Sample records for warrior river aquifer

  1. Comparison between agricultural and urban ground-water quality in the Mobile River Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Robinson, James L.

    2003-01-01

    The Black Warrior River aquifer is a major source of public water supply in the Mobile River Basin. The aquifer outcrop trends northwest - southeast across Mississippi and Alabama. A relatively thin shallow aquifer overlies and recharges the Black Warrior River aquifer in the flood plains and terraces of the Alabama, Coosa, Black Warrior, and Tallapoosa Rivers. Ground water in the shallow aquifer and the Black Warrior River aquifer is susceptible to contamination due to the effects of land use. Ground-water quality in the shallow aquifer and the shallow subcrop of the Black Warrior River aquifer, underlying an agricultural and an urban area, is described and compared. The agricultural and urban areas are located in central Alabama in Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa Counties. Row cropping in the Mobile River Basin is concentrated within the flood plains of major rivers and their tributaries, and has been practiced in some of the fields for nearly 100 years. Major crops are cotton, corn, and beans. Crop rotation and no-till planting are practiced, and a variety of crops are grown on about one-third of the farms. Row cropping is interspersed with pasture and forested areas. In 1997, the average farm size in the agricultural area ranged from 196 to 524 acres. The urban area is located in eastern Montgomery, Alabama, where residential and commercial development overlies the shallow aquifer and subcrop of the Black Warrior River aquifer. Development of the urban area began about 1965 and continued in some areas through 1995. The average home is built on a 1/8 - to 1/4 - acre lot. Ground-water samples were collected from 29 wells in the agricultural area, 30 wells in the urban area, and a reference well located in a predominately forested area. The median depth to the screens of the agricultural and urban wells was 22.5 and 29 feet, respectively. Ground-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, major ions, nutrients, and pesticides

  2. Nomenclature of regional hydrogeologic units of the Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Miller, J.A.; Renken, R.A.

    1988-01-01

    Clastic sediments of the Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system can be divided into four regional aquifers separated by three regional confining units. The four regional aquifers have been named for major rivers that cut across their outcrop areas and expose the aquifer materials. From youngest to oldest, the aquifers are called the Chickasawhay River, Pearl River, Chattahoochee River, and Black Warrior River aquifers, and the regional confining units separating them are given the same name as the aquifer they overlie. Most of the regional hydrogeologic units are subdivided within each of the four States that comprise the study area. Correlation of regional units is good with hydrogeologic units delineated by a similar regional study to the west and southwest. Because of complexity created by a major geologic structure to the northeast of the study area and dramatic facies change from clastic to carbonate strata to the southeast, correlation of regional hydrogeologic units is poor in these directions. (Author 's abstract)

  3. 77 FR 57026 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Black Warrior River, AL

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-17

    ... Coast Railroad (AGR) vertical lift span (Yo- Yo) bridge across the Black Warrior River, mile 219.0, at... notice and opportunity to comment pursuant to authority under section 4(a) of the Administrative... bridge is automated. The bridge is commonly referred to as the ``Yo-Yo'' bridge because of the automated...

  4. EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING WEST FROM UNIVERSITY PARK ALONG THE WARRIOR ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING WEST FROM UNIVERSITY PARK ALONG THE WARRIOR RIVER TOWARDS THE BRIDGES LINKING TUSCALOOSA AND NORTHPORT, SHOWING THE GATE OF INDENTATION OF THE SOUTH LOCK WALL OF LOCK NO. 3, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL 19 WARRIOR RIVER LOCKS. - Warrior River, Lock No. 3 Wall, River Road at University Park, Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, AL

  5. EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING WEST, WITH CENTER SPAN EXTENDING ACROSS WARRIOR ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING WEST, WITH CENTER SPAN EXTENDING ACROSS WARRIOR RIVER. - Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad Bridge, Spans Black Warrior River between Northport & Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, AL

  6. EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING WEST, WITH CENTER SPAN EXTENDING ACROSS WARRIOR ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    EXTERIOR VIEW, LOOKING WEST, WITH CENTER SPAN EXTENDING ACROSS WARRIOR RIVER AND COAL BARGES (LEFT). - Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad Bridge, Spans Black Warrior River between Northport & Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, AL

  7. 77 FR 66541 - Safety Zone; Alliance Road Bridge Demolition; Black Warrior River, Locust Fork; Birmingham, AL

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-06

    ... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Alliance Road Bridge Demolition; Black Warrior River, Locust Fork; Birmingham... of the Alliance Road Bridge (Co. Rd. 61). Entry into, transiting or anchoring in this zone is.... [[Page 66542

  8. 77 FR 15597 - Special Local Regulation; USAT Triathlon/Race Rowing Competition; Black Warrior River; Tuscaloosa...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-16

    ... significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities for the following reasons. The zone is... February 2, 2012, and February 6, 2012, from the University of Alabama and the Tuscaloosa Tourism and... University of Iowa on the Black Warrior River. The Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission is sponsoring the...

  9. Propagation of solutes and pressure into aquifers following river stage rise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Welch, Chani; Cook, Peter G.; Harrington, Glenn A.; Robinson, Neville I.

    2013-09-01

    Water level rises associated with river flow events induce both pressure and solute movement into adjacent aquifers at vastly different rates. We present a simple analytical solution that relates the travel time and travel distance of solutes into an aquifer following river stage rise to aquifer properties. Combination with an existing solution for pressure propagation indicates that the ratio of solute to pressure travel times is proportional to the ratio of the volume of water stored in the aquifer before the river stage rise and the volume added by the stage rise and is independent of hydraulic conductivity. Two-dimensional numerical simulations of an aquifer slice perpendicular to a river demonstrate that the solutions are broadly applicable to variably saturated aquifers and partially penetrating rivers. The solutions remain applicable where river stage rise and fall occur, provided that regional hydraulic gradients are low and the duration of the river stage rise is less than pressure and solute travel times to the observation point in the aquifer. Consequently, the solutions provide new insight into the relationships between aquifer properties and distance and time of solute propagation and, in some cases, may be used to estimate system characteristics. Travel time metrics obtained for a flood event in the Cockburn River in eastern Australia using electrical conductivity measurements enabled estimates of aquifer properties and a lateral extent of river-aquifer mixing of 25 m. A detailed time series of any soluble tracer with distinctly different concentrations in river water and groundwater may be used.

  10. River-aquifer interactions, geologic heterogeneity, and low-flow management

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fleckenstein, J.H.; Niswonger, R.G.; Fogg, G.E.

    2006-01-01

    Low river flows are commonly controlled by river-aquifer exchange, the magnitude of which is governed by hydraulic properties of both aquifer and aquitard materials beneath the river. Low flows are often important ecologically. Numerical simulations were used to assess how textural heterogeneity of an alluvial system influences river seepage and low flows. The Cosumnes River in California was used as a test case. Declining fall flows in the Cosumnes River have threatened Chinook salmon runs. A ground water-surface water model for the lower river basin was developed, which incorporates detailed geostatistical simulations of aquifer heterogeneity. Six different realizations of heterogeneity and a homogenous model were run for a 3-year period. Net annual seepage from the river was found to be similar among the models. However, spatial distribution of seepage along the channel, water table configuration and the level of local connection, and disconnection between the river and aquifer showed strong variations among the different heterogeneous models. Most importantly, the heterogeneous models suggest that river seepage losses can be reduced by local reconnections, even when the regional water table remains well below the riverbed. The percentage of river channel responsible for 50% of total river seepage ranged from 10% to 26% in the heterogeneous models as opposed to 23% in the homogeneous model. Differences in seepage between the models resulted in up to 13 d difference in the number of days the river was open for salmon migration during the critical fall months in one given year. Copyright ?? 2006 The Author(s).

  11. 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.

  12. Spatiotemporal Responses of Groundwater Flow and Aquifer-River Exchanges to Flood Events

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Xiuyu; Zhan, Hongbin; Schilling, Keith

    2018-03-01

    Rapidly rising river stages induced by flood events lead to considerable river water infiltration into aquifers and carry surface-borne solutes into hyporheic zones which are widely recognized as an important place for the biogeochemical activity. Existing studies for surface-groundwater exchanges induced by flood events usually limit to a river-aquifer cross section that is perpendicular to river channels, and neglect groundwater flow in parallel with river channels. In this study, surface-groundwater exchanges to a flood event are investigated with specific considerations of unconfined flow in direction that is in parallel with river channels. The groundwater flow is described by a two-dimensional Boussinesq equation and the flood event is described by a diffusive-type flood wave. Analytical solutions are derived and tested using the numerical solution. The results indicate that river water infiltrates into aquifers quickly during flood events, and mostly returns to the river within a short period of time after the flood event. However, the rest river water will stay in aquifers for a long period of time. The residual river water not only flows back to rivers but also flows to downstream aquifers. The one-dimensional model of neglecting flow in the direction parallel with river channels will overestimate heads and discharge in upstream aquifers. The return flow induced by the flood event has a power law form with time and has a significant impact on the base flow recession at early times. The solution can match the observed hydraulic heads in riparian zone wells of Iowa during flood events.

  13. 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

  14. San Pedro River Aquifer Binational Report

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Callegary, James B.; Minjárez Sosa, Ismael; Tapia Villaseñor, Elia María; dos Santos, Placido; Monreal Saavedra, Rogelio; Grijalva Noriega, Franciso Javier; Huth, A. K.; Gray, Floyd; Scott, C. A.; Megdal, Sharon; Oroz Ramos, L. A.; Rangel Medina, Miguel; Leenhouts, James M.

    2016-01-01

    The United States and Mexico share waters in a number of hydrological basins and aquifers that cross the international boundary. Both countries recognize that, in a region of scarce water resources and expanding populations, a greater scientific understanding of these aquifer systems would be beneficial. In light of this, the Mexican and U.S. Principal Engineers of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) signed the “Joint Report of the Principal Engineers Regarding the Joint Cooperative Process United States-Mexico for the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program" on August 19, 2009 (IBWC-CILA, 2009). This IBWC “Joint Report” serves as the framework for U.S.-Mexico coordination and dialogue to implement transboundary aquifer studies. The document clarifies several details about the program such as background, roles, responsibilities, funding, relevance of the international water treaties, and the use of information collected or compiled as part of the program. In the document, it was agreed by the parties involved, which included the IBWC, the Mexican National Water Commission (CONAGUA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Universities of Arizona and Sonora, to study two priority binational aquifers, one in the San Pedro River basin and the other in the Santa Cruz River basin. This report focuses on the Binational San Pedro Basin (BSPB). Reasons for the focus on and interest in this aquifer include the fact that it is shared by the two countries, that the San Pedro River has an elevated ecological value because of the riparian ecosystem that it sustains, and that water resources are needed to sustain the river, existing communities, and continued development. This study describes the aquifer’s characteristics in its binational context; however, most of the scientific work has been undertaken for many years by each country without full knowledge of the conditions on the other side of the border. The general objective of this study is to

  15. 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.

  16. Environmental Assessment for Vigilant Warrior Training Site

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-07-01

    occidentalis), river birch (Betula nigra), black willow (Salix nigra), red maple (Acer rubrum) and other hardwoods. The Vigilant Warrior site is...4004 L E C Maxwell Support Division April 9, 2008 Ms. Debbie Thomas Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas 571

  17. Fate of Arsenic during Red River Water Infiltration into Aquifers beneath Hanoi, Vietnam

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Recharge of Red River water into arsenic-contaminated aquifers below Hanoi was investigated. The groundwater age at 40 m depth in the aquifer underlying the river was 1.3 ± 0.8 years, determined by tritium–helium dating. This corresponds to a vertical flow rate into the aquifer of 19 m/year. Electrical conductivity and partial pressure of CO2 (PCO2) indicate that water recharged from the river is present in both the sandy Holocene and gravelly Pleistocene aquifers and is also abstracted by the pumping station. Infiltrating river water becomes anoxic in the uppermost aquifer due to the oxidation of dissolved organic carbon. Further downward, sedimentary carbon oxidation causes the reduction of As-containing Fe-oxides. Because the release of arsenic by reduction of Fe-oxides is controlled by the reaction rate, arsenic entering the solution becomes highly diluted in the high water flux and contributes little to the groundwater arsenic concentration. Instead, the As concentration in the groundwater of up to 1 μM is due to equilibrium-controlled desorption of arsenic, adsorbed to the sediment before river water started to infiltrate due to municipal pumping. Calculations indicate that it will take several decades of river water infiltration to leach arsenic from the Holocene aquifer to below the World Health Organization limit of 10 μg/L. PMID:27958705

  18. Fate of Arsenic during Red River Water Infiltration into Aquifers beneath Hanoi, Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Postma, Dieke; Mai, Nguyen Thi Hoa; Lan, Vi Mai; Trang, Pham Thi Kim; Sø, Helle Ugilt; Nhan, Pham Quy; Larsen, Flemming; Viet, Pham Hung; Jakobsen, Rasmus

    2017-01-17

    Recharge of Red River water into arsenic-contaminated aquifers below Hanoi was investigated. The groundwater age at 40 m depth in the aquifer underlying the river was 1.3 ± 0.8 years, determined by tritium-helium dating. This corresponds to a vertical flow rate into the aquifer of 19 m/year. Electrical conductivity and partial pressure of CO 2 (P CO 2 ) indicate that water recharged from the river is present in both the sandy Holocene and gravelly Pleistocene aquifers and is also abstracted by the pumping station. Infiltrating river water becomes anoxic in the uppermost aquifer due to the oxidation of dissolved organic carbon. Further downward, sedimentary carbon oxidation causes the reduction of As-containing Fe-oxides. Because the release of arsenic by reduction of Fe-oxides is controlled by the reaction rate, arsenic entering the solution becomes highly diluted in the high water flux and contributes little to the groundwater arsenic concentration. Instead, the As concentration in the groundwater of up to 1 μM is due to equilibrium-controlled desorption of arsenic, adsorbed to the sediment before river water started to infiltrate due to municipal pumping. Calculations indicate that it will take several decades of river water infiltration to leach arsenic from the Holocene aquifer to below the World Health Organization limit of 10 μg/L.

  19. Interaction of Aquifer and River-Canal Network near Well Field.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Narayan C; Mishra, Govinda C; Sandhu, Cornelius S S; Grischek, Thomas; Singh, Vikrant V

    2015-01-01

    The article presents semi-analytical mathematical models to asses (1) enhancements of seepage from a canal and (2) induced flow from a partially penetrating river in an unconfined aquifer consequent to groundwater withdrawal in a well field in the vicinity of the river and canal. The nonlinear exponential relation between seepage from a canal reach and hydraulic head in the aquifer beneath the canal reach is used for quantifying seepage from the canal reach. Hantush's (1967) basic solution for water table rise due to recharge from a rectangular spreading basin in absence of pumping well is used for generating unit pulse response function coefficients for water table rise in the aquifer. Duhamel's convolution theory and method of superposition are applied to obtain water table position due to pumping and recharge from different canal reaches. Hunt's (1999) basic solution for river depletion due to constant pumping from a well in the vicinity of a partially penetrating river is used to generate unit pulse response function coefficients. Applying convolution technique and superposition, treating the recharge from canal reaches as recharge through conceptual injection wells, river depletion consequent to variable pumping and recharge is quantified. The integrated model is applied to a case study in Haridwar (India). The well field consists of 22 pumping wells located in the vicinity of a perennial river and a canal network. The river bank filtrate portion consequent to pumping is quantified. © 2014, National GroundWater Association.

  20. Quantifying urban river-aquifer fluid exchange processes: a multi-scale problem.

    PubMed

    Ellis, Paul A; Mackay, Rae; Rivett, Michael O

    2007-04-01

    Groundwater-river exchanges in an urban setting have been investigated through long term field monitoring and detailed modelling of a 7 km reach of the Tame river as it traverses the unconfined Triassic Sandstone aquifer that lies beneath the City of Birmingham, UK. Field investigations and numerical modelling have been completed at a range of spatial and temporal scales from the metre to the kilometre scale and from event (hourly) to multi-annual time scales. The objective has been to quantify the spatial and temporal flow distributions governing mixing processes at the aquifer-river interface that can affect the chemical activity in the hyporheic zone of this urbanised river. The hyporheic zone is defined to be the zone of physical mixing of river and aquifer water. The results highlight the multi-scale controls that govern the fluid exchange distributions that influence the thickness of the mixing zone between urban rivers and groundwater and the patterns of groundwater flow through the bed of the river. The morphologies of the urban river bed and the adjacent river bank sediments are found to be particularly influential in developing the mixing zone at the interface between river and groundwater. Pressure transients in the river are also found to exert an influence on velocity distribution in the bed material. Areas of significant mixing do not appear to be related to the areas of greatest groundwater discharge and therefore this relationship requires further investigation to quantify the actual remedial capacity of the physical hyporheic zone.

