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USGS1981

Ground-water quality atlas of Wisconsin

This report summarizes data on ground-water quality stored in the U.S. Geological Survey's computer system (WATSTORE). The summary includes water quality data for 2,443 single-aquifer wells, which tap one of the State's three major aquifers (sand and gravel, Silurian dolomite, and sandstone). Data for dissolved solids, hardness, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, and nitrate are summarized by aquifer and by county, and locations of wells for which data are available 1 are shown for each aquifer. Calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate (the principal component of alkalinity) are the major dissolved constituents in Wisconsin's ground water. High iron concentrations and hardness cause ground-water quality problems in much of the State. Statewide ,summaries of trace constituent (selected trace metals; arsenic, boron, and organic carbon) concentrations show that these constituents impair water quality in only a few isolated wells.

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USGS1980

Ground-water resources and geology of Washington and Ozaukee Counties, Wisconsin

Population growth is placing increased demands on water supplies in Washington and Ozaukee Counties. Water from three principal aquifers supplies most municipal, industrial, irrigation, residential, and farm water needs in these counties. These are the sand-and-gravel, Niagara, and sandstone aquifers. As much as 15 gallons per minute can be obtained from wells almost everywhere in these counties. Yields of 500 to 1,000 gallons per minute are available from the sand-and-gravel aquifer in parts of Washington County. The Niagara aquifer underlies most of the area and can yield as much as 500 gallons per minute in most of Ozaukee and eastern Washington Counties. It yields less than 100 gallons per minute in some areas, notably eastern Mequon in Ozaukee County and parts of western Washington County. The sandstone aquifer underlies the entire area and generally can yield more than 1,000 gallons per minute to wells. However, yields of less than 500 gallons per minute are common in southwestern Washington County, where the aquifer is thinnest.

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USGS1978

Ground-water resources and geology of Columbia County, Wisconsin

The increasing need for water of good Quality in Columbia County, caused by a steadily increasing population, can be met from the sand-and-gravel and sandstone aquifers. As much as 15 gallons per minute can be obtained from wells almost everywhere. Yields of more than 1,000 gallons per minute are available from drift where it contains a sufficient thickness of saturated sand and gravel (the sand-and-gravel aquifer). The sandstone aquifer underlies nearly all the county except for areas west of the Wisconsin River and northwest of Pardeeville. It is more than 700 feet thick in the south-central part. The sandstone aquifer includes all bedrock younger than Precambrian age and is capable of yielding more than 1,000 gallons per minute to wells in about three-fourths of the county. It is the principal source of municipal-water supply. The chemical quality of water from the two aquifers is similar. It is very hard (mean concentration of about 300 milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate), and much of it contains excessive amounts of iron and manganese. Concentrations of dissolved solids and chloride are higher in areas underlain by bedrock of Ordovician age than elsewhere. About 5.0 million gallons per day of water was pumped in the county in 1974, 90 percent from the sandstone aQuifer. About 45 percent of the total water pumped was for industrial and commercial purposes~ 37 percent was for residential use, 16 percent for municipal use, and 2 percent for irrigation.

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USGS1975

Ground-water resources and geology of Jefferson County, Wisconsin

A steadily increasing population in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, is expanding the need for good-quality ground water. This need can be met by good-quality water available from the sand-and-gravel, Galena-Platteville, and sandstone aquifers. As much as 15 gallons per minute (0.95 liters per second) can be obtained from wells almost everywhere in the county. Yields of more than 1,000 gallons per minute (63 liters per second) are available from glacial drift where it contains a sufficient thickness of saturated sand and gravel. The Galena-Platteville aquifer is a dolomite that occurs mainly in the eastern one-half of the county and is locally more than 300 feet (90 meters) thick. Estimated well yields from this aquifer exceed 500 gallons per minute (32 liters per second). The sandstone aquifer underlies nearly the entire county except for small areas in the northwest corner. It is more than 1,100 feet (330 meters) thick in the southwest along the Dane-Jefferson County line. This aquifer is capable of yielding more than 1,000 gallons per minute (63 liters per second) to wells in much of the county and is the principal source of municipal water. The chemical quality of water from the three aquifers is similar. The water is very hard, having a median hardness between 315 and 325 milligrams per liter. Median values for dissolved solids range between 325 and 349 milligrams per liter. Iron and manganese commonly are present in bothersome amounts (combined total exceeding 0.3 milligrams per liter. About 13.0 million gallons per day (0.570 cubic meters per second) of ground water was pumped in the county in 1972, 87 percent from the sandstone aquifer. About 62 percent of the total water pumped was for industrial and commercial purposes, 26 percent for residential use, and 12 percent for municipal, irrigation, and institutional use.

