Hydrogeology of the Susquehanna River valley-fill aquifer system and adjacent areas in eastern Broome and southeastern Chenango Counties, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heisig, Paul M.

2012-01-01

The hydrogeology of the valley-fill aquifer system along a 32-mile reach of the Susquehanna River valley and adjacent areas was evaluated in eastern Broome and southeastern Chenango Counties, New York. The surficial geology, inferred ice-marginal positions, and distribution of stratified-drift aquifers were mapped from existing data. Ice-marginal positions, which represent pauses in the retreat of glacial ice from the region, favored the accumulation of coarse-grained deposits whereas more steady or rapid ice retreat between these positions favored deposition of fine-grained lacustrine deposits with limited coarse-grained deposits at depth. Unconfined aquifers with thick saturated coarse-grained deposits are the most favorable settings for water-resource development, and three several-mile-long sections of valley were identified (mostly in Broome County) as potentially favorable: (1) the southernmost valley section, which extends from the New York–Pennsylvania border to about 1 mile north of South Windsor, (2) the valley section that rounds the west side of the umlaufberg (an isolated bedrock hill within a valley) north of Windsor, and (3) the east–west valley section at the Broome County–Chenango County border from Nineveh to East of Bettsburg (including the lower reach of the Cornell Brook valley). Fine-grained lacustrine deposits form extensive confining units between the unconfined areas, and the water-resource potential of confined aquifers is largely untested. Recharge, or replenishment, of these aquifers is dependent not only on infiltration of precipitation directly on unconfined aquifers, but perhaps more so from precipitation that falls in adjacent upland areas. Surface runoff and shallow groundwater from the valley walls flow downslope and recharge valley aquifers. Tributary streams that drain upland areas lose flow as they enter main valleys on permeable alluvial fans. This infiltrating water also recharges valley aquifers. Current (2012) use of

Potential for aquifer compaction, land subsidence, and earth fissures in Avra Valley, Pima and Pinal counties, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, S.R.

1987-01-01

Avra Valley is a large north-trending alluvial basin about 15 mi west of Tucson in Pima and Pinal Counties, Arizona. The climate of Avra Valley is semiarid, and the average annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 12 in. Two major ephemeral streams, the Santa Cruz River and Brawley Wash, drain the area. These streams and their tributaries provide a source of recharge to an extensive alluvial aquifer that underlies the valley floor. The aquifer consists of interbedded gravel, sand, silt, and clay and contains a vast quantity of groundwater. The physiography, fertile soil, and mild climate of Avra Valley make it an ideal environment for agriculture and urban development. Although the aquifer is replenished by natural recharge and underflow, rates of recharge and underflow have not kept pace with the rate of pumping. Pumping has exceeded recharge for several decades, resulting in a lowering of groundwater levels throughout most of the valley. In places, water level declines have resulted in small amounts of aquifer compaction and land subsidence. Earth fissures, some of which may be the result of localized differential subsidence, also have been observed in the valley. Geohydrologic characteristics of Avra Valley that may contribute to potential aquifer compaction, land subsidence, and earth fissures are described. The quantitative evaluation of potential land subsidence in this report is presented as an interim land- and water-use planning tool pending acquisition and study of additional data. Because of data limitations, the evaluation is made on the assumption that future rates of compaction and subsidence in Avra Valley will be similar to those in the Eloy-Picacho area. The evaluation also assumes that water level declines in the aquifer will continue. Several factors that may reduce groundwater withdrawals, and thus the potential for compaction and subsidence in Avra Valley, were not evaluated. These factors include the enactment of the 1980 Arizona Ground

Analysis of alluvial hydrostratigraphy using indicator geostatistics, with examples from Santa Clara Valley, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-03-01

Current trends in hydrogeology seek to enlist sedimentary concepts in the interpretation of permeability structures. However, existing conceptual models of alluvial deposition tend to inadequately account for the heterogeneity caused by complex sedimentological and external factors. This dissertation presents three analyses of alluvial hydrostratigraphy using indicator geostatistics. This approach empirically acknowledges both the random and structured qualities of alluvial structures at scales relevant to site investigations. The first analysis introduces the indicator approach, whereby binary values are assigned to borehole-log intervals on the basis of inferred relative permeability; it presents a case study of indicator variography at a well-documented ground-watermore » contamination site, and uses indicator kriging to interpolate an aquifer-aquitard sequence in three dimensions. The second analysis develops an alluvial-architecture context for interpreting semivariograms, and performs comparative variography for a suite of alluvial sites in Santa Clara Valley, California. The third analysis investigates the use of a water well perforation indicator for assessing large-scale hydrostratigraphic structures within relatively deep production zones.« less

Using 3D geological modelling and geochemical mixing models to characterise alluvial aquifer recharge sources in the upper Condamine River catchment, Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Martinez, Jorge L; Raiber, Matthias; Cendón, Dioni I

2017-01-01

The influence of mountain front recharge on the water balance of alluvial valley aquifers located in upland catchments of the Condamine River basin in Queensland, Australia, is investigated through the development of an integrated hydrogeological framework. A combination of three-dimensional (3D) geological modelling, hydraulic gradient maps, multivariate statistical analyses and hydrochemical mixing calculations is proposed for the identification of hydrochemical end-members and quantification of the relative contributions of each end-member to alluvial aquifer recharge. The recognised end-members correspond to diffuse recharge and lateral groundwater inflows from three hydrostratigraphic units directly connected to the alluvial aquifer. This approach allows mapping zones of potential inter-aquifer connectivity and areas of groundwater mixing between underlying units and the alluvium. Mixing calculations using samples collected under baseflow conditions reveal that lateral contribution from a regional volcanic aquifer system represents the majority (41%) of inflows to the alluvial aquifer. Diffuse recharge contribution (35%) and inflow from two sedimentary bedrock hydrostratigraphic units (collectively 24%) comprise the remainder of major recharge sources. A detailed geochemical assessment of alluvial groundwater evolution along a selected flowpath of a representative subcatchment of the Condamine River basin confirms mixing as a key process responsible for observed spatial variations in hydrochemistry. Dissolution of basalt-related minerals and dolomite, CO 2 uptake, ion-exchange, precipitation of clay minerals, and evapotranspiration further contribute to the hydrochemical evolution of groundwater in the upland alluvial aquifer. This study highlights the benefits of undertaking an integrated approach that combines multiple independent lines of evidence. The proposed methods can be applied to investigate processes associated with inter-aquifer mixing, including

Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinecke, K.J.; Kaminski, R.M.; Moorhead, D.J.; Hodges, J.D.; Nasser, J.R.; Smith, L.M.; Pederson, R.L.; Kaminski, R.M.

1989-01-01

Available data are summarized according to the following major topics: (1) characteristics of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV); (2) waterfowl populations associated with the MAV; (3) habitat requirements of migrating and wintering waterfowl in the MAV; (4) current habitat management practices in the MAV, including croplands, moist-soil impoundments, and forested wetlands; (5) status and classification of winter habitat in the MAV; and (6) research and management information needs.

Evidence for Upward Flow of Saline Water from Depth into the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer in Southeastern Arkansas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, D.; Paul, J.

2017-12-01

Groundwater salinization is occurring in the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial (MRVA) aquifer in southeastern Arkansas (SE AR). Water samples from the MRVA aquifer in Chicot and Desha counties have yielded elevated Cl-concentrations with some as high as 1,639 mg/L. Considering that the MRVA aquifer is the principle source of irrigation water for the agricultural economy of SE AR, salinization needs to be addressed to ensure the sustainability of crop, groundwater, and soil resources in the area. The origin of elevated salinity in MRVA aquifer was investigated using spatial and factor analysis of historical water quality data, and sampling and tracer analysis of groundwater from irrigation, municipal, and flowing industrial wells in SE AR. Spatial analysis of Cl- data in relation to soil type, geomorphic features and sand-blow density indicate that the Cl- anomalies are more closely related to the sand-blow density than soil data, suggesting an underlying tectonic control for the distribution of salinity. Factor analysis of historical geochemical data from the MRVA and underlying Sparta aquifer shows dilute and saline groups, with saline groups weighted positively with Cl- or Na+ and Cl-. Tracer data suggest a component of evaporatively evolved crustal water of pre-modern age has mixed with younger, fresher meteoric sources in SE AR to create the saline conditions in the MRVA aquifer. Stable hydrogen and oxygen values of waters sampled from the Tertiary Sparta and MRVA aquifers deviate from the global and local meteoric water lines along an evaporative trend (slope=4.4) and mixing line with Eocene Wilcox Group groundwaters. Ca2+ and Cl- contents vary with Br- along mixing trends between dilute MRVA water and Jurassic Smackover Formation pore fluids in southern AR. Increasing Cl- content with C-14 age in MRVA aquifer groundwater suggests that the older waters are more saline. Helium isotope ratios decrease with He gas content for more saline water, consistent with

Ground water recharge to the aquifers of northern San Luis Valley, Colorado: A remote sensing investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, K. (Principal Investigator); Huntley, D.

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Ground water recharge to the aquifers of San Luis Valley west of San Luis Creek was primarily from ground water flow in the volcanic aquifers of the San Juan Mountains. The high permeability and anisotropic nature of the volcanic rocks resulted in very little contrast in flow conditions between the San Juan Mountains and San Luis Valley. Ground water recharge to aquifers of eastern San Luis Valley was primarily from stream seepage into the upper reaches of the alluvial fans at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The use of photography and thermal infrared imagery resulted in a savings of time and increase in accuracy in regional hydrogeologic studies. Volcanic rocks exhibited the same spectral reflectance curve as sedimentary rocks, with only the absolute magnitude of reflectance varying. Both saline soils and vegetation were used to estimate general ground water depths.

Hydraulic and mechanical properties affecting ground-water flow and aquifer-system compaction, San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sneed, Michelle

2001-01-01

This report summarizes hydraulic and mechanical properties affecting ground-water flow and aquifer-system compaction in the San Joaquin Valley, a broad alluviated intermontane structural trough that constitutes the southern two-thirds of the Central Valley of California. These values will be used to constrain a coupled ground-water flow and aquifer-system compaction model of the western San Joaquin Valley called WESTSIM. A main objective of the WESTSIM model is to evaluate potential future land subsidence that might occur under conditions in which deliveries of imported surface water for agricultural use are reduced and ground-water pumping is increased. Storage values generally are components of the total aquifer-system storage and include inelastic and elastic skeletal storage values of the aquifers and the aquitards that primarily govern the potential amount of land subsidence. Vertical hydraulic conductivity values generally are for discrete thicknesses of sediments, usually aquitards, that primarily govern the rate of land subsidence. The data were compiled from published sources and include results of aquifer tests, stress-strain analyses of borehole extensometer observations, laboratory consolidation tests, and calibrated models of aquifer-system compaction.

Exploring heterogeneities in a stressed alluvial aquifer using 222Rn concentrations in groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillman, C. A.

2016-12-01

Understanding aquifer characteristics is important for determining the nature of groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the subsurface. Even if an alluvial aquifer can be considered homogeneous on a macro scale, groundwater models often fail to account for local heterogeneities in aquifer porosity and hydraulic conductivity. This study explores the use of 222Rn concentrations in groundwater in discerning heterogeneities in alluvial aquifer textures. The utility of 222Rn for studying the subsurface is based on its ubiquity in most rock types, its short half life (3.8 days) and its non-reactive nature. 226Ra, the direct progenitor, supplies a constant source of 222Rn to pore water and the rapid decay of 222Rn results in secular equilibrium in pore water in about 20 days. Irregularities in 222Rn concentrations throughout the aquifer may indicate differences in emanation source or emanation strength of the matrix, which is inversely related to porosity (i.e., the surface area within the recoil range of 222Rn). For this study, groundwater samples were collected from the Palo Verde Valley, a floodplain aquifer along the Colorado River in Riverside County, California. Samples were collected between 2007 and 2014 and 222Rn concentrations range from 160 to 1470 pCi/L with most samples falling between 250 and 1050 pCi/L. There is a strong positive correlation between well depth and 222Rn concentration indicating an increase in fine grained units (silts and clays) with depth. Laterally, a cluster of higher values occurs in the northeast quadrant of the study area adjacent to the river. Among the cluster of high values, though, is a sample with only 160 pCi/L possibly representing the presence of coarse-grained channel deposits.

Aerial Transient Electromagnetic Surveys of Alluvial Aquifers in Rural Watersheds of Arizona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pool, D. R.; Callegary, J. B.; Groom, R. W.

2006-12-01

Development in rural areas of Arizona has led the State of Arizona (Arizona Department of Water Resources), in cooperation with the Arizona Water Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, to sponsor investigations of the hydrogeologic framework of several alluvial-basin aquifers. An efficient method for mapping the aquifer extent and lithology was needed due to sparse subsurface information. Aerial Transient Electro-Magnetic (ATEM) methods were selected because they can be used to quickly survey large areas and with a great depth of investigation. Both helicopter and fixed-wing ATEM methods are available. A fixed-wing method (GEOTEM) was selected because of the potential for a depth of investigation of 300 m or more and because previous surveys indicated the method is useful in alluvial basins in southeastern Arizona. About 2,900 km of data along flight lines were surveyed across five alluvial basins, including the Middle San Pedro and Willcox Basins in southeastern Arizona, and Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Basins in northwestern Arizona. Data initially were analyzed by the contractor (FUGRO Airborne Surveys) to produce conductivity-depth-transforms, which approximate the general subsurface electrical-property distribution along profiles. Physically based two-dimensional physical models of the profile data were then developed by PetRos- Eikon by using EMIGMA software. Hydrologically important lithologies can have different electrical properties. Several types of crystalline and sedimentary rocks generally are poor aquifers that have low porosity and high electrical resistivity. Good alluvial aquifers of sand and gravel generally have an intermediate electrical resistivity. Poor aquifer materials, such as silt and clay, and areas of poor quality water have low electrical resistivity values. Several types of control data were available to constrain the models including drill logs, electrical logs, water levels , and water quality information from wells; and

Hydrogeology and simulation of flow between the alluvial and bedrock aquifers in the upper Black Squirrel Creek basin, El Paso County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watts, K.R.

1995-01-01

Anticipated increases in pumping from the bedrock aquifers in El Paso County potentially could affect the direction and rate of flow between the alluvial and bedrock aquifers and lower water levels in the overlying alluvial aquifer. The alluvial aquifer underlies about 90 square miles in the upper Black Squirrel Creek Basin of eastern El Paso County. The alluvial aquifer consists of unconsolidated alluvial deposits that unconformably overlie siltstones, sandstones, and conglomerate (bedrock aquifers) and claystone, shale, and coal (bedrock confining units) of the Denver Basin. The bedrock aquifers (Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills aquifers) are separated by confining units (upper and lower Denver and the Laramie confining units) and overlie a relatively thick and impermeable Pierre confining unit. The Pierre confining unit is assumed to be a no-flow boundary at the base of the alluvial/ bedrock aquifer system. During 1949-90, substantial water-level declines, as large as 50 feet, in the alluvial aquifer resulted from withdrawals from the alluvial aquifer for irrigation and municipal supplies. Average recharge to the alluvial aquifer from infiltration of precipitation and surface water was an estimated 11.97 cubic feet per second and from the underlying bedrock aquifers was an estimated 0.87 cubic foot per second. Water-level data from eight bedrock observation wells and eight nearby alluvial wells indicate that, locally, the alluvial and bedrock aquifers probably are hydraulically connected and that the alluvial aquifer in the upper Black Squirrel Creek Basin receives recharge from the Denver and Arapahoe aquifers but-locally recharges the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer. Subsurface-temperature profiles were evaluated as a means of estimating specific discharge across the bedrock surface (the base of the alluvial aquifer). However, assumptions of the analytical method were not met by field conditions and, thus, analyses of subsurface-temperature profiles

Assessing the impact of managed aquifer recharge on seasonal low flows in a semi-arid alluvial river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronayne, M. J.; Roudebush, J. A.; Stednick, J. D.

2016-12-01

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is one strategy that can be used to augment seasonal low flows in alluvial rivers. Successful implementation requires an understanding of spatio-temporal groundwater-surface water exchange. In this study we conducted numerical groundwater modeling to analyze the performance of an existing MAR system in the South Platte River Valley in northeastern Colorado (USA). The engineered system involves a spatial reallocation of water during the winter months; alluvial groundwater is extracted near the river and pumped to upgradient recharge ponds, with the intent of producing a delayed hydraulic response that increases the riparian zone water table (and therefore streamflow) during summer months. Higher flows during the summer are required to improve riverine habitat for threatened species in the Platte River. Modeling scenarios were constrained by surface (streamflow gaging) and subsurface (well data) measurements throughout the study area. We compare two scenarios to analyze the impact of MAR: a natural base case scenario and an active management scenario that includes groundwater pumping and managed recharge. Steady-periodic solutions are used to evaluate the long-term stabilized behavior of the stream-aquifer system with and without pumping/recharge. Streamflow routing is included in the model, which permits quantification of the timing and location of streamflow accretion (increased streamflow associated with MAR). An analysis framework utilizing capture concepts is developed to interpret seasonal changes in head-dependent flows to/from the aquifer, including groundwater-surface water exchange that impacts streamflow. Results demonstrate that accretion occurs during the target low-flow period but is not limited to those months, highlighting an inefficiency that is a function of the aquifer geometry and hydraulic properties. The results of this study offer guidance for other flow augmentation projects that rely on water storage in shallow

Regional potentiometric-surface map of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system in Snake Valley and surrounding areas, Juab, Millard, and Beaver Counties, Utah, and White Pine and Lincoln Counties, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, Philip M.; Masbruch, Melissa D.; Plume, Russell W.; Buto, Susan G.

2011-01-01

Water-level measurements from 190 wells were used to develop a potentiometric-surface map of the east-central portion of the regional Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system in and around Snake Valley, eastern Nevada and western Utah. The map area covers approximately 9,000 square miles in Juab, Millard, and Beaver Counties, Utah, and White Pine and Lincoln Counties, Nevada. Recent (2007-2010) drilling by the Utah Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey has provided new data for areas where water-level measurements were previously unavailable. New water-level data were used to refine mapping of the pathways of intrabasin and interbasin groundwater flow. At 20 of these locations, nested observation wells provide vertical hydraulic gradient data and information related to the degree of connection between basin-fill aquifers and consolidated-rock aquifers. Multiple-year water-level hydrographs are also presented for 32 wells to illustrate the aquifer system's response to interannual climate variations and well withdrawals.

Effects of potential surface coal mining on dissolved solids in Otter Creek and in the Otter Creek alluvial aquifer, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, M.R.

1985-01-01

Otter Creek drains an area of 709 square miles in the coal-rich Powder River structural basin of southeastern Montana. The Knobloch coal beds in the Tongue River Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation is a shallow aquifer and a target for future surface mining in the downstream part of the Otter Creek basin. A mass-balance model was used to estimate the effects of potential mining on the dissolved solids concentration in Otter Creek and in the alluvial aquifer in the Otter Creek valley. With extensive mining of the Knobloch coal beds, the annual load of dissolved solids to Otter Creek at Ashland at median streamflow could increase by 2,873 tons, or a 32-percent increase compared to the annual pre-mining load. Increased monthly loads of Otter Creek, at the median streamflow, could range from 15 percent in February to 208 percent in August. The post-mining dissolved solids load to the subirrigated part of the alluvial valley could increase by 71 percent. The median dissolved solids concentration in the subirrigated part of the valley could be 4,430 milligrams per liter, compared to the pre-mining median concentration of 2,590 milligrams per liter. Post-mining loads from the potentially mined landscape were calculated using saturated-paste-extract data from 506 overburdened samples collected from 26 wells and test holes. Post-mining loads to the Otter Creek valley likely would continue at increased rates for hundreds of years after mining. If the actual area of Knobloch coal disturbed by mining were less than that used in the model, post-mining loads to the Otter Creek valley would be proportionally smaller. (USGS)

Hydrogeologic framework of the Wood River Valley aquifer system, south-central Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartolino, James R.; Adkins, Candice B.

2012-01-01

The Wood River Valley contains most of the population of Blaine County and the cities of Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, and Bellevue. This mountain valley is underlain by the alluvial Wood River Valley aquifer system, which consists primarily of a single unconfined aquifer that underlies the entire valley, an underlying confined aquifer that is present only in the southernmost valley, and the confining unit that separates them. The entire population of the area depends on groundwater for domestic supply, either from domestic or municipal-supply wells, and rapid population growth since the 1970s has caused concern about the long-term sustainability of the groundwater resource. As part of an ongoing U.S. Geological Survey effort to characterize the groundwater resources of the Wood River Valley, this report describes the hydrogeologic framework of the Wood River Valley aquifer system. Although most of the Wood River Valley aquifer system is composed of Quaternary-age sediments and basalts of the Wood River Valley and its tributaries, older igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks that underlie these Quaternary deposits also are used for water supply. It is unclear to what extent these rocks are hydraulically connected to the main part of Wood River Valley aquifer system and thus whether they constitute separate aquifers. Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in and near the study area that produce water to wells and springs are the Phi Kappa and Trail Creek Formations (Ordovician and Silurian), the Milligen Formation (Devonian), and the Sun Valley Group including the Wood River Formation (Pennsylvanian-Permian) and the Dollarhide Formation (Permian). These sedimentary rocks are intruded by granitic rocks of the Late Cretaceous Idaho batholith. Eocene Challis Volcanic Group rocks overlie all of the older rocks (except where removed by erosion). Miocene Idavada Volcanics are found in the southern part of the study area. Most of these rocks have been folded, faulted, and

Ground-water resources of the Caguas-Juncos Valley, Puerto Rico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Puig, J.C.; Rodriguez, J.M.

1993-01-01

?The Caguas-Juncos valley, which occupies an area of 35 square miles in east-central Puerto Rico, is underlain by the largely unconfined alluvial aquifer. Withdrawals from this aquifer for public water supply and for agricultural, industrial, and domestic water uses totalled about 3.0 million gallons per day in 1988. Some wells in the valley yield as much as 310 gallons per minute from the alluvial deposits along Rio Gurabo near Gurabo and near Juncos. Wells used at dairy farms in the area commonly yield about 30 gallons per minute. The potentiometric surface of the alluvial aquifer varies seasonally and generally is highest near the end of December and lowest in April. Transmissivity of the alluvial aquifer, estimated from specific capacity and slug test data, ranges from 65 to 4,800 feet squared per day. The estimated specific yield of the water-table is about 10 to 15 percent. The amount of water stored in the aquifer is estimated to be about 122,000 acre-feet. Analyses of ground-water samples revealed the presence of two distinct problems-- high natural concentrations of iron and manganese, and localized areas of human- related contamination scattered throughout the valley. The ground water is a calcium-bicarbonate type and typically has dissolved solids concentrations of less than 500 milligrams per liter.

Recalibration of a ground-water flow model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in Southeastern Arkansas, 1918, with simulations of hydraulic heads caused by projected ground-water withdrawals through 2049

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanton, Gregory P.; Clark, Brian R.

2003-01-01

The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, encompassing parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee supplies an average of 5 billion gallons of water per day. However, withdrawals from the aquifer in recent years have caused considerable drawdown in the hydraulic heads in southeastern Arkansas and other areas. The effects of current ground-water withdrawals and potential future withdrawals on water availability are major concerns of water managers and users as well as the general public. A full understanding of the behavior of the aquifer under various water-use scenarios is critical for the development of viable water-management and alternative source plans. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District, and the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission developed and calibrated a ground-water flow model for the Mississippi River valley alluvial aquifer in southeastern Arkansas to simulate hydraulic heads caused by projected ground-water withdrawals. A previously published ground-water flow model for the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Arkansas was updated and recalibrated to reflect more current pumping stresses with additional stress periods added to bring the model forward from 1982 to 1998. The updated model was developed and calibrated with MODFLOW-2000 finite difference numerical modeling and parameter estimation software. The model was calibrated using hydraulic-head data collected during 1972 and 1982 and hydraulic-head measurements made during spring (February to April) of 1992 and 1998. The residuals for 1992 and 1998 have a mean absolute value of 4.74 and 5.45 feet, respectively, and a root mean square error of 5.9 and 6.72 feet, respectively. The effects of projected ground-water withdrawals were simulated through 2049 in three predictive scenarios by adding five additional stress periods of 10 years each. In the three scenarios

Effects of surface-water irrigation on sources, fluxes, and residence times of water, nitrate, and uranium in an alluvial aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Böhlke, J.K.; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.; Kraemer, T.F.

2007-01-01

Effects of surface-water irrigation on an alluvial aquifer were evaluated using chemical and isotopic data including ??2H, ??18O, 3H, ??3He, Ar, Ne, N2, ??15N, and 234U/238U activity ratios in a transect of nested wells in the North Platte River valley in western Nebraska, USA. The data were used to evaluate sources and fluxes of H2O, NO3- and U, all of which were strongly affected by irrigated agriculture. Combined results indicate that the alluvial aquifer was dominated by irrigation water that had distinctive chemical and isotopic features that were inherited from the North Platte River or acquired from agricultural soils or recharge processes. Values of ??2H, ??18O, Ar and Ne indicate that most of the ground water in the alluvial aquifer was irrigation water that was derived from the North Platte River and distributed during the growing season. The irrigation water was identified by an evaporated isotopic signature that was acquired by the river in major upstream reservoirs in Wyoming, and by relatively warm gas-equilibration temperatures related to warm-season recharge. Apparent 3H-3He ages indicate that the ground water in the alluvium was stratified and mostly 3.0 m/a. Age gradients and NO3- concentrations indicate that recharge occurred by a combination of focused leakage from irrigation canals (rapid local recharge, low NO3-) and distributed infiltration beneath the irrigated agricultural fields (lower recharge, high NO3-). Large amounts of U with relatively low 234U/238U activity ratios were present in the alluvial aquifer as a result of irrigation with U-bearing river water, and minor amounts of U with higher 234U/238U activity ratios were added locally from basal and underlying volcanic-rich sediments. Distributions of NO3-, ?? 15 N [NO3-], dissolved gases, and ground-water ages indicate that NO3- concentrations increased and ?? 15 N [NO3-] values decreased in distributed recharge in the last few decades, possibly in relation to a documented increase in

The recharge process in alluvial strip aquifers in arid Namibia and implication for artificial recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Diganta; Xu, Yongxin

2017-01-01

Alluvial strip aquifers associated with ephemeral rivers are important groundwater supply sources that sustain numerous settlements and ecological systems in arid Namibia. More than 70 % of the population in the nation's western and southern regions depend on alluvial aquifers associated with ephemeral rivers. Under natural conditions, recharge occurs through infiltration during flood events. Due to the characteristic spatial and temporal variability of rainfall in arid regions, recharge is irregular making the aquifers challenging to manage sustainably and they are often overexploited. This condition is likely to become more acute with increasing water demand and climate change, and artificial recharge has been projected as the apparent means of increasing reliability of supply. The article explores, through a case study and numerical simulation, the processes controlling infiltration, significance of surface water and groundwater losses, and possible artificial recharge options. It is concluded that recharge processes in arid alluvial aquifers differ significantly from those processes in subhumid systems and viability of artificial recharge requires assessment through an understanding of the natural recharge process and losses from the aquifer. It is also established that in arid-region catchments, infiltration through the streambed occurs at rates dependent on factors such as antecedent conditions, flow rate, flow duration, channel morphology, and sediment texture and composition. The study provides an important reference for sustainable management of alluvial aquifer systems in similar regions.

Clay Mineralogy of AN Alluvial Aquifer in a Mountainous, Semiarid Terrain, AN Example from Rifle, Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, W. C.; Lim, D.; Zaunbrecher, L. K.; Pickering, R. A.; Williams, K. H.; Navarre-Sitchler, A.; Long, P. E.; Noel, V.; Bargar, J.; Qafoku, N. P.

2015-12-01

Alluvial sediments deposited along the Colorado River corridor in the semi-arid regions of central to western Colorado can be important hosts for legacy contamination including U, V, As and Se. These alluvial sediments host aquifers which are thought to provide important "hot spots" and "hot moments" for microbiological activity controlling organic carbon processing and fluxes in the subsurface. Relatively little is known about the clay mineralogy of these alluvial aquifers and the parent alluvial sediments in spite of the fact that they commonly include lenses of silt-clay materials. These lenses are typically more reduced than coarser grained materials, but zones of reduced and more oxidized materials are present in these alluvial aquifer sediments. The clay mineralogy of the non-reduced parent alluvial sediments of the alluvial aquifer located in Rifle, CO (USA) is composed of chlorite, smectite, illite, kaolinite and quartz. The clay mineralogy of non-reduced fine-grained materials at Rifle are composed of the same suite of minerals found in the sediments plus a vermiculite-smectite intergrade that occurs near the bottom of the aquifer near the top of the Wasatch Formation. The clay mineral assemblages of the system reflect the mineralogically immature character of the source sediments. These assemblages are consistent with sediments and soils that formed in a moderately low rainfall climate and suggestive of minimal transport of the alluvial sediments from their source areas. Chlorite, smectite, smectite-vermiculite intergrade, and illite are the likely phases involved in the sorption of organic carbon and related microbial redox transformations of metals in these sediments. Both the occurrence and abundance of chlorite, smectite-vermiculite, illite and smectite can therefore exert an important control on the contaminant fluxes and are important determinants of biogeofacies in mountainous, semiarid terrains.

Interaction of various flow systems in small alpine catchments: conceptual model of the upper Gurk Valley aquifer, Carinthia, Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilberg, Sylke; Riepler, Franz

2016-08-01

Small alpine valleys usually show a heterogeneous hydraulic situation. Recurring landslides create temporal barriers for the surface runoff. As a result of these postglacial processes, temporal lakes form, and thus lacustrine fine-grained sedimentation intercalates with alluvial coarse-grained layers. A sequence of alluvial sediments (confined and thus well protected aquifers) and lacustrine sediments (aquitards) is characteristic for such an environment. The hydrogeological situation of fractured hard-rock aquifers in the framing mountain ranges is characterized by superficially high hydraulic conductivities as the result of tectonic processes, deglaciation and postglacial weathering. Fracture permeability and high hydraulic gradients in small-scaled alpine catchments result in the interaction of various flow systems in various kinds of aquifers. Spatial restrictions and conflicts between the current land use and the requirements of drinking-water protection represent a special challenge for water resource management in usually densely populated small alpine valleys. The presented case study describes hydrogeological investigations within the small alpine valley of the upper Gurktal (Upper Carinthia, Austria) and the adjacent Höllenberg Massif (1,772 m above sea level). Hydrogeological mapping, drilling, and hydrochemical and stable isotope analyses of springs and groundwater were conducted to identify a sustainable drinking-water supply for approximately 1,500 inhabitants. The results contribute to a conceptual hydrogeological model with three interacting flow systems. The local and the intermediate flow systems are assigned to the catchment of the Höllenberg Massif, whereas the regional flow system refers to the bordering Gurktal Alps to the north and provides an appropriate drinking water reservoir.

Near-decadal changes in nitrate and pesticide concentrations in the South Platte River alluvial aquifer, 1993-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paschke, S.S.; Schaffrath, K.R.; Mashbum, S.L.

2008-01-01

The lower South Platte River basin of Colorado and Nebraska is an area of intense agriculture supported by surface-water diversions from the river and ground-water pumping from a valley-fill alluvial aquifer. Two well networks consisting of 45 wells installed in the South Platte alluvial aquifer were sampled in the early 1990s and again in the early 2000s to examine near-decadal ground-water quality changes in irrigated agricultural areas. Ground-water age generally increases and dissolved-oxygen content decreases with distance along flow paths and with depdi below the water table, and denitrification is an important natural mitigation mechanism for nitrate in downgradient areas. Ground-water travel time from upland areas to the river ranges from 12 to 31 yr on the basis of apparent ground-water ages. Ground-water nitrate concentrations for agricultural land-use wells increased significantly for oxidized samples over the decade, and nitrogen isotope ratios for oxidized samples indicate synthetic fertilizer as the predominant nitrate source. Ground-water concentrations of atrazine, DEA, and prometon decreased significandy. The decrease in pesticide concentrations and a significant increase in the ratio of DEA to atrazine suggest decreases in pesticide concentrations are likely caused by local decreases in application rates and/or degradation processes and that atrazine degradation is promoted by oxidizing conditions. The difference between results for oxidizing and nitrate-reducing conditions indicates redox state is an important variable to consider when evaluating ground-water quality trends for redox-sensitive constituents such as nitrate and pesticides in the South Platte alluvial aquifer. Copyright ?? 2008 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

The Shape of Trail Canyon Alluvial Fan, Death Valley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farr, Tom G.; Dohrenwend, John C.

1993-01-01

A modified conic equation has been fit to high-resolution digital topographic data for Trail Canyon alluvial fan in Death Valley, California. Fits were accomplished for 3 individual fan units of different age.

Reconnaissance evaluation of contamination in the alluvial aquifer in the East Poplar oil field, Roosevelt County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levings, G.W.

1984-01-01

Water moving from north to south in the alluvial aquifer of the Poplar River valley becomes contaminated with sodium chloride in the area underlain by the East Poplar oil fields. Four types of ground water were identified in the study area. Type 1 is sodium bicarbonate water. Type 2 is sodium chloride water with varying quantities of calcium and magnesium. Type 3 water contains sodium and chloride in significantly larger concentrations than Type 2. Type 4 water is the brine being injected into brine-disposal wells. Contamination of the alluvial aquifer is indicated by a brine-freshwater interface in the alluvium, by downstream increase in chloride concentration of the Poplar River, and by downstream change in water type of the Poplar River. Contamination also may be indicated by the distribution of iron and manganese concentrations in water from wells near a brine-disposal well. Possible sources of sodium chloride contamination in the alluvium are brine-disposal wells, pipelines, and storage or evaporation pits. The contamination can occur from leaks in the casing of disposal wells or in pipelines caused by the corrosive nature of the brine or from storage or evaporation pits that have been improperly sealed or have sustained tears in the sealing material. (USGS)

Mapping Aquifer Systems with Airborne Electromagnetics in the Central Valley of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knight, R. J.; Smith, R.; Asch, T. H.; Abraham, J.; Cannia, J.; Fogg, G. E.; Viezzoli, A.

2016-12-01

The Central Valley of California is an important agricultural region struggling to meet the need for irrigation water. Recent periods of drought have significantly reduced the delivery of surface water, resulting in extensive pumping of groundwater. This has exacerbated an already serious problem in the Central Valley, where a number of areas have experienced declining water levels for several decades leading to ongoing concerns about depletion of aquifers and impacts on ecosystems, as well as subsidence of the ground surface. The overdraft has been so significant, that there are now approximately140 million acre-feet (MAF) of unused groundwater storage in the Central Valley, storage that could be used to complement the 42 MAF of surface storage. The alluvial sedimentary geology of the Central Valley is typically composed of more than 50 to 70 percent fine-grained deposits dominated by silt and clay beds. These fine grained deposits can block potential recharge, and are associated with the large amount of observed subsidence. Fortunately, the geologic processes that formed the region created networks of sand and gravel which provide both a supply of water and pathways for recharge from the surface to the aquifers. The challenge is to find these sand and gravel deposits and thus identify optimal locations for surface spreading techniques so that recharge could be dramatically increased, and re-pressurization of the confined aquifer networks could be accomplished. We have acquired 100 line kilometers of airborne electromagnetic data over an area in the San Joaquin Valley, imaging the subsurface hydrostratigraphy to a depth of 500 m with spatial resolution on the order of meters to tens of meters. Following inversion of the data to obtain resistivity models along the flight lines, we used lithology logs in the area to transform the models to images displaying the distribution of sand and gravel, clay, and mixed fine and coarse materials. The quality of the data and

Regional groundwater-flow model of the Redwall-Muav, Coconino, and alluvial basin aquifer systems of northern and central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pool, D.R.; Blasch, Kyle W.; Callegary, James B.; Leake, Stanley A.; Graser, Leslie F.

2011-01-01

capita water use for exempt wells. Accuracy of the simulated groundwater-flow system was evaluated by using observational control from water levels in wells, estimates of base flow from streamflow records, and estimates of spring discharge. Major results from the simulations include the importance of variations in recharge rates throughout the study area and recharge along ephemeral and losing stream reaches in alluvial basins. Insights about the groundwater-flow systems in individual basins include the hydrologic influence of geologic structures in some areas and that stream-aquifer interactions along the lower part of the Little Colorado River are an effective control on water level distributions throughout the Little Colorado River Plateau basin. Better information on several aspects of the groundwater flow system are needed to reduce uncertainty of the simulated system. Many areas lack documentation of the response of the groundwater system to changes in withdrawals and recharge. Data needed to define groundwater flow between vertically adjacent water-bearing units is lacking in many areas. Distributions of recharge along losing stream reaches are poorly defined. Extents of aquifers and alluvial lithologies are poorly defined in parts of the Big Chino and Verde Valley sub-basins. Aquifer storage properties are poorly defined throughout most of the study area. Little data exist to define the hydrologic importance of geologic structures such as faults and fractures. Discharge of regional groundwater flow to the Verde River is difficult to identify in the Verde Valley sub-basin because of unknown contributions from deep percolation of excess surface water irrigation.

Ground-water levels in and pumpage from the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky, May 1989-May 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Unthank, Michael D.

1995-01-01

Water-level data have been collected in the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Ky., by the U.S. Geological Survey since 1943. Interpretations of these data are published periodically to update the record and help local officials manage this ground-water supply. Maps and hydrographs are presented on two sheets to aid in the interpretation of water-level changes for the period May 1989-May 1991. The altitude of the water table in the alluvial aquifer has increased as much as 5 feet in some areas during the 2-year period of May 1989-May 1991. Hydrographs for obser- vation wells throughout the alluvial aquifer show that water levels fluctuate seasonally and in response to wet and dry periods; overall, the water- level trend has been upward in recent years. Water levels in the downtown area are affected by the pumping of ground water to heat and cool several buildings in the area. Ground-water contour maps show induced infiltration of water from the Ohio River to the alluvial aquifer in downtown Louisville as a result of the ground-water pumping.

Terrestrial Cosmogenic-Nuclide Dating of Alluvial Fans in Death Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Machette, Michael N.; Slate, Janet L.; Phillips, Fred M.

2008-01-01

We have used terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) to establish the age of some of the most extensive Quaternary alluvial fans in Death Valley, California. These intermediate-age alluvial fans are most extensive on the western side of the valley, where tectonic deformation is considerably less pronounced than on the eastern side of the valley. These fans are characterized by a relatively smooth, densely packed desert pavement formed by well-varnished (blackened) clasts. These surfaces have been mapped as the Q2 gravel by previous workers and as unit Qai (intermediate age) by us. However, the intermediate-age gravels probably contain multiple subunits, as evidenced by slight differences in morphologic expression, soil formation, and inset geomorphic relations. The TCN technique used herein sums the cosmogenic 36Cl in approximately 2.5-meter-deep profiles through soil and host alluvium, thus avoiding some of the problems associated with the more typical surface-exposure dating of boulders or smaller clasts. Our TCN 36Cl dating of 12 depth profiles indicates that these intermediate-age (Qai) alluvial fans range from about 100 to 40 kilo-annum (ka), with a mean age of about 70 ka. An alternative interpretation is that alluvial unit Qai was deposited in two discrete episodes from 90 to 80 ka and from 60 to 50 ka, before and after MIS (marine oxygen-isotope stage) 4 (respectively). Without an intermediate-age unit, such as MIS 4 lake deposits, we can neither disprove nor prove that Qai was deposited in two discrete intervals or over a longer range of time. Thus, in Death Valley, alluvial unit Qai largely brackets MIS 4, which is not associated with a deep phase of Lake Manly. These Qai fans extend to elevations of about -46 meters (150 feet below sea level) and have not been transgressed by Lake Manly, suggesting that MIS 4 or MIS 2 lakes were rather shallow in Death Valley, perhaps because they lacked inflow from surface runoff of the Sierra Nevada drainages through

Hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of a shallow alluvial aquifer, western Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Shaibani, Abdulaziz M.

2008-02-01

A hydrogeological and hydrochemical study was conducted on a shallow alluvial aquifer, Wadi Wajj, in western Saudi Arabia to assess the influence of protection measures on groundwater quality. The hydrochemistry was assessed up-gradient and down-gradient from potential contamination sources in the main city in dry and wet seasons prior to and after the installation of major drainage and wastewater facilities. Wadi Wajj is an unconfined aquifer where water is stored and transmitted through fractured and weathered bedrock and the overlying alluvial sediments. Natural recharge to the aquifer is about 5% of rainfall-runoff. Hydrochemistry of the aquifer shows temporal and seasonal changes as influenced by protection measures and rainfall runoff. Both groundwater and runoff showed similar chemical signature, which is mostly of chloride-sulfate-bicarbonate and sodium-calcium type. Groundwater downstream of the city, though of poorer quality than upstream, showed significant improvement after the installation of a concrete runoff tunnel and a wastewater treatment plant. Concentrations of many of the groundwater quality indicators (e.g., TDS, coliform bacteria, and nitrate) exceed US Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. Heavy metal content is, however, within allowable limits by local and international standards. The chemical analyses also suggest the strong influence of stream runoff and sewage water on the groundwater quality.

Geohydrology of the Valley-Fill Aquifer in the Norwich-Oxford-Brisben Area, Chenango County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hetcher, Kari K.; Miller, Todd S.; Garry, James D.; Reynolds, Richard J.

2003-01-01

This set of maps and geohydrologic sections depicts the geology and hydrology of aquifers in the 21.9-square-mile reach of the Chenango River valley between Brisben and North Norwich, N.Y. This report depicts the principal geographic features of the study area; locations of domestic, commercial, and municipal wells from which data were obtained to construct water-table and saturated-thickness maps and five geohydrologic sections; surficial geology; water-table altitude; generalized saturated thickness of the unconfined (water-table) aquifer; generalized thickness of the discontinuous series of confined aquifers; and five geohydrologic sections, all of which are in the northern part of the study area.The unconsolidated material in the Chenango River valley consists primarily of three types of deposits: (1) glaciofluvial material consisting of stratified coarse-grained sediment (sand and gravel) that was deposited by meltwater streams flowing above, below, or next to a glacier; (2) glaciolacustrine material consisting of stratified fine-grained sediment (very fine sand, silt, and clay) that was deposited in lakes that formed at the front of a glacier; and (3) recent alluvial material consisting of stratified fine-to-medium grained sediment (fine-to-medium sand and silt) that was deposited on flood plains.The water-table map was compiled from water-level data obtained from wells completed in the unconfined aquifer, and from altitudes of stream and river surfaces indicated on 1:24,000-scale topographic maps. Depth to the water table ranged from less than 5 feet below land surface near major streams to more than 75 feet on some of the kame terraces along the valley walls. Saturated thickness of the unconfined aquifer ranged from less than 1 foot near Norwich to more than 200 feet at a kame delta north of Oxford.A discontinuous series of confined aquifers is present throughout much of the Chenango River valley north of Oxford. These aquifers consist of kame deposits

Characterizing the spatiotemporal variability of groundwater levels of alluvial aquifers in different settings using drought indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haas, Johannes Christoph; Birk, Steffen

2017-05-01

snow as compared with those with much snow. This is in agreement with typical aquifer response times over 1 month, suggesting that short events such as floods will not affect much of the aquifer, whereas a long-term event such as a drought or snow-rich winter will. Splitting the time series into periods of 12 years reveals a tendency towards higher correlations in the most recent time period from 1999 to 2010. This time period also shows the highest number of events with SPI values below -2. The SGI values behave in a similar way only in the foreland aquifer, whereas the investigated Alpine aquifers exhibit a contrasting behavior with the highest number of low SGI events in the time before 1986. This is a result of overlying trends and suggests that the groundwater levels within these subregions are more strongly influenced by direct human impacts, e.g., on the river, than by changes in precipitation. Thus, direct human impacts must not be ignored when assessing climate change impacts on alluvial aquifers situated in populated valleys.

Regional water quality patterns in an alluvial aquifer: direct and indirect influences of rivers.

PubMed

Baillieux, A; Campisi, D; Jammet, N; Bucher, S; Hunkeler, D

2014-11-15

The influence of rivers on the groundwater quality in alluvial aquifers can be twofold: direct and indirect. Rivers can have a direct influence via recharge and an indirect one by controlling the distribution of fine-grained, organic-carbon rich flood deposits that induce reducing conditions. These direct and indirect influences were quantified for a large alluvial aquifer on the Swiss Plateau (50km(2)) in interaction with an Alpine river using nitrate as an example. The hydrochemistry and stable isotope composition of water were characterized using a network of 115 piezometers and pumping stations covering the entire aquifer. Aquifer properties, land use and recharge zones were evaluated as well. This information provided detailed insight into the factors that control the spatial variability of groundwater quality. Three main factors were identified: (1) diffuse agricultural pollution sources; (2) dilution processes resulting from river water infiltrations, revealed by the δ(18)OH2O and δ(2)HH2O contents of groundwater; and (3) denitrification processes, controlled by the spatial variability of flood deposits governed by fluvial depositional processes. It was possible to quantify the dependence of the nitrate concentration on these three factors at any sampling point of the aquifer using an end-member mixing model, where the average nitrate concentration in recharge from the agricultural area was evaluated at 52mg/L, and the nitrate concentration of infiltrating river at approximately 6mg/L. The study shows the importance of considering the indirect and direct impacts of rivers on alluvial aquifers and provides a methodological framework to evaluate aquifer scale water quality patterns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrology of the Bayou Bartholomew alluvial aquifer-stream system, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Broom, M.E.; Reed, J.E.

1973-01-01

The study area comprises about 3,200 square miles of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain in southeast Arkansas. About 90 percent of the area drains south to the Ouachita River in Louisiana. The alluvial aquifer and the streams are hydraulically connected and are studied as an aquifer-stream system. Bayou Bartholomew is a principal stream of the system. The aquifer is underlain by confining strata of the Jackson Group and Cockfield Formation. The mean annual surface-water yield of the area that drains to the Ouachita River basin is nearly 2 million acre-feet. Flood-control projects have significantly reduced flooding in the area. Basin boundaries and low-flow characteristics of streams have been altered as a result of the flood-control projects and streamflow diversion for irrigation. The direction of ground-water flow generally is southward. Bayou Bartholomew functions mostly as a drain for ground-water flow from the west and as a recharge source to the aquifer east of the bayou. As a result of navigation pools, the Arkansas River is mostly a steady-recharge source to the aquifer. Pumpage from the aquifer and streams increased from about 20,000 acre-feet in 1941 to 237,000 acre-feet in 1970. Estimates of flow, derived from analog analysis but lacking field verification, indicate that recharge to the aquifer in 1970 was about 161,000 acre-feet. About 70 percent of the recharge was by capture from streams as a result of ground-water pumpage. Discharge from the aquifer was about 233,000 acre-feet. About 80 percent of the discharge was through wells. Stream diversion in 1970 from capture and open channel, excluding capture from the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers, was about 110,000 acre-feet. Return flow to streams from rice irrigation and fishponds was about 60,000 acre-feet. The chemical quality of streamflows is excellent for irrigation. Water from the aquifer generally ranges from permissible to excellent for irrigation. The use of water from the aquifer in the flood

Hydrogeology of the stratified-drift aquifers in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek valleys in parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Todd S.; Pitman, Lacey M.

2012-01-01

Creek stratified-drift aquifers is predominantly from the valley walls toward the main streams in the valleys. The groundwater discharges from the aquifer system to the main-stem streams in the valleys. Locally, the direction of groundwater flow is radially away from groundwater mounds that have formed beneath upland tributaries that typically lose water where they flow on alluvial fans in the valleys. In some places, groundwater that would normally flow toward streams is intercepted by pumping wells.

Distribution and variability of redox zones controlling spatial variability of arsenic in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, southeastern Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sharif, M.U.; Davis, R.K.; Steele, K.F.; Kim, B.; Hays, P.D.; Kresse, T.M.; Fazio, J.A.

2008-01-01

Twenty one of 118 irrigation water wells in the shallow (25-30??m thick) Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in the Bayou Bartholomew watershed, southeastern Arkansas had arsenic (As) concentrations (< 0.5 to 77????g/L) exceeding 10????g/L. Sediment and groundwater samples were collected and analyzed from the sites of the highest, median, and lowest concentrations of As in groundwater in the alluvial aquifers located at Jefferson County, Arkansas. A traditional five-step sequential extraction was performed to differentiate the exchangeable, carbonate, amorphous Fe and Mn oxide, organic, and hot HNO3-leachable fraction of As and other compounds in sediments. The Chao reagent (0.25??M hydroxylamine hydrochloride in 0.25??M HCl) removes amorphous Fe and Mn oxides and oxyhydroxides (present as coatings on grains and amorphous minerals) by reductive dissolution and is a measure of reducible Fe and Mn in sediments. The hot HNO3 extraction removes mostly crystalline metal oxides and all other labile forms of As. Significant total As (20%) is complexed with amorphous Fe and Mn oxides in sediments. Arsenic abundance is not significant in carbonates or organic matter. Significant (40-70????g/kg) exchangeable As is only present at shallow depth (0-1??m below ground surface). Arsenic is positively correlated to Fe extracted by Chao reagent (r = 0.83) and hot HNO3 (r = 0.85). Arsenic extracted by Chao reagent decreases significantly with depth as compared to As extracted by hot HNO3. Fe (II)/Fe (the ratio of Fe concentration in the extracts of Chao reagent and hot HNO3) is positively correlated (r = 0.76) to As extracted from Chao reagent. Although Fe (II)/Fe increases with depth, the relative abundance of reducible Fe decreases noticeably with depth. The amount of reducible Fe, as well as As complexed to amorphous Fe and Mn oxides and oxyhydroxides decreases with depth. Possible explanations for the decrease in reducible Fe and its complexed As with depth include

Geohydrologic units and water-level conditions in the Terrace alluvial aquifer and Paluxy Aquifer, May 1993 and February 1994, near Air Force Plant 4, Fort Worth area, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rivers, Glen A.; Baker, Ernest T.; Coplin, L.S.

1996-01-01

The terrace alluvial aquifer underlying Air Force Plant 4 and the adjacent Naval Air Station (formerly Carswell Air Force Base) in the Fort Worth area, Texas, is contaminated locally with organic and metal compounds. Residents south and west of Air Force Plant 4 and the Naval Air Station are concerned that contaminants might enter the underlying Paluxy aquifer, which provides water to the city of White Settlement, south of Air Force Plant 4, and to residents west of Air Force Plant 4. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has qualified Air Force Plant 4 for Superfund cleanup. The pertinent geologic units include -A~rom oldest to youngest the Glen Rose, Paluxy, and Walnut Formations, Goodland Limestone, and terrace alluvial deposits. Except for the Glen Rose Formation, all units crop out at or near Air Force Plant 4 and the Naval Air Station. The terrace alluvial deposits, which nearly everywhere form the land surface, range from 0 to about 60 feet thick. These deposits comprise a mostly unconsolidated mixture of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Mudstone and sandstone of the Paluxy Formation crop out north, west, and southwest of Lake Worth and total between about 130 and about 175 feet thick. The terrace alluvial deposits and the Paluxy Formation comprise the terrace alluvial aquifer and the Paluxy aquifer, respectively. These aquifers are separated by the Goodland-Walnut confining unit, composed of the Goodland Limestone and (or) Walnut Formation. Below the Paluxy aquifer, the Glen Rose Formation forms the Glen Rose confining unit. Water-level measurements during May 1993 and February 1994 from wells in the terrace alluvial aquifer indicate that, regionally, ground water flows toward the east-southeast beneath Air Force Plant 4 and the Naval Air Station. Locally, water appears to flow outward from ground-water mounds maintained by the localized infiltration of precipitation and reportedly by leaking water pipes and sanitary and (or) storm sewer lines beneath the

Simulation of ground-water flow, contributing recharge areas, and ground-water travel time in the Missouri River alluvial aquifer near Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Brian P.

2004-01-01

The Missouri River alluvial aquifer near Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, supplies all or part of the drinking water for Ft. Leavenworth; Leavenworth, Kansas; Weston, Missouri; and cooling water for the Kansas City Power and Light, Iatan Power Plant. Ground water at three sites within the alluvial aquifer near the Ft. Leavenworth well field is contaminated with trace metals and organic compounds and concerns have been raised about the potential contamination of drinking-water supplies. In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Army began a study of ground-water flow in the Missouri River alluvial aquifer near Ft. Leavenworth. Hydrogeologic data from 173 locations in the study area was used to construct a ground-water flow model (MODFLOW-2000) and particle-tracking program (MODPATH) to determine the direction and travel time of ground-water flow and contributing recharge areas for water-supply well fields within the alluvial aquifer. The modeled area is 28.6 kilometers by 32.6 kilometers and contains the entire study area. The model uses a uniform grid size of 100 meters by 100 meters and contains 372,944 cells in 4 layers, 286 columns, and 326 rows. The model represents the alluvial aquifer using four layers of variable thickness with no intervening confining layers. The model was calibrated to both quasi-steady-state and transient hydraulic head data collected during the study and ground-water flow was simulated for five well-pumping/river-stage scenarios. The model accuracy was calculated using the root mean square error between actual measurements of hydraulic head and model generated hydraulic head at the end of each model run. The accepted error for the model calibrations were below the maximum measurement errors. The error for the quasi-steady-state calibration was 0.82 meter; for the transient calibration it was 0.33 meter. The shape, size, and ground-water travel time within the contributing recharge area for each well or well

Hydrogeology and water quality of the stratified-drift aquifer in the Pony Hollow Creek Valley, Tompkins County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bugliosi, Edward F.; Miller, Todd S.; Reynolds, Richard J.

2014-01-01

away from groundwater mounds that have formed beneath upland tributaries that lose water where they flow on alluvial fans on the margins of the valley. In some places, groundwater that would normally flow toward streams is intercepted by pumping wells. Surface-water samples were collected in 2001 at four sites including Carter, Pony Hollow (two sites), and Chafee Creeks, and from six wells throughout the aquifer. Calcium dominates the cation composition and bicarbonate dominates the anion composition in groundwater and surface-water samples and none of the common inorganic constituents collected exceeded any Federal or State water-quality standards. Groundwater samples were collected from six wells all completed in the unconfined sand and gravel aquifer. Concentrations of calcium and magnesium dominated the ionic composition of the groundwater in all wells sampled. Nitrate, orthophosphate, and trace metals were detected in all groundwater samples, but none were more than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or New York State Department of Health regulatory limits.

Heat tracer test in an alluvial aquifer: Field experiment and inverse modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klepikova, Maria; Wildemeersch, Samuel; Hermans, Thomas; Jamin, Pierre; Orban, Philippe; Nguyen, Frédéric; Brouyère, Serge; Dassargues, Alain

2016-09-01

Using heat as an active tracer for aquifer characterization is a topic of increasing interest. In this study, we investigate the potential of using heat tracer tests for characterization of a shallow alluvial aquifer. A thermal tracer test was conducted in the alluvial aquifer of the Meuse River, Belgium. The tracing experiment consisted in simultaneously injecting heated water and a dye tracer in an injection well and monitoring the evolution of groundwater temperature and tracer concentration in the pumping well and in measurement intervals. To get insights in the 3D characteristics of the heat transport mechanisms, temperature data from a large number of observation wells closely spaced along three transects were used. Temperature breakthrough curves in observation wells are contrasted with what would be expected in an ideal layered aquifer. They reveal strongly unequal lateral and vertical components of the transport mechanisms. The observed complex behavior of the heat plume is explained by the groundwater flow gradient on the site and heterogeneities in the hydraulic conductivity field. Moreover, due to high injection temperatures during the field experiment a temperature-induced fluid density effect on heat transport occurred. By using a flow and heat transport numerical model with variable density coupled with a pilot point approach for inversion of the hydraulic conductivity field, the main preferential flow paths were delineated. The successful application of a field heat tracer test at this site suggests that heat tracer tests is a promising approach to image hydraulic conductivity field. This methodology could be applied in aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) projects for assessing future efficiency that is strongly linked to the hydraulic conductivity variability in the considered aquifer.

Groundwater availability of the Central Valley Aquifer, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Faunt, Claudia C.

2009-01-01

California's Central Valley covers about 20,000 square miles and is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. More than 250 different crops are grown in the Central Valley with an estimated value of $17 billion per year. This irrigated agriculture relies heavily on surface-water diversions and groundwater pumpage. Approximately one-sixth of the Nation's irrigated land is in the Central Valley, and about one-fifth of the Nation's groundwater demand is supplied from its aquifers. The Central Valley also is rapidly becoming an important area for California's expanding urban population. Since 1980, the population of the Central Valley has nearly doubled from 2 million to 3.8 million people. The Census Bureau projects that the Central Valley's population will increase to 6 million people by 2020. This surge in population has increased the competition for water resources within the Central Valley and statewide, which likely will be exacerbated by anticipated reductions in deliveries of Colorado River water to southern California. In response to this competition for water, a number of water-related issues have gained prominence: conservation of agricultural land, conjunctive use, artificial recharge, hydrologic implications of land-use change, and effects of climate variability. To provide information to stakeholders addressing these issues, the USGS Groundwater Resources Program made a detailed assessment of groundwater availability of the Central Valley aquifer system, that includes: (1) the present status of groundwater resources; (2) how these resources have changed over time; and (3) tools to assess system responses to stresses from future human uses and climate variability and change. This effort builds on previous investigations, such as the USGS Central Valley Regional Aquifer System and Analysis (CV-RASA) project and several other groundwater studies in the Valley completed by Federal, State and local agencies at differing scales. The

Ground-Water Budgets for the Wood River Valley Aquifer System, South-Central Idaho, 1995-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartolino, James R.

2009-01-01

The Wood River Valley contains most of the population of Blaine County and the cities of Sun Valley, Ketchum, Haley, and Bellevue. This mountain valley is underlain by the alluvial Wood River Valley aquifer system which consists of a single unconfined aquifer that underlies the entire valley, an underlying confined aquifer that is present only in the southernmost valley, and the confining unit that separates them. The entire population of the area depends on ground water for domestic supply, either from domestic or municipal-supply wells, and rapid population growth since the 1970s has caused concern about the long-term sustainability of the ground-water resource. To help address these concerns this report describes a ground-water budget developed for the Wood River Valley aquifer system for three selected time periods: average conditions for the 10-year period 1995-2004, and the single years of 1995 and 2001. The 10-year period 1995-2004 represents a range of conditions in the recent past for which measured data exist. Water years 1995 and 2001 represent the wettest and driest years, respectively, within the 10-year period based on precipitation at the Ketchum Ranger Station. Recharge or inflow to the Wood River Valley aquifer system occurs through seven main sources (from largest to smallest): infiltration from tributary canyons, streamflow loss from the Big Wood River, areal recharge from precipitation and applied irrigation water, seepage from canals and recharge pits, leakage from municipal pipes, percolation from septic systems, and subsurface inflow beneath the Big Wood River in the northern end of the valley. Total estimated mean annual inflow or recharge to the aquifer system for 1995-2004 is 270,000 acre-ft/yr (370 ft3/s). Total recharge for the wet year 1995 and the dry year 2001 is estimated to be 270,000 acre-ft/yr (370 ft3/s) and 220,000 acre-ft/yr (300 ft3/s), respectively. Discharge or outflow from the Wood River Valley aquifer system occurs through

Potential impacts of damming the Juba Valley, western Somalia: Insights from geomorphology and alluvial history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Martin

2014-05-01

In 1988 plans were well advanced to dam the Juba River in western Somalia. The aims of the Baardheere Dam Project were to generate hydroelectric power for the capital Mogadishu, and to provide water for irrigation in the Juba Valley. A reconnaissance survey on foot along 500 km of the river upstream of the proposed dam site at Baardheere and detailed geomorphic mapping from air photos provided a basis for reconstructing the late Quaternary alluvial history of the river and for assessing the potential impact of the proposed dam. The Juba River rises in the Ethiopian Highlands and is the only river in Somalia that flows to the sea. Its history reflects climatic events in Ethiopia, where the Rift Valley lakes were very low during the LGM (21±2 ka), and high for about 5, 000 years before and after then. Cave deposits in Somalia indicate wetter conditions at 13, 10, 7.5 and 1.5 ka. Alluvial terraces in the Juba Valley range in age from late Pleistocene to late Holocene but only attain a few metres above the present floodplain. This is because the dry tributary valleys contain limestone caves and fissures that divert any high flows from the parent river underground, a process not known when the project was first approved. The oldest preserved terrace was cemented by calcrete by 40 ka. Alluvial gravels were deposited at the outlet of dry tributary valleys during times of episodic high-energy flow between 26 ka and 28 ka. Finely laminated shelly sands accumulated at 10 ka to form the 5 m terrace. The 2 m terrace was laid down 3.2 ka ago as a slackwater deposit. The lack of high-level alluvial terraces raises doubts over plans to dam the river, since rapid leakage would occur from side valleys and the reservoir would not attain the height needed to generate hydroelectric power. It would submerge all existing arable land along the river. Finally, the presence in the late Holocene alluvium of the sub-fossil gastropods Bulinus truncatus and Biomphalaria pfeifferi, which are

Geohydrology of the Unconsolidated Valley-Fill Aquifer in the Meads Creek Valley, Schuyler and Steuben Counties, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Todd S.; Bugliosi, Edward F.; Reddy, James E.

2008-01-01

The Meads Creek valley encompasses 70 square miles of predominantly forested uplands in the upper Susquehanna River drainage basin. The valley, which was listed as a Priority Waterbody by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 2004, is prone to periodic flooding, mostly in its downstream end, where development is occurring most rapidly. Hydraulic characteristics of the unconsolidated valley-fill aquifer were evaluated, and seepage rates in losing and gaining tributaries were calculated or estimated, in an effort to delineate the aquifer geometry and identify the factors that contribute to flooding. Results indicated that (1) Meads Creek gained about 61 cubic feet of flow per second (about 6.0 cubic feet per second per mile of stream channel) from ground-water discharge and inflow from tributaries in its 10.2-mile reach between the northernmost and southernmost measurement sites; (2) major tributaries in the northern part of the valley are not significant sources of recharge to the aquifer; and (3) major tributaries in the central and southern part of the valley provide recharge to the aquifer. The ground-water portion of streamflow in Meads Creek (excluding tributary inflow) was 11.3 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) in the central part of the valley and 17.2 ft3/s in the southern part - a total of 28.5 ft3/s. Ground-water levels were measured in 29 wells finished in unconfined deposits for construction of a potentiometric-surface map to depict directions of ground-water flow within the valley. In general, ground water flows from the edges of the valley toward Meads Creek and ultimately discharges to it. The horizontal hydraulic gradient for the entire 12-mile-long aquifer averages about 30 feet per mile, whereas the gradient in the southern fourth of the valley averages about half that - about 17 feet per mile. A water budget for the aquifer indicated that 28 percent of recharge was derived from precipitation that falls on the aquifer, 32

Ground-water conditions in Avra Valley, Pima and Pinal Counties, Arizona -1985

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cuff, Melinda K.; Anderson, S.R.

