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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
USGS1999

Quality of ground water in Webb County, Texas, 1997-98

Rapid development and population growth are occurring in Webb County in south Texas (fig. 1). Water managers need information on the ground-water resources of the area to address the increased demand for water caused by the development. To help meet this need, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Laredo, began a study in 1997 to assess the ground-water resources of the county. This report describes the quality of ground water determined from water samples collected during 1997-98.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS1961

Geology and ground-water resources of Sumner County, Kansas

This report describes the geography, geology, and ground-water resources of Sumner County in south-central Kansas. The hydrologic and geologic data upon which this report is based were obtained in the field during the summers of 1955 and 1956. Records of 300 wells and 2 springs, chemical analyses of 219 water samples from wells and test holes and of 15 from streams, and logs of 362 wells and test holes are included in tables. Sumner County has an area of 1,183 square miles and lies in the Wellington Lowland and Arkansas River Lowlands of the Central Lowland physiographic province. It is drained by Arkansas River, Ninnescah River, and Chikaskia River and their tributaries. The land surface in general is a southeastward-sloping, gently rolling plain. The average annual precipitation at Wellington is about 31 inches. Wheat fanning is the principal industry of the county, and oil is the chief natural resource. The Wellington Formation, of Permian age, crops out in the eastern two-thirds of the county except where it is covered by Pleistocene deposits. The Ninnescah Shale (Permian) overlies the Wellington Formation and crops out in parts of the western third of the county. The Permian rocks yield small quantities of hard water to wells. Pleistocene sand and gravel deposits of Nebraskan age are present in the northwestern corner of the county and yield moderate quantities of good water to wells. Discontinuous deposits of Kansan or Illinoisan age, locally mantled by colluvium, forms terraces in southern and eastern Sumner County, and may yield moderate quantities of water. Wisconsinan terrace deposits and Recent alluvium along the major streams yield large quantities of water. Colluvium and dune sand are unimportant as sources of water but may facilitate recharge. Maps of Sumner County included in this report show the outcrop areas of the formations, geologic cross sections, the shape and slope of the water table, the locations of wells and test holes for which records are given, and the distribution of chloride in water samples. The ground-water reservoir is recharged principally from rain and snow that fall within the county, by percolation from streams and other surface bodies of water, and by underflow from adjacent areas. Water is discharged from the ground-water reservoir by seepage into streams, by transpiration and evaporation, by movement into adjacent areas, and by wells. Water is pumped from wells for domestic, stock, municipal, industrial, and irrigation use. Irrigation from wells is most extensive in the valley of Arkansas River, in which area further development is most probable. Chemical analyses of samples of water from Sumner County indicate that the quality varies greatly from place to place. Sulfate is common in water from the Wellington Formation and Ninnescah Shale. Water from Pleistocene deposits is generally suitable for most uses except in local areas where it contains excessive chloride.

Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin↗
USGS1990

Hydrogeology of the Cliff House Sandstone in the San Juan structural basin, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah

This report is one in a series resulting from the U.S. Geological Survey's Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) study of the San Juan structural basin that began in October 1984. Previous reports in the series describe the hydrogeology of the Dakota Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1989), Point Lookout Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1990), Morrison Formation (Dam and others, 1990), Gallup Sandstone (Kernodle and others, 1989), and Menefee Formation (Levings and others, 1990) in the San Juan structural basin. The purposes of the RASA (Welder, 1986) are to: (1) Define and evaluate the aquifer system; (2) assess the effects of past, present, and potential ground-water use on aquifers and streams; and (3) determine the availability and quality of ground water. This report summarizes information on the geology and the occurrence and quality of water in the Cliff House Sandstone, one of the primary water-bearing units in the regional aquifer system. Data used in this report were collected during the study or were derived from existing records in the U.S. Geological Survey's computerized National Water Information System (NWIS) data base, the Petroleum Information Corporation's data base, and the Dwight's ENERGYDATA Inc. BRIN data base. Although all data available for the Cliff House Sandstone were considered in formulating the discussions in the text, not all those data could be plotted on the illustrations. The San Juan structural basin is in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and has an area of about 21,600 square miles (fig. 1). The structural basin is about 140 miles wide and about 200 miles long. The study area is that part of the structural basin that contains rocks of Triassic or younger age and, therefore, is less extensive than the structural basin. Triassic through Tertiary sedimentary rocks are emphasized in this study because the major aquifers in the basin are present in these rocks. The study area is about 140 miles wide (about the same as the structural basin), 180 miles long, and has an area of about 19,400 square miles. Altitudes in the study area range from about 4,500 feet in San Juan County, Utah, to about 11,000 feet in Cibola County, New Mexico. Annual precipitation in the high mountainous areas along the north and east margins of the basin is as much as 45 inches, whereas annual precipitation in the lower altitude, central basin is generally less than 8 inches. Mean annual precipitation in the study area is about 12 inches. Data obtained from documents published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1980 and 1985, were used to estimate the population of the study area. The population of the study area in 1970 was estimated to be about 134,000. The population rose to about 194,000 in 1980, 212,000 in 1982, 221,000 in 1984, and then fell to about 210,000 in 1985. The economy of the basin is supported by exploration and development of petroleum, natural gas, coal, and uranium resources; urban enterprise, farming and ranching; tourism; and recreation. The rise and fall in population were related to changes in the economic strength of the mining, petroleum, and natural-gas industries, and support services. Uranium mining and milling activities grew rapidly until the late 1970's when most uranium-mining activity ended in the study area. Likewise, the oil and gas industry prospered until about 1983 and then declined rapidly, also affecting many jobs in support industries.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah↗
USGS1990

