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Stage fluctuations of Wisconsin lakes

This report describes lake-stage fluctuations of 83 gaged lakes in Wisconsin and presents techniques for estimating stage fluctuation at ungaged lakes. Included are stage information at 83 lakes and stage-frequency data for 32 of these lakes that had sufficient record for analysis. Lakes are classified by a hydrologic-topographic lake classification scheme as ground-water flowthrough (GWF) lakes, surface-water drainage (SWD) lakes, and surface-water flow-through (SWF) lakes. Lakes within the same class were found to have similar water-level fluctuations. The lake-stage records indicate that most annual maximums occur during the months of May and June for all three classes. Annual minimum lake levels generally occur in September for surface-water drainage lakes, in March for surface-water flowthrough lakes, and in November for ground-water flow-through lakes. Data for each lake include location, period of water-level record, hydrologic classification, drainage area, surface area, lake volume, maximum depth, long-term mean stage and its standard deviation, maximum and minimum observed lake stage, and the average annual lake-stage fluctuation.

Wisconsin

A digital-computer model for estimating hydrologic changes in the aquifer system in Dane County, Wisconsin

The extensive use of ground water for water supply within Dane County has resulted in the need for an appraisal of the area's ground-water resources. Water-resources planners and other water-oriented groups have expressed concern over ground-water level declines and reductions in streamflow that are occurring as a result of heavy pumping. Digital-computer modeling techniques were used to estimate hydrologic changes in the aquifer system that would be caused by continued development. The system was modeled as a two-aquifer system consisting of a confined sandstone aquifer overlain by a leaky unconfined aquifer and underlain by impermeable bedrock. The physical properties of the aquifer system needed for the model were approximated using aquifer-test data and well-log data and by matching observed hydrologic changes in the system with corresponding changes computed by the model. Computed hydrologic changes do not represent a serious depletion of the available ground-water supply for the foreseeable future. Maximum added regional declines in ground-water levels (drawdowns) from 1970 to 1990 were computed to be approximately 10 feet (3 metres) in the unconfined aquifer and approximately 40 feet (12 metres) in the confined aquifer. It is computed that for the same period the average annual streamflow from the upper Yahara River basin would be reduced by approximately 29 cubic feet per second (0.82 cubic metre per second). These changes are computed based on estimated development trends for the confined sandstone aquifer.

Wisconsin

Interim report on surface water resources and quality of waters in Lee County, Florida

The purpose of this report is to provide such information on the surface-water resources of the county as inay be useful in planning for their more intensive use. This report is not intended to provide final answers to all questions concerning the occurrence of surface water in the c:ounty; because of the paucity of information on the various streams in the area. However, as an initial step it should prove valuable in the formulation of plans for the future.

Florida

Interim report on the ground-water resources of Manatee County, Florida

Manatee County comprises an area of about 800 square miles adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico in the southwestern part of the Florida peninsula. The county is underlain at depths ranging from about 200 to 350 feet by a series of limestone formations of Tertiary age having a total thickness of several thousand feet. The upper part of the limestone section consists of the Ocala group of Eocene age, the Suwannee limestone of Oligocene age, and the Tampa formation of early Miocene age. These limestone formations are overlain by the Hawthorn formation of middle Miocene age which consists of interbedded clay, limestone, and sand. The Hawthorn is overlain by undifferentiated deposits of sand, limestone, and shell of Pliocene(?) and Pleistocene age that range in thickness from a few feet to about 75 feet.

Florida

A test of flushing procedures to control salt-water intrusion at the W. P. Franklin Dam near Ft. Myers, Florida and The magnitude and extent of salt-water contamination in the Caloosahatchee River between La Belle and Olga, Florida

During low-flow periods, salty water from the tidal part of the Caloosahatchee River moves upstream during boat lockages at the W. P. Franklin Darn near Ft. Myers, Florida, as shown on figure L Salty water enters the lock chamber through openings of the downstream sector gates which separate tidal and fresh water; when the upstream gates open, some of the salty water moves into the upper pool, probably as a density current. Repeated injections of salty water cause a progressive increase in the salinity of the upstream water. The salty water moves upstream within the deeper parts of the river channel as far as 5 or more miles above the lock. Some mixing of the high-chloride deeper water and the fresher shallow water occurs in the affected reach above the lock, probably as a result of wind and waves, and turbulence created by boat traffic.