1987-01-01

Avra Valley is a north-trending alluvial basin about 15 mi west of Tucson in Pima and Pinal Counties in south-central Arizona. The valley includes about 520 sq mi of which about 100 sq mi is in the San Xavier Indian Reservation. The basin is bounded on the east by the Tortolita, Tucson, and Sierrita Mountains and on the west by the Picacho, Silverbell, and Roskruge Mountains. The climate of the valley is semiarid, the average annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 12 in., and the average annual lake evaporation ranges from 58 to 62 in. Two major ephemeral streams--Santa Cruz River and Brawley Wash--drain the area. Santa Cruz River and Brawley Wash and their tributaries provide a source of recharge to an extensive alluvial aquifer that underlies the valley floor. Since 1940, the amount of groundwater pumped from the aquifer has been greater than the amount of natural recharge from infiltration and underflow. Overdraft of the aquifer resulted in substantial water level declines throughout the valley. Until 1969, use of groundwater in Avra Valley was for irrigation. Since 1969, the city of Tucson has pumped and transported groundwater for municipal use in the adjacent Tucson basin from lands that were purchased and retired from agriculture. The purpose of this report is to describe groundwater conditions in Avra Valley as of 1985. A brief discussion of the geohydrologic setting and history of groundwater development are given to define aquifer characteristics, changes in groundwater levels, and groundwater pumpage since 1940. (Lantz-PTT)

Water levels and water quality in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in eastern Arkansas, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schrader, Tony P.

2015-01-01

Water samples were collected in the summer of 2012 from142 wells completed in the alluvial aquifer and measured onsite for specific conductance, temperature, and pH. Samples were collected from 94 wells for dissolved chloride analysis. Specific conductance ranged from 91 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm at 25 °C) in Drew County to 984 μS/cm at 25 °C in Monroe County. The mean specific conductance was 547 μS/cm at 25 °C. Temperature ranged from 18.1 degrees Celsius (°C) in Crittenden County to 22.4 °C in Prairie County. The mean temperature was 22.1 °C. The pH ranged from 8.3 in Randolph County to 6.2 in Drew County and had a median of 7.3. Dissolved chloride concentrations ranged from 3.34 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in Randolph County to 182 mg/L in Lincoln County. The mean chloride concentration was 27.6 mg/L.

Simulated Ground-Water Withdrawals by Cabot WaterWorks from the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, Lonoke County, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czarnecki, John B.

2007-01-01

Cabot WaterWorks, located in Lonoke County, Arkansas, plans to increase ground-water withdrawals from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer from a 2004 rate of approximately 2.24 million gallons per day to between 4.8 and 8 million gallons per day by the end of 2049. The effects of increased pumping from several wells were simulated using a digital model of ground-water flow. The proposed additional withdrawals by Cabot WaterWorks were specified in three 1-square-mile model cells with increased pumping beginning in 2007. Increased pumping was specified at various combined rates for a period of 44 years. In addition, augmented pumping from wells owned by Grand Prairie Water Users Association, located about 2 miles from the nearest Cabot WaterWorks wells, was added to the model beginning in 2007 and continuing through to the end of 2049 in 10 of the 16 scenarios analyzed. Eight of the scenarios included reductions in pumping rates in model cells corresponding to either the Grand Prairie Water Users Association wells or to wells contained within the Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project. Drawdown at the end of 44 years of pumping at 4.8 million gallons per day from the Cabot WaterWorks wells ranged from 15 to 25 feet in the three model cells; pumping at 8 million gallons per day resulted in water-level drawdown ranging from about 15 to 40 feet. Water levels in those cells showed no indication of leveling out at the end of the simulation period, indicating non-steady-state conditions after 44 years of pumping. From one to four new dry cells occurred in each of the scenarios by the end of 2049 when compared to a baseline scenario in which pumping was maintained at 2004 rates, even in scenarios with reduced pumping in the Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project; however, reduced pumping produced cells that were no longer dry when compared to the baseline scenario at the end of 2049. Saturated thickness at the end of 2049 in the three Cabot WaterWorks wells

High-resolution characterization of chemical heterogeneity in an alluvial aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schulmeister, M.K.; Healey, J.M.; McCall, G.W.; Birk, S.; Butler, J.J.

2002-01-01

The high-resolution capabilities of direct-push technology were exploited to develop new insights into the hydrochemistry at the margin of an alluvial aquifer. Hydrostratigraphic controls on groundwater flow and contaminant loading were revealed through the combined use of direct-push electrical conductivity (EC) logging and geochemical profiling. Vertical and lateral variations in groundwater chemistry were consistent with sedimentary features indicated by EC logs, and supported a conceptual model of recharge along the floodplain margin.

Historical trajectories and restoration strategies for the Mississippi River alluvial valley

Treesearch

Brice B. Hanberry; John M. Kabrick; Hong S. He; Brian J. Palik

2012-01-01

Unlike upland forests in the eastern United States, little research is available about the composition and structure of bottomland forests before Euro-American settlement. To provide a historical reference encompassing spatial variation for the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, we quantified forest types, species distributions, densities, and stocking of...

Digital-model simulation of the Toppenish alluvial aquifer, Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bolke, E.L.; Skrivan, James A.

1981-01-01

Increasing demands for irrigating additional lands and proposals to divert water from the Yakima River by water users downstream from the Yakima Indian Reservation have made an accounting of water availability important for present-day water management in the Toppenish Creek basin. A digital model was constructed and calibrated for the Toppenish alluvial aquifer to help fulfill this need. The average difference between observed and model-calculated aquifer heads was about 4 feet. Results of model analysis show that the net gain from the Yakima River to the aquifer is 90 cubic feet per second, and the net loss from the aquifer to Toppenish Creek is 137 cubic feet per second. Water-level declines of about 5 feet were calculated for an area near Toppenish in response to a hypothetical tenfold increase in 1974 pumping rates. (USGS)

Outlook for Mississippi Alluvial Valley forests: a subregional report from the Southern Forest Futures Project

Treesearch

Emile S. Gardiner

2015-01-01

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley, which can be broadly subdivided into the Holocene Deposits section and the Deltaic Plain section, is a 24.9-million-acre area generally approximating the alluvial floodplain and delta of the lower Mississippi River. Its robust agricultural economy is maintained by a largely rural population, and recreational resources draw high...

Recalibration of a ground-water flow model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer of northeastern Arkansas, 1918-1998, with simulations of water levels caused by projected ground-water withdrawals through 2049

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reed, Thomas B.

2003-01-01

A digital model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in eastern Arkansas was used to simulate ground-water flow for the period from 1918 to 2049. The model results were used to evaluate effects on water levels caused by demand for ground water from the alluvial aquifer, which has increased steadily for the last 40 years. The model results showed that water currently (1998) is being withdrawn from the aquifer at rates greater than what can be sustained for the long term. The saturated thickness of the alluvial aquifer has been reduced in some areas resulting in dry wells, degraded water quality, decreased water availability, increased pumping costs, and lower well yields. The model simulated the aquifer from a line just north of the Arkansas-Missouri border to south of the Arkansas River and on the east from the Mississippi River westward to the less permeable geologic units of Paleozoic age. The model consists of 2 layers, a grid of 184 rows by 156 columns, and comprises 14,118 active cells each measuring 1 mile on a side. It simulates time periods from 1918 to 1998 along with further time periods to 2049 testing different pumping scenarios. Model flux boundary conditions were specified for rivers, general head boundaries along parts of the western side of the model and parts of Crowleys Ridge, and a specified head boundary across the aquifer further north in Missouri. Model calibration was conducted for observed water levels for the years 1972, 1982, 1992, and 1998. The average absolute residual was 4.69 feet and the root-mean square error was 6.04 feet for the hydraulic head observations for 1998. Hydraulic-conductivity values obtained during the calibration process were 230 feet per day for the upper layer and ranged from 230 to 730 feet per day for the lower layer with the maximum mean for the combined aquifer of 480 feet per day. Specific yield values were 0.30 throughout the model and specific storage values were 0.000001 inverse-feet throughout

Ground-water resources investigation in the Amran Valley, Yeman Arab Republic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tibbitts, G. Chase; Aubel, James

1980-01-01

A program of hydrologic studies and exploratory drilling was conducted intermittently between 1974 and 1978 to evaluate the water-bearing properties of the unconsolidated alluvial sediments and associated rocks in the semi-arid Amran Valley basin, an 800-square-kilometer area in north-central Yemen Arab Republic. Inventory data from 395 wells were compiled, observation well and rain-gage networks were established and 16 standard complete chemical analyses were made for samples from selected wells. The water resources of the area were overexploited. The chemical quality of the water is generally good. Four aquifer tests were run to determine transmissivity and storage characteristics. The pumping tests show that groundwater occurs under semi-confined leaky-aquifer conditions in the valley fill. Wells drilled in the alluvial fill of the south-central part of the valley have the highest yields. Wells penetrating the limestone and volcanic rocks generally have little or no yield except in fracture zones. Basalt flows occur interbedded with the wadi alluvium at several depths. Cropping out rocks in the Amran Valley range in age from late Jurassic to Holocene. (USGS)

Hydrogeology and water quality in the Snake River alluvial aquifer at Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyoming, September 2008-June 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wright, Peter R.

2010-01-01

The hydrogeology and water quality of the Snake River alluvial aquifer, at the Jackson Hole Airport in northwest Wyoming, was studied by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Jackson Hole Airport Board and the Teton Conservation District during September 2008-June 2009. Hydrogeologic conditions were characterized using data collected from 14 Jackson Hole Airport wells. Groundwater levels are summarized in this report and the direction of groundwater flow, hydraulic gradients, and estimated groundwater velocity rates in the Snake River alluvial aquifer underlying the study area are presented. Analytical results of chemical, dissolved gas, and stable isotopes are presented and summarized. Seasonally, the water table at Jackson Hole Airport was lowest in early spring and reached its peak in July, with an increase of 12 to 14 feet between April and July 2009. Groundwater flow was predominantly horizontal but had the hydraulic potential for downward flow. The direction of groundwater flow was from the northeast to the west-southwest. Horizontal groundwater velocities within the Snake River alluvial aquifer at the airport were estimated to be about 26 to 66 feet per day. This indicates that the traveltime from the farthest upgradient well to the farthest downgradient well was approximately 53 to 138 days. This estimate only describes the movement of groundwater because some solutes may move at a rate much slower than groundwater flow through the aquifer. The quality of the water in the alluvial aquifer generally was considered good. The alluvial aquifer was a fresh, hard to very hard, calcium carbonate type water. No constituents were detected at concentrations exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels, and no anthropogenic compounds were detected at concentrations greater than laboratory reporting levels. The quality of groundwater in the alluvial aquifer generally was suitable for domestic and other uses; however, dissolved

Potentiometric Surface of the Alluvial Aquifer and Hydrologic Conditions in the Juana Diaz area, Puerto Rico, June 29 - July 1, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodriguez, Jose M.; Santigo-Rivera, Luis; Gómez-Gómez, Fernando

2006-01-01

A synoptic survey of the hydrologic conditions in the Juana Diaz area, Puerto Rico, was conducted between June 29 and July 1, 2005, to define the spatial distribution of the potentiometric surface of the alluvial aquifer. The study area encompasses 21 square miles of the more extensive South Coastal Plain Alluvial Aquifer system and is bounded along the north by foothills of the Cordillera Central mountain chain, to the south by the Caribbean Sea, the east by the Rio Descalabrado and to the west by the Rio Inabon. Ground water in the Juana Diaz area is in the Quaternary-age alluvial deposits and the middle-Tertiary age Ponce Limestone and Juana Diaz Formation (Giusti, 1968). The hydraulic properties of the Ponce Limestone in the Juana Diaz area are unknown, and the Juana Diaz Formation is a unit of poor permeability due to its high clay content. Consequently, the Ponce Limestone and the Juana Diaz Formation are generally considered to be the base of the alluvial aquifer in the Juana Diaz area with ground-water flow occurring primarily within the alluvial deposits. The potentiometric-surface map of the alluvial aquifer was delineated using ground-water level measurements taken at existing wells. The water-level measurements were taken at wells that were either not pumping during the survey or were shut down for a brief period. In the latter case, a recovery period of 30 minutes was allowed for the drawdown in the wellbore to achieve a near static level position representative of the aquifer at the measurement point. Land-surface altitude from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 1:20,000 scale topographic maps (Playa de Ponce, Ponce, Rio Descalabrado, and Santa Isabel) were used to refer ground-water levels to mean sea level datum (National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929). In addition to the ground-water level measurements, the potentiometricsurface contours were delineated using hydrologic features, such as drainage ditches and saturated intermittent streams that were

Groundwater geochemistry and microbial community structure in the aquifer transition from volcanic to alluvial areas.

PubMed

Amalfitano, S; Del Bon, A; Zoppini, A; Ghergo, S; Fazi, S; Parrone, D; Casella, P; Stano, F; Preziosi, E

2014-11-15

Groundwaters may act as sinks or sources of organic and inorganic solutes, depending on the relative magnitude of biochemical mobilizing processes and groundwater-surface water exchanges. The objective of this study was to link the lithological and hydrogeological gradients to the aquatic microbial community structure in the transition from aquifer recharge (volcanic formations) to discharge areas (alluvial deposits). A field-scale analysis was performed along a water table aquifer in which volcanic products decreased in thickness and areal extension, while alluvial deposits became increasingly important. We measured the main groundwater physical parameters and the concentrations of major and trace elements. In addition, the microbial community structure was assessed by estimating the occurrence of total coliforms and Escherichia coli, the prokaryotic abundance, the cytometric and phylogenetic community composition. The overall biogeochemical asset differed along the aquifer flow path. The concentration of total and live prokaryotic cells significantly increased in alluvial waters, together with the percentages of Beta- and Delta-Proteobacteria. The microbial propagation over a theoretical groundwater travel time allowed for the identification of microbial groups shifting significantly in the transition between the two different hydrogeochemical facies. The microbial community structure was intimately associated with geochemical changes, thus it should be further considered in view of a better understanding of groundwater ecology and sustainable management strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fertilizers mobilization in alluvial aquifer: laboratory experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrocicco, M.; Colombani, N.; Palpacelli, S.

2009-02-01

In alluvial plains, intensive farming with conspicuous use of agrochemicals, can cause land pollution and groundwater contamination. In central Po River plain, paleo-channels are important links between arable lands and the underlaying aquifer, since the latter is often confined by clay sediments that act as a barrier against contaminants migration. Therefore, paleo-channels are recharge zones of particular interest that have to be protected from pollution as they are commonly used for water supply. This paper focuses on fertilizer mobilization next to a sand pit excavated in a paleo-channel near Ferrara (Italy). The problem is approached via batch test leaking and columns elution of alluvial sediments. Results from batch experiments showed fast increase in all major cations and anions, suggesting equilibrium control of dissolution reactions, limited availability of solid phases and geochemical homogeneity of samples. In column experiments, early elution and tailing of all ions breakthrough was recorded due to preferential flow paths. For sediments investigated in this study, dispersion, dilution and chemical reactions can reduce fertilizers at concentration below drinking standards in a reasonable time frame, provided fertilizer loading is halted or, at least, reduced. Thus, the definition of a corridor along paleo-channels is recommended to preserve groundwater quality.

Possible Links Among Iron Reduction, Silicate Weathering, and Arsenic Mobility in the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer in Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrok, D. M.; Lenz, R. M.; Jennings, J. E.; Gentry, M. L.; Vinson, D. S.

2017-12-01

The Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer (LMRAA) is a critical groundwater resource for Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Part of the aquifer in Louisiana contains waters rich in Na, HCO3, Fe, and As. We hypothesize that CO2 generated from dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) within the aquifer acts to weather Na-bearing silicates, contributing Na and HCO3, which may influence the mobility of As. We examined the geochemistry of the aquifer using historical and new data collected from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). Major and trace element data were collected from about 25 wells in the LMRAA in Louisiana every three years from 2001-2016. Samples collected in 2016 were additionally analyzed for water isotopes and the δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Results suggest that groundwater in the LMRAA can be broken into two broad categories, (1) water with a molar Na/Cl ratio near 1 and/or high salinity, and (2) water with excess Na (i.e., the molar concentration of Na is greater than that of Cl) that is often higher in alkalinity (up to 616 mg/L as CaCO3), Fe (up to 21 mg/L), and sometimes As (up to 67 µg/L). Concentrations of dissolved Fe were found to correlate, at least weakly, with alkalinity and Na excess. Six of the approximately 25 wells historically sampled consistently had concentrations of As >10 µg/L. These locations generally correspond with groundwater characterized by higher Fe, alkalinity, and Na-excess. Initial results for δD and δ18O suggest that more isotopically depleted waters are sourced from the Mississippi River, whereas local precipitation recharges the aquifer farther from the river (δ18O ranged from -7.5‰ to -3.5‰). Part of the δ13C-DIC variation (-17.4‰ to -10.6‰) is consistent with pH modification (6.5-7.7) along differing horizontal and vertical flow paths in the aquifer. This geochemistry appears to be controlled in part by geology. Areas nearer to the current Mississippi River where

High-resolution characterization of chemical heterogeneity in an alluvial aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schulmeister, M.K.; Healey, J.M.; Butler, J.J.; McCall, G.W.; Birk, S.

2002-01-01

The high-resolution capabilities of direct push technology were exploited to develop new insights into the hydrochemistry at the margin of an alluvial aquifer. Hydrostratigraphic controls on groundwater flow and contaminant loading were revealed through the combined use of direct push electrical conductivity (EC) logging and geochemical profiling. Vertical and lateral variations in groundwater chemistry were consistent with sedimentary features indicated by EC logs, and were supported by a conceptual model of recharge along the flood plain margin.

Recharge of shallow aquifers through two ephemeral-stream channels in northeastern Wyoming, 1982-1983

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lenfest, L.W.

1987-01-01

Quantifying the recharge from ephemeral streams to alluvial and bedrock aquifers will help evaluate the effects of surface mining on alluvial valley floors in Wyoming. Two stream reaches were chosen for study in the Powder River basin. One reach was located along the North Fork Dry Fork Cheyenne River near Glenrock, Wyoming, and the other reach was located along Black Thunder Creek near Hampshire, Wyoming. The reach along the North Fork Dry Fork Cheyenne River was instrumented with 3 gaging stations to measure streamflow and with 6 observation wells to measure groundwater level fluctuations in alluvial and bedrock aquifers in response to streamflow. The 3 streamflow gaging stations were located within the 2.5-mi study reach to measure the approximate gain or loss of discharge along the reach. Computed streamflow losses ranged from 0.43 acre-ft/mi on July 9 , 1982, to 1.44 acre-ft/mi on August 9, 1982. The observation wells completed only in the alluvial aquifer were dry during flow in the North Fork Dry Fork Cheyenne River, whereas water levels in half of the observation wells completed in the bedrock aquifers or the alluvial and bedrock aquifers rose in response to flow in the North Fork Dry Fork Cheyenne River. Groundwater recharge on August 9, 1982, was calculated using a convolution technique using groundwater levels at the upstream site and was estimated to be 26.5 acre-ft/mi. The reach along Black Thunder Creek was instrumented with one gaging station to measure streamflow and with 4 observation wells to measure water level response in alluvial and bedrock aquifers to streamflow. Recharge to the alluvial aquifer from flow in Black Thunder Creek ranged from 3.56 to 12.4 acre-ft/mi. The recharge was estimated using the convolution technique using water level measurements in the observation wells completed in the alluvial aquifer. Water level measurements in the observation wells indicated water level rises in the alluvial and bedrock aquifers in response to

NATURAL ARSENIC CONTAMINATION OF HOLOCENE ALLUVIAL AQUIFERS BY LINKED TECTONIC, WEATHERING, AND MICROBIAL PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

Linked tectonic, geochemical, and biologic processes lead to natural arsenic contamination of groundwater in Holocene alluvial aquifers, which are the main threat to human health around the world. These groundwaters are commonly found a long distance from their ultimate source of...

Ground water in Dale Valley, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Randall, Allan D.

1979-01-01

Dale Valley is a broad valley segment, enlarged by glacial erosion, at the headwaters of Little Tonawanda Creek near Warsaw , New York. A thin, shallow alluvial aquifer immediately underlies the valley floor but is little used. A deeper gravel aquifer, buried beneath many feet of lake deposits, is tapped by several industrial wells. A finite-difference digital model treated the deep aquifer as two-dimensional with recharge and discharge through a confining layer. It was calibrated by simulating (1) natural conditions, (2) an 18-day aquifer test, and (3) 91 days of well-field operation. Streamflow records and model simulations suggest that in moderately wet years such as 1974, a demand of 750 gallons per minute could be met by withdrawal from the creek and from the aquifer without excessive drawdown at production wells or existing domestic wells. With reasonable but unverified model adjustments to simulate an unusually dry year, the model predicts that a demand of 600 gallons per minute could be met from the same sources. Water high in chloride has migrated from bedrock into parts of the deep aquifer. Industrial pumpage, faults in the bedrock, and the natural flow system may be responsible. (Woodard-USGS)

Assessment of ground-water contamination in the alluvial aquifer near West Point, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyverse, M.A.; Unthank, M.D.

1988-01-01

Well inventories, water level measurements, groundwater quality samples, surface geophysical techniques (specifically, electromagnetic techniques), and test drilling were used to investigate the extent and sources of groundwater contamination in the alluvial aquifer near West Point, Kentucky. This aquifer serves as the principal source of drinking water for over 50,000 people. Groundwater flow in the alluvial aquifer is generally unconfined and moves in a northerly direction toward the Ohio River. Two large public supply well fields and numerous domestic wells are located in this natural flow path. High concentrations of chloride in groundwater have resulted in the abandonment of several public supply wells in the West Point areas. Chloride concentrations in water samples collected for this study were as high as 11,000 mg/L. Electromagnetic techniques indicated and test drilling later confirmed that the source of chloride in well waters was probably improperly plugged or unplugged, abandoned oil and gas exploration wells. The potential for chloride contamination of wells exists in the study area and is related to proximity to improperly abandoned oil and gas exploration wells and to gradients established by drawdowns associated with pumped wells. Periodic use of surface geophysical methods, in combination with added observation wells , could be used to monitor significant changes in groundwater quality related to chloride contamination. (USGS)

Evaluation of Selected Model Constraints and Variables on Simulated Sustainable Yield from the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer System in Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czarnecki, John B.

2008-01-01

An existing conjunctive use optimization model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer was used to evaluate the effect of selected constraints and model variables on ground-water sustainable yield. Modifications to the optimization model were made to evaluate the effects of varying (1) the upper limit of ground-water withdrawal rates, (2) the streamflow constraint associated with the White River, and (3) the specified stage of the White River. Upper limits of ground-water withdrawal rates were reduced to 75, 50, and 25 percent of the 1997 ground-water withdrawal rates. As the upper limit is reduced, the spatial distribution of sustainable pumping increases, although the total sustainable pumping from the entire model area decreases. In addition, the number of binding constraint points decreases. In a separate analysis, the streamflow constraint associated with the White River was optimized, resulting in an estimate of the maximum sustainable streamflow at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas, the site of potential surface-water withdrawals from the White River for the Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project. The maximum sustainable streamflow, however, is less than the amount of streamflow allocated in the spring during the paddlefish spawning period. Finally, decreasing the specified stage of the White River was done to evaluate a hypothetical river stage that might result if the White River were to breach the Melinda Head Cut Structure, one of several manmade diversions that prevents the White River from permanently joining the Arkansas River. A reduction in the stage of the White River causes reductions in the sustainable yield of ground water.

Aquifer depletion in the Lower Mississippi River Basin: challenges and solutions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) is an internationally-important region of intensive agricultural crop production that relies heavily on the underlying Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) for irrigation. Extensive irrigation coupled with the region’s geology have led to signifi...

Ground-water levels in the alluvial aquifer in Eastern Arkansas, 1989

USGS Publications Warehouse

Westerfield, P.W.; Baxter, C.R.

1990-01-01

This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and local Conservation Districts, contains groundwater level measurements of 504 wells that tap the alluvial aquifer in the Quaternary deposits of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. The measurements were made by district Soil Conservation Service personnel during 1989. The shallowest prepumping season water levels occurred in Clay, Greene, Independence, Mississippi, Phillips, and Randolph Counties where water levels averaged less than 20 ft below the land surface. The deepest water levels occurred in Arkansas, Lonoke, Poinsett, and Prairie Counties where water levels of more than 100 ft were measured. Water levels in the postpumping season averaged about 2.5 ft lower than during the prepumping season. (USGS)

Ground-water levels in the alluvial aquifer in eastern Arkansas, 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Westerfield, P.W.; Baxter, C.R.

1990-01-01

This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, and local Conservation Districts, contains groundwater level measurements of 509 wells that tap the alluvial aquifer in the Quaternary deposits of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. The measurements were made by district Soil Conservation Service personnel during 1988. The shallowest prepumping season water levels occurred in Ashley, Clay, Greene, Mississippi, Phillips, and Randolph Counties where water levels averaged less than 20 ft below the land surface. The deepest water levels occurred in Arkansas, Lonoke, Poinsett, and Prairie Counties where water levels of more than 100 ft below land surface were measured. Water levels in the postpumping season averaged about 4.1 ft lower than during the prepumping season. (USGS)

Hydrogeology of an alpine rockfall aquifer system and its role in flood attenuation and maintaining baseflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauber, U.; Kotyla, P.; Morche, D.; Goldscheider, N.

2014-06-01

The frequency and intensity of extreme hydrological events in alpine regions is projected to increase with climate change. The goal of this study was to better understand the functioning of aquifers composed of complex alluvial and rockfall deposits in alpine valleys and to quantify the role of these natural storage spaces in flood attenuation and baseflow maintenance. Geomorphological and hydrogeological mapping, tracer tests, and continuous flow measurements were conducted in the Reintal valley (German Alps), where runoff from a karst spring infiltrates into a series of postglacial alluvial/rockfall aquifers. During high-flow conditions, groundwater velocities of 30 m h-1 were determined along 500 m; hydrograph analyses revealed short lag times (5 h) between discharge peaks upstream and downstream from the aquifer series; the maximum discharge ratio downstream (22) and the peak recession coefficient (0.196 d-1) are low compared with other alpine catchments. During low-flow conditions, the underground flow path length increased to 2 km and groundwater velocities decreased to 13 m h-1. Downstream hydrographs revealed a delayed discharge response after 101 h and peaks dampened by a factor of 1.5. These results indicate that alluvial/rockfall aquifers might play an important role in the flow regime and attenuation of floods in alpine regions.

Crown size relationships for black willow in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Jamie L. Schuler; Bradley Woods; Joshua Adams; Ray Souter

2015-01-01

Growing space requirements derived from maximum and minimum crown sizes have been identified for many southern hardwood species. These requirements help managers assess stocking levels, schedule intermediate treatments, and even assist in determining planting densities. Throughout the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, black willow (Salix nigra Marsh.) stands are common...

Long-term measurements of agronomic crop irrigation in the Mississippi Delta portion of the Lower Mississippi River Valley

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

With over 4 million ha irrigated cropland, the Lower Mississippi River Valley (LMRV) is a highly productive agricultural region where irrigation practices are similar and the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) is a primary source of on-demand irrigation. Owing to agricultural exports, ...

Coupling heat and chemical tracer experiments for estimating heat transfer parameters in shallow alluvial aquifers.

PubMed

Wildemeersch, S; Jamin, P; Orban, P; Hermans, T; Klepikova, M; Nguyen, F; Brouyère, S; Dassargues, A

2014-11-15

Geothermal energy systems, closed or open, are increasingly considered for heating and/or cooling buildings. The efficiency of such systems depends on the thermal properties of the subsurface. Therefore, feasibility and impact studies performed prior to their installation should include a field characterization of thermal properties and a heat transfer model using parameter values measured in situ. However, there is a lack of in situ experiments and methodology for performing such a field characterization, especially for open systems. This study presents an in situ experiment designed for estimating heat transfer parameters in shallow alluvial aquifers with focus on the specific heat capacity. This experiment consists in simultaneously injecting hot water and a chemical tracer into the aquifer and monitoring the evolution of groundwater temperature and concentration in the recovery well (and possibly in other piezometers located down gradient). Temperature and concentrations are then used for estimating the specific heat capacity. The first method for estimating this parameter is based on a modeling in series of the chemical tracer and temperature breakthrough curves at the recovery well. The second method is based on an energy balance. The values of specific heat capacity estimated for both methods (2.30 and 2.54MJ/m(3)/K) for the experimental site in the alluvial aquifer of the Meuse River (Belgium) are almost identical and consistent with values found in the literature. Temperature breakthrough curves in other piezometers are not required for estimating the specific heat capacity. However, they highlight that heat transfer in the alluvial aquifer of the Meuse River is complex and contrasted with different dominant process depending on the depth leading to significant vertical heat exchange between upper and lower part of the aquifer. Furthermore, these temperature breakthrough curves could be included in the calibration of a complex heat transfer model for

Enhancements to the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) groundwater-flow model and simulations of sustainable water-level scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Brian R.; Westerman, Drew A.; Fugitt, D. Todd

2013-01-01

Arkansas continues to be one of the largest users of groundwater in the Nation. As such, long-term planning and management are essential to ensure continued availability of groundwater and surface water for years to come. The Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) model was developed previously as a tool to evaluate groundwater availability within the Mississippi embayment, which encompasses much of eastern Arkansas where the majority of groundwater is used. The Arkansas Water Plan is being updated for the first time since 1990 and serves as the State’s primary, comprehensive water-resources planning and guidance document. The MERAS model was selected as the best available tool for evaluation of specific water-use pumping scenarios that are currently being considered by the State of Arkansas. The model, developed as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Resources Program’s assessment of the Nation’s groundwater availability, is proving to be invaluable to the State as it works toward development of a sustained yield pumping strategy. One aspect of this investigation was to evaluate multiple methods to improve the match of observed to simulated groundwater levels within the Mississippi River Valley alluvial and middle Claiborne (Sparta) aquifers in the MERAS model. Five primary methods were evaluated: (1) explicit simulation of evapotranspiration (ET), (2) upgrade of the Multi-Node Well (MNW2) Package, (3) geometry improvement within the Streamflow Routing (SFR) Package, (4) parameter estimation of select aquifer properties with pilot points, and (5) modification of water-use estimates. For the planning purposes of the Arkansas Water Plan, three scenarios were developed to evaluate potential future conditions: (1) simulation of previously optimized pumping values within the Mississippi River Valley alluvial and the middle Claiborne aquifers, (2) simulated prolonged effects of pumping at average recent (2000–5) rates, and (3) simulation

River-aquifer interactions and their relationship to stygofauna assemblages: a case study of the Gwydir River alluvial aquifer (New South Wales, Australia).

PubMed

Menció, A; Korbel, K L; Hose, G C

2014-05-01

In contrast to surface water ecosystems, groundwater ecosystems are usually considered to have relatively stable conditions and physically inert environments. However, many groundwater ecosystems undergo substantial changes through space and time, related to fluxes in groundwater flow, exchange and nutrient imports. In this study we used hydrochemical data to: 1) determine the different hydrogeological conditions in an alluvial system, the shallow Gwydir River alluvial aquifer (located in Northern New South Wales, Australia); and 2) analyze the relationship between hydrochemical conditions and the composition of stygofauna assemblages in the aquifer. Using hydrochemical modeling and multivariate analyses, four main hydrogeological situations were defined as occurring in the aquifer. Bores were classified as having either a high, low or no influence from or exchange with the river. The latter group was further subdivided into those of low and high salinity. Further analysis combining the biological and hydrochemical data identified two main groups of samples. The first group was composed mainly of samples related to the aquifer groundwater which had higher richness and abundance of fauna compared to samples in the second group which was comprised of samples affected by stream water leakage and samples related to the highest salinities. These results suggest that more stable conditions (mainly related to steadier groundwater head levels) and lower nitrate concentrations promoted a more diverse and abundant stygofauna community. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Summary of available hydrogeologic data for the northeast portion of the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Unthank, Michael D.; Nelson, Hugh L.

2006-01-01

The hydrogeologic characteristics of the unconsolidated glacial outwash sand and gravel deposits that compose the northeast portion of the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky, indicate a prolific water-bearing formation with approximately 7 billion gallons of ground-water storage and an estimated sustainable yield of over 280 million gallons per day. This abundance of ground water and the need to properly develop and manage this resource has prompted many past investigations (since 1956), which have produced reports, maps, and data files covering a variety of topics relative to the movement, availability, and use of ground water in this area. These data have been compiled into a single report to assist in future development and use of the ground-water resources. Available ground-water data for the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky, from Beargrass Creek to Harrods Creek, were compiled from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System and the Kentucky Groundwater Data Repository. Data contained in these databases include ground-water well-construction details and historical ground-water levels, drillers' logs, and water-quality information. Additional data and information were gathered from project files at the U.S. Geological Survey--Kentucky Water Science Center and files at the Louisville Water Company. Information contained in these files included data from area pumping tests describing aquifer characteristics and ground-water flow. Data describing current conditions of the ground-water system in the northeast portion of the alluvial aquifer also are included. Ground-water levels from a network of observation wells show recent trends in the flow system, and information from the Kentucky Division of Water-Groundwater Branch lists current permitted ground-water withdrawals in the area.

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the alluvial and terrace deposits along the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie in northwestern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, G.P.; Runkle, Donna; Rea, Alan; Cederstrand, J.R.

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries, maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the alluvial and terrace deposits along the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie in northwestern Oklahoma. Ground water in 1,305 square miles of Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace deposits along the the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie is an important source of water for irrigation, industrial, municipal, stock, and domestic supplies. Alluvial and terrace deposits are composed of interfingering lenses of clay, sandy clay, and cross-bedded poorly sorted sand and gravel. The aquifer is composed of hydraulically connected alluvial and terrace deposits that unconformably overlie the Permian-age Formations. The aquifer boundaries are from a ground-water modeling report on the alluvial and terrace aquifer along the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie in northwestern Oklahoma and published digital surficial geology data sets. The aquifer boundary data set was created from digital geologic data sets from maps published at a scale of 1:250,000. The hydraulic conductivity values, recharge rates, and ground-water level elevation contours are from the ground-water modeling report. Water-level elevation contours were digitized from a map at a scale of 1:250,000. The maps were published at a scale of 1:900,000. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Modelling stream aquifer seepage in an alluvial aquifer: an improved loosing-stream package for MODFLOW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osman, Yassin Z.; Bruen, Michael P.

2002-07-01

Seepage from a stream, which partially penetrates an unconfined alluvial aquifer, is studied for the case when the water table falls below the streambed level. Inadequacies are identified in current modelling approaches to this situation. A simple and improved method of incorporating such seepage into groundwater models is presented. This considers the effect on seepage flow of suction in the unsaturated part of the aquifer below a disconnected stream and allows for the variation of seepage with water table fluctuations. The suggested technique is incorporated into the saturated code MODFLOW and is tested by comparing its predictions with those of a widely used variably saturated model, SWMS_2D simulating water flow and solute transport in two-dimensional variably saturated media. Comparisons are made of both seepage flows and local mounding of the water table. The suggested technique compares very well with the results of variably saturated model simulations. Most currently used approaches are shown to underestimate the seepage and associated local water table mounding, sometimes substantially. The proposed method is simple, easy to implement and requires only a small amount of additional data about the aquifer hydraulic properties.

Geologic controls on the chemical behaviour of nitrate in riverside alluvial aquifers, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Joong-Hyuk; Yun, Seong-Taek; Kim, Kangjoo; Kim, Hyoung-Soo; Kim, Dong-Ju

2003-04-01

To investigate the origin and behaviour of nitrate in alluvial aquifers adjacent to Nakdong River, Korea, we chose two representative sites (Wolha and Yongdang) having similar land-use characteristics but different geology. A total of 96 shallow groundwater samples were collected from irrigation and domestic wells tapping alluvial aquifers.About 63% of the samples analysed had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean drinking water limit (44·3 mg l-1 NO3-), and about 35% of the samples had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean groundwater quality standard for agricultural use (88·6 mg l-1 NO3-). Based on nitrogen isotope analysis, two major nitrate sources were identified: synthetic fertilizer (about 4 15N) applied to farmland, and animal manure and sewage (15-20 15N) originating from upstream residential areas. Shallow groundwater in the farmland generally had higher nitrate concentrations than those in residential areas, due to the influence of synthetic fertilizer. Nitrate concentrations at both study sites were highest near the water table and then progressively decreased with depth. Nitrate concentrations are also closely related to the geologic characteristics of the aquifer. In Yongdang, denitrification is important in regulating nitrate chemistry because of the availability of organic carbon from a silt layer (about 20 m thick) below a thin, sandy surface aquifer. In Wolha, however, conservative mixing between farmland-recharged water and water coming from a village is suggested as the dominant process. Mixing ratios estimated based on the nitrate concentrations and the 15N values indicate that water originating from the village affects the nitrate chemistry of the shallow groundwater underneath the farmland to a large extent.

A postglacial chronology for some alluvial valleys in Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leopold, Luna Bergere; Miller, John P.

1954-01-01

Alluvial terraces were studied in several major river basins in eastern Wyoming. Three terraces are present along nearly all the streams and large tributaries. There are several extensive dissected erosion surfaces in the area, but these are much older than, and stand well above, the recent alluvial terraces with which this report is concerned.The three alluvial terraces stand respectively about 40, 10, and 5 feet above the present streams. The uppermost and oldest is a fill terrace comprised of three stratigraphic units of varying age. The oldest unit is Pleistocene and the youngest unit postdates the development of a soil zone, or paleosol, which is characterized by strong accumulation of calcium carbonate and gypsum. This paleosol is an important stratigraphic marker. The middle terrace is generally a cut terrace and is developed on the material making up the youngest alluvium of the high terrace. The lowest is a fill terrace, the surface of which is only slightly higher than the present flood plain.The oldest terrace can tentatively be traced into mountain valleys of the Bighorn Range on the basis of discontinuous remnants. The terrace remnants occur far upstream from the youngest moraine in the valleys studied. On this basis, the terrace sequence is considered to postdate the last Wisconsin ice in the Bighorn Mountains. The paleosol is tentatively correlated with Altithermal time, called in Europe the Climatic Optimum. The terrace sequence is very similar to that suggested by various workers in the southwestern United States.Two streams, Clear Creek and the Powder River, deposited comparable silty alluvium, the surface of which now comprises the highest alluvial terrace. The gradients of these former flood plains differed markedly between the two streams despite the comparability in size of material deposited. This difference in gradient is believed to have required different relative contributions of water from mountain and plain areas than now exist

The Importance of Bank Storage in Supplying Baseflow to Rivers Flowing Through Compartmentalized, Alluvial Aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhodes, Kimberly A.; Proffitt, Tiffany; Rowley, Taylor; Knappett, Peter S. K.; Montiel, Daniel; Dimova, Natasha; Tebo, Daniel; Miller, Gretchen R.

2017-12-01

As water grows scarcer in semiarid and arid regions around the world, new tools are needed to quantify fluxes of water and chemicals between aquifers and rivers. In this study, we quantify the volumetric flux of subsurface water to a 24 km reach of the Brazos River, a lowland river that meanders through the Brazos River Alluvium Aquifer (BRAA), with 8 months of high-frequency differential gaging measurements using fixed gaging stations. Subsurface discharge sources were determined using natural tracers and End-Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA). During a 4 month river stage recession following a high stage event, subsurface discharge decreased from 50 m3/s to 0, releasing a total of 1.0 × 108 m3 of water. Subsurface discharge dried up even as the groundwater table at two locations in the BRAA located 300-500 m from the river remained ˜4 m higher than the river stage. Less than 4% of the water discharged from the subsurface during the prolonged recession period resembled the chemical fingerprint of the alluvial aquifer. Instead, the chemistry of this discharged water closely resembled high stage "event" river water. Together, these findings suggest that the river is well connected to rechargeable bank storage reservoirs but disconnected from the broader alluvial aquifer. The average width of discrete bank storage zones on each side of the river, identified with Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), was approximately 1.5 km. In such highly compartmentalized aquifers, groundwater pumping is unlikely to impact the exchange between the river and the alluvium.

Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer, Washington and Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drost, B.W.; Seitz, Harold R.

1977-01-01

The Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer is composed of unconsolidated Quaternary glaciofluvial deposits underlying an area of about 350 square miles. Transmissivities in the aquifer range from about 0.13 million to 11 million feet squared per day and ground-water velocities exceed 60 feet per day in some areas. The water-table gradient ranges from about 2 feet per mile to more than 60 feet per mile, and during a year the water table fluctuates on the order of 5 to 10 feet. For most of the aquifer the water table is between 40 and 400 feet below land surface. The aquifer is recharged and discharged at an average rate of about 1,320 cubic feet per second. Water is presently (1976) pumped from the aquifer at an average rate of about 239 cubic feet per second for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses. Most of this is discharged to the Spokane River, lost to evapotranspiration, or applied to the land surface with little or no change in quality. However, about 34 cubic feet per second becomes waste water generated by domestic and industrial activities and is returned to the aquifer by percolation from cesspools and drain fields. The quality of water in the aquifer is generally good. Less than one-half of 1 percent of the 3,300 analyses available exceeded the maximum contaminant levels specified in the National Interim Primary (or Proposed Secondary) Drinking Water Regulations (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1975) for constituents which may be hazardous to health. Of the 6,300 analyses for constituents considered detrimental to the esthetic quality of water, about 1.4 percent have yielded values which exceeded the recommended levels. Alternative water sources for the area supplied by the aquifer are the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers, lakes adjacent to the aquifer, and other aquifers. All of these potential sources are less desirable than the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer because of insufficient supplies, poor water quality, and (or

Bicarbonate Impact on U(VI) Bioreduction in a Shallow Alluvial Aquifer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Long, Philip E.; Williams, Kenneth H.; Davis, James A.

Field-scale biostimulation and desorption tracer experiments conducted in a uranium (U) contaminated, shallow alluvial aquifer have provided insight into the coupling of microbiology, biogeochemistry, and hydrogeology that control U mobility in the subsurface. Initial experiments successfully tested the concept that Fe-reducing bacteria such as Geobacter sp. could enzymatically reduce soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV) during in situ electron donor amendment (Anderson et al. 2003, Williams et al. 2011). In parallel, in situ desorption tracer tests using bicarbonate amendment demonstrated rate-limited U(VI) desorption (Fox et al. 2012). These results and prior laboratory studies underscored the importance of enzymatic U(VI)-reduction and suggestedmore » the ability to combine desorption and bioreduction of U(VI). Here we report the results of a new field experiment in which bicarbonate-promoted uranium desorption and acetate amendment were combined and compared to an acetate amendment-only experiment in the same experimental plot. Results confirm that bicarbonate amendment to alluvial aquifer desorbs U(VI) and increases the abundance of Ca-uranyl-carbonato complexes. At the same time, that the rate of acetate-promoted enzymatic U(VI) reduction was greater in the presence of added bicarbonate in spite of the increased dominance of Ca-uranyl-carbonato aqueous complexes. A model-simulated peak rate of U(VI) reduction was ~3.8 times higher during acetate-bicarbonate treatment than under acetate-only conditions. Lack of consistent differences in microbial community structure between acetate-bicarbonate and acetate-only treatments suggest that a significantly higher rate of U(VI) reduction the bicarbonate-impacted sediment may be due to a higher intrinsic rate of microbial reduction induced by elevated concentrations of the bicarbonate oxyanion. The findings indicate that bicarbonate amendment may be useful in improving the engineered bioremediation of uranium in aquifers.« less

Bicarbonate impact on U(VI) bioreduction in a shallow alluvial aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Philip E.; Williams, Kenneth H.; Davis, James A.; Fox, Patricia M.; Wilkins, Michael J.; Yabusaki, Steven B.; Fang, Yilin; Waichler, Scott R.; Berman, Elena S. F.; Gupta, Manish; Chandler, Darrell P.; Murray, Chris; Peacock, Aaron D.; Giloteaux, Ludovic; Handley, Kim M.; Lovley, Derek R.; Banfield, Jillian F.

2015-02-01

Field-scale biostimulation and desorption tracer experiments conducted in a uranium (U) contaminated, shallow alluvial aquifer have provided insight into the coupling of microbiology, biogeochemistry, and hydrogeology that control U mobility in the subsurface. Initial experiments successfully tested the concept that Fe-reducing bacteria such as Geobacter sp. could enzymatically reduce soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV) during in situ electron donor amendment (Anderson et al., 2003; Williams et al., 2011). In parallel, in situ desorption tracer tests using bicarbonate amendment demonstrated rate-limited U(VI) desorption (Fox et al., 2012). These results and prior laboratory studies underscored the importance of enzymatic U(VI)-reduction and suggested the ability to combine desorption and bioreduction of U(VI). Here we report the results of a new field experiment in which bicarbonate-promoted uranium desorption and acetate amendment were combined and compared to an acetate amendment-only experiment in the same experimental plot. Results confirm that bicarbonate amendment to alluvial aquifer sediments desorbs U(VI) and increases the abundance of Ca-uranyl-carbonato complexes. At the same time, the rate of acetate-promoted enzymatic U(VI) reduction was greater in the presence of added bicarbonate in spite of the increased dominance of Ca-uranyl-carbonato aqueous complexes. A model-simulated peak rate of U(VI) reduction was ∼3.8 times higher during acetate-bicarbonate treatment than under acetate-only conditions. Lack of consistent differences in microbial community structure between acetate-bicarbonate and acetate-only treatments suggest that a significantly higher rate of U(VI) reduction in the bicarbonate-impacted sediment may be due to a higher intrinsic rate of microbial reduction induced by elevated concentrations of the bicarbonate oxyanion. The findings indicate that bicarbonate amendment may be useful in improving the engineered bioremediation of uranium in

Bottomland Forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley associated with the endangered Lindera melissifolia

Treesearch

Tracy S. Hawkins; Daniel A. Skojac; Brian R. Lockhart; Theodor D. Leininger; Margaret S. Devall; Nathan M. Shiff

2009-01-01

Forest canopy and subcanopy data were collected from and compared amongfive disjunct bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, each withknown occurrence of a population of the federally endangered shrub Lindera melissifolia. Allstudy sites are cut-over forests, underlain by...

A Role for Agroforestry in Forest Restoration in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Michael G. Dosskey; Gary Bentrup; Michele Schoeneberger

2012-01-01

Agroforestry options are explored for restoring important functions and values of bottomland hardwood (BLH) forests in the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMAV). Agroforestry practices can augment the size and quality of BLH habitat, provide corridors between BLH areas, and enable restoration of natural hydrologic patterns and water quality. Agroforestry...

A stand-development approach to oak afforestation in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

J. Stanturf

2009-01-01

Oak (Quercus spp.) afforestation in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley has involved planting 1-year-old bareroot seedlings on a relatively wide spacing in single-species stands or planting light-seeded species with oaks to form mixed-species stands. In the former case, the developing single-species stands have limited future...

Inverse geochemical modeling of groundwater evolution with emphasis on arsenic in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, Arkansas (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sharif, M.U.; Davis, R.K.; Steele, K.F.; Kim, B.; Kresse, T.M.; Fazio, J.A.

2008-01-01

Inverse geochemical modeling (PHREEQC) was used to identify the evolution of groundwater with emphasis on arsenic (As) release under reducing conditions in the shallow (25-30 m) Mississippi River Valley Alluvial aquifer, Arkansas, USA. The modeling was based on flow paths defined by high-precision (??2 cm) water level contour map; X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic (SEM), and chemical analysis of boring-sediments for minerals; and detailed chemical analysis of groundwater along the flow paths. Potential phases were constrained using general trends in chemical analyses data of groundwater and sediments, and saturation indices data (MINTEQA2) of minerals in groundwater. Modeling results show that calcite, halite, fluorite, Fe oxyhydroxide, organic matter, H2S (gas) were dissolving with mole transfers of 1.40E - 03, 2.13E - 04, 4.15E - 06, 1.25E + 01, 3.11, and 9.34, respectively along the dominant flow line. Along the same flow line, FeS, siderite, and vivianite were precipitating with mole transfers of 9.34, 3.11, and 2.64E - 07, respectively. Cation exchange reactions of Ca2+ (4.93E - 04 mol) for Na+ (2.51E - 04 mol) on exchange sites occurred along the dominant flow line. Gypsum dissolution reactions were dominant over calcite dissolution in some of the flow lines due to the common ion effect. The concentration of As in groundwater ranged from <0.5 to 77 ??g/L. Twenty percent total As was complexed with Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides. The redox environment, chemical data of sediments and groundwater, and the results of inverse geochemical modeling indicate that reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxide is the dominant process of As release in the groundwater. The relative rate of reduction of Fe oxyhydroxide over SO42 - with co-precipitation of As into sulfide is the limiting factor controlling dissolved As in groundwater. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A plan to study the aquifer system of the Central Valley of California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bertoldi, Gilbert L.

1979-01-01

Unconsolidated Quaternary alluvial deposits comprise a large complex aquifer system in the Central Valley of California. Millions of acre-feet of water is pumped from the system annually to support a large and expanding agribusiness industry. Since the 1950's, water levels have been steadily declining in many areas of the valley and concern has been expressed about the ability of the entire ground-water system to support agribusiness at current levels, not to mention its ability to function at projected expansion levels. At current levels of ground-water use, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million acre-feet is withdrawn from storage each year; that is, 1.5 to 2 million acre-feet of water is pumped annually in excess of annual replenishment. The U.S. Geological Survey has initiated a 4-year study to develop geologic, hydrologic, and hydraulic information and to establish a valleywide ground-water data base that will be used to build computer models of the ground-water flow system. Subsequently, these models may be used to evaluate the system response to various ground-water management alternatives. This report describes current problems, objectives of the study, and outlines the general work to be accomplished in the study area. A bibliography of about 600 references is included. (Kosco-USGS)

A stand-development approach to oak afforestation in the lower Mississippi alluvial valley

Treesearch

Brian Roy Lockhart; Emile Gardiner; Theodor Leininger; John Stanturf

2008-01-01

Oak (Quercus spp.) afforestation in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley has involved planting 1-year-old bareroot seedlings on a relatively wide spacing in single-species stands or planting light-seeded species with oaks to form mixed-species stands. In the former case, the developing single-species stands have limited future management options...

Carbon sequestration resulting from bottomland hardwood afforestation in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Bertrand F. Nero; Richard P. Maiers; Janet C. Dewey; Andrew J. Londo

2010-01-01

Increasing abandonment of marginal agricultural lands in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) and rising global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels create a need for better options of achieving rapid afforestation and enhancing both below and aboveground carbon sequestration. This study examines the responses of six mixtures of bottomland hardwood species...

Geohydrology of the Valley-Fill Aquifers between the Village of Greene, Chenango County and Chenango Valley State Park, Broome County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hetcher-Aguila, Kari K.; Miller, Todd S.

2005-01-01

The confined aquifer is widely used by people living and working in the Chenango River valley. The confined aquifer consists of ice-contact sand and gravel, typically overlies bedrock, and underlies a confining unit consisting of lacustrine fine sand, silt, and clay. The confining unit is typically more than 100 feet thick in the central parts of the valley between Greene Landing Field and along the northern edge of the Chenango Valley State Park. The thickness of the confined aquifer is more than 40 feet near the Greene Landing Field.

A combined hydrochemical - isotopic approach for assessing the regional pollution of an alluvial aquifer in a urbanized environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gesels, Julie; Orban, Philippe; Popescu, Cristina; Knöller, Kay; Brouyère, Serge

2014-05-01

The alluvial aquifer of the Meuse River is contaminated at regional scale in the urbanized and industrialized area of Liège in Belgium with different types of contaminants, in particular inorganics such as sulfate, nitrate and ammonium. The sources of those contaminants are numerous: brownfields, urban waste water, subsurface acid mine drainage from former coal mines, atmospheric deposits related to pollutants emissions in the atmosphere... Sulfate, nitrate and ammonium are both typical pollutants of the aquifer and tracers of the possible pollution sources. According to the European legislation on water, groundwater resources should reach a good quality status before 2015. However, an exemption can be obtained if it may be unfeasible or unreasonably expensive to achieve good status. In this case, groundwater quality objectives and management plans can be adapted to these specific conditions. To obtain such an exemption for the Meuse alluvial aquifer, it is required to demonstrate that the poor qualitative status is caused by acid mine drainage, or by widespread historical atmospheric deposition from industries, and not by recent anthropogenic contamination from the urban and industrial context. In this context, a detailed hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater has been performed, with the aim of determining the origin of the inorganic contaminations and the main processes contributing to poor groundwater quality. A large hydrochemical sampling campaign was performed, based on 71 selected representative sampling locations, to better characterize the different vectors (end-members) of contamination of the alluvial aquifer and their respective contribution to groundwater contamination in the area. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for major and minor compounds and metallic trace elements. The analyses also include stable isotopes in water, sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, boron and strontium. Different hydrogeochemical approaches are combined to

A comparison of site preparation and sowing techniques for direct seeding bottomland red oaks in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Brian R. Lockhart; Bob Keeland; John McCoy; Thomas J. Dean

2005-01-01

Prior to European settlement, bottomland hardwood forests covered about 24 million acres in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV). Due to the rich nature of these alluvial soils and the development of flood control structures, much of this land has been converted to agricultural production.

Accounting System for Water Use by Vegetation in the Lower Colorado River Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.

1992-01-01

The Colorado River is the principal source of water in the valley of the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and the international boundary with Mexico (fig. 1). Agricultural, domestic, municipal, industrial, hydroelectric-power genera-tion, and recreation are the primary uses of river water in the valley. Most of the consumptive use of water from the river occurs downstream from Davis Dam, where water is diverted to irrigate crops along the river or is exported to interior regions of California and Arizona. Most of the agricultural areas are on the alluvium of the flood plain; in a few areas, land on the alluvial terraces has been cultivated. River water is consumed mainly by vegetation (crops and phreatophytes) on the flood plain. Crops were grown on 70.3 percent of the vegetated area classified by using 1984 digital image satellite data. Phreatophytes, natural vege-tation that obtain water from the alluvial aquifer, covered the remaining vegetated areas on the uncultivated flood plain. Most of the water used for irrigation is diverted or pumped from the river. In some areas, water is pumped from wells completed in the alluvial aquifer, which is hydraulically connected to the river.

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the alluvial and terrace deposits along the North Canadian River from Canton Lake to Lake Overholser in Central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, G.P.; Rea, Alan; Runkle, D.L.

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the alluvial and terrace deposits along the alluvial and terrace deposits along the North Canadian River from Canton Lake to Lake Overholser in central Oklahoma. Ground water in approximately 400 square miles of Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace aquifer is an important source of water for irrigation, industrial, municipal, stock, and domestic supplies. The aquifer consists of clay, silt, sand, and gravel. Sand-sized sediments dominate the poorly sorted, fine to coarse, unconsolidated quartz grains in the aquifer. The hydraulically connected alluvial and terrace deposits unconformably overlie Permian-age formations. The aquifer is overlain by a layer of wind-blown sand in parts of the area. Most of the lines in the aquifer boundary, hydraulic conductivity, and recharge data sets were extracted from published digital surficial geology data sets based on a scale of 1:250,000. The ground-water elevation contours and some of the lines for the aquifer boundary, hydraulic conductivity, and recharge data sets were digitized from a ground-water modeling report about the aquifer published at a scale of 1:250,000. The hydraulic conductivity values and recharge rates also are from the ground-water modeling report. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Hydrogeology and simulation of groundwater flow and analysis of projected water use for the Canadian River alluvial aquifer, western and central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, John H.; Mashburn, Shana L.; Graves, Grant M.; Peterson, Steven M.; Smith, S. Jerrod; Fuhrig, Leland T.; Wagner, Derrick L.; Sanford, Jon E.

2017-02-13

This report describes a study of the hydrogeology and simulation of groundwater flow for the Canadian River alluvial aquifer in western and central Oklahoma conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. The report (1) quantifies the groundwater resources of the Canadian River alluvial aquifer by developing a conceptual model, (2) summarizes the general water quality of the Canadian River alluvial aquifer groundwater by using data collected during August and September 2013, (3) evaluates the effects of estimated equal proportionate share (EPS) on aquifer storage and streamflow for time periods of 20, 40, and 50 years into the future by using numerical groundwater-flow models, and (4) evaluates the effects of present-day groundwater pumping over a 50-year period and sustained hypothetical drought conditions over a 10-year period on stream base flow and groundwater in storage by using numerical flow models. The Canadian River alluvial aquifer is a Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace unit consisting of beds of clay, silt, sand, and fine gravel sediments unconformably overlying Tertiary-, Permian-, and Pennsylvanian-age sedimentary rocks. For groundwater-flow modeling purposes, the Canadian River was divided into Reach I, extending from the Texas border to the Canadian River at the Bridgeport, Okla., streamgage (07228500), and Reach II, extending downstream from the Canadian River at the Bridgeport, Okla., streamgage (07228500), to the confluence of the river with Eufaula Lake. The Canadian River alluvial aquifer spans multiple climate divisions, ranging from semiarid in the west to humid subtropical in the east. The average annual precipitation in the study area from 1896 to 2014 was 34.4 inches per year (in/yr).A hydrogeologic framework of the Canadian River alluvial aquifer was developed that includes the areal and vertical extent of the aquifer and the distribution, texture variability, and hydraulic properties of

Ground-water data for the alluvial, buried channel, Basel Pleistocene and Dakota aquifer in West-Central Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Pamela K.B.; Runkle, Donna L.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the availability, quantity and quality of groundwater from three principal aquifers in West-Central Iowa, the alluvial, buried channel, Basal Pleistocene and the Dakota aquifers. Specific objectives were to: (1) determine the location, extent and the nature of these aquifers; (2) evaluate the occurrence and movement of groundwater, including the sources of recharge and discharge; (3) estimate the quantities of water stored in the aquifers; (4) estimate the potential yields of wells tapping the aquifers; (5) estimate the water use; and (6) describe the chemical quality of the groundwater. This report is the compilation of the data collected during the investigation and has the purpose of providing a reference for an interpretive report describing groundwater resources and a bedrock topography map of the study area.

Using hydrochemical data and modelling to enhance the knowledge of groundwater flow and quality in an alluvial aquifer of Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Marković, Tamara; Brkić, Željka; Larva, Ozren

2013-08-01

The Zagreb alluvial aquifer system is located in the southwest of the Pannonian Basin in the Sava Valley in Croatia. It is composed of Quaternary unconsolidated deposits and is highly utilised, primarily as a water supply for the more than one million inhabitants of the capital city of Croatia. To determine the origin and dynamics of the groundwater and to enhance the knowledge of groundwater flow and the interactions between the groundwater and surface water, extensive hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations have been completed. The groundwater levels monitored in nested observation wells and the lithological profile indicate that the aquifer is a single hydrogeologic unit, but the geochemical characteristics of the aquifer indicate stratification. The weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals has an important role in groundwater chemistry, especially in the area where old meanders of the Sava River existed. Groundwater quality was observed to be better in the deeper parts of the aquifer than in the shallower parts. Furthermore, deterioration of the groundwater quality was observed in the area under the influence of the landfill. The stable isotopic composition of all sampled waters indicates meteoric origin. NETPATH-WIN was used to calculate the mixing proportions between initial waters (water from the Sava River and groundwater from "regional" flow) in the final water (groundwater sampled from observation wells). According to the results, the mixing proportions of "regional" flow and the river water depend on hydrological conditions, the duration of certain hydrological conditions and the vicinity of the Sava River. Moreover, although the aquifer system behaves as a single hydrogeologic unit from a hydraulic point of view, it still clearly demonstrates geochemical stratification, which could be a decisive factor in future utilisation strategies for the aquifer system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of the New Madrid earthquake series in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saucier, R.T.

1977-02-01

Geological effects of the New Madrid earthquake series of 1811-12 in the upper portion of the Lower Mississippi Valley include land subsidence, uplift or doming, landslides, bank caving, fissuring, and sand blow phenomena. Features resulting from the liquefaction of sand are widespread in the alluvial valley and offer the greatest potential for definitively assessing the effects of major earthquakes on thick alluvial deposits and predicting the recurrence interval of infrequent major earthquakes in the region. However, liquefaction phenomena have not been the subject of detailed geological investigations applying knowledge of alluvial morphology and earth sciences methodology. Comparative aerial photo interpretationmore » has been used to classify liquefaction phenomena according to morphology, distribution, and relationship to major depositional environments. Surface morphology and spatial distribution of sand blows and fissures indicate basic control by drainage lines, water table position, and thickness of fine-grained topstratum deposits, Research efforts have been aimed at locating field test sites where the subsurface expression of the liquefaction phenomena can be investigated through trenching and land planing. Subsurface expression is presumed to be more permanent than surface expression and may permit the recognition of such features in older formations. Evidence of fissures and related phenomena is being sought in older Quaternary deposits to permit estimates of the frequency of past major earthquakes.« less

Hydrology of the Little Androscoggin River Valley aquifer, Oxford County, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morrissey, D.J.

1983-01-01

The Little Androscoggin River valley aquifer, a 15-square-mile sand and gravel valley-fill aquifer in southwestern Maine, is the source of water for the towns of Norway, Oxford, and South Paris. Estimated inflows to the aquifer during the 1981 water year were 16.4 cubic feet per second from precipitation directly on the aquifer, 11.2 cubic feet per second from till covered uplands adjacent to the aquifer, and 1.4 cubic feet per second from surface-water leakage. Outflows from the aquifer were 26.7 cubic feet per second to surface water and 2.3 cubic feet per second to wells. A finite-difference ground-water flow model was used to simulate conditions observed in the aquifer during 1981. Model conditions observed in the aquifer during 1981. Model simulations indicate that a 50 percent reduction of average 1981 recharge to the aquifer would cause water level declines of up to 20 feet in some areas. Model simulations of increased pumping at a high yield well in the northern part of the aquifer indicate that resulting changes in the water table will not be sufficient to intercept groundwater contaminated by a sludge disposal site. Water in the aquifer is low in dissolved solids (average for 38 samples was 67 mg/L), slightly acidic and soft. Ground-water contamination has occurred near a sludge-disposal site and in the vicinity of a sanitary landfill. Dissolved solids in ground water near the sludge disposal site were as much as ten times greater than average background values for the aquifer. (USGS)

Investigating Groundwater Depletion and Aquifer Degradation in Central Valley California from Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojha, C.; Shirzaei, M.; Werth, S.; Argus, D. F.

