Hydrologic data for 1994-96 for the Huron Project of the High Plains Ground-Water Demonstration Program

Abstract

This report presents data on precipitation, water levels, and water quality that have been collected or compiled for water years 1994 through 1996 for the Huron Project of the High Plains Ground-Water Demonstration Program, under the guidance of the Bureau of Reclamation. This is the second report for the project. The first report (Carter, 1995) presented data collected through water year 1993. The purpose of the Huron Project is to demonstrate the artificial recharge potential of glacial aquifers in eastern South Dakota. High flows from the James River during spring runoff were used as a source of supplemental recharge for the Warren aquifer, which is a buried, glacial aquifer. In 1990, 70 observation wells were installed by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) specifically for this study, and 15 existing DENR observation wells were incorporated into the study. In 1993, the recharge well was installed. After a trial injection of recharge water in April 1994, continuous injection began in June 1994. Many sites were monitored to obtain information before, during, and after recharging the aquifer. This report presents data that were collected during the three phases of recharge. Precipitation data are collected at two sites within the study area. A site description and daily precipitation for water years 1994-95 are presented for one precipitation site. Water-level hydrographs are presented for the 85 observation wells and the recharge well. Hydrographs are shown for the period from October 1, 1993, through November 29, 1995. Recharge water was injected from June 2, 1994, through July 29, 1994, and from June 14, 1995, through September 13, 1995. The cumulative volume of injected water and the injection rates into the aquifer are presented for the periods of recharge. Water-quality data were collected from screening, detailed, and plume-monitoring sampling programs. Screening water-quality data for six observation wells are presented. These data include primarily field parameters and common ions. The four detailed sampling sites represent the quality of untreated water, treated water, and ground water from the Warren aquifer. Data presented for the detailed sampling program include field parameters, bacteria counts, and concentrations of common ions, solids, nutrients, trace elements, radiometrics, total organic carbon, herbicides, insecticides, and volatile organic compounds. Water-quality data for the plume-monitoring sampling program were collected from 25 sites during injection of recharge water into the Warren aquifer in 1994 and 1995. The data for the plume-monitoring program include primarily field parameters and common ions. Data for quality-assurance samples also are presented.