  1. 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.

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. Location and timing of river-aquifer exchanges in six tributaries to the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Konrad, C.P.

    2006-01-01

    The flow of water between rivers and contiguous aquifers influences the quantity and quality of water resources, particularly in regions where precipitation and runoff are unevenly distributed through the year, such as the Columbia Basin (CB) in northwestern United States. Investigations of basin hydrogeology and gains and losses of streamflow for six rivers in the CB were reviewed to characterize general patterns in the timing and location of river-aquifer exchanges at a reach-scale (0.5-150 km) and to identify geologic and geomorphic features associated with the largest exchanges. Ground-water discharge to each river, or the gain in streamflow, was concentrated spatially: more than one-half of the total gains along each river segment were contributed from reaches that represented no more than 30% of the total segment length with the largest and most concentrated gains in rivers in volcanic terrains. Fluvial recharge of aquifers, or losses of streamflow, was largest in rivers in sedimentary basins where unconsolidated sediments form shallow aquifers. Three types of geologic or geomorphic features were associated with the largest exchanges: (1) changes in the thickness of unconsolidated aquifers; (2) contacts between lithologic units that represent contrasts in permeability; and (3) channel forms that increase the hydraulic gradient or cross-sectional area of flow paths between a river and shallow ground-water. The down-valley component of ground-water flow and its vertical convergence on or divergence from a riverbed account for large streamflow gains in some reaches and contrast with the common assumption of lateral ground-water discharge to a river that penetrates completely through the aquifer. Increased ground-water discharge was observed during high-flow periods in reaches of four rivers indicating that changes in ground-water levels can be more important than stage fluctuations in regulating the direction and magnitude of river-aquifer exchanges and that

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. The nitrogen cycle in highly urbanized tropical regions and the effect of river-aquifer interactions: The case of Jakarta and the Ciliwung River

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Costa, Diogo; Burlando, Paolo; Priadi, Cindy; Shie-Yui, Liong

    2016-09-01

    Groundwater is extensively used in Jakarta to compensate for the limited public water supply network. Recent observations show a rise in nitrate (NO3-) levels in the shallow aquifer, thus pointing at a potential risk for public health. The detected levels are still below national and international regulatory limits for drinking water but a strategy is necessary to contain the growing problem. We combine 3 years of available data in the Ciliwung River, the major river flowing through Jakarta, with a distributed river-aquifer interaction model to characterise the impact of urbanisation on the N-cycle of both surface and groundwater systems. Results show that the N-cycle in the river-aquifer system is heterogeneous in space, seasonal dependent (i.e. flow regime) and strongly affected by urban pollution. Results suggest also that although the main sources of N related groundwater pollution are leaking septic tanks, the aquifer interaction with the Ciliwung River may locally have a strong effect on the concentrations. In the general context of pollution control in urban areas, this study demonstrates how advanced process-based models can be efficiently used in combination with field measurements to bring new insights into complex contamination problems. These are essential for more effective and integrated management of water quality in river-aquifer systems.

  8. 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.

  9. River Intrusion in Karst Springs in Eogenetic Aquifers: Implications for Speleogenesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, J. B.; Gulley, J.; Screaton, E. J.

    2008-12-01

    Conceptual models of speleogenesis generally assume uni-directional transport in integrated conduit systems from discrete recharge points to discharge at karst springs. Estavelles, however, are karst springs that function intermittently as discrete recharge points when river stage rises more rapidly than local aquifer heads. As river water chemistry changes between baseflow and floods, estavelles should influence mass transport through (e.g. organic carbon, nutrients, and oxygen) and speleogenesis within karst systems. Estavelles are common in our study area in north-central Florida, particularly along the lower reaches of the Santa Fe River, where it flows across the unconfined karstic Floridan aquifer. River stage in this unconfined region can rise much faster than aquifer heads when large amounts of rain fall on the confined regions in its upper reaches. Backflooding into the estavelles during elevated river stage drives river water into the ground, causing some springs to reverse and other springs to recirculate large volumes of river water. Floodwaters originating in the confined region are highly undersaturated with respect to calcite, and thus river water transitions from slightly supersaturated to highly undersaturated with respect to calcite during flood events. As a result, conduits connected to estavelles are continuously enlarged as springs reverse or recirculate calcite-undersaturated river water. It has been suggested that currently flooded caves (i.e. karst conduits) associated with springs in Florida formed entirely underwater because speleothems, which are prevalent in flooded caves in the Yucatan and Bahamas, have not been observed by cave divers. Results of this study indicate that the absence of speleothems does not necessarily provide evidence of a continuous phreatic history for underwater caves. Instead speleothems that formed in caves while dry could have been dissolved by backflooding of estavelles with undersaturated water

  10. Coastal aquifer groundwater dynamics and salt intrusion: Monitoring system of river Neretva delta

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srzić, Veljko; Vranješ, Mijo; Deković, Jure; Romić, Davor; Zovko, Monika; Milin, Marin

    2017-04-01

    River Neretva delta is located in southern part of Croatia and creates a complex surface- groundwater system influenced by tidal forces characteristic for Adriatic Sea and river Neretva whose discharge varies from 70 - 2700 m3/s over the year. From agricultural point of view, area is used widely for fruit production which implies existence and functionality of complex drainage system consisted of a net of lateral channels and pumping station plants with the capacity of app. 25 m3/s. Area of interest covers app 3500 ha and is bounded by river Neretva from North and Adriatic sea from West. Southern and eastern boundaries are dominantly karstic hills. Lover aquifer is confined with app depth of 65 m, made of fine gravel. Aquitard is a 15 m height layer of clay. Upper aquifer in unconfined with depth of app 10-20 m. Inside the area of interest there are 8 wells installed (each aquifer 4) measuring piezometric head on hourly/daily temporal scale. Sea level measurements are also made capturing for long term tidal oscillations. Discharge measurements are made few km downstream from hydropower plant Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), while three meteorological stations for rainfall measurements are located at the area boundaries. Salt water concentration, pH and resistivity values have been measured locally, app 6 times per year for last 10 years. Results imply confined aquifer is dominantly influenced by the sea level while tidal effects are noticed 9 km upstream the river Neretva with delay of 9-12 minutes compared to sea level. Salt water cline inside the river is related to tidal effects and river discharge, with potential presence at distances of more than 15 km upstream from the sea. Salt water intrusion dominantly occurs through confined aquifer while vertical transport of salt is supposed to be enhanced by the effects of drainage system.

  11. DoD Warrior Games

    Science.gov Websites

    Wheelchair Basketball Wheelchair Basketball Results RSS : Posts Comments Warrior Games 2016 Home Results Search Home Image 01 US Navy to Host 2017 DoD Warrior Games in Chicago. Image 02 Team Army at the 2016 DoD Warrior Games, U.S. Army Military Academy, West Point, New York. Image 03 Team Marine Corps at the

  12. 77 FR 25655 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Tombigbee River, AL

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-01

    ... Meridian and Bigbee Railroad (MNBR) vertical lift span bridge across the Tombigbee River at Naheola... The MNBR vertical lift span bridge crosses the Tombigbee River at mile 128.6 (Black Warrior Tombigbee... Railroad (MNBR) vertical lift span bridge across the Tombigbee River, mile 128.6 (Black Warrior Tombigbee...

  13. 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...

  14. Generalized hydrogeology and ground-water budget for the C Aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hart, Robert J.; Ward, John J.; Bills, Donald J.; Flynn, Marilyn E.

    2002-01-01

    The C aquifer underlies the Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins and is named for the primary water-bearing rock unit of the aquifer, the Coconino Sandstone. The areal extent of this aquifer is more than 27,000 square miles. More than 1,000 well and spring sites were identified in the U.S. Geological Survey database for the C aquifer in Arizona and New Mexico. The C aquifer is the most productive aquifer in the Little Colorado River Basin. The Little Colorado River is the primary surface-water feature in the area, and it has a direct hydraulic connection with the C aquifer in some areas. Spring discharge as base flow from the C aquifer occurs predominantly in the lower 13 miles of the Little Colorado River subsequent to downward leakage into the deeper Redwall-Muav Limestone aquifer. Ground-water mounds or divides exist along the southern and northeastern boundaries of the Little Colorado River Basin. The ground-water divides are significant boundaries of the C aquifer; however, the location and persistence of the divides potentially can be affected by ground-water withdrawals. Ground-water development in the C aquifer has increased steadily since the 1940s because population growth has produced an increased need for agricultural, industrial, and public water supply. Ground-water pumpage from the C aquifer during 1995 was about 140,000 acre-feet. Ground-water budget components for the C aquifer were evaluated using measured or estimated discharge values. The system was assumed to be in a steady-state condition with respect to natural recharge and discharge, and the stability of discharge from major springs during the past several decades supported the steady-state assumption. Downward leakage to the Redwall-Muav Limestone aquifer is a major discharge component for the ground-water budget. Discharge from the C aquifer is estimated to be 319,000 acre-feet per year.

  15. The nitrogen cycle in highly urbanized tropical regions and the effect of river-aquifer interactions: The case of Jakarta and the Ciliwung River.

    PubMed

    Costa, Diogo; Burlando, Paolo; Priadi, Cindy; Shie-Yui, Liong

    2016-09-01

    Groundwater is extensively used in Jakarta to compensate for the limited public water supply network. Recent observations show a rise in nitrate (NO3(-)) levels in the shallow aquifer, thus pointing at a potential risk for public health. The detected levels are still below national and international regulatory limits for drinking water but a strategy is necessary to contain the growing problem. We combine 3years of available data in the Ciliwung River, the major river flowing through Jakarta, with a distributed river-aquifer interaction model to characterise the impact of urbanisation on the N-cycle of both surface and groundwater systems. Results show that the N-cycle in the river-aquifer system is heterogeneous in space, seasonal dependent (i.e. flow regime) and strongly affected by urban pollution. Results suggest also that although the main sources of N related groundwater pollution are leaking septic tanks, the aquifer interaction with the Ciliwung River may locally have a strong effect on the concentrations. In the general context of pollution control in urban areas, this study demonstrates how advanced process-based models can be efficiently used in combination with field measurements to bring new insights into complex contamination problems. These are essential for more effective and integrated management of water quality in river-aquifer systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls in the Housatonic River and adjacent aquifer, Massachusetts

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gay, Frederick B.; Frimpter, Michael H.

    1985-01-01

    Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) are sorbed to the fine-grained stream-bottom sediments along the Housatonic River from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, southward to the Massachusetts-Connecticut boundary. The highest PCB concentrations, up to 140,000 micrograms per kilogram, were found in samples of bottom material from a reach of the river between Pittsfield and Woods Pond Dam in Lee, Massachusetts. Sediments in Woods Pond have been estimated to contain about 11,000 pounds of PCB's. Approximately 490 pounds per year of PCB's have also been estimated to move past the Housatonic River gaging station at Great Barrington. The distribution of hydraulic heads, water temperatures, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrate, iron, and manganese in ground water shows that industrial water-supply wells in a sand and gravel aquifer adjacent to a stretch of the river called Woods Pond have been inducing ground-water recharge through the PCB-contaminated bottom sediments of the pond since late 1956. These data indicate that, at one location along the shore of the pond, the upper 40 feet of the aquifer contains water derived from induced infiltration. However, this induced recharge has not moved PCB's from the bottom sediments into a vertical section of the aquifer located 5 feet downgradient from the edge of Woods Pond. Samples taken at selected intervals in this section showed that no PCB's sorbed to the aquifer material or dissolved in the ground water within the detection limits of the chemical analyses.

  17. Defense.gov Special Report: Warrior Games 2014

    Science.gov Websites

    Department of Defense Submit Search Looking Back at the 2014 Warrior Games Warrior Games 2014 Once on the Corps Sgt. Anthony McDaniel Jr. during a ceremony honoring Warrior Games participants. Warrior Games Conclude Marine Corps Sgt. Anthony McDaniel Jr. throws the discus during the Warrior Games track and field

  18. Aqueous geochemistry and diagenesis in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer system, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wood, Warren W.; Low, Walton H.

    1986-01-01

    Water budget and isotopic analyses of water in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer system confirm that most, if not all, of the water is local meteoric in origin. Solute mass-balance arguments suggest that ∼5 × 109 moles of calcite and 2.6 × 109 moles of silica are precipitated annually in the aquifer. Isotopic evaluations of calcite and petrographic observation of silica support the low-temperature origin of these deposits. Approximately 2.8 × 109 moles of chloride, 4.5 × 109 moles of sodium, 1.4 × 109 moles of sulfate, and 2 × 109 moles of magnesium are removed annually from the aquifer framework by solution. Proposed weathering reactions are shown to be consistent with mass balance, carbon isotopes, observed mineralogy, and chemical thermodynamics. Large quantities of sodium, chloride, and sulfate are being removed from the system relative to their abundances in the rock. Sedimentary interbeds, which are estimated to compose <10% of the aquifer volume, may yield as much as 20% of the solutes generated within the aquifer. Weathering rate of the aquifer framework of the eastern Snake River Plain is 14 (Mg/km2)/yr or less than half the average of the North American continent. This contrasts with the rate for the eastern Snake River basin, 34 (Mg/km2)/yr, which is almost identical to the average for the North American continent. Identification and quantification of reactions controlling solute concentrations in ground water in the eastern plain indicate that the aquifer is not an “inert bathtub” that simply stores and transmits water and solutes but is undergoing active diagenesis and is both a source and sink for solutes.

  19. Water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer, Republican River Basin in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska, 2002 to 2015

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McGuire, V.L.

    2016-12-29

    The High Plains aquifer underlies 111.8 million acres (about 175,000 square miles) in parts of eight States—Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. More than 95 percent of the water withdrawn from the High Plains aquifer is used for irrigation. Water-level declines began in parts of the High Plains aquifer soon after the beginning of substantial irrigation with groundwater in the aquifer area (about 1950). The Republican River Basin is 15.9 million acres (about 25,000 square miles) and is located in northeast Colorado, northern Kansas, and southwest Nebraska. The Republican River Basin overlies the High Plains aquifer for 87 percent of the basin area. Water-level declines had begun in parts of the High Plains aquifer within the Republican River Basin by 1964. In 2002, management practices were enacted in the Middle Republican Natural Resources District in Nebraska to comply with the Republican River Compact Final Settlement. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Middle Republican Natural Resources District, completed a study of water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer within the Republican River Basin from 2002 to 2015 to enable the Middle Republican Natural Resources District to assess the effect of the management practices, which were specified by the Republican River Compact Final Settlement. Water-level changes determined from this study are presented in this report.Water-level changes from 2002 to 2015 in the High Plains aquifer within the Republican River Basin, by well, ranged from a rise of 9.4 feet to a decline of 43.2 feet. The area-weighted, average water-level change from 2002 to 2015 in this part of the aquifer was a decline of 4.5 feet.

  20. Hydrogeology, degradation of ground-water quality, and simulation of infiltration from the Delaware River into the Potomac aquifers, northern Delaware

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Phillips, S.W.

    1987-01-01

    Brackish water is infiltrating from the Delaware River into the underlying Potomac aquifers in the Cretaceous Potomac Formation in northern Delaware. Evidence that infiltration at the river is actually occurring includes chloride concentrations in the aquifers that are above ambient levels and chemical characteristics of groundwater and river water that are similar. Water quality within the Potomac aquifers has been degraded by the infiltration of river water and by leachate from waste disposal sites. The ambient groundwater has chloride concentrations from 10 to 21 mg/L. Chemical analyses indicate that the ambient groundwater is a sodium magnesium calcium-chloride sulfate bicarbonate type. Areas of the Potomac aquifers that have been degraded have chloride concentrations from 40 to 8,600 m/L, with specific conductances of 200 to 27 ,200 microsiemens/cm at 25 C. Chemical analyses indicate the groundwater in these areas is a sodium-chlorate type. Two wells in the lower Potomac aquifer near the Wilmington Marine Terminal also have been affected by the infiltration of river water. Leachate from waste disposal sites has caused localized groundwater degradation in all three Potomac aquifers, especially north of the Delaware Memorial Bridge and at sites near Army Creek and Red Lion Creek. Chloride concentrations up to 8,600 mg/L have resulted from waste disposal leachate. Simulated infiltration of river water into the Potomac aquifers accounts for approximately 6 to 12% of the total aquifer recharge in the area of influence of the pumping. There is a direct correlation between the rate of infiltration of river water and the total well-field pumpage. The rate of infiltration of river water for the pumping scenarios ranged from 0.31 to 0.62 million gal/day. Simulations of freshwater injection demonstrated that 12 barriers wells, each injecting 300 gal/min, would be needed to create a barrier against the infiltration of river water in the upper Potomac aquifer, whereas the

  1. Coupled modelling of groundwater flow-heat transport for assessing river-aquifer interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Engeler, I.; Hendricks Franssen, H. J.; Müller, R.; Stauffer, F.