2017-12-01

The Central Valley in California includes one of the world's largest and yet most stressed aquifer systems. The large demand for groundwater, accelerated by population growth and extreme droughts, has been depleting the region's groundwater resources for decades. However, the lack of dense monitoring networks and inaccurate information on geophysical aquifer response pose serious challenges to water management efforts in the area and put the groundwater at high risk. Here, we performed a joint analysis of large SAR interferometric data sets acquired by ALOS L-band satellite in conjunction with the groundwater level observations across the Central Valley. We used 420 L-band SAR images acquired on the ascending orbit track during period Dec 24, 2006 - Jan 1, 2010, and generated more than 1600 interferograms with a pixel size of 100 m × 100 m. We also use data from 1600 observational wells providing continuous measurements of groundwater level within the study period for our analysis. We find that in the south and near Tulare Lake, north of Tule and south of Kaweah basin in San Joaquin valley, the subsidence rate is greatest at up to 20-25 cm/yr, while in Sacramento Valley the subsidence rate is lower at 1-3 cm/yr. From the characterization of the elastic and inelastic storage coefficients, we find that Kern, Tule, Tulare, Kaweah and Merced basins in the San Joaquin Valley are more susceptible to permanent compaction and aquifer storage loss. Kern County shows 0.23%-1.8% of aquifer storage loss during the study period, and has higher percentage loss than adjacent basins such as Tule and Tulare Lake with 0.15%-1.2% and 0.2 %-1.5% loss, respectively. Overall, we estimate that the aquifers across the valley lost a total of 28 km3 of groundwater and 2% of their storage capacity during the study period. Our unique observational evidence including valley-wide estimate of mechanical properties of aquifers and model results will not only facilitate monitoring water deficits

Groundwater monitoring plan for the Missouri River alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of the City of Independence, Missouri, well field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilkison, Donald H.

2012-01-01

Source contributions to monitoring and supply wells, contributing recharge areas, groundwater travel times, and current (2012) understanding of alluvial water quality were used to develop a groundwater monitoring plan for the Missouri River alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of the City of Independence, Missouri well field. The plan was designed to evaluate long-term alluvial water quality and assess potential changes in, and threats to, well-field water quality. Source contributions were determined from an existing groundwater flow model in conjunction with particle-tracking analysis and verified with water-quality data collected from 1997 through 2010 from a network of 68 monitoring wells. Three conjunctive factors - well-field pumpage, Missouri River discharge, and aquifer recharge - largely determined groundwater flow and, therefore, source contributions. The predominant source of groundwater to most monitoring wells and supply wells is the Missouri River, and this was reflected, to some extent, in alluvial water quality. To provide an estimate of the maximum potential lead time available for remedial action, monitoring wells where groundwater travel times from the contributing recharge areas are less than 2 years and predominately singular sources (such as the Missouri River or the land surface) were selected for annual sampling. The sample interval of the remaining wells, which have varying travel times and intermediate mixtures of river and land-surface contributions, were staggered on a 2-, 3-, or 4-year rotation. This was done to provide data from similar contributing areas and account for inherent aquifer variability yet minimize sample redundancy.

Suggestions for a Silvicultural Prescription for Cerulean Warblers in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Paul B. Hamel

2005-01-01

Conservation of species with high Partners in Flight concern scores may require active habitat management. Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) occurs at low numbers in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley in the western part of its breeding range. A study of the breeding ecology of the species was initiated in 1992 on three sites there....

What is restoring bottomland hardwood forests? A study from the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Callie Jo Schweitzer

1998-01-01

The interest in changing the use of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) floodplain has been gathering momentum. Recent changes in Federal farm programs, heightened awareness of the value of forested wetlands and increasingly productive farming practices have allowed for consideration of land use changes. Marginal agricultural land in the LMAV, cleared at the...

Residence Times in Central Valley Aquifers Recharged by Dammed Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loustale, M.; Paukert Vankeuren, A. N.; Visser, A.

2017-12-01

Groundwater is a vital resource for California, providing between 30-60% of the state's water supply. Recent emphasis on groundwater sustainability has induced a push to characterize recharge rates and residence times for high priority aquifers, including most aquifers in California's Central Valley. Flows in almost all rivers from the western Sierra to the Central Valley are controlled by dams, altering natural flow patterns and recharge to local aquifers. In eastern Sacramento, unconfined and confined shallow aquifers (depth <300 feet) are recharged by a losing reach of the Lower American River, despite the presence of levees with slurry cut-off walls.1 Flow in the Lower American River is controlled through the operation of the Folsom and Nimbus Dams, with a minimum flow of 500 cfs. Water table elevation in wells in close proximity to the river are compared to river stage to determine the effect of river stage on groundwater recharge rates. Additionally, Tritium-3Helium dates and stable isotopes (∂18O and ∂2H) have been measured in monitoring wells 200- 2400 ft lateral distance from the river, and depths of 25 -225 feet BGS. Variation in groundwater age in the vertical and horizontal directions are used to determine groundwater flow path and velocity. These data are then used to calculate residence time of groundwater in the unconfined and confined aquifer systems for the Central Valley in eastern Sacramento. Applying groundwater age tracers can benefit future compliance metrics of the California Sustainable Groundwater Resources Act (SGMA), by quantifying river seepage rates and impacts of groundwater management on surface water resources. 1Moran et al., UCRL-TR-203258, 2004.

Depth to water, 1991, in the Rathdrum Prairie, Idaho; Spokane River valley, Washington; Moscow-Lewiston-Grangeville area, Idaho; and selected intermontane valleys, east-central Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berenbrock, Charles E.; Bassick, M.D.; Rogers, T.L.; Garcia, S.P.

1995-01-01

This map report illustrates digitally generated depth-to-water zones for the Rathdrum Prairie in Idaho; part of the Spokane River Valley in eastern Washington; and the intermontane valleys of the upper Big Wood, Big Lost, Pahsimeroi, Little Lost, and Lemhi Rivers and Birch Creek in Idaho. Depth to water is 400 to 500 feet below land surface in the northern part of Rathdrum Prairie, 100 to 200 feet below land surface at the Idaho-Washington State line, and 0 to 250 feet below land surface in the Spokane area. Depth to water in the intermontane valleys in east-central Idaho is least (usually less than 50 feet) near streams and increases toward valley margins where mountain-front alluvial fans have formed. Depths to water shown in the Moscow-Lewiston-Grangeville area in Idaho are limited to point data at individual wells because most of the water levels measured were not representative of levels in the uppermost aquifer but of levels in deeper aquifers.

Characterization and simulation of ground-water flow in the Kansas River Valley at Fort Riley, Kansas, 1990-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myers, Nathan C.

2000-01-01

Hydrologic data and a ground-water flow model were used to characterize ground-water flow in the Kansas River alluvial aquifer at Fort Riley in northeast Kansas. The ground-water flow model was developed as a tool to project ground-water flow and potential contaminant-transport paths in the alluvial aquifer on the basis of past hydrologic conditions. The model also was used to estimate historical and hypothetical ground-water flow paths with respect to a private- and several public-supply wells. The ground-water flow model area extends from the Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers downstream to about 2.5 miles downstream from the city of Ogden. The Kansas River Valley has low relief and, except for the area within the Fort Riley Military Reservation, is used primarily for crop production. Sedimentary deposits in the Kansas River Valley, formed after the ancestral Kansas River eroded into bedrock, primarily are alluvial sediment deposited by the river during Quaternary time. The alluvial sediment consists of as much as about 75 feet of poorly sorted, coarse-to-fine sand, silt, and clay, 55 feet of which can be saturated with ground water. The alluvial aquifer is unconfined and is bounded on the sides and bottom by Permian-age shale and limestone bedrock. Hydrologic data indicate that ground water in the Kansas River Valley generally flows in a downstream direction, but flow direction can be quite variable near the Kansas River due to changes in river stage. Ground-water-level changes caused by infiltration of precipitation are difficult to detect because they are masked by larger changes caused by fluctuation in Kansas River stage. Ratios of strontium isotopes Sr87 and Sr86 in water collected from wells in the Camp Funston Area indicate that the ground water along the northern valley wall originates, in part, from upland areas north of the river valley. Water from Threemile Creek, which flows out of the uplands north of the river valley, had Sr87:Sr86 ratios similar to

Relation of Chlorofluorocarbon Ground-Water Age Dates to Water Quality in Aquifers of West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

,; Kurt, J.; Kozar, Mark D.

2007-01-01

The average apparent age of ground water in fractured-bedrock aquifers in West Virginia was determined using chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) dating methods. Since the introduction of CFC gases as refrigerants in the late 1930s, atmospheric concentrations have increased until production ceased in the mid-1990s. CFC dating methods are based on production records that date to the early 1940s, and the preservation of atmospheric CFC concentrations in ground water at the time of recharge. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) and Ambient Ground-Water Monitoring Network (AGN) programs in West Virginia from 1997 to 2005, 80 samples from the Appalachian Plateaus Physiographic Province, 27 samples from the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province, and 5 samples from the Ohio River alluvial aquifers were collected to estimate ground-water ages in aquifers of West Virginia. Apparent CFC ages of water samples from West Virginia aquifers ranged from 5.8 to 56 years. In the Appalachian Plateaus, topographically driven ground-water flow is evident from apparent ages of water samples from hilltop, hillside, and valley settings (median apparent ages of 12, 14, and 25 years, respectively). Topographic setting was the only factor that was found to be related to apparent ground-water age in the Plateaus at the scale of this study. Similar relations were not found in Valley and Ridge aquifers, indicating that other factors such as bedding or geologic structure may serve larger roles in controlling ground-water flow in that physiographic province. Degradation of CFCs was common in samples collected from methanogenic/anoxic aquifers in the Appalachian Plateaus and suboxic to anoxic aquifers in the Valley and Ridge. CFC contamination was most common in Ohio River alluvial aquifers and carbonate units of the Valley and Ridge, indicating that these highly transmissive surficial aquifers are the most vulnerable to water-quality degradation and may

Quantifying alluvial fan sensitivity to climate in Death Valley, California, from field observations and numerical models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooke, Sam; Whittaker, Alexander; Armitage, John; D'Arcy, Mitch; Watkins, Stephen

2017-04-01

A quantitative understanding of landscape sensitivity to climate change remains a key challenge in the Earth Sciences. The stream-flow deposits of coupled catchment-fan systems offer one way to decode past changes in external boundary conditions as they comprise simple, closed systems that can be represented effectively by numerical models. Here we combine the collection and analysis of grain size data on well-dated alluvial fan surfaces in Death Valley, USA, with numerical modelling to address the extent to which sediment routing systems record high-frequency, high-magnitude climate change. We compile a new database of Holocene and Late-Pleistocene grain size trends from 11 alluvial fans in Death Valley, capturing high-resolution grain size data ranging from the Recent to 100 kyr in age. We hypothesise the observed changes in average surface grain size and fining rate over time are a record of landscape response to glacial-interglacial climatic forcing. With this data we are in a unique position to test the predictions of landscape evolution models and evaluate the extent to which climate change has influenced the volume and calibre of sediment deposited on alluvial fans. To gain insight into our field data and study area, we employ an appropriately-scaled catchment-fan model that calculates an eroded volumetric sediment budget to be deposited in a subsiding basin according to mass balance where grain size trends are predicted by a self-similarity fining model. We use the model to compare predicted trends in alluvial fan stratigraphy as a function of boundary condition change for a range of model parameters and input grain size distributions. Subsequently, we perturb our model with a plausible glacial-interglacial magnitude precipitation change to estimate the requisite sediment flux needed to generate observed field grain size trends in Death Valley. Modelled fluxes are then compared with independent measurements of sediment supply over time. Our results

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the alluvial and terrace deposits along the North Canadian River from Oklahoma City to Eufaula Lake in east-central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, G.P.; Runkle, Donna; Rea, Alan; Becker, C.J.

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the alluvial and terrace deposits along the North Canadian River from Oklahoma City to Eufaula Lake in east-central Oklahoma. Ground water in 710 square miles of Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace deposits along the North Canadian River is an important source of water for irrigation, industrial, municipal, stock, and domestic supplies. The aquifer, composed of alluvial and terrace deposits, consists of sand, silt, clay, and gravel. The aquifer is underlain and in hydraulic connection with the upper zone of the Permian-age Garber-Wellington aquifer and the Pennsylvanian-age Ada-Vamoosa aquifer. Most of the lines in the four digital data sets were digitized from a published ground-water modeling report but portions of the aquifer boundary data set was extracted from published digital geologic data sets. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Sources of high-chloride water and managed aquifer recharge in an alluvial aquifer in California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Leary, David; Izbicki, John A.; Metzger, Loren F.

2015-01-01

As a result of pumping in excess of recharge, water levels in alluvial aquifers within the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Subbasin, 130 km east of San Francisco (California, USA), declined below sea level in the early 1950s and have remained so to the present. Chloride concentrations in some wells increased during that time and exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency’s secondary maximum contaminant level of 250 mg/L, resulting in removal of some wells from service. Sources of high-chloride water include irrigation return in 16 % of sampled wells and water from delta sediments and deeper groundwater in 50 % of sampled wells. Chloride concentrations resulting from irrigation return commonly did not exceed 100 mg/L, although nitrate concentrations were as high as 25 mg/L as nitrogen. Chloride concentrations ranged from less than 100–2,050 mg/L in wells affected by water from delta sediments and deeper groundwater. Sequential electromagnetic logs show movement of high-chloride water from delta sediments to pumping wells through permeable interconnected aquifer layers. δD and δ18O data show most groundwater originated as recharge along the front of the Sierra Nevada, but tritium and carbon-14 data suggest recharge rates in this area are low and have decreased over recent geologic time. Managed aquifer recharge at two sites show differences in water-level responses to recharge and in the physical movement of recharged water with depth related to subsurface geology. Well-bore flow logs also show rapid movement of water from recharge sites through permeable interconnected aquifer layers to pumping wells.

Biogeochemistry at a wetland sediment-alluvial aquifer interface in a landfill leachate plume

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorah, M.M.; Cozzarelli, I.M.; Böhlke, J.K.

2009-01-01

The biogeochemistry at the interface between sediments in a seasonally ponded wetland (slough) and an alluvial aquifer contaminated with landfill leachate was investigated to evaluate factors that can effect natural attenuation of landfill leachate contaminants in areas of groundwater/surface-water interaction. The biogeochemistry at the wetland-alluvial aquifer interface differed greatly between dry and wet conditions. During dry conditions (low water table), vertically upward discharge was focused at the center of the slough from the fringe of a landfill-derived ammonium plume in the underlying aquifer, resulting in transport of relatively low concentrations of ammonium to the slough sediments with dilution and dispersion as the primary attenuation mechanism. In contrast, during wet conditions (high water table), leachate-contaminated groundwater discharged upward near the upgradient slough bank, where ammonium concentrations in the aquifer where high. Relatively high concentrations of ammonium and other leachate constituents also were transported laterally through the slough porewater to the downgradient bank in wet conditions. Concentrations of the leachate-associated constituents chloride, ammonium, non-volatile dissolved organic carbon, alkalinity, and ferrous iron more than doubled in the slough porewater on the upgradient bank during wet conditions. Chloride, non-volatile dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and bicarbonate acted conservatively during lateral transport in the aquifer and slough porewater, whereas ammonium and potassium were strongly attenuated. Nitrogen isotope variations in ammonium and the distribution of ammonium compared to other cations indicated that sorption was the primary attenuation mechanism for ammonium during lateral transport in the aquifer and the slough porewater. Ammonium attenuation was less efficient, however, in the slough porewater than in the aquifer and possibly occurred by a different sorption mechanism. A

Hydrogeology and water quality of the Shell Valley Aquifer, Rolette County, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strobel, M.L.

1997-01-01

The Shell Valley aquifer is the sole source of water for the city of Belcourt and the primary source of water for most of the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians is concerned about the quantity and quality of water in the Shell Valley aquifer, which underlies about 56 square miles in central Rolette County and has an average saturated thickness of about 35 feet. Water levels across most of the Shell Valley aquifer fluctuate with variations in precipitation but generally are stable. Withdrawals from the north well field decreased slightly during 1976-95, but withdrawals from the south well field increased during 1983-95. Water levels in the south well field declined as withdrawals increased. The average decline during the last 8 years was about 1.75 feet per year. The water level has reached the well screen in at least one of the production wells. Most of the water in the aquifer is a bicarbonate type and has dissolved-solids concentrations ranging from 479 to 1,510 milligrams per liter. None of the samples analyzed had detectable concentrations of pesticides, but hydrocarbons were detected in both ground- and surfacewater samples. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were the most frequently detected hydrocarbons. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and pentachlorophenol (PCP) also were detected.Generally, the Shell Valley aquifer is an adequate source of water for current needs, but evaluation of withdrawals in relation to a knowledge of aquifer hydrology would be important in quantifying sustainable water supplies. Water quality in the aquifer generally is good; the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians filters the water to reduce concentrations of dissolved constituents. Hydrocarbons, although present in the aquifer, have not been quantified and may not pose a general health risk. Further analysis of the quantity and distribution of the hydrocarbons would be useful

From Okra to Oak: Reforestation of Abandoned Agricultural Fields in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Callie Jo Schweitzer; John A. Stanturf

1997-01-01

There has been a tremendous upsurge in interest in reforestation of bottomland hardwoods. In the lower Mississippi alluvial valley, reforestation projects are occurringon a large scale on abandoned agricultural fields, often in conjunction with state or federal cost-share programs. This paper describes some of the cost share programs used to establish bottomland...

Afforestation of marginal agricultural land in the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, U.S.A.

Treesearch

John A. Stanturf; Callie J. Schweitzer; Emile S. Gardiner

1998-01-01

Afforestation of marginal agricultural land in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) relies on native species, planted mostly in single-species plantations. Hard mast species such as oak and pecan are favored for their value to wildlife, especially on public land. Successful afforestation requires an understanding of site variation within floodplains and...

Characterising alluvial aquifers in a remote ephemeral catchment (Flinders River, Queensland) using a direct push tracer approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Andrew R.; Smith, Stanley D.; Lamontagne, Sébastien; Suckow, Axel

2018-01-01

The availability of reliable water supplies is a key factor limiting development in northern Australia. However, characterising groundwater resources in this remote part of Australia is challenging due to a lack of existing infrastructure and data. Here, direct push technology (DPT) was used to characterise shallow alluvial aquifers at two locations in the semiarid Flinders River catchment. DPT was used to evaluate the saturated thickness of the aquifer and estimate recharge rates by sampling for environmental tracers in groundwater (major ions, 2H, 18O, 3H and 14C). The alluvium at Fifteen Mile Reserve and Glendalough Station consisted of a mixture of permeable coarse sandy and gravely sediments and less permeable clays and silts. The alluvium was relatively thin (i.e. < 20 m) and, at the time of the investigation, was only partially saturated. Tritium (3H) concentrations in groundwater was ∼1 Tritium Unit (TU), corresponding to a mean residence time for groundwater of about 12 years. The lack of an evaporation signal for the 2H and 18O of groundwater suggests rapid localised recharge from overbank flood events as the primary recharge mechanism. Using the chloride mass balance technique (CMB) and lumped parameter models to interpret patterns in 3H in the aquifer, the mean annual recharge rate varied between 21 and 240 mm/yr. Whilst this recharge rate is relatively high for a semiarid climate, the alluvium is thin and heterogeneous hosting numerous alluvial aquifers with varied connectivity and limited storage capacity. Combining DPT and environmental tracers is a cost-effective strategy to characterise shallow groundwater resources in unconsolidated sedimentary aquifers in remote data sparse areas.

Reconnaissance of alluvial fans as potential sources of gravel aggregate, Santa Cruz River valley, Southeast Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindsey, David A.; Melick, Roger

2002-01-01

This investigation was conducted to provide information on the aggregate potential of alluvial fan sediments in the Santa Cruz River valley. Pebble lithology, roundness, and particle size were determined in the field, and structures and textures of alluvial fan sediments were photographed and described. Additional measurements of particle size on digital photographs were made on a computer screen. Digital elevation models were acquired and compiled for viewing the areal extent of selected fans. Alluvial fan gravel in the Santa Cruz River valley reflects the lithology of its source. Gravel derived from granitic and gneissic terrane of the Tortolita, Santa Catalina, and Rincon Mountains weathers to grus and is generally inferior for use as aggregate. Gravel derived from the Tucson, Sierrita, and Tumacacori Mountains is composed mostly of angular particles of volcanic rock, much of it felsic in composition. This angular volcanic gravel should be suitable for use in asphalt but may require treatment for alkali-silica reaction prior to use in concrete. Gravel derived from the Santa Rita Mountains is of mixed plutonic (mostly granitic rocks), volcanic (mostly felsic rocks), and sedimentary (sandstone and carbonate rock) composition. The sedimentary component tends to make gravel derived from the Santa Rita Mountains slightly more rounded than other fan gravel. The coarsest (pebble, cobble, and boulder) gravel is found near the heads (proximal part) of alluvial fans. At the foot (distal part) of alluvial fans, most gravel is pebble-sized and interbedded with sand and silt. Some of the coarsest gravel was observed near the head of the Madera Canyon, Montosa Canyon, and Esperanza Wash fans. The large Cienega Creek fan, located immediately south and southeast of Tucson, consists entirely of distal-fan pebble gravel, sand, and silt.

Geohydrology and Water Quality of the Valley-Fill Aquifer System in the Upper Sixmile Creek and West Branch Owego Creek Valleys in the Town of Caroline, Tompkins County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Todd S.

2009-01-01

In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Town of Caroline and Tompkins County Planning Department, began a study of the valley-fill aquifer system in upper Sixmile Creek and headwaters of West Branch Owego Creek valleys in the Town of Caroline, NY. The purpose of the study is to provide geohydrologic data to county and town planners as they develop a strategy to manage and protect their water resources. The first aquifer reach investigated in this series is in the Town of Caroline and includes the upper Sixmile Creek valley and part of West Branch Owego Creek valley. The portions of the valley-fill aquifer system that are comprised of saturated coarse-grained sediments including medium to coarse sand and sandy gravel form the major aquifers. Confined sand and gravel units form the major aquifers in the western and central portions of the upper Sixmile Creek valley, and an unconfined sand and gravel unit forms the major aquifer in the eastern portion of the upper Sixmile Creek valley and in the headwaters of the West Branch Owego Creek valley. The valley-fill deposits are thinnest near the edges of the valley where they pinch out along the till-mantled bedrock valley walls. The thickness of the valley fill in the deepest part of the valley, at the western end of the study area, is about 100 feet (ft); the thickness is greater than 165 ft on top of the Valley Heads Moraine in the central part of the valley. An estimated 750 people live over and rely on groundwater from the valley-fill aquifers in upper Sixmile Creek and West Branch Owego Creek valleys. Most groundwater withdrawn from the valley-fill aquifers is pumped from wells with open-ended 6-inch diameter casings; the remaining withdrawals are from shallow dug wells or cisterns that collect groundwater that discharges to springs (especially in the Brooktondale area). The valley-fill aquifers are the sources of water for about 200 households, several apartment complexes, two mobile home parks

Geology and ground water of the Tualatin Valley, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, D.H.; Newcomb, R.C.

1965-01-01

The Tualatin Valley proper consists of broad valley plains, ranging in altitude from 100 to 300 feet, and the lower mountain slopes of the drainage basin of the Tualatin River, a tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon. The valley is almost entirely farmed. Its population is increasing rapidly, partly because of the expansion of metropolitan Portland. Structurally, the bedrock of the basin is a saucer-shaped syncline almost bisected lengthwise by a ridge. The bedrock basin has been partly filled by alluvium, which underlies the valley plains. Ground water occurs in the Columbia River basalt, a lava unit that forms the top several hundred feet of the bedrock, and also in the zones of fine sand in the upper part of the alluvial fill. It occurs under unconfined, confined, and perched conditions. Graphs of the observed water levels in wells show that the ground water is replenished each year by precipitation. The graphs show also that the amount and time of recharge vary in different aquifers and for different modes of ground-water occurrence. The shallower alluvial aquifers are refilled each year to a level where further infiltration recharge is retarded and water drains away as surface runoff. No occurrences of undue depletion of the ground water by pumping are known. The facts indicate that there is a great quantity of additional water available for future development. The ground water is developed for use by some spring works and by thousands of wells, most of which are of small yield. Improvements are now being made in the design of the wells in basalt and in the use of sand or gravel envelopes for wells penetrating the fine-sand aquifers. The ground water in the basalt and the valley fill is in general of good quality, only slightly or moderately hard and of low salinity. Saline and mineralized water is present in the rocks of Tertiary age below the Columbia River basalt. Under certain structural and stratigraphic conditions this water of poor

Impact of river water levels on the simulation of stream-aquifer exchanges over the Upper Rhine alluvial aquifer (France/Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergnes, Jean-Pierre; Habets, Florence

2018-05-01

This study aims to assess the sensitivity of river level estimations to the stream-aquifer exchanges within a hydrogeological model of the Upper Rhine alluvial aquifer (France/Germany), characterized as a large shallow aquifer with numerous hydropower dams. Two specific points are addressed: errors associated with digital elevation models (DEMs) and errors associated with the estimation of river level. The fine-resolution raw Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission dataset is used to assess the impact of the DEM uncertainties. Specific corrections are used to overcome these uncertainties: a simple moving average is applied to the topography along the rivers and additional data are used along the Rhine River to account for the numerous dams. Then, the impact of the river-level temporal variations is assessed through two different methods based on observed rating curves and on the Manning formula. Results are evaluated against observation data from 37 river-level points located over the aquifer, 190 piezometers, and a spatial database of wetlands. DEM uncertainties affect the spatial variability of the stream-aquifer exchanges by inducing strong noise and unrealistic peaks. The corrected DEM reduces the biases between observations and simulations by 22 and 51% for the river levels and the river discharges, respectively. It also improves the agreement between simulated groundwater overflows and observed wetlands. Introducing river-level time variability increases the stream-aquifer exchange range and reduces the piezometric head variability. These results confirm the need to better assess river levels in regional hydrogeological modeling, especially for applications in which stream-aquifer exchanges are important.

Ground-water flow directions and estimation of aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley aquifer system, Hamilton Area, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheets, Rodney A.; Bossenbroek, Karen E.

2005-01-01

The Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System is one of the most productive sources of potable water in the Midwest, yielding as much as 3,000 gallons per minute to wells. Many water-supply wells tapping this aquifer system are purposely placed near rivers to take advantage of induced infiltration from the rivers. The City of Hamilton's North Well Field consists of 10 wells near the Great Miami River, all completed in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. A well-drilling program and a multiple-well aquifer test were done to investigate ground-water flow directions and to estimate aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower part of the Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. Descriptions of lithology from 10 well borings indicate varying amounts and thickness of clay or till, and therefore, varying levels of potential aquifer confinement. Borings also indicate that the aquifer properties can change dramatically over relatively short distances. Grain-size analyses indicate an average bulk hydraulic conductivity value of aquifer materials of 240 feet per day; the geometric mean of hydraulic conductivity values of aquifer material was 89 feet per day. Median grain sizes of aquifer material and clay units were 1.3 millimeters and 0.1 millimeters, respectively. Water levels in the Hamilton North Well Field are affected by stream stage in the Great Miami River and barometric pressure. Bank storage in response to stream stage is evident. Results from a multiple-well aquifer test at the well field indicate, as do the lithologic descriptions, that the aquifer is semiconfined in some areas and unconfined in others. Transmissivity and storage coefficient of the semiconfined part of the aquifer were 50,000 feet squared per day and 5x10-4, respectively. The average hydraulic conductivity (450 feet per day) based on the aquifer test is reasonable for glacial outwash but is higher than calculated from grain-size analyses, implying a scale effect

Presettlement Pinus taeda in the Mississippi Valley Alluvial Plain of the Monroe County, Arkansas area

Treesearch

Don C. Bragg

2005-01-01

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) is the most dominant conifer in the southeastern United States (Baker and Langdon, 1990). However, loblolly pine was conspicuously absent from virtually the entire Mississippi Valley Alluvial Plain during presettlement times. A map (Fig. 1) of the native distribution of loblolly from Baker and Langdon (1990) identifies 2 exceptions to this...

Fishes in paleochannels of the Lower Mississippi River alluvial valley: A national treasure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.

2016-01-01

Fluvial geomorphology of the alluvial valley of the Lower Mississippi River reveals a fascinating history. A prominent occupant of the valley was the Ohio River, estimated to have flowed 25,000 years ago over western Tennessee and Mississippi to join the Mississippi River north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 750–800 km south of the present confluence. Over time, shifts in the Mississippi and Ohio rivers toward their contemporary positions have left a legacy of abandoned paleochannels supportive of unique fish assemblages. Relative to channels abandoned in the last 500 years, paleochannels exhibit harsher environmental conditions characteristic of hypereutrophic lakes and support tolerant fish assemblages. Considering their ecological, geological, and historical importance, coupled with their primordial scenery, the hundreds of paleochannels in the valley represent a national treasure. Altogether, these waterscapes are endangered by human activities and would benefit from the conservation attention afforded to our national parks and wildlife refuges.

Characterization of an alluvial aquifer with thermal tracer tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somogyvári, Márk; Bayer, Peter

2017-04-01

In the summer of 2015, a series of thermal tracer tests was performed at the Widen field site in northeast Switzerland. At this site numerous hydraulic, tracer, geophysical and hydrogeophysical field tests have been conducted in the past to investigate a shallow alluvial aquifer. The goals of the campaign in 2015 were to design a cost-effective thermal tracer tomography setup and to validate the concept of travel time-based thermal tracer tomography under field conditions. Thermal tracer tomography uses repeated thermal tracer injections with different injection depths and distributed temperature measurements to map the hydraulic conductivity distribution of a heterogeneous aquifer. The tracer application was designed with minimal experimental time and cost. Water was heated in inflatable swimming pools using direct sunlight of the warm summer days, and it was injected as low temperature pulses in a well. Because of the small amount of injected heat, no long recovery times were required between the repeated heat tracer injections and every test started from natural thermal conditions. At Widen, four thermal tracer tests were performed during a period of three days. Temperatures were measured in one downgradient well using a distributed temperature measurement system installed at seven depth points. Totally 12 temperature breakthrough curves were collected. Travel time based tomographic inversion assumes that thermal transport is dominated by advection and the travel time of the thermal tracer can be related to the hydraulic conductivities of the aquifer. This assumption is valid in many shallow porous aquifers where the groundwater flow is fast. In our application, the travel time problem was treated by a tomographic solver, analogous to seismic tomography, to derive the hydraulic conductivity distribution. At the test site, a two-dimensional cross-well hydraulic conductivity profile was reconstructed with the travel time based inversion. The reconstructed profile

Recharge processes in an alluvial aquifer riparian zone, Norman Landfill, Norman, Oklahoma, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scholl, Martha; Christenson, Scott; Cozzarelli, Isabelle; Ferree, Dale; Jaeshke, Jeanne

2005-01-01

Analyses of stable isotope profiles (d2H and d18O) in the saturated zone, combined with water-table fluctuations, gave a comprehensive picture of recharge processes in an alluvial aquifer riparian zone. At the Norman Landfill U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology research site in Norman, Oklahoma, recharge to the aquifer appears to drive biodegradation, contributing fresh supplies of electron acceptors for the attenuation of leachate compounds from the landfill. Quantifying recharge is a first step in studying this process in detail. Both chemical and physical methods were used to estimate recharge. Chemical methods included measuring the increase in recharge water in the saturated zone, as defined by isotopic signature, specific conductance or chloride measurements; and infiltration rate estimates using storm event isotopic signatures. Physical methods included measurement of water-table rise after individual rain events and on an approximately monthly time scale. Evapotranspiration rates were estimated using diurnal watertable fluctuations; outflux of water from the alluvial aquifer during the growing season had a large effect on net recharge at the site. Evaporation and methanogenesis gave unique isotopic signatures to different sources of water at the site, allowing the distinction of recharge using the offset of the isotopic signature from the local meteoric water line. The downward movement of water from large, isotopically depleted rain events in the saturated zone yielded recharge rate estimates (2.2 - 3.3 mm/day), and rates also were determined by observing changes in thickness of the layer of infiltrated recharge water at the top of the saturated zone (1.5 - 1.6 mm/day). Recharge measured over 2 years (1998-2000) in two locations at the site averaged 37 percent of rainfall, however, part of this water had only a short residence time in the aquifer. Isotopes showed recharge water entering the ground-water system in winter and spring, then being

75 FR 62137 - Notice of Public Meeting; Proposed Alluvial Valley Floor Coal Exchange Public Interest Factors...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-07

...; MTM-99236] Notice of Public Meeting; Proposed Alluvial Valley Floor Coal Exchange Public Interest... (SMCRA) of 1977. This exchange (serial number MTM-99236) has been proposed by Jay Nance, Brett A... Director. [FR Doc. 2010-25060 Filed 10-6-10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P ...

Setback distances between small biological wastewater treatment systems and drinking water wells against virus contamination in alluvial aquifers.

PubMed

Blaschke, A P; Derx, J; Zessner, M; Kirnbauer, R; Kavka, G; Strelec, H; Farnleitner, A H; Pang, L

2016-12-15

Contamination of groundwater by pathogenic viruses from small biological wastewater treatment system discharges in remote areas is a major concern. To protect drinking water wells against virus contamination, safe setback distances are required between wastewater disposal fields and water supply wells. In this study, setback distances are calculated for alluvial sand and gravel aquifers for different vadose zone and aquifer thicknesses and horizontal groundwater gradients. This study applies to individual households and small settlements (1-20 persons) in decentralized locations without access to receiving surface waters but with the legal obligation of biological wastewater treatment. The calculations are based on Monte Carlo simulations using an analytical model that couples vertical unsaturated and horizontal saturated flow with virus transport. Hydraulic conductivities and water retention curves were selected from reported distribution functions depending on the type of subsurface media. The enteric virus concentration in effluent discharge was calculated based on reported ranges of enteric virus concentration in faeces, virus infectivity, suspension factor, and virus reduction by mechanical-biological wastewater treatment. To meet the risk target of <10 -4 infections/person/year, a 12 log 10 reduction was required, using a linear dose-response relationship for the total amount of enteric viruses, at very low exposure concentrations. The results of this study suggest that the horizontal setback distances vary widely ranging 39 to 144m in sand aquifers, 66-289m in gravel aquifers and 1-2.5km in coarse gravel aquifers. It also varies for the same aquifers, depending on the thickness of the vadose zones and the groundwater gradient. For vulnerable fast-flow alluvial aquifers like coarse gravels, the calculated setback distances were too large to achieve practically. Therefore, for this category of aquifer, a high level of treatment is recommended before the

Environmental impacts on the hydrology of ephemeral streams and alluvial aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuells, C.; Marx, V.; Bittner, A.; Ellmies, R.; Seely, M.

2009-04-01

In arid and semi-arid regions alluvial groundwater resources of ephemeral streams are highly important for water supplies and ecosystems. Recent projects have studied processes of indirect recharge in situ and in detail (Dahan et al., 2008; Klaus et al., 2008). Still, little is known about the vulnerability of these aquifers to environmental impacts like surface dam constructions, land-use changes and climatic conditions as well as the time and type of response to such external impacts. With a catchment size of about 30.000 km² the Swakop River in Namibia is the largest of the country's twelve major ephemeral streams draining westwards into the Atlantic Ocean. The alluvial groundwater resources have been affected by the construction of two major surface water dams in the upper catchment as well as by abstractions for rural water supply, farming and mining downstream of the constructed dams (referred to as lower catchment). The determination of environmental impacts in the Swakop River catchment is difficult due to scarce hydrometric and water quality data. In order to obtain a better understanding of the hydrological system under changing environmental conditions a spatially distributed environmental tracer approach was applied. A longitudinal profile of groundwater samples was taken within a field study along the alluvial aquifer of the Swakop River. The samples were analysed for stable isotopes (18O, 2H), major ions and trace elements as well as for the residence time indicators CFC and SF6. The combined application of groundwater residence time analysis, stable isotope measurements and hydrochemical characterisation was used in order to associate a time scale with groundwater quality data. This method provides dated information on recharge and water quality before and after dam construction and can be used to detect environmental impacts on the hydrological system. CFC-12 analysis resulted in recharge years ranging from 1950 (0.01 pmol/l) to 1992 (1.4 pmol

Conceptual model of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heilweil, Victor M.; Brooks, Lynette E.

2011-01-01

A conceptual model of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system (GBCAAS) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for a regional assessment of groundwater availability as part of a national water census. The study area is an expansion of a previous USGS Regional Aquifer Systems Analysis (RASA) study conducted during the 1980s and 1990s of the carbonate-rock province of the Great Basin. The geographic extent of the study area is 110,000 mi2, predominantly in eastern Nevada and western Utah, and includes 165 hydrographic areas (HAs) and 17 regional groundwater flow systems.A three-dimensional hydrogeologic framework was constructed that defines the physical geometry and rock types through which groundwater moves. The diverse sedimentary units of the GBCAAS study area are grouped into hydrogeologic units (HGUs) that are inferred to have reasonably distinct hydrologic properties due to their physical characteristics. These HGUs are commonly disrupted by large-magnitude offset thrust, strike-slip, and normal faults, and locally affected by caldera formation. The most permeable aquifer materials within the study area include Cenozoic unconsolidated sediments and volcanic rocks, along with Mesozoic and Paleozoic carbonate rocks. The framework was built by extracting and combining information from digital elevation models, geologic maps, cross sections, drill hole logs, existing hydrogeologic frameworks, and geophysical data.

Agricultural chemicals in alluvial aquifers in Missouri after the 1993 flood

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heimann, D.C.; Richards, J.M.; Wilkison, D.H.

1997-01-01

Intense rains produced flooding during the spring and summer of 1993 over much of the midwestern USA including many agricultural areas of Missouri. Because of potential contamination from floodwater, an investigation was conducted to determine the changes in concentrations of agricultural chemicals in water samples from alluvial wells in Missouri after the flood. Water samples from 80 alluvial wells with historical data were collected in March, July, and November 1994, and analyzed for dissolved herbicides, herbicide metabolites, and nitrate (NO3). There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution of alachlor ((2,chloro-2'-6'-diethyl-N-[methoxymethyl]acetanilide), atrazine (2-chloro- 4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1, 3, 5 triazine), and nitrate concentrations between pre- and postflood samples (?? = 0.05). The detection frequency of alachlor and atrazine in postflood samples was generally lower than the frequency in preflood samples. Analyses of agricultural chemicals in water samples from an intensely sampled well field indicate significant differences between the distribution of dissolved P concentrations in pre- and postflood samples (?? = 0.05). However, no significant differences were detected between the pre- and postflood distributions of NO3 or ammonia concentrations. Because of the numerous sources of temporal variability and the relatively short record of water-quality data for the study wells, a cause-and-effect relation between changes in agricultural chemical concentrations and a single factor of the 1993 flood is difficult to determine. Based on the results of this study, the 1993 flood did not cause widespread or long-term significant changes in concentrations of agricultural chemicals in water from alluvial aquifers in Missouri.

Modeling the Long-term Planform Evolution of Meandering Rivers in Confined Alluvial Valleys: Etsch-Adige River, NE Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zen, S.; Bogoni, M.; Zolezzi, G.; Lanzoni, S.; Scorpio, V.

2016-12-01

We combine the use of a morphodynamic model for river meander planform evolution with a geological dataset to investigate the influence of external confinements on the long-term evolution of a meandering river flowing in an Alpine valley. The analysis focuses on a 100 km reach of the Adige River, NE Italy, which had several sinuous/meandering sections before being extensively channelized in the 1800s. Geological surveys and historical maps revealed that many sections of the study reach impinge on the borders of the valley during its evolution. Moreover, a marked spatial heterogeneity in floodplain vertical accretion rates likely reflects preferential positions of the river channel in the floodplain. Valley confinements are represented by bedrock outcrops and by alluvial fans created by lateral tributaries, and were extracted from the geological and historical maps to build the computational domain for the meander morphodynamic model. The model predicts the long-term planform evolution of a meandering river based on a linear solution of the 2D De St Venant-Exner differential system and can manage changes in floodplain erodibility. Model applications allow to isolate the effects of valley bedrock and of alluvial fans in constraining the lateral channel migration. Modeled river channel persistence maps are compared with the available geological information. The present work allows further insights into the role of external confinements to river meander belts, which have been conducted so far mostly assuming the channel to evolve in unconfined floodplains. Future research shall incorporate model components for floodplain vertical accretion rates and for the advancement of alluvial fans occurring at the same time scale considered for meander evolution.

Afforestation of agricultural lands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial valley: the state of our understanding

Treesearch

Stephen H. Schoenholtz; John A. Stanturf; James A. Allen; Callie Jo Schweitzer

1999-01-01

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) was originally forested with approximately 8.5 million ha of bottomland hardwood forests. During the past 200 years, all but approximately 2.5 million ha of these forests have been cleared and converted primarily to agriculture. However, afforestation efforts have increased steadily during the past 20 years, as values of...

Changes of chromium concentration in alluvial sediments of the Obra river valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Młynarczyk, Z.; Sobczyński, T.; Słowik, M.

2006-06-01

In this research work, changes in concentration of the chosen chemical element in alluvial sediments have been used to estimate the relative age of floodplain deposits. The research concerning changes of chromium concentration in alluvial deposits was done in the Obra river valley near Międzyrzecz (Western Poland). Chromium was chosen because of its low ability to migrate in groundwater environment. Moreover, this chemical element was used in the process of dyeing textures in Międzyrzecz between the sixteenth and the nineteenth century. Confrontation of changes in chromium concentration and age of alluvial sediments (age estimated in years BP using radiocarbon method) have shown that the sediments with higher chromium contents are much older than the period of development of the weaving industry in Międzyrzecz. Therefore, it is not possible to use changes in chromium concentration to estimate relative age of floodplain sediments. Despite information in the literature about low migration ability of this chemical component (Macioszczyk and Dobrzyński in Hydrogeochemia: strefy aktywnej wymiany wód podziemnych. PWN, Warszawa, 2002; Ball and Izbicki in Appl Geochem 19:1123 1135, 2004) migration of chromium is so intensive that distinct changes in its concentration are observed even before the period of increased human activity.

Bottomland Hardwoods of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley: Characteristics and Management of Natural Function, Structure, and Composition

Treesearch

Paul B. Hamel; Thomas L. Foti; [Editors

2001-01-01

A symposium entitled "Bottomland hardwoods of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley: characteristics and management of natural function, structure, and composition" convened on October 28, 1995, as part of the Natural Areas Conference, October 25-28, 1995, In Fayetteville, AR. The symposium's goal was to provide informatibn that managers need to begin...

Seedling Quality Standards for Bottomland Hardwood Afforestation in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley: Preliminary Results

Treesearch

Douglass F. Jacobs; Emile S. Gardiner; K. Francis Salifu; Ronald P. Overton; George Hernandez; M. Elizabeth Corbin; Kevyn E. Wightman; Marcus F. Selig

2005-01-01

Afforestation of bottomland hardwood species has increased in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMRAV) in recent years. Rising demand for hardwood nursery stock and poor performance of some planted seedlings has created concern regarding the quality of seedlings currently available for afforestation in the LMRAV. Furthermore, no definitive guidelines for...

Using solute and heat tracers for aquifer characterization in a strongly heterogeneous alluvial aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarris, Theo S.; Close, Murray; Abraham, Phillip

2018-03-01

A test using Rhodamine WT and heat as tracers, conducted over a 78 day period in a strongly heterogeneous alluvial aquifer, was used to evaluate the utility of the combined observation dataset for aquifer characterization. A highly parameterized model was inverted, with concentration and temperature time-series as calibration targets. Groundwater heads recorded during the experiment were boundary dependent and were ignored during the inversion process. The inverted model produced a high resolution depiction of the hydraulic conductivity and porosity fields. Statistical properties of these fields are in very good agreement with estimates from previous studies at the site. Spatially distributed sensitivity analysis suggests that both solute and heat transport were most sensitive to the hydraulic conductivity and porosity fields and less sensitive to dispersivity and thermal distribution factor, with sensitivity to porosity greatly reducing outside the monitored area. The issues of model over-parameterization and non-uniqueness are addressed through identifiability analysis. Longitudinal dispersivity and thermal distribution factor are highly identifiable, however spatially distributed parameters are only identifiable near the injection point. Temperature related density effects became observable for both heat and solute, as the temperature anomaly increased above 12 degrees centigrade, and affected down gradient propagation. Finally we demonstrate that high frequency and spatially dense temperature data cannot inform a dual porosity model in the absence of frequent solute concentration measurements.

Evaluation of methods for delineating areas that contribute water to wells completed in valley-fill aquifers in Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Risser, Dennis W.; Madden, Thomas M.

1994-01-01

Valley-fill aquifers in Pennsylvania are the source of drinking water for many wells in the glaciated parts of the State and along major river valleys. These aquifers area subject to contamination because of their shallow water-table depth and highly transmissive sediments. The possibility for contamination of water-supply wells in valley-fill aquifers can be minimized by excluding activities that could contaminate areas that contribute water to supply wells. An area that contributes water to a well is identified in this report as either an area of diversion, time-of-travel area, or contributing area. The area of diversion is a projection to land surface of the valley-fill aquifer volume through which water is diverted to a well and the time-of travel area is that fraction of the area of diversion through which water moves to the well in a specified time. The contributing area, the largest of three areas, includes the area of diversion but also incorporates bedrock uplands and other area that contribute water. Methods for delineating areas of diversion and contributing areas in valley-fill aquifers, described and compared in order of increasing complexity, include fixed radius, uniform flow, analytical, semianalytical, and numerical modeling. Delineated areas are considered approximations because the hydraulic properties and boundary conditions of the real ground-water system are simplified even in the most complex numerical methods. Successful application of any of these methods depends on the investigator's understanding of the hydrologic system in and near the well field, and the limitations of the method. The hydrologic system includes not only the valley-fill aquifer but also the regional surface-water and ground-water flow systems within which the valley is situated. As shown by numerical flow simulations of a well field in the valley-fill aquifer along Marsh Creek Valley near Asaph, Pa., water from upland bedrock sources can provide nearly all the water

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the alluvial and terrace deposits along the Beaver-North Canadian River from the panhandle to Canton Lake in northwestern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, G.P.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the alluvial and terrace deposits along the alluvial and terrace deposits along the Beaver-North Canadian River from the panhandle to Canton Lake in northwestern Oklahoma. Ground water in 830 square miles of the Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace aquifer is an important source of water for irrigation, industrial, municipal, stock, and domestic supplies. The aquifer consists of poorly sorted, fine to coarse, unconsolidated quartz sand with minor amounts of clay, silt, and basal gravel. The hydraulically connected alluvial and terrace deposits unconformably overlie the Tertiary-age Ogallala Formation and Permian-age formations. Most of the lines in the aquifer boundary and recharge data sets and some of the lines in the hydraulic conductivity data set were extracted from a published digital surficial geology data set based on a scale of 1:250,000. The ground-water elevation contours and some of the lines for the aquifer boundary, hydraulic conductivity, and recharge data sets were digitized from a ground-water modeling report about the aquifer published at a scale of 1:250,000. The hydraulic conductivity values and recharge rates also are from the ground-water modeling report. The data sets are provided in both nonproprietary and ARC/INFO export file formats. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity and recharge used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

Fate of polar organic trace compounds infiltrating into an alluvial aquifer from an urban lowland river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaper, J. L.; Popp, A. L.; Meinikmann, K.; Shanafield, M.; Banks, E.; Putschew, A.; Lewandowski, J.; Nuetzmann, G.

2016-12-01

High loads of polar organic trace compounds (TrOCs) are frequently detected in urban surface waters threatening both, ecosystem functioning and local drinking water supply. Here we investigate the fate and turnover rate of 17 TrOCs infiltrating from the urban river Erpe into the adjacent alluvial aquifer. River Erpe is a lowland stream in Berlin, Germany that receives up to 80 % of its discharge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) thus containing TrOCs in the µg/L range. To this end, a horizontal piezometer transect extending into the alluvial plane as well as a vertical piezometer nest in the riverbed were installed and sampled in June and July 2016. Within the horizontal transect, redox condition remained aerobic resulting in attenuation rates of up to 25 % for benzotriazol, Carbamazepine, metoprolol and 4 - formylaminoantipyrin. Concentrations of bezafibrate and acesulfame increased although the concentrations of more persistent compounds such as primidone and gabapentin, remained relatively constant. Within the vertical piezometer nest, Fe(II) concentrations increased with depth, allowing for a more rapid turnover of Sulfamethoxazole, but also inhibiting turnover of other compounds such as, benzotriazol, metoprolol and Valsartan. In contrast to previous studies undertaken in more mountainous settings, alluvial attenuation rates at River Erpe were profoundly different. We attribute these findings to both, hydrological characteristics of lowland rivers as well as to the high amounts of labile organic carbon originating from the WWTP effluent. This work further demonstrates that the fate of TrOCs in gaining aquifers adjacent to urban streams is highly complex and demands much more research.

Hydrogeology of an Alpine rockfall aquifer system and its role in flood attenuation and maintaining baseflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauber, U.; Kotyla, P.; Morche, D.; Goldscheider, N.

2014-11-01

The frequency and intensity of extreme hydrological events in Alpine regions is projected to increase with climate change. The goal of this study is to better understand the functioning of aquifers composed of complex alluvial and rockfall deposits in Alpine valleys and to quantify the role of these natural storage spaces in flood attenuation and baseflow maintenance. Geomorphological and hydrogeological mapping, tracer tests, and continuous flow measurements were conducted in the Reintal (German Alps), where runoff from a karst spring infiltrates a series of postglacial alluvial/rockfall aquifers. During high-flow conditions, groundwater velocities of 30 m h-1 were determined along 500 m; hydrograph analyses revealed short lag times (5 h) between discharge peaks upstream and downstream from the aquifer series; the maximum discharge ratio downstream (22) and the peak recession coefficient (0.196 d-1) are low compared with other Alpine catchments. During low-flow conditions, the underground flow path length increased to 2 km and groundwater velocities decreased to 13 m h-1. Downstream hydrographs revealed a delayed discharge response after 101 h and peaks damped by a factor of 1.5. These results indicate that alluvial/rockfall aquifers might play an important role in the flow regime and attenuation of floods in Alpine regions.

Transport of suspended solids from a karstic to an alluvial aquifer: The role of the karst/alluvium interface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Massei, N.; Lacroix, M.; Wang, H.Q.; Mahler, B.J.; Dupont, J.P.

2002-01-01

This study focuses on the coupled transport of dissolved constituents and particulates, from their infiltration on a karst plateau to their discharge from a karst spring and their arrival at a well in an alluvial plain. Particulate markers were identified and the transport of solids was characterised in situ in porous and karstic media, based on particle size analyses, SEM, and traces. Transport from the sinkhole to the spring appeared to be dominated by flow through karst: particulate transport was apparently conservative between the two sites, and there was little difference in the overall character of the particle size distribution of the particulates infiltrating the sinkhole and of those discharging from the spring. Qualitatively, the mineralogy of the infiltrating and discharging material was similar, although at the spring an autochthonous contribution from the aquifer was noted (chalk particles eroded from the parent rock by weathering). In contrast, transport between the spring and the well appears to be affected by the overlying alluvium: particles in the water from the well, showed evidence of considerable size-sorting. Additionally, SEM images of the well samples showed the presence of particles originating from the overlying alluvial system; these particles were not found in samples from the sinkhole or the spring. The differences between the particulates discharging from the spring and the well indicate that the water pumped from the alluvial plain is coming from the karst aquifer via the very transmissive, complex geologic interface between the underlying chalk formation and the gravel at the base of the overlying alluvial system. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Groundwater movement, recharge, and perchlorate occurrence in a faulted alluvial aquifer in California (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izbicki, John A.; Teague, Nicholas F.; Hatzinger, Paul B.; Böhlke, John Karl; Sturchio, Neil C.

2015-01-01

Perchlorate from military, industrial, and legacy agricultural sources is present within an alluvial aquifer in the Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin, 80 km east of Los Angeles, California (USA). The area is extensively faulted, with water-level differences exceeding 60 m across parts of the Rialto-Colton Fault separating the Rialto-Colton and Chino groundwater subbasins. Coupled well-bore flow and depth-dependent water-quality data show decreases in well yield and changes in water chemistry and isotopic composition, reflecting changing aquifer properties and groundwater recharge sources with depth. Perchlorate movement through some wells under unpumped conditions from shallower to deeper layers underlying mapped plumes was as high as 13 kg/year. Water-level maps suggest potential groundwater movement across the Rialto-Colton Fault through an overlying perched aquifer. Upward flow through a well in the Chino subbasin near the Rialto-Colton Fault suggests potential groundwater movement across the fault through permeable layers within partly consolidated deposits at depth. Although potentially important locally, movement of groundwater from the Rialto-Colton subbasin has not resulted in widespread occurrence of perchlorate within the Chino subbasin. Nitrate and perchlorate concentrations at the water table, associated with legacy agricultural fertilizer use, may be underestimated by data from long-screened wells that mix water from different depths within the aquifer.

Recharge processes drive sulfate reduction in an alluvial aquifer contaminated with landfill leachate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scholl, M.A.; Cozzarelli, I.M.; Christenson, S.C.

2006-01-01

Natural attenuation of contaminants in groundwater depends on an adequate supply of electron acceptors to stimulate biodegradation. In an alluvial aquifer contaminated with leachate from an unlined municipal landfill, the mechanism of recharge infiltration was investigated as a source of electron acceptors. Water samples were collected monthly at closely spaced intervals in the top 2 m of the saturated zone from a leachate-contaminated well and an uncontaminated well, and analyzed for ??18O, ??2H, non-volatile dissolved organic carbon (NVDOC), SO42-, NO3- and Cl-. Monthly recharge amounts were quantified using the offset of the ??18O or ??2H from the local meteoric water line as a parameter to distinguish water types, as evaporation and methanogenesis caused isotopic enrichment in waters from different sources. Presence of dissolved SO42- in the top 1 to 2??m of the saturated zone was associated with recharge; SO42- averaged 2.2??mM, with maximum concentrations of 15??mM. Nitrate was observed near the water table at the contaminated site at concentrations up to 4.6??mM. Temporal monitoring of ??2H and SO42- showed that vertical transport of recharge carried SO42- to depths up to 1.75??m below the water table, supplying an additional electron acceptor to the predominantly methanogenic leachate plume. Measurements of ??34S in SO42- indicated both SO42- reduction and sulfide oxidation were occurring in the aquifer. Depth-integrated net SO42- reduction rates, calculated using the natural Cl- gradient as a conservative tracer, ranged from 7.5 ?? 10- 3 to 0.61??mM??d- 1 (over various depth intervals from 0.45 to 1.75??m). Sulfate reduction occurred at both the contaminated and uncontaminated sites; however, median SO42- reduction rates were higher at the contaminated site. Although estimated SO42- reduction rates are relatively high, significant decreases in NVDOC were not observed at the contaminated site. Organic compounds more labile than the leachate NVDOC may be

Afforesting agricultural lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (USA): effects of silvicultural methods on understory plant diversity

Treesearch

Diane De Steven; Callie J. Schweitzer; Steven C. Hughes; John A. Stanturf

2015-01-01

To compare methods for bottomland hardwood reforestation on marginal farmlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, four afforestation treatments (natural colonization, sown oak acorns, planted oak seedlings, cottonwood–oak interplant) were established in 1995 on former soybean cropland. Natural, sown, and planted-oak plots were not managed after establishment....

Comparing regeneration techniques for afforesting previously farmed bottomland hardwood sites in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA

Treesearch

Brian Roy Lockhart; Bob Keeland; John McCoy; Thomas J. Dean

2003-01-01

A study was implemented to test site preparation methods and artificial regeneration of three oak (Quercus spp.) species on four agricultural fields in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley in Louisiana, USA. Six years after establishment, few consistent differences were found in oak density between sowing acorn methods (seed drill versus broadcast...

Shorebird use of managed wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twedt, Daniel J.; Nelms, Curtis O.; Rettig, Virginia E.; Aycock, S. Ray

1998-01-01

We assessed shorebird densities on managed wetland habitats during fall and winter within the primarily agricultural landscape of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. From November through March, shorebird densities were greater on soybean fields than on rice or moist-soil fields. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) and Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) were common throughout winter, whereas Yellowlegs (Tringa spp.) and ?peep? sandpipers (Calidris spp.) were present but less abundant. During fall, Dowitchers (Limnodromus spp.), Pectoral Sandpipers (Calidris melanotos), Killdeer, and peep sandpipers were the most abundant species on managed shorebird habitat units. Although shorebird densities were consistently greater on habitats managed by drawing down existing water, we were unable to detect a significant difference in densities from areas managed by flooding previously dry habitat.

The utility of gravity and water-level monitoring at alluvial aquifer wells in southern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pool, D.R.

2008-01-01

Coincident monitoring of gravity and water levels at 39 wells in southern Arizona indicate that water-level change might not be a reliable indicator of aquifer-storage change for alluvial aquifer systems. One reason is that water levels in wells that are screened across single or multiple aquifers might not represent the hydraulic head and storage change in a local unconfined aquifer. Gravity estimates of aquifer-storage change can be approximated as a one-dimensional feature except near some withdrawal wells and recharge sources. The aquifer storage coefficient is estimated by the linear regression slope of storage change (estimated using gravity methods) and water-level change. Nonaquifer storage change that does not percolate to the aquifer can be significant, greater than 3 ??Gal, when water is held in the root zone during brief periods following extreme rates of precipitation. Monitor-ing of storage change using gravity methods at wells also can improve understanding of local hydrogeologic conditions. In the study area, confined aquifer conditions are likely at three wells where large water-level variations were accompanied by little gravity change. Unconfined conditions were indicated at 15 wells where significant water-level and gravity change were positively linearly correlated. Good positive linear correlations resulted in extremely large specific-yield values, greater than 0.35, at seven wells where it is likely that significant ephemeral streamflow infiltration resulted in unsaturated storage change. Poor or negative linear correlations indicate the occurrence of confined, multiple, or perched aquifers. Monitoring of a multiple compressible aquifer system at one well resulted in negative correlation of rising water levels and subsidence-corrected gravity change, which suggests that water-level trends at the well are not a good indicatior of overall storage change. ?? 2008 Society of Exploration Geophysicists. All rights reserved.

Development of a black willow improvement program for biomass production in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Randell J. Rousseau; Emile S. Gardiner; Theodor D. Leininger

2012-01-01

Black willow (Salix nigra Marsh.) has the potential to be a significant feedstock source for bioenergy and biofuels production in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV). This potential is based on a number of primary factors including rapid growth, ease of vegetative propagation, excellent rooting, and the ability to regenerate from coppice...

Economics of Afforestation with Eastern Cottonwood (Populus Deltoides) of Agricultural Land in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

John A. Stanturf; C. Jeffrey Portwood

1999-01-01

Higher prices for hardwood stumpage and changes in agricultural policies may favor afforestation on sites in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) which are suitable for Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.). We examined the potential returns to a landowner growing cottonwood on three soil classes common to the LMAV. We specified the...

Large-scale comparison of reforestation techniques commonly used in the lower Mississippi alluvial valley: first year results

Treesearch

Callie J. Schweitzer; John A. Stanturf; James P. Shepard; Timothy M. Wilkins; C. Jeffery Portwood; Lamar C., Jr. Dorris

1997-01-01

In the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV), restoring bottomland hardwood forests has attracted heightened interest. The impetus involves not only environmental and aesthetic benefits, but also sound economics. Financial incentives to restore forested wetlands in the LMAV can come from federal cost share programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program and the...

Hydrogeology and water quality of the Nanticoke Creek stratified-drift aquifer, near Endicott, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreitinger, Elizabeth A.; Kappel, William M.

2014-01-01

The Village of Endicott, New York, is seeking an alternate source of public drinking water with the potential to supplement their current supply, which requires treatment due to legacy contamination. The southerly-draining Nanticoke Creek valley, located north of the village, was identified as a potential water source and the local stratified-drift (valley fill) aquifer was investigated to determine its hydrogeologic and water-quality characteristics. Nanticoke Creek and its aquifer extend from the hamlet of Glen Aubrey, N.Y., to the village of Endicott, a distance of about 15 miles, where it joins the Susquehanna River and its aquifer. The glacial sediments that comprise the stratified-drift aquifer vary in thickness and are generally underlain by glacial till over Devonian-aged shale and siltstone. Groundwater is more plentiful in the northern part of the aquifer where sand and gravel deposits are generally more permeable than in the southern part of the aquifer where less-permeable unconsolidated deposits are found. Generally there is enough groundwater to supply most homeowner wells and in some cases, supply small public-water systems such as schools, mobile-home parks, and small commercial/industrial facilities. The aquifer is recharged by precipitation, runoff, and tributary streams. Most tributary streams flowing across alluvial deposits lose water to the aquifer as they flow off of their bedrock-lined channels and into the more permeable alluvial deposits at the edges of the valley. The quality of both surface water and groundwater is generally good. Some water wells do have water-quality issues related to natural constituents (manganese and iron) and several homeowners noted either the smell and (or) taste of hydrogen sulfide in their drinking water. Dissolved methane concentrations from five drinking-water wells were well below the potentially explosive value of 28 milligrams per liter. Samples from surface and groundwater met nearly all State and Federal

Growth analysis of oak trees in bottomland hardwood restoration planting in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Rodrigo V. Leite; Brent R. Frey; Jonathan Stoll

2016-01-01

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) once had the largest expanse of bottomland forest cover in the United States, but these diverse forests have been heavily cleared for agricultural purposes. In recent decades significant forest restoration efforts have been attempting to restore bottomland forest cover and the environmental services it provides (e.g. water...

Groundwater infiltration from alluvial aquifer into karstic aquifer - case study of recharge from river I\\vska to Ižica karstic springs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meglič, P.; Brenčič, M.