Florida

Water-resources data for Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Union Counties, Florida

A study of the water resources of Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Union counties, Florida (fig. 1), was made by the Water Resources Division of the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Florida Geological Survey during the period 1957-61. The results of this study will be published by the Florida Geological Survey in the following reports by William E. Clark, Rufus H. Musgrove, Clarence G. Menke, and Joseph W. Cagle, Jr.: "Interim Report on the Water Resources of Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Union Counties, Florida," "Water Resources of Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Union Counties, Florida," and "Hydrology of Brooklyn Lake, near Keystone Heights, Florida."

Florida

Ground-water resources and geology of Walworth County, Wisconsin

Population growth in Walworth County, Wisconsin, requires an increasing amount of ground water. Good quality water is available from the sand-and gravel, Niagara, Galena-Platteville, and sandstone aquifers in the county. As much as 15 gallons per minute (0.95 liters per second) can be obtained from individual wells almost everywhere in the county. Well yields of 1,000 gallons per minute (63 liters per second) are available from glacial drift where it contains sufficient thickness of saturated sand and gravel. The sand-and-gravel aquifer is an important source of municipal water. Estimated well yields from most of the Niagara aquifer, a Silurian age dolomite as thick as 125 feet (38.1 meters), exceed 100 gallons per minute (6.3 liters per second). The Niagara aquifer occurs in the eastern third of the county. The Galena-Platteville aquifer, chiefly dolomite, is present in the western half of the county where it is as thick as 325 feet (99.1 meters). Estimated yields from this aquifer exceed 500 gallons per minute (32 liters per second). The sandstone aquifer underlies the entire county and ranges from less than 800 feet (240 meters) thick in the northwest corner to more than 2,200 feet (670 meters) in the east. This aquifer is capable of yielding 1,000 gallons per minute (63 liters per second) to individual wells and is a principal source of municipal water.

Wisconsin

Evaluation of the ground-water resources of coastal Georgia: preliminary report of the data available as of July 1983

A compilation of ground-water data that have been collected for nearly 100 years in the coastal area of Georgia is presented in this report. The compilation of pertinent data indicates what information is available for use in the evaluation of the ground-water resources of the 13 counties of coastal Georgia. Also included in this report is a fairly complete discussion of previous and ongoing investigations and monitoring networks, and an extensive list of references. Maps at 1:24,000 and 1:1,000,000 scales contain well locations and identifiers for all wells in the Ground Water Site Inventory (GWSI) data base of the National Water Data Storage and retrieval System (WATSTORE). Tabular summaries of selected site information from GWSI, including well identifiers and names, latitude-longitude location, depth of well, altitude of land surface, and use of water are presented. Water-use data from the National Water Use Data System, and water use for irrigation from the University of Georgia, Department of Agriculture survey, also are tabulated. Also included are pertinent information on geophysical surveys and data obtained, and proposed project activities, particularly test-monitor well drilling. The data in this report were collected and compiled as part of the cooperative activities between the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies.