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USGS1976

Ground-water resources and geology of St. Croix County, Wisconsin

The increasing need for good-quality ground water in St. Croix County, caused by a steadily increasing population, can be met from the sand-and-gravel and sandstone aquifers. As much as 15 gallons per minute (0.95 litres per second) can be obtained from wells almost everywhere in the county. Yields of more than 1,000 gallons per minute (63 litres per second) are available from glacial deposits and alluvium where there is sufficient thickness of saturated sand and gravel. The sandstone aquifer underlies the entire county and is more than 1,000 feet (300 metres) thick in the southwest near River Falls. In St. Croix County the sandstone aquifer is all bedrock younger than Precambrian age and includes, in ascending order, from oldest to youngest, sandstones of Cambrian age (in ascending order, the Mount Simon, Eau Claire, Galesville, and Franconia Sandstones, and the Trempealeau Formation); and the Prairie du Chien Group, St. Peter Sandstone, and Galena-Platteville unit (Platteville and Decorah Formations and Galena Dolomite, undifferentiated), all of Ordovician age. This aquifer is capable of yielding more than 1,000 gallons per minute (63 litres per second) to wells in much of the county and is the principal source of municipal water. The chemical quality of water from the two aquifers is similar. The water from both aquifers is hard to very hard, having a median hardness between 180 and 190 milligrams per litre. Iron and manganese are locally present in botherSome amounts (combined total exceeding 0.3 milligrams per litre). Nitrate is a minor problem in both aquifers, with median concentrations more than 10 milligrams per litre, possibly indicating some contamination of ground water by organic matter. About 3.83 million gallons per day (0.168 cubic metres per second) of ground water was pumped in the county in 1974, of which 94 percent was from the sandstone aquifer. About 44 percent of the total water pumped was for industrial and commercial use, 42 percent for residential

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USGS1975

The availability of ground water for irrigation in the Rice Lake-Eau Claire Area, Wisconsin

An abundance of ground water of excellent chemical quality for irrigating crops is available from glacial outwash sand and gravel and from the underlying sandstones in the Rice Lake-Eau Claire area. Thick deposits of glacial outwash sand and gravel in the valleys of the Red Cedar and lower Chippewa Rivers yield more than 1,000 gallons per minute (63 lit res per second) to many wells. Large tracts of irrigable soils, delineated in two subareas (Rice Lake and Cameron) in Barron County and one subarea (Menomonie) in Dunn County, lie within the outwash plains where ground water is available in large quantities. Yields are especially large in the Rice Lake and Cameron subareas where the sand and gravel is highly permeable and the thickness of saturated aquifer exceeds 250 feet (75 metres). Yields generally are less than 1,000 gallons per minute (63 litres per second) in the Menomonie subarea where large amounts of clay locally reduce the permeability of the aquifer and the thickness of saturated aquifer is less than 200 feet (60 metres). Adequate water for irrigation is available also from sandstone underlying the glacial outwash plains. Because the two aquifers generally are connected hydraulically, wells penetrating the sandstone also withdraw water indirectly from the glacial drift. Most irrigation wells in Barron County withdraw water from glacial outwash; more than half the irrigation wells in Dunn County withdraw water from sandstone. In most years, recharge to the ground-water reservoir is 6 to 8 inches (150 to 200 millimetres), which is more than ample to sustain pumping for irrigation without lowering the water table significantly. Ground water in the area is a calcium bicarbonate water that ranges in dissolved-solids concentration from 35 to 330 milligrams per litre. Concentrations of sodium and' boron are very low.