Hydrogeology of the Point Lookout Sandstone in the San Juan structural basin, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah

This report is one in a series resulting from the U.S. Geological Survey's Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) study of the San Juan structural basin that began in October 1984. Previous reports in the series describe the hydrogeology of the Dakota Sandstone (Craigg and others, 1989), Morrison Formation (Dam and others, 1990), Gallup Sandstone (Kernodle and others, 1989), Menefee Formation (Levings and others, 1990), and Cliff House Sandstone (Thorn and others, 1990), in the San Juan structural basin. The purposes of the RASA (Welder, 1986) are to: (1) Define and evaluate the aquifer system; (2) assess the effects of past, present, and potential ground-water use on aquifers and streams; and (3) determine the availability and quality of ground water. This report summarizes information on the geology and the occurrence and quality of water in the Point Lookout Sandstone, one of the primary water-bearing units in the regional aquifer system. Data used in this report were collected during the study or were derived from existing records in the U.S. Geological Survey's computerized National Water Information System (NWIS) data base, the Petroleum Information Corporation's database, and the Dwight's ENERGYDATA Inc. BRIN data base. Although all data available for the Point Lookout Sandstone were considered in formulating the discussions in the text, not all those data could be plotted on the illustrations. The San Juan structural basin is in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and has an area of about 21,600 square miles (fig. 1). The structural basin is about 140 miles wide and about 200 miles long. The study area is that part of the structural basin that contains rocks of Triassic or younger age and, therefore, is less areally extensive than the structural basin. Triassic through Tertiary sedimentary rocks are emphasized in this study because the major aquifers in the basin are present in these rocks. The study area is about 140 miles wide (about the same as the structural basin), 180 miles long, and has an area of about 19,400 square miles. Altitudes in the study area range from about 4,500 feet in San Juan County, Utah, to about 11,000 feet in Cibola County, New Mexico. Annual precipitation in the high mountainous areas along the north and east margins of the basin is as much as 45 inches, whereas annual precipitation in the lower altitude, central basin is generally less than 8 inches. Mean annual precipitation in the study area is about 12 inches. Data obtained from documents published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1980 and 1985, were used to estimate the population of the study area. The population of the study area in 1970 was estimated to be about 134,000. The population rose to about 194,000 in 1980, 212,000 in 1982, 221,000 in 1984, and then fell to about 210,000 in 1985. The economy of the basin is supported by exploration and development of petroleum, natural gas, coal, and uranium resources; urban enterprise, farming "and ranching; tourism; and recreation. The rise and fall in population were related to changes in the economic strength of the mining, petroleum, and natural-gas industries, and support services. Uranium mining and milling activities grew rapidly until the late 1970's when most uranium-mining activity ended in the study area. Likewise, the oil and gas industry prospered until about 1983 and then declined rapidly, also affecting many jobs in support industries.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah↗
USGS1984