Georgia

Ground-water resources of the south metropolitan Atlanta region, Georgia

Ground-water resources of the nine county south metropolitan Atlanta region were evaluated in response to an increased demand for water supplies and concern that existing surface water supplies may not be able to meet future supply demands. Previous investigations have suggested that crystalline rock in the study area has low permeability and can not sustain well yields suitable for public supply. However, the reported yield for 406 wells drilled into crystalIine rock units in this area ranged from less than 1 to about 700 gallons per minute, and averaged 43 gallons per minute. The reported flow from 13 springs ranged from 0.5 to 679 gallons per minute. The yield of 43 wells and flow from five springs was reported to exceed 100 gallons per minute. Most of the high-yielding wells and springs were near contact zones between rocks of contrasting lithologic and weathering properties. The high-yielding wells and springs are located in a variety of topographic settings: hillsides, upland draws, and hilltops were most prevalent. The study area, which includes Henry, Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Lamar, Pike, Meriwether, Upson and Talbot Counties, is within the Piedmont physiographic province except for the southernmost part of Talbot County, which is in the Coastal Plain physiographic province. In the Piedmont, ground-water storage occurs in joints, fractures and other secondary openings in the bedrock, and in pore spaces in the regolith. The most favorable geologic settings for siting highyielding wells are along contact zones between rocks of contrasting lithology and permeability, major zones of fracturing such as the Towaliga and Auchumpkee fault zones, and other numerous shear and microbreccia zones. Although most wells in the study area are from 101 to 300 feet deep, the highest average yields were obtained from wells 51 to 100 feet deep, and 301 to 500 feet deep. Of the wells inventoried, the average diameter of well casing was largest for wells located on hills and ridges, possibly indicating a preference for such topographic locations by cities and industrial users who typically develop larger diameter wells than do domestic users. Generally, for a given depth range or well diameter, the highest yielding wells were obtained in draws and valleys, followed by hills and ridges and slopes and flats. In 1985, wells and springs supplied about 16 million gallons per day or 37 percent of the total water withdrawn in the area. Average recharge to the aquifers in the upper Flint River basin, which constitutes 66 percent of the area, was estimated to be about 575 million gallons per day. Groundwater recharge in this basin ranged from 414 million gallons per day during an average dry year, to 77 million gallons per day during an average wet year. During the severe drought of 1954, the estimated recharge was 70 million gallons per day. Ground water in the study area generally is suitable for most uses. With the exception of local occurences of excessive iron, fluoride, and manganese, concentrations of total and/or dissolved constituents generally meets State and Federal drinking water standards. Ground-water quality may be affected by the presence of radionuclides associated with the decay of uranium found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Georgia

Hydrogeology of Wood County, Wisconsin

The presence of low-permeability Precambrian rocks near land surface limits ground-water availability in the northern two-thirds of Wood County. Sand and gravel deposits provide large amounts of water (more than 500 gallons per minute) to some wells in the southeastern part of the county. Fine-grained unconsolidated deposits generally are less than 20 feet thick in the northern two-thirds of the county, but sand and gravel deposits 40- to 100-feet thick underlie the extreme southeastern part of the county. Horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the sand and gravel deposits ranges from about 155 to about 280 feet per day. The horizontal hydraulic conductivity of fine-grained unconsolidated deposits in the northern part of the county ranges from about 0.02 to 2 feet per day. Where unconsolidated deposits do not yield dependable water supplies, wells are finished in Precambrian rocks. Fractures occurring at shallow depths are the primary source of water for wells finished in Precambrian rocks. Because the number of fractures tends to decrease with depth, the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of these rocks generally decreases from about 11 feet per day in wells less than 50-feet deep to about 0.02 foot per day in wells greater than 160 feet deep. Estimates of ground-water recharge to sand and gravel deposits in the southeastern part of the county range from about 7 to 12 inches per year. Recharge estimates for the central and northern parts of the county range from about 1 to 4 inches per year. The total dissolved-solids concentration in ground water in Wood County is relatively low. Concentrations in water samples from 124 wells ranged from 21 to 578 milligrams per liter, with a median concentration of about 190 milligrams per liter. Major dissolved constituents are calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate; sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfate are present in low concentrations. The most common water-quality problem in Wood County is elevated iron concentrations. Iron concentrations greater than 300 micrograms per liter were found in 54 of 124 samples, and 15 samples contained iron concentrations greater than 5,000 micrograms per liter. Nitrate as nitrogen concentrations exceeded Wisconsin's drinking-water standard (10 milligrams per liter) in water from just 4 of 124 wells. The pesticide aldicarb was detected in 7 of 36 samples, and various volatile organic compounds were detected in 24 of 102 ground-water samples collected by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources since 1980. Wells in which these chemicals were detected are near irrigated agricultural fields and in commercially developed areas where buried gasoline-storage tanks and chemical spills are more likely to occur. A reconnaissance approach combining electromagnetic surveys and sampling for water-quality indicators was used to assess effects of leachate on ground water near seven landfills. Results of the electromagnetic surveys were used to site water-quality observation wells. Total dissolved-solids concentrations and concentrations of volatile organic compounds, chloride, sulfate, iron, chemical oxygen demand, and organic carbon are some of the chemical constituents analyzed in samples collected from these wells. The average rate of ground·water pumpage in Wood County in 1985 was 9.7 million gallons per day. Of this rate, about 6 million gallons per day is pumped from municipal-supply wells in seven communities.An additional 1.08 million gallons per day is pumped for agricultural irrigation.