2012-04-01

River I\\vska and Ižica karstic springs are situated in the central part of Slovenia (approximately 20 km south from city Ljubljana) on southern edge of Barje, a tectonic depression field with mostly Holocene and Pleistocene lacustrine and rivers' sediments. Barje is surrounded with hills, which on the southern part consists mostly of Triassic dolomite and Jurassic limestone as well as the basement of Barje in this area. Recharge area of I\\vska River and Ižica karstic springs is covering around 102 km2 of the southern hilly edge of Barje. I\\vska River is a torrent with springs on Blo\\vska planota and flows towards Barje to the north. River formed deep narrow valley that slightly opens at the beginning of I\\vski Vintgar, where flows on a shallow gravel river bed deposited on karstic aquifer. The valley opens on Ljubljansko Barje at village I\\vska vas. Ižica karstic springs are situated on the contact of karst aquifer and Barje intergranular aquifer east of I\\vska valley. After a big flood event on 18th of September 2010 I\\vska River disappeared in the karstic fissures on the river bottom, near bridge in I\\vska village. One day later infiltration point moved 1070 meters upstream. This extreme event caused around 40% higher base flow discharge of Ižica River and total disappearance of I\\vska River for a few days. The analyzed discharge data in the year 2010 of the I\\vska and Ižica River, gave a new understanding of the discharge of I\\vska River and groundwater flow in the area. Before this extreme event discharge of the I\\vska River was measured at different profiles in the channel and reduction of discharge was observed along the course indicating that I\\vska recharges Ižica springs. Analyses presented were performed in the frame of INCOME project and are aimed to improve understanding of hydrogeological conditions in the catchment area of Barje aquifer which is exploited for the public water supply of Ljubljana.

Geochemical evidence of groundwater flow paths and the fate and transport of constituents of concern in the alluvial aquifer at Fort Wingate Depot Activity, New Mexico, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Andrew J.; Henry, David W.; Langman, Jeffery B.

2013-01-01

As part of an environmental investigation at Fort Wingate Depot Activity, New Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, interpreted aqueous geochemical concentrations to better understand the groundwater flow paths and the fate and transport of constituents of concern in the alluvial aquifer underlying the study area. The fine-grained nature of the alluvial matrix creates a highly heterogeneous environment, which adds to the difficulty of characterizing the flow of groundwater and the fate of aqueous constituents of concern. The analysis of the groundwater geochemical data collected in October 2009 provides evidence that is used to identify four groundwater flow paths and their extent in the aquifer and indicates the dominant attenuation processes for the constituents of concern. The extent and interaction of groundwater flow paths were delineated by the major ion concentrations and their relations to each other. Four areas of groundwater recharge to the study area were identified based on groundwater elevations, hydrogeologic characteristics, and geochemical and isotopic evidence. One source of recharge enters the study area from the saturated alluvial deposits underlying the South Fork of the Puerco River to the north of the study area. A second source of recharge is shown to originate from a leaky cistern containing production water from the San Andres-Glorieta aquifer. The other two sources of recharge are shown to enter the study area from the south: one from an arroyo valley draining an area to the south and one from hill-front recharge that passes under the reported release of perchlorate and explosive constituents. The spatial extent and interaction of groundwater originating from these various sources along identified flow paths affect the persistence and attenuation of constituents of concern. It was determined that groundwater originating in the area of a former explosives’ wash-out operation and an

Hydrogeology and water quality in the Snake River alluvial aquifer at Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyoming, water years 2011 and 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wright, Peter R.

2013-01-01

The hydrogeology and water quality of the Snake River alluvial aquifer at the Jackson Hole Airport in northwest Wyoming was studied by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Jackson Hole Airport Board, during water years 2011 and 2012 as part of a followup to a previous baseline study during September 2008 through June 2009. Hydrogeologic conditions were characterized using data collected from 19 Jackson Hole Airport wells. Groundwater levels are summarized in this report and the direction of groundwater flow, hydraulic gradients, and estimated groundwater velocity rates in the Snake River alluvial aquifer underlying the study area are presented. Analytical results of groundwater samples collected from 10 wells during water years 2011 and 2012 are presented and summarized. The water table at Jackson Hole Airport was lowest in early spring and reached its peak in July or August, with an increase of 12.5 to 15.5 feet between April and July 2011. Groundwater flow was predominantly horizontal but generally had the hydraulic potential for downward flow. Groundwater flow within the Snake River alluvial aquifer at the airport was from the northeast to the west-southwest, with horizontal velocities estimated to be about 25 to 68 feet per day. This range of velocities slightly is broader than the range determined in the previous study and likely is due to variability in the local climate. The travel time from the farthest upgradient well to the farthest downgradient well was approximately 52 to 142 days. This estimate only describes the average movement of groundwater, and some solutes may move at a different rate than groundwater through the aquifer. The quality of the water in the alluvial aquifer generally was considered good. Water from the alluvial aquifer was fresh, hard to very hard, and dominated by calcium carbonate. No constituents were detected at concentrations exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels or health

Understory vegetation as an indicator for floodplain forest restoration in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, U.S.A

Treesearch

Diane De Steven; Stephen P. Faulkner; Bobby D. Keeland; Michael J. Baldwin; John W. McCoy; Steven C. Hughes

2015-01-01

In the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MAV), complete alteration of river-floodplain hydrology allowed for widespread conversion of forested bottomlands to intensive agriculture, resulting in nearly 80% forest loss. Governmental programs have attempted to restore forest habitat and functions within this altered landscape by the methods of tree planting (...

Checklist of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from managed emergent wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Abstract Background Here we present the results from a two-year bee survey conducted on 18 managed emergent wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas, USA. Sample methods included pan traps, sweep netting and blue-vane traps. We document 83 bee species and morphospecies in 5 families and 31 genera, of which 37 species represent first published state records for Arkansas. The majority of species were opportunistic wetland species; only a small number were wetland-dependent species or species largely restricted to alluvial plains. New information We present new distributional records for bee species not previously recorded in managed emergent wetlands and report specimens of thirty-seven species for which no published Arkansas records exist, expanding the known ranges of Ceratina cockerelli, Diadasia enavata, Lasioglossum creberrimum, Svastra cressonii and Dieunomia triangulifera. We also distinguish opportunistic wetland bee species from wetland-dependent and alluvial plain-restricted species. PMID:29773960

Checklist of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) from managed emergent wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas.

PubMed

Stephenson, Phillip L; Griswold, Terry L; Arduser, Michael S; Dowling, Ashley P G; Krementz, David G

2018-01-01

Here we present the results from a two-year bee survey conducted on 18 managed emergent wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas, USA. Sample methods included pan traps, sweep netting and blue-vane traps. We document 83 bee species and morphospecies in 5 families and 31 genera, of which 37 species represent first published state records for Arkansas. The majority of species were opportunistic wetland species; only a small number were wetland-dependent species or species largely restricted to alluvial plains. We present new distributional records for bee species not previously recorded in managed emergent wetlands and report specimens of thirty-seven species for which no published Arkansas records exist, expanding the known ranges of Ceratina cockerelli , Diadasia enavata, Lasioglossum creberrimum, Svastra cressonii and Dieunomia triangulifera . We also distinguish opportunistic wetland bee species from wetland-dependent and alluvial plain-restricted species.

Quantitative groundwater modelling for a sustainable water resource exploitation in a Mediterranean alluvial aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laïssaoui, Mounir; Mesbah, Mohamed; Madani, Khodir; Kiniouar, Hocine

2018-05-01

To analyze the water budget under human influences in the Isser wadi alluvial aquifer in the northeast of Algeria, we built a mathematical model which can be used for better managing groundwater exploitation. A modular three-dimensional finite-difference groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) was used. The modelling system is largely based on physical laws and employs a numerical method of the finite difference to simulate water movement and fluxes in a horizontally discretized field. After calibration in steady-state, the model could reproduce the initial heads with a rather good precision. It enabled us to quantify the aquifer water balance terms and to obtain a conductivity zones distribution. The model also highlighted the relevant role of the Isser wadi which constitutes a drain of great importance for the aquifer, ensuring alone almost all outflows. The scenarios suggested in transient simulations showed that an increase in the pumping would only increase the lowering of the groundwater levels and disrupting natural balance of aquifer. However, it is clear that this situation depends primarily on the position of pumping wells in the plain as well as on the extracted volumes of water. As proven by the promising results of model, this physically based and distributed-parameter model is a valuable contribution to the ever-advancing technology of hydrological modelling and water resources assessment.

Object-based forest classification to facilitate landscape-scale conservation in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mitchell, Michael; Wilson, R. Randy; Twedt, Daniel J.; Mini, Anne E.; James, J. Dale

2016-01-01

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley is a floodplain along the southern extent of the Mississippi River extending from southern Missouri to the Gulf of Mexico. This area once encompassed nearly 10 million ha of floodplain forests, most of which has been converted to agriculture over the past two centuries. Conservation programs in this region revolve around protection of existing forest and reforestation of converted lands. Therefore, an accurate and up to date classification of forest cover is essential for conservation planning, including efforts that prioritize areas for conservation activities. We used object-based image analysis with Random Forest classification to quickly and accurately classify forest cover. We used Landsat band, band ratio, and band index statistics to identify and define similar objects as our training sets instead of selecting individual training points. This provided a single rule-set that was used to classify each of the 11 Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper scenes that encompassed the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. We classified 3,307,910±85,344 ha (32% of this region) as forest. Our overall classification accuracy was 96.9% with Kappa statistic of 0.96. Because this method of forest classification is rapid and accurate, assessment of forest cover can be regularly updated and progress toward forest habitat goals identified in conservation plans can be periodically evaluated.

Thickness of the Mississippi River Valley confining unit, eastern Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gonthier, Gerard; Mahon, Gary L.

1993-01-01

Concern arose in the late 1980s over the vulnerability of the Mississippi Valley alluvial aquifer to contamination from potential surface sources related to pesticide or fertilizer use, industrial activity, landfills, or livestock operations. In 1990 a study was begun to locate areas in Arkansas where the groundwater flow system is susceptible to contamination by surface contaminants. As a part of that effort, the thickness of the clay confining unit overlying the alluvial aquifer in eastern Arkansas was mapped. The study area included all or parts of 27 counties in eastern Arkansas that are underlain by the alluvial aquifer and its overlying confining unit. A database of well attributes was compiled based on data from driller's logs and from published data and stored in computer files. A confining-unit thickness map was created from the driller's-log database using geographic information systems technology. A computer program was then used to contour the data. Where the confining unit is present, it ranges in thickness from 0 feet in many locations in the study area to 140 feet in northeastern Greene County and can vary substantially over short distances. Although general trends in the thickness of the confining unit are apparent, the thickness has great spatial variability. An apparent relation exists between thickness of the confining unit and spatial variability in thickness. In areas where the thickness of the confining unit is 40 feet or less, such as in Clay, eastern Craighead, northwestern Mississippi, and Woodruff Counties, thickness of the unit tends robe more uniform than in areas where the thickness of the unit generally exceeds 40 feet, such as in Arkansas, Lonoke, and Prairie Counties. At some sites the confining unit is very thick compared to its thickness in the immediate surrounding area. Locations of abandoned Mississippi River meander channels generally coincide with location of locally thick confining unit. Deposition of the confining unit onto

Groundwater model of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system version 3.0: Incorporating revisions in southwestern Utah and east central Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Lynette E.

2017-12-01

The groundwater model described in this report is a new version of previously published steady-state numerical groundwater flow models of the Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system, and was developed in conjunction with U.S. Geological Survey studies in Parowan, Pine, and Wah Wah Valleys, Utah. This version of the model is GBCAAS v. 3.0 and supersedes previous versions. The objectives of the model for Parowan Valley were to simulate revised conceptual estimates of recharge and discharge, to estimate simulated aquifer storage properties and the amount of reduction in storage as a result of historical groundwater withdrawals, and to assess reduction in groundwater withdrawals necessary to mitigate groundwater-level declines in the basin. The objectives of the model for the area near Pine and Wah Wah Valleys were to recalibrate the model using new observations of groundwater levels and evapotranspiration of groundwater; to provide new estimates of simulated recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and interbasin flow; and to simulate the effects of proposed groundwater withdrawals on the regional flow system. Meeting these objectives required the addition of 15 transient calibration stress periods and 14 projection stress periods, aquifer storage properties, historical withdrawals in Parowan Valley, and observations of water-level changes in Parowan Valley. Recharge in Parowan Valley and withdrawal from wells in Parowan Valley and two nearby wells in Cedar City Valley vary for each calibration stress period representing conditions from March 1940 to November 2013. Stresses, including recharge, are the same in each stress period as in the steady-state stress period for all areas outside of Parowan Valley. The model was calibrated to transient conditions only in Parowan Valley. Simulated storage properties outside of Parowan Valley were set the same as the Parowan Valley properties and are not considered calibrated. Model observations in GBCAAS v. 3.0 are

The diffraction of Rayleigh waves by a fluid-saturated alluvial valley in a poroelastic half-space modeled by MFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhongxian; Liang, Jianwen; Wu, Chengqing

2016-06-01

Two dimensional diffraction of Rayleigh waves by a fluid-saturated poroelastic alluvial valley of arbitrary shape in a poroelastic half-space is investigated using the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). To satisfy the free surface boundary conditions exactly, Green's functions of compressional (PI and PII) and shear (SV) wave sources buried in a fluid-saturated poroelastic half-space are adopted. Next, the procedure for solving the scattering wave field is presented. It is verified that the MFS is of excellent accuracy and numerical stability. Numerical results illustrate that the dynamic response strongly depends on such factors as the incident frequency, the porosity of alluvium, the boundary drainage condition, and the valley shape. There is a significant difference between the diffraction of Rayleigh waves for the saturated soil case and for the corresponding dry soil case. The wave focusing effect both on the displacement and pore pressure can be observed inside the alluvial valley and the amplification effect seems most obvious in the case of higher porosity and lower frequency. Additionally, special attention should also be paid to the concentration of pore pressure, which is closely related to the site liquefaction in earthquakes.

Chemical and isotopic prediction of aquifer temperatures in the geothermal system at Long Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fournier, R.O.; Sorey, M.L.; Mariner, R.H.; Truesdell, A.H.

1979-01-01

Temperatures of aquifers feeding thermal springs and wells in Long Valley, California, estimated using silica and Na-K-Ca geothermometers and warm spring mixing models, range from 160/dg to about 220??C. This information was used to construct a diagram showing enthalpy-chloride relations for the various thermal waters in the Long Valley region. The enthalpy-chloride information suggests that a 282 ?? 10??C aquifer with water containing about 375 mg chloride per kilogram of water is present somewhere deep in the system. That deep water would be related to ??? 220??C Casa Diablo water by mixing with cold water, and to Hot Creek water by first boiling with steam loss and then mixing with cold water. Oxygen and deuterium isotopic data are consistent with that interpretation. An aquifer at 282??C with 375 mg/kg chloride implies a convective heat flow in Long Valley of 6.6 ?? 107 cal/s. ?? 1979.

Environment tracers application to groundwater circulation assessment in an alluvial aquifer in Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sappa, Giuseppe; Barbieri, Maurizio; Vitale, Stefania

2017-04-01

Groundwater vulnerability assessment is an important tool in order to plan any groundwater protection strategy. The aim of this study is to experiment a specific approach to give a conceptual model about groundwater circulation characterization. This approach has been applied to a suspected contaminated site in a large alluvial plan, made of sediments coming from weathered volcanic rocks, laying on marine sediments, where more than thirty years ago had been built a very important urban waste solid landfill. In referring to this case history it has been pointed out the importance of natural chemical interaction between ground water and rock mass, especially when pyroclastic origin sediments are involved. The landfill had been isolated from the surrounding environment, especially to protect aquifers, by a waterproof diaphragm This land is characterised by intensive agricultural and industrial activities (oil refineries, medical waste incinerators, concrete production, tar factory). The study will highlight the importance of environmental tracers which provide information about the flow and mixing processes of water coming from different sources. They are also useful to point out directions of groundwater flow and to determine origin Environmental tracers are natural chemical and isotopic substances that can be measured in groundwater and used to understand hydrologic properties of aquifers. They may be input into the hydrological system from the atmosphere at recharge and/or are added/lost/exchanged inherently as waters flow over and through materials. Variations in their chemical abundances and isotopic compositions can be used as tracers to determine sources (provenance), pathways (of reaction or interaction) and also timescales (dating) of environmental processes. In combination with these, the basic idea is to use. In this case enviromental tracers have been integrated by temperature and electric conductivity logs, to better investigate different levels of faster

Evaluation of the groundwater-flow model for the Ohio River alluvial aquifer near Carrollton, Kentucky, updated to conditions in September 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Unthank, Michael D.

2013-01-01

The Ohio River alluvial aquifer near Carrollton, Ky., is an important water resource for the cities of Carrollton and Ghent, as well as for several industries in the area. The groundwater of the aquifer is the primary source of drinking water in the region and a highly valued natural resource that attracts various water-dependent industries because of its quantity and quality. This report evaluates the performance of a numerical model of the groundwater-flow system in the Ohio River alluvial aquifer near Carrollton, Ky., published by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1999. The original model simulated conditions in November 1995 and was updated to simulate groundwater conditions estimated for September 2010. The files from the calibrated steady-state model of November 1995 conditions were imported into MODFLOW-2005 to update the model to conditions in September 2010. The model input files modified as part of this update were the well and recharge files. The design of the updated model and other input files are the same as the original model. The ability of the updated model to match hydrologic conditions for September 2010 was evaluated by comparing water levels measured in wells to those computed by the model. Water-level measurements were available for 48 wells in September 2010. Overall, the updated model underestimated the water levels at 36 of the 48 measured wells. The average difference between measured water levels and model-computed water levels was 3.4 feet and the maximum difference was 10.9 feet. The root-mean-square error of the simulation was 4.45 for all 48 measured water levels. The updated steady-state model could be improved by introducing more accurate and site-specific estimates of selected field parameters, refined model geometry, and additional numerical methods. Collection of field data to better estimate hydraulic parameters, together with continued review of available data and information from area well operators, could provide the model with

Hydrogeologic Appraisal of the Valley-Fill Aquifer in the Port Jervis Trough, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Richard J.

2007-01-01

The nature and extent of valley-fill aquifers in the Port Jervis Trough was evaluated for a 16 mile section of this valley from the Orange-Sullivan County line near Westbrookville to the village of Napanoch in Ulster County as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Detailed Aquifer Mapping Program in New York State. The principal aquifer in the Port Jervis Trough is a 50 feet thick outwash aquifer that extends from the Phillipsport Moraine near Summitville, southward through the study area to Port Jervis, N.Y. Previous studies had estimated as much as 500 feet of saturated drift in parts of the Trough, but new well data show that much of the valley fill consists of fine-grained lacustrine sediments. Drillers' logs show that the outwash aquifer south of Summitville is underlain by as much as 275 feet of lacustrine silt and clay. North of the Phillipsport Moraine, three large glaciolacustrine deltas that were built into Glacial Lake Wawarsing provide some local and discontinuous confined aquifers through their coarser bottomset beds. Elsewhere in the Trough, collapsed and buried portions of kame deltas and terraces provide local confined aquifers. The outwash aquifer appears to be very transmissive, as evidenced by the high specific capacity of 130 gallons per minute per foot [(gal/min)/ft] of a commercial test well screened in the aquifer.

Hydrogeologic and geochemical characterization of groundwater resources in Rush Valley, Tooele County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, Philip M.; Kirby, Stefan

2011-01-01

The water resources of Rush Valley were assessed during 2008–2010 with an emphasis on refining the understanding of the groundwater-flow system and updating the groundwater budget. Surface-water resources within Rush Valley are limited and are generally used for agriculture. Groundwater is the principal water source for most other uses including supplementing irrigation. Most groundwater withdrawal in Rush Valley is from the unconsolidated basin-fill aquifer where conditions are generally unconfined near the mountain front and confined at lower altitudes near the valley center. Productive aquifers also occur in fractured bedrock along the valley margins and beneath the basin-fill deposits in some areas.Drillers’ logs and geophysical gravity data were compiled and used to delineate seven hydrogeologic units important to basin-wide groundwater movement. The principal basin-fill aquifer includes the unconsolidated Quaternary-age alluvial and lacustrine deposits of (1) the upper basin-fill aquifer unit (UBFAU) and the consolidated and semiconsolidated Tertiary-age lacustrine and alluvial deposits of (2) the lower basin-fill aquifer unit (LBFAU). Bedrock hydrogeologic units include (3) the Tertiary-age volcanic unit (VU), (4) the Pennsylvanian- to Permian-age upper carbonate aquifer unit (UCAU), (5) the upper Mississippian- to lower Pennsylvanian-age upper siliciclastic confining unit (USCU), (6) the Middle Cambrian- to Mississippian-age lower carbonate aquifer unit (LCAU), and (7) the Precambrian- to Lower Cambrian-age noncarbonate confining unit (NCCU). Most productive bedrock wells in the Rush Valley groundwater basin are in the UCAU.Average annual recharge to the Rush Valley groundwater basin is estimated to be about 39,000 acre-feet. Nearly all recharge occurs as direct infiltration of snowmelt and rainfall within the mountains with smaller amounts occurring as infiltration of streamflow and unconsumed irrigation water at or near the mountain front. Groundwater

Economic potential of agroforestry and forestry in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley with incentive programs and carbon payments

Treesearch

Gregory E. Frey; D. Evan Mercer; Frederick W. Cubbage; Robert C. Abt

2011-01-01

Conversion of bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) to agricultural land has caused a loss of ecosystem services. The primary approaches to reverse this have been the Wetlands Reserve Program and the Conservation Reserve Program, which provide financial incentives to landowners to reforest. However, other forest production regimes...

Composition, potential old growth, fragmentation, and ownership of Mississippi Alluvial Valley bottomland hardwoods: a regional assessment of historic change

Treesearch

Victor A. Rudis

2001-01-01

Abstract-Recent Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MAV) bottomland hardwood forest surveys revealed a larger proportion of intermittent flood zone (inundated 1 to 2 months), early successional (primarily hackberry-elm-ash), and permanent flood zone (inundated > 6 months annually, primarily baldcypress-water tupelo) community types than in the...

Early findings from artificial recharge efforts of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The long-term success and sustainability of agriculture in the Lower Mississippi River Basin will depend largely on water resources. Aquifer decline in the region has been documented since the 1980s and continues today. Artificial recharge is one possible tool that could help alleviate this declin...

Effects of land use on water quality of the Fountain Creek alluvial aquifer, east-central Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chafin, Daniel T.

1996-01-01

Water-quality data were collected from the Fountain Creek alluvial aquifer in 1988 and 1989 as part of the Toxic-Waste Ground-Water Contamination Program. These data indicate that dissolved solids, most major ions, fluoride, ammonium, boron, lithium, selenium, and strontium were more concentrated in the agricultural land-use area than in the upgradient urban land-use area. Nitrate and phosphate had significantly larger concentrations, and volatile organic compounds had significantly greater detection frequencies in the urban land-use area.

Luminescence ages for alluvial-fan deposits in Southern Death Valley: Implications for climate-driven sedimentation along a tectonically active mountain front

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sohn, M.F.; Mahan, S.A.; Knott, J.R.; Bowman, D.D.

2007-01-01

Controversy exists over whether alluvial-fan sedimentation along tectonically active mountain fronts is driven by climatic changes or tectonics. Knowing the age of sedimentation is the key to understanding the relationship between sedimentation and its cause. Alluvial-fan deposits in Death Valley and throughout the arid southwestern United States have long been the subjects of study, but their ages have generally eluded researchers until recently. Most mapping efforts have recognized at least four major relative-age groupings (Q1 (oldest), Q2, Q3, and Q4 (youngest)), using observed changes in surface soils and morphology, relation to the drainage net, and development of desert pavement. Obtaining numerical age determinations for these morphologic stages has proven challenging. We report the first optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages for three of these four stages deposited within alluvial-fans along the tectonically active Black Mountains of Death Valley. Deposits showing distinct, remnant bar and swale topography (Q3b) have OSL ages from 7 to 4 ka., whereas those with moderate to poorly developed desert pavement and located farther above the active channel (Q3a) have OSL ages from 17 to 11 ka. Geomorphically older deposits with well-developed desert pavement (Q2d) have OSL ages ???25 ka. Using this OSL-based chronology, we note that alluvial-fan deposition along this tectonically active mountain front corresponds to both wet-to-dry and dry-to-wet climate changes recorded globally and regionally. These findings underscore the influence of climate change on alluvial fan deposition in arid and semi-arid regions. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

Hydrologic setting and geochemical characterization of free-phase hydrocarbons in the alluvial aquifer at Mandan, North Dakota, November 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hostettler, Frances D.; Rostad, Colleen E.; Kvenvolden, Keith A.; Delin, Geoffrey N.; Putnam, Larry D.; Kolak, Jonathan J.; Chaplin, Brain P.; Schaap, Bryan D.

2001-01-01

Free-phase hydrocarbons are present in the alluvial aquifer at Mandan, North Dakota. A large contaminant body of the hydrocarbons [light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL)] floats on the water table about 20 feet below land surface. The main LNAPL body is about 6 feet thick, and the areal extent is about 657,000 square feet. A study was conducted to describe the hydrologic setting and characterize the geochemical composition of the free-phase hydrocarbons in the alluvial aquifer. Most of the study area is underlain by alluvium of the Heart River Valley that ranges in thickness from about 25 to 109 feet. The alluvium can be divided into three stratigraphic units silty clay, silty sand, and sand and is underlain by shales and sandstones. Monitoring wells were installed prior to this study, to an average depth of about 29 feet. Regional ground-water flow in the Heart River aquifer generally may be from west-northwest to eastsoutheast and is influenced by hydraulic connections to the river. Hydraulic connections also are probable between the aquifer and the Missouri River. Ground-water flow across the north boundary of the aquifer is minimal because of adjacent shales and sandstones of relatively low permeability. Recharge occurs from infiltration of precipitation and is spatially variable depending on the thickness of overlying clays and silts. Although the general water-table gradient may be from west-northwest to east-southeast, the flow directions can vary depending on the river stage and recharge events. Any movement of the LNAPL is influenced by the gradients created by changes in water-level altitudes.LNAPL samples were collected from monitoring wells using dedicated bailers. The samples were transferred to glass containers, stored in the dark, and refrigerated before shipment for analysis by a variety of analytical techniques. For comparison purposes, reference-fuel samples provided by the refinery in Mandan also were analyzed. These reference-fuel samples

Inference of lithologic distributions in an alluvial aquifer using airborne transient electromagnetic surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dickinson, Jesse; Pool, D.R.; Groom, R.W.; Davis, L.J.

2010-01-01

An airborne transient electromagnetic (TEM) survey was completed in the Upper San Pedro Basin in southeastern Arizona to map resistivity distributions within the alluvial aquifer. This investigation evaluated the utility of 1D vertical resistivity models of the TEM data to infer lithologic distributions in an alluvial aquifer. Comparisons of the resistivity values and layers in the 1D resistivity models of airborne TEM data to 1D resistivity models of ground TEM data, borehole resistivity logs, and lithologic descriptions in drill logs indicated that the airborne TEM identified thick conductive fine-grained sediments that result in semiconfined groundwater conditions. One-dimensional models of ground-based TEM surveys and subsurface lithology at three sites were used to determine starting models and constraints to invert airborne TEM data using a constrained Marquardt-styleunderparameterized method. A maximum structural resolution of six layers underlain by a half-space was determined from the resistivity structure of the 1D models of the ground TEM data. The 1D resistivity models of the airborne TEM data compared well with the control data to depths of approximately 100 m in areas of thick conductive silt and clay and to depths of 200 m in areas of resistive sand and gravel. Comparison of a 3D interpolation of the 1D resistivity models to drill logs indicated resistive (mean of 65 ohm-m ) coarse-grained sediments along basin margins and conductive (mean of 8 ohm-m ) fine-grained sediments at the basin center. Extents of hydrologically significant thick silt and clay were well mapped by the 1D resistivity models of airborne TEM data. Areas of uncertain lithology remain below conductive fine-grained sediments where the 1D resistivity structure is not resolved: in areas where multiple lithologies have similar resistivity values and in areas of high salinity.

Valley-fill alluviation during the Little Ice Age (ca. A.D. 1400-1880), Paria River basin and southern Colorado Plateau, United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hereford, R.

2002-01-01

Valley-fill alluvium deposited from ca. A.D. 1400 to 1880 is widespread in tributaries of the Paria River and is largely coincident with the Little Ice Age epoch of global climate variability. Previous work showed that alluvium of this age is a mappable stratigraphic unit in many of the larger alluvial valleys of the southern Colorado Plateau. The alluvium is bounded by two disconformities resulting from prehistoric and historic arroyo cutting at ca. A.D. 1200-1400 and 1860-1910, respectively. The fill forms a terrace in the axial valleys of major through-flowing streams. This terrace and underlying deposits are continuous and interfinger with sediment in numerous small tributary valleys that head at the base of hillslopes of sparsely vegetated, weakly consolidated bedrock, suggesting that eroded bedrock was an important source of alluvium along with in-channel and other sources. Paleoclimatic and high-resolution paleoflood studies indicate that valley-fill alluviation occured during a long-term decrease in the frequency of large, destructive floods. Aggradation of the valleys ended about A.D. 1880, if not two decades earlier, with the beginning of historic arroyo cutting. This shift from deposition to valley entrenchment near the close of the Little Ice Age generally coincided with the beginning of an episode of the largest floods in the preceding 400-500 yr, which was probably caused by an increased recurrence and intensity of flood-producing El Nin??o events beginning at ca. A.D. 1870.

Projected ground-water development, ground-water levels, and stream-aquifer leakage in the South Fork Solomon River Valley between Webster Reservoir and Waconda Lake, north-central Kansas, 1979-2020

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kume, Jack; Lindgren, R.J.; Stullken, L.E.

1985-01-01

A two-dimensional finite difference computer model was used to project changes in the potentiometric surface, saturated thickness, and stream aquifer leakage in an alluvial aquifer resulting from four instances of projected groundwater development. The alluvial aquifer occurs in the South Fork Solomon River valley between Webster Reservoir and Waconda Lake in north-central Kansas. In the first two projections, pumpage for irrigation was held constant at 1978 rates throughout the projection period (1979-2020). In the second two projections, the 1978 pumpage was progressively increased each yr through 2020. In the second and fourth projections, surface water diversions in the Osborne Irrigation Canal were decreased by 50 %. For the third and fourth projections, each grid-block in the modeled area was classified initially as one of six types according to whether it represented irrigable or nonirrigable land, to its saturated thickness, to its location inside or outside the canal-river area, and to its pumping rate. The projected base-flow rates (leakage from the aquifer to the river) were lower during the irrigation season (June, July, and August) than during the other months of the yr because of the decline in hydraulic head produced by groundwater pumpage. Stream depletion, calculated as a decrease below the average (1970-78) estimated winter base-flow rate of 16.5 cu ft/sec, varied inversely with base flow. For the first two projections, a constant annual cycle of well pumpage and recharge was used throughout the projection period. Aquifer leakage to the river was nearly constant by the mid-to-late 1990's, implying that flow conditions had attained a stabilized annual cycle. The third and fourth projections never attained an annual stabilized cycle because the irrigation pumpage rate was increased each year. By the early 1980's, the hydraulic head had fallen below river stage, reversing the hydraulic gradient at the stream-aquifer interface and resulting in net

Conserving waste rice for wintering waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kross, J.P.; Kaminski, R.M.; Reinecke, K.J.; Pearse, A.T.

2008-01-01

Rice lost before or during harvest operations (hereafter waste rice) provides important food for waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA, but >70% of waste rice is lost during autumn. We conducted experiments in 19 production rice fields in Arkansas and Mississippi during autumns 2003 and 2004 to evaluate the ability of common postharvest practices (i.e., burn, mow, roll, disk, or standing stubble) to conserve waste rice. We detected a postharvest treatment effect and a positive effect of initial abundance of waste rice on late-autumn abundance of waste rice (P < 0.022). Standing stubble contained the greatest abundance of waste rice followed by burned, mowed, rolled, and disked stubble. We recommend standing stubble or burning to maximize waste rice abundance for wintering waterfowl.

Conserving waste rice for wintering waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kross, J.P.; Kaminski, R.M.; Reinecke, K.J.; Pearse, A.T.

2008-01-01

Rice lost before or during harvest operations (hereafter waste rice) provides important food for waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA, but >70% of waste rice is lost during autumn. We conducted experiments in 19 production rice fields in Arkansas and Mississippi during autumns 2003 and 2004 to evaluate the ability of common postharvest practices (i.e., burn, mow, roll, disk, or standing stubble) to conserve waste rice. We detected a postharvest treatment effect and a positive effect of initial abundance of waste rice on late-autumn abundance of waste rice (P ??? 0.022). Standing stubble contained the greatest abundance of waste rice followed by burned, mowed, rolled, and disked stubble. We recommend standing stubble or burning to maximize waste rice abundance for wintering waterfowl.

Nitrate Contamination of Deep Aquifers in the Salinas Valley, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, J. E.; Esser, B. K.; Hillegonds, D. J.; Holtz, M.; Roberts, S. K.; Singleton, M. J.; Visser, A.; Kulongoski, J. T.; Belitz, K.

2011-12-01

The Salinas Valley, known as 'the salad bowl of the world', has been an agricultural center for more than 100 years. Irrigated row crops such as lettuce and strawberries dominate both land use and water use. Groundwater is the exclusive supply for both irrigation and drinking water. Some irrigation wells and most public water supply wells in the Salinas Valley are constructed to draw water from deep portions of the aquifer system, where contamination by nitrate is less likely than in the shallow portions of the aquifer system. However, a number of wells with top perforations greater than 75 m deep, screened below confining or semi-confining units, have nitrate concentrations greater than the Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) of 45 mg/L as NO3-. This study uses nitrate concentrations from several hundred irrigation, drinking water, and monitoring wells (Monterey County Water Resources Agency, 1997), along with tritium-helium groundwater ages acquired at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory through the State of California Groundwater Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) program (reported in Kulongoski et al., 2007 and in Moran et al., in press), to identify nitrate 'hot spots' in the deep aquifer and to examine possible modes of nitrate transport to the deep aquifer. In addition, observed apparent groundwater ages are compared with the results of transport simulations that use particle tracking and a stochastic-geostatistical framework to incorporate aquifer heterogeneity to determine the distribution of travel times from the water table to each well (Fogg et al., 1999). The combined evidence from nitrate, tritium, tritiogenic 3He, and radiogenic 4He concentrations, reveals complex recharge and flow to the capture zone of the deep drinking water wells. Widespread groundwater pumping for irrigation accelerates vertical groundwater flow such that high nitrate groundwater reaches some deep drinking water wells. Deeper portions of the wells often draw in water that recharged

Conjunctive-management models for sustained yield of stream-aquifer systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, P.M.; Ahlfeld, D.P.; Dickerman, D.C.

2003-01-01

Conjunctive-management models that couple numerical simulation with linear optimization were developed to evaluate trade-offs between groundwater withdrawals and streamflow depletions for alluvial-valley stream-aquifer systems representative of those of the northeastern United States. A conjunctive-management model developed for a hypothetical stream-aquifer system was used to assess the effect of interannual hydrologic variability on minimum monthly streamflow requirements. The conjunctive-management model was applied to the Hunt-Annaquatucket-Pettaquamscutt stream-aquifer system of central Rhode Island. Results show that it is possible to increase the amount of current withdrawal from the aquifer by as much as 50% by modifying current withdrawal schedules, modifying the number and configuration of wells in the supply-well network, or allowing increased streamflow depletion in the Annaquatucket and Pettaquamscutt rivers. Alternatively, it is possible to reduce current rates of streamflow depletion in the Hunt River by as much as 35% during the summer, but such reductions would result increases in groundwater withdrawals.

Nursery stock quality as an indicator of bottomland hardwood forest restoration success in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Douglass F. Jacobs; Rosa C. Goodman; Emile S. Gardiner; K Frances Salifu; Ronald P. Overton; George Hernandez

2012-01-01

Seedling morphological quality standards are lacking for bottomland hardwood restoration plantings in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, USA, which may contribute toward variable restoration success. We measured initial seedling morphology (shoot height, root collar diameter, number of first order lateral roots, fresh mass, and root volume), second year field...

Stratification of chlorinated ethenes natural attenuation in an alluvial aquifer assessed by hydrochemical and biomolecular tools.

PubMed

Němeček, Jan; Dolinová, Iva; Macháčková, Jiřina; Špánek, Roman; Ševců, Alena; Lederer, Tomáš; Černík, Miroslav

2017-10-01

Biomolecular and hydrochemical tools were used to evaluate natural attenuation of chlorinated ethenes in a Quaternary alluvial aquifer located close to a historical source of large-scale tetrachloroethylene (PCE) contamination. Distinct stratification of redox zones was observed, despite the aquifer's small thickness (2.8 m). The uppermost zone of the target aquifer was characterised by oxygen- and nitrate-reducing conditions, with mixed iron- to sulphate-reducing conditions dominant in the lower zone, along with indications of methanogenesis. Natural attenuation of PCE was strongly influenced by redox heterogeneity, while higher levels of PCE degradation coincided with iron- to sulphate reducing conditions. Next generation sequencing of the middle and/or lower zones identified anaerobic bacteria (Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes) associated with reductive dechlorination. The relative abundance of dechlorinators (Dehalococcoides mccartyi, Dehalobacter sp.) identified by real-time PCR in soil from the lower levels supports the hypothesis that there is a significant potential for reductive dechlorination of PCE. Local conditions were insufficiently reducing for rapid complete dechlorination of PCE to harmless ethene. For reliable assessment of natural attenuation, or when designing monitoring or remedial systems, vertical stratification of key biological and hydrochemical markers should be analysed as standard, even in shallow aquifers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative assessment of the flow pattern in the southern Arava Valley (Israel) by environmental tracers and a mixing cell model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adar, E. M.; Rosenthal, E.; Issar, A. S.; Batelaan, O.

1992-08-01

This paper demonstrates the implementation of a novel mathematical model to quantify subsurface inflows from various sources into the arid alluvial basin of the southern Arava Valley divided between Israel and Jordan. The model is based on spatial distribution of environmental tracers and is aimed for use on basins with complex hydrogeological structure and/or with scarce physical hydrologic information. However, a sufficient qualified number of wells and springs are required to allow water sampling for chemical and isotopic analyses. Environmental tracers are used in a multivariable cluster analysis to define potential sources of recharge, and also to delimit homogeneous mixing compartments within the modeled aquifer. Six mixing cells were identified based on 13 constituents. A quantitative assessment of 11 significant subsurface inflows was obtained. Results revealed that the total recharge into the southern Arava basin is around 12.52 × 10 6m3year-1. The major source of inflow into the alluvial aquifer is from the Nubian sandstone aquifer which comprises 65-75% of the total recharge. Only 19-24% of the recharge, but the most important source of fresh water, originates over the eastern Jordanian mountains and alluvial fans.

Age and quality of ground water and sources of nitrogen in the aquifers in Pumpkin Creek Valley, western Nebraska, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steele, G.V.; Cannia, J.C.; Sibray, S.S.; McGuire, V.L.

2005-01-01

Ground water is the source of drinking water for the residents of Pumpkin Creek Valley, western Nebraska. In this largely agricultural area, shallow aquifers potentially are susceptible to nitrate contamination. During the last 10 years, ground-water levels in the North Platte Natural Resources District have declined and contamination has become a major problem for the district. In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey and the North Platte Natural Resources District began a cooperative study to determine the age and quality of the ground water and the sources of nitrogen in the aquifers in Pumpkin Creek Valley. Water samples were collected from 8 surface-water sites, 2 springs, and 88 ground-water sites during May, July, and August 2000. These samples were analyzed for physical properties, nutrients or nitrate, and hydrogen and oxygen isotopes. In addition, a subset of samples was analyzed for any combination of chlorofluorocarbons, tritium, tritium/helium, sulfur-hexafluoride, carbon-14, and nitrogen-15. The apparent age of ground water in the alluvial aquifer typically varied from about 1980 to modern, whereas ground water in the fractured Brule Formation had a median value in the 1970s. The Brule Formation typically contained ground water that ranged from the 1940s to the 1990s, but low-yield wells had apparent ages of 5,000 to 10,000 years before present. Data for oxygen-18 and deuterium indicated that lake-water samples showed the greatest effects from evaporation. Ground-water data showed no substantial evaporative effects and some ground water became isotopically heavier as the water moved downgradient. In addition, the physical and chemical ground-water data indicate that Pumpkin Creek is a gaining stream because little, if any, of its water is lost to the ground-water system. The water-quality type changed from a sodium calcium bicarbonate type near Pumpkin Creek's headwaters to a calcium sodium bicarbonate type near its mouth. Nitrate concentrations were

Geomorphological and cryostratigraphical analyses of the Zackenberg Valley, NE Greenland and significance of Holocene alluvial fans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cable, Stefanie; Christiansen, Hanne H.; Westergaard-Nielsen, Andreas; Kroon, Aart; Elberling, Bo

2018-02-01

In High Arctic northern Greenland, future responses to climatic changes are poorly understood on a landscape scale. Here, we present a study of the geomorphology and cryostratigraphy in the Zackenberg Valley in NE Greenland (74°N) containing a geomorphological map and a simplified geocryological map, combined with analyses of 13 permafrost cores and two exposures. Cores from a solifluction sheet, alluvial fans, and an emerged delta were studied with regards to cryostructures, ice and total carbon contents, grain size distribution, and pore water electrical conductivity; and the samples were AMS 14C dated. The near-surface permafrost on slopes and alluvial fans is ice rich, as opposed to the ice-poor epigenetic permafrost in the emerged delta. Ground ice and carbon distribution are closely linked to sediment transport processes, which largely depend on lithology and topography. Holocene alluvial fans on the lowermost hillslopes, covering 12% of the study area, represent paleoenvironmental archives. During the contrasting climates of the Holocene, the alluvial fans continued to aggrade - through the warmer early Holocene Optimum, the colder late Holocene, and the following climate warming - and by 0.45 mm a- 1, on average. This is caused by three factors: sedimentation, ground ice aggradation, and vegetation growth and is reflected by AMS 14C dating and continuously alternating cryostructures. Highly variable sedimentation rates in space and time at the alluvial fans have been detected. This is also reflected by alternating lenticular and microlenticular cryostructures indicating syngenetic permafrost aggradation during sedimentation with suspended and organic-matrix cryostructures indicating quasi-syngenetic permafrost aggradation in response to vegetation growth in periods with reduced or no sedimentation. Over time, this causes organic matter to become buried, indicating that alluvial fans represent effective carbon sinks that have previously been overlooked.

Texture and depositional history of near-surface alluvial deposits in the central part of the western San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laudon, Julie; Belitz, Kenneth

1989-01-01

Saline conditions and associated high levels of selenium and other soluble trace elements in soil, shallow ground water, and agricultural drain water of the western San Joaquin Valley, California, have prompted a study of the texture of near-surface alluvial deposits in the central part of the western valley. Texture is characterized by the percentage of coarse-grained sediment present within a specified subsurface depth interval and is used as a basis for mapping the upper 50 feet of deposits. Resulting quantitative descriptions of the deposits are used to interpret the late Quaternary history of the area. Three hydrogeologic units--Coast Range alluvium, flood-basin deposits, and Sierran sand--can be recognized in the upper 50 feet of deposits in the central part of the western San Joaquin Valley. The upper 30 feet of Coast Range alluvium and the adjacent 5 to 35 feet of flood-basin deposits are predominantly fine grained. These fine-grained Coast Range deposits are underlain by coarse-grained channel deposits. The fine-grained flood basin deposits are underlain by coarse-grained Sierran sand. The extent and orientation of channel deposits below 20 feet in the Coast Range alluvium indicate that streams draining the Coast Range may have been tributary to the axial stream that deposited the Sierran sand and that streamflow may have been to the southeast. The fining-upward stratigraphic sequence in the upper 50 feet of deposits and the headward retreat of tributary stream channels from the valley trough with time support a recent hypothesis of climatic control of alluviation in the western San Joaquin Valley.

Distribution and variability of nitrogen and phosphorus in the alluvial, High Plains, Rush Springs, and Blaine aquifers in western Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, C.J.

1994-01-01

Aquifers are the primary source of water for drinking and agricultural purposes in western Oklahoma. Health concerns about consuming nitrogen and an increased reliance on ground water for drinking necessitate a better understanding of the cause and effect of contamination from nutrients. The purpose of this project was to compile nutrients data from the National Water Information System data base for the alluvial aquifers west of longitude 98 degrees W. and from three bedrock aquifers, High Plains, Rush Springs, and Blaine, and provide this information in a report for future projects and for the facilitation of nutrient source management. The scope of the work consisted of (1) compiling ground-water quality data concerning nitrogen and phosphorus ions, (2) constructing boxplots illustrating data variability, (3) maps for each aquifer showing locations of wells when nitrogen and phosphorus ions were measured in ground water and where concentrations of nitrate and nitrite, reported as nitrogen, exceed the maximum contaminant level, and (4) calculating summary statistics. Nutrient data were obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey data base called the National Water Information System. Data were restricted to ground-water samples, but no restrictions were placed on well and water use or date and time of sampling. Compiled nutrient data consist of dissolved and total concentrations of the common nitrogen and phosphorus ions measured in ground water. For nitrogen these ions include nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and nitrite plus nitrate. All concentrations are reported in milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Phosphorus in ground water is measured as the orthophosphate ion, and is reported in milligrams per liter as phosphorus. Nutrient variability is illustrated by a standard boxplot. The data are presented by aquifer or hydrologic subregion for alluvial aquifers, with one boxplot constructed for each nutrient compound if more than four analyses are present. Maps for each

Geology and water resources of Owens Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hollett, Kenneth J.; Danskin, Wesley R.; McCaffrey, William F.; Walti, Caryl L.

1991-01-01

Owens Valley, a long, narrow valley located along the east flank of the Sierra Nevada in east-central California, is the main source of water for the city of Los Angeles. The city diverts most of the surface water in the valley into the Owens River-Los Angeles Aqueduct system, which transports the water more than 200 miles south to areas of distribution and use. Additionally, ground water is pumped or flows from wells to supplement the surface-water diversions to the river-aqueduct system. Pumpage from wells needed to supplement water export has increased since 1970, when a second aqueduct was put into service, and local concerns have been expressed that the increased pumpage may have had a detrimental effect on the environment and the indigenous alkaline scrub and meadow plant communities in the valley. The scrub and meadow communities depend on soil moisture derived from precipitation and the unconfined part of a multilayered aquifer system. This report, which describes the hydrogeology of the aquifer system and the water resources of the valley, is one in a series designed to (1) evaluate the effects that groundwater pumping has on scrub and meadow communities and (2) appraise alternative strategies to mitigate any adverse effects caused by, pumping. Two principal topographic features are the surface expression of the geologic framework--the high, prominent mountains on the east and west sides of the valley and the long, narrow intermountain valley floor. The mountains are composed of sedimentary, granitic, and metamorphic rocks, mantled in part by volcanic rocks as well as by glacial, talus, and fluvial deposits. The valley floor is underlain by valley fill that consists of unconsolidated to moderately consolidated alluvial fan, transition-zone, glacial and talus, and fluvial and lacustrine deposits. The valley fill also includes interlayered recent volcanic flows and pyroclastic rocks. The bedrock surface beneath the valley fill is a narrow, steep-sided graben

Band reporting rates of mallards in the Mississippi alluvial valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinecke, K.J.; Shaiffer, C.W.; Delnicki, D.

1992-01-01

We captured 2,182 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in eastcentral Arkansas and marked 730 with standard bands, 728 with 10 reward bands, and 724 with 'dummy' radio transmitters during November 1986-89 to estimate band reporting rates in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Assuming all transmitters were reported, reporting rates were 0.16 (SE=0.049) for standard bands and 0.34 (SE=0.081) for 10 reward bands. Interviews with hunters indicated that flock size distributions differed (P=0.03) between mallards wearing transmitters and those wearing bands (standard or reward). Mallards wearing transmitters were more likely to be alone and less likely to be in large flocks when recovered than were mallards wearing bands. These results suggest that either band reporting rates of mallards in the MAV are substantially less than those of midcontinent mallards (P=0.03), or marking mallards with external transmitters increases susceptibility to hunting mortality.

Exploration of an alluvial aquifer in Oman by time-domain electromagnetic sounding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, M. E.; de Bruijn, R. G. M.; Al-Ismaily, A. Salim

One-third of the population of Oman depends upon groundwater extracted from the alluvium of the Batinah Plain, on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. Deep geophysical exploration techniques were used to determine the depth and nature of the alluvium and the boundaries of the aquifer. The base and structural controls of the alluvial basin at its contact with Tertiary marine sediments and Cretaceous ophiolite were mapped with seismic reflection data, recorded originally for oil exploration. The base of the alluvium dips northward from the foothills of the Northern Oman Mountains, reaching a maximum depth of 2000m at the coast. The varying facies of the alluvium are grossly characterised by different, overlapping ranges of electrical resistivity, depending largely on the clay content and degree of cementation. Resistivities near the coast are reduced by saline intrusion. These variations of resistivity were mapped with time-domain electromagnetic sounding along 400km of profile, to distinguish among the three zones of the alluvial aquifer. The wedge of saline intrusion was also delineated, up to 10km from the coast. The thickness of the saturated gravel aquifer ranges from 20-160m in an area greater than 600km2. Résumé Un tiers de la population d'Oman est alimenté par de l'eau souterraine pompée dans les alluvions de la plaine de Batinah, sur la côte du golfe d'Oman. Des techniques d'exploration géophysique profonde ont été mises en oeuvre pour déterminer la profondeur et la nature des alluvions et les limites de l'aquifère. La base et les contrôles structuraux du bassin alluvial au contact des sédiments marins tertiaires et des ophiolites crétacées ont été cartographiés à partir des données de sismique réflexion obtenues à l'origine pour la recherche pétrolière. La base des alluvions plonge vers le nord à partir du piémont du massif septentrional d'Oman, pour atteindre une profondeur maximale de 2000m sur la côte. Les divers faciès alluviaux

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the Central Oklahoma Aquifer in central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runkle, D.L.; Christenson, S.C.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export files The data sets in this report include digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Central Oklahoma aquifer in central Oklahoma. This area encompasses all or part of Cleveland, Lincoln, Logan, Oklahoma, Payne, and Pottawatomie Counties. The Central Oklahoma aquifer includes the alluvial and terrace deposits along major streams, the Garber Sandstone and Wellington Formations, and the Chase, Council Grove, and Admire Groups. The Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace deposits consist of unconsolidated clay, silt, sand, and gravel. The Permian-age Garber Sandstone and Wellington Formations consist of sandstone with interbedded siltstone and mudstone. The Permian-age Chase, Council Grove, and Admire Groups consist of sandstone, shale, and thin limestone. The Central Oklahoma aquifer underlies about 3,000 square miles of central Oklahoma where the aquifer is used extensively for municipal, industrial, commercial, and domestic water supplies. Most of the usable ground water within the aquifer is from the Garber Sandstone and Wellington Formations. Substantial quantities of usable ground water also are present in the Chase, Council Grove, and Admire Groups, and in alluvial and terrace deposits associated with the major streams. The aquifer boundaries, hydraulic conductivity and recharge values, and ground-water level elevation contours are from previously published reports.

Ground-water quality in the southeastern Sacramento Valley aquifer, California, 1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milby Dawson, Barbara J.

2001-01-01

processes and human activities are affecting ground-water quality in the upper part of the southeastern Sacramento Valley aquifer. The factors identified as having an influence on ground-water quality were redox condition in the aquifer, depth within the aquifer, and land use overlying the aquifer. Nitrate concentra-tions showed a statistical correlation with each of these factors. Detections of pesticides and volatile organic compounds were too few to compare concentrations with the various factors, but the types of synthetic compounds detected were consistent with the sur-rounding land use. Sixty-one percent of the wells sampled in this study showed the effect of human activities on ground-water quality in the form of a nitrate concentration over 3 milligrams per liter or a detection of a pesticide or volatile organic compound. In general, the water quality in the southeastern Sacramento Valley aquifer was found suitable for most uses.

Santa Clara Valley water district multi-aquifer monitoring-well site, Coyote Creek Outdoor Classroom, San Jose, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, R.T.; Newhouse, M.W.; Wentworth, C.M.; Williams, C.F.; Noce, T.E.; Bennett, M.J.

2002-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD), has completed the first of several multiple-aquifer monitoring-well sites in the Santa Clara Valley. This site monitors ground-water levels and chemistry in the one of the major historic subsidence regions south of San Jose, California, at the Coyote Creek Outdoor Classroom (CCOC) (fig. 1) and provides additional basic information about the geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and subsidence potential of the upper- and lower-aquifer systems that is a major source of public water supply in the Santa Clara Valley. The site also serves as a science education exhibit at the outdoor classroom operated by SCVWD.

Nitrate probability mapping in the northern aquifer alluvial system of the river Tagus (Portugal) using Disjunctive Kriging.

PubMed

Mendes, Maria Paula; Ribeiro, Luís

2010-02-01

The Water Framework Directive and its daughter directives recognize the urgent need to adopt specific measures against the contamination of water by individual pollutants or a group of pollutants that present a significant risk to the quality of water. Probability maps showing that the nitrate concentrations exceed a legal threshold value in any location of the aquifer are used to assess risk of groundwater quality degradation from intensive agricultural activity in aquifers. In this paper we use Disjunctive Kriging to map the probability that the Nitrates Directive limit (91/676/EEC) is exceeded for the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone of the River Tagus alluvium aquifer. The Tagus alluvial aquifer system belongs to one of the most productive hydrogeological unit of continental Portugal and it is used to irrigate crops. Several groundwater monitoring campaigns were carried out from 2004 to 2006 according to the summer crops cycle. The study reveals more areas on the west bank with higher probabilities of contamination by nitrates (nitrate concentration values above 50mg/L) than on the east bank. The analysis of synthetic temporal probability map shows the areas where there is an increase of nitrates concentration during the summers. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regional Aquifer-System Analysis— Appalachian Valley and Piedmont

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2004-01-01

The Regional Aquifer-System Analysis Program, RASA, represents a systematic effort to study a number of the Nation’s most important aquifer systems, which, in aggregate, underlie much of the country and which represent an important component of the Nation’s total water supply. In general, the boundaries of these studies are identified by the hydrologic extent of each system and, accordingly, transcend the political subdivisions to which investigations have often arbitrarily been limited in the past. The broad objective for each study is to assemble geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical information, to analyze and develop an understanding of the system, and to develop predictive capabilities that will contribute to the effective management of the system. The use of computer simulation is an important element of the RASA studies to develop an understanding of the natural, undisturbed hydrologic system and the changes brought about in it by human activities and to provide a means of predicting the regional effects of future pumping or other stresses.The final interpretive results of the RASA Program are presented in a series of U.S. Geological Survey Professional Papers that describe the geology, hydrology, and geochemistry of each regional aquifer system. Each study within the RASA Program is assigned a single Professional Paper number beginning with Professional Paper 1400.This paper, Professional Paper 1422, represents the Regional Aquifer-System Analysis— Appalachian Valley and Piedmont. It is published as several individual volumes over several years.

Determining the factors associated with seedling herbivory on afforested carbon sequestration sites in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley: preliminary results

Treesearch

Daniel C. Sumerall; Donald L. Grebner; Jeanne C. Jones; Stephen C. Grado; Richard P. Maiers; Keith L. Belli

2010-01-01

One causal factor of failed afforestation attempts in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) is mammalian herbivory. Herbivory of seedlings generally reduces growth and can also lead to seedling mortality. Seedlings were randomly selected for monitoring throughout the first growing season. Growth and survival data were recorded, as were signs of mammalian...

Estimation of the recharge area contributing water to a pumped well in a glacial-drift, river-valley aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morrissey, Daniel J.

1989-01-01

The highly permeable, unconfined, glacial-drift aquifers that occupy most New England river valleys constitute the principal source of drinking water for many of the communities that obtain part or all of their public water supply from ground water. Recent events have shown that these aquifers are highly susceptible to contamination that results from a number of sources, such as seepage from wastewater lagoons, leaking petroleum-product storage tanks, and road salting. To protect the quality of water pumped from supply wells in these aquifers, it is necessary to ensure that potentially harmful contaminants do not enter the ground in the area that contributes water to the well. A high degree of protection can be achieved through the application of appropriate land-use controls within the contributing area. However, the contributing areas for most supply wells are not known. This report describes the factors that affect the size and shape of contributing areas to public supply wells and evaluates several methods that may be used to delineate contributing areas of wells in glacial-drift, river-valley aquifers. Analytical, two-dimensional numerical, and three-dimensional numerical models were used to delineate contributing areas. These methods of analysis were compared by applying them to a hypothetical aquifer having the dimensions and geometry of a typical glacial-drift, river-valley aquifer. In the model analyses, factors that control the size and shape of a contributing area were varied over ranges of values common to glacial-drift aquifers in New England. The controlling factors include the rate of well discharge, rate of recharge to the aquifer from precipitation and from adjacent till and bedrock uplands, distance of a pumping well from a stream or other potential source of induced recharge, degree of hydraulic connection of the aquifer with a stream, horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer, ratio of horizontal to vertical hydraulic conductivity, and

Analysis of managed aquifer recharge for retiming streamflow in an alluvial river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronayne, Michael J.; Roudebush, Jason A.; Stednick, John D.

2017-01-01

Maintenance of low flows during dry periods is critical for supporting ecosystem function in many rivers. Managed aquifer recharge is one method that can be used to augment low flows in rivers that are hydraulically connected to an alluvial groundwater system. In this study, we performed numerical modeling to evaluate a managed recharge operation designed to retime streamflow in the South Platte River, northeastern Colorado (USA). Modeling involved the simulation of spatially and temporally variable groundwater-surface water exchange, as well as streamflow routing in the river. Periodic solutions that incorporate seasonality were developed for two scenarios, a natural base case scenario and an active management scenario that included groundwater pumping and managed recharge. A framework was developed to compare the scenarios by analyzing changes in head-dependent inflows and outflows to/from the aquifer, which was used to interpret the simulated impacts on streamflow. The results clearly illustrate a retiming of streamflow. Groundwater pumping near the river during winter months causes a reduction in streamflow during those months. Delivery of the pumped water to recharge ponds, located further from the river, has the intended effect of augmenting streamflow during low-flow summer months. Higher streamflow is not limited to the target time period, however, which highlights an inefficiency of flow augmentation projects that rely on water retention in the subsurface.

Adsorption and desorption of hexavalent chromium in an alluvial aquifer near Telluride, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stollenwerk, K.G.; Grove, D.B.

1985-01-01

A laboratory investigation of reactions between hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] and alluvium was conducted to evaluate reactions of Cr(VI) contaminating an alluvial aquifer near Telluride, CO and to determine the mechanisms responsible for these reactions. Uncontaminated alluvium and groundwater (spiked with CrO42-) from the study site were used in batch and column experiments. Results of these experiments show that Cr(VI) was adsorbed by the alluvium. Distribution coefficients from batch experiments ranged from 52 L/kg at an equilibrium CrO42- concentration of 0.4 ??mol/L to 1.7 L/kg at an equilibrium concentration of 1400 ??mol/L. The zero point of charge for the alluvium was approximately 8.3, and the alluvium had a positive net charge at the groundwater pH of 6.8. Visual and chemical evidence indicated that Fe oxide and hydroxide coatings on the alluvial particles principally were responsible for the absorption of Cr(VI). During column experiments, Cr(VI) initially was desorbed easily from the alluvium by Cr-free groundwater; however, the rate of desorption decreased rapidly, and > 60 pore volumes of groundwater were required to decrease the effluent concentration of Cr(VI) to 3 ??mol/L [drinking water standard for Cr(VI) = 1 ??mol/L]. The quantity of Cr(VI) adsorbed varied with the type and concentration of other anions in solution.

Hydrogeologic characterization of the Modesto Area, San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burow, Karen R.; Shelton, Jennifer L.; Hevesi, Joseph A.; Weissmann, Gary S.

2004-01-01

Tuolumne River east of Modesto, a feature that may have important implications for ground-water flow and transport in the region. Although extensive work has been done by earlier investigators to define the structure of the Modesto area aquifer system, this report has resulted in some modification to the lateral extent of the Corcoran Clay and the regional dip of the Mehrten Formation. Well logs in the database indicating the presence of the Corcoran Clay were used to revise the eastern extent of the Corcoran Clay, which lies approximately parallel to the axis of valley. The Mehrten Formation is distinguished in the well-log database by its characteristic black sands consisting of predominantly andesitic fragments. Black sands in wells listed in the database indicate that the formation may lie as shallow as 120 meters (400 feet) below land surface under Modesto, approximately 90 meters (300 feet) shallower than previously thought. The alluvial aquifer system in the Modesto area comprises an unconfined to semiconfined aquifer above and east of the Corcoran Clay confining unit and a confined aquifer beneath the Corcoran Clay. The unconfined aquifer is composed of alluvial sediments of the Modesto, Riverbank, and upper Turlock Lake formations. The unconfined aquifer east of the Corcoran Clay becomes semiconfined with depth due to the numerous discontinuous clay lenses and extensive paleosols throughout the aquifer thickness. The confined aquifer is composed primarily of alluvial sediments of the Turlock Lake and upper Mehrten Formations, extending from beneath the Corcoran Clay to the base of fresh water. Ground water in the unconfined to semiconfined aquifer flows to the west and southwest. The primary source of present-day recharge is percolating excess irrigation water. The primary ground-water discharge is extensive ground-water pumping in the unconfined to semiconfined aquifer, imposing a significant component of vertical flo

Ground-water levels in the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky, 1982-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Faust, R.J.; Lyverse, M.A.

1987-01-01

Water level data have been collected in the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky by the U.S. Geological Survey since 1943. Interpretations of these data have been published in several reports by the Survey, but none have been published since 1983. Contour maps and hydrographs are presented in this report to document and to help interpret water level changes for the period 1982-87. Maps and hydrographs show that groundwater levels generally stabilized in the 1980 's after rising for many years. Two areas of groundwater withdrawals are apparent in the maps and hydrographs. Withdrawals in an industrial area in west Louisville disrupt the typical pattern of the contours to curve landward around the area of withdrawal. Resumption of pumping of groundwater for heating and cooling of some buildings in the downtown area in 1985 caused declines of about 3 to 4 ft in the downtown area. (Author 's abstract)

Appraising options to reduce shallow groundwater tables and enhance flow conditions over regional scales in an irrigated alluvial aquifer system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morway, Eric D.; Gates, Timothy K.; Niswonger, Richard G.