Synopsis of ground-water and surface-water resources of North Dakota

This report describes the surface- and ground-water resources of North Dakota and the limitations of our understanding of these resources. Ground water and surface water are actually one resource, because they are often hydraulically interconnected. They are discussed separately for convenience. In general, the surface-water resources of the mainstem of the Missouri river are abundant and suitable for most uses. Other rivers may be important locally as water-supply sources, but the quantities of flow are small, quite variable in time, and generally of an unsuitable quality for most uses. Streamflow characteristics of North Dakota reflect its arid to semiarid climate (annual precipitation varies from 13 to 20 inches from west to east across the State), cold winters (usually including a significant snowpack available for spring snowmelt runoff), and the seasonal distribution of annual precipitation (almost 50 percent falls from Nky to July). Significant volumes of shallow ground water, of variable quality are found in the glacial-drift aquifers in parts of central, northern, and eastern North Dakota. Existing information provides only a limited capability to assess the long-term reliability of these scattered aquifers. There are significant indications, however, of water-quality problems related to sustained production of wells if long-term utilization of these aquifers is planned. A summary of the general suitability for use of surface water and ground water is given in Table E1.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2001

Ground-water discharge determined from estimates of evapotranspiration, Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

The Death Valley regional flow system (DVRFS) is one of the larger ground-water flow systems in the southwestern United States and includes much of southern Nevada and the Death Valley region of eastern California. Centrally located within the ground-water flow system is the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The NTS, a large tract covering about 1,375 square miles, historically has been used for testing nuclear devices and currently is being studied as a potential repository for the long-term storage of high-level nuclear waste generated in the United States. The U.S. Department of Energy, as mandated by Federal and State regulators, is evaluating the risk associated with contaminants that have been or may be introduced into the subsurface as a consequence of any past or future activities at the NTS. Because subsurface contaminants can be transported away from the NTS by ground water, components of the ground-water budget are of great interest. One such component is regional ground-water discharge. Most of the ground water leaving the DVRFS is limited to local areas where geologic and hydrologic conditions force ground water upward toward the surface to discharge at springs and seeps. Available estimates of ground-water discharge are based primarily on early work done as part of regional reconnaissance studies. These early efforts covered large, geologically complex areas and often applied substantially different techniques to estimate ground-water discharge. This report describes the results of a study that provides more consistent, accurate, and scientifically defensible measures of regional ground-water losses from each of the major discharge areas of the DVRFS. Estimates of ground-water discharge presented in this report are based on a rigorous quantification of local evapotranspiration (ET). The study identifies areas of ongoing ground-water ET, delineates different ET areas based on similarities in vegetation and soil-moisture conditions, and determines an ET rate for each delineated area. Each area, referred to as an ET unit, generally consists of one or more assemblages of local phreatophytes or a unique moist soil environment. Ten ET units are identified throughout the DVRFS based on differences in spectral-reflectance characteristics. Spectral differences are determined from satellite imagery acquired June 21, 1989, and June 13, 1992. The units identified include areas of open playa, moist bare soils, sparse to dense vegetation, and open water. ET rates estimated for each ET unit range from a few tenths of a foot per year for open playa to nearly 9 feet per year for open water. Mean annual ET estimates are computed for each discharge area by summing estimates of annual ET from each ET unit within a discharge area. The estimate of annual ET from each ET unit is computed as the product of an ET unit's acreage and estimated ET rate. Estimates of mean annual ET range from 450 acre-feet in the Franklin Well area to 30,000 acre-feet in Sarcobatus Flat. Ground-water discharge is estimated as annual ET minus that part of ET attributed to local precipitation. Mean annual ground-water discharge estimates range from 350 acre-feet in the Franklin Well area to 18,000 acre-feet in Ash Meadows. Generally, these estimates are greater for the northern discharge areas (Sarcobatus Flat and Oasis Valley) and less for the southern discharge areas (Franklin Lake, Shoshone area, and Tecopa/ California Valley area) than those previously reported.

California;Nevada↗
USGS2006

Evaluation of Nitrate Concentrations and Sources in the Elk Creek Watershed, Southwestern Ohio, 2003-2004