Wisconsin

Analysis of water-level fluctuations in Wisconsin wells

More than 60 percent of the residents of Wisconsin use ground water as their primary water source. Water supplies presently are abundant, but ground-water levels continually fluctuate in response to natural factors and human-related stresses. A better understanding of the magnitude, duration, and frequency of past fluctuations, and the factors controlling these fluctuations may help anticipate future changes in ground-water levels. This report presents the results of statistical analyses of historical ground-water level fluctuations in Wisconsin. Short- and long-term fluctuations are discussed in terms of their relation to components of the hydrogeologic system. Water-level measurements from 124 wells with at least 20 years of record each were used in the study. The mean, highest and lowest monthly mean, median, and selected quantiles were obtained using the SAS Proc Univariate procedure. The frequency values from the Univariate table were used to construct stage-duration graphs. Pearson Type ill frequency analyses were used to obtain probabilities of exceedance of particular water levels. The data were divided into seasonal data sets for each well. The stage-duration and Pearson Type III analyses are based on past fluctuations but may be useful for estimating future water-level changes under similar conditions. Multiple-regression analyses were run on data from groups of wells representing different ground-water districts. The SAS Proc Stepwise method was used. The regression model used average annual amplitude as the dependent variable and mean water level, mean annual precipitation, standard deviation of the seasonal mean precipitation, aquifer type, and topographic setting as the independent variables.This procedure produced different regression equations for each hydrogeologic district. Regression analyses also were done on data from groups of wells representing different aquifers. These regression models used average annual amplitude as the dependent variable and mean water level, topographic setting, and standard deviation of seasonal mean precipitation as the independent variables. Because of the many factors influencing ground-water level fluctuations, it was difficult to obtain a regression model that accurately reproduced average annual amplitude. The results of the regression analyses are helpful in recognizing the important variables; however, the equations are not effective in predicting the amplitude of a particular well because local conditions were omitted in the regional analyses. Hydrographs of average annual water level and frequency distribution analyses of annual maximum and minimum water levels were inspected for possible long-term trends. Analysis of annual maximum and minimum water levels indicates several periods in the annual cyclic fluctuations-two periods of recession (winter and summer), and two periods of rising levels (spring and fall). Usually, water levels are lowest in late winter and highest in spring for every annual cycle. The summer-fall minimum and the fall maximum are less distinct and do not occur every year. A composite frequency analysis of extreme annual water levels on 71 of the wells shows that the lowest levels most frequently occur in December, February, or March. However, the record low usually occurs in August, September, or October during drought. Ground-water levels most often peak in May, April, or June. In the fan they may peak from September through December, depending upon complexities of meteorological, geomorphological, and geological factors. The long-term cyclicity of ground-water level fluctuations is shown on hydrographs of wells Sw-7, Ln-25a, Mt-7, Ju-8, and Ju-98. Seasonal variations that tend to obscure the long-term trends are eliminated by plotting the average annual water levels. The hydrographs are similar even though the wells are 80 to 100 miles apart and constructed in different geologic materials. The long-term trends and the duration of the cycles apparently depend little on the location and on the lithologic composition of the aquifers, but rather on precipitation. The hydrographs show several periods of welldefined peaks and lows. The ground-water levels reached peaks in 1946, 1952, 1960, 1966, 1973, 1979. The average interval between these peaks is 6.6 years. The low levels occurred in 1949, 1955-59, 1964, 1970, and 1977; average interval between the low levels is 7.0 years, which is similar to that for the high levels. Long-term trends are apparent on hydrographs of wells Br-46, Mr-2S, Pt-276, Ro-3, and Ve-8. The trend of average annual water levels has been generally increasing since the late 1950's and is in general agreement with the increasing trend of precipitation. Hydrographs of well Ve-8, which has the longest period of record in Wisconsin, indicate that the generally rising trend started even earlier at the end of an extensive drought period in the 1930's.