    2010-05-01

    A three-dimensional finite element model for coupled variably saturated groundwater flow and heat transport was developed for the aquifer below the city of Zurich. The piezometric heads in the aquifer are strongly influenced by the river Limmat. In the model region, the river Limmat looses water to the aquifer. The river-aquifer interaction was modelled with the standard linear leakage concept. Coupling was implemented by considering temperature dependence of the hydraulic conductivity and of the leakage coefficient (via water viscosity) and density dependent transport. Calibration was performed for isothermal conditions by inverse modelling using the pilot point method. Independent model testing was carried out with help of the available dense monitoring network for piezometric heads and groundwater temperature. The model was tested by residuals analysis with the help of measurements for both groundwater temperature and head. The comparison of model results and measurements showed high accuracy for temperature except for the Southern part of the model area, where important geological heterogeneity is expected, which could not be reproduced by the model. The comparison of simulated and measured head showed that especially in the vicinity of river Limmat model results were improved by a temperature dependent leakage coefficient. Residuals were reduced up to 30% compared to isothermal leakage coefficients. This holds particularly for regions, where the river stage is considerably above the groundwater level. Furthermore additional analysis confirmed prior findings, that seepage rates during flood events cannot be reproduced with the implemented linear leakage-concept. Infiltration during flood events is larger than expected, which can be potentially attributed to additional infiltration areas. It is concluded that the temperature dependent leakage concept improves the model results for this study area significantly, and that we expect that this is also for other

  2. To what extent do long-duration high-volume dam releases influence river-aquifer interactions? A case study in New South Wales, Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graham, P. W.; Andersen, M. S.; McCabe, M. F.; Ajami, H.; Baker, A.; Acworth, I.

    2015-03-01

    Long-duration high-volume dam releases are unique anthropogenic events with no naturally occurring equivalents. The impact from such dam releases on a downstream Quaternary alluvial aquifer in New South Wales, Australia, is assessed. It is observed that long-duration (>26 days), high-volume dam releases (>8,000 ML/day average) result in significant variations in river-aquifer interactions. These variations include a flux from the river to the aquifer up to 6.3 m3/day per metre of bank (at distances of up to 330 m from the river bank), increased extent and volume of recharge/bank storage, and a long-term (>100 days) reversal of river-aquifer fluxes. In contrast, during lower-volume events (<2,000 ML/day average) the flux was directed from the aquifer to the river at rates of up to 1.6 m3/day per metre of bank. A groundwater-head prediction model was constructed and river-aquifer fluxes were calculated; however, predicted fluxes from this method showed poor correlation to fluxes calculated using actual groundwater heads. Long-duration high-volume dam releases have the potential to skew estimates of long-term aquifer resources and detrimentally alter the chemical and physical properties of phreatic aquifers flanking the river. The findings have ramifications for improved integrated management of dam systems and downstream aquifers.

  3. Evaluation of aquifer heterogeneity effects on river flow loss using a transition probability framework

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Engdahl, N.B.; Vogler, E.T.; Weissmann, G.S.

    2010-01-01

    River-aquifer exchange is considered within a transition probability framework along the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to provide a stochastic estimate of aquifer heterogeneity and river loss. Six plausible hydrofacies configurations were determined using categorized drill core and wetland survey data processed through the TPROGS geostatistical package. A base case homogeneous model was also constructed for comparison. River loss was simulated for low, moderate, and high Rio Grande stages and several different riverside drain stage configurations. Heterogeneity effects were quantified by determining the mean and variance of the K field for each realization compared to the root-mean-square (RMS) error of the observed groundwater head data. Simulation results showed that the heterogeneous models produced smaller estimates of loss than the homogeneous approximation. Differences between heterogeneous and homogeneous model results indicate that the use of a homogeneous K in a regional-scale model may result in an overestimation of loss but comparable RMS error. We find that the simulated river loss is dependent on the aquifer structure and is most sensitive to the volumetric proportion of fines within the river channel. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.

  4. 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.

  5. Science for informed decision: A 3D unified conceptual model of the Milk River Transboundary Aquifer (Alberta-Montana)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rivera, A.; Pétré, M.

    2013-12-01

    The Milk River transboundary aquifer straddles southern Alberta (Canada) and northern Montana (United States), in a semi-arid region considered water short. This confined sandstone aquifer is a source for municipal supply and agricultural uses on the Canadian side, as well as for secondary oil recovery on the US-side of the border. The extensive use of this resource since the mid 1950's has led to a dramatic drop in the water level in some places and concerns about the durability of the resource have risen. The Milk River aquifer has been the object of many studies during the 20th century; however most of them were limited by the USCanada border, preventing a sound understanding of the global dynamics of the aquifer. The objectives of this transboundary study are to better understand the dynamics of the Milk River aquifer, following its natural limits, in order to make recommendations for a sustainable management and its good governance by the two international jurisdictions, as recommended in the UNGA resolution 63/124 on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers. Since 2009, the Milk River transboundary aquifer is part of the inventory of UNESCO ISARM-Americas initiative, which encourages riparian states to work cooperatively toward mutually beneficial and sustainable aquifer development However, the use of this shared resource is not ruled by any international agreement or convention between the USA and the Canada. Stakeholders from the two countries have been involved, at various levels of jurisdictions (municipal, provincial, state, federal) to establish a strong cooperation. In these contexts, models can constitute useful tools for informed decisions. In the case of the Milk River aquifer, models could support scientists and managers from both countries in avoiding potential tensions linked to the water shortage context in this region. Models can determine the conditions of overexploitation and provide an assessment of a sustainable yield. A unified conceptual model

  6. The Office of Warrior Care Policy

    Science.gov Websites

    Health Affairs Website Heath Affairs Blog Special Features The Office of Warrior Care Policy Mission Activity The Office of Warrior Care Policy James Rodriguez Mr. James Rodriguez Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (WCP) The Office of Warrior Care Policy ensures recovering wounded, ill, injured, and

  7. Geohydrology and water quality of stratified-drift aquifers in the middle Merrimack River basin, south-central New Hampshire

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ayotte, Joseph D.; Toppin, Kenneth W.

    1995-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the State of New Hampshire, Department of Environmental Services, Water Resources Division has assessed the geohydrology and water quality of stratified-drift aquifers in the middle Merrimack River basin in south-central New Hampshire. The middle Merrimack River basin drains 469 square miles; 98 square miles is underlain by stratified-drift aquifers. Saturated thickness of stratified drift within the study area is generally less than 40 feet but locally greater than 100 feet. Transmissivity of stratified-drift aquifers is generally less than 2,000 feet squared per day but locally exceeds 6, 000 feet squared per day. At present (1990), ground-water withdrawals from stratified drift for public supply are about 0.4 million gallons per day within the basin. Many of the stratified-drift aquifers within the study area are not developed to their fullest potential. The geohydrology of stratified-drift aquifers was investigated by focusing on basic aquifer properties, including aquifer boundaries; recharge, discharge, and direction of ground-water flow; saturated thickness and storage; and transmissivity. Surficial geologic mapping assisted in the determination of aquifer boundaries. Data from 757 wells and test borings were used to produce maps of water-table altitude, saturated thickness, and transmissivity of stratified drift. More than 10 miles of seismic-refraction profiling and 14 miles of seismic-reflection profiling were also used to construct the water table and saturated-thickness maps. Stratified-drift aquifers in the southern, western, and central parts of the study area are typically small and discontinuous, whereas aquifers in the eastern part along the Merrimack River valley are continuous. The Merrimack River valley aquifers formed in glacial Lakes Merrimack and Hooksett. Many other smaller discontinuous aquifers formed in small temporary ponds during deglaciation. A stratified-drift aquifer in Goffstown was

  8. Flow of river water into a karstic limestone aquifer - 2. Dating the young fraction in groundwater mixtures in the Upper Floridan aquifer near Valdosta, Georgia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Plummer, Niel; Busenberg, E.; Drenkard, S.; Schlosser, P.; Ekwurzel, B.; Weppernig, R.; McConnell, J.B.; Michel, R.L.

    1998-01-01

    Tritium/helium-3 (3H/3He) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113) data are used to date the young fraction in groundwater mixtures from a karstic limestone aquifer near Valdosta, Georgia, where regional paleowater in the Upper Floridan aquifer receives recharge from two young sources the flow of Withlacoochee River water through sinkholes in the river bed, and leakage of infiltration water through post-Eocene semi-confining beds above the Upper Floridan aquifer. In dating the young fraction of mixtures using CFCs, it is necessary to reconstruct the CFC concentration that was in the young fraction prior to mixing. The 3H/3He age is independent of the extent of dilution with older (3H-free and 3He(trit)-free) water. The groundwater mixtures are designated as Type-I for mixtures of regional paleowater and regional infiltration water and Type-2 for mixtures containing more than approximately 4% of river water. The fractions of regional paleowater, regional infiltration water, and Withlacoochee River water in the groundwater mixtures were determined from Cl- and ??18O data for water from the Upper Floridan aquifer at Valdosta, Georgia The chlorofluorocarbons CFC-11 and CFC-113 are removed by microbial degradation and/or sorption processes in most allaerobic (Type-2) groundwater at Valdosta, but are present in some aerobic Type-I water. CFC-12 persists in both SO4-reducing and methanogenic water. The very low detection limits for CFCs (approximately 0.3 pg kg-1) permitted CFC-11 and CFC-12 dating of the fraction of regional infiltration water in Type-I mixtures, and CFC-12 dating of the river-water fraction in Type-2 mixtures. Overall, approximately 50% of the 85 water sam pies obtained from the Upper Floridan aquifer have CFC-12-based ages of the young traction that are consistent with the 3H concentration of the groundwater. Because of uncertainties associated with very low 3H and 3He content in dilute mixtures, 3H/3He dating is limited to the river

  9. Hydrogeology of confined-drift aquifers near the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa rivers, western Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Delin, G.N.

    1986-01-01

    A ground-water-flow model indicated that increased pumping from two of the confined aquifers simulated, the Appleton and Benson-middle aquifers, would not adversely affect water levels. The addition of 30 hypothetical wells in the Benson-middle aquifer, pumping a total of approximately 792 million gallons per year, resulted in regional water-level declines of as much as 1.4 and 2.7 feet in the surficial and Benson-middle aquifers, respectively. The addition of 28 hypothetical wells in the Appleton aquifer, pumping a total of approximately 756 million gallons per year, lowered water levels as much as 5 feet in the surficial and Appleton aquifers. Simulations of reduced recharge and increased pumping, which could represent a 3-year drought, probably would lower water levels 2 to 6 feet regionally in the surficial and confined aquifers and as much as 11 feet near aquifer boundaries. Ground-water discharge to the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers in the southern part of the study area probably would be reduced by approximately 15.2 and 7.4 cubic feet per second, respectively, as a result of the simulated drought. Mean discharge of the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers is 104 and 267 cubic feet per second, respectively.

  10. Estimated discharge and chemical-constituent loading from the upper Floridan aquifer to the lower St John's River, northeastern Florida, 1990-91

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Spechler, R.M.

    1995-01-01

    The lower St. Johns River, a 101-mile long segment of the St. Johns River, begins at the confluence of the Ocklawaha River and ends where the river discharges into the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport. The St. Johns River is affected by tides as far upstream as Lake George, 106 miles from the mouth. Saltwater from the ocean advances inland during each incoming tide and recedes during each outgoing tide. The chemical quality of the lower St. Johns River is highly variable primarily because of the inflow of saltwater from the ocean, and in some areas, from the discharge of mineralized ground water. Three hydrogeologic units are present in the study area: the surficial aquifer system, the intermediate confining unit, and the Floridan aquifer system. The surficial aquifer system overlies the intermediate confining unit and consists of deposits containing sand, clay, shell, and some limestone and dolomite. The intermediate confining unit underlies all of the study area and retards the vertical movement of water between the surficial aquifer system and the Floridan aquifer system. The intermediate confining unit consists of beds of relatively low permeability sediments that vary in thickness and areal extent and can be breached by sinkholes, fractures, and other openings. The Floridan aquifer system primarily consists of limestone and dolomite. The quality of water in the Upper Floridan aquifer varies throughout the study area. Dissolved solids in water range from about 100 to more than 5,000 milligrams per liter. Chloride and sulfate concentrations in water from the Upper Floridan aquifer range from about 4 to 3,700 milligrams per liter and from 1 to 1,300 milligrams per liter, respectively. The rate of leakage through the intermediate confining unit is controlled by the leakance coefficient of the intermediate confining unit and by the head difference between the Upper Floridan aquifer and the surficial aquifer system. The total ground-water discharge from the Upper Floridan

  11. Estimating the Spatial Extent of Unsaturated Zones in Heterogeneous River-Aquifer Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schilling, Oliver S.; Irvine, Dylan J.; Hendricks Franssen, Harrie-Jan; Brunner, Philip

    2017-12-01

    The presence of unsaturated zones at the river-aquifer interface has large implications on numerous hydraulic and chemical processes. However, the hydrological and geological controls that influence the development of unsaturated zones have so far only been analyzed with simplified conceptualizations of flow processes, or homogeneous conceptualizations of the hydraulic conductivity in either the aquifer or the riverbed. We systematically investigated the influence of heterogeneous structures in both the riverbed and the aquifer on the development of unsaturated zones. A stochastic 1-D criterion that takes both riverbed and aquifer heterogeneity into account was developed using a Monte Carlo sampling technique. The approach allows the reliable estimation of the upper bound of the spatial extent of unsaturated areas underneath a riverbed. Through systematic numerical modeling experiments, we furthermore show that horizontal capillary forces can reduce the spatial extent of unsaturated zones under clogged areas. This analysis shows how the spatial structure of clogging layers and aquifers influence the propensity for unsaturated zones to develop: In riverbeds where clogged areas are made up of many small, spatially disconnected patches with a diameter in the order of 1 m, unsaturated areas are less likely to develop compared to riverbeds where large clogged areas exist adjacent to unclogged areas. A combination of the stochastic 1-D criterion with an analysis of the spatial structure of the clogging layers and the potential for resaturation can help develop an appropriate conceptual model and inform the choice of a suitable numerical simulator for river-aquifer systems.

  12. A Transient Groundwater Flow Model for Evaluating River-Aquifer Exchange

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zanini, A.; Chelli, A.; Pecoraro, R.; Celico, F.

    2014-12-01

    The study area is an industrial site (in the North of Italy) contaminated through heavy metal and chlorinated hydrocarbons. The site presents an area of about 5 km2 and a complex geology. During 2013 and 2014 the hydrogeological conceptual model was reviewed and the result was a main unconfined aquifer that presents an impervious bottom at about 30 m below ground. A small portion of the aquifer is split by a non-continuous aquitard. Below the impervious bottom, there are confined aquifers that are not polluted. The boundary conditions of the aquifer are constant head upstream (obtained from a regional piezometry) and constant head downstream that represents a lake stage. Moreover a river inside the study area, that could feed or dry the aquifer depending on its stage, manages the groundwater head levels. The study area presents more than 100 pumping wells that have the objective of realizing a hydraulic barrier and to prevent the flow of pollutants downstream. The area is monitored with about 120 monitoring wells, which are used, through a periodic sampling and monitoring, to control the pollution and to estimate the flow direction. During the last year a numerical flow model has been developed by means of MODFLOW 2000 (Harbaugh, 2000) with the aim at becoming a management tool of the hydraulic barrier. The calibration procedure, initially, was performed in steady state condition using the PEST procedure (Doherty, 2007). The goal was to reproduce the monthly observations at the monitoring wells varying the hydraulic conductivity of the main aquifer and of the aquitard. The second step of the calibration was the extension of the calibration to transient data. The period from September 1st 2013 to June 31st 2014 was reproduced. In order to avoid problem with the starting conditions only the observations collected in 2014 were used to estimate the aquifer parameters. The period September 1st 2013 to December 31st was used as warm up in order to obtain reliable

  13. Radon in the fluvial aquifers of the White River Basin, Indiana, 1995

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fenelon, Joseph M.; Moore, Rhett C.

    1996-01-01

    Water samples collected in 1995 from 57 monitoring wells (48 shallow and 9 deep) in the fluvial aquifers of the White River Basin were analyzed for radon. Radon concentrations in the shallow wells ranged from 140 to 1,600 pCi/L (picocuries per liter); the median concentration was 420 pCi/L. In comparison, analyses of the samples from the nine deep wells indicate that radon concentrations decrease with depth within the fluvial aquifers; the median concentration was 210 pCi/L. No areal trends in radon concentrations are evident in the water of the shallow fluvial aquifers of the basin

  14. Ground-water levels, predevelopment ground-water flow, and stream-aquifer relations in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clarke, John S.; West, Christopher T.