Nitrate concentrations exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 10 milligrams per liter have been reported in ground water near the City of Trenton, Ohio, in the southern part of the Elk Creek watershed. A study of nitrate concentrations and sources in surface and ground water within the Elk Creek watershed was conducted during 2003 and 2004. Nitrate concentrations in the Elk Creek watershed range from less than 0.06 to 11 milligrams per liter. The likely sources of elevated nitrate in the ground water near the City of Trenton appear to be soil organic matter and ammonia fertilizer. Land use is predominantly (93 percent) agricultural, with no identified point sources of nitrate. Likely sources of nitrate in the surface water appear to be manure and septic system effluent, soil organic matter, and ammonia fertilizer. Water-quality constituents, including nitrate, were sampled in water from 38 wells and at 6 surface-water sites. The wells were all shallow (less than 105 feet deep), with open intervals in aquifers of glacial origin, that include tills, outwash, and alluvium. Nitrate concentrations (median of 0.06 milligrams per liter) in the ground water of the upper section of the watershed were lower than those in the lower section of the watershed (median of 4.2 milligrams per liter). Nitrate was analyzed for nitrogen and oxygen isotope values. The d15N and d18O range from -22.36 to +32.29 per mil, and -6.27 to +17.72 per mil, respectively. A positive correlation of d15N and d18O enrichment indicates that denitrification is a prevalent process within the watershed.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS1999

Documentation for HYDMOD; a program for extracting and processing time-series data from the U.S. Geological Survey's modular three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water flow model

This report presents a FORTRAN computer program that generates simulated time-series data as output from the U.S. Geological Survey Modular Finite-Difference Ground-Water Flow Model at user-specified point locations or a collection of points that compose a profile through the modeled region. The program can save time-series data at user-specified locations for simulated water levels, drawdown, critical head, compaction, subsidence, streamflow, streamflow stage, and streamflow leakage. A set of locations also can be specified to create time-series profiles through the model. These data can be used to establish the performance of the model and can help with model calibration and other forms of flow-system and water-resource analysis.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2003

Use of boundary fluxes when simulating solute transport with the MODFLOW ground-water transport process

This report describes modifications to a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) threedimensional solute-transport model (MODFLOWGWT), which is incorporated into the USGS MODFLOW ground-water model as the Ground- Water Transport (GWT) Process. The modifications improve the capability of MODFLOW-GWT to accurately simulate solute transport in simulations that represent a nonzero flux across an aquifer boundary. In such situations, the new Boundary Flux Package (BFLX) will allow the user flexibility to assign the flux to specific cell faces, although that flexibility is limited for certain types of fluxes (such as recharge and evapotranspiration, which can only be assigned to the top face if either is to be represented as a boundary flux). The approach is consistent with that used in the MODPATH model. The application of the BFLX Package was illustrated using a test case in which the Lake Package was active. The results using the BFLX Package showed noticeably higher magnitudes of velocity in the cells adjacent to the lake than previous results without the BFLX Package. Consequently, solute was transported slightly faster through the lake-aquifer system when the BFLX Package is active. However, the overall solute distributions did not differ greatly from simulations made without using the BFLX Package.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2000

Water-resources-related information for the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin

The St. Croix Chippewa Tribe is interested in documenting water-quality conditions in lakes and streams adjacent to their Reservation lands in northwestern Wisconsin and developing management plans to protect these water resources. This report provides the Tribe with a retrospective summary and analysis of available water-resources-related information for their Reservation and vicinity. The study area is divided into four main watersheds: Big Round Lake, Clam River at Clam Lake Outlet, Yellow River at Danbury, and Loon Creek at Danbury. The Clam River Watershed includes the subwatersheds of Bashaw and Sand Lakes. The Yellow River Watershed includes the subwatersheds of Big Sand and Gaslyn Lakes. In all, 41 surface-water studies or reports that include information relevant to the study area were identified. Most of the surface-water studies were regional or statewide summaries. Fifteen of these studies include lake information and 36 include stream information. Twenty-eight of the studies include water-quality data and 16 include information describing aquatic biology. Water- and sediment-quality data were obtained for 80 lakes and 23 streams in the study area. Lake information includes data for 101 water-quality characteristics from nearly 4,300 water and sediment analyses of samples collected between 1972 and 1998. Stream information summarized in this report includes data for 135 water-quality characteristics and nearly 4,500 water and sediment analyses of samples collected at 23 sites between 1964 and 1999. A total of 41 ground-water studies or reports that include information relevant to the study area were identified. Most of the ground-water studies were regional or statewide summaries. Of the 41 studies, 33 include water-quality information, 9 include information regarding water use, and 23 provide descriptions of geology and aquifer characteristics relevant to the study area. Water-quality information for 773 wells was compiled. Most of the sampled wells were used for drinking water, and most of the drinking-water wells represent domestic supplies. Water-quality data summarized in this report represent 270 characteristics and more than 10,300 analyses of samples collected from drinking-water wells between 1911 and 1999; however, most of the water-quality data were collected after about 1990.