Wisconsin

Water resources of Langlade County, Wisconsin

Langlade County depends almost exclusively on ground water pumped from the glacial sand and gravel deposits for its water needs. Well yields of 10 to 20 gallons per minute can be obtained from these deposits throughout most of the county. Yields of 500 to 1,000 gallons per minute are obtained for irrigation of crops from glacial outwash deposits in some areas of the county and particularly in the extensive 125-square-mile outwash plain in south-central Langlade County. Very low yields of less than 5 gallons per minute are obtainable for private domestic use from Precambrian crystalline rocks in areas of the county where overlying glacial material is thin. Glacial deposits are more than 400 feet thick in glacial moraine areas of east-central Langlade County; saturated thicknesses exceed 250 feet in the north-central part of the county. Horizontal hydraulic conductivity values of glacial material range from less than 1 foot per day in fine-grained glacial tills in western parts of the county to approximately 145 feet per day in outwash deposits. The transmissivity of glacial deposits ranges from essentially zero in areas of unsaturated glacial material to more than 40,000 feet squared per day in the outwash plain of southcentral Langlade County. Most surface and ground water originates from precipitation falling within the county. Streams and ground water flow into the county only in areas along its northern edge. Ground water supplies about 70 percent of the annual streamflow. Ground-water composition in Langlade County is similar to most ground water in the State and is of suitable quality for most uses. It is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type. Concentrations of total dissolved solids are relatively low and range from 71 to 369 milligrams per liter, with a median value of 144 milligrams per liter. Dissolved iron and manganese concentrations exceeded secondary (aesthetic) standards in about 30 percent of all ground-water analyses. Values for total hardness as calcium carbonate ranged from 48 to 280 milligrams per liter for all samples. Ground water classified as very hard was confined to the southern part of the county where glacial deposits are higher in carbonate mineral content. An average of about 4.7 million gallons of water was pumped daily in Langlade County in 1983. Irrigation and fish rearing are the major ground-water uses in the county. An average of about 4.2 million gallons per day was pumped for irrigation during the months of June, July, and August. Results of this study show that present irrigation pumpage rates have little effect on groundwater levels in the Antigo Flats area.