    1998-01-01

    Ground-water levels, predevelopment ground-water flow, and stream-aquifer relations in the vicinity of the U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina, were evaluated as part of a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. As part of this evaluation: (1) ground-water-level fluctuations and trends in three aquifer systems in sediment of Cretaceous and Tertiary age were described and related to patterns of ground-water use and precipitations; (2) a conceptual model ofthe stream-aquifer flow system was developed; (3) the predevelopment ground-water flow system, configuration of potentiometric surfaces, trans-river flow, and recharge-discharge relations were described; and (4) stream-aquifer relations and the influence of river incision on ground-water flow and stream-aquifer relations were described. The 5,147-square mile study area is located in the northern part of the Coastal Plain physiographic province of Georgia and South Carolina. Coastal Plain sediments comprise three aquifer systems consisting of seven aquifers that are separated hydraulically by confining units. The aquifer systems are, in descending order: (1) the Floridan aquifer system?consisting of the Upper Three Runs and Gordon aquifers in sediments of Eocene age; (2) the Dublin aquifer system?consisting of the Millers Pond, upper Dublin, and lower Dublin aquifers in sediments of Paleocene-Late Cretaceous age; and (3) the Midville aquifer system?consisting of the upper Midville and lower Midville aquifers in sediments of Late Cretaceous age. The Upper Three Runs aquifer is the shallowest aquifer and is unconfined to semi-confined throughout most of the study area. Ground-water levels in the Upper Three Runs aquifer respond to a local flow system and are affected mostly by topography and climate. Ground-water flow in the deeper, Gordon aquifer and Dublin and Midville aquifer systems is

  15. 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)

  16. Defense.gov Special Report: Warrior Care Month - 2014

    Science.gov Websites

    at Navy Medicine. Air Force - 2014 Warrior Games More Photo Essays Army - 2014 Warrior Games Army - 2014 Invictus Games My Resilient Selfie: U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program 10th Anniversary Video Spotlight: Retired YNC Javier Rodriguez Santiago 2014 Warrior Games athlete - Nick Dadgostar 2014 Invictus

  17. 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.

  18. Defense.gov - Warrior Games

    Science.gov Websites

    Warrior Games Archery, Track & Field More Videos at DoD Vclips Photo Essays Track and Field, Day 4 Army vs. Air Force in Volleyball More Photo Essays Click here for the 2011 Warrior Games Home Profiles Bios Event Schedule Stories Games Closing Marks New Beginning COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 15, 2010

  19. Warrior culture, spirituality, and prayer.

    PubMed

    Malmin, Mark

    2013-09-01

    Research has shown an increase in suicides by military veterans and law enforcement officers in the United States. Etiologic research elucidates warrior culture and subculture as contributing factors of this pathology. This paper examines the idiosyncratic nature and influence of warrior culture and subculture and offers recommendations to promote culture change. Faith-based spirituality and prayer are examined as adjunct modalities for stress management and emotional healing. Further research is recommended to assess the associated hidden cost factors and long-term financial impact of warrior culture on society.

  20. Ground-water availability from surficial aquifers in the Red River of the North Basin, Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Reppe, Thomas H.C.

    2005-01-01

    On the basis of data and methods presented to evaluate ground-water availability, the Otter Tail and Pineland Sands surficial aquifers and Pelican River sand-plain aquifer have the greatest potential for additional development of ground-water resources in the study area.

  1. Potential effects of deepening the St. Johns River navigation channel on saltwater intrusion in the surficial aquifer system, Jacksonville, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bellino, Jason C.; Spechler, Rick M.

    2013-01-01

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has proposed dredging a 13-mile reach of the St. Johns River navigation channel in Jacksonville, Florida, deepening it to depths between 50 and 54 feet below North American Vertical Datum of 1988. The dredging operation will remove about 10 feet of sediments from the surficial aquifer system, including limestone in some locations. The limestone unit, which is in the lowermost part of the surficial aquifer system, supplies water to domestic wells in the Jacksonville area. Because of density-driven hydrodynamics of the St. Johns River, saline water from the Atlantic Ocean travels upstream as a saltwater “wedge” along the bottom of the channel, where the limestone is most likely to be exposed by the proposed dredging. A study was conducted to determine the potential effects of navigation channel deepening in the St. Johns River on salinity in the adjacent surficial aquifer system. Simulations were performed with each of four cross-sectional, variable-density groundwater-flow models, developed using SEAWAT, to simulate hypothetical changes in salinity in the surficial aquifer system as a result of dredging. The cross-sectional models were designed to incorporate a range of hydrogeologic conceptualizations to estimate the effect of uncertainty in hydrogeologic properties. The cross-sectional models developed in this study do not necessarily simulate actual projected conditions; instead, the models were used to examine the potential effects of deepening the navigation channel on saltwater intrusion in the surficial aquifer system under a range of plausible hypothetical conditions. Simulated results for modeled conditions indicate that dredging will have little to no effect on salinity variations in areas upstream of currently proposed dredging activities. Results also indicate little to no effect in any part of the surficial aquifer system along the cross section near River Mile 11 or in the water-table unit along the cross

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Defense.gov Special Report: Warrior Games 2013

    Science.gov Websites

    Department of Defense Submit Search Warrior Games Once on the battlefield, now on the playing field Facebook Photo Essays Photo Essay: Marines Win Gold in Sitting Volleyball at 2013 Warrior Games Marines Win Gold in Sitting Volleyball at 2013 Warrior Games Photo Essay: Soldiers, Marines Participate in Archery

  5. Defense.gov Special Report: Warrior Games 2012

    Science.gov Websites

    Department of Defense Submit Search April 2012 Warrior Games Once on the battlefield, now on the playing challenges amplify all of you." First Lady Michelle Obama Warrior Games Opening Ceremonies, April 30 Cycling Events Photo Essay: Mrs. Obama, Dempsey Attend Opening for 2012 Warrior Games Mrs. Obama, Dempsey

  6. Warrior Transition Leader: Medical Rehabilitation Handbook

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    serve. rE f E r E n c E S 1. http://www.army.mil/warriorcarenews/. Accessed January 24, 2011. 2. Warrior Transition Command Web site. http...www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/ ctp.html. Accessed January 24, 2011. 3. Leipold JD. Warrior Transition Command stands up at Pentagon. US Army Web site. Army...January 24, 2011. 4. Warrior Transition Command Web site. http://wtc.armylive.dodlive.mil/ about-wtu/. Accessed January 24, 2011. 5. Leipold JD

  7. Mexicali aquifer and its relation with the Colorado river and the Cerro Prieto geothermal reservoir

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramirez-Hernandez, J.; Reyes-Lopez, J. A.; Carreon-Diazconti, C.; Lazaro-Mancilla, O.

    2008-05-01

    Until some years ago the Colorado River has been the main recharge source of the Mexicali and the Imperial Valley aquifers. River discharge interruption after the constructions of dams upstream (i.e. Parker, Davis and Hoover) and the creation of great irrigation systems in both Valleys have modified their dynamics. Currently, the distribution of water recharge is the network of irrigation and drainage channels that distribute water to more than 500.000 ha. The chemical quality of the recharge water also has changed because the irrigation run-off water has become more mineralized. On the other hand, the intense steam exploitation of the Cerro Prieto geothermal reservoir has inverted the flow direction from the Volcano Lagoon area that until the 60s constituted the discharge zone of the aquifer and the geothermal reservoir. In this work, changes in the aquifer water recharge regime, the phreatic level and the water chemical quality are analyzed. It was found that after the reduction of the annual water extraction from aquifer up to 750X106 m3, the static levels have reached a dynamic balance that could be altered if water seepage from the irrigation channels, specially from the All American Channel, is reduced. The total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration has increased from 1000 ppm in 1970 to 1800 ppm in 2005. The water of recent infiltration, the gradual cooling of the shallowest strata of the geothermal reservoir, and the almost total disappearance of the hydrothermal surface manifestations are evidences of groundwater flow inversion. The new source of groundwater recharge due to seepage of evaporation disposal geothermal brine pond is documented. This pond incorporates water with a very different chemical composition to the groundwater system. Therefore, mineralization of the shallow aquifer layers and the soil contamination process are identified. It was concluded that the aquifer hydrodynamics in the Valley of Mexicali depends on the irrigation system more

  8. 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

  9. The Air Force Warrior: Institutional Rhetoric Versus Reality

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-01

    one of the common themes among all societies is that the warrior is ―an essential part of society , a protector and a source of good .‖ 4 However...The moral frailty of man, combined with the moral relativism of society , mandates the warrior adhere to a warrior ethos. The Warrior Ethos One...between the Hedonism of the society and the Stoicism of its legionnaires—a battle between the extremes of self-indulgence and self-discipline

  10. Conjunctive-use optimization model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer of northeastern Arkansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Czarnecki, John B.; Clark, Brian R.; Reed, Thomas B.

    2003-01-01

    The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer is a water-bearing assemblage of gravels and sands that underlies about 32,000 square miles of Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Because of the heavy demands placed on the aquifer, several large cones of depression over 100 feet deep have formed in the potentiometric surface, resulting in lower well yields and degraded water quality in some areas. A ground-water flow model of the alluvial aquifer was previously developed for an area covering 14,104 square miles, extending northeast from the Arkansas River into the northeast corner of Arkansas and parts of southeastern Missouri. The flow model showed that continued ground-water withdrawals at rates commensurate with those of 1997 could not be sustained indefinitely without causing water levels to decline below half the original saturated thickness of the aquifer. To develop estimates of withdrawal rates that could be sustained in compliance with the constraints of critical ground-water area designation, conjunctive-use optimization modeling was applied to the flow model of the alluvial aquifer in northeastern Arkansas. Ground-water withdrawal rates form the basis for estimates of sustainable yield from the alluvial aquifer and from rivers specified within the alluvial aquifer model. A management problem was formulated as one of maximizing the sustainable yield from all ground-water and surface-water withdrawal cells within limits imposed by plausible withdrawal rates, and within specified constraints involving hydraulic head and streamflow. Steady-state flow conditions were selected because the maximized withdrawals are intended to represent sustainable yield of the system (a rate that can be maintained indefinitely). Within the optimization model, 11 rivers are specified. Surface-water diversion rates that occurred in 2000 were subtracted from specified overland flow at the appropriate river cells. Included in these diversions were the

  11. Nested heat tracer experiments for identifying heterogeneity of aquifer-river exchange at multiple scales

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krause, Stefan; Hannah, David; Blume, Theresa; Angermann, Lisa; Lewandowski, Joerg; Cassidy, Nigel

    2016-04-01

    This study presents the nested application of three heat tracing methods for identifying aquifer-river exchange fluxes at multiple scales ranging from centimeter to stream reach-scale. The investigations focus on a UK lowland river where hotspots of redox-reactivity were found to coincide with locations of increased streambed residence times underneath flow confining streambed peat and clay structures. In order to identify the spatial extend and patterns of reactivity hot spots associated with these streambed structures, reach-scale patterns of aquifer-river exchange fluxes have been analysed by Fibre-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FO-DTS) along a cable buried in the streambed of a 250 m reach in combination with 2D thermocouple arrays in a 12 m long pool-riffle-pool sequence and small-scale heat pulse injections for tracing shallow hyporheic flow paths within the uppermost 20cm streambed sediments. FO-DTS observed streambed temperature anomalies caused by the mixing of different temperatures of GW and SW end-members were used to infer information on exchange fluxes at the aquifer-river interface. FO-DTS survey results indicate that patterns of up to 2C colder (Summer) and 3.5C warmer (Winter) temperatures in investigated streambed sediments can be attributed to fast GW up-welling in sandy and gravely sediments. Contrasting conditions were found at locations where streambed temperatures equal SW temperatures and GW-SW exchange was inhibited by the existence of peat or clay lenses within the streambed. FO-DTS observations of regional GW up-welling patterns were complemented by heat pulse injection experiments which provided essential information of the shallow aquifer- river exchange fluxes and confirmed increased SW infiltration and lateral flow in riffle crests and at locations with highly conductive streambed sediments above flow confining low conductivity structures. The propagation of diurnal temperature oscillations from the surface to streambed depths

  12. Investigating the Sources of Nitrogen Contamination in the Shallow Aquifer of Jakarta using a Newly Developed Distributed River-Aquifer Flow and Transport Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Costa, D.; Burlando, P.; Liong, S. Y.

    2015-12-01

    Recent observations in the shallow aquifer of Jakarta show a rise in nitrate (NO3-) levels. Groundwater is extensively used in the city to compensate for the limited public water supply network and therefore the risk to public health from a rise in NO3- concentration is high. NO3- has been identified as a cofactor for methemoglobinemia in infants, a disease which can lead to death in extreme cases. The NO3- levels detected are still below regulatory limits for drinking purposes but strategies are necessary to contain the growing problem. To this end, the main sources and pathways of inorganic compounds containing nitrogen (N) - i.e. nitrate, nitrite (NO2-) and ammonium (NH4+) - were investigated. We combined 3 years of field measurements in the Ciliwung River, the major river flowing through Jakarta, with a distributed river-aquifer interaction model to characterize the N-cycle in both systems and quantify the contribution of river infiltration in the overall groundwater N budget. The computed infiltration fluxes were compared to estimates of leaks from poorly maintained septic tanks, which are extensively used in the city, to identify the main source of groundwater contamination. Observations show a strong and interdependent spatial and seasonal variability in the levels of NO3-, NO2- and NH4+ in the river, which is caused by changes in nitrification/denitrification rates due to variations in dissolved oxygen concentrations. Simulation results suggest that such dynamics in the river cause river to aquifer contamination patterns to likewise change over space and time, which leads to heterogeneous vulnerability distributions. The estimated contribution of river-N infiltration to the observed NO3- groundwater levels is small if compared to that originating from all leaking septic tanks inside Jakarta. However, in the vicinity of the Ciliwung, river to groundwater N-loading can play an important role in the local NO3- groundwater levels because it is highly

  13. Seasonal changes in ground-water levels in the shallow aquifer near Hagerman and the Pecos River, Chaves County, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garn, H.S.

    1988-01-01

    The Pecos River near Hagerman in Chaves County, New Mexico, historically has been a gaining stream. In 1938, the slope of the water table in the shallow alluvial aquifer near Hagerman was toward the Pecos River. By 1950, a large water-table depression had formed in the alluvial aquifer southwest of Hagerman. Continued enlargement of this depression could reverse the direction of groundwater flow to the Pecos River. Water levels were measured during 1981-85 in wells along a section extending from the Pecos River to a point within the depression. Although the water-table depression has not caused a perennial change in direction of groundwater flow, it has caused a seasonal reversal in the slope of the water table between the river and the depression during the growing season when pumpage from the shallow aquifer is the greatest. (USGS)

  14. Hydrogeologic framework of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thamke, Joanna N.; LeCain, Gary D.; Ryter, Derek W.; Sando, Roy; Long, Andrew J.

    2014-01-01

    Regionally, water in the lower Tertiary and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems flows in a northerly or northeasterly direction from the Powder River structural basin to the Williston structural basin. Groundwater flow in the Williston structural basin generally is easterly or northeasterly. Flow in the uppermost hydrogeologic units generally is more local and controlled by topography where unglaciated in the Williston structural basin than is flow in the glaciated part and in underlying aquifers. Groundwater flow in the Powder River structural basin generally is northerly with local variations greatest in the uppermost aquifers. Groundwater is confined, and flow is regional in the underlying aquifers.

  15. Simulated effects of groundwater withdrawals from the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system and Piney Point aquifer, Maurice and Cohansey River Basins, Cumberland County and vicinity, New Jersey

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gordon, Alison D.; Buxton, Debra E.

    2018-05-10

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, conducted a study to simulate the effects of withdrawals from the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system on streamflow and groundwater flow and from the Piney Point aquifer on water levels in the Cohansey and Maurice River Basins in Cumberland County and surrounding areas. The aquifer system consists of gravel, sand, silt, and clay sediments of the Cohansey Sand and Kirkwood Formation that dip and thicken to the southeast. The aquifer system is generally an unconfined aquifer, but semi-confined and confined conditions exist within the Cumberland County study area. The Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system is present throughout Cumberland County and is the principal source of groundwater for public, domestic, agricultural-irrigation, industrial, and commercial water uses. In 2008, reported groundwater withdrawals from the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the study area totaled about 21,700 million gallons—about 36 percent for public supply; about 49 percent for agricultural irrigation; and about 15 percent for industrial, commercial, mining by sand and gravel companies, and non-agricultural irrigation uses. A transient numerical groundwater-flow model of the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system was developed and calibrated by incorporating monthly recharge, base-flow estimates, water-level data, surface-water diversions and discharges, and groundwater withdrawals from 1998 to 2008.The groundwater-flow model was used to simulate five withdrawal scenarios to observe the effects of additional groundwater withdrawals on the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system and streams. These scenarios include (1) average 1998 to 2008 monthly groundwater withdrawals (baseline scenario); (2) monthly full-allocation groundwater withdrawals, but agricultural-irrigation withdrawals were decreased for October through March; (3) monthly full-allocation groundwater withdrawals; (4) estimated monthly

  16. Stage-discharge relations for Black Warrior River at Warrior Dam near Eutaw, Alabama; updated 1985

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nelson, G.H.; Ming, C.O.