2013-01-01

Some of the world’s key agricultural production systems face big challenges to both water quantity and quality due to shallow groundwater that results from long-term intensive irrigation, namely waterlogging and salinity, water losses, and environmental problems. This paper focuses on water quantity issues, presenting finite-difference groundwater models developed to describe shallow water table levels, non-beneficial groundwater consumptive use, and return flows to streams across two regions within an irrigated alluvial river valley in southeastern Colorado, USA. The models are calibrated and applied to simulate current baseline conditions in the alluvial aquifer system and to examine actions for potentially improving these conditions. The models provide a detailed description of regional-scale subsurface unsaturated and saturated flow processes, thereby enabling detailed spatiotemporal description of groundwater levels, recharge to infiltration ratios, partitioning of ET originating from the unsaturated and saturated zones, and groundwater flows, among other variables. Hybrid automated and manual calibration of the models is achieved using extensive observations of groundwater hydraulic head, groundwater return flow to streams, aquifer stratigraphy, canal seepage, total evapotranspiration, the portion of evapotranspiration supplied by upflux from the shallow water table, and irrigation flows. Baseline results from the two regional-scale models are compared to model predictions under variations of four alternative management schemes: (1) reduced seepage from earthen canals, (2) reduced irrigation applications, (3) rotational lease fallowing (irrigation water leased to municipalities, resulting in temporary dry-up of fields), and (4) combinations of these. The potential for increasing the average water table depth by up to 1.1 and 0.7 m in the two respective modeled regions, thereby reducing the threat of waterlogging and lowering non-beneficial consumptive use

Determinism in fish assemblages of floodplain lakes of the vastly disturbed Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, L.E.; Lucas, G.M.

2004-01-01

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley between southern Illinois and southern Louisiana contains hundreds of floodplain lakes, most of which have been adversely affected by landscape modifications used to control flooding and support agriculture. We examined fish assemblages in lakes of this region to determine whether deterministic patterns developed in relation to prominent abiotic lake characteristics and to explore whether relevant abiotic factors could be linked to specific assemblage structuring mechanisms. The distributions of 14 taxa in 29 lakes were governed primarily by two gradients that contrasted assemblages in terms of lake area, lake elongation, and water clarity. The knowledge of whether a lake was clear or turbid, large or small, and long or short helped determine fish assemblage characteristics. Abiotic factors influenced fish assemblage structures, plausibly through limitations on foraging and physiological tolerances. Determinism in assemblage organization of floodplain lakes relative to recurrence in physicochemical features has been documented for unaltered rivers. Whereas the Mississippi Alluvial Valley has been subjected to vast anthropogenic disturbances and is not a fully functional floodplain river, fish assemblages in its floodplain lakes remain deterministic and organized by the underlying factors that also dictate assemblages in unaltered rivers. In advanced stages of lake aging, fish assemblages in these lakes are expected to largely include species that thrive in turbid, shallow systems with few predators and low oxygen concentrations. The observed patterns related to physical characteristics of these lakes suggest three general conservation foci, including (1) watershed management to control erosion, (2) removal of sediments or increases in water level to alleviate depth reductions and derived detriments to water physicochemistry, and (3) management of fish populations through stockings, removals, and harvest regulations.

Historical Ground-Water Development in the Salinas Alluvial Fan Area, Salinas, Puerto Rico, 1900-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodriguez, Jose M.; Gómez-Gómez, Fernando

2008-01-01

The Salinas alluvial fan area has historically been one of the most intensively used agricultural areas in the South Coastal Plain of Puerto Rico. Changes in agricultural practices and land use in the Salinas alluvial fan have also caused changes in the geographic distribution of ground-water withdrawals from the alluvial aquifer. As a result, the ground-water balance and ground-water flow pattern have changed throughout the years and may explain the presence of saline ground water along parts of the coast at present. By providing a reconstruction of historical ground-water development in the Salinas alluvial fan area, from the initial years of aquifer development at about 1900 to the most recent conditions existing in 2005, water resources managers and planners can use the results of the analysis for a more complete understanding of aquifer conditions especially pertaining to water quality. This study effort was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources as a contribution in the management of the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The study area encompasses about 20 mi2 (square miles) of the extensive South Coastal Plain alluvial aquifer system (fig. 1). The study area is bounded to the north by foothills of the Cordillera Central mountain chain, to the south by the Caribbean Sea, and to the east and west by the Rio Nigua de Salinas and the Quebrada Aguas Verdes, respectively. Fan-delta and alluvial deposits contain the principal aquifers in the study area.

Comparative development of planted cherrybark oak-sweetgum mixtures: implications for future mixed-species plantings in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Brian R. Lockhart; Andrew W. Ezell; John D. Hodges; Wayne K. Clatterbuck

2005-01-01

Planting oaks in abandoned agricultural fields and pastures in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley has received much attention in the past 20 years. A common afforestation prescription is to plant oaks on a 12- x 12-ft spacing. Recently, concern has been expressed about planting 302 oaks per acre and the resulting effects of early intra-specific competition following...

Geohydrology of the alluvial and terrace deposits of the North Canadian River from Oklahoma City to Eufaula Lake, central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Havens, J.S.

1989-01-01

This investigation was undertaken to describe the geohydrology of the alluvial and terrace deposits along the North Canadian River between Lake Overholser and Eufaula Lake, an area of about 1,835 square miles, and to determine the maximum annual yield of ground water. A 1982 water-level map of the alluvial and terrace aquifer was prepared using field data and published records. Data from test holes and other data from the files of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board were used to establish the approximate thickness of the alluvial and terrace deposits. The North Canadian River from Lake Overholser, near Oklahoma City, to Eufaula Lake is paralleled by a 2- to 3-mile wide band of alluvium. Scattered terrace deposits on either side of the alluvium reach an extreme width of 8 miles. Rocks of Permian age bound the alluvial and terrace deposits from the west to the midpoint of the study area; Pennsylvanian rocks bound the alluvial and terrace deposits from that point eastward. Three major aquifers are present in the study area: the alluvial and terrace aquifer, consisting of alluvium and terrace deposits of Quaternary age in a narrow band on either side of the North Canadian River; the Garber-Wellington aquifer of Permian age, consisting of an upper unconfined zone and a lower confined zone separated by relatively impermeable shales; and the Ada-Vamoosa aquifer of Pennsylvanian age. At locations were the alluvial and terrace aquifer overlies either of the other aquifers, there is hydraulic continuity between the alluvial and terrace aquifer and the other aquifers, and water levels are the same. Most large-scale municipal and industrial pumping from the Garber-Wellington aquifer is from the lower zone and has little discernible effect upon the alluvial and terrace aquifer. The total estimated base flow of the North Canadian River for the studied reach is 264 cubic feet per second. Evapotranspiration from the basin in August is about 60 cubic

Hydrogeologic Framework and Ground-Water Budget of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, Spokane County, Washington, and Bonner and Kootenai Counties, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kahle, Sue C.; Bartolino, James R.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources and Washington State Department of Ecology, investigated the hydrogeologic framework and ground-water budget of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) aquifer located in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington. Descriptions of the hydrogeologic framework, water-budget components, and further data needs are provided. The SVRP aquifer, which covers about 370 square miles including the Rathdrum Prairie, Idaho, and the Spokane Valley and Hillyard Trough, Washington, is the sole source of drinking water for more than 500,000 residents. Continued growth, water-management issues, and potential effects on water availability and water quality in the aquifer and in the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers have illustrated the need to better understand and manage the region's water resources. The SVRP aquifer consists mostly of gravels, cobbles, and boulders - deposited during a series of outburst floods resulting from repeated collapse of the ice dam that impounded ancient Glacial Lake Missoula. In most places, the SVRP aquifer is bounded by bedrock of pre-Tertiary granite or metasedimentary rocks, or Miocene basalt and associated sedimentary deposits. Discontinuous fine-grained layers are scattered throughout the SVRP aquifer at considerably different altitudes and with considerably different thicknesses. In the Hillyard Trough and the Little Spokane River Arm of the aquifer, a massive fine-grained layer with a top altitude ranging from about 1,500 to 1,700 feet and thickness ranging from about 100 to 200 feet separates the aquifer into upper and lower units. Most of the Spokane Valley part of the aquifer is devoid of fine-grained layers except near the margins of the valley and near the mouths of lakes. In the Rathdrum Prairie, multiple fine-grained layers are scattered throughout the aquifer with top altitudes ranging from about 1,700 to 2,400 feet with thicknesses ranging from 1

An Assessment of Regional Water Resources and Agricultural Sustainability in the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer System of Mississippi and Arkansas Under Current and Future Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigby, J.; Reba, M.

2011-12-01

The Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is a highly productive agricultural region for rice, soy beans, and cotton that depends heavily on irrigation. Development of the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer (MRAA), one of the more prolific agricultural aquifers in the country, has traditionally been the primary source for irrigation in the region yielding over 1,100 Mgal/day to irrigation wells. Increasingly, the realities of changing climate and rapidly declining water tables have highlighted the necessity for new water management practices. Tail-water recovery and reuse is a rapidly expanding practice due in part to the efforts and cost-sharing of the NRCS, but regional studies of the potential for such practices to alleviate groundwater mining under current and future climate are lacking. While regional studies of aquifer geology have long been available, including assessments of regional groundwater flow, much about the aquifer is still not well understood including controls on recharge rates, a crucial component of water management design. We review the trends in regional availability of surface and groundwater resources, their current status, and the effects of recent changes in management practices on groundwater decline in Mississippi and Arkansas. Global and regional climate projections are used to assess scenarios of sustainable aquifer use under current land use and management along with the potential for more widely practiced surface water capture and reuse to alleviate groundwater decline. Finally, we highlight crucial knowledge gaps and challenges associated with the development of water management practices for sustainable agricultural use in the region.

Root-collar diameter and third-year survival of three bottomland hardwoods planted on former agricultural fields in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Emile S. Gardiner; Douglass F. Jacobs; Ronald P. Overton; George Hernandez

2009-01-01

Athough the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) has experienced substantial afforestation of former agricultural fields during the past 2 decades, seedling standards that support satisfactory outplanting performance of bottomland hardwood tree species are not available. A series of experimental plantations, established on three afforestation sites in the LMAV,...

Gravity Data from Newark Valley, White Pine County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mankinen, Edward A.; McKee, Edwin H.

2007-01-01

The Newark Valley area, eastern Nevada is one of thirteen major ground-water basins investigated by the BARCAS (Basin and Range Carbonate Aquifer Study) Project. Gravity data are being used to help characterize the geophysical framework of the region. Although gravity coverage was extensive over parts of the BARCAS study area, data were sparse for a number of the valleys, including the northern part of Newark Valley. We addressed this lack of data by establishing seventy new gravity stations in and around Newark Valley. All available gravity data were then evaluated to determine their reliability, prior to calculating an isostatic residual gravity map to be used for subsequent analyses. A gravity inversion method was used to calculate depths to pre-Cenozoic basement rock and estimates of maximum alluvial/volcanic fill. The enhanced gravity coverage and the incorporation of lithologic information from several deep oil and gas wells yields a view of subsurface shape of the basin and will provide information useful for the development of hydrogeologic models for the region.

Intelligent mapping of alluvial aquifer characteristics in the Otago region, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedel, Michael; Rawlinson, Zara; Westerhoff, Rogier

2015-04-01

We adopt a hybrid approach to map the 3D hydrostratigraphy of an alluvial aquifer using big data collected in the Ettrick basin, Otago New Zealand. First, a subset (1%) of the 18 million regional helicopter frequency-domain electromagnetic (HEM) sounding measurements (300 Hz, Horizontal co-planar; 3300 Hz, vertical co-planar; 8200 Hz, horizontal co-planar; 40 kHz, horizontal co-planar; 137 kHz horizontal coplanar) and their numerically-inverted 1D resistivity (50¬-100 Ω-m) profiles are randomly split. For example, 50% of these data are used for training an unsupervised machine-learning (ML) network, and 50% of these data are used for performance at independent locations. The remaining set of HEM measurements are then presented to the vetted ML network to estimate regional resistivity structure which is compared to previously inverted resistivity. Second, about 50 borehole autocorrelation functions are computed based on cross-component correlations of quantized borehole locations sampled for lithology and HEM sounding data. Third, an unsupervised ML network is trained and performance tested using sparse borehole lithology (fractions of sand, silt, clay, mudstone, schist) and hydraulic properties (storage, hydraulic conductivity), and those HEM sounding data occurring within a radius defined by the maximum borehole autocorrelation distances. Fourth, this ML network is then used together with independent HEM sounding measurements to map the spatial distribution of physical aquifer properties and hydraulic properties across the basin.

Balancing lake ecological condition and agriculture irrigation needs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.; Omer, A.R.; Killgore, K.J.

2017-01-01

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley includes hundreds of floodplain lakes that support unique fish assemblages and high biodiversity. Irrigation practices in the valley have lowered the water table, increasing the cost of pumping water, and necessitating the use of floodplain lakes as a source of water for irrigation. This development has prompted the need to regulate water withdrawals to protect aquatic resources, but it is unknown how much water can be withdrawn from lakes before ecological integrity is compromised. To estimate withdrawal limits, we examined descriptors of lake water quality (i.e., total nitrogen, total phosphorus, turbidity, Secchi visibility, chlorophyll-a) and fish assemblages (species richness, diversity, composition) relative to maximum depth in 59 floodplain lakes. Change-point regression analysis was applied to identify critical depths at which the relationships between depth and lake descriptors exhibited a rapid shift in slope, suggesting possible thresholds. All our water quality and fish assemblage descriptors showed rapid changes relative to depth near 1.2–2.0 m maximum depth. This threshold span may help inform regulatory decisions about water withdrawal limits. Alternatives to explain the triggers of the observed threshold span are considered.

Linking aquifer spatial properties and non-Fickian transport in mobile-immobile like alluvial settings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Yong; Green, Christopher T.; Baeumer, Boris

2014-01-01

Time-nonlocal transport models can describe non-Fickian diffusion observed in geological media, but the physical meaning of parameters can be ambiguous, and most applications are limited to curve-fitting. This study explores methods for predicting the parameters of a temporally tempered Lévy motion (TTLM) model for transient sub-diffusion in mobile–immobile like alluvial settings represented by high-resolution hydrofacies models. The TTLM model is a concise multi-rate mass transfer (MRMT) model that describes a linear mass transfer process where the transfer kinetics and late-time transport behavior are controlled by properties of the host medium, especially the immobile domain. The intrinsic connection between the MRMT and TTLM models helps to estimate the main time-nonlocal parameters in the TTLM model (which are the time scale index, the capacity coefficient, and the truncation parameter) either semi-analytically or empirically from the measurable aquifer properties. Further applications show that the TTLM model captures the observed solute snapshots, the breakthrough curves, and the spatial moments of plumes up to the fourth order. Most importantly, the a priori estimation of the time-nonlocal parameters outside of any breakthrough fitting procedure provides a reliable “blind” prediction of the late-time dynamics of subdiffusion observed in a spectrum of alluvial settings. Predictability of the time-nonlocal parameters may be due to the fact that the late-time subdiffusion is not affected by the exact location of each immobile zone, but rather is controlled by the time spent in immobile blocks surrounding the pathway of solute particles. Results also show that the effective dispersion coefficient has to be fitted due to the scale effect of transport, and the mean velocity can differ from local measurements or volume averages. The link between medium heterogeneity and time-nonlocal parameters will help to improve model predictability for non

Bottomland hardwood establishment and avian colonization of reforested sites in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, R.R.; Twedt, D.J.; Fredrickson, L.H.; King, S.L.; Kaminski, R.M.

2005-01-01

Reforestation of bottomland hardwood sites in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley has markedly increased in recent years, primarily due to financial incentive programs such as the Wetland Reserve Program, Partners for Wildlife Program, and state and private conservation programs. An avian conservation plan for the Mississippi Alluvial Valley proposes returning a substantial area of cropland to forested wetlands. Understanding how birds colonize reforested sites is important to assess the effectiveness of avian conservation. We evaluated establishment of woody species and assessed bird colonization on 89 reforested sites. These reforested sites were primarily planted with heavy-seeded oaks (Quercus spp.) and pecans (Carya illinoensis). Natural invasion of light-seeded species was expected to diversify these forests for wildlife and sustainable timber harvest. Planted tree species averaged 397 + 36 stems/ha-1, whereas naturally invading trees averaged 1675 + 241 stems/ha. However, naturally invading trees were shorter than planted trees and most natural invasion occurred <100 m from an existing forested edge. Even so, planted trees were relatively slow to develop vertical structure, especially when compared with tree species planted and managed for pulpwood production. Slow development of vertical structure resulted in grassland bird species, particularly dickcissel (Spiza americana) and red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), being the dominant avian colonizers for the first 7 years post-planting. High priority bird species (as defined by Partners in Flight), such as prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea) and wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), were not frequently detected until stands were 15 years old. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed tree height had the greatest influence on the bird communities colonizing reforested sites. Because colonization by forest birds is dependent on tree height, we recommend inclusion of at least one fast-growing tree

Quaternary stratigraphy, sediment characteristics and geochemistry of arsenic-contaminated alluvial aquifers in the Ganges-Brahmaputra floodplain in central Bangladesh.

PubMed

Shamsudduha, M; Uddin, A; Saunders, J A; Lee, M-K

2008-07-29

This study focuses on the Quaternary stratigraphy, sediment composition, mineralogy, and geochemistry of arsenic (As)-contaminated alluvial aquifers in the Ganges-Brahmaputra floodplain in the central Bangladesh. Arsenic concentrations in 85 tubewells in Manikganj area, 70 km northwest of Dhaka City, range from 0.25 microg/L to 191 microg/L with a mean concentration of 33 microg/L. Groundwater is mainly Ca-HCO(3) type with high concentrations of dissolved As, Fe, and Mn, but low level of SO(4). The uppermost aquifer occurs between 10 m and 80 m below the surface that has a mean arsenic concentration of 35 microg/L. Deeper aquifer (>100 m depth) has a mean arsenic concentration of 18 microg/L. Sediments in the upper aquifer are mostly gray to dark-gray, whereas sediments in the deep aquifer are mostly yellowing-gray to brown. Quartz, feldspar, mica, hornblende, garnet, kyanite, tourmaline, magnetite, ilmenite are the major minerals in sediments from both aquifers. Biotite and potassium feldspar are dominant in shallow aquifer, although plagioclase feldspar and garnet are abundant in deep aquifer sediments. Sediment composition suggests a mixed provenance with sediment supplies from both orogenic belts and cratons. High arsenic concentrations in sediments are found within the upper 50 m in drilled core samples. Statistical analysis shows that As, Fe, Mn, Ca, and P are strongly correlated in sediments. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Bi also show strong correlations with arsenic in the Manikganj sediment cores. Authigenic goethite concretions, possibly formed by bacteria, are found in the shallow sediments, which contain arsenic of a concentration as high as 8.8 mg/kg. High arsenic concentrations in aquifers are associated with fine-grained sediments that were derived mostly from the recycled orogens and relatively rapidly deposited mainly by meandering channels during the Early to Middle Holocene rising sea-level conditions.

Integration of AIRSAR and AVIRIS data for Trail Canyon alluvial fan, Death Valley, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kierein-Young, Kathryn S.

1995-01-01

Combining quantitative geophysical information extracted from the optical and microwave wavelengths provides complementary information about both the surface mineralogy and morphology. This study combines inversion results from two remote sensing instruments, a polarimetric synthetic aperture radar, AIRSAR, and an imaging spectrometer, AVIRIS, for Trail Canyon alluvial fan in Death Valley, California. The NASA/JPL Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) is a quad-polarization, three frequency instrument. AIRSAR collects data at C-band = 5.66 cm, L-band = 23.98 cm, and P-band = 68.13 cm. The data are processed to four-looks and have a spatial resolution of 10 m and a swath width of 12 km. The AIRSAR data used in this study were collected as part of the Geologic Remote Sensing Field Experiment (GRSFE) over Death Valley on 9/14/89. The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) is a NASA/JPL instrument that flies in an ER-2 aircraft at an altitude of 20 km. AVIRIS uses four spectrometers to collect data in 224 spectral channels from 0.4 micrometer to 2.45 micrometer. The width of each spectral band is approximately 10 nm. AVIRIS collects data with a swath width of 11 km and a pixel size of 20 m. The AVIRIS data used in this study were collected over Death Valley on 5/31/92.

Metatranscriptomic Analysis Reveals Unexpectedly Diverse Microbial Metabolism in a Biogeochemical Hot Spot in an Alluvial Aquifer

DOE PAGES

Jewell, Talia N. M.; Karaoz, Ulas; Bill, Markus; ...

2017-01-25

Organic matter deposits in alluvial aquifers have been shown to result in the formation of naturally reduced zones (NRZs), which can modulate aquifer redox status and influence the speciation and mobility of metals, affecting groundwater geochemistry. In this study, we sought to better understand how natural organic matter fuels microbial communities within anoxic biogeochemical hot spots (NRZs) in a shallow alluvial aquifer at the Rifle (CO) site. We conducted a 20-day microcosm experiment in which NRZ sediments, which were enriched in buried woody plant material, served as the sole source of electron donors and microorganisms. The microcosms were constructed andmore » incubated under anaerobic conditions in serum bottles with an initial N 2 headspace and were sampled every 5 days for metagenome and metatranscriptome profiles in combination with biogeochemical measurements. Biogeochemical data indicated that the decomposition of native organic matter occurred in different phases, beginning with mineralization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to CO 2 during the first week of incubation, followed by a pulse of acetogenesis that dominated carbon flux after 2 weeks. A pulse of methanogenesis co-occurred with acetogenesis, but only accounted for a small fraction of carbon flux. The depletion of DOM over time was strongly correlated with increases in expression of many genes associated with heterotrophy (e.g., amino acid, fatty acid, and carbohydrate metabolism) belonging to a Hydrogenophaga strain that accounted for a relatively large percentage (~8%) of the metatranscriptome. This Hydrogenophaga strain also expressed genes indicative of chemolithoautotrophy, including CO 2 fixation, H 2 oxidation, S-compound oxidation, and denitrification. The pulse of acetogenesis appears to have been collectively catalyzed by a number of different organisms and metabolisms, most prominently pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase. Unexpected genes were identified among the most highly

Metatranscriptomic Analysis Reveals Unexpectedly Diverse Microbial Metabolism in a Biogeochemical Hot Spot in an Alluvial Aquifer

PubMed Central

Jewell, Talia N. M.; Karaoz, Ulas; Bill, Markus; Chakraborty, Romy; Brodie, Eoin L.; Williams, Kenneth H.; Beller, Harry R.

2017-01-01

Organic matter deposits in alluvial aquifers have been shown to result in the formation of naturally reduced zones (NRZs), which can modulate aquifer redox status and influence the speciation and mobility of metals, affecting groundwater geochemistry. In this study, we sought to better understand how natural organic matter fuels microbial communities within anoxic biogeochemical hot spots (NRZs) in a shallow alluvial aquifer at the Rifle (CO) site. We conducted a 20-day microcosm experiment in which NRZ sediments, which were enriched in buried woody plant material, served as the sole source of electron donors and microorganisms. The microcosms were constructed and incubated under anaerobic conditions in serum bottles with an initial N2 headspace and were sampled every 5 days for metagenome and metatranscriptome profiles in combination with biogeochemical measurements. Biogeochemical data indicated that the decomposition of native organic matter occurred in different phases, beginning with mineralization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to CO2 during the first week of incubation, followed by a pulse of acetogenesis that dominated carbon flux after 2 weeks. A pulse of methanogenesis co-occurred with acetogenesis, but only accounted for a small fraction of carbon flux. The depletion of DOM over time was strongly correlated with increases in expression of many genes associated with heterotrophy (e.g., amino acid, fatty acid, and carbohydrate metabolism) belonging to a Hydrogenophaga strain that accounted for a relatively large percentage (~8%) of the metatranscriptome. This Hydrogenophaga strain also expressed genes indicative of chemolithoautotrophy, including CO2 fixation, H2 oxidation, S-compound oxidation, and denitrification. The pulse of acetogenesis appears to have been collectively catalyzed by a number of different organisms and metabolisms, most prominently pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase. Unexpected genes were identified among the most highly expressed

Metatranscriptomic Analysis Reveals Unexpectedly Diverse Microbial Metabolism in a Biogeochemical Hot Spot in an Alluvial Aquifer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jewell, Talia N. M.; Karaoz, Ulas; Bill, Markus

Organic matter deposits in alluvial aquifers have been shown to result in the formation of naturally reduced zones (NRZs), which can modulate aquifer redox status and influence the speciation and mobility of metals, affecting groundwater geochemistry. In this study, we sought to better understand how natural organic matter fuels microbial communities within anoxic biogeochemical hot spots (NRZs) in a shallow alluvial aquifer at the Rifle (CO) site. We conducted a 20-day microcosm experiment in which NRZ sediments, which were enriched in buried woody plant material, served as the sole source of electron donors and microorganisms. The microcosms were constructed andmore » incubated under anaerobic conditions in serum bottles with an initial N 2 headspace and were sampled every 5 days for metagenome and metatranscriptome profiles in combination with biogeochemical measurements. Biogeochemical data indicated that the decomposition of native organic matter occurred in different phases, beginning with mineralization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to CO 2 during the first week of incubation, followed by a pulse of acetogenesis that dominated carbon flux after 2 weeks. A pulse of methanogenesis co-occurred with acetogenesis, but only accounted for a small fraction of carbon flux. The depletion of DOM over time was strongly correlated with increases in expression of many genes associated with heterotrophy (e.g., amino acid, fatty acid, and carbohydrate metabolism) belonging to a Hydrogenophaga strain that accounted for a relatively large percentage (~8%) of the metatranscriptome. This Hydrogenophaga strain also expressed genes indicative of chemolithoautotrophy, including CO 2 fixation, H 2 oxidation, S-compound oxidation, and denitrification. The pulse of acetogenesis appears to have been collectively catalyzed by a number of different organisms and metabolisms, most prominently pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase. Unexpected genes were identified among the most highly

Simulation of interaction between ground water in an alluvial aquifer and surface water in a large braided river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leake, S.A.; Lilly, M.R.

1995-01-01

The Fairbanks, Alaska, area has many contaminated sites in a shallow alluvial aquifer. A ground-water flow model is being developed using the MODFLOW finite-difference ground-water flow model program with the River Package. The modeled area is discretized in the horizontal dimensions into 118 rows and 158 columns of approximately 150-meter square cells. The fine grid spacing has the advantage of providing needed detail at the contaminated sites and surface-water features that bound the aquifer. However, the fine spacing of cells adds difficulty to simulating interaction between the aquifer and the large, braided Tanana River. In particular, the assignment of a river head is difficult if cells are much smaller than the river width. This was solved by developing a procedure for interpolating and extrapolating river head using a river distance function. Another problem is that future transient simulations would require excessive numbers of input records using the current version of the River Package. The proposed solution to this problem is to modify the River Package to linearly interpolate river head for time steps within each stress period, thereby reducing the number of stress periods required.

Estimation of Hydraulic Parameters and Aquifer Properties for a Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Study in The Lower Mississippi River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozeren, Y.; Rigby, J.; Holt, R. M.

2017-12-01

Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) is the major irrigation water resource in the in the lower Mississippi River basin. MRVAA has been significantly depleted in the last two decades due to excessive pumping. A wide range of measures to ensure sustainable groundwater supply in the region is currently under investigation. One of the possible solution under consideration is to use Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) by artificial recharge. The proposed artificial recharge technique in this study is to collect water through bank filtration, transfer water via pipeline to the critically low groundwater areas by a set of injection wells. A pilot study in the area is underway to investigate the possibility of artificial recharge in the area. As part of this study, a pumping test was carried out on an existing irrigation well along banks of Tallahatchie River near Money, MS. Geophysical surveys were also carried out in the pilot study area. Hydraulic response of the observation wells was used to determine stream bed conductance and aquifer parameters. The collected hydraulic parameters and aquifer properties will provide inputs for small-scale, high-resolution engineering model for abstraction-injection hydraulics along river. Here, preliminary results of the pilot study is presented.

Quantifying large scale deformation and aquifer properties over Central Valley, California using a combination of InSAR, GPS and hydraulic head level data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojha, C.; Shirzaei, M.; Werth, S.; Argus, D. F.

2016-12-01

California's Central Valley is one of the largest productive agricultural regions in the world, which heavily relies on the underground water supply. As a result of pumping and recharge processes, the aquifer systems compact and expand, which is manifested in quasi-cyclic changes in the surface elevation and observations of hydraulic head levels. On the other hand, over last century, due to overdrafting of aquifer systems the volume of groundwater has substantially reduced, which causes irreversible decline in surface elevation. The aquifer storativity, characterizing the capacity of an aquifer to release groundwater, is affected by the excess vertical strain and permanent deformation. To quantify the capacity of the Central Valley aquifer systems to release fresh water, a valley-wide estimate of the storativity is required. Hence, we performed a joint analysis of large set of interferometric SAR and GPS data sets in conjunction with well data across the valley. In this context, we used L-band set of 420 ALOS-PALSAR SAR images. The data has been processed to generate 1604 SAR interferograms, using a pixel dimension of about 100 m x 100 m and imposing a maximum spatial and temporal baseline threshold of 2000 meter and 1500 days, respectively. In this study we rigorously integrate >500 permanent GPS stations and InSAR data to determine a time series of line of sight changes in a reference frame fixed to (CM) the center of mass of solid Earth. The result highlights an overall map of surface deformation over the entire Central valley region, due to interseismic strain accumulation along San Andreas fault system and compaction of aquifer systems. In the southern part of Central Valley i.e., San Joaquin Valley, which includes the San Joaquin and Tulare Basins, has experienced large changes in groundwater storage during the drought period. As a result, total land subsidence of 0.30-0.50 m has observed [Farr and Liu 2015], adjacent to creeping rate of 20-30 mm/year along

Tracing ground-water movement by using the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, upper Penitencia Creek alluvial fan, Santa Clara Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muir, K.S.; Coplen, Tyler B.

1981-01-01

Starting in 1965 the Santa Clara Valley Water District began importing about i00,000 acre-feet per year of northern California water. About one-half of this water was used to artificially recharge the Upper Penitencia Creek alluvial fan in Santa Clara Valley. In order to determine the relative amounts of local ground water and recharged imported water being pumped from the wells, stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen were used to trace the movement of the imported water in the alluvial fan. To trace the movement of imported water in the Upper Penitencia Creek alluvial fan, well samples were selected to give areal and depth coverage for the whole fan. The stable isotopes of oxygen-16, oxygen-18, and deuterium were measured in the water samples of imported water and from the wells and streams in the Santa Clara Valley. The d18oand dD compositions of the local runoff were about -6.00 o/oo (parts per thousand) and -40 o/oo, respectively; the average compositions for the local native ground-water samples were about -6.1 o/oo and -41 o/oo, respectively; and the average compositions of the imported water samples were -10.2 o/oo and -74 o/oo, respectively. (The oxygen isotopic composition of water samples is reported relative to Standard Mean Ocean Water, in parts per thousand.) The difference between local ground water and recharged imported water was about 4.1 o/oo in d18o and 33 o/oo in dL. The isotopic data indicate dilution of northern California water with local ground water in a downgradient direction. Two wells contain approximately 74 percent northern California water, six wells more than 50 percent. Data indicate that there may be a correlation between the percentage of northern California water and the depth or length of perforated intervals in wells.

Evaluation of the effects of precipitation on ground-water levels from wells in selected alluvial aquifers in Utah and Arizona, 1936-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, Philip M.; Heilweil, Victor M.

2009-01-01

Increased withdrawals from alluvial aquifers of the southwestern United States during the last half-century have intensified the effects of drought on ground-water levels in valleys where withdrawal for irrigation is greatest. Furthermore, during wet periods, reduced withdrawals coupled with increased natural recharge cause rising ground-water levels. In order to manage water resources more effectively, analysis of ground-water levels under the influence of natural and anthropogenic stresses is useful. This report evaluates the effects of precipitation patterns on ground-water levels in areas of Utah and Arizona that have experienced different amounts of ground-water withdrawal. This includes a comparison of water-level records from basins that are hydrogeologically and climatologically similar but have contrasting levels of ground-water development. Hydrologic data, including records of ground-water levels, basin-wide annual ground-water withdrawals, and precipitation were examined from two basins in Utah (Milford and central Sevier) and three in Arizona (Aravaipa Canyon, Willcox, and Douglas). Most water-level records examined in this study from basins experiencing substantial ground-water development (Milford, Douglas, and Willcox) showed strong trends of declining water levels. Other water-level records, generally from the less-developed basins (central Sevier and Aravaipa Canyon) exhibited trends of increasing water levels. These trends are likely the result of accumulating infiltration of unconsumed irrigation water. Water-level records that had significant trends were detrended by subtraction of a low-order polynomial in an attempt to eliminate the variation in the water-level records that resulted from ground-water withdrawal or the application of water for irrigation. After detrending, water-level residuals were correlated with 2- to 10-year moving averages of annual precipitation from representative stations for the individual basins. The water

Saltwater Intrusion and its Long-Term Consequences in a Coastal Alluvial Aquifer of Northern Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weyhenmeyer, C. E.; Waber, H. N.

2002-12-01

The alluvial aquifer of the Eastern Batinah coastal plain supplies water for the most densely populated, cultivated and industrialized areas in the Sultanate of Oman. In recent years, overexploitation of these groundwater resources has resulted in a drastic lowering of the groundwater table and consequent seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer sections. During recent drilling operations near the coast (~3 km) groundwater samples were taken at depths intervals of 2-5 m. The front of the saline intrusion wedge was encountered at a depth of 70-80 mbs as suggested by sudden changes in groundwater chemistry and isotope values. Groundwater near the saline intrusion front is characterized by lower Na/Cl and higher Ca/Mg ratios compared to ion ratios expected from groundwater mixing calculations between fresh- and saltwater. The observed changes in ion ratios suggest that Na is removed from the groundwater and replaced by Ca from cation exchange surfaces in the aquifer (e.g., clay particles), which is an indication that the saline front is still migrating inland. To date, a deterioration of overall groundwater quality can be recognized as far inland as 15 km and Cl and Na concentrations in these areas are well above the general quality standards for drinking water. Estimates of infiltration rates based on isotope ratios (Sr, O, H) suggest that less than 10% of the total groundwater recharge occurs on the coastal plain itself, with the remaining 90% originating in the adjacent Oman Mountains. Groundwater residence times on the coastal plain are in the order of a few hundred to several thousand years as suggested by a number of radioactive isotopes (3H, 85Kr, 39Ar, 14C). Therefore, these groundwater resources essentially have to be considered non-renewable and there is a pressing requirement for the development of sustainable groundwater management strategies. Attempts to artificially increase infiltration on the coastal plain by the construction of large recharge dams

Empirical analysis of the stress-strain relationship between hydraulic head and subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neff, K. L.; Farr, T.

2016-12-01

Aquifer subsidence due to groundwater abstraction poses a significant threat to aquifer sustainability and infrastructure. The need to prevent permanent compaction to preserve aquifer storage capacity and protect infrastructure begs a better understanding of how compaction is related to groundwater abstraction and aquifer hydrogeology. The stress-strain relationship between hydraulic head changes and aquifer compaction has previously been observed to be hysteretic in both empirical and modeling studies. Here, subsidence data for central California's San Joaquin Valley derived from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) for the period 2007-2016 is examined relative to hydraulic head levels in monitoring and production wells collected by the California Department of Water Resources. Such a large and long-term data set is available for empirical analysis for the first time thanks to advances in InSAR data collection and geospatial data management. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) funded this work to provide the background and an update on subsidence in the Central Valley to support future policy. Part of this work was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with NASA.

Records of wells in sandstone and alluvial aquifers and chemical data for water from selected wells in the Navajo aquifer in the vicinity ofthe Greater Aneth Oil Field, San Juan County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spangler, Lawrence E.

1992-01-01

This report contains hydrologic data for wells finished in sandstone and alluvial aquifers in southeastern San Juan County, Utah, and chemical data for water from selected wells in the Navajo aquifer. Temperature, specific conductance, pH, and discharge data from 1989-91 for water from selected wells in all aquifers are also presented.Data presented in this report were compiled from previously published reports (Goode, 1958; Sumsion, 1975; Avery, 1986; Kimball, 1987; Howells, 1990); data bases of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Navajo Tribe, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Utah Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining; and from information obtained from oil companies in the Greater Aneth Oil Field. Results of investigations by Avery (1986) during 1982-83 indicated that water from many wells in the Navajo aquifer in the vicinity of the Greater Aneth Oil Field was moderately saline and that in some wells, salinity appeared to increase over time. The purpose of this study is to assess the physical extent and concentration of saline water in the Navajo and other aquifers in this area. The purpose of this report is to present available water-quality data for water from wells in the Navajo aquifer and present records for selected wells in the Navajo and other aquifers.

Sediment transport-storage functions for alluvial reservoirs

Treesearch

Thomas E. Lisle; Michael Church

2000-01-01

In a drainage network, sediment is routed through a linked series of channel/valley segments (alluvial reservoirs) that are distinguished from their neighbors by their capacity to store and transport sediment.

Ground-Water Flow Model for the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, Spokane County, Washington, and Bonner and Kootenai Counties, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hsieh, Paul A.; Barber, Michael E.; Contor, Bryce A.; Hossain, Md. Akram; Johnson, Gary S.; Jones, Joseph L.; Wylie, Allan H.

2007-01-01

This report presents a computer model of ground-water flow in the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) aquifer in Spokane County, Washington, and Bonner and Kootenai Counties, Idaho. The aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for more than 500,000 residents in the area. In response to the concerns about the impacts of increased ground-water withdrawals resulting from recent and projected urban growth, a comprehensive study was initiated by the Idaho Department of Water Resources, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the U.S. Geological Survey to improve the understanding of ground-water flow in the aquifer and of the interaction between ground water and surface water. The ground-water flow model presented in this report is one component of this comprehensive study. The primary purpose of the model is to serve as a tool for analyzing aquifer inflows and outflows, simulating the effects of future changes in ground-water withdrawals from the aquifer, and evaluating aquifer management strategies. The scale of the model and the level of detail are intended for analysis of aquifer-wide water-supply issues. The SVRP aquifer model was developed by the Modeling Team formed within the comprehensive study. The Modeling Team consisted of staff and personnel working under contract with the Idaho Department of Water Resources, personnel working under contract with the Washington Department of Ecology, and staff of the U.S. Geological Survey. To arrive at a final model that has the endorsement of all team members, decisions on modeling approach, methodology, assumptions, and interpretations were reached by consensus. The ground-water flow model MODFLOW-2000 was used to simulate ground-water flow in the SVPR aquifer. The finite-difference model grid consists of 172 rows, 256 columns, and 3 layers. Ground-water flow was simulated from September 1990 through September 2005 using 181 stress periods of 1 month each. The areal extent of the model encompasses an area of

Integrating research and management to conserve wildfowl (Anatidae) and wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinecke, K.J.; Loesch, C.R.; Birkan, Marcel

1996-01-01

Efforts to conserve winter habitat for wildfowl, Anatidae, in the alluvial valley of the lower Mississippi River, U.S.A., are directed by the Lower Mississippi Valley (LMV) Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NA WMP). The Joint Venture is based on a biological framework developed through cooperative planning by wildfowl researchers and managers. Important elements of the framework include: (1) numeric population goals, (2) assumptions about potential limiting factors, (3) explicit relationships between wildfowl abundance and habitat characteristics, (4) numeric foraging habitat goals, and (5) criteria for evaluating success. The population goal of the Joint Venture for the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MA V) is to enable 4.3 million ducks to, survive winter and join continental breeding populations in spring. Currently, available data suggest that foraging habitat is the primary factor limiting duck populations in the MA II. To establish a goal for foraging habitat, we assumed the length of the wintering period is 110 days and calculated that a population of 4.3 million breeding ducks (plus 15% to account for winter mortality) would need 546 million duck-days of food in the preceding winter. Then, we used estimates of daily energy requirements, food densities, and food energy values to calculate the carrying capacity or number of duck-days of food available in the three primary foraging habitats in the MAV (flooded croplands, forested wetlands, and moist-soil wetlands). Thus, availability of foraging habitat can be used as a criterion for evaluating success of the Joint Venture if accurate inventories of foraging habitat can be conducted. Development of an explicit biological framework for the Joint Venture enabled wildfowl managers and researchers to establish specific objectives for management of foraging habitat and identify priority problems requiring further study.

Modeling effects of climatological variability and management practices on conservation of groundwater from the Mississippi River Valley Shallow Alluvial Aquifer in the Mississippi Delta region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornton, Robert Frank

Ninety-eight percent of water taken from the Mississippi River Shallow Alluvial Aquifer, hereafter referred to as "the aquifer" or "MRVA," is used by the agricultural industry for irrigation. Mississippi Delta agriculture is increasingly using more water from the MRVA and the aquifer has been losing about 300,000 acre-feet per year. This research expands on previous work in which a model was developed that simulates the effects of climatic variability, crop acreage changes, and specific irrigation methods on consequent variations in the water volume of the MRVA. This study corrects an identified problem by replacing total growing season precipitation with an irrigation demand driver based on evaporation and crop coefficients and changing the time scale from the entire growing season to a daily resolution. The calculated irrigation demand, as a climatological driver for the model, captures effective precipitation more precisely than the initial growing season precipitation driver. Predictive equations resulting from regression analyses of measured versus calculated irrigation water use showed R2 and correlations of 0.33 and 0.57, 0.77 and 0.88, 0.71 and 0.84, and 0.68 and 0.82 for cotton, corn, soybeans and rice, respectively. Ninety-five percent of the predicted values fall within a range of + or - about 23,000 acre-feet, an error of about 10-percent. The study also adds an additional conservation strategy through the use of surface water from on-farm reservoirs in lieu of groundwater. Analyses show that climate could provide the entire water need of the plants in 70-percent of the years for corn, 65-percent of the years for soybeans and cotton, and even 5-percent of the years for rice. Storing precipitation in on-farm structures is an effective way to reduce reliance of Delta producers on groundwater. If producers adopted, at a minimum, the 97.5:2.5 ratio suggested management practice, this minimal management strategy could potentially conserve 48-percent, 35

Aquifer-test compilation for the San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

McClelland, E.J.

1962-01-01

This report is the first of a series the purpose of which is to make available in standard tabular form the results of aquifer tests that have been made by various private and public agencies in California. The scope of the compilation is to describe systematically, in a form agreed upon by the California Department of Water Resources and the Geological Survey, the (1) test location, (2) pumping data, (3) well data, and (4) summary of results. The results of these tests sometimes have been published but most frequently have been used only as a step in obtaining other information, consequently the results and even the location of aquifer tests have not been readily available.This report has been prepared by the Geological Survey under the immediate supervision of Fred Kunkel, district geologist for California, in cooperation with the California Department of Water Resources, and tabulates through October 1962 all tests analyzed by the Geological Survey for the San Joaquin Valley. The report is designed to be expanded when additional tests are analyzed or new tests are made.

Sex Determination of Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twedt, D.J.

2004-01-01

I identified sexual dimorphism in wing length (unflattened chord) of Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) within the central Mississippi Alluvial Valley (northeast Louisiana and west-central Mississippi) and used this difference to assign a sex to captured wrens. Wrens were identified as female when wing length was less than 57.5 mm or male when wing length was greater than 58.5 mm. Verification of predicted sex was obtained from recaptures of banded individuals where sex was ascertained from the presence of a cloacal protuberance or brood patch. Correct prediction of sex was 81% for adult females and 95% for adult males. An alternative model, which categorized wrens with wing lengths of 58 and 59 mm as birds of unknown sex, increased correct prediction of females to 93% but reduced the number of individuals to which sex was assigned. These simple, predictive, wing-length-based models also correctly assigned sex for more than 88% of young (hatching-year) birds.

Isotope investigation on groundwater recharge and dynamics in shallow and deep alluvial aquifers of southwest Punjab.

PubMed

Keesari, Tirumalesh; Sharma, Diana A; Rishi, Madhuri S; Pant, Diksha; Mohokar, Hemant V; Jaryal, Ajay Kumar; Sinha, U K

2017-11-01

Groundwater samples collected from the alluvial aquifers of southwest Punjab, both shallow and deep zones were measured for environmental tritium ( 3 H) and stable isotopes ( 2 H and 18 O) to evaluate the source of recharge and aquifer dynamics. The shallow groundwater shows wide variation in isotopic signature (δ 18 O: -11.3 to -5.0‰) reflecting multiple sources of recharge. The average isotopic signature of shallow groundwaters (δ 18 O: -6.73 ± 1.03‰) is similar to that of local precipitation (-6.98 ± 1.66‰) indicating local precipitation contributes to a large extent compared to other sources. Other sources have isotopically distinct signatures due to either high altitude recharge (canal sources) or evaporative enrichment (irrigation return flow). Deep groundwater shows relatively depleted isotopic signature (δ 18 O: -8.6‰) and doesn't show any evaporation effect as compared to shallow zone indicating recharge from precipitation occurring at relatively higher altitudes. Environmental tritium indicates that both shallow ( 3 H: 5 - 10 T.U.) and deeper zone ( 3 H: 1.5 - 2.5 T.U.) groundwaters are modern. In general the inter-aquifer connections seem to be unlikely except a few places. Environmental isotope data suggests that shallow groundwater is dynamic, local and prone to changes in land use patterns while deep zone water is derived from distant sources, less dynamic and not impacted by surface manifestations. A conceptual groundwater flow diagram is presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeologic features of the alluvial deposits in the Nowood River drainage area, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooley, M.E.; Head, William J.

1979-01-01

In the Nowood River drainage area, Wyoming, the principal deposits comprising the alluvial aquifer include the flood-plain and younger (generally undissected) alluvial-fan deposits and a unique boulder-fan gravel. Other deposits mapped, but virtually nonwater yielding, are the older (dissected) alluvial-fan, pediment, and terrace deposits. Terraces are capped by gravel and form levels at 30-40, 45-100, 120-150, 200-260, and 280-330 feet above the Nowood River. The thickness of the alluvial aquifer indicated from the sparse well-log data and 42 surface resistivity measurements is between 25 and 50 feet along the Nowood River and more than 60 feet along Tensleep and Paint Rock Creeks. The resistivity measurements indicate a buried bedrock ridge below the boulder-fan gravel between Paint Rock and Medicine Lodge Creeks and a buried channel filled by alluvium along Tensleep Creek. Well yields from the alluvial aquifer are estimated to be low. The most favorable areas for ground-water development are from the flood-plain alluvium along Tensleep Creek and from the boulder-fan gravel and adjoining flood-plain alluvium along Paint Rock and Medicine Creeks. Along the Nowood River the flood-plain alluvium, although its yields are small, has the best potential for ground-water development. (Kosco-USGS)

Hydrochemistry of the Mahomet Bedrock Valley Aquifer, East-Central Illinois: indicators of recharge and ground-water flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Panno, S.V.; Hackley, Keith C.; Cartwright, K.; Liu, Chao-Li

1994-01-01

A conceptual model of the ground-water flow and recharge to the Mahomet Bedrock Valley Aquifer (MVA), east-central Illinois, was developed using major ion chemistry and isotope geochemistry. The MVA is a 'basal' fill in the east-west trending buried bedrock valley composed of clean, permeable sand and gravel to thicknesses of up to 61 m. It is covered by a thick sequence of glacial till containing thinner bodies of interbedded sand and gravel. Ground water from the MVA was found to be characterized by clearly defined geochemical regions with three distinct ground-water types. A fourth ground-water type was found at the confluence of the MVA and the Mackinaw Bedrock Valley Aquifer (MAK) to the west. Ground water in the Onarga Valley, a northeastern tributary of the MVA, is of two types, a mixed cation-SO42- type and a mixed cation-HCO3- type. The ground water is enriched in Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO42- which appears to be the result of an upward hydraulic gradient and interaction of deeper ground water with oxidized pyritic coals and shale. We suggest that recharge to the Onarga Valley and overlying aquifers is 100% from bedrock (leakage) and lateral flow from the MVA to the south. The central MVA (south of the Onarga Valley) is composed of relatively dilute ground water of a mixed cation-HCO3- type, with low total dissolved solids, and very low concentrations of Cl- and SO42-. Stratigraphic relationships of overlying aquifers and ground-water chemistry of these and the MVA suggest recharge to this region of the MVA (predominantly in Champaign County) is relatively rapid and primarily from the surface. Midway along the westerly flow path of the MVA (western MVA), ground water is a mixed cation-HCO3- type with relatively high Cl-, where Cl- increases abruptly by one to ??? two orders of magnitude. Data suggest that the increase in Cl- is the result of leakage of saline ground water from bedrock into the MVA. Mass-balance calculations indicate that approximately 9.5% of

A real options model to assess the role of flexibility in forestry and agroforestry adoption and disadoption in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Treesearch

Gregory E. Frey; D. Evan Mercer; Frederick W. Cubbage; Robert C. Abt

2013-01-01

Efforts to restore the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley’s forests have not achieved desired levels of ecosystem services production.We examined how the variability of returns and the flexibility to change or postpone decisions (option value) affects the economic potential of forestry and agroforestry systems to keep private land in production while still providing...

Estimated withdrawals from principal aquifers in the United States, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maupin, Molly A.; Barber, Nancy L.

2005-01-01

Fresh ground-water withdrawals from 66 principal aquifers in the United States were estimated for irrigation, public-supply, and self-supplied industrial water uses for the year 2000. Total ground-water withdrawals were 76,500 million gallons per day, or 85,800 thousand acre-feet per year for these three uses. Irrigation used the largest amount of ground water, 56,900 million gallons per day, followed by public supply with 16,000 million gallons per day, and self-supplied industrial with 3,570 million gallons per day. These three water uses represented 92 percent of the fresh groundwater withdrawals for all uses in the United States, the remaining 8 percent included self-supplied domestic, aquaculture, livestock, mining, and thermoelectric power uses. Aquifer withdrawals were categorized by five lithologic groups: unconsolidated and semiconsolidated sand and gravel aquifers, carbonate-rock aquifers, igneous and metamorphic-rock aquifers, sandstone aquifers, and sandstone and carbonate-rock aquifers. Withdrawals from aquifers that were not included in one of the 66 principal aquifers were reported in an “Other” aquifers group. The largest withdrawals in the United States were from unconsolidated and semiconsolidated sand and gravel aquifers, which accounted for 80 percent of total withdrawals from all aquifers. Carbonate-rock aquifers provided 8 percent of the withdrawals, and igneous and metamorphic-rock aquifers, 6 percent. Withdrawals from sandstone aquifers, from sandstone and carbonate-rock aquifers, and from the “Other” aquifers category each constituted about 2 percent of the total withdrawals reported.Fifty-five percent of the total withdrawals for irrigation, public-supply, and self-supplied industrial water uses were provided by the High Plains aquifer, California Central Valley aquifer system, the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, and the Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers. These aquifers provided most of the withdrawals for irrigation

Evaluation of hydrologic conditions and nitrate concentrations in the Rio Nigua de Salinas alluvial fan aquifer, Salinas, Puerto Rico, 2002-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodriguez, Jose M.

2006-01-01

A ground-water quality study to define the potential sources and concentration of nitrate in the Rio Nigua de Salinas alluvial fan aquifer was conducted between January 2002 and March 2003. The study area covers about 3,600 hectares of the coastal plain within the municipality of Salinas in southern Puerto Rico, extending from the foothills to the Caribbean Sea. Agriculture is the principal land use and includes cultivation of diverse crops, turf grass, bioengineered crops for seed production, and commercial poultry farms. Ground-water withdrawal in the alluvial fan was estimated to be about 43,500 cubic meters per day, of which 49 percent was withdrawn for agriculture, 42 percent for public supply, and 9 percent for industrial use. Ground-water flow in the study area was primarily to the south and toward a cone of depression within the south-central part of the alluvial fan. The presence of that cone of depression and a smaller one located in the northeastern quadrant of the study area may contribute to the increase in nitrate concentration within a total area of about 545 hectares by 'recycling' ground water used for irrigation of cultivated lands. In an area that covers about 405 hectares near the center of the Salinas alluvial fan, nitrate concentrations increased from 0.9 to 6.7 milligrams per liter as nitrogen in 1986 to 8 to 12 milligrams per liter as nitrogen in 2002. Principal sources of nitrate in the study area are fertilizers (used in the cultivated farmlands) and poultry farm wastes. The highest nitrogen concentrations were found at poultry farms in the foothills area. In the area of disposed poultry farm wastes, nitrate concentrations in ground water ranged from 25 to 77 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Analyses for the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen-15/nitrogen-14 in nitrate were used to distinguish the source of nitrate in the coastal plain alluvial fan aquifer. Potential nitrate loads from areas under cultivation were estimated for the

Preliminary study of the aquifers of the lower Mesilla Valley in Texas and New Mexico by model simulation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gates, J.S.; White, D.E.; Leggat, E.R.

1984-01-01

Because the salinity of water in all three aquifers south of Canutillo is greater than elsewhere in the study area, there is potential for movement of this water northward toward the Canutillo well field if the cone of depression reaches that part of the aquifer system. This potential should be evaluated in future geohydrologic studies of the lower Mesilla Valley.

The role of alpine rockfall aquifer systems in baseflow maintenance and flood attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauber, Ute; Kotyla, Patrick; Morche, David; Goldscheider, Nico

2015-04-01

Rockfall masses are frequent in alpine valleys. Huge rockfalls (millions to billions m³) precipitated after the end of the last glaciation, but many large events (thousand to millions m³) have occurred in historical time, and increasingly during the past decades, as a result of glacier retreat and thawing of permafrost. Most hydrological research focuses on water as a cause or trigger of rockfalls, while much less research has been done on the hydrogeological properties and functions of rockfall masses in alpine valleys. We have studied a series of rockfall and alluvial aquifer systems in the Reintal valley, German Alps, where all surface water infiltrates underground and reemerges downgradient from the rockfall masses. The goal of the study was to characterize the role of this rockfall aquifer in baseflow maintenance and flood attenuation. Employed methods include geomorphological and hydrogeological mapping, tracer tests, and continuous flow measurements. Field observations have revealed that both the infiltration and exfiltration locations vary as a function of the hydrologic conditions. Underground flow path length range from 500 m during high flows to 2 km during low flows; measured groundwater flow velocities range between 13 and 30 m/h; lag times between upstream and downstream flood peaks are 5 to 101 hours. Flood peaks were dampened by a factor of 1.5 and the maximum discharge ratio (22) and peak recession coefficient (0.2/d) downstream are very low compared with other alpine catchments. These results indicate that rockfall aquifers can play an important role in the flow regime and flood attenuation in alpine regions.

Boundary of the Eagle River Watershed Valley-Fill Aquifer, Eagle County, North-Central Colorado, 2006-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rupert, Michael G.; Plummer, Niel

2009-01-01

This vector data set delineates the approximate boundary of the Eagle River watershed valley-fill aquifer (ERWVFA). This data set was developed by a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey, Eagle County, the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Eagle, the Town of Gypsum, and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority. This project was designed to evaluate potential land-development effects on groundwater and surface-water resources so that informed land-use and water management decisions can be made. The boundary of the ERWVFA was developed by combining information from two data sources. The first data source was a 1:250,000-scale geologic map of the Leadville quadrangle developed by Day and others (1999). The location of Quaternary sediments was used as a first approximation of the ERWVFA. The boundary of the ERWVFA was further refined by overlaying the geologic map with Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) scanned images of 1:24,000 topographic maps (U.S. Geological Survey, 2001). Where appropriate, the boundary of the ERWVFA was remapped to correspond with the edge of the valley-fill aquifer marked by an abrupt change in topography at the edge of the valley floor throughout the Eagle River watershed. The boundary of the ERWVFA more closely resembles a hydrogeomorphic region presented by Rupert (2003, p. 8) because it is based upon general geographic extents of geologic materials and not on an actual aquifer location as would be determined through a rigorous hydrogeologic investigation.

Drinking Water Quality Criterion - Based site Selection of Aquifer Storage and Recovery Scheme in Chou-Shui River Alluvial Fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, H. E.; Liang, C. P.; Jang, C. S.; Chen, J. S.

2015-12-01

Land subsidence due to groundwater exploitation is an urgent environmental problem in Choushui river alluvial fan in Taiwan. Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), where excess surface water is injected into subsurface aquifers for later recovery, is one promising strategy for managing surplus water and may overcome water shortages. The performance of an ASR scheme is generally evaluated in terms of recovery efficiency, which is defined as percentage of water injected in to a system in an ASR site that fulfills the targeted water quality criterion. Site selection of an ASR scheme typically faces great challenges, due to the spatial variability of groundwater quality and hydrogeological condition. This study proposes a novel method for the ASR site selection based on drinking quality criterion. Simplified groundwater flow and contaminant transport model spatial distributions of the recovery efficiency with the help of the groundwater quality, hydrological condition, ASR operation. The results of this study may provide government administrator for establishing reliable ASR scheme.

Landscape level reforestation priorities for forest breeding landbirds in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twedt, D.J.; Uihlein, W.B.; Fredrickson, L.H.; King, S.L.; Kaminski, R.M.

2005-01-01

Thousands of ha of cleared wetlands are being reforested annually in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Despite the expansive and long-term impacts of reforestation on the biological communities of the MAV, there is generally a lack of landscape level planning in its implementation. To address this deficiency we used raster-based digital data to assess the value of forest restoration to migratory landbirds for each ha within the MAV. Raster themes were developed that reflected distance from 3 existing forest cover parameters: (1) extant forest, (2) contiguous forest patches between 1,012 and 40,000 ha, and (3) forest cores with contiguous area 1 km from an agricultural, urban, or pastoral edge. Two additional raster themes were developed that combined information on the proportion of forest cover and average size of forest patches, respectively, within landscapes of 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, and 200,000 ha. Data from these 5 themes were amalgamated into a single raster using a weighting system that gave increased emphasis to existing forest cores, larger forest patches, and moderately forested landscapes while deemphasizing reforestation near small or isolated forest fragments and within largely agricultural landscapes. This amalgamated raster was then modified by the geographic location of historical forest cover and the current extent of public land ownership to assign a reforestation priority score to each ha in the MAV. However, because reforestation is not required on areas with extant forest cover and because restoration is unlikely on areas of open water and urban communities, these lands were not assigned a reforestation priority score. These spatially explicit reforestation priority scores were used to simulate reforestation of 368,000 ha (5%) of the highest priority lands in the MAV. Targeting restoration to these high priority areas resulted in a 54% increase in forest core - an area of forest core that exceeded the area of simulated reforestation

The subfossil tree deposits from the Garonne Valley and their implications on Holocene alluvial plain dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carozza, Jean-Michel; Carozza, Laurent; Valette, Philippe; Llubes, Muriel; Py, Vanessa; Galop, Didier; Danu, Mihaela; Ferdinand, Laurie; David, Mélodie; Sévègnes, Laurent; Bruxelles, Laurent; Jarry, Marc; Duranthon, Francis

2014-01-01

Subfossil tree trunks deposits are common in large rivers, but their status as a source for dating alluvial sequences and palaeoenvironmental studies is still discussed. Particularly their origin and the process(es) of deposition as well as a possible remobilization were pointed as a limit to their use to document river alluvial changes. In this work we report the discovery of the largest subfossil trunks deposits in the Garonne valley. These new data are compared to the previous ones. A set of 17 tree trunks and more than 300 smaller wood fragments were collected. The xylologic study shows the prevalence of Quercus and a single occurrence of Ulmus. These two hardwood species are commonly associated with riparian forest. The 14C dating carried out on seven trunks and a single branch of Quercus on the outermost identified growth rings, indicates age ranging from 8400-8000 cal. BP for the oldest fragment (bough) to 4300-4000 cal. BP for the most recent tree trunk. Radiocarbon ages of the trunks are aggregated into two main periods: 5300-5600 cal. BP (four trunks) and 4300-4000 cal. BP (three trunks). The radiocarbon (charcoal) dating of the top of the alluvial sequence overlaying the trunks gives an age between 1965-1820 and 1570-1810 cal. BP, i.e. between the 2nd and the 5th c. AD. In addition, the discovery of two unpublished subfossil tree trunks deposits in Finhan are reported (six trunks). At the light of these results, we discuss previously proposed models for the Garonne floodplain building.

The migration, dissolution, and fate of chlorinated solvents in the urbanized alluvial valleys of the southwestern USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, R. E.

The migration, dissolution, and subsequent fate of spilled chlorinated solvents in the urban alluvial valleys of the southwestern U.S. appear to be governed by a unique set of hydrogeologic and geochemical processes occurring within terrigeneous clastic depositional systems. The alluvial and lacustrine fill of the basins, the trapping of solvents in fine-grained sediments beneath the urbanized valley centers, the oxic conditions typical of the deeper alluvium, and the contaminant-transport patterns produced by large-scale basin pumping combine to produce long aqueous-phase plumes derived from the dissolution of trapped chlorinated solvents. Although of limited aqueous solubility, these dense solvents are sufficiently mobile and soluble in the southwestern alluvial valleys to have produced aqueous plumes that have migrated several kilometers through the deeper alluvium and have contaminated valuable water-supply well fields in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The typical length of these plumes and the presence of oxic groundwater indicate that it is unlikely that natural attenuation will be a practical remedial option in the southwestern alluvial valleys or in other alluvial systems in which similar hydrogeologic and geochemical conditions exist. Résumé La migration, la dissolution et l'évolution consécutive des rejets de solvants chlorés dans les vallées alluviales du sud-ouest des États-Unis paraissent déterminées par un même ensemble de processus hydrogéologiques et géochimiques intervenant dans des formations de dépôts clastiques terrigènes. Les remplissages alluviaux et lacustres des bassins, le piégeage des solvants par des sédiments fins sous les centres des vallées urbanisées, les conditions oxiques typiques des alluvions plus profondes et les types de transport de contaminants provoqués par le pompage à l'échelle du bassin se combinent pour produire des panaches, étendus dans la phase aqueuse, provenant de la dissolution de

Hydrogeochemical investigation of groundwater in Jericho area in the Jordan Valley, West Bank, Palestine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Da'as, Ammar; Walraevens, Kristine

2013-06-01

Water resources in the Middle East, particularly in Palestine, are extremely scarce and costly. The Jordan Valley is a fertile productive region, described as the food basket of Palestine. Groundwater originating from the Quaternary Aquifer System forms the main water resource in the Jordan Valley. However, the quality of this groundwater is threatened mainly by the high chloride concentration. The most representative area of the Jordan Valley is Jericho area, which was chosen to be the study area. The study area (65 km2) is almost a flat area with a gentle decline towards the east. It is the lowest land on earth with ground levels reaching 400 meters below sea level (mbsl) near the Dead Sea shores. The Quaternary Aquifer System in the study area could be divided into an upper alluvial layer with thickness varying from 40 to 150 m and a lower low-permeable Lisan layer, which crops out in the eastern part of the study area with thickness over 200 m. Hydrogeochemical investigation reveals that the water is generally earth alkaline with higher content of earth alkalis and prevailing chloride. According to Stuyfzand (1986) and Piper's (1944) classification systems, water type in the Alluvial Aquifer varies from fresh hard CaMgHCO3 or MgCaHCO3 water in the west and northwest to brackish very-hard MgNaCl or NaMgCl in the middle. In the east, the water becomes brackish-salt extremely-hard MgNaCl or NaCl. Groundwater quality is deteriorating (increase in salinity) spatially towards the east and vertically with increasing depth (when nearing the Lisan Formation). As an indication of groundwater salinity, total dissolved solids show some variability with time over the last 21 years (1983-2004). In short-time scale, there are high seasonal and yearly fluctuations with regard to salinity, specifically in Cl- and SO42- contents. Spring water from the Upper Cenomanian Aquifer (CaHCO3) represents the fresh end member, while Rift Valley Brines (RVB-CaNaCl) and Dead Sea Brines (DSB

Stages of the development of alluvial soils in the Bikin River valley (the Amur River basin) in the Middle and Late Holocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazarkina, A. V.; Belyanin, P. S.