Wisconsin

Hydrogeology and ground-water use and quality, Brown County, Wisconsin

The Paleozoic rock of Brown County includes formations of Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian age. These formations are eastward-dipping sedimentary rock that rest on Precambrian crystalline rock and are overlain by Pleistocene deposits. The units that are the principal sources of ground water were grouped into three aquifers (upper, St. Peter, and Elk Mound), and the less permeable units are grouped into three confining units (Maquoketa-Sinnipee, St. Lawrence, and Precambrian). The geologic and hydraulic characteristics of the aquifers and confining units are estimated from logs of more than 1,000 Brown County wells, from results of a packer test, and from published values. Recharge to the water table, which was estimated at five monitored sites, ranges from 1 to 6 inches a year; most recharge is contributed by spring snowmelt and rainfall. A cone of depression caused by pumping the deeper aquifers in the Green Bay metropolitan area induces flow from the upper aquifer to the underlying st. Peter aquifer throughout most of the county. Several reaches of Duck Creek and the Suamico River also contribute water to the aquifers. A bout 13 million gallons per day of ground water was pumped in Brown County during 1979, 63 percent of which was from wells open to both the St. Peter and Elk Mound aquifers. Municipal and industrial water users pumped 9.44 million gallons per day or 72 percent of the ground water withdrawn in 1979. Most ground :water in the county is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type. However, water from wells sampled in an area between the Fox River and Silurian escarpment have elevated levels of sodium (44 milligrams per liter) and sulfate (226 milligrams per liter). Water from wells that tap rocks older than Silurian dolomite contains high concentrations of strontium (more than 2.4 milligrams per liter) and fluoride (more than 0.85 milligrams per liter). A three-dimensional digital model was used to simulate flow in the ground-water system. Model results indicate that sources of ground water pumped from wells tapping the St. Peter and Elk Mound aquifers in Brown County, 1979, include 4.8 million gallons per day of underflow, most of which enters the county across the west border; 1.9 million gallons per day of flow from vertical leakage within the county; and 1.5 million gallons per day from storage. The model is most sensitive to the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the upper aquifer. Vertical hydraulic conductivity of the confining units and recharge rates to the water-table aquifer are the least well-defined model parameters.

Wisconsin

Ground-water resources and geology of Dodge County, Wisconsin

The ground-water resources of Dodge County were evaluated to aid planners in meeting the needs resulting from growth in population and industry. The sand-and-gravel, Silurian dolomite, Galena-Platteville, and sandstone aquifers are the principal sources of ground water. Probable well yields from the sand- and-gravel aquifer and the Galena-Platteville aquifer range from 100 to 500 gallons per minute. Probable well yields for the Silurian dolomite, which depend in part on the degree of fracturing, are about 100 gallons per minute. Probable well yields from the sandstone aquifer range from less than 100 to more than 1,000 gallons per minute. Calcium and bicarbonate are the principal ions in ground water in Dodge County. The water is very hard, and the concentration of iron commonly exceeds the recommended limit for drinking water and the desirable concentration for water used for high-pressure boiler feed, some food processing, and leather finishing industries. The ground water generally is of suitable chemical quality for domestic, agricultural, and most industrial purposes. In 1979, an average of about 13 million gallons of ground water was pumped daily for residential, industrial, commercial, irrigation, stock watering, and other purposes.

Wisconsin

Trends in ground-water levels in Wisconsin through 1981

Hydrographs of ground-water levels in Wisconsin display fluctuations in the potentiometric surface of confined and unconfined aquifers. The graphs are plotted from periodic (weekly or monthly) measurements and from continuous recording gage records. Two hundred and ten hydrographs having periods of record of at least 5 years between 1934 and 1981 are included. The water-level changes shown represent both natural fluctuations reflecting climatic control and declines or recovery brought about by pumping or cessation of pumping of ground water.

Wisconsin

Hydrology of Wisconsin wetlands

Data from 15 wetland study sites, supplemented by data from reconnaissance visits to 219 additional wetlands, were used to describe the hydrologic characteristics of Wisconsin wetlands and to suggest a simple hydrologic classification system. Wisconsin's wetlands OCCUf in depressions and on slopes. They may be in contact with ground water or totally surface-water supported. Hydrologically, wetlands may be classed as surface-water depression, surface-water slope, ground-water depression, or ground-water slope wetlands. Precipitation comprises more than half of the inflow to all but the ground-water slope wetlands, where ground water may provide as much as 90 percent of the inflow. Flood peaks may be as much as 80 percent lower in basins with much wetland area than in similar basins with little or no wetland area. Ground-water recharge appears to be less in basins with much wetland area than in basins with little or no wetland area. Wetlands retain sediment, and sediment loads in streams draining basins with much wetland area may be 90 percent lower than those in streams draining basins with little or no wetland area.

Wisconsin