    1986-01-01

    The construction of Warrior Dam, completed in 1962, has resulted in changes to the stage-discharge relations in the vicinity. The scarcity of current-meter measurements, coupled with backwater conditions, make definition of a single stage-discharge relation impossible without considerable error. However, as a useful alternative, limit curves were developed in 1983 that defined the limits of possible stage-discharge relations at the dam tailwater section. Since the 1983 report, 37 discharge values computed through the dam for the flood of December 1983 were used to verify or update the lower end of the limit curves. Data obtained from a current-meter measurement of the February 1961 flood (furnished by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) were used to update the upper end of the curves. This report presents the updated information. (USGS)

  17. Groundwater-flow model for the Wood River Valley aquifer system, south-central Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fisher, Jason C.; Bartolino, James R.; Wylie, Allan H.; Sukow, Jennifer; McVay, Michael

    2016-06-27

    Subsurface outflow beneath the Big Wood River near Stanton Crossing. Temporal changes in aquifer storage are most affected by areal recharge and groundwater pumping, and also contribute to changes in streamflow gains.

  18. Geohydrology and water quality of the North Platte River alluvial aquifer, Garden County, Western Nebraska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Steele, Gregory V.; Cannia, James C.

    1995-01-01

    In 1993, a 3-year study was begun to describe the geohydrology and water quality of the North Platte River alluvial aquifer near Oshkosh, Garden County, Nebraska. The study's objectives are to evaluate the geohydrologic characteristics of the alluvial aquifer and to establish a network of observation wells for long-term monitoring of temporal variations and spatial distributions of nitrate and major-ion concentrations. Monitor wells were installed at 11 sites near Oshkosh. The geohydrology of the aquifer was characterized based on water-level measurements and two short-term aquifer tests. Bimonthly water samples were collected and analyzed for pH, specific conductivity, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients that included dissolved nitrate. Concentrations of major ions were defined from analyses of semiannual water samples. Analyses of the geohydrologic and water-quality data indicate that the aquifer is vulnerable to nitrate contamination. These data also show that nitrate concentrations in ground water flowing into and out of the study area are less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Concentration Level of 10 milligrams per liter for drinking water. Ground water from Lost Creek Valley may be mixing with ground water in the North Platte River Valley, somewhat moderating nitrate concentrations near Oshkosh.

  19. Using artificial sweeteners to identify contamination sources and infiltration zones in a coupled river-aquifer system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bichler, Andrea; Muellegger, Christian; Hofmann, Thilo

    2014-05-01

    In shallow or unconfined aquifers the infiltration of contaminated river water might be a major threat to groundwater quality. Thus, the identification of possible contamination sources in coupled surface- and groundwater systems is of paramount importance to ensure water quality. Micropollutants like artificial sweeteners are promising markers for domestic waste water in natural water bodies. Compounds, such as artificial sweeteners, might enter the aquatic environment via discharge of waste water treatment plants, leaky sewer systems or septic tanks and are ubiquitously found in waste water receiving waters. The hereby presented field study aims at the (1) identification of contamination sources and (2) delineation of infiltration zones in a connected river-aquifer system. River bank filtrate in the groundwater body was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively using a combined approach of hydrochemical analysis and artificial sweeteners (acesulfame ACE) as waste water markers. The investigated aquifer lies within a mesoscale alpine head water catchment and is used for drinking water production. It is hypothesized that a large proportion of the groundwater flux originates from bank filtrate of a nearby losing stream. Water sampling campaigns in March and July 2012 confirmed the occurrence of artificial sweeteners at the investigated site. The municipal waste water treatment plant was identified as point-source for ACE in the river network. In the aquifer ACE was present in more than 80% of the monitoring wells. In addition, water samples were classified according to their hydrochemical composition, identifying two predominant types of water in the aquifer: (1) groundwater influenced by bank filtrate and (2) groundwater originating from local recharge. In combination with ACE concentrations a third type of water could be discriminated: (3) groundwater influence by bank filtrate but infiltrated prior to the waste water treatment plant. Moreover, the presence of ACE

  20. Simulation of ground-water flow and stream-aquifer relations in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site, Georgia and South Carolina, predevelopment through 1992

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clarke, John S.; West, Christopher T.

    1998-01-01

    Ground-water flow and stream-aquifer relations were simulated for seven aquifers in Coastal Plain sediments in the vicinity of the U.S. Department of Energy, Savannah River Site (SRS), in Georgia and South Carolina to evaluate the potential for ground water containing hazardous materials to migrate from the SRS into Georgia through aquifers underlying the Savannah River (trans-river flow). The work was completed as part of a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The U.S. Geological Survey three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water flow model, MODFLOW, was used to simulate ground-water flow in three aquifer systems containing seven discrete aquifers: (1) the Floridan aquifer system, consisting of the Upper Three Runs and Gordon aquifers in sediments of Eocene age; (2) the Dublin aquifer system, consisting of the Millers Pond, and upper and lower Dublin aquifers in sediments of Paleocene and Late Cretaceous age; and (3) the Midville aquifer system, consisting of the upper and lower Midville aquifers of sediments in Late Cretaceous age. Ground-water flow was simulated using a series of steady-state simulations of predevelopment (pre-1953) conditions and six pumping periods--1953-60, 1961-70, 1971-75, 1976-80, 1981-86, and 1987-92--results are presented for predevelopment (prior to 1953) and modern-day (1987-92) conditions. Total simulated predevelopment inflow is 1,023 million gallons per day (Mgal/d), of which 76 percent is contributed by leakage from the Upper Three Runs aquifer. Over most of the study area, pumpage induced changes in ground-water levels, ground-water discharge to streams, and water-budget components were small during 1953-92, and changes in aquifer storage were insignificant. Simulated drawdown between predevelopment and modern-day conditions is small (less than 7 feet) and of limited areal extent--the largest simulated declines occur in the upper and

  1. The study of the interactions between groundwater and Sava River water in the Ljubljansko polje aquifer system (Slovenia)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vrzel, Janja; Solomon, D. Kip; Blažeka, Željko; Ogrinc, Nives

    2018-01-01

    River basin aquifers are common sites for drinking water wells as bank filtration can be a cost effective pretreatment technology. A groundwater vulnerability to pollution depends on a groundwater mean residence time and on a relative contribution of river water versus local precipitation to groundwater. Environmental isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen (δ18O and δ2H), tritium (3H) and concentrations of nitrate (NO3-) were used to investigate hydrological pathways, mean residence time and interactions between surface water and groundwater in the Ljubljansko polje aquifer system in Slovenia. δ18O and δ2H values indicate a spatial variability of the influence of individual groundwater sources inside the aquifer - local precipitation and the Sava River water. Fractions of river water in groundwater depend on the depth of perforated screens in the pumping wells and their distance from the Sava River. It was estimated that groundwater at wells Kleče 11, Hrastje 3, and Hrastje 8 is mostly composed of recently infiltrated local precipitation, while the Sava River is the dominant source of groundwater at the well Jarški prod 1. Groundwater at wells Kleče 8, Kleče 12, and Jarški prod 3 contains on average between 41% and 48% of the Sava River water. The 3H and 3H/3He methods indicate short mean residence time of groundwater present at Jarški prod (2-7 years) and Hrastje (7-8 years). A small fraction (<10%) of old groundwater is present at Kleče. Furthermore, infiltration of local precipitation influenced the levels of NO3- at Hrastje. These data extend our understanding of groundwater flow in the Ljubljansko polje aquifer system, interactions between the Sava River water/local precipitation and groundwater, and the utility of isotope tracers in evaluating the spatial distribution of groundwater vulnerability to pollution.

  2. Defense.gov Special Report: Warrior Care Month - 2013

    Science.gov Websites

    instructors. Story Leaders: Best Yet to Come for Wounded Warriors In this look back at the 2013 Warrior Games , a top Navy leader said the biggest message everyone should take away from the games is that " battles with the talks about why he participates in the Warrior Games. Story Reservist Moves Forward With

  3. 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

  4. Effect of irrigation pumpage during drought on karst aquifer systems in highly agricultural watersheds: example of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin, southeastern USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitra, Subhasis; Srivastava, Puneet; Singh, Sarmistha

    2016-09-01

    In the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river basin in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida (USA), population growth in the city of Atlanta and increased groundwater withdrawal for irrigation in southwest Georgia are greatly affecting the supply of freshwater to downstream regions. This study was conducted to understand and quantify the effect of irrigation pumpage on the karst Upper Floridan Aquifer and river-aquifer interactions in the lower ACF river basin in southwest Georgia. The groundwater MODular Finite-Element model (MODFE) was used for this study. The effect of two drought years, a moderate and a severe drought year, were simulated. Comparison of the results of the irrigated and non-irrigated scenarios showed that groundwater discharge to streams is a major outflow from the aquifer, and irrigation can cause as much as 10 % change in river-aquifer flux. The results also show that during months with high irrigation (e.g., June 2011), storage loss (34 %), the recharge and discharge from the upper semi-confining unit (30 %), and the river-aquifer flux (31 %) are the major water components contributing towards the impact of irrigation pumpage in the study area. A similar scenario plays out in many river basins throughout the world, especially in basins in which underlying karst aquifers are directly connected to a nearby stream. The study suggests that improved groundwater withdrawal strategies using climate forecasts needs to be developed in such a way that excessive withdrawals during droughts can be reduced to protect streams and river flows.

  5. Conceptual model of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Long, Andrew J.; Aurand, Katherine R.; Bednar, Jennifer M.; Davis, Kyle W.; McKaskey, Jonathan D.R.G.; Thamke, Joanna N.

    2014-01-01

    The three uppermost principal aquifer systems of the Northern Great Plains—the glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems—are described in this report and provide water for irrigation, mining, public and domestic supply, livestock, and industrial uses. These aquifer systems primarily are present in two nationally important fossil-fuelproducing areas: the Williston and Powder River structural basins in the United States and Canada. The glacial aquifer system is contained within glacial deposits that overlie the lower Tertiary and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems in the northeastern part of the Williston structural basin. Productive sand and gravel aquifers exist within this aquifer system. The Upper Cretaceous aquifer system is contained within bedrock lithostratigraphic units as deep as 2,850 and 8,500 feet below land surface in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, respectively. Petroleum extraction from much deeper formations, such as the Bakken Formation, is rapidly increasing because of recently improved hydraulic fracturing methods that require large volumes of relatively freshwater from shallow aquifers or surface water. Extraction of coalbed natural gas from within the lower Tertiary aquifer system requires removal of large volumes of groundwater to allow degasification. Recognizing the importance of understanding water resources in these energy-rich basins, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Groundwater Resources Program (http://water.usgs.gov/ogw/gwrp/) began a groundwater study of the Williston and Powder River structural basins in 2011 to quantify this groundwater resource, the results of which are described in this report. The overall objective of this study was to characterize, quantify, and provide an improved conceptual understanding of the three uppermost and principal aquifer systems in energy-resource areas of the Northern Great Plains to assist in groundwater-resource management for multiple uses. The study area

  6. Hydrogeology and numerical simulation of the unconsolidated glacial aquifer in the Pootatuck River Basin, Newtown, Connecticut

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Carlson, Carl S.; Mondazzi, Remo A.; Bjerklie, David M.; Brown, Craig J.

    2010-01-01

    A study of the groundwater and stream-aquifer interaction in the Pootatuck River Basin, Newtown, Connecticut, was conducted to analyze the effect of production wells on the groundwater levels and streamflow in the Pootatuck River as part of a cooperative program between the U.S. Geological Survey and Newtown, Connecticut. This study will help address concerns about the increasing competition for water for human uses and protection of aquatic habitat. The groundwater-flow model developed in the study was designed for use as a tool to assist planners in assessing the effects of potential future development, which will change the amount and distribution of recharge available to the groundwater system. Several different techniques were used to investigate the interconnection between the stream and the aquifer. Temperature, groundwater levels, stream stage, and stable-isotope data collected during aquifer tests at the principal production wells in the Pootatuck River Basin, as well as groundwater-flow simulations of the system, indicate that more than half of the water pumped from the wells comes from the Pootatuck River. This finding potentially has a large effect on approaches for protecting the water quality of the pumped water. Increases in the amount of impervious surface from future development will reduce and redistribute recharge to the groundwater system. The simulation of future development scenarios showed a decrease in the simulated base flow in the main stem of the Pootatuck River and in all of the 26 simulated subbasins, with some of the subbasins showing a decrease of more than 20 percent when new development had 85 percent impervious area. The groundwater-flow model and particle tracking were used to determine areas that contribute recharge to the five production wells available for use in the Pootatuck River Basin. These areas included narrow portions of the aquifer that extended beyond the immediate upgradient areas, probably because of deeper

  7. Hydrogeologic data for the Big River-Mishnock River stream-aquifer system, central Rhode Island

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Craft, P.A.

    2001-01-01

    Hydrogeology, ground-water development alternatives, and water quality in the BigMishnock stream-aquifer system in central Rhode Island are being investigated as part of a long-term cooperative program between the Rhode Island Water Resources Board and the U.S. Geological Survey to evaluate the ground-water resources throughout Rhode Island. The study area includes the Big River drainage basin and that portion of the Mishnock River drainage basin upstream from the Mishnock River at State Route 3. This report presents geologic data and hydrologic and water-quality data for ground and surface water. Ground-water data were collected from July 1996 through September 1998 from a network of observation wells consisting of existing wells and wells installed for this study, which provided a broad distribution of data-collection sites throughout the study area. Streambed piezometers were used to obtain differences in head data between surface-water levels and ground-water levels to help evaluate stream-aquifer interactions throughout the study area. The types of data presented include monthly ground-water levels, average daily ground-water withdrawals, drawdown data from aquifer tests, and water-quality data. Historical water-level data from other wells within the study area also are presented in this report. Surface-water data were obtained from a network consisting of surface-water impoundments, such as ponds and reservoirs, existing and newly established partial-record stream-discharge sites, and synoptic surface-water-quality sites. Water levels were collected monthly from the surface-water impoundments. Stream-discharge measurements were made at partial-record sites to provide measurements of inflow, outflow, and internal flow throughout the study area. Specific conductance was measured monthly at partial-record sites during the study, and also during the fall and spring of 1997 and 1998 at 41 synoptic sites throughout the study area. General geologic data, such as

  8. Hydrogeology and simulated groundwater flow and availability in the North Fork Red River aquifer, southwest Oklahoma, 1980–2013

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, S. Jerrod; Ellis, John H.; Wagner, Derrick L.; Peterson, Steven M.

    2017-09-28

    On September 8, 1981, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board established regulatory limits on the maximum annual yield of groundwater (343,042 acre-feet per year) and equal-proportionate-share (EPS) pumping rate (1.0 acre-foot per acre per year) for the North Fork Red River aquifer. The maximum annual yield and EPS were based on a hydrologic investigation that used a numerical groundwater-flow model to evaluate the effects of potential groundwater withdrawals on groundwater availability in the North Fork Red River aquifer. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board is statutorily required (every 20 years) to update the hydrologic investigation on which the maximum annual yield and EPS were based. Because 20 years have elapsed since the final order was issued, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, conducted an updated hydrologic investigation and evaluated the effects of potential groundwater withdrawals on groundwater flow and availability in the North Fork Red River aquifer in Oklahoma. This report describes a hydrologic investigation of the North Fork Red River aquifer that includes an updated summary of the aquifer hydrogeology. As part of this investigation, groundwater flow and availability were simulated by using a numerical groundwater-flow model.The North Fork Red River aquifer in Beckham, Greer, Jackson, Kiowa, and Roger Mills Counties in Oklahoma is composed of about 777 square miles (497,582 acres) of alluvium and terrace deposits along the North Fork Red River and tributaries, including Sweetwater Creek, Elk Creek, Otter Creek, and Elm Fork Red River. The North Fork Red River is the primary source of surface-water inflow to Lake Altus, which overlies the North Fork Red River aquifer. Lake Altus is a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reservoir with the primary purpose of supplying irrigation water to the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District.A hydrogeologic framework was developed for the North Fork Red River aquifer and included a

  9. 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

  10. Hydrologic conditions and distribution of selected radiochemical and chemical constituents in water, Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho, 1989 through 1991

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

    Bartholomay, R.C.; Orr, B.R.; Liszewski, M.J.