Wisconsin↗
USGS1996

Description of the ground-water flow system in the Portland Basin, Oregon and Washington

An increasing dependence on ground-water resources in the Portland Basin has made it necessary for State and local governments to evaluate the capability of the ground-water system to meet present and future demands for water. This report describes the regional ground-water system and provides a conceptualization of the aquifer system. Aquifer geometry, recharge, ground-water flow directions, ground-water/surface water relations, water use, and water-level changes with time are presented.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1948

Ground water in the Beggs area, Okmulgee County, Oklahoma

This memorandum discusses the geology of the Beggs area in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, as it is related to the availability of ground water. Geological reports and unpublished data from the files of the Oklahoma Geological Survey, together with local information furnished by R.W. Steinman, Beggs Water Superintendent, are the basis for the statements that follow.

Oklahoma↗
USGS1984

Water resources of the Yap Islands

The Yap Islands consist of four major islands, Yap, Gagil-Tamil, Maap, and Rumung. Of these, Yap Island has more than half the total land area, most of the population, and almost all of the economic development. The islands of Maap and Rumung together compose only 15 percent of the land area and population. Average annual rainfall over the Yap Islands amounts to 122 inches. Rainfall-runoff comparisons indicate that about half of the annual rainfall runs off to the ocean on Yap Island and Gagil-Tamil. Streams on Gagil-Tamil are perennial but streams on Yap Island are dry an average of 3 months per year due to geologic differences. Analyses of water samples from 23 sources show the good quality and the chemical similarity of surface and ground water. This report summarizes the hydrologic data collected and provides interpretations that can be used by the planning and public works officials of Yap to make decisions concerning development and management of their water resources.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1988

Water resources data, Arizona, water year 1985

Water resources data for the 1985 water year for Arizona consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; water levels of observation wells; and quality of ground water. This report contains discharge records for 186 gaging stations, annual peaks for 24 crest-stage partial-record stations, and discharge measurements at 7 miscellaneous sites; contents only records for 8 lakes and reservoirs; stage and contents for 1 lake; elevation only for 1 streamflow station; 18 supplementary records, included with gaging-station records, consisting of monthend or monthly stage, contents, and evaporation of lakes and reservoirs, diversions, and return flows; water-quality records for 34 continuous-record stations and 5 miscellaneous sites; water levels for 95 observation wells; and water-quality data for water from 230 wells. The data re-present that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating Federal and State Agencies in Arizona.

Arizona↗
USGS1989

Water resources data for Arizona, water year 1987

Water discharge data for the 1987 water year for Arizona consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; water levels of observation wells; and quality of ground water. This report contains discharge records for 168 gaging stations, annual peaks for 22 crest-stage partial-record stations, and discharge measurements at 8 miscellaneous sites; contents only records for 9 lakes and reservoirs; stage and contents for 1 lake; elevation only for 1 streamflow station; 20 supplementary records, included with gaging-station records, consisting of monthend or monthly stage, contents, and evaporation of lakes and reservoirs, diversions, and return flows; water-quality records for 41 continous-record stations and 6 miscellaneous sites; water levels for 1,007 observation wells; and water-quality data for water from 261 wells. The data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating Federal and State Agencies in Arizona.

Arizona↗
USGS1999

Water resources data, Arizona, water year 1998

Water discharge data for the 1998 water year for Arizona consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, water quality of lakes and reservoirs; water levels of observation wells; and quality of ground water. This report contains discharge records for 167 gaging stations, annual peaks for 27 crest-stage partial-record stations; contents only records for 8 lakes and reservoirs; stage and (or) contents for 1 lake; elevation only for 1 streamflow station; included with gaging-station records, consisting of monthend or monthly stage, contents, and evaporation of lakes and reservoirs, diversions, and return flows; water-quality records for 14 continuous-record stations; water-quality data for water from 188 wells. The data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey cooperating Federal and State agencies in Arizona.

Arizona↗
USGS1986

Water resources data for Idaho, water year 1985

Water resources data for the 1985 water year for Idaho consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of ground water. This report contains discharge records for 211 gaging stations; stage only records for 2 gaging stations; stage only for 8 lakes and reservoirs; contents only for 21 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 19 gaging stations and 85 wells; and water levels for 415 observation wells. Additional water data were collected at various sites, not involved in the systematic data collection program, and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Idaho, adjacent States, and Canada.

Idaho↗