquifer(s) can be established. Preliminary data on (1) the distribution and thickness of the lowermost aquifers and confining beds, (2) the distribution of hydraulic conductivity in the lowermost aquifers, (3) estimated hydraulic heads and inferred direction of lateral groundwater flow for 1980, and (4) the distribution of saline water and brine, indicate eastern parts of the study area relatively best meet most of the criteria proposed for sediments that would overlie any potential buried crystalline-rock disposal site.

Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Vi↗
USGS1984

Leaching study of oil shale in Kentucky: With a section on hydrologic reconnaissance of the oil shale outcrop in Kentucky

Oil shales in Kentucky are rocks of predominantly Devonian age. The most prominant are the Ohio, Chattanooga, and New Albany Shales. A leaching study was done on six fresh oil shale samples and one retorted oil shale sample. Leaching reagents were distilled water, 0.0005 N sulfuric acid, and 0.05 N sulfuric acid. The concentration of constituents in the leachates were highly variable. The concentration of sodium, manganese, and zinc in the retorted shale leachate was several orders of magnitude higher than those of the leachates of fresh shale samples. The major oil shale outcrop covers approximately 1,000 square miles in a horseshoe pattern from Vanceburg, Lewis County , in the east, to Louisville, Jefferson County, in the west. The Kentucky, Red, and Licking Rivers cross the outcrop belt, the Rolling Fork River flows along the strike of the shale in the southwest part of the outcrop, and the Ohio River flows past the outcrop at the ends of the horseshoe. Oil shale does not appear to significantly alter the water quality of these streams. Oil shale is not an aquifer, but seeps and springs found in the shale indicate that water moves through it. Ground water quality is highly variable. (USGS)

Kentucky↗
USGS1984

Review of buried crystalline rocks of eastern United States in selected hydrogeologic environments potentially suitable for isolating high-level radioactive wastes

Among the concepts suggested for the deep disposal of high-level radioactive wastes from nuclear power reactors is the excavation of a repository in suitable crystalline rocks overlain by a thick sequence of sedimentary strata in a hydrogeologic environment that would effectively impede waste transport. To determine the occurrence of such environments in the Eastern United States, a review was made of available sources of published or unpublished information, using the following hydrogeologic criteria: The top of the crystalline basement rock is 1,000 to 4,000 feet below land surface. The crystalline rock is overlain by sedimentary rock whose lowermost part, at least, contains ground water with a dissolved-solids concentration of 10,000 milligrams per liter or more. Shale or clay confining beds overlie the saline-water aquifer. The flow system in the saline-water aquifer is known or determinable from presently available data. All of these hydrogeologic conditions occur in two general areas: (1) parts of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, underlain by part of the geologic structure known as the Cincinnati arch, and (2) parts of the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Georgia to New Jersey.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1983

Evaluation of ground-water quality data from Kentucky

The report reviews and summarizes 10,578 chemical analyses, from 2,362 wells and springs in Kentucky. These water-quality data were collected prior to September 30, 1981, and are available in computer files of the U.S. Geological Survey. The principal water-bearing rocks in Kentucky were combined into 10 major groups to aid in data summary preparation and general description of the ground-water quality of the State. Ground water in Kentucky is generally fresh near the outcrop of the rocks comprising the aquifer. Slightly saline to briny water occurs at variable depths beneath the freshwater. Preparation of quadrilinear diagrams revealed three principal geochemical processes in the aquifers of Kentucky: (1) mixing of freshwater and saline water in an interface zone; (2) dedolomitization of the Devonian and Silurian and Lower Mississippian carbonate rocks; (3) sodium for calcium exchange in the freshwater sections of many of the sandstone-shale aquifers. A number of errors and deficiencies were found in the data base. The principal deficiencies were: (1) very few complete analyses which included important field measurements; (2) inadequate definition of the chemistry of the freshwater-saline water interface zone throughout much of the State; (3) no analyses of stable isotopes and dissolved gases; (4) fewer than 10 analyses of most trace metals, radionuclides, and man-made organic chemicals; and (5) no data on bacteria in ground water from any aquifer in the State. (USGS)

Kentucky↗
USGS1980

Chloroform contamination in part of the alluvial aquifer, Southwest Louisville, Kentucky

A well in the Ohio River alluvium at Louisville, Ky., has been yielding water with chloroform concentrations as high as 34.80 milligrams per liter since July 1975. A spill of 5,000 gallons of chloroform in 1970, 120 feet from the well, is probably the source of the contamination. The chloroform is adsorbed in the unsaturated zone in the alluvium; the greatest concentrations are presently at and slightly above the water table. Lesser amounts of carbon tetrachloride are found with the chloroform. Its source is unknown. The two contaminants were above the water table in the alluvium until a long-term trend of rising ground-water levels caused water to reach the contaminants and the water-chloroform mixture began moving downgradient to the well. High river stages cause a seasonal cycle of water-level rise, generally in late spring and midsummer; the ground water comes in contact with more chloroform and the chloroform concentration of the well water increases. No carbon tetrachloride has been observed in the well water.

Kentucky↗