2014-05-01

The evolution of alluvial soils in the Bikin River basin in the Middle and the Late Holocene is discussed. On the basis of biostratigraphic data, four pollen zones have been identified in the soils: Pinus koraiensis- Picea, Pinus koraiensis- Quercus- Sphagnum, Betula- Alnus- Alnaster, and Quercus. A set of soil characteristics (texture, acid-base properties, and the organic matter content and group composition) have also been determined. These data allow us to distinguish between four stages of alluvial soil formation in the Bikin River basin. They characterize humus-forming conditions in the Middle and the Late Holocene. Reconstruction of ancient vegetation conditions makes it possible to conclude that climatic fluctuations were synchronous with changes in the soil characteristics. During the Holocene climatic optimum, humus was formed in a slightly acid medium, and humic acids predominated. In cold periods with increased precipitation, fulvic acids predominated in the composition of humus, and the portion of insoluble residue was high because of the more acid medium. The stages of alluvial pedogenesis in the Bikin River valley follow the sedimentation model of soil evolution. Alluvial gray humus soils evolved from typical gray humus soils under meadow communities during warm periods to gleyic and gleyed soils under birch shrubs and alder groves in colder and wetter periods.

The role of the Wetland Reserve Program in conservation efforts in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Sammy L.; Twedt, Daniel J.; Wilson, R. Randy

2006-01-01

The Mississippi River Alluvial Valley includes the floodplain of the Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois, USA, to the Gulf of Mexico. Originally this region supported about 10 million ha of bottomland hardwood forests, but only about 2.8 million ha remain today. Furthermore, most of the remaining bottomland forest is highly fragmented with altered hydrologic processes. During the 1990s landscape-scale conservation planning efforts were initiated for migratory birds and the threatened Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus). These plans call for large-scale reforestation and restoration efforts in the region, particularly on private lands. In 1990 the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act authorized the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The WRP is a voluntary program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture that provides eligible landowners with financial incentives to restore wetlands and retire marginal farmlands from agricultural production. As of 30 September 2005, over 275,700 ha have been enrolled in the program in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, with the greatest concentration in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, USA. Hydrologic restoration is common on most sites, with open-water wetlands, such as moist-soil units and sloughs, constituting up to 30% of a given tract. Over 33,200 ha of open-water wetlands have been created, potentially providing over 115,000,000 duck-use days. Twenty-three of 87 forest-bird conservation areas have met or exceed core habitat goals for migratory songbirds and another 24 have met minimum area requirements. The WRP played an integral role in the fulfillment of these goals. Although some landscape goals have been attained, the young age of the program and forest stands, and the lack of monitoring, has limited evaluations of the program's impact on wildlife populations.

A Real Options Method for Estimating the Adoption Potential of Forestry and Agroforestry Systems on Private Lands in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA

Treesearch

Gregory E. Frey; D. Evan Mercer; Frederick W. Cubbage; Robert C. Abt

2010-01-01

The Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMAV), once was the largest forested bottom-land area in the continental United States, but has undergone widespread loss of forest through conversion to farmland. Restoration of forest functions and values has been a key conservation goal in the LMAV since the 1970s. This study utilizes a partial differential real options...

Hydraulic and Thermal Response to Intermittent Pumping in Unconfined Alluvial Aquifers along a Regulated Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maharjan, Madan

Groundwater response to stream stage fluctuations was studied using a year-long time series of stream stage and well heads in Glen Dale and New Martinsville, WV. Stream stage fluctuations exerted primary control over groundwater levels, especially during high flows. The location and operation of river pools created by dams alter groundwater flow paths and velocities. Aquifers are more prone to surface water infiltration in the upper reaches of pools than in lower reaches. Aquifer diffusivity is heterogeneous within and between the two sites. Temperature fluctuations were observed for 2.5 years in 14 wells in three alluvial aquifers. Temperature signals have 2 components corresponding to pump-on and pump-off periods. Both components vary seasonality at different magnitudes. While pump-off temperatures fluctuated up to 3.8o C seasonally, short-term temperature shifts induced by turning the pump on were 0.2 to 2.5o C. Pumping-induced temperature shifts were highest in magnitude in summer and winter. Groundwater temperature lagged behind that of surface water by approximately six months. Pumping induced and seasonal temperature shifts were spatially and temporally complex but indicate stream exfiltration is a major driver for a number of these wells. Numerical simulation of aquifer response to pumping show different conditions before and after well-field development. During pre-development, the stream was losing at high flow and gaining at low flow. During post-development, however, the stream was losing at high flow and spatially variable at low flow. While bank storage gained only during high stage, stream exfiltration occurred year-round. Pumping induced stream exfiltration by creating an extensive cone of depression beneath the stream in both upstream and downstream directions. Spatially and temporally variable groundwater-surface water interaction next to a regulated stream were studied using analytical and numerical models, based on field observations

Spatial distribution of triazine residues in a shallow alluvial aquifer linked to groundwater residence time.

PubMed

Sassine, Lara; Le Gal La Salle, Corinne; Khaska, Mahmoud; Verdoux, Patrick; Meffre, Patrick; Benfodda, Zohra; Roig, Benoît

2017-03-01

At present, some triazine herbicides occurrence in European groundwater, 13 years after their use ban in the European Union, remains of great concern and raises the question of their persistence in groundwater systems due to several factors such as storage and remobilization from soil and unsaturated zone, limited or absence of degradation, sorption in saturated zones, or to continuing illegal applications. In order to address this problem and to determine triazine distribution in the saturated zone, their occurrence is investigated in the light of the aquifer hydrodynamic on the basis of a geochemical approach using groundwater dating tracers ( 3 H/ 3 He). In this study, atrazine, simazine, terbuthylazine, deethylatrazine, deisopropylatrazine, and deethylterbuthylazine are measured in 66 samples collected between 2011 and 2013 from 21 sampling points, on the Vistrenque shallow alluvial aquifer (southern France), covered by a major agricultural land use. The frequencies of quantification range from 100 to 56 % for simazine and atrazine, respectively (LQ = 1 ng L -1 ). Total triazine concentrations vary between 15 and 350 ng L -1 and show three different patterns with depth below the water table: (1) low concentrations independent of depth but related to water origin, (2) an increase in concentrations with depth in the aquifer related to groundwater residence time and triazine use prior to their ban, and (3) relatively high concentrations at low depths in the saturated zone more likely related to a slow desorption of these compounds from the soil and unsaturated zone. The triazine attenuation rate varies between 0.3 for waters influenced by surface water infiltration and 4.8 for water showing longer residence times in the aquifer, suggesting an increase in these rates with water residence time in the saturated zone. Increasing triazine concentrations with depth is consistent with a significant decrease in the use of these pesticides for the last 10 years on

Mapping Aquifer Systems with Airborne Electromagnetics in the Central Valley of California.

PubMed

Knight, Rosemary; Smith, Ryan; Asch, Ted; Abraham, Jared; Cannia, Jim; Viezzoli, Andrea; Fogg, Graham

2018-03-09

The passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in California has highlighted a need for cost-effective ways to acquire the data used in building conceptual models of the aquifer systems in the Central Valley of California. One approach would be the regional implementation of the airborne electromagnetic (AEM) method. We acquired 104 line-kilometers of data in the Tulare Irrigation District, in the Central Valley, to determine the depth of investigation (DOI) of the AEM method, given the abundance of electrically conductive clays, and to assess the usefulness of the method for mapping the hydrostratigraphy. The data were high quality providing, through inversion of the data, models displaying the variation in electrical resistivity to a depth of approximately 500 m. In order to transform the resistivity models to interpreted sections displaying lithology, we established the relationship between resistivity and lithology using collocated lithology logs (from drillers' logs) and AEM data. We modeled the AEM response and employed a bootstrapping approach to solve for the range of values in the resistivity model corresponding to sand and gravel, mixed coarse and fine, and clay in the unsaturated and saturated regions. The comparison between the resulting interpretation and an existing cross section demonstrates that AEM can be an effective method for mapping the large-scale hydrostratigraphy of aquifer systems in the Central Valley. The methods employed and developed in this study have widespread application in the use of the AEM method for groundwater management in similar geologic settings. © 2018 The Authors. Groundwater published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of National Ground Water Association.

Hydrogeologic Heterogeneity Enhances the Transfer of Salt Toward the High-Quality Deep Aquifers of the Western San Joaquin Valley (CA, USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henri, C. V.; Harter, T.; Zhang, H.

2016-12-01

Increasing anthropogenic and drought stresses lead salinity to be of serious concern within regard to with the sustainability of regional groundwater quality. Agricultural basins of the Central Valley, CA (USA) are, and will continue to be, impacted by salinity issues in the coming future decades and or centuries. The aquifer system below the Western San Joaquin Valley is characterized by a shallow unconfined aquifer with high salinity overlying high quality semi-confined and deeper confined aquifers. A key challenge in the area is to predict if, when and how water traveling from the the low-quality shallow groundwater will reach and degrade the deeper semi-confined and confined aquifers. Previous studies, accounting for a simplified description of the aquifer hydraulic properties in their flow model, concluded that saline shallow groundwater would need 200-400 years to reach the semi-confined aquifer and 250-600 years to impact the deeper confined aquifer. However, well known heterogeneities in aquifer hydraulic properties significantly impact contaminant transport due to preferential flow paths and increased dispersion. Our study aims to (1) better understand the impact of heterogeneous hydraulic properties on the distribution of travel times from non-point source contamination, and (2) reassess the temporal scale of salt transfer into the deeper aquifers of the Western San Joaquin Valley. A detailed non-stationary geostatistical model was developed to describe the spatial variability of hydrofacies in great detail at the basin scale. The hydraulic properties corresponding to each hydrofacies are then calibrated in order to reproduce water fluxes previously modeled and calibrated. Subsequently, we use the random-walk particle tracking method to simulate the advective-dispersive transport of salt throughout the study area from a non-point source zone represented by the entire top layer of the model. The flux concentrations of solute crossing a series of monitoring

Decoding sediment transport dynamics on alluvial fans from spatial changes in grain size, Death Valley, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooke, Sam; Whittaker, Alexander; Watkins, Stephen; Armitage, John

2017-04-01

How fluvial sediment transport processes are transmitted to the sedimentary record remains a complex problem for the interpretation of fluvial stratigraphy. Alluvial fans represent the condensed sedimentary archive of upstream fluvial processes, controlled by the interplay between tectonics and climate over time, infused with the complex signal of internal autogenic processes. With high sedimentation rates and near complete preservation, alluvial fans present a unique opportunity to tackle the problem of landscape sensitivity to external boundary conditions such as climate. For three coupled catchments-fan systems in the tectonically well-constrained northern Death Valley, we measure grain size trends across well-preserved Holocene and Late-Pleistocene deposits, which we have mapped in detail. Our results show that fan surfaces from the Late-Pleistocene are, on average, 50% coarser than counterpart active or Holocene fan surfaces, with clear variations in input grain sizes observed between surfaces of differing age. Furthermore, the change in ratio between mean grain size and standard deviation is stable downstream for all surfaces, satisfying the statistical definition of self-similarity. Applying a self-similarity model of selective deposition, we derive a relative mobility function directly from our grain size distributions, and we evaluate for each fan surface the grain size for which the ratio of the probability of transport to deposition is 1. We show that the "equally mobile" grain size lies in the range of 20 to 35 mm, varies over time, and is clearly lower in the Holocene than in the Pleistocene. Our results indicate that coarser grain sizes on alluvial fans are much less mobile than in river systems where such an analysis has been previously applied. These results support recent findings that alluvial fan sediment characteristics can be used as an archive of past environmental change and that landscapes are sensitive to environmental change over a glacial

Mapping deep aquifer salinity trends in the southern San Joaquin Valley using borehole geophysical data constrained by chemical analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillespie, J.; Shimabukuro, D.; Stephens, M.; Chang, W. H.; Ball, L. B.; Everett, R.; Metzger, L.; Landon, M. K.

2016-12-01

The California State Water Resources Control Board and the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources are collaborating with the U.S. Geological Survey to map groundwater resources near oil fields and to assess potential interactions between oil and gas development and groundwater resources. Groundwater resources having salinity less than 10,000 mg/L total dissolved solids may be classified as Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDW) and subject to protection under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. In this study, we use information from oil well borehole geophysical logs, oilfield produced water and groundwater chemistry data, and three-dimensional geologic surfaces to map the spatial distribution of salinity in aquifers near oil fields. Salinity in the southern San Joaquin Valley is controlled primarily by depth and location. The base of protected waters occurs at very shallow depths, often < 300 meters, in the western part of the valley where aquifer recharge is low in the rain shadow of the Coast Ranges. The base of protected water is much deeper, often >1,500 meters, in the eastern part of the San Joaquin Valley where higher runoff from the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada provide relatively abundant aquifer recharge. Stratigraphy acts as a secondary control on salinity within these broader areas. Formations deposited in non-marine environments are generally fresher than marine deposits. Layers isolated vertically between confining beds and cut off from recharge sources may be more saline than underlying aquifers that outcrop in upland areas on the edge of the valley with more direct connection to regional recharge areas. The role of faulting is more ambiguous. In some areas, abrupt changes in salinity may be fault controlled but, more commonly, the faults serve as traps separating oil-bearing strata that are exempt from USDW regulations, from water-bearing strata that are not exempt.

A Study of the Connection Among Basin-Fill Aquifers, Carbonate-Rock Aquifers, and Surface-Water Resources in Southern Snake Valley, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2008-01-01

The Secretary of the Interior through the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act approved funding for research to improve understanding of hydrologic systems that sustain numerous water-dependent ecosystems on Federal lands in Snake Valley, Nevada. Some of the streams and spring-discharge areas in and adjacent to Great Basin National Park have been identified as susceptible to ground-water withdrawals (Elliott and others, 2006) and research has shown a high potential for ground-water flow from southern Spring Valley into southern Snake Valley through carbonate rocks that outcrop along a low topographic divide known as the Limestone Hills (Welch and others, 2007). Comprehensive geologic, hydrologic, and chemical information will be collected and analyzed to assess the hydraulic connection between basin-fill aquifers and surface-water resources, water-dependent ecological features, and the regional carbonate-rock aquifer, the known source of many high-discharge springs. Understanding these connections is important because proposed projects to pump and export ground water from Spring and Snake Valleys in Nevada may result in unintended capture of water currently supplying springs, streams, wetlands, limestone caves, and other biologically sensitive areas (fig. 1). The methods that will be used in this study may be transferable to other areas in the Great Basin. The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service submitted the proposal for funding this research to facilitate science-based land management. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources and Geologic Disciplines, and the University of Nevada, Reno, will accomplish four research elements through comprehensive data collection and analysis that are concentrated in two distinct areas on the eastern and southern flanks of the Snake Range (fig. 2). The projected time line for this research is from July 2008 through September 2011.

Hydrocarbon Status of Alluvial Soils in the Istra Morphostructural Node (Moscow Oblast)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikovskiy, Yu. I.; Gennadiev, A. N.; Kovach, R. G.; Khlynina, N. I.; Khlynina, A. V.

2017-12-01

The effect of the current block structure of the earth's crust and its most active sites (morphostructural nodes) on the natural hydrocarbon status of alluvial soils has been considered. Studies have been performed in the Istra district of Moscow oblast within the Istra morphostructural node. The node represents an area of increased geodynamic activity of the earth's crust located at the convergence or intersection of block boundaries: mobile linear zones following large river valleys with alluvial soils. Soil cover mainly consists of alluvial humic-gley soils (Eutric Gleyic Fluvisols) of different depths and alluvial mucky-gley soils (Eutric Gleyic Histic Fluvisols). Some soils manifest stratification. Two factors forming the hydrocarbon status of soils are considered: soil processes and the effect of geodynamic activity, which is manifested within the morphostructural node. The contents of bitumoids and retained methane and butanes in alluvial soils appreciably increase at the entry of river valley into the node. The occurrence frequency of 5-6-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (perylene and benzo[ghi]perylene) in mineral horizons increases. It has been concluded that alluvial soils within the Istra morphostructural node are characterized by the biogeochemical type of hydrocarbon status with signs of emanation type at sites with the highest geodynamic activity.

Hydrogeologic data update for the stratified-drift aquifer in the Sprout and Fishkill Creek valleys, Dutchess County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Richard J.; Calef, F.J.

2011-01-01

The hydrogeology of the stratified-drift aquifer in the Sprout Creek and Fishkill Creek valleys in southern Dutchess County, New York, previously investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1982, was updated through the use of new well data made available through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Water Well Program. Additional well data related to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) remedial investigations of two groundwater contamination sites near the villages of Hopewell Junction and Shenandoah, New York, were also used in this study. The boundary of the stratified-drift aquifer described in a previous USGS report was extended slightly eastward and southward to include adjacent tributary valleys and the USEPA groundwater contamination site at Shenandoah, New York. The updated report consists of maps showing well locations, surficial geology, altitude of the water table, and saturated thickness of the aquifer. Geographic information system coverages of these four maps were created as part of the update process.

Hydrogeochemical processes controlling changes in fluoride ion concentration within alluvial and hard rock aquifers in a part of a semi-arid region of Northern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Priyadarshini; Ashthana, Harshita; Rena, Vikas; Kumar, Pardeep; Mukherjee, Saumitra

2017-04-01

Geochemical signatures from alluvial and hard rock aquifers in a part of Northern India elucidate the chemical processes controlling fluctuations in fluoride ion concentration linked to changes in major ion groundwater chemistry. Majority of samples from the hard rock and the alluvial aquifers for pre-monsoon show both carbonate and silicate weathering, ion exchange, evaporation and rock water interaction as the processes controlling major ion chemistry whereas for post monsoon samples, contribution of silicate weathering and ion exchange process were observed. Evaporative processes causing the increase in Na+ ion concentration in premonsoon enhance the reverse ion exchange processes causing increase in Ca2+ ions which impedes fluorite mineral dissolution in the premonsoon groundwater samples within the study area. Alternately, it is observed that the removal of Ca2+ ion from solution plays a key role in increase in fluorite mineral dissolution despite its saturation in groundwater in the postmonsoon samples. Also, ion exchange process on clay surfaces is more pronounced in the postmonsoon samples leading to the uptake of Ca2+ ion upon release of Na+ and K+ ion in solution. Ca2+ ion concentration is inversely correlated with F- ion concentration in both the aquifers in the postmonsoon season validating the role of calcite precipitation as a major reason for the fluoride ion increase. Moreover, increase in silicate weathering in the postmonsoon samples leads to increase in clay particles acting as suitable sites for ion exchange enhancing Ca2+ removal from groundwater. Cationic dominance of Na+ ion in the post monsoon samples also validates the occurrence of this process. Collectively, these processes set the ideal conditions for increase in the fluoride ion concentration particularly in the alluvium aquifer waters in the postmonsoon season Keywords: geochemistry, ion-exchange, rock-water interaction, mineral dissolution, weathering.

Future groundwater extraction scenarios for an aquifer in a semiarid environment: case study of Guadalupe Valley Aquifer, Baja California, Northwest Mexico.

PubMed

Campos-Gaytan, Jose Ruben; Kretzschmar, Thomas; Herrera-Oliva, Claudia Soledad

2014-11-01

Semiarid northwestern Mexico presents a growing water demand produced by agricultural and domestic requirements during the last two decades. The community of Guadalupe Valley and the city of Ensenada rely on groundwater pumping from the local aquifer as its sole source of water supply. This dependency has resulted in an imbalance between groundwater pumpage and natural recharge. A two-dimensional groundwater flow model was applied to the Guadalupe Valley Aquifer, which was calibrated and validated for the period 1984-2005. The model analysis verified that groundwater levels in the region are subject to steep declines due to decades of intensive groundwater exploitation for agricultural and domestic purposes. The calibrated model was used to assess the effects of different water management scenarios for the period 2007-2025. If the base case (status quo) scenario continues, groundwater levels are in a continuous drawdown trend. Some wells would run dry by August 2017, and water demand may not be met without incurring in an overdraft. The optimistic scenario implies the achievement of the mean groundwater recharge and discharge. Groundwater level depletion could be stopped and restored. The sustainable scenario implies the reduction of current extraction (up to about 50 %), when groundwater level depletion could be stopped. A reduction in current extraction mitigates water stress in the aquifer but cannot solely reverse declining water tables across the region. The combination of reduced current extraction and an implemented alternative solution (such as groundwater artificial recharge), provides the most effective measure to stabilize and reverse declining groundwater levels while meeting water demands in the region.

InSAR to support sustainable urbanization over compacting aquifers: The case of Toluca Valley, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellazzi, Pascal; Garfias, Jaime; Martel, Richard; Brouard, Charles; Rivera, Alfonso

2017-12-01

This paper illustrates how InSAR alone can be used to delineate potential ground fractures related to aquifer system compaction. An InSAR-derived ground fracturing map of the Toluca Valley, Mexico, is produced and validated through a field campaign. The results are of great interest to support sustainable urbanization and show that InSAR processing of open-access Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from the Sentinel-1 satellites can lead to reliable and cost-effective products directly usable by cities to help decision-making. The Toluca Valley Aquifer (TVA) sustains the water needs of two million inhabitants living within the valley, a growing industry, an intensively irrigated agricultural area, and 38% of the water needs of the megalopolis of Mexico City, located 40 km east of the valley. Ensuring water sustainability, infrastructure integrity, along with supporting the important economic and demographic growth of the region, is a major challenge for water managers and urban developers. This paper presents a long-term analysis of ground fracturing by interpreting 13 years of InSAR-derived ground displacement measurements. Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) and Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) techniques are applied over three SAR datasets totalling 93 acquisitions from Envisat, Radarsat-2, and Sentinel-1A satellites and covering the period from 2003 to 2016. From 2003 to 2016, groundwater level declines of up to 1.6 m/yr, land subsidence up to 77 mm/yr, and major infrastructure damages are observed. Groundwater level data show highly variable seasonal responses according to their connectivity to recharge areas. However, the trend of groundwater levels consistently range from -0.5 to -1.5 m/yr regardless of the well location and depth. By analysing the horizontal gradients of vertical land subsidence, we provide a potential ground fracture map to assist in future urban development planning in the Toluca Valley.

Altitude of the water table in the alluvial and Wilcox aquifers in the vicinity of Richland and Tehuacana creeks and the Trinity River, Texas, December 1979

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garza, Sergio

1980-01-01

This map shows the altitude of the water table in the alluvial and Wilcox aquifers in the vicinity of Richland and Tehuacana Creeks and the Trinity River, Tex., in December 1979. The water-table contours were constructed on the basis of water-level control derived from an inventory of shallow wells in the area, topographic maps, and field locations of numerous small springs and seeps. (USGS)

Ground-Water Resource Assessment in the Rio Grande de Manati Alluvial Plain, Rio Arriba Saliente Area, Puerto Rico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Torres-Gonzalez, Sigfredo; Gómez-Gómez, Fernando; Warne, Andrew G.

2002-01-01

The alluvial aquifer within a 160-acre area of the Rio Grande de Manati alluvial plain was investigated to evaluate its potential as a water-supply source for the Barrios Rio Arriba Saliente and Pugnado Afuera, municipio of Manati, Puerto Rico. Analysis of well boring samples and the results of electric resistivity surveys indicate that the average thickness of the unconsolidated alluvial deposits in the study area is about 100 to 110 feet. The alluvium is a mixture of sand and gravel, which generally has a porosity of 0.2 to 0.35. Short-duration pump tests in small-diameter piezometers indicate that the alluvial aquifer has a hydraulic conductivity of about 200 feet per day and a transmissivity of about 7,900 feet squared per day. Analyses of water levels in piezometers, combined with stage measurements at a series of surveyed reference points along the Rio Grande de Manati channel, indicate that the water-table gradient in the alluvial aquifer is about 0.001, and that ground-water flow is generally from south to north, in the general direction of river flow. The water-table data indicate that the Rio Grande de Manati is the principal source of ground-water recharge to the alluvial aquifer in the study area. Because base flow for the Rio Grande de Manati is usually greater than 44 cubic feet per second, a continuous withdrawal rate of 0.5 to 1.0 cubic foot per second (225 to 450 gallons per minute) from a production well is possible. Chemical analysis of a ground-water sample indicates that the alluvial aquifer water meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary standards for selected constituents. Bacteriological analysis of ground-water samples indicates that the ground water contains little or no fecal coliform or fecal streptococcus bacteria. Although long-term data from upstream of the study area indicate high levels of fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus prior to 1996, bacteriological analyses of Rio Grande de Manati water samples obtained during

Organic matter and modeling redox reactions during river bank filtration in an alluvial aquifer of the Lot River, France.

PubMed

Kedziorek, Monika A M; Geoffriau, Stephane; Bourg, Alain C M

2008-04-15

A 3 year study of the infiltration of Lot River water into a well field located in an adjacent gravel and clay alluvial aquifer was conducted to assess the importance of organic matter regarding the redox processes which influence groundwater quality in a positive (denitrification) or negative (Mn dissolution) manner. Chloride was used to quantify the mixing of river water with groundwater. According to modeling with PHREEQC, the biodegradation of the infiltrated dissolved organic carbon (DOCi) is not sufficient to explain the observed consequences of the redox reactions (dissolved O2 depletion, denitrification, Mn dissolution). Another electron donor source must therefore be involved: we propose solid organic carbon (SOC) as a likely candidate, if made available for degradation by prior hydrolysis. Its contribution to redox reactions could be significant (30-80% of the total organic carbon consumed by redox reactions during river bank filtration). We show here also that even though the first few meters of infiltration are highly reactive, significant redox reactions can take place further in the aquifer, possibly affecting groundwater quality away from the river bank.

Preliminary evaluation of the hydrogeologic system in Owens Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Danskin, W.R.

1988-01-01

A preliminary, two-layer, steady-state, groundwater flow model was used to evaluate present data and hydrologic concepts of Owens Valley, California. Simulations of the groundwater system indicate that areas where water levels are most affected by changes in recharge and discharge are near toes of alluvial fans and along the edge of permeable volcanic deposits. Sensitivity analysis for each model parameter shows that steady state simulations are most sensitive to uncertainties in evapotranspiration rates. Tungsten Hills, Poverty Hills, and Alabama Hills were found to act as virtually impermeable barriers to groundwater flow. Accurate simulation of the groundwater system between Bishop and Lone Pine appears to be possible without simulating the groundwater system in Round Valley, near Owens Lake, or in aquifer materials more than 1,000 ft below land surface. Although vast amounts of geologic and hydrologic data have been collected for Owens Valley, many parts of the hydrogeologic system have not been defined with sufficient detail to answer present water management questions. Location and extent of geologic materials that impede the vertical movement of water are poorly documented. The likely range of aquifer characteristics, except vertical hydraulic conductivity, is well known, but spatial distribution of these characteristics is not well documented. A set of consistent water budgets is needed, including one for surface water, groundwater, and the entire valley. The largest component of previous water budgets (evapotranspiration) is largely unverified. More definitive estimates of local gains and losses for Owens River are needed. Although groundwater pumpage from each well is measured, the quantity of withdrawal from different zones of permeable material has not been defined. (USGS)

Hydrogeology of, and ground-water flow in, a valley-fill and carbonate-rock aquifer system near Long Valley in the New Jersey Highlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nicholson, R.S.; McAuley, S.D.; Barringer, J.L.; Gordon, A.D.

1996-01-01

The hydrogeology of and ground-water flow in a valley-fill and carbonate-rock aquifer system were evaluated by using numerical-modeling techniques and geochemical interpretations to address concerns about the adequacy of the aquifer system to meet increasing demand for water. The study was conducted during 1987-90 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy. The effects of recent and anticipated ground-water withdrawals on water levels, stream base flows, and water budgets were estimated. Simulation results indicate that recent withdrawals of 4.7 million gallons per day have resulted in water-level declines of up to 35 feet. Under conditions of increases in withdrawals of 121 percent, water levels would decline up to an additional 28 feet. The magnitude of predicted average base-flow depletion, when compared with historic low flows, indicates that projected increases in withdrawals may substantially deplete seasonal low flow of Drakes Brook and South Branch Raritan River. Results of a water-budget analysis indicate that the sources of water to additional supply wells would include leakage from the overlying valley-fill aquifer and induced leakage of surface water into the aquifer system. Results of water-quality analyses indicate that human activities are affecting the quality of the ground water. With the exception of an elevated iron concentration in water from one well, concentrations of inorganic constituents in water from 75 wells did not exceed New Jersey primary or secondary drinking-water regulations. Volatile organic compounds were detected in water from several wells; in two samples, concentrations of specific compounds exceeded drinking-water regulations.

Groundwater quality in the shallow aquifers of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley, and adjacent highland areas, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen

2018-05-30

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The shallow aquifers of the groundwater basins around Monterey Bay, the Salinas Valley, and the highlands adjacent to the Salinas Valley constitute one of the study units.

Groundwater-level analysis of selected wells in the Hoosic River Valley near Hoosick Falls, New York, for aquifer framework and properties

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, John H.; Heisig, Paul M.

2018-03-05

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, analyzed groundwater levels, drilling record logs, and field water-quality data from selected wells, and the surficial geology in the Hoosic River valley south of the village of Hoosick Falls, New York, to provide information about the framework and properties of a confined aquifer. The aquifer, which consists of ice-contact sand and gravel overlain by lacustrine clay and silt, was evaluated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as part of their investigation of alternate water supplies for the village whose wellfield has been affected by perfluorooctanoic acid. Wells inventoried in the study area were classified as confined, water table, or transitional between the two aquifer conditions. Groundwater levels in three confined-aquifer wells and a transitional-aquifer well responded to pumping of a test production well finished in the confined aquifer. Groundwater levels in a water-table well showed no detectable water-level change in response to test-well pumping. Analysis of drawdown and recovery data from the three confined-aquifer wells and a transitional-aquifer well through the application of the Theis type-curve method provided estimates of aquifer properties. Representation of a constant-head boundary in the analysis where an unnamed pond and fluvial-terrace deposits abut the valley wall resulted in satisfactory matches of the Theis type curves with the observed water-level responses. Aquifer transmissivity estimates ranged from 1,160 to 1,370 feet squared per day. Aquifer storativity estimates ranged from 5.2×10–5 to 1.1×10–3 and were consistent with the inferred degree of confinement and distance from the represented recharge boundary.

Reactive transport in the complex heterogeneous alluvial aquifer of Fortymile Wash, Nevada

DOE PAGES

Soltanian, Mohamad Reza; Sun, Alexander; Dai, Zhenxue

2017-04-02

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, had been extensively investigated as a potential deep geologic repository for storing high-level nuclear wastes. Previous field investigations of stratified alluvial aquifer downstream of the site revealed that there is a hierarchy of sedimentary facies types. There is a corresponding log conductivity and reactive surface area subpopulations within each facies at each scale of sedimentary architecture. Here in this paper, we use a Lagrangian-based transport model in order to analyze radionuclide dispersion in the saturated alluvium of Fortymile Wash, Nevada. First, we validate the Lagrangian model using high-resolution flow and reactive transport simulations. Then, we used themore » validated model to investigate how each scale of sedimentary architecture may affect long-term radionuclide transport at Yucca Mountain. Results show that the reactive solute dispersion developed by the Lagrangian model matches the ensemble average of numerical simulations well. The link between the alluvium spatial variability and reactive solute dispersion at different spatiotemporal scales is demonstrated using the Lagrangian model. Finally, the longitudinal dispersivity of the reactive plume can be on the order of hundreds to thousands of meters, and it may not reach its asymptotic value even after 10,000 years of travel time and 2–3 km of travel distance.« less

Geology and ground water in Napa and Sonoma Valleys, Napa and Sonoma Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kunkel, Fred; Upson, Joseph Edwin

1960-01-01

Napa and Sonoma Valleys are adjacent alluvium-filled valleys about 40 miles northeast of San Francisco. They occupy alined and structurally controlled depressions in the northern Coast Ranges physiographic province and drain south into San Pablo Bay. The valleys are surrounded and underlain by unconsolidated marine and continental sediments and volcanic rocks of Pliocene and Pleistocene age, which are water bearing in large part and together make up relatively extensive ground-water basins. Napa Valley, the eastern valley, is the larger and has a valley-floor area of about 85 square miles. Sonoma Valley has a valley-floor area of about 35 square miles; in addition, about 10 square miles is unreclaimed tidal marsh. The rock units of Napa and Sonoma Valleys are divided into four classes on the basis of their distribution and relative capacity to yield water: (a) Consolidated virtually non-water-bearing chiefly sedimentary (some metamorphic) rocks that range in age from Jurassic ( ?) to Pliocene; (b) marine shale and sand of the Petaluma formation (Pliocene) and the Merced formation (Pliocene and Pleistocene) that do not crop out within Napa or Sonoma Valleys but perhaps are penetrated by some deep wells drilled in Sonoma Valley; (c) Sonoma volcanics of Pliocene age, parts of which are non-water-bearing and parts of which locally yield large quantities of water; and (d) unconsolidated alluvial deposits mainly of Quaternary age. The deposits of classes (c) and (d) contain the most important aquifers in the area. Most of the water used in these valleys is pumped from wells in the younger and older alluvium in the Huichica and Glen Ellen formations. and in the Sonoma volcanics. The principal aquifers are the younger and older alluvium. but appreciable quantities of water are pumped locally from the Sonoma volcanics. The Huichica and Glen Ellen formations yield water in small quantities and at most places supply water only for limited domestic uses. The younger alluvium

Drought, Land-Use Change, and Water Availability in California's Central Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faunt, C. C.; Sneed, M.; Traum, J.

2015-12-01

The Central Valley is a broad alluvial-filled structural trough that covers about 52,000 square kilometers and is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. Because the valley is semi-arid and the availability of surface water varies substantially from year to year, season to season, and from north to south, agriculture developed a reliance on groundwater for irrigation. During recent drought periods (2007-09 and 2012-present), groundwater pumping has increased due to a combination of factors including drought and land-use changes. In response, groundwater levels have declined to levels approaching or below historical low levels. In the San Joaquin Valley, the southern two thirds of the Central Valley, the extensive groundwater pumpage has caused aquifer system compaction, resulting in land subsidence and permanent loss of groundwater storage capacity. The magnitude and rate of subsidence varies based on geologic materials, consolidation history, and historical water levels. Spatially-variable subsidence has changed the land-surface slope, causing operational, maintenance, and construction-design problems for surface-water infrastructure. It is important for water agencies to plan for the effects of continued water-level declines, storage losses, and/or land subsidence. To combat these effects, excess surface water, when available, is artificially recharged. As surface-water availability, land use, and artificial recharge continue to vary, long-term groundwater-level and land-subsidence monitoring and modelling are critical to understanding the dynamics of the aquifer system. Modeling tools, such as the Central Valley Hydrologic Model, can be used in the analysis and evaluation of management strategies to mitigate adverse impacts due to subsidence, while also optimizing water availability. These analyses will be critical for successful implementation of recent legislation aimed toward sustainable groundwater use.

Contamination potential of nitrogen compounds in the heterogeneous aquifers of the Choushui River alluvial fan, Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Cheng-Shin; Liu, Chen-Wuing

2005-10-01

This study aimed to analyze the contamination potential associated with the reactive transport of nitrate-N and ammonium-N in the Choushui River alluvial fan, Taiwan and to evaluate a risk region in developing a groundwater protection policy in 2021. In this area, an aquifer redox sequence provided a good understanding of the spatial distributions of nitrate-N and ammonium-N and of aerobic and anaerobic environments. Equiprobable hydraulic conductivity ( K) fields reproduced by geostatistical methods characterized the spatial uncertainty of contaminant transport in the heterogeneous aquifer. Nitrogen contamination potential fronts for high and low threshold concentrations based on a 95% risk probability were used to assess different levels of risk. The simulated result reveals that the spatial uncertainty of highly heterogeneous K fields governs the contamination potential assessment of the nitrogen compounds along the regional flow directions. The contamination potential of nitrate-N is more uncertain than that for ammonium-N. The high nitrate-N concentrations (≧ 3 mg/L) are prevalent in the aerobic environment. The low concentration nitrate-N plumes (0.5-3 mg/L) gradually migrate to the mid-fan area and to a maximum distance of 15 km from the aerobic region. The nitrate-N plumes pose a potential human health risk in the aerobic and anaerobic environments. The ammonium-N plumes remain stably confined to the distal-fan and partial mid-fan areas.

Waste rice for waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stafford, J.D.; Kaminski, R.M.; Reinecke, K.J.; Manley, S.W.

2006-01-01

Flooded rice fields are important foraging habitats for waterfowl in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Waste rice previously was abundant in late autumn (140?492 kg/ha), but early planting and harvest dates in recent years may have increased losses of waste rice during autumn before waterfowl arrive. Research in Mississippi rice fields revealed waste-rice abundance decreased 79?99% during autumns 1995?1996. To determine if this trend existed throughout the MAV, we used multistage sampling (MSS) to estimate waste-rice abundance during September?December 2000?2002. Averaged over years, mean abundance of waste rice decreased 71% between harvest ((x) over bar = 271.0 kg/ha, CV = 13% n = 3 years) and late autumn ( (x) over bar = 78.4 kg/ha, CV = 15% n = 3). Among 15 models formulated to explain variation in rice abundance among fields and across years, the best model indicated abundance of waste rice in late autumn differed between harvester types (i.e., conventional > stripper header) and was positively related to initial waste-rice abundance after harvest. Because abundance of waste rice in late autumn was less than previous estimates in all 3 years, we concluded that waterfowl conservationists have overestimated carrying capacity of rice fields for wintering waterfowl by 52?83% and recommend 325 duck-use days/ha (DUDs) as a revised estimate. We suggest monitoring advances in rice harvest dates to determine when new surveys are warranted and recommend increased management of moist-soil wetlands to compensate for decreased rice abundance.

Groundwater salinity and hydrochemical processes in the volcano-sedimentary aquifer of La Aldea, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.

PubMed

Cruz-Fuentes, Tatiana; Cabrera, María del Carmen; Heredia, Javier; Custodio, Emilio

2014-06-15

The origin of the groundwater salinity and hydrochemical conditions of a 44km(2) volcano-sedimentary aquifer in the semi-arid to arid La Aldea Valley (western Gran Canaria, Spain) has been studied, using major physical and chemical components. Current aquifer recharge is mainly the result of irrigation return flows and secondarily that of rainfall infiltration. Graphical, multivariate statistical and modeling tools have been applied in order to improve the hydrogeological conceptual model and identify the natural and anthropogenic factors controlling groundwater salinity. Groundwater ranges from Na-Cl-HCO3 type for moderate salinity water to Na-Mg-Cl-SO4 type for high salinity water. This is mainly the result of atmospheric airborne salt deposition; silicate weathering, and recharge incorporating irrigation return flows. High evapotranspiration produces significant evapo-concentration leading to relative high groundwater salinity in the area. Under average conditions, about 70% of the water used for intensive agricultural exploitation in the valley comes from three low salinity water runoff storage reservoirs upstream, out of the area, while the remaining 30% derives from groundwater. The main alluvial aquifer behaves as a short turnover time reservoir that adds to the surface waters to complement irrigation water supply in dry periods, when it reaches 70% of irrigation water requirements. The high seasonality and intra-annual variability of water demand for irrigation press on decision making on aquifer use by a large number of aquifer users acting on their own. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrology of the Ferron sandstone aquifer and effects of proposed surface-coal mining in Castle Valley, Utah, with sections on stratigraphy and leaching of overburden

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.; Morrissey, Daniel J.; Ryer, Thomas A.; Fuller, Richard H.

1983-01-01

Coal in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age has traditionally been mined by underground techniques in the Emery Coal Field in the southern end of Castle Valley in east-central Utah. However, approximately 99 million tons are recoverable by surface mining. Ground water in the Ferron is the sole source of supply for the town of Emery, but the aquifer is essentially untapped outside the Emery area.The Ferron Sandstone Member crops out along the eastern edge of Castle Valley and generally dips 2 ? to 10 ? to the northwest. Sandstones in the Ferron are enclosed between relatively impermeable shale in the Tununk and Blue Gate Members of the Mancos Shale. Along the outcrop, the Ferron ranges in thickness from about 80 feet in the northern part of Castle Valley to 850 feet in the southern part. The Ferron also generally thickens in the subsurface downdip from the outcrop. Records from wells and test holes indicate that the full thickness of the Ferron is saturated with water in most areas downdip from the outcrop area.Tests in the Emery area indicate that transmissivity of the Ferron sandstone aquifer ranges from about 200 to 700 feet squared per day where the Ferron is fully saturated. Aquifer transmissivity is greatest near the Paradise Valley-Joes Valley fault system where permeability has been increased by fracturing. Storage coefficient ranges from about 10 .6 to 10 -3 where the Ferron sandstone aquifer is confined and probably averages 5 x 10-2 where it is unconfined.

Hydrogeology at Air Force Plant 4 and vicinity and water quality of the Paluxy Aquifer, Fort Worth, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kuniansky, Eve L.; Jones, Sonya A.; Brock, Robert D.; Williams, M.D.

1996-01-01

Ground water in the surficial terrace alluvial aquifer is contaminated at Air Force Plant 4, Fort Worth, Texas, and at the adjacent Naval Air Station. Some of the contaminated water has leaked from the terrace alluvial aquifer to an uppermost interval of the Paluxy Formation (the Paluxy "upper sand") beneath the east parking lot, east of the assembly building, and to the upper and middle zones of the Paluxy aquifer near Bomber Road, west of the assembly building. Citizens are concerned that contaminants from the plant, principally trichloroethylene and chromium might enter nearby municipal and domestic wells that pump water from the middle and lower zones of the Paluxy aquifer. Geologic formations that crop out in the study area, from oldest to youngest, are the Paluxy Formation (aquifer), Walnut Formation (confining unit), and Goodland Limestone (confining unit). Beneath the Paluxy Formation is the Glen Rose Formation (confining unit) and Twin Mountains Formation (aquifer). The terrace alluvial deposits overlie these Cretaceous rocks. The terrace alluvial aquifer, which is not used for municipal water supply, is separated from the Paluxy aquifer by the Goodland-Walnut confining unit. The confining unit restricts the flow of ground water between these aquifers in most places; however, downward leakage to the Paluxy aquifer might occur through the "window," where the confining unit is thin or absent. The Paluxy aquifer is divided into upper, middle, and lower zones. The Paluxy "upper sand" underlying the "window" is an apparently isolated, mostly unsaturated, sandy lens within the uppermost part of the upper zone. The Paluxy aquifer is recharged by leakage from Lake Worth and by precipitation on the outcrop area. Discharge from the aquifer primarily occurs as pumpage from municipal and domestic wells. The Paluxy aquifer is separated from the underlying Twin Mountains aquifer by the Glen Rose confining unit. Water-level maps indicate that (1) ground water in the

Water resources of Parowan Valley, Iron County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marston, Thomas M.

2017-08-29

Parowan Valley, in Iron County, Utah, covers about 160 square miles west of the Red Cliffs and includes the towns of Parowan, Paragonah, and Summit. The valley is a structural depression formed by northwest-trending faults and is, essentially, a closed surface-water basin although a small part of the valley at the southwestern end drains into the adjacent Cedar Valley. Groundwater occurs in and has been developed mainly from the unconsolidated basin-fill aquifer. Long-term downward trends in groundwater levels have been documented by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since the mid-1950s. The water resources of Parowan Valley were assessed during 2012 to 2014 with an emphasis on refining the understanding of the groundwater and surface-water systems and updating the groundwater budget.Surface-water discharge of five perennial mountain streams that enter Parowan Valley was measured from 2013 to 2014. The total annual surface-water discharge of the five streams during 2013 to 2014 was about 18,000 acre-feet (acre-ft) compared to the average annual streamflow of about 22,000 acre-ft from USGS streamgages operated on the three largest of these streams from the 1940s to the 1980s. The largest stream, Parowan Creek, contributes more than 50 percent of the annual surface-water discharge to the valley, with smaller amounts contributed by Red, Summit, Little, and Cottonwood Creeks.Average annual recharge to the Parowan Valley groundwater system was estimated to be about 25,000 acre-ft from 1994 to 2013. Nearly all recharge occurs as direct infiltration of snowmelt and rainfall on the Markagunt Plateau east of the valley. Smaller amounts of recharge occur as infiltration of streamflow and unconsumed irrigation water near the east side of the valley on alluvial fans associated with mountain streams at the foot of the Red Cliffs. Subsurface flow from the mountain block to the east of the valley is a significant source of groundwater recharge to the basin-fill aquifer

Bottomland hardwood restoration in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley: Looking past the trees to see the forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, R.R.; Oliver, J.M.; Twedt, D.J.; Uihlein, W.B.; Fredrickson, L.H.; King, S.L.; Kaminski, R.M.

2005-01-01

Planned restoration of bottomland hardwoods is important to adequately address negative consequences resulting from the severe loss and fragmentation of forested wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Reforestation efforts have been promoted through government initiatives of state and federal agencies (e.g. Wetland Reserve Program) and private conservation groups. To clarify discussions of forested wetland restoration, we offer definitions of reforestation and restoration, review historic reforestation practices, identify additional needs, and propose a conceptual framework to assist in future reforestation efforts. Future reforestation efforts should include: (1) comprehensive planning among participating agencies, (2) standardized documentation of methods, and (3) short-term and long-term monitoring protocols that permit refinement of methodologies. Implementation of these concepts will promote cooperative planning among participants and facilitate research to evaluate bottomland hardwood restoration efforts.

Reconnaissance of ground-water quality in the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, eastern Nebraska, July through September 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verstraeten, Ingrid M.; Ellis, M.J.

1995-01-01

A reconnaissance of ground-water quality was conducted in the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District of eastern Nebraska. Sixty-one irrigation, municipal, domestic, and industrial wells completed in the principal aquifers--the unconfined Elkhorn, Missouri, and Platte River Valley alluvial aquifers, the upland area alluvial aquifers, and the Dakota aquifer--were selected for water-quality sampling during July, August, and September 1992. Analyses of water samples from the wells included determination of dissolved nitrate as nitrogen and triazine and acetanilide herbicides. Waterquality analyses of a subset of 42 water samples included dissolved solids, major ions, metals, trace elements, and radionuclides. Concentrations of dissolved nitrate as nitrogen in water samples from 2 of 13 wells completed in the upland area alluvial aquifers exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water of 10 milligrams per liter. Thirty-nine percent of the dissolved nitrate-as-nitrogen concentrations were less than the detection level of 0.05 milligram per liter. The largest median dissolved nitrate-as-nitrogen concentrations were in water from the upland area alluvial aquifers and the Dakota aquifer. Water from all principal aquifers, except the Dakota aquifer, had detectable concentrations of herbicides. Herbicides detected included alachlor (1 detection), atrazine (13 detections), cyanazine (5 detections), deisopropylatrazine (6 detections), deethylatrazine (9 detections), metolachlor (6 detections), metribuzin (1 detection), prometon (6 detections), and simazine (2 detections). Herbicide concentrations did not exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels for drinking water. In areas where the hydraulic gradient favors loss of surface water to ground water, the detection of herbicides in water from wells along the banks of the Platte River indicates that the river could act as a line source of

Alluvial Fan Delineation from SAR and LIDAR-Derived Digital Elevation Models in the Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquino, D. T.; Ortiz, I.; Timbas, N.; Gacusan, R.; Montalbo, K.; Eco, R. C.; Lagmay, A.

2013-12-01

Occurrence of floods and debris flows leading to the formation of alluvial fans at the base of mountains naturally improve fertility of alluvial plains. However, these formations also have detrimental effects to communities within these zones like the case of Barangay (village) Andap, New Bataan, Compostela Valley where the whole village was wiped out by debris flow when it was hit by Supertyphoon Bopha in 2012. Hence, demarcating the boundaries of alluvial fans is crucial in disaster preparedness and mitigation. This study describes a method to delineate alluvial fans through contour maps from SAR and LiDAR-derived digital elevation models. Based on this data, we used hydrographic apex point polygons to plot the outflow points of upstream watersheds. The watershed and alluvial fan polygons were used to simulate debris flows in the study sites. The fans generated from the flood simulation were consistent with the polygons delineated from the digital elevation model. Satellite imagery and evidences of alluvial deposits found on site revealed 392 alluvial fans in the country. Widest among these is the sprawling 760 sq km fan identified in Cagayan Valley threatening about 434,329 persons at risk of debris flow. Other fans include those identified in Calapan, Mindoro (531 sq km), Kaliwanagan, Pangasinan (436 sq km), Pampanga Alluvial Fan (325 sq km), Mina, Iloilo (315 sq km), Lamsugod, S. Cotabato (286 sq km), in Tignaman, Oton and Alimodian in Iloilo (272 sq km), and the bajada, a series of alluvial fan coalescing to form a larger fan, identified in Ilocos Norte (218 sq km).

Subsurface temperature distribution in a tropical alluvial fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wenfu; Chang, Minhsiang; Chen, Juier; Lu, Wanchung; Huang, Chihc; Wang, Yunshuen

2017-04-01

As a groundwater intensive use country, Taiwan's 1/3 water supplies are derived from groundwater. The major aquifers consist of sand and gravel formed in alluvial fans which border the fronts of central mountains. Thanks to high density of monitoring wells which provide a window to see the details of the subsurface temperature distribution and the thermal regime in an alluvial fan system. Our study area, the Choshui Alluvial Fan, is the largest groundwater basin in Taiwan and, located within an area of 2,000 km2, has a population of over 1.5 million. For this work, we investigated temperature-depth profiles using 70 groundwater monitoring wells during 2000 to 2015. Our results show that the distribution of subsurface temperature is influenced by various factors such as groundwater recharge, groundwater flow field, air temperature and land use. The groundwater recharge zone, hills to the upper fan, contains disturbed and smaller geothermal gradients. The lack of clay layers within the upper fan aquifers and fractures that developed in the hills should cause the convection and mixing of cooler recharge water to groundwater, resulting in smaller geothermal gradients. The groundwater temperatures at a depth to 300 m within the upper fan and hill were approximately only 23-24 °C while the current mean ground surface temperature is approximately 26 °C.

Geologic map of the southern Funeral Mountains including nearby groundwater discharge sites in Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fridrich, C.J.; Thompson, R.A.; Slate, J.L.; Berry, M.E.; Machette, M.N.

2012-01-01

This 1:50,000-scale geologic map covers the southern part of the Funeral Mountains, and adjoining parts of four structural basins—Furnace Creek, Amargosa Valley, Opera House, and central Death Valley—in California and Nevada. It extends over three full 7.5-minute quadrangles, and parts of eleven others—an area of about 1,000 square kilometers (km2). The boundaries of this map were drawn to include all of the known proximal hydrogeologic features that may affect the flow of groundwater that discharges from springs of the Furnace Creek basin, in the west-central part of the map. These springs provide the main potable water supply for Death Valley National Park. Major hydrogeologic features shown on this map include: (1) springs of the Furnace Creek basin, (2) a large Pleistocene groundwater discharge mound in the northeastern part of the map, (3) the exposed extent of limestones and dolomites that constitute the Paleozoic carbonate aquifer, and (4) the exposed extent of the alluvial conglomerates that constitute the Funeral Formation aquifer.

Assessing the mechanisms controlling the mobilization of arsenic in the arsenic contaminated shallow alluvial aquifer in the blackfoot disease endemic area.

PubMed

Liao, Vivian Hsiu-Chuan; Chu, Yu-Ju; Su, Yu-Chen; Lin, Po-Cheng; Hwang, Yaw-Huei; Liu, Chen-Wuing; Liao, Chung-Min; Chang, Fi-John; Yu, Chan-Wei

2011-12-15

High levels of arsenic in groundwater and drinking water represent a major health problem worldwide. Drinking arsenic-contaminated groundwater is a likely cause of blackfoot disease (BFD) in Taiwan, but mechanisms controlling the mobilization of arsenic present at elevated concentrations within aquifers remain understudied. Microcosm experiments using sediments from arsenic contaminated shallow alluvial aquifers in the blackfoot disease endemic area showed simultaneous microbial reduction of Fe(III) and As(V). Significant soluble Fe(II) (0.23±0.03 mM) in pore waters and mobilization of As(III) (206.7±21.2 nM) occurred during the first week. Aqueous Fe(II) and As(III) respectively reached concentrations of 0.27±0.01 mM and 571.4±63.3 nM after 8 weeks. We also showed that the addition of acetate caused a further increase in aqueous Fe(II) but the dissolved arsenic did not increase. We further isolated an As(V)-reducing bacterium native to aquifer sediments which showed that the direct enzymatic reduction of As(V) to the potentially more-soluble As(III) in pore water is possible in this aquifer. Our results provide evidence that microorganisms can mediate the release of sedimentary arsenic to groundwater in this region and the capacity for arsenic release was not limited by the availability of electron donors in the sediments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abundance and Distribution of Microbial Cells and Viruses in an Alluvial Aquifer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pan, Donald; Nolan, Jason; Williams, Kenneth H.

Viruses are the most abundant biological entity on Earth and their interactions with microbial communities are recognized to influence microbial ecology and impact biogeochemical cycling in various ecosystems. While the factors that control the distribution of viruses in surface aquatic environments are well-characterized, the abundance and distribution of continental subsurface viruses with respect to microbial abundance and biogeochemical parameters have not yet been established. In order to begin to understand the factors governing virus distribution in subsurface environments, we assessed microbial cell and virus abundance in groundwater concurrent with groundwater chemistry in a uranium impacted alluvial aquifer adjoining the Coloradomore » River near Rifle, CO. Virus abundance ranged from 8.0 × 10 4 to 1.0 × 10 6 mL -1 and exceeded cell abundance in all samples (cell abundance ranged from 5.8 × 10 4 to 6.1 × 10 5 mL -1). The virus to microbial cell ratio ranged from 1.1 to 8.1 and averaged 3.0 ± 1.6 with virus abundance most strongly correlated to cell abundance (Spearman's ρ = 0.73, p < 0.001). Both viruses and cells were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) with cells having a slightly stronger correlation (Spearman's ρ = 0.46, p < 0.05 and ρ = 0.54, p < 0.05; respectively). Groundwater uranium was also strongly correlated with DOC and virus and cell abundance (Spearman's ρ = 0.62, p < 0.05; ρ = 0.46, p < 0.05; and ρ = 0.50, p < 0.05; respectively). Together the data indicate that microbial cell and virus abundance are correlated to the geochemical conditions in the aquifer. As such local geochemical conditions likely control microbial host cell abundance which in turn controls viral abundance. Given the potential impacts of viral-mediated cell lysis such as liberation of labile organic matter from lysed cells and changes in microbial community structure, viral interactions with the microbiota should be considered in an

Abundance and Distribution of Microbial Cells and Viruses in an Alluvial Aquifer

DOE PAGES

Pan, Donald; Nolan, Jason; Williams, Kenneth H.; ...

2017-07-11

Viruses are the most abundant biological entity on Earth and their interactions with microbial communities are recognized to influence microbial ecology and impact biogeochemical cycling in various ecosystems. While the factors that control the distribution of viruses in surface aquatic environments are well-characterized, the abundance and distribution of continental subsurface viruses with respect to microbial abundance and biogeochemical parameters have not yet been established. In order to begin to understand the factors governing virus distribution in subsurface environments, we assessed microbial cell and virus abundance in groundwater concurrent with groundwater chemistry in a uranium impacted alluvial aquifer adjoining the Coloradomore » River near Rifle, CO. Virus abundance ranged from 8.0 × 10 4 to 1.0 × 10 6 mL -1 and exceeded cell abundance in all samples (cell abundance ranged from 5.8 × 10 4 to 6.1 × 10 5 mL -1). The virus to microbial cell ratio ranged from 1.1 to 8.1 and averaged 3.0 ± 1.6 with virus abundance most strongly correlated to cell abundance (Spearman's ρ = 0.73, p < 0.001). Both viruses and cells were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) with cells having a slightly stronger correlation (Spearman's ρ = 0.46, p < 0.05 and ρ = 0.54, p < 0.05; respectively). Groundwater uranium was also strongly correlated with DOC and virus and cell abundance (Spearman's ρ = 0.62, p < 0.05; ρ = 0.46, p < 0.05; and ρ = 0.50, p < 0.05; respectively). Together the data indicate that microbial cell and virus abundance are correlated to the geochemical conditions in the aquifer. As such local geochemical conditions likely control microbial host cell abundance which in turn controls viral abundance. Given the potential impacts of viral-mediated cell lysis such as liberation of labile organic matter from lysed cells and changes in microbial community structure, viral interactions with the microbiota should be considered in an

Geohydrology of the valley-fill aquifer in the Bath area, Lower Cohocton River, Steuben County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pagano, Timothy S.; Terry, D.B.; Shaw, M.L.; Ingram, A.W.

1984-01-01

The Bath valley-fill aquifer, southern New York, composed of outwash, ice-contact, and ice-disintegration sand and gravel, is highly productive and is in many areas in hydraulic contact with the Cohocton River. Potential well yields range 50 to more than 1,000 gallons per minute. Most of the aquifer is under shallow water-table conditions and vulnerable to surface contamination. Thickness ranges from 20 to 40 feet. Buried aquifers are present locally. The aquifer system underlies an area containing only a few small communities and therefore is not heavily pumped. Geohydrologic data are compiled on six maps at 1:24,000 scale and on a sheet of geologic sections. The maps depict surficial geology, soil-infiltration capacity, potentiometric surface, aquifer thickness, well yields, and land use. This map report set is one in a series of four that depict selected aquifers in Wester New York. It supplements a series that is being done by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with State agencies. The maps are based largely on published reports, data filled in several State agencies, and some additional field data collection. (USGS)

HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS OF BASEFLOW AND BANK STORAGE IN ALLUVIAL STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents analytical solutions, which describe the effect of time-variable net recharge (net accretion to water table) and bank storage in alluvial aquifers on the sustenance of stream flows during storm and inter-storm events. The solutions relate the stream discharge,...

Sediment Budgeting in Dam-Affected Rivers: Assessing the Influence of Damming, Tributaries, and Alluvial Valley Sediment Storage on Sediment Regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, A. C.; Dekker, F. J.; Riebe, C. S.

2014-12-01

Although sediment supply is recognized as a fundamental driver of fluvial processes, measuring how dams affect sediment regimes and incorporating such knowledge into management strategies remains challenging. To determine the influences of damming, tributary supply, and valley morphology and sediment storage on downstream sediment supply in a dryland river, the Bill Williams River (BWR) in western Arizona, we measured basin erosion rates using cosmogenic nuclide analysis of beryllium-10 (10Be) at sites upstream and downstream of a dam along the BWR, as well as from tributaries downstream of the dam. Riverbed sediment mixing calculations were used to test if the dam, which blocks sediment supply from the upper 85% of the basin's drainage area, increases the proportion of tributary sediment to residual upstream sediment in mainstem samples downstream of the dam. Erosion rates in the BWR watershed are more than twice as large in the upper catchment (136 t km-2 yr-1) than in tributaries downstream of Alamo Dam (61 t km-2 yr-1). Tributaries downstream of the dam have little influence on mainstem sediment dynamics. The effect of the dam on reducing sediment supply is limited, however, because of the presence of large alluvial valleys along the mainstem BWR downstream of the dam that store substantial sediment and mitigate supply reductions from the upper watershed. These inferences, from our 10Be derived erosion rates and mixing calculations, are consistent with field observations of downstream changes in bed material size, which suggest that sediment-deficit conditions are restricted to a 10 km reach downstream of the dam, and limited reservoir bathymetry data. Many studies have suggested that tributary sediment inputs downstream of dams play a key role in mitigating dam-induced sediment deficits, but here we show that in a dryland river with ephemeral tributaries, sediment stored in alluvial valleys can also play a key role and in some cases trumps the role of

Groundwater quality in the Santa Clara River Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen A.; Landon, Matthew K.; Belitz, Kenneth

2011-01-01

The Santa Clara River Valley (SCRV) study unit is located in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, California, and is bounded by the Santa Monica, San Gabriel, Topatopa, and Santa Ynez Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean. The 460-square-mile study unit includes eight groundwater basins: Ojai Valley, Upper Ojai Valley, Ventura River Valley, Santa Clara River Valley, Pleasant Valley, Arroyo Santa Rosa Valley, Las Posas Valley, and Simi Valley (California Department of Water Resources, 2003; Montrella and Belitz, 2009). The SCRV study unit has hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average annual rainfall ranges from 12 to 28 inches. The study unit is drained by the Ventura and Santa Clara Rivers, and Calleguas Creek. The primary aquifer system in the Ventura River Valley, Ojai Valley, Upper Ojai Valley, and Simi Valley basins is largely unconfined alluvium. The primary aquifer system in the remaining groundwater basins mainly consists of unconfined sands and gravels in the upper portion and partially confined marine and nonmarine deposits in the lower portion. The primary aquifer system in the SCRV study unit is defined as those parts of the aquifers corresponding to the perforated intervals of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database. Public-supply wells typically are completed in the primary aquifer system to depths of 200 to 1,100 feet below land surface (bls). The wells contain solid casing reaching from the land surface to a depth of about 60-700 feet, and are perforated below the solid casing to allow water into the well. Water quality in the primary aquifer system may differ from the water in the shallower and deeper parts of the aquifer. Land use in the study unit is approximately 40 percent (%) natural (primarily shrubs, grassland, and wetlands), 37% agricultural, and 23% urban. The primary crops are citrus, avocados, alfalfa, pasture, strawberries, and dry beans. The largest urban areas in the study unit are the cities of

Effects of ground-water withdrawals on flow in the Sauk River Valley Aquifer and on streamflow in the Cold Spring area, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindgren, R.J.