    Radiochemical and chemical wastewater discharged since 1952 to infiltration ponds and disposal wells at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) has affected water quality in the Snake River Plain aquifer. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains a continuous monitoring network at the INEL to determine hydrologic trends and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from the Snake River Plain aquifer during 1989-91. Water in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer moves principally through fractures and interflowmore » zones in basalt, generally flows southwestward, and eventually discharges at springs along the Snake River. The aquifer is recharged principally from irrigation water, infiltration of streamflow, and ground-water inflow from adjoining mountain drainage basins. Water levels in wells throughout the INEL generally declined during 1989-91 due to drought. Detectable concentrations of radiochemical constituents in water samples from wells in the Snake River Plain aquifer at the INEL decreased or remained constant during 1989-91. Decreased concentrations are attributed to reduced rates of radioactive-waste disposal, sorption processes, radioactive decay, and changes in waste-disposal practices. Detectable concentrations of chemical constituents in water from the Snake River Plain aquifer at the INEL were variable during 1989-91. Sodium and chloride concentrations in the southern part of the INEL increased slightly during 1989-91 because of increased waste-disposal rates and a lack of recharge from the Big Lost River. Plumes of 1,1,1-trichloroethane have developed near the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant and the Radioactive Waste Management Complex as a result of waste disposal practices.« less

  11. Conjunctive-use optimization model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer of Southeastern Arkansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Czarnecki, John B.; Clark, Brian R.; Stanton, Gregory P.

    2003-01-01

    The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer is a water-bearing assemblage of gravels and sands that underlies about 32,000 square miles of Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Because of the heavy demands placed on the aquifer, several large cones of depression have formed in the potentiometric surface, resulting in lower well yields and degraded water quality in some areas. A ground-water flow model of the alluvial aquifer was previously developed for an area covering 3,826 square miles, extending south from the Arkansas River into the southeastern corner of Arkansas, parts of northeastern Louisiana, and western Mississippi. The flow-model results indicated that continued ground-water withdrawals at rates commensurate with those of 1997 could not be sustained indefinitely without causing water levels to decline below half the original saturated thickness of the aquifer. Conjunctive-use optimization modeling was applied to the flow model of the alluvial aquifer to develop withdrawal rates that could be sustained relative to the constraints of critical ground-water area designation. These withdrawal rates form the basis for estimates of sustainable yield from the alluvial aquifer and from rivers specified within the alluvial aquifer model. A management problem was formulated as one of maximizing the sustainable yield from all ground-water and surface-water withdrawal cells within limits imposed by plausible withdrawal rates, and within specified constraints involving hydraulic head and streamflow. Steady-state conditions were selected because the maximized withdrawals are intended to represent sustainable yield of the system (a rate that can be maintained indefinitely).One point along the Arkansas River and one point along Bayou Bartholomew were specified for obtaining surface-water sustainable-yield estimates within the optimization model. Streamflow constraints were specified at two river cells based on average 7-day low flows

  12. The Contribution of the Future SWOT Mission to Improve Simulations of River Stages and Stream-Aquifer Interactions at Regional Scale

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saleh, Firas; Filipo, Nicolas; Biancamaria, Sylvain; Habets, Florence; Rodriguez, Enersto; Mognard, Nelly

    2013-09-01

    The main objective of this study is to provide a realistic simulation of river stage in regional river networks in order to improve the quantification of stream-aquifer exchanges and better assess the associated aquifer responses that are often impacted by the magnitude and the frequency of the river stage fluctuations. This study extends the earlier work to improve the modeling of the Seine basin with a focus on simulating the hydrodynamics behavior of the Bassée alluvial wetland, a 120 km reach of the Seine River valley located south- east of Paris. The Bassée is of major importance for the drinking-water supply of Paris and surroundings, in addition to its particular hydrodynamic behavior due to the presence of a number of gravels. In this context, the understanding of stream-aquifer interactions is required for water quantity and quality preservation. A regional distributed process-based hydro(geo)logical model, Eau-Dyssée, is used. It aims at the integrated modeling of the hydrosystem to manage the various elements involved in the quantitative and qualitative aspects of water resources. Eau-Dyssée simulates pseudo 3D flow in aquifer systems solving the diffusivity equation with a finite difference numerical scheme. River flow is simulated with a Muskingum model. In addition to the in-stream discharge, a river stage estimate is needed to calculate the water exchange at the stream-aquifer interface using a conductance model. In this context, the future SWOT mission and its high-spatial resolution imagery can provide surface water level measurements at the regional scale that will permit to better characterize the Bassée complex hydro(geo)logical system and better assess soil water content. Moreover, the Bassée is considered as a potential target for the framework of the AirSWOT airborne campaign in France, 2013.

  13. Ground Water Redox Zonation near La Pine, Oregon: Relation to River Position within the Aquifer-Riparian Zone Continuum

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hinkle, Stephen R.; Morgan, David S.; Orzol, Leonard L.; Polette, Danial J.

    2007-01-01

    Increasing residential development since in the 1960s has lead to increases in nitrate concentrations in shallow ground water in parts of the 247 square mile study area near La Pine, Oregon. Denitrification is the dominant nitrate-removal process that occurs in suboxic ground water, and suboxic ground water serves as a barrier to transport of most nitrate in the aquifer. Oxic ground water, on the other hand, represents a potential pathway for nitrate transport from terrestrial recharge areas to the Deschutes and Little Deschutes Rivers. The effects of present and potential future discharge of ground-water nitrate into the nitrogen-limited Deschutes and Little Deschutes Rivers are not known. However, additions of nitrogen to nitrogen-limited rivers can lead to increases in primary productivity which, in turn, can increase the magnitudes of dissolved oxygen and pH swings in river water. An understanding of the distribution of oxic ground water in the near-river environment could facilitate understanding the vulnerability of these rivers and could be a useful tool for management of these rivers. In this study, transects of temporary wells were installed in sub-river sediments beneath the Deschutes and Little Deschutes Rivers near La Pine to characterize near-river reduction/oxidation (redox) conditions near the ends of ground-water flow paths. Samples from transects installed near the center of the riparian zone or flood plain were consistently suboxic. Where transects were near edges of riparian zones, most ground-water samples also were suboxic. Oxic ground water (other than hyporheic water) was uncommon, and was only detected near the outside edge of some meander bends. This pattern of occurrence likely reflects geochemical controls throughout the aquifer as well as geochemical processes in the microbiologically active riparian zone near the end of ground-water flow paths. Younger, typically less reduced ground water generally enters near-river environments through

  14. Warrior Mothers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haig-Brown, Celia

    1998-01-01

    Educational institutions should inspire "warrior mothers" to work together against androcentric agendas of homogenization and acculturation. The history of aboriginal women in Canada, whose children were abducted and raised in religious schools, is one of cultural denigration. These students' daughters and granddaughters are the warrior…

  15. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2005

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2006-01-01

    INTRODUCTION This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2005. Potentiometric contours are based on water level measurements collected at 598 wens during the period May 5 - 31, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  16. Potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity, Florida, September, 2004

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2005-01-01

    Introduction: This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity in September 2004. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 608 wells during the period September 14-October 1, near the end of the wet season. The shapes of some contours have been inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  17. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May, 2004

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Knowles, Leel

    2004-01-01

    INTRODUCTION This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity in May 2001. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 684 wells during the period May 2 - 30, near the end of the dry season. The shapes of some contours have been inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  18. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2009

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2009-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2009. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 625 wells during the period May 14 - May 29, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to groundwater withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Groundwater withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Groundwater in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  19. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2006

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2006-01-01

    Introduction: This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2006. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 599 wells during the period May 14-31, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and springflow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  20. Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River water management district and vicinity, Florida, September 2005

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.

    2006-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2005. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 643 wells during the period September 12-28, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and springflow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  1. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, September 2006

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2007-01-01

    Introduction This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2006. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 571 wells during the period September 11-29, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previouspotentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  2. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, September 2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2009-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2008. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 589 wells during the period September 15-25, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  3. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, September 2007

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2008-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 2007. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 554 wells during the period September 15-27, near the end of the wet season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  4. Water Quality in the Equus Beds Aquifer and the Little Arkansas River Before Implementation of Large-Scale Artificial Recharge, South-Central Kansas, 1995-2005

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ziegler, Andrew C.; Hansen, Cristi V.; Finn, Daniel A.

    2010-01-01

    Artificial recharge of the Equus Beds aquifer using runoff from the Little Arkansas River in south-central Kansas was first proposed in 1956 and was one of many options considered by the city of Wichita to preserve its water supply. Declining aquifer water levels of as much as 50 feet exacerbated concerns about future water availability and enhanced migration of saltwater into the aquifer from past oil and gas activities near Burrton and from the Arkansas River. Because Wichita changed water-management strategies and decreased pumping from the Equus Beds aquifer in 1992, water storage in the aquifer recovered by about 50 percent. This recovery is the result of increased reliance on Cheney Reservoir for Wichita water supply, decreased aquifer pumping, and larger than normal precipitation. Accompanying the water-level recovery, the average water-level gradient in the aquifer decreased from about 12 feet per mile in 1992 to about 8 feet per mile in January 2006. An important component of artificial recharge is the water quality of the receiving aquifer and the water being recharged (source water). Water quality within the Little Arkansas River was defined using data from two real-time surface-water-quality sites and discrete samples. Water quality in the Equus Beds aquifer was defined using sample analyses collected at 38 index sites, each with a well completed in the shallow and deep parts of the Equus Beds aquifer. In addition, data were collected at diversion well sites, recharge sites, background wells, and prototype wells for the aquifer storage and recovery project. Samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, trace metals, radionuclides, organic compounds, and bacterial and viral indicators. Water-quality constituents of concern for artificial recharge are those constituents that frequently (more than 5 percent of samples) may exceed Federal [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)] and State drinking-water criteria in water samples from the receiving

  5. 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...

  6. Defense.gov Special Report: 2011 Warrior Games

    Science.gov Websites

    following closing ceremonies. The Warrior Games were an opportunity for the current and former service members to incorporate athletic training as a part of their overall transition and recovery plan. Story 19. Story Archers Practice Patience, Marksmanship in Training for Warrior Games COLORADO SPRINGS

  7. Simulation analysis of the unconfined aquifer, Raft River geothermal area, Idaho-Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nichols, William D.

    1979-01-01

    This study covers about 1,000 mi2 (2,600 km2 ) of the southern Raft River drainage basin in south-central Idaho and northwest Utah. The main area of interest, approximately 200 mi2 (520 km2 ) of semiarid agricultural and rangeland in the southern Raft River Valley that includes the known Geothermal Resource Area near Bridge, Idaho, was modelled numerically to evaluate the hydrodynamics of the unconfined aquifer. Computed and estimated transmissivity values range from 1,200 feet squared per day (110 meters squared per day) to 73,500 feet squared per day (6,830 meters squared per day). Water budgets, including ground-water recharge and discharge for approximate equilibrium conditions, have been computed by several previous investigators; their estimates of available ground-water recharge range from about 46,000 acre-feet per year (57 cubic hectometers per year) to 100,000 acre-feet per year (123 cubic hectometers per year).Simulation modeling of equilibrium conditions represented by 1952 water levels suggests: (1) recharge to the water-table aquifer is about 63,000 acre-feet per year (77 cubic hectometers per year); (2) a significant volume of ground water is discharged through evapotranspiration by phreatophytes growing on the valley bottomlands; (3) the major source of recharge may be from upward leakage of water from a deeper, confined reservoir; and (4) the aquifer transmissivity probably does not exceed about 12,000 feet squared per day (3,100 meters squared per day). Additional analysis carried out by simulating transient conditions from 1952 to 1965 strongly suggests that aquifer transmissivity does not exceed about 7,700 feet squared per day (700 meters squared per day). The model was calibrated using slightly modified published pumpage data; it satisfactorily reproduced the historic water-level decline over the period 1952-65.

  8. The impact of river water intrusion on trace metal cycling in karst aquifers: an example from the Floridan aquifer system at Madison Blue Spring, Florida

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, A. L.; Martin, J. B.; Screaton, E.; Spellman, P.; Gulley, J.

    2011-12-01

    Springs located adjacent to rivers can serve as recharge points for aquifers when allogenic runoff increases river stage above the hydraulic head of the spring, forcing river water into the spring vent. Depending on relative compositions of the recharged water and groundwater, the recharged river water could be a source of dissolved trace metals to the aquifer, could mobilize solid phases such as metal oxide coatings, or both. Whether metals are mobilized or precipitated should depend on changes in redox and pH conditions as dissolved oxygen and organic carbon react following intrusion of the river water. To assess how river intrusion events affect metal cycling in springs, we monitored a small recharge event in April 2011 into Madison Blue Spring, which discharges to the Withlacoochee River in north-central Florida. Madison Blue Spring is the entrance to a phreatic cave system that includes over 7.8 km of surveyed conduits. During the event, river stage increased over base flow conditions for approximately 25 days by a maximum of 8%. Intrusion of the river water was monitored with conductivity, temperature and depth sensors that were installed within the cave system and adjacent wells. Decreased specific conductivity within the cave system occurred for approximately 20 days, reflecting the length of time that river water was present in the cave system. During this time, grab samples were collected seven times over a period of 34 days for measurements of major ion and trace metal concentrations at the spring vent and at Martz sink, a karst window connected to the conduit system approximately 150 meters from the spring vent. Relative fractions of surface water and groundwater were estimated based on Cl concentrations of the samples, assuming conservative two end-member mixing during the event. This mixing model indicates that maximum river water contribution to the groundwater system was approximately 20%. River water had concentrations of iron, manganese, and other

  9. Evaluation of a pumping test of the Snake River Plain aquifer using axial-flow numerical modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Gary S.; Frederick, David B.; Cosgrove, Donna M.

    2002-06-01

    The Snake River Plain aquifer in southeast Idaho is hosted in a thick sequence of layered basalts and interbedded sediments. The degree to which the layering impedes vertical flow has not been well understood, yet is a feature that may exert a substantial control on the movement of contaminants. An axial-flow numerical model, RADFLOW, was calibrated to pumping test data collected by a straddle-packer system deployed at 23 depth intervals in four observation wells to evaluate conceptual models and estimate properties of the Snake River Plain aquifer at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. A delayed water-table response observed in intervals beneath a sediment interbed was best reproduced with a three-layer simulation. The results demonstrate the hydraulic significance of this interbed as a semi-confining layer. Vertical hydraulic conductivity of the sediment interbed was estimated to be about three orders of magnitude less than vertical hydraulic conductivity of the lower basalt and upper basalt units. The numerical model was capable of representing aquifer conceptual models that could not be represented with any single analytical technique. The model proved to be a useful tool for evaluating alternative conceptual models and estimating aquifer properties in this application.

  10. River-aquifer exchanges in the Yakima River basin, Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vaccaro, J.J.

    2011-01-01

    Five categories of data are analyzed to enhance understanding of river-aquifer exchanges-the processes by which water moves between stream channels and the adjacent groundwater system-in the Yakima River basin. The five datasets include (1) results of chemical analyses of water for tritium (3H, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen) and the ratios of the stable isotopes of hydrogen (2H/1H) and oxygen (18O/16O), (2) series of stream discharge measurements within specified reaches (seepage investigations or 'runs'), (3) vertical hydraulic gradients (between stream stage and hydraulic heads the underlying aquifer) measured using mini-piezometers, (4) groundwater levels and water temperature in shallow wells near stream channels, and (5) thermal profiles (continuous records of water temperature along river reaches). Exchanges are described in terms of streamflow, vertical hydraulic gradients, groundwater temperature and levels, and streamflow temperature, and where appropriate, the exchanges are discussed in terms of their relevance to and influence on salmonid habitat. The isotope data shows that the ultimate source of surface and groundwater is meteoric water derived from atmospheric precipitation. Water from deep wells has a different isotopic composition than either shallow groundwater or surface water, indicating that the deep groundwater system contributes, at most, only a small component of the surface-water discharge. The isotope data confirms that river-aquifer exchanges involve primarily modern streamflow and modern, shallow groundwater. Net exchanges of water for 46 stream sections investigated with seepage runs ranged from nearly zero to 1,071 ft3/s for 28 gaining sections, and -3 to -242 ft3/s for 18 losing sections. The magnitude of the upper 50 percent of the net gains is an order of magnitude larger than those for net losses. The sections have a normalized net exchange (as absolute value) that fully ranged from near 0 to 65.6 (ft3/s)/mi. Gaining

  11. 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

  12. JTF CapMed Warrior Transition Division

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-25

    The Quadruple Aim: Working Together, Achieving Success 2011 Military Health System Conference JTF CapMed Warrior Transition Division 25 January 2011...Colonel Julia Adams 1 Military Health System Conference Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical (JTF CapMed ) Report Documentation Page Form...DATES COVERED 00-00-2011 to 00-00-2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE JTF CapMed Warrior Transition Division 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c

  13. Detection and quality of previously undetermined Floridan aquifer system discharge to the St. Johns River, Jacksonville, to Green Cove Springs, northeastern Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Spechler, R.M.