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USGS1975

Ground-water resources and geology of Waukesha County, Wisconsin

Good-quality water is available from the sand-and-gravel, Niagara, and sandstone aquifers in Waukesha County, Wis. As much as 15 gallons per minute (0.95 litres per second) can be obtained from wells almost everywhere in the county. Several hundred gallons per minute are available from aquifers in the glacial drift that fill bedrock valleys to thicknesses of 300 feet (91 metres) or more. Estimated well yields from much of the surficial outwash in western Waukesha County exceed 500 gallons per minute (31 litres per second). Estimated well yields from most of the Niagara aquifer, a dolomite as much as 325 feet (99 metres) thick in the eastern two-thirds of the county, exceed 50 gallons per minute (3.2 litres per second). The sandstone aquifer underlies the entire county and ranges in thickness from about 400 feet (120 metres) in the northwest corner to about 2,400 feet (730 metres) in the southeast corner. This aquifer yields more than 1,000 gallons per minute (63 litres per second) to wells over most of the county and is the principal source for municipal and subdivision water. Ground water in Waukesha County is of good quality and is suitable for most uses. Most of the water is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type, is very hard [more than 180 mg/l (milligrams per litre) hardness], and requires softening for some uses. The ground water locally contains iron and manganese concentrations that exceed the limits (0.3 and 0.05 mg/l, respectively) recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service (1962, p. 7). Water high in sulfate and dissolved solids (saline water) is present locally in the Niagara and sandstone aquifers. Water from one well contained excessive nitrate (more than 45 mg/l). With one exception, wells sampled at irregular intervals indicated no significant changes in their chemical characteristics with time. About 24.3 million gallons per day (1.06 cubic metres per second) of ground water was pumped in the county in 1970. Sixty-two percent was withdrawn from the sandstone aquifer. More than one-half of the latter amount was for domestic use, and more than one-third was for industrial and commercial uses.

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USGS1972

Ground-water quality in Wisconsin through 1972

Ground water, a plentiful and largely underdeveloped resource of Wisconsin, has good to excellent chemical quality in most places. This resource is readily available in most parts of the State for municipal, industrial, and rural uses. In 1970, about 0.5 billion gallons of ground water a day was pumped in Wisconsin for all uses (Murray and Reeves, 1972). In addition, underground reservoirs discharge an average of 16 billion gallons per day of water of relatively constant temperature and uniform quality, which maintains the base flow of streams and the level of lakes (Holt, 1964).

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USGS1970

Field trip guidebook to the hydrogeology of the Rock-Fox River basin of Southeastern Wisconsin

On this trip we will examine some hydrogeologic characteristics of glacial features and emphasize ground-water management within the Rock-Fox River basin. Field stops will include the hydrogeology of a classical glacial terrane--the Kettle moraine--and the management of ground-water resources for industrial, municipal, agricultural, and fish-culture purposes. Descriptions of the geology, soils, water availability and characteristics, water quality, water use, and water problems within the basin are given in the accompanying U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Atlas (HA-360). This atlas is a product of the cooperative program of University Extension--the University of Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey.

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USGS1967

Trends in ground-water levels in Wisconsin through 1966

The water supplies of Wisconsin are the State's most valuable natural resource. Although the State has abundant water supplies to maintain the perennial flow of most streams, and to sustain large increases in municipal, agricultural, and industrial use in many areas, the available supply is not distributed equally throughout the State, either areally or in time. Intelligent development of all water resources depends on knowledge of the occurrence, distribution and movement of water, the amount of discharge to and from a region, the interrelationship of ground and surface water, and the quantity and quality of the water available.

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USGS1956

Ground water in Wisconsin

The purpose of this report is to describe in general the occurrence, source, movement, and use of ground water in Wisconsin in order that present problems of ground-water development may be understood and to point out the need for study and evaluation of the potential ground water available. Areas with specific problems are described as are other areas that are used as examples. For the sake of brevity complete reports of studies completed or under way are not included, but the general results of such studies are the basis for the report.

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USGS1955

Some effects of preciptiation on ground water in Wisconsin

The importance of our water supplies has become increasingly apparent to most of us in recent years. The importance of water was forcefully dramatized by the water shortage in New York City in 1950. In nearly every State in the Union, one or more communities now has or has had a water problem whose effect on the citizens has been no less to them as was the one in New York City to New Yorkers. The increasing numbers of these problems have led to widespread speculation as to the adequacy of the Nation' s water supplies.

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