2001-01-01

The simulated contributing areas for selected watersupply wells in the Cold Spring area generally extend to and possibly beyond the model boundaries to the north and to the southeast. The contributing areas for the Gold'n Plump Poultry Processing Plant supply wells extend: (1) to the Sauk River, (2) to the north to and possibly beyond to the northern model boundary, and (3) to the southeast to and possibly beyond the southeastern model boundary. The primary effects of projected increased ground-water withdrawals of 0.23 cubic feet per second (7.5 percent increase) were to: (1) decrease outflow from the Sauk River Valley aquifer through constant-head boundaries and (2) decrease leakage from the valley unit of the Sauk River Valley aquifer to the streams. No appreciable differences were discernible between the simulated steady-state contributing areas to wells with 1998 pumpage and those with the projected pumpage.

Field Surveys, IOC Valleys. Volume III, Part II. Cultural Resources Survey, Pine and Wah Wah Valleys, Utah.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

valleys are typical of the Basin and Range Province, characterized by parallel, north-south trending mountain ranges, separated by hydrologically closed... basins . Pine and Wah Wah valleys each have hardpan-playas in their lowest areas. State Highway 21 runs roughly northwest-southeast through both val...have been important for prehis- toric and historic use of the area. Pine Valley: Pine and Wah Wah valleys are closed alluvial basins . The central part

Radiogenic 4He as a conservative tracer in buried‐valley aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van der Hoven, Stephen J.; Wright, R. Erik; Carstens, David A.; Hackley, Keith C.

2005-01-01

The accumulation of 4He in groundwater can be a powerful tool in hydrogeologic investigations. However, the use of 4He often suffers from disagreement or uncertainty related to in situ and external sources of 4He. In situ sources are quantified by several methods, while external sources are often treated as calibration parameters in modeling. We present data from direct laboratory measurements of 4He release from sediments and field data of dissolved 4He in the Mahomet Aquifer, a well‐studied buried‐valley aquifer in central Illinois. The laboratory‐derived accumulation rates (0.13–0.91 μcm3 STP kgwater−1 yr−1) are 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than the accumulation rates based on the U and Th concentrations of the sediments (0.004–0.009 μcm3 STP kgwater−1 yr−1). The direct measurement of accumulation rates are more consistent with dissolved concentrations of 4He in the groundwater. We suggest that the direct measurement method is applicable in a variety of hydrogeologic settings. The patterns of accumulation of 4He are consistent with the conceptual model of flow in the aquifer based on hydraulic and geochemical evidence and show areas where in situ production and external sources of 4He are dominant. In the southwestern part of the study area, Ne concentrations are less than atmospheric solubility, indicating gases have been lost from the groundwater. Available evidence indicates that the gases are lost as groundwater passes by pockets of CH4 in glacial deposits overlying the aquifer. However, the external flux from the underlying bedrock appears to dominate the accumulation of radiogenic 4He in the aquifer in the southwestern part of the study area, and the loss or gain of helium as groundwater passes through the overlying sediments is minor in comparison.

Statistic inversion of multi-zone transition probability models for aquifer characterization in alluvial fans

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Lin; Dai, Zhenxue; Gong, Huili; ...

2015-06-12

Understanding the heterogeneity arising from the complex architecture of sedimentary sequences in alluvial fans is challenging. This study develops a statistical inverse framework in a multi-zone transition probability approach for characterizing the heterogeneity in alluvial fans. An analytical solution of the transition probability matrix is used to define the statistical relationships among different hydrofacies and their mean lengths, integral scales, and volumetric proportions. A statistical inversion is conducted to identify the multi-zone transition probability models and estimate the optimal statistical parameters using the modified Gauss–Newton–Levenberg–Marquardt method. The Jacobian matrix is computed by the sensitivity equation method, which results in anmore » accurate inverse solution with quantification of parameter uncertainty. We use the Chaobai River alluvial fan in the Beijing Plain, China, as an example for elucidating the methodology of alluvial fan characterization. The alluvial fan is divided into three sediment zones. In each zone, the explicit mathematical formulations of the transition probability models are constructed with optimized different integral scales and volumetric proportions. The hydrofacies distributions in the three zones are simulated sequentially by the multi-zone transition probability-based indicator simulations. Finally, the result of this study provides the heterogeneous structure of the alluvial fan for further study of flow and transport simulations.« less

High-resolution seismic reflection/refraction imaging from Interstate 10 to Cherry Valley Boulevard, Cherry Valley, Riverside County, California: implications for water resources and earthquake hazards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gandhok, G.; Catchings, R.D.; Goldman, M.R.; Horta, E.; Rymer, M.J.; Martin, P.; Christensen, A.

1999-01-01

This report is the second of two reports on seismic imaging investigations conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) during the summers of 1997 and 1998 in the Cherry Valley area in California (Figure 1a). In the first report (Catchings et al., 1999), data and interpretations were presented for four seismic imaging profiles (CV-1, CV-2, CV-3, and CV-4) acquired during the summer of 1997 . In this report, we present data and interpretations for three additional profiles (CV-5, CV-6, and CV-7) acquired during the summer of 1998 and the combined seismic images for all seven profiles. This report addresses both groundwater resources and earthquake hazards in the San Gorgonio Pass area because the shallow (upper few hundred meters) subsurface stratigraphy and structure affect both issues. The cities of Cherry Valley and Beaumont are located approximately 130 km (~80 miles) east of Los Angeles, California along the southern alluvial fan of the San Bernardino Mountains (see Figure 1b). These cities are two of several small cities that are located within San Gorgonio Pass, a lower-lying area between the San Bernardino and the San Jacinto Mountains. Cherry Valley and Beaumont are desert cities with summer daytime temperatures often well above 100 o F. High water usage in the arid climate taxes the available groundwater supply in the region, increasing the need for efficient management of the groundwater resources. The USGS and the San Gorgonio Water District (SGWD) work cooperatively to evaluate the quantity and quality of groundwater supply in the San Gorgonio Pass region. To better manage the water supplies within the District during wet and dry periods, the SGWD sought to develop a groundwater recharge program, whereby, excess water would be stored in underground aquifers during wet periods (principally winter months) and retrieved during dry periods (principally summer months). The SGWD preferred a surface recharge approach because it could be less expensive than a

Water quality in alluvial aquifers of the southern Rocky Mountains Physiographic Province, upper Colorado River basin, Colorado, 1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Apodaca, Lori Estelle; Bails, Jeffrey B.

2000-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected in the summer of 1997 from 45 sites (43 wells and 2 springs) in selected alluvial aquifers throughout the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province of the Upper Colorado River Basin study unit as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The objective of this study was to assess the water-quality conditions in selected alluvial aquifers in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province. Alluvial aquifers are productive aquifers in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province and provide for easily developed wells. Water-quality samples were collected from areas where ground water is used predominantly for domestic or public water supply. Twenty-three of the 45 sites sampled were located in or near mining districts. No statistical differences were observed between the mining sites and sites not associated with mining activities for the majority of the constituents analyzed. Water samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, trace elements, radon-222, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, bacteria, and methylene blue active substances. In addition, field parameters consisting of water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and alkalinity were measured at all sites.Specific conductance for the ground-water sites ranged from 57 to 6,650 microsiemens per centimeter and had higher concentrations measured in areas such as the northwestern part of the study unit. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 0.1 to 6.0 mg/L (milligrams per liter) and had a median concentration of 2.9 mg/L. The pH field values ranged from 6.1 to 8.1; about 4 percent of the sites (2 of 45) had pH values outside the range of 6.5 to 8.5 and so did not meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level standard for drinking water. About 5 percent (2 of 43) of the samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended

Geohydrologic Framework of Recharge and Seawater Intrusion in the Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, Randall T.

2003-01-01

Pajaro Valley is a coastal watershed of 160 square miles located along Monterey Bay north of Elkhorn Slough and south of the city of Santa Cruz. The valley has been predominantly developed for agriculture since the late 1800s. In 1984 the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PVWMA) was formed and was delegated with the responsibility of the management of the water resources within the Pajaro Valley by the State of California. About 84 percent of the water is used for agriculture and 16 percent is used for industrial and municipal water supply; almost all of the demand is supplied by ground water. Ground-water pumpage varies with seasonal and climatic periods. The alluvial aquifers are composed of Quaternary- and Tertiary-aged sediments that are layered marine and terrestrial coarse-grained deposits separated by extensive fine-grained deposits that potentially restrict vertical movement of ground water and seawater intrusion in the coastal subareas. The coarse-grained deposits, which persist over large areas, control pumpage and related seawater intrusion. The Aromas Sand crops out throughout the north and central parts of the PVWMA area and offshore on the continental shelf and in Monterey submarine canyon. Because many of the wells in the coastal and inland subregions are screened at depths of 200 to 400 feet below land surface, a direct avenue is provided for seawater intrusion through the coarse-grained deposits of the shallower alluvium and Aromas Sand. Geophysical logs from monitoring wells indicate discrete zones of saline water that are related to pumpage and seawater intrusion in the aquifers of the shallower alluvium and upper Aromas Sand in the upper-aquifer system and to deeper saline waters in the lower Aromas Sand within the lower-aquifer system. The precipitation data indicate that there were at least nine dry and nine wet periods that range from 2 to 19 years during the period of record, 1880?1997. The ground-water pumpage, runoff, streamflow and

Groundwater hydrology and estimation of horizontal groundwater flux from the Rio Grande at selected locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2009–10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rankin, Dale R.; Oelsner, Gretchen P.; McCoy, Kurt J.; Goeff J.M. Moret,; Jeffery A. Worthington,; Kimberly M. Bandy-Baldwin,

2016-03-17

The Albuquerque area of New Mexico has two principal sources of water: (1) groundwater from the Santa Fe Group aquifer system, and (2) surface water from the Rio Grande. From 1960 to 2002, pumping from the Santa Fe Group aquifer system caused groundwater levels to decline more than 120 feet while water-level declines along the Rio Grande in Albuquerque were generally less than 40 feet. These differences in water-level declines in the Albuquerque area have resulted in a great deal of interest in quantifying the river-aquifer interaction associated with the Rio Grande.In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, acting as fiscal agent for the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, began a study to characterize the hydrogeology of the Rio Grande inner valley alluvial aquifer in the Albuquerque area of New Mexico. The study provides hydrologic data in order to enhance the understanding of rates of water leakage from the Rio Grande to the alluvial aquifer, groundwater flow through the aquifer, and discharge of water from the aquifer to riverside drains. The study area extends about 20 miles along the Rio Grande in the Albuquerque area. Piezometers and surface-water gages were installed in paired transects at eight locations. Nested piezometers, completed at various depths in the alluvial aquifer, and surface-water gages, installed in the Rio Grande and riverside drains, were instrumented with pressure transducers. Water-level and water-temperature data were collected from 2009 to 2010.Water levels from the piezometers indicated that groundwater movement was usually away from the river towards the riverside drains. Annual mean horizontal groundwater gradients in the inner valley alluvial aquifer ranged from 0.0024 (I-25 East) to 0.0144 (Pajarito East). The median hydraulic conductivity values of the inner valley alluvial aquifer, determined from slug tests, ranged from 30

Fast ground-water mixing and basal recharge in an unconfined, alluvial aquifer, Konza LTER Site, Northeastern Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macpherson, G.L.; Sophocleous, M.

2004-01-01

Ground-water chemistry and water levels at three levels in a well nest were monitored biweekly for two and a half years in a shallow unconfined floodplain aquifer in order to study the dynamics of such shallow aquifers. The aquifer, in northeastern Kansas, consists of high porosity, low hydraulic conductivity fine-grained sediments dominated by silt and bounded by fractured limestone and shale bedrock. Results show that the aquifer underwent chemical stratification followed by homogenization three times during the study period. The length of time between maximum stratification and complete homogenization was 3-5 months. The chemical parameters most useful for demonstrating the mixing trends were dissolved nitrate and sulfate. Higher nitrate concentrations were typical of unsaturated zone water and were sourced from fertilizer applied to the cultivated fields on the floodplain. Variations in sulfate concentrations are attributed to dissolution of rare gypsum in limestone bedrock and variable evapoconcentration in the unsaturated zone. The mixing of three chemically different waters (entrained, unsaturated-zone water; water entering the base of the floodplain aquifer; and water in residence before each mixing event) was simulated. The resident water component for each mixing event was a fixed composition based on measured water chemistry in the intermediate part of the aquifer. The entrained water composition was calculated using a measured composition of the shallow part of the aquifer and measurements of soil-water content in the unsaturated zone. The incoming basal water composition and the fractions of each mixing component were fitted to match the measured chemistry at the three levels in the aquifer. A conceptual model for this site explains: (1) rapid water-level rises, (2) water-chemistry changes at all levels in the aquifer coincident with the water-level rises, (3) low measured hydraulic conductivity of the valley fill and apparent lack of preferential flow

Shallow Alluvial Aquifer Ground Water System and Surface Water/Ground Water Interaction, Boulder Creek, Boulder, Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babcock, K. P.; Ge, S.; Crifasi, R. R.

2006-12-01

Water chemistry in Boulder Creek, Colorado, shows significant variation as the Creek flows through the City of Boulder [Barber et al., 2006]. This variation is partially due to ground water inputs, which are not quantitatively understood. The purpose of this study is (1) to understand ground water movement in a shallow alluvial aquifer system and (2) to assess surface water/ground water interaction. The study area, encompassing an area of 1 mi2, is located at the Sawhill and Walden Ponds area in Boulder. This area was reclaimed by the City of Boulder and Boulder County after gravel mining operations ceased in the 1970's. Consequently, ground water has filled in the numerous gravel pits allowing riparian vegetation regrowth and replanting. An integrated approach is used to examine the shallow ground water and surface water of the study area through field measurements, water table mapping, graphical data analysis, and numerical modeling. Collected field data suggest that lateral heterogeneity exists throughout the unconsolidated sediment. Alluvial hydraulic conductivities range from 1 to 24 ft/day and flow rates range from 0.01 to 2 ft/day. Preliminary data analysis suggests that ground water movement parallels surface topography and does not noticeably vary with season. Recharge via infiltrating precipitation is dependent on evapotranspiration (ET) demands and is influenced by preferential flow paths. During the growing season when ET demand exceeds precipitation rates, there is little recharge; however recharge occurs during cooler months when ET demand is insignificant. Preliminary data suggest that the Boulder Creek is gaining ground water as it traverses the study area. Stream flow influences the water table for distances up to 400 feet. The influence of stream flow is reflected in the zones relatively low total dissolved solids concentration. A modeling study is being conducted to synthesize aquifer test data, ground water levels, and stream flow data. The

How to Recharge a Confined Aquifer: An Exploration of Geologic Controls on Groundwater Storage.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maples, S.; Fogg, G. E.; Maxwell, R. M.; Liu, Y.

2017-12-01

Decreased snowpack storage and groundwater overdraft in California has increased interest in managed aquifer recharge (MAR) of excess winter runoff to the Central Valley aquifer system, which has unused storage capacity that far exceeds the state's surface reservoirs. Recharge to the productive, confined aquifer system remains a challenge due to the presence of nearly-ubiquitous, multiple silt and clay confining units that limit recharge pathways. However, previous studies have identified interconnected networks of sand and gravel deposits that bypass the confining units and accommodate rapid, high-volume recharge to the confined aquifer system in select locations. We use the variably-saturated, fully-integrated groundwater/surface-water flow code, ParFlow, in combination with a high-resolution, transition probability Markov-chain geostatistical model of the subsurface geologic heterogeneity of the east side of the Sacramento Valley, CA, to characterize recharge potential across a landscape that includes these geologic features. Multiple 180-day MAR simulations show that recharge potential is highly dependent on subsurface geologic structure, with a several order-of-magnitude range of recharge rates and volumes across the landscape. Where there are recharge pathways to the productive confined-aquifer system, pressure propagation in the confined system is widespread and rapid, with multi-kilometer lateral pressure propagation. Although widespread pressure propagation occurs in the confined system, only a small fraction of recharge volume is accommodated there. Instead, the majority of recharge occurs by filling unsaturated pore spaces. Where they outcrop at land surface, high-K recharge pathways fill rapidly, accommodating the majority of recharge during early time. However, these features become saturated quickly, and somewhat counterintuitively, the low-K silt and clay facies accommodate the majority of recharge volume during most of the simulation. These findings

HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS OF BASE-FLOW AND BANK STORAGE IN ALLUVIAL STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents analytical solutions, which describe the effect of time-variable net recharge (net accretion to water table) and bank storage in alluvial aquifers on the sustenance of stream flows during storm and inter-storm events. The solutions relate the stream discharge,...

Evaluation of reforestation in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, S.L.; Keeland, B.D.

1999-01-01

Only about 2.8 million ha of an estimated original 10 million ha of bottomland hardwood forests still exist in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMAV) of the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and state agencies initiated reforestation efforts in the late 1980s to improve wildlife habitat. We surveyed restorationists responsible for reforestation in the LMAV to determine the magnitude of past and future efforts and to identify major limiting factors. Over the past 10 years, 77,698 ha have been reforested by the agencies represented in our survey and an additional 89,009 ha are targeted in the next 5 years. Oaks are the most commonly planted species and bare-root seedlings are the most commonly used planting stock. Problems with seedling availability may increase the diversity of plantings in the future. Reforestation in the LMAV is based upon principles of landscape ecology; however, local problems such as herbivory, drought, and flooding often limit success. Broad-scale hydrologic restoration is needed to fully restore the structural and functional attributes of these systems, but because of drastic and widespread hydrologic alterations and socioeconomic constraints, this goal is generally not realistic. Local hydrologic restoration and creation of specific habitat features needed by some wildlife and fish species warrant attention. More extensive analyses of plantings are needed to evaluate functional success. The Wetland Reserve Program is a positive development, but policies that provide additional financial incentives to landowners for reforestation efforts should be seriously considered.

Evaluating the impacts of crop rotations on groundwater storage and recharge in an agricultural watershed

Treesearch

Abdullah O. Dakhlalla; Prem B. Parajuli; Ying Ouyang; Darrel W. Schmitz

2016-01-01

The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, which underlies the Big Sunflower River Watershed (BSRW),is the most heavily used aquifer in Mississippi. Because the aquifer is primarily used for irrigating cropssuch as corn, cotton, soybean, and rice, the water levels have been declining rapidly over the past fewdecades. The objectives of this study are to...

Validation of a Ground-Water Flow Model of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer Using Water-Level and Water-Use Data for 1998-2005 and Evaluation of Water-Use Scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gillip, Jonathan A.; Czarnecki, John B.

2009-01-01

A ground-water flow model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in eastern Arkansas, developed in 2003 to simulate the period of 1918-98, was validated with the addition of water-level and water-use data that extended the observation period to 2005. The original model (2003) was calibrated using water-level observations from 1972, 1982, 1992, and 1998, and water-use data through 1997. The original model subsequently was used to simulate water levels from 1999 to 2049 and showed that simulation of continued pumping at the 1997 water-use rate could not be sustained indefinitely without causing dry cells in the model. After publication of the original ground-water flow model, a total of 3,616 water-level observations from 698 locations measured during the period of 1998 to 2005 became available. Additionally, water-use data were compiled and used for the same period, totaling 290,005 discrete water-use values from 43,440 wells with as many as 39,169 wells pumping in any one year. Total pumping (which is primarily agricultural) for this 8-year period was about 2.3 trillion cubic feet of water and was distributed over approximately 10,340 square miles within the model area. An updated version of the original ground-water flow model was used to simulate the period of 1998-2005 with the additional water-level and water-use data. Water-level observations for 1998-2005 ranged from 74 to 293 feet above National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 across the model area. The maximum water-level residual (observed minus simulated water-level values) for the 3,616 water-level observations was 52 feet, the minimum water-level residual was 60 feet, the average annual root mean squared error was 8.2 feet, and the annual average absolute residual was 6.0 feet. A correlation coefficient value of 0.96 was calculated for the line of best fit for observed to simulated water levels for the combined 1998-2005 dataset, indicating a good fit to the data and an acceptable validation

Peclet number as affected by molecular diffusion controls transient anomalous transport in alluvial aquifer-aquitard complexes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Green, Christopher T; Tick, Geoffrey R

2015-01-01

This study evaluates the role of the Peclet number as affected by molecular diffusion in transient anomalous transport, which is one of the major knowledge gaps in anomalous transport, by combining Monte Carlo simulations and stochastic model analysis. Two alluvial settings containing either short- or long-connected hydrofacies are generated and used as media for flow and transport modeling. Numerical experiments show that 1) the Peclet number affects both the duration of the power-law segment of tracer breakthrough curves (BTCs) and the transition rate from anomalous to Fickian transport by determining the solute residence time for a given low-permeability layer, 2) mechanical dispersion has a limited contribution to the anomalous characteristics of late-time transport as compared to molecular diffusion due to an almost negligible velocity in floodplain deposits, and 3) the initial source dimensions only enhance the power-law tail of the BTCs at short travel distances. A tempered stable stochastic (TSS) model is then applied to analyze the modeled transport. Applications show that the time-nonlocal parameters in the TSS model relate to the Peclet number, Pe. In particular, the truncation parameter in the TSS model increases nonlinearly with a decrease in Pe due to the decrease of the mean residence time, and the capacity coefficient increases with an increase in molecular diffusion which is probably due to the increase in the number of immobile particles. The above numerical experiments and stochastic analysis therefore reveal that the Peclet number as affected by molecular diffusion controls transient anomalous transport in alluvial aquifer-aquitard complexes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer in east-central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, Marvin M.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

Nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer in east-central Oklahoma. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is an important source of water that underlies about 2,320-square miles of parts of Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Creek, Lincoln, Okfuskee, and Seminole Counties. Approximately 75 percent of the water withdrawn from the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is for municipal use. Rural domestic use and water for stock animals account for most of the remaining water withdrawn. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is defined in a ground-water report as consisting principally of the rocks of the Late Pennsylvanian-age Vamoosa Formation and overlying Ada Group. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer consists of a complex sequence of fine- to very fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, shale, and conglomerate interbedded with very thin limestones. The water-yielding capabilities of the aquifer are generally controlled by lateral and vertical distribution of the sandstone beds and their physical characteristics. The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is unconfined where it outcrops in about an 1,700-square-mile area. Most of the lines in the aquifer boundary, hydraulic conductivity, and recharge data sets were extracted from published digital surficial geology data sets based on a scale of 1:250,000, and represent geologic contacts. Some of lines in the data sets were interpolated in areas where the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits near streams and rivers. These data sets include only the outcrop area of the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer and where the aquifer is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits. The hydraulic conductivity value and recharge rate are from a ground-water report about the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer. The water-level elevation contours were digitized from a mylar map, at a scale of 1:250,000, used to publish a plate in a ground-water report about the Vamoosa

Natural and Enhanced Attenuation of Soil and Groundwater at the Monument Valley, Arizona, DOE Legacy Waste Site—10281

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waugh, W.J.; Miller, D.E.; Morris, S.A.

2010-03-07

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Navajo Nation, and the University of Arizona are exploring natural and enhanced attenuation remedies for groundwater contamination at a former uranium-ore processing site near Monument Valley, Arizona. DOE removed radioactive tailings from the Monument Valley site in 1994. Nitrate and ammonium, waste products of the milling process, remain in an alluvial groundwater plume spreading from the soil source where tailings were removed. Planting and irrigating two native shrubs, fourwing saltbush and black greasewood, markedly reduced both nitrate and ammonium in the source area over an 8-year period. Total nitrogen dropped from 350 mg/kgmore » in 2000 to less than 200 mg/kg in 2008. Most of the reduction is attributable to irrigation-enhanced microbial denitrification rather than plant uptake. However, soil moisture and percolation flux monitoring show that the plantings control the soil water balance in the source area, preventing additional leaching of nitrogen compounds. Enhanced denitrification and phytoremediation also look promising for plume remediation. Microcosm experiments, nitrogen isotopic fractionation analysis, and solute transport modeling results suggest that (1) up to 70 percent of nitrate in the plume has been lost through natural denitrification since the mill was closed in 1968, and (2) injection of ethanol may accelerate microbial denitrification in plume hot spots. A field-scale ethanol injection pilot study is underway. Landscape-scale remote sensing methods developed for the project suggest that transpiration from restored native phreatophyte populations rooted in the aquifer could limit further expansion of the plume. An evaluation of landfarm phytoremediation, the irrigation of native shrub plantings with high nitrate water pumped from the alluvial aquifer, is also underway.« less

Advancing Physically-Based Flow Simulations of Alluvial Systems Through Atmospheric Noble Gases and the Novel 37Ar Tracer Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schilling, Oliver S.; Gerber, Christoph; Partington, Daniel J.; Purtschert, Roland; Brennwald, Matthias S.; Kipfer, Rolf; Hunkeler, Daniel; Brunner, Philip

2017-12-01

To provide a sound understanding of the sources, pathways, and residence times of groundwater water in alluvial river-aquifer systems, a combined multitracer and modeling experiment was carried out in an important alluvial drinking water wellfield in Switzerland. 222Rn, 3H/3He, atmospheric noble gases, and the novel 37Ar-method were used to quantify residence times and mixing ratios of water from different sources. With a half-life of 35.1 days, 37Ar allowed to successfully close a critical observational time gap between 222Rn and 3H/3He for residence times of weeks to months. Covering the entire range of residence times of groundwater in alluvial systems revealed that, to quantify the fractions of water from different sources in such systems, atmospheric noble gases and helium isotopes are tracers suited for end-member mixing analysis. A comparison between the tracer-based mixing ratios and mixing ratios simulated with a fully-integrated, physically-based flow model showed that models, which are only calibrated against hydraulic heads, cannot reliably reproduce mixing ratios or residence times of alluvial river-aquifer systems. However, the tracer-based mixing ratios allowed the identification of an appropriate flow model parametrization. Consequently, for alluvial systems, we recommend the combination of multitracer studies that cover all relevant residence times with fully-coupled, physically-based flow modeling to better characterize the complex interactions of river-aquifer systems.

Conceptualization and calibration of anisotropic, dynamic alluvial systems: Pitfalls and biases in current modelling practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gianni, Guillaume; Doherty, John; Perrochet, Pierre; Brunner, Philip

2017-04-01

Physical properties of alluvial environments are typically featuring a high degree of anisotropy and are characterized by dynamic interactions between the surface and the subsurface. A literature review on current modelling practice shows that hydrogeological models are often calibrated using isotropic hydraulic conductivity fields and steady state conditions. We aim at understanding how these simplifications affect the predictions of hydraulic heads and exchange fluxes using fully coupled, physically based synthetic models and advanced calibration approaches. Specifically, we present an analysis of the information content provided by averaged, steady state hydraulic data compared to transient data with respect to the determination of aquifer hydraulic properties. We show that the information content in average hydraulic heads is insufficient to inform anisotropic properties of alluvial aquifers and can lead to important biases on the calibrated parameters. We further explore the consequences of these biases on predictions of fluxes and water table dynamics. The results of this synthetic analysis are considered in the calibration of a highly dynamic and anisotropic alluvial aquifer system in Switzerland (the Rhône River). The results of the synthetic and real-world modelling and calibration exercises provide insight on future data acquisition, modelling and calibration strategies for these environments.

The distribution and modeling of nitrate transport in the Carson Valley alluvial aquifer, Douglas County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naranjo, Ramon C.; Welborn, Toby L.; Rosen, Michael R.

2013-01-01

The distribution of nitrate as nitrogen (referred to herein as nitrate-N) concentrations in groundwater was determined by collecting more than 200 samples from 8 land-use categories: single family residential, multifamily residential, rural (including land use for agriculture), vacant land, commercial, industrial, utilities, and unclassified. Nitrate-N concentrations ranged from below detection (less than 0.05 milligrams per liter) to 18 milligrams per liter. The results of nitrate-N concentrations that were sampled from three wells equalled or exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 10 milligrams per liter set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Nitrate-N concentrations in sampled wells showed a positive correlation between elevated nitrate-N concentrations and the percentage of single-family land use and septic-system density. Wells sampled in other land-use categories did not have any correlation to nitrate-N concentrations. In areas with greater than 50-percent single-family land use, nitrate-N concentrations were two times greater than in areas with less than 50 percent single-family land use. Nitrate-N concentrations in groundwater near septic systems that had been used more than 20 years were more than two times greater than in areas where septic systems had been used less than 20 years. Lower nitrate-N concentrations in the areas where septic systems were less than 20 years old probably result from temporary storage of nitrogen leaching from septic systems into the unsaturated zone. In areas where septic systems are abundant, nitrate-N concentrations were predicted to 2059 by using numerical models within the Ruhenstroth and Johnson Lane subdivisions in the Carson Valley. Model results indicated that nitrate-N concentrations will continue to increase and could exceed the maximum contaminant level over extended areas inside and outside the subdivisions. Two modeling scenarios were used to simulate future transport as a result of removal of septic

Simulated ground-water flow and sources of water in the Killbuck Creek Valley near Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breen, K.J.; Kontis, A.L.; Rowe, G.L.; Haefner, R.J.

1995-01-01

The stratified-drift aquifer in the 3,000-ft (feet)-wide and 100-ft-deep buried valley of Killbuck Creek near Wooster in northeastern Ohio was studied. The stratified drift with adjacent sandstone and shale bedrock produce a system of ground-water flow representative of the western part of the glaciated north-eastern United States. The stratified-drift aquifer is an excellent source of water for municipal and industrial wells. The aquifer is recharged locally by water from precipitation on the valley floor and uplands, by infiltration from streams, and by lateral flow to the valley from the uplands. As a result, the aquifer is vulnerable to surface or subsurface spills of contaminants in the valley or the adjacent uplands. Quality of water in the stratified drift is affected by influx of water from bedrock lateral to or beneath the valley. This influx is controlled, in part, by the pumping stress placed on the stratified-drift aquifer. Hydrogeologic and aqueous-geochemical data were analyzed to establish the framework necessary for stead-state and transient simulations of ground-water flow in stratified drift and bedrock with a three-layer ground-water-flow model. A new model routine, the Variable-Recharge procedure, was developed to simulate areal recharge and the contribution of the uplands to the drift system. This procedure allows for water applied to land surface to infiltrate or to be rejected. Rejected recharge and ground water discharged when the water table is at land surface form surface runoff-this excess upland water can be redirected as runoff to other parts of the model. Infiltration of streamwater, areal recharge to uplands and valley, and lateral subsurface flow from the uplands to the valley are sources of water to the stratufued0druft aquifer. Water is removed from the stratified-drift aquifer at Wooster primarily by production wells pumping at a rate of approximately 8.5 ft3/s (cubic feet per second). The ground-water budget resulting from two

Development of management objectives for waterfowl and shorebirds within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loesch, C.R.; Twedt, D.J.; Tripp, K.; Hunter, W.C.; Woodrey, M.S.; Bonney, Rick; Pashley, David N.; Cooper, Robert; Niles, Larry

2000-01-01

The goal of the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan is to provide sufficient habitat to support 4.3 million wintering ducks and 1.0 million wintering geese annually. Under the assumption that the amount of foraging habitat is the primary limitation to supporting waterfowl population goals in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV), a habitat objective to make available 285,000 ha of waterfowl foraging habitat is divided among seven states. This habitat objective is further divided between public and private ownership and among three habitat types: Bottomland hardwood forest, moist-soil sites, and agricultural fields. Management objectives for shorebirds within the MAV which provide foraging habitat for 0.5 million shorebirds during their southward migration have been tentatively established. Several as yet unverified assumptions were used in establishing these objectives; consequently, we caution that the objectives are subject to revision as the assumptions are tested. We assumed that 0.5 million shorebirds move through the MAV during late summer and fall, each foraging for an average of 10 days. During this migration period, foraging shorebirds are assumed to require sufficient forage to gain 1 g of biomass per day, in addition to their basal metabolic needs. Given an invertebrate food supply that provides 17.6 kj ? g-1, we calculated that an average 45 g shorebird requires about 8 g of invertebrate forage per day. Further assuming that each ha of managed shorebird habitat can provide 20 kg of invertebrate food resources available to shorebirds, we extrapolated a need for 2000 ha of shorebird foraging habitat. We suggest that the bulk of this foraging habitat be provided on public lands and that it be distributed throughout the MAV.

Accounting for Consumptive Use of Lower Colorado River Water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; Wilson, Richard P.

1994-01-01

In the Colorado River valley between the east end of Lake Mead and the international boundary with Mexico (see figure), the river is the principal source of water for agricultural, domestic, municipal, industrial, hydroelectric-power generation, and recreational purposes. Water is stored in surface reservoirs and in the river aquifer---permeable sediments and sedimentary rocks that fill the lower Colorado River valley and adjacent tributary valleys. The hydraulic connection between the river and the river aquifer, overbank flow prior to building of the dams, and infiltration as the reservoirs filled allowed the sediments and sedimentary rocks to become saturated with water from the river. Ratios of isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water from wells indicate that most of the water in the river aquifer beneath the flood plain and in many places beneath the adjacent alluvial slopes originated from the river. The water table in the river aquifer extends from the river, beneath the flood plain, and under the alluvial slopes until it intersects bedrock. Precipitation in the surrounding mountains and inflow from tributary valleys also contribute small quantities of water to the river aquifer. Consumptive use of river water in the valley results from evapotranspiration by vegetation (crops and phreatophytes) on the flood plain, pumpage from wells to meet domestic and municipal needs, and pumpage from the river for export to areas in California, Arizona, and Nevada outside of the river valley. Most crops are grown on the flood plain; in a few areas, land on the adjacent terraces has been cultivated. Crops were grown on about 70 percent of the total vegetated area in 1984. Phreatophytes---natural vegetation that obtains water from the river aquifer---covered the remaining vegetated areas on the uncultivated flood plain. Most of the water used for irrigation is diverted or pumped directly from the river and reservoirs. Most of the water used for domestic and municipal

Nitrate concentrations, 1936-99, and pesticide concentrations, 1990-99, in the unconfined aquifer in the San Luis Valley, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stogner, Sr., Robert W.

2001-01-01

ineffective in evaluating variations in the amount of nitrate leaching associated with differences in application rates. It was concluded that irrigation practices have the greatest effect on leaching of nitrate to the aquifer. Management tools, such as irrigation scheduling, center-pivot sprinkler systems, soil and ground-water nitrogen credits, and cultivation of cover and winter crops, are being used to help maintain crop quality and yields while minimizing the potential of leaching and reducing residual nitrogen left in the soil. Review of available data from previous studies indicates that most of the sampled wells with elevated nitrate concentrations are located in the intensively cultivated area north of the Rio Grande. This area represents about 10 percent of the San Luis Valley and approximately 35 percent of the crop and pasture land in the valley. The area where nitrate concentrations exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water maximum contaminant level represents about 150 square miles or 5 percent of the valley. Aquifer vulnerability to and contamination by pesticides was not evaluated until the 1990's. Risk analyses indicated that selected pesticides can pose a contamination threat to an unconfined aquifer in areas consisting primarily of sandy loam soil; sandy loam soils are common in the San Luis Valley. Water-quality samples collected from some wells during 1990 and 1993 indicated trace- to low-level pesticide contamination. The occurrence of pesticides was infrequent and isolated.

Valuing ecosystem services from wetlands restoration in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenkins, W.A.; Murray, B.C.; Kramer, R.A.; Faulkner, S.P.

2010-01-01

This study assesses the value of restoring forested wetlands via the U.S. government's Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley by quantifying and monetizing ecosystem services. The three focal services are greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, nitrogen mitigation, and waterfowl recreation. Site- and region-level measurements of these ecosystem services are combined with process models to quantify their production on agricultural land, which serves as the baseline, and on restored wetlands. We adjust and transform these measures into per-hectare, valuation-ready units and monetize them with prices from emerging ecosystem markets and the environmental economics literature. By valuing three of the many ecosystem services produced, we generate lower bound estimates for the total ecosystem value of the wetlands restoration. Social welfare value is found to be between $1435 and $1486/ha/year, with GHG mitigation valued in the range of $171 to $222, nitrogen mitigation at $1248, and waterfowl recreation at $16. Limited to existing markets, the estimate for annual market value is merely $70/ha, but when fully accounting for potential markets, this estimate rises to $1035/ha. The estimated social value surpasses the public expenditure or social cost of wetlands restoration in only 1 year, indicating that the return on public investment is very attractive for the WRP. Moreover, the potential market value is substantially greater than landowner opportunity costs, showing that payments to private landowners to restore wetlands could also be profitable for individual landowners. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Thermodynamic and hydrochemical controls on CH4 in a coal seam gas and overlying alluvial aquifer: new insights into CH4 origins

PubMed Central

Owen, D. Des. R.; Shouakar-Stash, O.; Morgenstern, U.; Aravena, R.

2016-01-01

Using a comprehensive data set (dissolved CH4, δ13C-CH4, δ2H-CH4, δ13C-DIC, δ37Cl, δ2H-H2O, δ18O-H2O, Na, K, Ca, Mg, HCO3, Cl, Br, SO4, NO3 and DO), in combination with a novel application of isometric log ratios, this study describes hydrochemical and thermodynamic controls on dissolved CH4 from a coal seam gas reservoir and an alluvial aquifer in the Condamine catchment, eastern Surat/north-western Clarence-Moreton basins, Australia. δ13C-CH4 data in the gas reservoir (−58‰ to −49‰) and shallow coal measures underlying the alluvium (−80‰ to −65‰) are distinct. CO2 reduction is the dominant methanogenic pathway in all aquifers, and it is controlled by SO4 concentrations and competition for reactants such as H2. At isolated, brackish sites in the shallow coal measures and alluvium, highly depleted δ2H-CH4 (<310‰) indicate acetoclastic methanogenesis where SO4 concentrations inhibit CO2 reduction. Evidence of CH4 migration from the deep gas reservoir (200–500 m) to the shallow coal measures (<200 m) or the alluvium was not observed. The study demonstrates the importance of understanding CH4 at different depth profiles within and between aquifers. Further research, including culturing studies of microbial consortia, will improve our understanding of the occurrence of CH4 within and between aquifers in these basins. PMID:27578542

Digital data set that describe aquifer characteristics of the Antlers aquifer in southeastern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, Marvin M.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

1997-01-01

ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format file This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Antlers aquifer in southeastern Oklahoma. The Early Cretaceous-age Antlers Sandstone is an important source of water in an area that underlies about 4,400-square miles of all or part of Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Johnston, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, and Pushmataha Counties. The Antlers aquifer consists of sand, clay, conglomerate, and limestone in the outcrop area. The upper part of the Antlers aquifer consists of beds of sand, poorly cemented sandstone, sandy shale, silt, and clay. The Antlers aquifer is unconfined where it outcrops in about an 1,800-square-mile area. The recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and aquifer boundaries data sets include the outcrop area of the Antlers Sandstone in Oklahoma and areas where the Antlers is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits and a few small thin outcrops of the Goodland Limestone. Most of the lines in these data sets were extracted from published digital geology data sets. Some of the lines were interpolated in areas where the Antlers aquifer is overlain by alluvial and terrace deposits near streams and rivers. The interpolated lines are very similar to the aquifer boundaries published in a ground-water modeling report for the Antlers aquifer. The maps from which this data set was derived were scanned or digitized from maps published at a scale of 1:250,000. The water-level elevation contours were digitized from a map at a scale of 1:250,000 that was used to prepare the final map published in a ground-water flow model report. Hydraulic conductivity and recharge values also are published in the ground-water model report for the Antlers aquifer. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may

Simulation of ground-water flow in the Cedar River alluvial aquifer flow system, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turco, Michael J.; Buchmiller, Robert C.

2004-01-01

Model results indicate that the primary sources of inflow to the modeled area are infiltration from the Cedar River (53.0 percent) and regional flow in the glacial and bedrock materials (34.1 percent). The primary sources of outflow from the modeled area are discharge to the Cedar River (45.4 percent) and pumpage (44.8 percent). Current steady-state pumping rates have increased the flow of water from the Cedar River to the alluvial aquifer by 43.8 cubic feet per second. Steady-state and transient hypothetical pumpage scenarios were used to show the relation between changes in pumpage and changes in infiltration of water from the Cedar River. Results indicate that more than 99 percent of the water discharging from municipal wells infiltrates from the Cedar River, that the time required for induced river recharge to equilibrate with municipal pumpage may be 150 days or more, and that ground-water availability in the Cedar Rapids area will not be significantly affected by doubling current pumpage as long as there is sufficient flow in the Cedar River to provide recharge.

Modeling chloride movement in the alluvial aquifer at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Konikow, Leonard F.

1977-01-01

A solute-transport model that can be used to predict the movement of dissolved chemicals in flowing ground water was applied to a problem of ground-water contamination at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, near Denver, Colo. The model couples a finite-difference solution to the ground-water flow equation with the method-of-characteristics solution to the solute-transport equation. From 1943 to 1956 liquid industrial wastes containing high chloride concentrations were disposed into unlined ponds at the Arsenal. Wastes seeped out of the unlined disposal ponds and spread for many square miles in the underlying shallow alluvial aquifer. Since 1956 disposal has been into an asphalt-lined reservoir, which contributed to a decline in ground-water contamination by 1972. The simulation model quantitatively integrated the effects of the major factors that controlled changes in chloride concentrations and accurately reproduced the 30-year history of chloride ground-water contamination. Analysis of the simulation results indicates that the geologic framework of the area markedly restricted the transport and dispersion of dissolved chemicals in the alluvium. Dilution, from irrigation recharge and seepage from unlined canals, was an important factor in reducing the level of chloride concentrations downgradient from the Arsenal. Similarly, recharge of uncontaminated water from the unlined ponds since 1956 has helped to dilute and flush the contaminated ground water.

Moist-soil seed abundance in managed wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kross, J.; Kaminski, R.M.; Reinecke, K.J.; Penny, E.J.; Pearse, A.T.

2008-01-01

Managed moist-soil units support early succession herbaceous vegetation that produces seeds, tubers, and other plant parts used by waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV), USA. We conducted a stratified multi-stage sample survey on state and federal lands in the MAV of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri during autumns 2002?2004 to generate a contemporary estimate of combined dry mass of seeds and tubers (herein seed abundance) in managed moist-soil units for use by the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture (LMVJV) of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. We also examined variation in mean seed abundance among moist-soil units in 2003 and 2004 in relation to management intensity (active or passive), soil pH and nutrient levels, proportional occurrence of plant life-forms (e.g., grass, flatsedge, and forb; vine; woody plants), and unit area. Estimates of mean seed abundance were similar in 2002 (X over bar = 537.1 kg/ha, SE = 100.1) and 2004 (X over bar = 555.2 kg/ha, SE = 105.2) but 35?40% less in 2003 (X over bar = 396.8 kg/ha, SE = 116.1). Averaged over years, seed abundance was 496.3 kg/ha (SE = 62.0; CV = 12.5%). Multiple regression analysis indicated seed abundance varied among moist-soil units inversely with proportional occurrence of woody vegetation and unit area and was greater in actively than passively managed units (R2adj = 0.37). Species of early succession grasses occurred more frequently in actively than passively managed units (P < 0.09), whereas mid- and late-succession plants occurred more often in passively managed units (P < 0.02). We recommend the LMVJV consider 556 kg/ha as a measure of seed abundance for use in estimating carrying capacity in managed moist-soil units on public lands in the MAV. We recommend active management of moist-soil units to achieve maximum potential seed production and further research to determine recovery rates of seeds of various sizes from core samples and the relationship between

Impacts of urbanization on groundwater hydrodynamics and hydrochemistry of the Toluca Valley aquifer (Mexico).

PubMed

Martín Del Campo, M A; Esteller, M V; Expósito, J L; Hirata, R

2014-05-01

The Toluca Valley is located on the high plains of Mexico, where there are significant industrial zones and large populations. Water needs are almost exclusively met by groundwater, which has brought about intense exploitation of the aquifer and indication of some contamination. The present study investigates the effect of urbanization, related to industrialization of the region, on groundwater in the central portion of the Toluca Valley aquifer--a zone with high population density and where the largest industrial park is located. A general decline in the groundwater level has been found over the years, at a rate of as much as 2.5 m/year. The appearance of a large drawdown cone was identified, indicating changes in the direction of groundwater flow. Also identified was the presence of several ground fissures, the location of which coincided with the drawdown cone. In hydrochemical terms, the water type is sodium-magnesium bicarbonate and this characteristic has not changed over time, although it has been possible to detect the presence of larger quantities of sulfates (up to 117 mg/L) and nitrates (up to 47 mg/L) in recent years, likely associated with contamination from industrial and urban wastewater. Factor analysis made it possible to identify ions that would characterize natural processes involving the acquisition of salts (HCO3 (-), Na(+), Mg(2+), and Si), as well as anthropic activities (SO4 (2-), NO3 (-), Cl(-), Ca(2+), and K(+)).

Modeling groundwater/surface-water interactions in an Alpine valley (the Aosta Plain, NW Italy): the effect of groundwater abstraction on surface-water resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefania, Gennaro A.; Rotiroti, Marco; Fumagalli, Letizia; Simonetto, Fulvio; Capodaglio, Pietro; Zanotti, Chiara; Bonomi, Tullia

2018-02-01

A groundwater flow model of the Alpine valley aquifer in the Aosta Plain (NW Italy) showed that well pumping can induce river streamflow depletions as a function of well location. Analysis of the water budget showed that ˜80% of the water pumped during 2 years by a selected well in the downstream area comes from the baseflow of the main river discharge. Alluvial aquifers hosted in Alpine valleys fall within a particular hydrogeological context where groundwater/surface-water relationships change from upstream to downstream as well as seasonally. A transient groundwater model using MODFLOW2005 and the Streamflow-Routing (SFR2) Package is here presented, aimed at investigating water exchanges between the main regional river (Dora Baltea River, a left-hand tributary of the Po River), its tributaries and the underlying shallow aquifer, which is affected by seasonal oscillations. The three-dimensional distribution of the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer was obtained by means of a specific coding system within the database TANGRAM. Both head and flux targets were used to perform the model calibration using PEST. Results showed that the fluctuations of the water table play an important role in groundwater/surface-water interconnections. In upstream areas, groundwater is recharged by water leaking through the riverbed and the well abstraction component of the water budget changes as a function of the hydraulic conditions of the aquifer. In downstream areas, groundwater is drained by the river and most of the water pumped by wells comes from the base flow component of the river discharge.

Hydrologic, lithologic, and chemical data for sediment in the shallow alluvial aquifer at two sites near Fallon, Churchill County, Nevada, 1984-85

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lico, M.S.; Welch, A.H.; Hughes, J.L.

1986-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey collected an extensive amount of hydrogeologic data from the shallow alluvial aquifer at two study sites near Fallon, Nevada, from 1984 though 1985. These data were collected as part of a study to determine the geochemical controls on the mobility of arsenic and other trace elements in shallow groundwater systems. The main study area is approximately 7 miles south of Fallon. A subsidiary study area is about 8 miles east of Fallon. The data collected include lithologic logs and water level altitudes for the augered sampling wells and piezometers, and determinations of arsenic and selenium content, grain size, porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and mineralogy for sediment samples from cores. (USGS)

Stewardship of water and fertilizer in irrigated cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agriculture is a vital part of the southeast Missouri economy and it is essential that we maintain our precious soil and water resources. While we have shallow, high quality groundwater for irrigation, it is important to realize that our aquifer, the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, also p...

Factors affecting fish biodiversity in floodplain lakes of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.; Dembkowski, Daniel J.

2012-01-01

River-floodplain ecosystems offer some of the most diverse and dynamic environments in the world. Accordingly, floodplain habitats harbor diverse fish assemblages. Fish biodiversity in floodplain lakes may be influenced by multiple variables operating on disparate scales, and these variables may exhibit a hierarchical organization depending on whether one variable governs another. In this study, we examined the interaction between primary variables descriptive of floodplain lake large-scale features, suites of secondary variables descriptive of water quality and primary productivity, and a set of tertiary variables descriptive of fish biodiversity across a range of floodplain lakes in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Mississippi and Arkansas (USA). Lakes varied considerably in their representation of primary, secondary, and tertiary variables. Multivariate direct gradient analyses indicated that lake maximum depth and the percentage of agricultural land surrounding a lake were the most important factors controlling variation in suites of secondary and tertiary variables, followed to a lesser extent by lake surface area. Fish biodiversity was generally greatest in large, deep lakes with lower proportions of watershed agricultural land. Our results may help foster a holistic approach to floodplain lake management and suggest the framework for a feedback model wherein primary variables can be manipulated for conservation and restoration purposes and secondary and tertiary variables can be used to monitor the success of such efforts.

Geology and ground water in Russian River Valley areas and in Round, Laytonville, and Little Lake Valleys, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cardwell, G.T.

1965-01-01

This report describes the occurrence, availability, and quality of ground water in seven valley areas along the course of the Russian River in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, Calif., and in three valleys in the upper drainage reach of the Eel River in Mendocino County. Except for the westward-trending lower Russian River valley, the remaining valley areas along the Russian River (Healdsburg, Alexander, Cloverdale, Sanel, Ukiah, and Potter Valleys) lie in northwest-trending structurally controlled depressions formed in marine rocks of Jurassic and Cretaceous age. The principal aquifer in all the valleys is the alluvium of Recent age, which includes highly permeable channel deposits of gravel and sand. Water for domestic, irrigation, industrial, and other uses is developed by (1) direct diversion from the Russian River and its tributaries, (2) withdrawal of ground water and river water from shallow wells near the river, and (3) withdrawals of ground water from wells in alluvial deposits at varying distances from the river. Surface water in the Russian River and most tributaries is of good chemical quality. The water is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type and contains 75,200 parts per million of dissolved solids. Ground water is also of good chemical quality throughout most of the drainage basin, but the concentration of dissolved solids (100-300 parts per million) is somewhat higher than that in the surface water. Round, Laytonville, and Little Lake Valleys are in central and northern Mendocino County in the drainage basin of the northwestward flowing Eel River. In Round Valley the alluvium of Recent age yields water of good chemical quality in large quantities. Yields are lower and the chemical quality poorer in Laytonville Valley. Ground water in Little Lake Valley is relatively undeveloped. Selected descriptions of wells, drillers' logs, chemical analyses, and hydrographs showing water-level fluctuations are included in the report. Accompanying maps show the

Land Subsidence and Aquifer-System Compaction in the Tucson Active Management Area, South-Central Arizona, 1987-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carruth, Rob; Flynn, Pool; Donald, R.; Anderson, Carl E.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey monitors land subsidence and aquifer-system compaction caused by ground-water depletion in Tucson Basin and Avra Valley - two of the three alluvial basins within the Tucson Active Management Area. In spring 1987, the Global Positioning System was used to measure horizontal and vertical positions for bench marks at 43 sites to establish a network for monitoring land subsidence in Tucson Basin and Avra Valley. Between 1987 and 2005, the original number of subsidence monitoring stations was gradually increased to more than 100 stations to meet the need for information in the growing metropolitan area. Data from approximately 60 stations common to the Global Positioning System surveys done after an initial survey in 1987 are used to document land subsidence. For the periods of comparison, average land-surface deformation generally is less than the maximum subsidence at an individual station and takes into account land-surface recovery from elastic aquifer-system compaction. Between 1987 and 1998, as much as 3.2 inches of subsidence occurred in Tucson Basin and as much as 4 inches of subsidence occurred in Avra Valley. For the 31 stations that are common to both the 1987 and 1998 Global Positioning System surveys, the average subsidence during the 11-year period was about 0.5 inch in Tucson Basin and about 1.2 inches in Avra Valley. For the approximately 60 stations that are common to both the 1998 and 2002 Global Positioning System surveys, the data indicate that as much as 3.5 inches of subsidence occurred in Tucson Basin and as much as 1.1 inches of subsidence occurred in Avra Valley. The average subsidence for the 4-year period is about 0.4 inch in Tucson Basin and 0.6 inch in Avra Valley. Between the 2002 and the 2005 Global Positioning System surveys, the data indicate that as much as 0.2 inch of subsidence occurred in Tucson Basin and as much as 2.2 inches of subsidence occurred in Avra Valley. The average subsidence for the 3-year

Geohydrology, water quality, and simulation of groundwater flow in the stratified-drift aquifer system in Virgil Creek and Dryden Lake Valleys, Town of Dryden, Tompkins County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Todd S.; Bugliosi, Edward F.

2013-01-01

In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tompkins County Planning Department and the Town of Dryden, New York, began a study of the stratified-drift aquifer system in the Virgil Creek and Dryden Lake Valleys in the Town of Dryden, Tompkins County. The study provided geohydrologic data needed by the town and county to develop a strategy to manage and protect their water resources. In this study area, three extensive confined sand and gravel aquifers (the upper, middle, and lower confined aquifers) compose the stratified-drift aquifer system. The Dryden Lake Valley is a glaciated valley oriented parallel to the direction of ice movement. Erosion by ice extensively widened and deepened the valley, truncated bedrock hillsides, and formed a nearly straight, U-shaped bedrock trough. The maximum thickness of the valley fill in the central part of the valley is about 400 feet (ft). The Virgil Creek Valley in the east part of the study area underwent less severe erosion by ice than the Dryden Lake Valley, and hence, it has a bedrock floor that is several hundred feet higher in altitude than that in the Dryden Lake Valley. The sources and amounts of recharge were difficult to identify in most areas because the confined aquifers are overlain by confining units. However, in the vicinity of the Virgil Creek Dam, the upper confined aquifer crops out at land surface in the floodplain of a gorge eroded by Virgil Creek, and this is where the aquifer receives large amounts of recharge from precipitation that directly falls over the aquifer and from seepage losses from Virgil Creek. The results of streamflow measurements made in Virgil Creek where it flows through the gorge indicated that the stream lost 1.2 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) or 0.78 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water in the reach extending from 220 ft downstream from the dam to 1,200 ft upstream from the dam. In the southern part of the study area, large amounts of recharge also replenish the

Assessment of the chemical status of the alluvial aquifer in the Aosta Plain: an example of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotiroti, Marco; Fumagalli, Letizia; Stefania, Gennaro A.; Frigerio, Maria C.; Simonetto, Fulvio; Capodaglio, Pietro; Bonomi, Tullia

2015-04-01

The Italian Legislative Decree 30/09 (D.Lgs. 30/09) implements the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) providing some technical guidelines to assess the chemical status of groundwater bodies. This work presents the estimation of the chemical status of the shallow aquifer in the Aosta Plain (Aosta Valley Region, NW Alpine sector, Italy) on the basis of the D.Lgs. 30/09. The study area covers ~40 km2 along the Dora Baltea River basin. The Aosta Plain hosts an alluvial aquifer formed of lacustrine, glacial, fluvio-glacial and fan deposits of Pleistocene and Holocene ages. The unconfined aquifer features a depth of ~80 m in the western part of the plain and ~20 in the eastern part due to the intercalation of a silty lacustrine layer. The aquifer is mainly recharged by precipitation, surface water and ice and snow melt. Previous studies revealed that SO4, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr(VI) and PCE represent potential threats for groundwater quality in the Aosta Plain. The chemical status was calculated using the data collected during the 2012 by the Regional Environmental Protection Agency of the Aosta Valley Region from its groundwater quality monitoring network that includes 38 points. Each point was sampled up to four times. Since the D.Lgs. 30/09 excludes Fe and Mn from the assessment of the groundwater chemical status, the present work deals with SO4, Ni, Cr(VI) and PCE. Threshold values (TVs) were estimated on the basis of natural background levels (NBLs) for SO4, Ni and Cr(VI) whereas, for PCE, the reference value (REF) reported by the D.Lgs. 30/09 (i.e., 1.1 µg/L) was used as TV. The NBLs were calculated using the two approaches suggested by the EU research project BRIDGE, that are the pre-selection and the component separation. The TVs were evaluated using the following criteria: (a) if NBL < REF, then TV = (REF+NBL)/2 and (b) if NBL ≥ REF, then TV = NBL. The average between the NBL resulted from the pre-selection and the component separation was used in the TV estimation

Data for ground-water test hole near Nicolaus, Central Valley aquifer project, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

French, James J.; Page, R.W.; Bertoldi, Gilbert L.

1983-01-01

Preliminary data are provided for the third of seven test holes drilled as a part of the Central Valley Aquifer Project which is part of the National Regional Aquifer Systems Analysis Program. The test hole was drilled in the SW 1/4 NE 1/4 sec. 2, T.12N., R.3E., Sutter County, California, about 1 1/2 miles northwest of the town of Nicolaus. Drilled to a depth of 1,150 feet below land surface, the hole is cased to a depth of 100 feet and equipped with three piezometer tubes to depths of 311, 711, and 1,071 feet. A 5-foot well screen is set in sand at the bottom of each piezometer. Each screened interval has a cement plug above and below it to isolate it from other parts of the aquifer, and the well bore is filled between the plugs with sediment. Thirty-one cores and 34 sidewall cores were recovered. Laboratory tests were made for minerology, consolidation, grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, X-ray diffraction, thermal conductivity, and chemical analysis of water. Geophysical and thermal gradient logs were made. The hole is sampled periodically for chemical analysis of the three tapped zones and measured for water level. This report presents methods used to obtain field samples, laboratory procedures, and the data obtained. (USGS)

Characteristics of Southern California coastal aquifer systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edwards, B.D.; Hanson, R.T.; Reichard, E.G.; Johnson, T.A.

2009-01-01

Most groundwater produced within coastal Southern California occurs within three main types of siliciclastic basins: (1) deep (>600 m), elongate basins of the Transverse Ranges Physiographic Province, where basin axes and related fluvial systems strike parallel to tectonic structure, (2) deep (>6000 m), broad basins of the Los Angeles and Orange County coastal plains in the northern part of the Peninsular Ranges Physiographic Province, where fluvial systems cut across tectonic structure at high angles, and (3) shallow (75-350 m), relatively narrow fluvial valleys of the generally mountainous southern part of the Peninsular Ranges Physiographic Province in San Diego County. Groundwater pumped for agricultural, industrial, municipal, and private use from coastal aquifers within these basins increased with population growth since the mid-1850s. Despite a significant influx of imported water into the region in recent times, groundwater, although reduced as a component of total consumption, still constitutes a significant component of water supply. Historically, overdraft from the aquifers has caused land surface subsidence, flow between water basins with related migration of groundwater contaminants, as well as seawater intrusion into many shallow coastal aquifers. Although these effects have impacted water quality, most basins, particularly those with deeper aquifer systems, meet or exceed state and national primary and secondary drinking water standards. Municipalities, academicians, and local water and governmental agencies have studied the stratigraphy of these basins intensely since the early 1900s with the goals of understanding and better managing the important groundwater resource. Lack of a coordinated effort, due in part to jurisdictional issues, combined with the application of lithostratigraphic correlation techniques (based primarily on well cuttings coupled with limited borehole geophysics) have produced an often confusing, and occasionally conflicting

Hydrology and surface morphology of the Bonneville Salt Flats and Pilot Valley Playa, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.

1979-01-01

The Bonneville Salt Flats and Pilot Valley are in the western part of the Great Salt Lake Desert in northwest Utah. The areas are separate, though similar, hydrologic basins, and both contain a salt crust. The Bonneville salt crust covered about 40 square miles in the fall of 1976, and the salt crust in Pilot Valley covered 7 square miles. Both areas lack any noticeable surface relief (in 1976, 1.3 feet on the Bonneville salt crust and 0.3 foot on the Pilot Valley salt crust).The salt crust on the Salt Flats has been used for many years for automobile racing, and brines from shallow lacustrine deposits have been used for the production of potash. In recent years, there has been an apparent conflict between these two major uses of the area as the salt crust has diminished in both thickness and extent. Much of the Bonneville Racetrack has become rougher, and there has also been an increase in the amount of sediment on the south end of the racetrack. The Pilot Valley salt crust and surrounding playa have been largely unused.Evaporite minerals on the Salt Flats and the Pilot Valley playa are concentrated in three zones: (1) a carbonate zone composed mainly of authigenic clay-size carbonate minerals, (2) a sulfate zone composed mainly of authigenic gypsum, and (3) a chloride zone composed of crystalline halite (the salt crust). Five major types of salt crust were recognized on the Salt Flats, but only one type was observed in Pilot Valley. Geomorphic differences in the salt crust are caused by differences in their hydrologic environments. The salt crusts are dynamic features that are subject to change because of climatic factors and man's activities.Ground water occurs in three distinct aquifers in much of the western Great Salt Lake Desert: (1) the basin-fill aquifer, which yields water from conglomerate in the lower part of the basin fill, (2) the alluvial-fan aquifer, which yields water from sand and gravel along the western margins of both playas, and (3) the

Nocturnal insect availability in bottomland hardwood forests managed for wildlife in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loraine Ketzler,; Christopher Comer,; Twedt, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

Silviculture used to alter forest structure and thereby enhance wildlife habitat has been advocated for bottomland hardwood forest management on public conservation lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Although some songbirds respond positively to these management actions to attain desired forest conditions for wildlife, the response of other species, is largely unknown. Nocturnal insects are a primary prey base for bats, thereby influencing trophic interactions within hardwood forests. To better understand how silviculture influences insect availability for bats, we conducted vegetation surveys and sampled insect biomass within silviculturally treated bottomland hardwood forest stands. We used passive blacklight traps to capture nocturnal flying insects in 64 treated and 64 untreated reference stands, located on 15 public conservation areas in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Dead wood and silvicultural treatments were positively associated with greater biomass of macro-Lepidoptera, macro-Coleoptera, and all insect taxa combined. Biomass of micro-Lepidoptera was negatively associated with silvicultural treatment but comprised only a small proportion of total biomass. Understanding the response of nocturnal insects to wildlife-forestry silviculture provides insight for prescribed silvicultural management affecting bat species.

The hydrogeochemistry of a heavily used aquifer in the Mexican wine-producing Guadalupe Valley, Baja California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daesslé, L. W.; Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G.; Camacho-Ibar, V. F.; Rozier, W.; Morton, O.; van Dorst, L.; Lugo-Ibarra, K. C.; Quintanilla-Montoya, A. L.; Rodríguez-Pinal, A.