    1996-01-01

    Potentiometric surface maps of the Upper Floridan aquifer show two depressions around the St. Johns River frm the city of Jacksonville south toward Green Cove Springs. These depressions, depending on their locations, are the result of withdrawals from agricultural, industrial, domestic and public-supply wells, diffuse upward leakage, and discharge from springs. Submerged springs that discharge into the St. Johns River between Jacksonville and Green Cove Springs have been thought to exist, but locating and evaluating these springs had not been attempted before this investigation. Thermal infrared imagery, seismic reflection, and numerous interviews with local residents were used to locate springs. An airborne thermal infrared survey was conducted along a section of the St. Johns River in northeastern Florida during February 1992 to detect possible sources of ground-water discharge to the river. An infrared image displayed one thermal anomaly in the St. Johns River which is associated with a previously unknown spring discharge from the Floridan aquifer system. Thermal anomalies also were observed at six locations where municipal facilities discharge treated wastewater to the river. Results of seismic reflection surveys indicate the presence of collapse and other karst features underlying the St. Johns River. These features indicate that the surficial deposits and the Hawthorn Formation that underlie the river probably do not consist of continuous beds. The collapse or deformation of the Hawthorn Formation or the presence of permeable sediment of localized extent could create zones of relatively high vertical leakance. This could provide a more direct hydraulic connection between the Upper Floridan aquifer and the river. Water samples collected from the only submerged spring in the St. Johns River within the Jacksonville-Green Cove Springs reach indicate that the source of the water is the Floridan aquifer system. Chloride and sulfate concentrations were 12 and 340

  14. Longitudinal hydraulic analysis of river‐aquifer exchanges

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Konrad, C.P.

    2006-01-01

    A longitudinal analysis of transient flow between a river and an underlying aquifer is developed to calculate flow rates between the river and the aquifer and the location of groundwater seepage into the river as it changes over time. Two flow domains are defined in the analysis: an upstream domain of fluvial recharge, where water flows vertically from the river into the unsaturated portion of the aquifer and horizontally in saturated parts of the aquifer, and a downstream domain of groundwater seepage to the river, where groundwater flows parallel to the underlying impermeable base. The river does not necessarily penetrate completely through the aquifer. A one‐dimensional, unsteady flow equation is derived from mass conservation, Darcy's law, and the geometry of the river‐aquifer system to calculate the water table position and the groundwater seepage rate into the river. Models based on numerical and analytical solutions of the flow equation were applied to a reach of the Methow River in north central Washington. The calibrated models simulated groundwater seepage with a root‐mean‐square error less than 5% of the mean groundwater seepage rates for three low‐flow evaluation periods. The analytical model provides a theoretical basis for a nonlinear exponential base flow recession generated by a draining aquifer, but not an explicit functional form for the recession. Unlike cross‐sectional approaches, the longitudinal approach allows the analysis of the length and location of groundwater seepage to a river, which have important ecological implications in many rivers. In the numerical simulations, the length of the groundwater seepage varied seasonally by about 4 km and the upstream boundary of groundwater seepage was within 689 m of its location at a stream gage on 9 September 2001 and within 91 m of its location on 6 October 2002. To demonstrate its utility in ecological applications, the numerical model was used to calculate differences in length of

  15. Ground-water quality beneath an urban residential and commercial area, Montgomery, Alabama, 1999-2000

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Robinson, James L.

    2002-01-01

    The Black Warrior River aquifer, which is composed of the Coker, Gordo, and Eutaw Formations, supplies more than 50 percent of the ground water used for public water supply in the Mobile River Basin. The city of Montgomery, Alabama, is partially built upon a recharge area for the Black Warrior River aquifer, and is one of many major population centers that depend on the Black Warrior River aquifer for public water supply. To represent the baseline ground-water quality in the Black Warrior River aquifer, water samples were collected from 30 wells located in a low-density residential or rural setting; 9 wells were completed in the Coker Formation, 9 wells in the Gordo Formation, and 12 wells in the Eutaw Formation. To describe the ground-water quality beneath Montgomery, Alabama, water samples also were collected from 30 wells located in residential and commercial areas of Montgomery, Alabama; 16 wells were completed in the Eutaw Formation, 8 wells in alluvial deposits, and 6 wells in terrace deposits. The alluvial and terrace deposits directly overlie the Eutaw Formation with little or no hydraulic separation. Ground-water samples collected from both the rural and urban wells were analyzed for physical properties, major ions, nutrients, metals, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. Samples from the urban wells also were analyzed for bacteria, chlorofluorocarbons, dissolved gases, and sulfur hexafluoride. Ground-water quality beneath the urban area was compared to baseline water quality in the Black Warrior River aquifer.Compared to the rural wells, ground-water samples from urban wells contained greater concentrations or more frequent detections of chloride and nitrate, and the trace metals aluminium, chromium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and zinc. Pesticides and volatile organic compounds were detected more frequently and in greater concentrations in ground-water samples collected from urban wells than in ground-water samples from rural wells.The Spearman rho

  16. Processes controlling the fate of chloroethenes emanating from DNAPL aged sources in river-aquifer contexts.

    PubMed

    Puigserver, Diana; Cortés, Amparo; Viladevall, Manuel; Nogueras, Xènia; Parker, Beth L; Carmona, José M

    2014-11-01

    This work dealt with the physical and biogeochemical processes that favored the natural attenuation of chloroethene plumes of aged sources located close to influent rivers in the presence of co-contaminants, such as nitrate and sulfate. Two working hypotheses were proposed: i) Reductive dechlorination is increased in areas where the river-aquifer relationship results in the groundwater dilution of electron acceptors, the reduction potential of which exceeds that of specific chloroethenes; ii) zones where silts predominate or where textural changes occur are zones in which biodegradation preferentially takes place. A field site on a Quaternary alluvial aquifer at Torelló, Catalonia (Spain) was selected to validate these hypotheses. This aquifer is adjacent to an influent river, and its redox conditions favor reductive dechlorination. The main findings showed that the low concentrations of nitrate and sulfate due to dilution caused by the input of surface water diminish the competition for electrons between microorganisms that reduce co-contaminants and chloroethenes. Under these conditions, the most bioavailable electron acceptors were PCE and metabolites, which meant that their biodegradation was favored. This led to the possibility of devising remediation strategies based on bioenhancing natural attenuation. The artificial recharge with water that is low in nitrates and sulfates may favor dechlorinating microorganisms if the redox conditions in the mixing water are sufficiently maintained as reducing and if there are nutrients, electron donors and carbon sources necessary for these microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Mississippi embayment-Texas coastal uplands aquifer system and Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, south-central United States, 1994-2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kingsbury, James A.; Barlow, Jeannie R.; Katz, Brian G.; Welch, Heather L.; Tollett, Roland W.; Fahlquist, Lynne S.

    2015-01-01

    About 8 million people rely on groundwater from the Mississippi embayment—Texas coastal uplands aquifer system for drinking water. The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer also provides drinking water for domestic use in rural areas but is of primary importance to the region as a source of water for irrigation. Irrigation withdrawals from this aquifer are among the largest in the Nation and play a key role in the economy of the area, where annual crop sales total more than $7 billion. The reliance of the region on both aquifers for drinking water and irrigation highlights the importance of long-term management to sustain the availability and quality of these resources.

  18. Adsorption and desorption of arsenic to aquifer sediment on the Red River floodplain at Nam Du, Vietnam

    PubMed Central

    Thi Hoa Mai, Nguyen; Postma, Dieke; Thi Kim Trang, Pham; Jessen, Søren; Hung Viet, Pham; Larsen, Flemming

    2016-01-01

    The adsorption of arsenic onto aquifer sediment from the Red River floodplain, Vietnam, was determined in a series of batch experiments. Due to water supply pumping, river water infiltrates into the aquifer at the field site and has leached the uppermost aquifer sediments. The leached sediments, remain anoxic but contain little reactive arsenic and iron, and are used in our experiments. The adsorption and desorption experiments were carried out by addition or removal of arsenic from the aqueous phase in sediment suspensions under strictly anoxic conditions. Also the effects of HCO3, Fe(II), PO4 and Si on arsenic adsorption were explored. The results show much stronger adsorption of As(V) as compared to As(III), full reversibility for As(III) adsorption and less so for As(V). The presence or absence of HCO3 did not influence arsenic adsorption. Fe(II) enhanced As(V) sorption but did not influence the adsorption of As(III) in any way. During simultaneous adsorption of As(III) and Fe(II), As(III) was found to be fully desorbable while Fe(II) was completely irreversibly adsorbed and clearly the two sorption processes are uncoupled. Phosphate was the only solute that significantly could displace As(III) from the sediment surface. Compiling literature data on arsenic adsorption to aquifer sediment in Vietnam and Bangladesh revealed As(III) isotherms to be almost identical regardless of the nature of the sediment or the site of sampling. In contrast, there was a large variation in As(V) adsorption isotherms between studies. A tentative conclusion is that As(III) and As(V) are not adsorbing onto the same sediment surface sites. The adsorption behavior of arsenic onto aquifer sediments and synthetic Fe-oxides is compared. Particularly, the much stronger adsorption of As(V) than of As(III) onto Red River as well as on most Bangladesh aquifer sediments, indicates that the perception that arsenic, phosphate and other species compete for the same surface sites of iron oxides in

  19. 77 FR 57024 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Tombigbee River, AL

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-17

    ... lift span bridge across the Tombigbee River at Naheola, Marengo and Choctaw Counties, Alabama. The... MNBR vertical lift span bridge crosses the Tombigbee River at mile 128.6 (Black Warrior Tombigbee... Meridian and Bigbee Railroad (MNBR) vertical lift span bridge across the Tombigbee River, mile 128.6 (Black...

  20. Summary of the Snake River plain Regional Aquifer-System Analysis in Idaho and eastern Oregon

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lindholm, G.F.

    1996-01-01

    Regional aquifers underlying the 15,600-square-mile 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. The largest and most productive aquifers in the Snake River Plain are composed of Quaternary basalt of the Snake River Group, which underlies most of the 10,8000-square-mile eastern plain. Aquifer tests and simulation indicate that transmissivity of the upper 200 feet of the basalt aquifer in the eastern plain commonly ranges from about 100,000 to 1,000,000 feet squared per day. However, transmissivity of the total aquifer thickness may be as much as 10 million feet squared per day. Specific yield of the upper 200 feet of the aquifer ranges from about 0.01 to 0.20. Average horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the upper 200 feet of the basalt aquifer ranges from less than 100 to 9,000 feet per day. Values may be one to several orders of magnitude higher in parts in individual flows, such as flow tops. Vertical hydraulic conductivity is probably several orders of magnitude lower than horizontal hydraulic conductivity and is generally related to the number of joints. Pillow lava in ancestral Snake River channels has the highest hydraulic conductivity of all rock types. Hydraulic conductivity of the basalt decreases with depth because of secondary filling of voids with calcite and silica. An estimated 80 to 120 million acre-feet of water is believed to be stored in the upper 200 feet of the basalt aquifer in the eastern plain. The most productive aquifers in the 4,800-square-mile western plain are alluvial sand and gravel in the Boise River valley. Although aquifer tests indicate that transmissivity of alluvium in the Boise River valley ranges from 5,000 to 160,000 feet squared per day, simulation suggests that average transmissivity of the upper 500 feet is generally less than 20,000 feet squared per day. Vertically averaged horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the upper

  1. Hydrological controls on transient aquifer storage in a karst watershed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spellman, P.; Martin, J.; Gulley, J. D.

    2017-12-01

    While surface storage of floodwaters is well-known to attenuate flood peaks, transient storage of floodwaters in aquifers is a less recognized mechanism of flood peak attenuation. The hydraulic gradient from aquifer to river controls the magnitude of transient aquifer storage and is ultimately a function of aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and effective porosity. Because bedrock and granular aquifers tend to have lower hydraulic conductivities and porosities, their ability to attenuate flood peaks is generally small. In karst aquifers, however, extensive cave systems create high hydraulic conductivities and porosities that create low antecedent hydraulic gradients between aquifers and rivers. Cave springs can reverse flow during high discharges in rivers, temporarily storing floodwaters in the aquifer thus reducing the magnitude of flood discharge downstream. To date however, very few studies have quantified the magnitude or controls of transient aquifer storage in karst watersheds. We therefore investigate controls on transient aquifer storage by using 10 years of river and groundwater data from the Suwannee River Basin, which flows over the karstic upper Floridan aquifer in north-central Florida. We use multiple linear regression to compare the effects of three hydrological controls on the magnitude of transient aquifer storage: antecedent stage, recharge and slope of hydrograph rise. We show the dominant control on transient aquifer storage is antecedent stage, whereby lower stages result in greater magnitudes of transient aquifer storage. Our results suggest that measures of groundwater levels prior to an event can be useful in determining whether transient aquifer storage will occur and may provide a useful metric for improving predictions of flood magnitudes.

  2. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2007

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2007-01-01

    Introduction This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2007. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 566 wells during the period May 4-June 11 near the end of the dry season, however most of the water level data for this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during the period May 21-25, 2007. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  5. Ecological assessment of water quality in relation to hydrogeology in a shallow urban aquifer: Somesul Mic River aquifer (North-Western, Romania)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iepure, Sanda; Marin, Constantin; Fekete, Alexandru; Rajka, Geza; Brad, Traian; Samsudean, Cristian

    2014-05-01

    The River Basin Management Plan is the main instrument for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/CE), one of its main requirements being the evaluation and quantification of human impacts on aquatic environments including the groundwater or groundwater dependent ecosystems. The Someş-Tisa basin is the largest hydrographical basin in NW Romania (22,380 km2), containing 15 Quaternary detrital groundwater bodies prone to intensive agricultural and urban industrial use. So far, no studies have addressed the groundwater fauna assemblages and their ecological response to human disturbances and aquifer contamination. Here we investigate a Quaternary shallow detrital aquifer (< 30 m depth) associated with the Someşul Mic River affected by both urban-industrial and agricultural contaminants, aiming to evaluate the sensitivity and structural patterns of groundwater crustaceans communities to aquifer contamination with trace metals (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Mo, Pb), As, Se and nitrates. We conducted a survey in seven monitoring boreholes (1-8 m beneath the surface) through the Quaternary porrous aquifer of the Somesul Mic River on a 10 km long longitudinal transect. Hydrologic and geologic variables (rainfall amount, drainage network density, aquifer and drainage elevation, transmisivity and aquifer porosity) were extracted from previous works and Pearson correlations were calculated for paired variables. Water and faunal sampling was performed on a seasonal basis at one pristine and six impacted sites during 2013. Invertebrates were sampled with a submersible pump by extracting a volume of 50-100 l of water and filtering through a 63 microns planktonic net. Subsequently, 2 l of water was extracted after pumping for compositional analyses of major constituents, trace elements (by ICP-MS) and nutrients. The results of water geochemical analyses indicate a significant pollutant charge of groundwater with Mn (max. 29.26 μg/l), Ni (16.55 μg/l), Fe

  6. Quality of Shallow Groundwater and Drinking Water in the Mississippi Embayment-Texas Coastal Uplands Aquifer System and the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, South-Central United States, 1994-2004

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Welch, Heather L.; Kingsbury, James A.; Tollett, Roland W.; Seanor, Ronald C.