2006-10-01

The Guadalupe Valley aquifer is the only water source for one of the most important wine industries in Mexico, and also the main public water supply for the nearby city of Ensenada. This groundwater is monitored for major ion, N-NO3, P-PO4, Fe, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Sb concentrations, as well as TDS, pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature. High concentrations of N-NO3 (26 mg l-1), Se (70 μg l-1), Mo (18 μg l-1) and Cu (4.3 μg l-1) suggest that groundwater is being polluted by the use of fertilizers only in the western section of the aquifer, known as El Porvenir graben. Unlike the sites located near the main recharge area to the East of the aquifer, the water in El Porvenir graben has low tritium concentrations (<1.9 TU), indicating a pre-modern age, and thus longer water residence time. No significant variations in water quality (generally <10%) were detected throughout 2001-2002 in the aquifer, suggesting that reduced rainfall and recharge during this dry period did not significantly affect water quality. However, the wells nearest to the main recharge area in the Eastern aquifer show a slight but constant increase in TDS with time, probably as a result of the high (˜200 L S-1) uninterrupted extraction of water at this specific recharge site. Relatively high As concentrations for the aquifer (10.5 μg l-1) are only found near the northern limit of the basin associated with a geological fault.

Geohydrology of the North Park area, Jackson County, Colorado; with a section on water law

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robson, Stanley G.; Graham, Glenn

1996-01-01

Increasing population in rural and suburban areas of Colorado is causing greater reliance on ground water as a source of domestic supply. In the primarily rural area of Jackson County, for example, the number of registered water wells increased from about 100 in 1972 to about 500 in 1995. Most of the new wells were drilled after 1988 and supply water to ranches and summer homes. In Jackson County, ground water is pumped from a series of shallow alluvial aquifers along principal stream valleys and from deeper, more extensive, bedrock aquifers. In much of the area, the alluvial aquifers are thin and can be dewatered by moderate water- level declines. Knowledge of the nature and extent of the alluvial and bedrock aquifers, the sources of recharge and discharge, and the effects of ground- water withdrawal on water levels in the aquifers is vital if management of the area's water resources is to ensure continued availability of a dependable water supply.

Hydrology of the Ferron sandstone aquifer and effects of proposed surface-coal mining in Castle Valley, Utah

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lines, G.C.; Morrissey, D.J.

Coal in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age has traditionally been mined by underground techniques in the Emery Coal Field in the southern end of Castle Valley in east-central Utah. However, approximately 99 million tons are recoverable by surface mining. Ground water in the Ferron is the sole source of supply for the town of Emery, but the aquifer is essentially untapped outside the Emery area. A three-dimensional digital-computer model was used to simulate ground-water flow in the Ferron sandstone aquifer in the Emery area. The model also was used to predict the effects ofmore » dewatering of a proposed surface mine on aquifer potentiometric surfaces and the base flow of streams. Discharge from the proposed surface mine is predicted to average about 0.3 cubic foot per second during the 15 years of mine operation. Dewatering of the mine would affect the potentiometric surface of all sections of the Ferron sanstone aquifer, but the greatest effects would be in the upper section. Modeling results indicate that, except for Christiansen Wash, the dewatering of the proposed surface mine would not affect the base flow of streams.« less

Use of 3H/3He Ages to evaluate and improve groundwater flow models in a complex buried-valley aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheets, Rodney A.; Bair, E. Scott; Rowe, Gary L.

1998-01-01

Combined use of the tritium/helium 3 (3H/3He) dating technique and particle-tracking analysis can improve flow-model calibration. As shown at two sites in the Great Miami buried-valley aquifer in southwestern Ohio, the combined use of 3H/3He age dating and particle tracking led to a lower mean absolute error between measured heads and simulated heads than in the original calibrated models and/or between simulated travel times and 3H/3He ages. Apparent groundwater ages were obtained for water samples collected from 44 wells at two locations where previously constructed finite difference models of groundwater flow were available (Mound Plant and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB)). The two-layer Mound Plant model covers 11 km2 within the buried-valley aquifer. The WPAFB model has three layers and covers 262 km2 within the buried-valley aquifer and adjacent bedrock uplands. Sampled wells were chosen along flow paths determined from potentiometric maps or particle-tracking analyses. Water samples were collected at various depths within the aquifer. In the Mound Plant area, samples used for comparison of 3H/3He ages with simulated travel times were from wells completed in the uppermost model layer. Simulated travel times agreed well with 3H/3He ages. The mean absolute error (MAE) was 3.5 years. Agreement in ages at WPAFB decreased with increasing depth in the system. The MAEs were 1.63, 17.2, and 255 years for model layers 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Discrepancies between the simulated travel times and 3H/3He ages were assumed to be due to improper conceptualization or incorrect parameterization of the flow models. Selected conceptual and parameter modifications to the models resulted in improved agreement between 3H/3He ages and simulated travel times and between measured and simulated heads and flows.

Linking groundwater use and stress to specific crops using the groundwater footprint in the Central Valley and High Plains aquifer systems, U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esnault, Laurent; Gleeson, Tom; Wada, Yoshihide; Heinke, Jens; Gerten, Dieter; Flanary, Elizabeth; Bierkens, Marc F. P.; van Beek, Ludovicus P. H.

2014-06-01

A number of aquifers worldwide are being depleted, mainly by agricultural activities, yet groundwater stress has not been explicitly linked to specific agricultural crops. Using the newly developed concept of the groundwater footprint (the area required to sustain groundwater use and groundwater-dependent ecosystem services), we develop a methodology to derive crop-specific groundwater footprints. We illustrate this method by calculating high-resolution groundwater footprint estimates of crops in two heavily used aquifer systems: the Central Valley and High Plains, U.S. In both aquifer systems, hay and haylage, corn, and cotton have the largest groundwater footprints, which highlights that most of the groundwater stress is induced by crops meant for cattle feed. Our results are coherent with other studies in the High Plains but suggest lower groundwater stress in the Central Valley, likely due to artificial recharge from surface water diversions which were not taken into account in previous estimates. Uncertainties of recharge and irrigation application efficiency contribute the most to the total relative uncertainty of the groundwater footprint to aquifer area ratios. Our results and methodology will be useful for hydrologists, water resource managers, and policy makers concerned with which crops are causing the well-documented groundwater stress in semiarid to arid agricultural regions around the world.

Linking Groundwater Use and Stress to Specific Crops Using the Groundwater Footprint in the Central Valley and High Plains Aquifer Systems, U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Y.; Esnault, L.; Gleeson, T.; Heinke, J.; Gerten, D.; Flanary, E.; Bierkens, M. F.; Van Beek, L. P.

2014-12-01

A number of aquifers worldwide are being depleted, mainly by agricultural activities, yet groundwater stress has not been explicitly linked to specific agricultural crops. Using the newly-developed concept of the groundwater footprint (the area required to sustain groundwater use and groundwater-dependent ecosystem services), we develop a methodology to derive crop-specific groundwater footprints. We illustrate this method by calculating high resolution groundwater footprint estimates of crops in two heavily used aquifer systems: the Central Valley and High Plains, U.S. In both aquifer systems, hay and haylage, corn and cotton have the largest groundwater footprints, which highlights that most of the groundwater stress is induced by crops meant for cattle feed. Our results are coherent with other studies in the High Plains but suggest lower groundwater stress in the Central Valley, likely due to artificial recharge from surface water diversions which were not taken into account in previous estimates. Uncertainties of recharge and irrigation application efficiency contribute the most to the total relative uncertainty of the groundwater footprint to aquifer area ratios. Our results and methodology will be useful for hydrologists, water resource managers, and policy makers concerned with which crops are causing the well-documented groundwater stress in semiarid to arid agricultural regions around the world.

Groundwater quality in the shallow aquifers of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley, and adjacent highland areas, Southern Coast Ranges, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen

2018-05-30

The Monterey-Salinas Shallow Aquifer study unit covers approximately 7,820 square kilometers (km2) in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties in the Central Coast Hydrologic Region of California. The study unit was divided into four study areas—Santa Cruz, Pajaro Valley, Salinas Valley, and Highlands. More than 75 percent of the water used for drinking-water supply in the Central Coast Hydrologic Region of California is groundwater, and there are more than 8,000 well driller’s logs for domestic wells (California Department of Water Resources, 2013).

Groundwater Quality in the Shallow Aquifers of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley, and Adjacent Highland Areas, Southern Coast Ranges, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen

2018-05-30

The Monterey-Salinas Shallow Aquifer study unit covers approximately 7,820 square kilometers (km2) in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties in the Central Coast Hydrologic Region of California. The study unit was divided into four study areas—Santa Cruz, Pajaro Valley, Salinas Valley, and Highlands. More than 75 percent of the water used for drinking-water supply in the Central Coast Hydrologic Region of California is groundwater, and there are more than 8,000 well driller’s logs for domestic wells (California Department of Water Resources, 2013).

Use of environmental tracers to evaluate ground-water age and water-quality trends in a buried-valley aquifer, Dayton area, southwestern, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowe, Gary L.; Shapiro, Stephanie Dunkle; Schlosser, Peter

1999-01-01

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC method) and tritium and helium isotopes (3H-3He method) were used as environmental tracers to estimate ground-water age in conjunction with efforts to develop a regional ground-water flow model of the buried-valley aquifer in the Dayton area, southwestern Ohio. This report describes results of CFC and water-quality sampling, summarizes relevant aspects of previously published work, and describes the use of 3H-3He ages to characterize temporal trends in ground-water quality of the buried-valley aquifer near Dayton, Ohio. Results of CFC sampling indicate that approximately 25 percent of the 137 sampled wells were contaminated with excess CFC's that rendered the ground water unsuitable for age dating. Evaluation of CFC ages obtained for the remaining samples indicated that the CFC compounds used for dating were being affected by microbial degradation. The degradation occurred under anoxic conditions that are found in most parts of the buried-valley aquifer. As a result, ground-water ages derived by the CFC method were too old and were inconsistent with measured tritium concentrations and independently derived 3H-3He ages. Limited data indicate that dissolved methane may play an important role in the degradation of the CFC's. In contrast, the 3H-3He technique was found to yield ground-water ages that were chemically and hydrologically reasonable. Ground-water ages derived by the 3H-3He technique were compared to values for selected water- quality characteristics to evaluate temporal trends in ground-water quality in the buried- valley aquifer. Distinct temporal trends were not identified for pH, alkalinity, or calcium and magnesium because of rapid equilibration of ground-water with calcite and dolomite in aquifer sediments. Temporal trends in which the amount of scatter and the number of outlier concentrations increased as ground-water age decreased were noted for sodium, potassium, boron, bromide, chloride, ammonia, nitrate, phosphate

Revisiting a classification scheme for U.S.-Mexico alluvial basin-fill aquifers.

PubMed

Hibbs, Barry J; Darling, Bruce K

2005-01-01

Intermontane basins in the Trans-Pecos region of westernmost Texas and northern Chihuahua, Mexico, are target areas for disposal of interstate municipal sludge and have been identified as possible disposal sites for low-level radioactive waste. Understanding ground water movement within and between these basins is needed to assess potential contaminant fate and movement. Four associated basin aquifers are evaluated and classified; the Red Light Draw Aquifer, the Northwest Eagle Flat Aquifer, the Southeast Eagle Flat Aquifer, and the El Cuervo Aquifer. Encompassed on all but one side by mountains and local divides, the Red Light Draw Aquifer has the Rio Grande as an outlet for both surface drainage and ground water discharge. The river juxtaposed against its southern edge, the basin is classified as a topographically open, through-flowing basin. The Northwest Eagle Flat Aquifer is classified as a topographically closed and drained basin because surface drainage is to the interior of the basin and ground water discharge occurs by interbasin ground water flow. Mountains and ground water divides encompass this basin aquifer on all sides; yet, depth to ground water in the interior of the basin is commonly >500 feet. Negligible ground water discharge within the basin indicates that ground water discharges from the basin by vertical flow and underflow to a surrounding basin or basins. The most likely mode of discharge is by vertical, cross-formational flow to underlying Permian rocks that are more porous and permeable and subsequent flow along regional flowpaths beneath local ground water divides. The Southeast Eagle Flat Aquifer is classified as a topographically open and drained basin because surface drainage and ground water discharge are to the adjacent Wildhorse Flat area. Opposite the Eagle Flat and Red Light Draw aquifers is the El Cuervo Aquifer of northern Chihuahua, Mexico. The El Cuervo Aquifer has interior drainage to Laguna El Cuervo, which is a phreatic

Numerical simulation of groundwater artificial recharge in a semiarid-climate basin of northwest Mexico, case study the Guadalupe Valley Aquifer, Baja California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos-Gaytan, J. R.; Herrera-Oliva, C. S.

2013-05-01

In this study was analyzed through a regional groundwater flow model the effects on groundwater levels caused by the application of different future groundwater management scenarios (2007-2025) at the Guadalupe Valley, in Baja California, Mexico. Among these studied alternatives are those scenarios designed in order to evaluate the possible effects generated for the groundwater artificial recharge in order to satisfy a future water demand with an extraction volume considered as sustainable. The State of Baja California has been subject to an increment of the agricultural, urban and industrials activities, implicating a growing water-demand. However, the State is characterized by its semiarid-climate with low surface water availability; therefore, has resulted in an extensive use of groundwater in local aquifer. Water level measurements indicate there has been a decline in water levels in the Guadalupe Valley for the past 30 years. The Guadalupe Valley aquifer represents one the major sources of water supply in Ensenada region. It supplies about 25% of the water distributed by the public water supplier at the city of Ensenada and in addition constitutes the main water resource for the local wine industries. Artificially recharging the groundwater system is one water resource option available to the study zone, in response to increasing water demand. The existing water supply system for the Guadalupe Valley and the city of Ensenada is limited since water use demand periods in 5 to 10 years or less will require the construction of additional facilities. To prepare for this short-term demand, one option available to water managers is to bring up to approximately 3.0 Mm3/year of treated water of the city of Ensenada into the valley during the low-demand winter months, artificially recharge the groundwater system, and withdraw the water to meet the summer demands. A 2- Dimensional groundwater flow was used to evaluate the effects of the groundwater artificial recharge

Sulphur and oxygen isotopic characters of dissolved sulphate in groundwater from the Pleistocene aquifer in the southern Jordan Valley (Jericho area, Palestine).

PubMed

Khayat, Saed; Hötzl, Heinz; Geyer, Stefan; Ali, Wasim; Knöller, Kay; Strauch, Gerhard

2006-09-01

Sulphate and chloride concentrations in the shallow Pleistocene aquifer systems in the lower Jordan valley area indicate a general trend of increasing salinity eastward and southward. This study was conducted in one of the important sub-basins feeding the Pleo-Pleistocene aquifer in the Jericho area in the southern part of the valley using S and O isotopes of dissolved sulphate. The results show that sulphate has mainly two contributions to the groundwater. One is the surface seepage, which is present as a salty leachate form with the positive delta34Ssulphate values of primary gypsum in Lisan and Samara formations, and the second is the upwelling saline water which was in contact with a deep secondary gypsum, aragonites and salty rocks and rose up under heavy abstraction with depleted 34S in sulphate and relatively high sulphate and chloride content. The latest was clearly shown in the Arab Project wells to the east that is undergoing a continuous heavy abstraction. The isotopic signatures of S and O in these wells to the east show that this depleted 34S and highly concentrated sulphate might also indicate a dissolved sulphate originating from pyrite oxidation that results from the interaction with a pyrite-rich aquifer, which can well up with salty water under heavy abstraction and is oxidised in the upper aerobic shallow aquifer.

Documentation of the Santa Clara Valley regional ground-water/surface-water flow model, Santa Clara Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, R.T.; Li, Zhen; Faunt, C.C.

2004-01-01

The Santa Clara Valley is a long, narrow trough extending about 35 miles southeast from the southern end of San Francisco Bay where the regional alluvial-aquifer system has been a major source of water. Intensive agricultural and urban development throughout the 20th century and related ground-water development resulted in ground-water-level declines of more than 200 feet and land subsidence of as much as 12.7 feet between the early 1900s and the mid-1960s. Since the 1960s, Santa Clara Valley Water District has imported surface water to meet growing demands and reduce dependence on ground-water supplies. This importation of water has resulted in a sustained recovery of the ground-water flow system. To help support effective management of the ground-water resources, a regional ground-water/surface-water flow model was developed. This model simulates the flow of ground water and surface water, changes in ground-water storage, and related effects such as land subsidence. A numerical ground-water/surface-water flow model of the Santa Clara Valley subbasin of the Santa Clara Valley was developed as part of a cooperative investigation with the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The model better defines the geohydrologic framework of the regional flow system and better delineates the supply and demand components that affect the inflows to and outflows from the regional ground-water flow system. Development of the model includes revisions to the previous ground-water flow model that upgraded the temporal and spatial discretization, added source-specific inflows and outflows, simulated additional flow features such as land subsidence and multi-aquifer wellbore flow, and extended the period of simulation through September 1999. The transient-state model was calibrated to historical surface-water and ground-water data for the period 197099 and to historical subsidence for the period 198399. The regional ground-water flow system consists of multiple aquifers that are grouped

Simulation of an urban ground-water-flow system in the Menomonee Valley, Milwaukee, Wisconsin using analytic element modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunning, C.P.; Feinstein, D.T.

2004-01-01

A single-layer, steady-state analytic element model was constructed to simulate shallow ground-water flow in the Menomonee Valley, an old industrial center southwest of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Project objectives were to develop an understanding of the shallow ground-water flow system and identify primary receptors of recharge to the valley. The analytic element model simulates flow in a 18.3 m (60 ft) thick layer of estuarine and alluvial sediments and man-made fill that comprises the shallow aquifer across the valley. The thin, laterally extensive nature of the shallow aquifer suggests horizontal-flow predominates, thus the system can appropriately be modeled with the Dupuit-Forchheimer approximation in an analytic element model. The model was calibrated to the measured baseflow increase between two USGS gages on the Menomonee River, 90 head measurements taken in and around the valley during December 1999, and vertical gradients measured at five locations under the river and estuary in the valley. Recent construction of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District Inline Storage System (ISS) in the Silurian dolomite under the Menomonee Valley has locally lowered heads in the dolomite appreciably, below levels caused by historic pumping. The ISS is a regional hydraulic sink which removes water from the bedrock even during dry weather. The potential effect on flow directions in the shallow aquifer of dry-weather infiltration to the ISS was evaluated by adjusting the resistance of the line-sink strings representing the ISS in the model to allow infiltration from 0 to 100% of the reported 9,500 m3/d. The best fit to calibration targets was found between 60% (5,700 m3/d) and 80% (7,600 m3/d) of the reported dry-weather infiltration. At 60% infiltration, 65% of the recharge falling on the valley terminates at the ISS and 35% at the Menomonee River and estuary. At 80% infiltration, 73% of the recharge terminates at the ISS, and 27% at the river and estuary. Model

Hydrogeology of the Ramapo River-Woodbury Creek valley-fill aquifer system and adjacent areas in eastern Orange County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heisig, Paul M.

2015-01-01

Valley-fill aquifers are modest resources within the area, as indicated by the common practice of completing supply wells in the underlying bedrock rather than the overlying glacial deposits. Groundwater turbidity problems curtail use of the resource. However, additional groundwater resources have been identified by test drilling, and there are remaining untested areas. New groundwater supplies that stress localized aquifer areas will alter the groundwater flow system. Considerations include potential water-quality degradation from nearby land use(s) and, where withdrawals induce infiltration of surface-water, balancing withdrawals with flow requirements for downstream users or for maintenance of stream ecological health.

Characterization of Natural Organic Matter in Alluvial Aquifer Sediments: Approaches and Implications for Reactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, P. M.; Nico, P. S.; Hao, Z.; Gilbert, B.; Tfaily, M. M.; Devadoss, J.

2015-12-01

Sediment-associated natural organic matter (NOM) is an extremely complex assemblage of organic molecules with a wide range of sizes, functional groups, and structures, which is intricately associated with mineral particles. The chemical nature of NOM may control its' reactivity towards metals, minerals, enzymes, and bacteria. Organic carbon concentrations in subsurface sediments are typically much lower than in surface soils, posing a distinct challenge for characterization. In this study, we investigated NOM associated with shallow alluvial aquifer sediments in a floodplain of the Colorado River. Total organic carbon (TOC) contents in these subsurface sediments are typically around 0.1%, but can range from 0.03% up to approximately 1.5%. Even at the typical TOC values of 0.1%, the mass of sediment-associated OC is approximately 5000 times higher than the mass of dissolved OC, representing a large pool of carbon that may potentially be mobilized or degraded under changing environmental conditions. Sediment-associated OC is much older than both the depositional age of the alluvial sediments and dissolved OC in the groundwater, indicating that the vast majority of NOM was sequestered by the sediment long before it was deposited in the floodplain. We have characterized the sediment-bound NOM from two locations within the floodplain with differing physical and geochemical properties. One location has relatively low organic carbon (<0.2%) and is considered suboxic [dissolved oxygen is low or absent, but no dissolved Fe(II) observed], while the other is a naturally reducing zone with higher organic carbon (0.2-1.5%) and Fe(II)-reducing conditions. An extraction scheme was developed using a combination of sequential extraction [water and sodium pyrophosphate (pH 10)] and purification in order to isolate different fractions of sediment-associated NOM. Analysis of these different NOM fractions was then carried out by FTIR and ESI-FTICR-MS to allow for comparison of NOM

Estimating the uncertainty of the impact of climate change on alluvial aquifers. Case study in central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, Emanuele; Camici, Stefania; Brocca, Luca; Moramarco, Tommaso; Pica, Federico; Preziosi, Elisabetta

2014-05-01

There is evidence that the precipitation pattern in Europe is trending towards more humid conditions in the northern region and drier conditions in the southern and central-eastern regions. However, a great deal of uncertainty concerns how the changes in precipitations will have an impact on water resources, particularly on groundwater, and this uncertainty should be evaluated on the basis of that coming from 1) future climate scenarios of Global Circulation Models (GCMs) and 2) modeling chains including the downscaling technique, the infiltration model and the calibration/validation procedure used to develop the groundwater flow model. With the aim of quantifying the uncertainty of these components, the Valle Umbra porous aquifer (Central Italy) has been considered as a case study. This aquifer, that is exploited for human consumption and irrigation, is mainly fed by the effective infiltration from the ground surface and partly by the inflow from the carbonate aquifers bordering the valley. A numerical groundwater flow model has been developed through the finite difference MODFLOW2005 code and it has been calibrated and validated considering the recharge regime computed through a Thornthwaite-Mather infiltration model under the climate conditions observed in the period 1956-2012. Future scenarios (2010-2070) of temperature and precipitation have been obtained from three different GMCs: ECHAM-5 (Max Planck Institute, Germany), PCM (National Centre Atmospheric Research) and CCSM3 (National Centre Atmospheric Research). Each scenario has been downscaled (DSC) to the data of temperature and precipitation collected in the baseline period 1960-1990 at the stations located in the study area through two different statistical techniques (linear rescaling and quantile mapping). Then, stochastic rainfall and temperature time series are generated through the Neyman-Scott Rectangular Pulses model (NSRP) for precipitation and the Fractionally Differenced ARIMA model (FARIMA

Habitat associations of chorusing anurans in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lichtenberg, J.S.; King, S.L.; Grace, J.B.; Walls, S.C.

2006-01-01

Amphibian populations have declined worldwide. To pursue conservation efforts adequately, land managers need more information concerning amphibian habitat requirements. To address this need, we examined relationships between anurans and habitat characteristics of wetlands in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMAV). We surveyed chorusing anurans in 31 wetlands in 2000 and 28 wetlands in 2001, and measured microhabitat variables along the shoreline within the week following each survey. We recorded 12 species of anurans during our study. Species richness was significantly lower in 2000 than 2001 (t-test, P < 0.001) and correlated with an ongoing drought. We found species richness to be significantly greater at lake sites compared to impoundment, swale, and riverine sites (ANOVA, P = 0.002). We used stepwise regression to investigate the wetland types and microhabitat characteristics associated with species richness of chorusing anurans. Microhabitat characteristics associated with species richness included dense herbaceous vegetation and accumulated litter along the shoreline. Individual species showed species-specific habitat associations. The bronze frog, American bullfrog, and northern cricket frog were positively associated with lake sites (Fisher's Exact Test, P < 0.05), however wetland type did not significantly influence any additional species. Using bivariate correlations, we found that six of the seven most common species had significant associations with microhabitat variables. Overall, our findings support the view that conservation and enhancement of amphibian communities in the LMAV and elsewhere requires a matrix of diverse wetland types and habitat conditions. ?? 2006, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Stochastic simulation of soil particle-size curves in heterogeneous aquifer systems through a Bayes space approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menafoglio, A.; Guadagnini, A.; Secchi, P.

2016-08-01

We address the problem of stochastic simulation of soil particle-size curves (PSCs) in heterogeneous aquifer systems. Unlike traditional approaches that focus solely on a few selected features of PSCs (e.g., selected quantiles), our approach considers the entire particle-size curves and can optionally include conditioning on available data. We rely on our prior work to model PSCs as cumulative distribution functions and interpret their density functions as functional compositions. We thus approximate the latter through an expansion over an appropriate basis of functions. This enables us to (a) effectively deal with the data dimensionality and constraints and (b) to develop a simulation method for PSCs based upon a suitable and well defined projection procedure. The new theoretical framework allows representing and reproducing the complete information content embedded in PSC data. As a first field application, we demonstrate the quality of unconditional and conditional simulations obtained with our methodology by considering a set of particle-size curves collected within a shallow alluvial aquifer in the Neckar river valley, Germany.

The role of the uncertainty in assessing future scenarios of water shortage in alluvial aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, Emanuele; Camici, Stefania; Brocca, Luca; Moramarco, Tommaso; Guyennon, Nicolas; Preziosi, Elisabetta

2015-04-01

There are many evidences that the combined effects of variations in precipitation and temperature due to climate change can result in a significant change of the recharge to groundwater at different time scales. A possible reduction of effective infiltration can result in a significant decrease, temporary or permanent, of the availability of the resource and, consequently, the sustainable pumping rate should be reassessed. In addition to this, one should also consider the so called indirect impacts of climate change, resulting from human intervention (e.g. augmentation of abstractions) which are feared to be even more important than the direct ones in the medium term: thus, a possible increase of episodes of shortage (i.e. the inability of the groundwater system to completely supply the water demand) can result both from change in the climate forcing and change in the demand. In order to assess future scenarios of water shortage a modelling chain is often used. It includes: 1) the use of General Circulation Models to estimate changes in temperature and precipitation; 2) downscaling procedures to match modeling scenarios to the observed meteorological time series; 3) soil-atmosphere modelling to estimate the time variation of the recharge to the aquifer; 4) groundwater flow models to simulate the water budget and piezometric head evolution; 5) future scenarios of groundwater quantitative status that include scenarios of demand variation. It is well known that each of these processing steps is affected by an intrinsic uncertainty that propagates through the whole chain leading to a final uncertainty on the piezometric head scenarios. The estimate of such an uncertainty is a key point for a correct management of groundwater resources, in case of water shortage due to prolonged droughts as well as for planning purposes. This study analyzes the uncertainty of the processing chain from GCM scenarios to its impact on an alluvial aquifer in terms of exploitation

Hydrogeology of a drift-filled bedrock valley near Lino Lakes, Anoka County, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winter, T.C.; Pfannkuch, H.O.

1976-01-01

The bedrock surface of east-central Minnesota is dissected by an intricate network of valleys. Outside the bedrock valley at site B, 3 mi (4. 8 km) from site A, 100 ft (30 m) of drift overlies the bedrock surface. Observation wells were installed at the two sites to determine the vertical ground-water movement between the various aquifer units and the lateral movement between the two sites. An aquifer test of the lowest valley-fill aquifer at site A showed that the observation well completed in the same aquifer as the pumping well responded immediately; whereas a lag of about 100 min occurred between the lower valley fill and uppermost body of sand and gravel. This indicates that the hydraulic connection between these two layers is poor at the immediate site. Test results show that the lower sand-and-gravel aquifer has a transmissivity between 14,000 and 27,000 ft2/d (1,300 and 2,500 m2/d). Although the hydraulic gradient is vertically downward in the valley, much of the drift fill is poorly permeable. This suggests that the quantity of downward-percolating water reaching the lowest valley-fill aquifer is relatively small at the test site. Because valley cut through a number of bedrock aquifers in the region, they could potentially be an important avenue of contamination from land-surface waste. In addition, the vast network of bedrock valleys in the Twin Cities area might cause contaminants to disseminate rather rapidly throughout a large area.

Assessment of the denitrification process in alluvial wetlands at floodplain scale using the SWAT model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As alluvial plains support intensive agricultural activities, they often suffer from groundwater nitrate pollution. Denitrification is recognized as an important process in nitrate pollution control in riparian zones. In shallow aquifer zones influenced by recharged surface water, denitrification ...

Data for ground-water test hole near Butte City, Central Valley aquifer project, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

French, James J.; Page, R.W.; Bertoldi, G.L.

1983-01-01

This report provides preliminary data for the third of seven test holes drilled as part of the Central Valley Aquifer Project which is part of the National Regional Aquifer Systems Analysis Program. The test hole was drilled in the SW 1/4 NE 1/4 sec. 32, T. 19 N., R. 1 W., Glenn County, California, about one-half mile south of the town of Butte City. Drilled to a depth of 1,432 feet below land surface, the hole is cased to a depth of 82 feet and equipped with three piezometer tubes to depths of 592 feet, 968 feet, and 1,330 feet. A 5-foot well screen is at the bottom of each piezometer. Each screened interval has a cement plug above and below it to isolate it from other parts of the aquifer , and the well bore is filled between the plugs with sediment. Nine cores and 49 sidewall cores were recovered. Laboratory tests were made for mineralogy, hydraulic conductivity, porosity , consolidation, grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, X-ray diffraction, and chemical quality of water. Geophysical and thermal gradient logs were made. The hole is sampled periodically for chemical analysis and measured for water level in the three tapped zones. This report presents methods used to obtain field samples, laboratory procedures, and the data obtained. (USGS)

Hydrology of Northern Utah Valley, Utah County, Utah, 1975-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cederberg, Jay R.; Gardner, Philip M.; Thiros, Susan A.

2009-01-01

The ground-water resources of northern Utah Valley, Utah, were assessed during 2003-05 to describe and quantify components of the hydrologic system, determine a hydrologic budget for the basin-fill aquifer, and evaluate changes to the system relative to previous studies. Northern Utah Valley is a horst and graben structure with ground water occurring in both the mountain-block uplands surrounding the valley and in the unconsolidated basin-fill sediments. The principal aquifer in northern Utah Valley occurs in the unconsolidated basin-fill deposits where a deeper unconfined aquifer occurs near the mountain front and laterally grades into multiple confined aquifers near the center of the valley. Sources of water to the basin-fill aquifers occur predominantly as either infiltration of streamflow at or near the interface of the mountain front and valley or as subsurface inflow from the adjacent mountain blocks. Sources of water to the basin-fill aquifers were estimated to average 153,000 (+/- 31,500) acre-feet annually during 1975-2004 with subsurface inflow and infiltration of streamflow being the predominant sources. Discharge from the basin-fill aquifers occurs in the valley lowlands as flow to waterways, drains, ditches, springs, as diffuse seepage, and as discharge from flowing and pumping wells. Ground-water discharge from the basin-fill aquifers during 1975-2004 was estimated to average 166,700 (+/- 25,900) acre-feet/year where discharge to wells for consumptive use and discharge to waterways, drains, ditches, and springs were the principal sources. Measured water levels in wells in northern Utah Valley declined an average of 22 feet from 1981 to 2004. Water-level declines are consistent with a severe regional drought beginning in 1999 and continuing through 2004. Water samples were collected from 36 wells and springs throughout the study area along expected flowpaths. Water samples collected from 34 wells were analyzed for dissolved major ions, nutrients, and

Aquifers of Arkansas: protection, management, and hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater resources in Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kresse, Timothy M.; Hays, Phillip D.; Merriman, Katherine R.; Gillip, Jonathan A.; Fugitt, D. Todd; Spellman, Jane L.; Nottmeier, Anna M.; Westerman, Drew A.; Blackstock, Joshua M.; Battreal, James L.

2014-01-01

The Interior Highlands of western Arkansas has less reported groundwater use than other areas of the State, reflecting a combination of factors. These factors include prevalent and increasing use of surface water, less intensive agricultural uses, lower population and industry densities, lesser potential yield of the resource, and lack of detailed reporting. The overall low yields of aquifers of the Interior Highlands result in domestic supply as the dominant use, with minor industrial, public, and commercial-supply use. Where greater volumes are required for growth of population and industry, surface water is the greatest supplier of water needs in the Interior Highlands. The various aquifers of the Interior Highlands generally occur in shallow, fractured, well-indurated, structurally modified bedrock of this mountainous region of the State, as compared to the relatively flat-lying, unconsolidated sediments of the Coastal Plain. In terms of age from youngest to oldest, the aquifers of the Interior Highlands include: the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer, the Ouachita Mountains aquifer, the Western Interior Plains confining system, the Springfield Plateau aquifer, and the Ozark aquifer. Spatial trends in groundwater geochemistry in the Interior Highlands differ greatly from trends noted for aquifers of the Coastal Plain. In the Coastal Plain, the prevalence of long regional flow paths results in regionally predictable and mappable geochemical changes along the flow paths. In the Interior Highlands, short, topographically controlled flow paths (from hilltops to valleys) within small watersheds represent the predominant groundwater-flow system. As such, dense data coverage from numerous wells would be required to effectively characterize these groundwater basins and define small-scale geochemical changes along any given flow path for aquifers of the Interior Highlands. Changes in geochemistry generally were related to rock type and residence time along

Factors affecting winter survival of female mallards in the lower Mississippi alluvial valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, B.E.; Afton, A.D.; Cox, R.R.

2011-01-01

The lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (hereafter LMAV) provides winter habitat for approximately 40% of the Mississippi Flyway's Mallard (Anas platyrhynhcos) population; information on winter survival rates of female Mallards in the LMAV is restricted to data collected prior to implementation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. To estimate recent survival and cause-specific mortality rates in the LMAV, 174 radio-marked female Mallards were tracked for a total of 11,912 exposure days. Survival varied by time periods defined by hunting seasons, and females with lower body condition (size adjusted body mass) at time of capture had reduced probability of survival. Female survival was less and the duration of our tracking period was greater than those in previous studies of similarly marked females in the LMAV; the product-limit survival estimate (??????SE) through the entire tracking period (136 days) was 0.54 ??0.10. Cause-specific mortality rates were 0.18 ??0.04 and 0.34 ??0.12 for hunting and other sources of mortality, respectively; the estimated mortality rate from other sources (including those from avian, mammalian, or unknown sources) was higher than mortality from non-hunting sources reported in previous studies of Mallards in the LMAV. Models that incorporate winter survival estimates as a factor in Mallard population growth rates should be adjusted for these reduced winter survival estimates.

Regional assessment of aquifers for thermal energy storage. Volume 1: Regions 1 through 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-06-01

The geologic and hydrologic framework, major aquifers, aquifers which are suitable and unsuitable for annual thermal energy storage (ATES) and the ATES potential of the western mountains, alluvial basins, Columbia LAVA plateau, Colorado plateau, high plains, and glaciated central region are discussed.

Data for ground-water test hole near Zamora, Central Valley Aquifer Project, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

French, J.J.; Page, R.W.; Bertoldi, G.L.

1982-01-01

Preliminary data are presented for the first of seven test holes drilled as a part of the Central Valley Aquifer Project which is part of the National Regional Aquifer Systems Analysis Program. The test hole was drilled in the SW 1/4 SE 1/4 sec. 34, T. 12 N. , R. 1 E., Yolo County, California, about 3 miles northeast of the town of Zamora. Drilled to a depth of 2,500 feet below land surface, the hole is cased to a depth of 190 feet and equipped with three piezometer tubes to depths of 947, 1,401, and 2,125 feet. A 5-foot well screen is at the bottom of each piezometer. Eighteen cores and 68 sidewall cores were recovered. Laboratory tests were made for mineralogy, hydraulic conductivity, porosity , consolidation, grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, X-ray diffraction, diatom identification, thermal conductivity, and chemical analysis of water. Geophysical and thermal gradient logs were made. The hole is sampled periodically for chemical analysis and measured for water level in the three tapped zones. This report presents methods used to obtain field samples, laboratory procedures, and the data obtained. (USGS)

Geomorphic response to tectonically-induced ground deformation in the Wabash Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fraser, G.S.; Thompson, T.A.; Olyphant, G.A.; Furer, L.; Bennett, S.W.

1997-01-01

Numerous low- to moderate-intensity earthquakes have been recorded in a zone of diffuse modern seismicity in southwest Indiana, southeast Illinois, and northernmost Kentucky. Structural elements within the zone include the Wabash Valley Fault System, the LaSalle Anticlinal Belt in western Illinois, and the Rough Creek-Shawneetown Fault System in northern Kentucky. The presence of seismically-induced liquefaction features in the near-surface alluvial sediments in the region indicates that strong ground motion has occurred in the recent geological past, but because the glacial and alluvial sediments in the Wabash Valley appear to be otherwise undisturbed, post-Paleozoic ground deformation resulting from movement on these structural elements has not yet been documented. Morphometric analysis of the land surface, detailed mapping of geomorphic elements in the valley, reconnaissance drilling of the Holocene and Pleistocene alluvium, and structural analysis of the bedrock underlying the valley were used to determine whether the geomorphology of the valley and the patterns of alluviation of the Wabash River were affected by surface deformation associated with the seismic zone during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Among the observed features in the valley that can be attributed to deformation are: (1) tilting of the modern land surface to the west, (2) preferred channel migration toward the west side of the valley, with concomitant impact on patterns of soil development and sedimentation rate, (3) a convex longitudinal profile of the Wabash River where it crosses the LaSalle Anticlinal Belt, and (4) increased incision of the river into its floodplain downstream from the anticlinal belt.

Characterization of geomorphic units in the alluvial valleys and channels of Gulf Coastal Plain rivers in Texas, with examples from the Brazos, Sabine, and Trinity Rivers, 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coffman, David K.; Malstaff, Greg; Heitmuller, Franklin T.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, described and characterized examples of geomorphic units within the channels and alluvial valleys of Texas Gulf Coastal Plain rivers using a geomorphic unit classification scale that differentiates geomorphic units on the basis of their location either outside or inside the river channel. The geomorphic properties of a river system determine the distribution and type of potential habitat both within and adjacent to the channel. This report characterizes the geomorphic units contained in the river channels and alluvial valleys of Texas Gulf Coastal Plain rivers in the context of the River Styles framework. This report is intended to help Texas Instream Flow Program practitioners, river managers, ecologists and biologists, and others interested in the geomorphology and the physical processes of the rivers of the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain (1) gain insights into how geomorphic units develop and adjust spatially and temporally, and (2) be able to recognize common geomorphic units from the examples cataloged in this report. Recent aerial imagery (high-resolution digital orthoimagery) collected in 2008 and 2009 were inspected by using geographic information system software to identify representative examples of the types of geomorphic units that occurred in the study area. Geomorphic units outside the channels of Texas Gulf Coastal Plain rivers are called \\"valley geomorphic units\\" in this report. Valley geomorphic units for the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain rivers described in this report are terraces, flood plains, crevasses and crevasse splays, flood-plain depressions, tie channels, tributaries, paleochannels, anabranches, distributaries, natural levees, neck cutoffs, oxbow lakes, and constructed channels. Channel geomorphic units occur in the river channel and are subject to frequent stresses associated with flowing water and sediment transport; they adjust (change) relatively quickly in

Geohydrology and water-chemistry of the Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Metzger, Loren F.; Farrar, Christopher D.; Koczot, Kathryn M.; Reichard, Eric G.

2006-01-01

This study of the geohydrology and water chemistry of the Alexander Valley, California, was done to provide an improved scientific basis for addressing emerging water-management issues, including potential increases in water demand and changes in flows in the Russian River. The study tasks included (1) evaluation of existing geohydrological, geophysical, and geochemical data; (2) collection and analysis of new geohydrologic data, including subsurface lithologic data, ground-water levels, and streamflow records; and (3) collection and analysis of new water-chemistry data. The estimated total water use for the Alexander Valley for 1999 was approximately 15,800 acre-feet. About 13,500 acre-feet of this amount was for agricultural use, primarily vineyards, and about 2,300 acre-feet was for municipal/industrial use. Ground water is the main source of water supply for this area. The main sources of ground water in the Alexander Valley are the Quaternary alluvial deposits, the Glen Ellen Formation, and the Sonoma Volcanics. The alluvial units, where sufficiently thick and saturated, comprise the best aquifer in the study area. Average recharge to the Alexander Valley is estimated from a simple, basinwide water budget. On the basis of an estimated annual average of 298,000 acre-feet of precipitation, 160,000 acre-feet of runoff, and 113,000 to 133,000 acre-feet of evapotranspiration, about 5,000 to 25,000 acre-feet per year is available for ground-water recharge. Because this estimate is based on differences between large numbers, there is significant uncertainty in this recharge estimate. Long-term changes in ground-water levels are evident in parts of the study area, but because of the sparse network and lack of data on well construction and lithology, it is uncertain if any significant changes have occurred in the northern part of the study area since 1980. In the southern half of the study area, ground-water levels generally were lower at the end of the 2002 irrigation

Simulation of ground-water flow and land subsidence in the Antelope Valley ground-water basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leighton, David A.; Phillips, Steven P.

2003-01-01

Antelope Valley, California, is a topographically closed basin in the western part of the Mojave Desert, about 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The Antelope Valley ground-water basin is about 940 square miles and is separated from the northern part of Antelope Valley by faults and low-lying hills. Prior to 1972, ground water provided more than 90 percent of the total water supply in the valley; since 1972, it has provided between 50 and 90 percent. Most ground-water pumping in the valley occurs in the Antelope Valley ground-water basin, which includes the rapidly growing cities of Lancaster and Palmdale. Ground-water-level declines of more than 200 feet in some parts of the ground-water basin have resulted in an increase in pumping lifts, reduced well efficiency, and land subsidence of more than 6 feet in some areas. Future urban growth and limits on the supply of imported water may continue to increase reliance on ground water. To better understand the ground-water flow system and to develop a tool to aid in effectively managing the water resources, a numerical model of ground-water flow and land subsidence in the Antelope Valley ground-water basin was developed using old and new geohydrologic information. The ground-water flow system consists of three aquifers: the upper, middle, and lower aquifers. The aquifers, which were identified on the basis of the hydrologic properties, age, and depth of the unconsolidated deposits, consist of gravel, sand, silt, and clay alluvial deposits and clay and silty clay lacustrine deposits. Prior to ground-water development in the valley, recharge was primarily the infiltration of runoff from the surrounding mountains. Ground water flowed from the recharge areas to discharge areas around the playas where it discharged either from the aquifer system as evapotranspiration or from springs. Partial barriers to horizontal ground-water flow, such as faults, have been identified in the ground-water basin. Water-level declines owing to

Habitat use by female mallards in the lower mississippi alluvial valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, B.E.; Afton, A.D.; Cox, R.R.

2009-01-01

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) populations in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV), USA, historically averaged 1.6 million and represented the largest concentrations of wintering mallards in North America. Effective management of this wintering population requires current information on use of habitats. Accordingly, we employed radiotelemetry techniques to assess proportional use of habitats by female mallards during winters 20042005 and 20052006. We divided winters into 4 time periods defined by hunting seasons (FIRST, SPLIT, SECOND, and POST) and recorded diurnal and nocturnal locations. We examined variations in proportional use of habitats and use of areas closed to hunting due to effects of age (immature or ad), winter (20042005 or 20052006), time period (SECOND or POST), individual female, and all potential interactions of these effects, using locations recorded during the latter 2 time periods. We found that diurnal and nocturnal proportional use of habitats varied inconsistently among time periods and winters. Mean proportional use of forested wetlands ranged from 0.475 to 0.816 and from 0.428 to 0.764 during diurnal and nocturnal sampling periods, respectively. Diurnal proportional use of areas closed to hunting varied inconsistently among time periods and winters. Mean proportional use of areas closed to hunting ranged from 0.183 to 0.423 during diurnal sampling periods. Nocturnal use of areas closed to hunting varied inconsistently among female ages and time periods and among female ages and winters. Mean proportional use of areas closed to hunting ranged from 0.211 to 0.445 during nocturnal sampling periods. Our research suggests that forested wetlands in the LMAV provide important wintering habitats for female mallards; continued restoration and establishment of these habitats should benefit female mallards.

Forest area and distribution in the Mississippi alluvial valley: Implications for breeding bird conservation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twedt, D.J.; Loesch, C.R.

1999-01-01

Knowing the current forest distribution and patch size characteristics is integral to the development of geographically defined, habitat-based conservation objectives for breeding birds. Towards this end, we classified 2.6 million ha of forest cover within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley using 1992 thematic mapper satellite imagery. Although historically this area, from southern Illinois to southern Louisiana, was dominated by forested wetlands, forest cover remains on less than 25% of the floodplain. Remaining forest cover is comprised of > 38,000 discrete forest patches > 2 ha. Mean patch area (64.1?5.2 ha; 0 ?SE) was highly skewed towards small fragment size. Larger patches had a higher proportion of more hydric forest cover classes than did smaller patches which had a higher proportion of less hydric forest cover classes. Public lands accounted for 16% of remaining forested wetlands. Fewer than 100 forest patches exceeded our hypothesized habitat objective (4000 ha minimum contiguous forest area) intended to support self-sustaining populations of forest breeding birds. To increase the number of forest patches exceeding 4000 ha contiguous area, and thereby increase the likelihood of successful forest bird conservation, we recommend afforestation adjoining existing forest fragments ?1012 ha and focused within designated Forest Bird Conservation Regions.

Summary of the Snake River plain Regional Aquifer-System Analysis in Idaho and eastern Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindholm, G.F.

1993-01-01

The 15,600 sq mi Snake River Plain in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon was studied as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Regional Aquifer-System Analysis program. Quaternary basalt of the Snake River Group underlies most of the 10,800 square mile eastern plain and constitutes the most productive aquifers. Transmissivity of the upper 200 feet of the basalt aquifer commonly ranges from 100,000 to 1,000,000 square feet per day. Vertical hydraulic conductivity is several orders of magnitude lower than horizontal hydraulic conductivity and is related to the degree of jointing. Alluvial sand and gravel in the Boise River valley constitutes the most productive aquifers in the 4,800 square mile western plain. Along much of its length, the Snake River gains groundwater. Between Milner and King Hill, the river gained 4.7 million acre-ft in 1980, most as spring flow from the north side. The chemical composition of groundwater in the plain is essentially the same as that in streams and ground- water from tributary drainage basins. The use of surface water for irrigation for 100 years has caused major changes in the hydrologic system on the plain. During that time, recharge on the main part of the eastern plain increased about 70 percent, discharge about 80 percent. In 1980, about 8.9 million acre-ft of Snake River water was diverted and 2.3 million acre-ft of groundwater was pumped from 5,300 wells for irrigation.

Late Cenozoic surficial deposits and valley evolution of unglaciated northern New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanford, S.D.

1993-01-01

Multiple alluvial, colluvial, and eolian deposits in unglaciated northern New Jersey, and the eroded bedrock surfaces on which they rest, provide evidence of both long-term valley evolution driven by sustained eustatic baselevel lowering and short-term filling and excavation of valleys during glacial and interglacial climate cycles. The long-term changes occur over durations of 106 years, the short-term features evolve over durations of 104 to 105 years. Direct glacial effects, including blockage of valleys by glacial ice and sediment, and valley gradient reversals induced by crustal depression, are relatively sudden changes that account for several major Pleistocene drainage shifts. After deposition of the Beacon Hill fluvial gravel in the Late Miocene, lowering of sea level, perhaps in response to growth of the Antarctic ice sheet, led to almost complete dissection of the gravel. A suite of alluvial, colluvial, and eolian sediments was deposited in the dissected landscape. The fluvial Bridgeton Formation was deposited in the Raritan lowland, in the Amboy-Trenton lowland, and in the Delaware valley. Following southeastward diversion of the main Bridgeton river, perhaps during Late Pliocene or Early Pleistocene glaciation, northeastward drainage was established on the inactive Bridgeton fluvial plain. About 30 to 45 m of entrenchment followed, forming narrow, incised valleys within which Late Pleistocene deposits rest. This entrenchment may have occurred in response to lowered sea level caused by growth of ice sheets in the northern hemisphere. Under periglacial conditions in the Middle and Late Pleistocene, valleys were partially filled with alluvium and colluvium. During interglacials slopes were stabilized by vegetation and the alluvial and colluvial valley-fill was excavated by gullying, bank erosion, and spring sapping. During Illinoian and late Wisconsinan glaciation, the lower Raritan River was diverted when glacial deposits blocked its valley, and the

Using direct current resistivity sounding and geostatistics to aid in hydrogeological studies in the Choshuichi alluvial fan, Taiwan.

PubMed

Yang, Chieh-Hou; Lee, Wei-Feng

2002-01-01

Ground water reservoirs in the Choshuichi alluvial fan, central western Taiwan, were investigated using direct-current (DC) resistivity soundings at 190 locations, combined with hydrogeological measurements from 37 wells. In addition, attempts were made to calculate aquifer transmissivity from both surface DC resistivity measurements and geostatistically derived predictions of aquifer properties. DC resistivity sounding data are highly correlated to the hydraulic parameters in the Choshuichi alluvial fan. By estimating the spatial distribution of hydraulic conductivity from the kriged well data and the cokriged thickness of the correlative aquifer from both resistivity sounding data and well information, the transmissivity of the aquifer at each location can be obtained from the product of kriged hydraulic conductivity and computed thickness of the geoelectric layer. Thus, the spatial variation of the transmissivities in the study area is obtained. Our work is more comparable to Ahmed et al. (1988) than to the work of Niwas and Singhal (1981). The first "constraint" from Niwas and Singhal's work is a result of their use of linear regression. The geostatistical approach taken here (and by Ahmed et al. [1988]) is a natural improvement on the linear regression approach.

Inter-aquifer Dynamics in and Near a Confining Unit Window in Shelby County, Tennessee, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentry, R. W.; McKay, L. D.; Larsen, D.; Carmichael, J. K.; Solomon, D. K.; Thonnard, N.; Anderson, J. L.

2003-12-01

An interdisplinary research team is investigating the interaction between the surficial alluvial aquifer and the deeper confined Memphis aquifer in the Memphis area, Shelby County, Tennessee. Previous research has identified a window in the clay-rich, upper Claiborne confining unit that separates the two aquifers near a closed municipal landfill in east-central Shelby County, an area undergoing rapid urbanization. For this investigation, a combination of environmental tracers (tritium/helium-3), major and trace ion geochemistry, hydraulic response testing, measurement of hydraulic gradients, and groundwater flow modeling is being used to quantify recharge of young water from the alluvial aquifer through the window to the Memphis aquifer. The research will provide results to better understand how windows were formed and how they influence recharge and water quality in otherwise confined parts of the Memphis aquifer downdip of its outcrop/subcrop area. Examination of continuous core samples and geophysical logs from wells installed for the study using Rotasonic drilling methods confirmed the existence of a sand-dominated window that may be as much as 1 km in diameter in the upper Claiborne confining unit. The upper Claiborne confining unit is 15 to 20 m thick in most of the study area and is overlain by a 10 to 12 m thick alluvial aquifer. The window is interpreted to have formed as a result of depositional and incisional processes in an Eocene-age deltaic system. Hydraulic gradients of several feet exist vertically between the alluvial and Memphis aquifers within the window, indicating downward flow. Groundwater age-dates from tritium/helium-3 analyses indicate that groundwater in the window at the depth of the base of the surrounding confining unit (approximately 30 m) has an apparent age of 19.8 years, which confirms the occurrence of downward flow. Young groundwater age dates (less than 32 years) also were obtained from wells in the Memphis aquifer at confined

Application of water quality index to evaluate groundwater quality (temporal and spatial variation) of an intensively exploited aquifer (Puebla valley, Mexico).

PubMed

Salcedo-Sánchez, Edith R; Garrido Hoyos, Sofía E; Esteller Alberich, Ma Vicenta; Martínez Morales, Manuel

2016-10-01

The spatial and temporal variation of water quality in the urban area of the Puebla Valley aquifer was evaluated using historical and present data obtained during this investigation. The current study assessed water quality based on the Water Quality Index developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME-WQI), which provides a mathematical framework to evaluate the quality of water in combination with a set of conditions representing quality criteria, or limits. This index is flexible regarding the type and number of variables used by the evaluation given that the variables of interest are selected according to the characteristics and objectives of development, conservation and compliance with regulations. The CCME-WQI was calculated using several variables that assess the main use of the wells in the urban area that is public supply, according to criteria for human use and consumption established by Mexican law and international standards proposed by the World Health Organization. The assessment of the index shows a gradual deterioration in the quality of the aquifer over time, as the amount of wells with excellent quality have decreased and those with lower index values (poor quality) have increased throughout the urban area of the Puebla Valley aquifer. The parameters affecting groundwater quality are: total dissolved solids, sulfate, calcium, magnesium and total hardness.

Geologic Characterization of Young Alluvial Basin-Fill Deposits from Drill-Hole Data in Yucca Flat, Nye County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweetkind, Donald S.; Drake II, Ronald M.

2007-01-01

Yucca Flat is a topographic and structural basin in the northeastern part of the Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nevada, that has been the site of numerous underground nuclear tests; many of these tests occurred within the young alluvial basin-fill deposits. The migration of radionuclides to the Paleozoic carbonate aquifer involves passage through this thick, heterogeneous section of Tertiary and Quaternary rock. An understanding of the lateral and vertical changes in the material properties of young alluvial basin-fill deposits will aid in the further development of the hydrogeologic framework and the delineation of hydrostratigraphic units and hydraulic properties required for simulating ground-water flow in the Yucca Flat area. This report by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, presents data and interpretation regarding the three-dimensional variability of the shallow alluvial aquifers in areas of testing at Yucca Flat, data that are potentially useful in the understanding of the subsurface flow system. This report includes a summary and interpretation of alluvial basin-fill stratigraphy in the Yucca Flat area based on drill-hole data from 285 selected drill holes. Spatial variations in lithology and grain size of the Neogene basin-fill sediments can be established when data from numerous drill holes are considered together. Lithologic variations are related to different depositional environments within the basin such as alluvial fan, channel, basin axis, and playa deposits.

Geologic Characterization of Young Alluvial Basin-Fill Deposits from Drill Hole Data in Yucca Flat, Nye County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweetkind, Donald S.; Drake II, Ronald M.

2007-01-01

Yucca Flat is a topographic and structural basin in the northeastern part of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in Nye County, Nevada, that has been the site of numerous underground nuclear tests; many of these tests occurred within the young alluvial basin-fill deposits. The migration of radionuclides to the Paleozoic carbonate aquifer involves passage through this thick, heterogeneous section of Tertiary and Quaternary rock. An understanding of the lateral and vertical changes in the material properties of young alluvial basin-fill deposits will aid in the further development of the hydrogeologic framework and the delineation of hydrostratigraphic units and hydraulic properties required for simulating ground-water flow in the Yucca Flat area. This report by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, presents data and interpretation regarding the three-dimensional variability of the shallow alluvial aquifers in areas of testing at Yucca Flat, data that are potentially useful in the understanding of the subsurface flow system. This report includes a summary and interpretation of alluvial basin-fill stratigraphy in the Yucca Flat area based on drill hole data from 285 selected drill holes. Spatial variations in lithology and grain size of the Neogene basin-fill sediments can be established when data from numerous drill holes are considered together. Lithologic variations are related to different depositional environments within the basin including alluvial fan, channel, basin axis, and playa deposits.

Aquifers In Nirgal Vallis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiss, D.; Jaumann, R.

The topographic information provided by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter has been used in combination with the Mars Observer Camera imagery to estimate the topo- graphic position of sapping pits and gully heads on the rim of Nirgal Vallis. Hence Nirgal Vallis is understood to be formed by groundwater sapping (1, 2, 3, 4) an aquifer is proposed as water supply. Gullies in the northern rim of Nirgal Vallis as discovered in Mars Observer Camera (MOC) images (5, 6) proof the existence of such an aquifer. Further evidence for sapping in Nirgal Vallis is demonstrated by short hanging tribu- taries with amphitheater-like heads. The basis of these sapping pits defines the con- tact of aquifer to aquiclude during the valley formation. The gully heads are much deeper under the local surface and the correlation of their topographic position with the valley depth indicate the subsidence of the groundwater level following the ver- tical erosion of the valley. This implies the existence of different groundwater tables over time confined by impermeable layers, whereas the gully head level is the most recent groundwater table which still may be erosional active under the conditions of increasing water pressure and ice barrier failure (5). The occurrence of more than one tilted sapping level at different topographic positions which are time-correlated with the erosional notching of the valley, either indicates different aquifers with litholog- ical aquicludes or a climate controlled subsidence of the permafrost layer acting as confining layer. References: (1) Baker et al., 1992, In: Mars, Univ. of Arizona Press. (2) Carr, 1995, JGR 100, 7479. (3) Malin and Carr, 1999, Icarus, 397, 589. (4) Jaumann and Reiss, 2002, LPSC. (5) Malin and Edgett, 2000, Science, 288, 2330. (6) Malin and Edgett, 2001, JGR 106, 23429.

Groundwater quality in the Valley and Ridge and Piedmont and Blue Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers, eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindsey, Bruce; Belitz, Kenneth

2017-01-19

Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water. The Valley and Ridge and Piedmont and Blue Ridge carbonate-rock aquifers constitute two of the important areas being evaluated. One or more inorganic constituents with human-health benchmarks were detected at high concentrations in about 15 percent of the study area and at moderate concentrations in about 17 percent. Organic constituents were not detected at high concentrations in the study area. One or more organic constituents with human-health benchmarks were detected at moderate concentrations in about 2 percent of the study area.

Hydrogeology and ground-water flow of the drift and Platteville aquifer system, St Louis Park, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindgren, R.J.

1995-01-01

Model simulations indicate that vertical ground-water flow from the drift aquifers and from the Platteville aquifer to underlying bedrock aquifers is greatest through bedrock valleys. The convergence of flow paths near bedrock valleys and the greater volume of water moving through the valleys would likely result in both increased concentrations and greater vertical movement of contaminants in areas underlain by bedrock valleys as compared to areas not underlain by bedrock valleys. Model results also indicate that field measurements of hydraulic head might not help locate discontinuities in confining units and additional test drilling to locate discontinuities might be necessary.

Detection of aquifer system compaction and land subsidence using interferometric synthetic aperture radar, Antelope Valley, Mojave Desert, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, D.L.; Hudnut, K.W.; Ingebritsen, S.E.; Phillips, S.P.; Peltzer, G.; Rogez, F.; Rosen, P.A.

1998-01-01

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has great potential to detect and quantify land subsidence caused by aquifer system compaction. InSAR maps with high spatial detail and resolution of range displacement (±10 mm in change of land surface elevation) were developed for a groundwater basin (∼103 km2) in Antelope Valley, California, using radar data collected from the ERS-1 satellite. These data allow comprehensive comparison between recent (1993–1995) subsidence patterns and those detected historically (1926–1992) by more traditional methods. The changed subsidence patterns are generally compatible with recent shifts in land and water use. The InSAR-detected patterns are generally consistent with predictions based on a coupled model of groundwater flow and aquifer system compaction. The minor inconsistencies may reflect our imperfect knowledge of the distribution and properties of compressible sediments. When used in conjunction with coincident measurements of groundwater levels and other geologic information, InSAR data may be useful for constraining parameter estimates in simulations of aquifer system compaction.

Hydrogeologic framework of the Santa Clara Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, Randall T.

2015-01-01

The hydrologic framework of the Santa Clara Valley in northern California was redefined on the basis of new data and a new hydrologic model. The regional groundwater flow systems can be subdivided into upper-aquifer and lower-aquifer systems that form a convergent flow system within a basin bounded by mountains and hills on three sides and discharge to pumping wells and the southern San Francisco Bay. Faults also control the flow of groundwater within the Santa Clara Valley and subdivide the aquifer system into three subregions.After decades of development and groundwater depletion that resulted in substantial land subsidence, Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) and the local water purveyors have refilled the basin through conservation and importation of water for direct use and artificial recharge. The natural flow system has been altered by extensive development with flow paths toward major well fields. Climate has not only affected the cycles of sedimentation during the glacial periods over the past million years, but interannual to interdecadal climate cycles also have affected the supply and demand components of the natural and anthropogenic inflows and outflows of water in the valley. Streamflow has been affected by development of the aquifer system and regulated flow from reservoirs, as well as conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water. Interaquifer flow through water-supply wells screened across multiple aquifers is an important component to the flow of groundwater and recapture of artificial recharge in the Santa Clara Valley. Wellbore flow and depth-dependent chemical and isotopic data indicate that flow into wells from multiple aquifers, as well as capture of artificial recharge by pumping of water-supply wells, predominantly is occurring in the upper 500 ft (152 m) of the aquifer system. Artificial recharge represents about one-half of the inflow of water into the valley for the period 1970–1999. Most subsidence is occurring below 250 ft

Sensitivity models and design protocol for partitioning tracer tests in alluvial aquifers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, M.; Butler, G.W.; Jackson, R.E.

1997-11-01

Zones of dense, nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) are difficult to characterize as to their volume, composition, and spatial distribution using conventional ground-water extraction and soil-sampling methods. Such incompletely characterized sites have negative consequences for those responsible for their remedial design, e.g., the uncertainties in the optimal placement of ground-water extraction wells and in the duration of remediation. However, the recent use of the partitioning interwell tracer test (PITT) to characterize DNAPL zones at sites in New Mexico [unsaturated alluvium] and in Ohio, Texas, and Utah [saturated alluvium] demonstrates that the volume and spatial distribution of residual DNAPL can be determinedmore » with accuracy. The PITT involves injection of a suite of tracers which reversibly partition to different degrees between the DNAPL and the ground water or soil air resulting in the chromatographic separation of the tracer signals observed at the extraction well(s). The design of a PITT requires careful consideration of the hydrostratigraphic, hydraulic, and certain geochemical properties of the alluvium being tested. A three-dimensional, numerical model of a heterogeneous alluvial aquifer containing DNAPL has been developed for use with the UTCHEM simulator to demonstrate partitioning tracer testing and to address questions that are frequently raised in its application. The simulations include (1) the estimation of DNAPL volume for the simple case where only residual DNAPL is present in heterogeneous alluvium, (2) sensitivity studies to demonstrate the effect of increasingly low residual DNAPL saturation on the tracer signal, and (3) the effect of free-phase DNAPL on the estimation of the volume of DNAPL present. Furthermore, the potential interference of sedimentary organic carbon as a DNAPL surrogate on the tracer signal is considered and shown to be readily resolved by the careful choice of tracers.« less

Agroforestry systems of the lowland alluvial valleys of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve: an evaluation of their biocultural capacity.

PubMed