    2009-01-01

    The Mississippi embayment-Texas coastal uplands aquifer system is an important source of drinking water, providing about 724 million gallons per day to about 8.9 million people in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Alabama. The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer ranks third in the Nation for total withdrawals of which more than 98 percent is used for irrigation. From 1994 through 2004, water-quality samples were collected from 169 domestic, monitoring, irrigation, and public-supply wells in the Mississippi embayment-Texas coastal uplands aquifer system and the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in various land-use settings and of varying well capacities as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Groundwater samples were analyzed for physical properties and about 200 water-quality constituents, including total dissolved solids, major inorganic ions, trace elements, radon, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, pesticides, pesticide degradates, and volatile organic compounds. The occurrence of nutrients and pesticides differed among four groups of the 114 shallow wells (less than or equal to 200 feet deep) in the study area. Tritium concentrations in samples from the Holocene alluvium, Pleistocene valley trains, and shallow Tertiary wells indicated a smaller component of recent groundwater than samples from the Pleistocene terrace deposits. Although the amount of agricultural land overlying the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer was considerably greater than areas overlying parts of the shallow Tertiary and Pleistocene terrace deposits wells, nitrate was rarely detected and the number of pesticides detected was lower than other shallow wells. Nearly all samples from the Holocene alluvium and Pleistocene valley trains were anoxic, and the reducing conditions in these aquifers likely result in denitrification of nitrate. In contrast, most samples from the

  7. Lithology, hydrologic characteristics, and water quality of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kresse, Timothy M.; Westerman, Drew A.; Hart, Rheannon M.

    2015-01-01

    The hydrologic and geochemical data gathered for this study provide a qualitative assessment of the potential of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer as a source of public water supply in the Van Buren area. Results indicate minimal influx of water from the Arkansas River, and recharge to the aquifer appears to be dominantly by infiltration of precipitation through overlying alluvium. If vertical wells are used as a source of public water supply, then several wells will have to be used in combination at relatively low pumping rates and placed in areas with a greater percent sand. Use of a horizontal well configuration near the river to increase production may depend on infiltration of river water to supplement water removed from storage, especially where areas of lower permeability sediments might be encountered within the surrounding alluvium. If a poor hydraulic connection exists between the river and the alluvium, as indicated by this study, then production will depend on ample precipitation and recharge throughout the year and groundwater storage sufficient to prevent declining water levels where pumping rates exceed recharge.

  8. Analytical solution of groundwater flow in a sloping aquifer with stream-aquifer interaction.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, X.; Zhan, H.

    2017-12-01

    This poster presents a new analytical solution to study water exchange, hydraulic head distribution and water flow in a stream-unconfined aquifer interaction system with a sloping bed and stream of varying heads in presence of two thin vertical sedimentary layers. The formation of a clogging bed of fine-grained sediments allows the interfaces among a sloping aquifer and two rivers as the third kind and Cauchy boundary conditions. The numerical solution of the corresponding nonlinear Boussinesq equation is also developed to compare the performance of the analytical solution. The effects of precipitation recharge, bed slope and stage variation rate of two rivers for water flow in the sloping aquifer are discussed in the results.

  9. Geochemistry of halogens in the Milk River aquifer, Alberta, Canada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fabryka-Martin, J.; Whittemore, Donald O.; Davis, S.N.; Kubik, P.W.; Sharma, Prakash

    1991-01-01

    Analytical data are presented for Cl, Br and I on a regional scale for the Milk River aquifer. The three halides show strikingly similar spatial distributions and are highly correlated. Concentrations are low in the freshwater portions of the aquifer but increase by as much as two orders of magnitude along the margins. However, halide ratios reach nearly constant values moving down-gradient, suggesting the dominance of a common subsurface source for these ions. Ratios of Cl/I and Cl/Br are less than those of seawater and fit an origin derived from the diagenesis of organic matter in the sediments. Halide ratios rule out leakage and/or diffusion from the underlying Colorado Group as a major influence on the chemistry; the favored hypothesis is altered connate seawater diffusing from low-permeability units within the Milk River Formation as the primary source of salts. This hypothesis of an internal source has important implications for solute sources in other aquifers affected by saline waters because it does not require the importation of a distant fluid. The 129I/I ratio has a meteoric value in groundwater collected near the recharge area, but ratios for downflow waters are only 8-70% of this value. Due to the 16 Ma half-life of 129I, these data indicate that most of the increase in dissolved I cannot derive from concentration of a meteoric source by ion filtration, but must have a subsurface origin. Concentrations of 129I produced in situ by spontaneous fission of 238U attain measurable levels only in the oldest waters sampled (ages ??? 105 a), in which it may account for nearly 90% of the total dissolved 129I concentration. Water ages based upon 36Cl/Cl data range up to 2 Ma if uncorrected for any dilution by subsurface sources of dead Cl. If one assumes that the subsurface contributions of Cl contribute at least 90% of total Cl in the distal portion, then the 36Cl-based ages are reduced to ??? 1 Ma, somewhat greater than those estimated by hydrodynamic modeling

  10. Hot Moments in Cold Spots - Investigating Reactive Transport Patterns at Aquifer-River Interfaces by Heat Tracers and Distributed Sensor Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krause, Stefan; Angermann, Lisa; Naden, Emma; Cassidy, Nigel; Blume, Theresa

    2010-05-01

    The mixing of groundwater and surface water in hyporheic zones often coincides with high redox reactivity and chemical transformation potential. Depending on redox conditions and reaction types, hyporheic mixing of groundwater and surface water can lead to either attenuation or enrichment of pollutants or nutrients with diametrical implications for stream and aquifer hydro-ecological conditions. This study investigates the reactive transport of nitrate and a chlorinated solvent (Trichloroethylene - TCE) at the aquifer-river interface of a UK lowland river. In this study, distributed temperature sensor networks and hydro-geophysical methods, which have been applied for identifying structural streambed heterogeneity and tracing aquifer river exchange, were combined with hydro-chemical analyses of hyporheic multi-component reactive transport. In stream Electric Resistivity Tomography has been applied to map the complex spatial distribution of highly conductive sandy and gravely sediments in contrast to semi-confining, low conductivity peat lenses. Reach scale (1km) spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of aquifer-river exchange have been identified by heat tracer experiments based on fibre-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing in combination with 2D thermocouple-arrays and small scale heat pulse injection methods for tracing shallow (25 cm) hyporheic flow paths. Spatial patterns of hyporheic redox conditions, dissolved oxygen and organic carbon (DOC) content as well as concentrations of major anions, TCE and its decay products have been observed in 48 nested multi-level piezometers and passive DET (Diffusive Equilibrium in Thin film) gel probes. Our results indicate that patterns of cold spots in streambed sediments can be attributed to fast groundwater up-welling in sandy and gravely sediments resulting in low hyporheic residence times. Contrasting conditions were found at warmer areas at the streambed surface where groundwater - surface water exchange was inhibited

  11. Glacierized headwater streams as aquifer recharge corridors, subarctic Alaska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lilledahl, Anna K.; Gadeke, Anne; O'Neel, Shad; Gatesman, T. A.; Douglas, T. A.

    2017-01-01

    Arctic river discharge has increased in recent decades although sources and mechanisms remain debated. Abundant literature documents permafrost thaw and mountain glacier shrinkage over the past decades. Here we link glacier runoff to aquifer recharge via a losing headwater stream in subarctic Interior Alaska. Field measurements in Jarvis Creek (634 km2), a subbasin of the Tanana and Yukon Rivers, show glacier meltwater runoff as a large component (15–28%) of total annual streamflow despite low glacier cover (3%). About half of annual headwater streamflow is lost to the aquifer (38 to 56%). The estimated long-term change in glacier-derived aquifer recharge exceeds the observed increase in Tanana River base flow. Our findings suggest a linkage between glacier wastage, aquifer recharge along the headwater stream corridor, and lowland winter discharge. Accordingly, glacierized headwater streambeds may serve as major aquifer recharge zones in semiarid climates and therefore contributing to year-round base flow of lowland rivers.

  12. 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)

  13. Evaluation of availability of water from drift aquifers near the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa rivers, western Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Delin, G.N.

    1987-01-01

    The model was used to simulate the effects of below-normal precipitation (drought) and hypothetical increases in ground-water development. Model results indicate that reduced recharge and increased pumping during a three-year extended drought probably would lower water levels 2 to 6 feet regionally in the surficial aquifer and in the Appleton and Benson-middle aquifers and as much as 11 feet near aquifer boundaries. Ground-water discharge to the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers in the modeled area probably would be reduced during the simulated drought by 15.2 and 7.4 cubic feet per second, respectively, compared to 1982 conditions. The addition of 30 hypothetical wells in the Benson-middle aquifer near Benson, pumping a total of 810 million gallons per year, resulted in water-level declines of as much as 1.3 and 2.7 feet in the surficial and Benson-middle aquifers, respectively. The addition of 28 hypothetical wells in the Appleton aquifer east and southeast of Appleton, pumping a total of 756 million gallons per year, lowered water levels in the surficial and Appleton confined aquifers as much as 5 feet.

  14. 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.

  15. 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

  16. Effects of agricultural irrigation on water resources in the St. Joseph River basin, Indiana, and implications for aquifer yield

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Peters, J.G.; Renn, D.E.

    1988-01-01

    During the past decade, the acreage of irrigated agricultural land in Indiana has tripled, causing public concern about competition for water and resulting in several State laws for regulating water withdrawals. The St. Joseph River basin represents less than one-tenth of the area of the State, but it contains one-third of the State 's irrigated land. Irrigated land in the basin is composed of permeable soils that are underlain by productive glacial aquifers. A computer model was used to analyze the effects of maximum irrigation withdrawals on aquifer drawdown and streamflow in a 16.5 sq mi area of intensive irrigation. Simulation of maximum pumping resulted in predicted aquifer drawdowns of one-fourth of the total available drawdown. Flow in a nearby stream was decreased by 40%. Areas of most intensive irrigation in the basin also are areas that have productive aquifers and well-sustained streamflows. Aquifer yield is based on the concept of capture - the volume of increased recharge to the aquifer or decreased discharge from the aquifer that results from pumping. The high rates of capture for aquifers in the basin supply ample water for present (1982) irrigation and for substantial future development. (USGS)

  17. 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

  18. Karstification of an aquifer along the Birs River, Switzerland - from natural to anthropogenic dominated boundary conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romanov, D.; Epting, J.; Huggenberger, P.; Kaufmann, G.

    2009-04-01

    Karst aquifers are very sensitive to environmental changes. Small variations of boundary conditions can trigger significant and fast changes of the basic properties of these geological formations. Furthermore, a large number of hydraulic structures have been built in Karst terrains and close to urban areas. Within such settings it is of primary importance to understand the basic processes governing the system and to predict the evolution of Karst aquifers in order to mitigate hazards. There has been great progress in numerical modeling of the evolution of Karst during the last decades. We are now able to model early karstification of locations with complicated geological and geochemical settings and our knowledge about basic processes governing Karst evolution has increased significantly. However, there are still not many modeling attempts with data from real Karst aquifers. A model describing the evolution of a gypsum Karst aquifer along the Birs River in Switzerland is presented in this study. The initial and boundary conditions for the simulations are taken from results of geophysical and geological field studies and a detailed 3D hydrogeological model of the area. Three time intervals of the aquifer's development are discussed in details. The first covers the natural karstification for a period between several hundreds up to a few thousands years. The results from this evolution period are used as initial conditions for the second interval, which covers the time between 1890 and 2007 AD. This period is characterized by anthropogenic alterations of the system through a man-made river dam, which considerably changes the evolution of the aquifer. In 2006 and 2007 AD - after serious subsidence of a nearby highway has been observed - technical measures have been conducted and thus the boundary conditions have changed once again. This is the beginning for the third modeled interval. A forecast for the following 100 years is developed. Our results correlate very well

  19. Plan of study for the regional aquifer-system analysis of the Snake River plain, Idaho and eastern Oregon

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lindholm, Gerald F.

    1981-01-01

    The 15,600-square-mile Snake River Plain is largely in southern Idaho and includes one of the Nation 's major regional aquifers. A comprehensive investigation of the area 's ground-water resources will be made as part of the U.S. Geological Survey 's Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) program. Basaltic and sedimentary rocks in the Snake River Plain yield large quantities of water that are vital to the area 's agricultural economy. Basaltic rocks predominate in the eastern Snake River Plain and have especially high water-yielding capabilities. Surface water, largely from the Snake River, is extensively used for irrigation and is a major source of recharge to the ground-water system. Springs issuing from basaltic rocks that form the Snake River Canyon wall near Twin Falls are the major points of ground-water discharge. Increased use of ground water for irrigation is causing concern as to the effect of large-scale withdrawals on spring flow. Ground-water flow models will be used to improve understanding of the hydrologic system, and, if feasible, to aid in evaluating management alternatives. Ground-water quality will be defined and geochemical techniques used to determine the effects of water-rock reactions on water quality. Several reports are planned on different phases of the project, concluding with a summary report. (USGS)

  20. Application of hydrologic tools and monitoring to support managed aquifer recharge decision making in the Upper San Pedro River, Arizona, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lacher, Laurel J.; Turner, Dale S.; Gungle, Bruce W.; Bushman, Brooke M.; Richter, Holly E.

    2014-01-01

    The San Pedro River originates in Sonora, Mexico, and flows north through Arizona, USA, to its confluence with the Gila River. The 92-km Upper San Pedro River is characterized by interrupted perennial flow, and serves as a vital wildlife corridor through this semiarid to arid region. Over the past century, groundwater pumping in this bi-national basin has depleted baseflows in the river. In 2007, the United States Geological Survey published the most recent groundwater model of the basin. This model served as the basis for predictive simulations, including maps of stream flow capture due to pumping and of stream flow restoration due to managed aquifer recharge. Simulation results show that ramping up near-stream recharge, as needed, to compensate for downward pumping-related stress on the water table, could sustain baseflows in the Upper San Pedro River at or above 2003 levels until the year 2100 with less than 4.7 million cubic meters per year (MCM/yr). Wet-dry mapping of the river over a period of 15 years developed a body of empirical evidence which, when combined with the simulation tools, provided powerful technical support to decision makers struggling to manage aquifer recharge to support baseflows in the river while also accommodating the economic needs of the basin.

  1. Geohydrology and water quality of stratified-drift aquifers in the lower Merrimack and coastal river basins, southeastern New Hampshire

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stekl, Peter J.; Flanagan, Sarah M.

    1992-01-01

    Communities in the lower Merrimack River basin and coastal river basins of southeastern New Hampshire are experiencing increased demands for water because of a rapid increase in population. The population in 1987 was 225,495 and is expected to increase by 30 percent during the next decade. As of 1987, five towns used the stratified-drift aquifers for municipal supply and withdrew an estimated 6 million gallons per day. Four towns used the bedrock aquifer for municipal supply and withdrew an average of 1 .6 million gallons per day. Stratified-drift deposits cover 78 of the 327 square miles of the study area. These deposits are generally less than 10 square miles in areal extent, and their saturated thickness ranges front less than 20 feet to as much as 100 feet . Transinissivity exceeds 4,000 square feet per day in several locations. Stratified-drift aquifers in the eastern part are predominantly small ice-contact deposits surrounded by marine sediments or till of low hydraulic conductivity. Stratified-drift aquifers in the western part consist of ice-contact and proglacial deposits that are large in areal extent and are commonly in contact with surface-water bodies. Five stratified-drift aquifers, in the towns of Derry, Windham, Kingston, North Hampton, and Greenland, have the greatest potential to supply additional amounts of water. Potential yields and contributing areas of hypothetical supply wells were estimated for an aquifer in Windham near Cobbetts Pond and for an aquifer in Kingston along the Powwow River by use of a method analogous to superposition in conjunction with a numerical ground-waterflow model. The potential yield is estimated to be 0 .6 million gallons per day for the Windham-Cobbetts Pond aquifer and 4 .0 million gallons per day for the Kingston-Powwow River aquifer. Contributing recharge area for supply wells is estimated to be 1.6 square miles in the Windham-Cobbetts Pond aquifer and 4.9 square miles in the Kingston-Powwow River aquifer

  2. Hot Moments in Cold Spots - Using Heat Tracers and Distributed Sensor Networks to Investigate Reactive Transport Patterns at Aquifer-River Interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krause, S.; Angermann, L.; Naden, E.; Cassidy, N. J.

    2009-12-01

    The mixing of groundwater and surface water in hyporheic zones often coincides high redox reactivity and chemical transformation potential. Depending on redox conditions and reaction types, hyporheic mixing of groundwater and surface water can lead to either attenuation or enrichment of pollutants or nutrients with diametrical implications for stream and aquifer hydro-ecology. This study investigates the reactive transport of nitrate and the chlorinated solvent Trichloroethylene (TCE) at the aquifer-river interface of a UK lowland river. The investigations are based on novel distributed sensor networks and hydro-geophysical methods for the identification of structural streambed heterogeneity and the tracing of aquifer river exchange combined with hydro-chemical analyses of hyporheic multi-component reactive transport. In stream Electric Resistivity Tomography and Ground Penetrating Radar have been applied to map the complex spatial distribution of highly conductive sandy and gravely sediments in contrast to semi-confining, low conductivity peat lenses. Reach scale (1km) spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of aquifer-river exchange have been identified by heat tracer experiments based on fibre-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing in combination with 2D thermocouple-arrays and small scale heat pulse injection methods for tracing shallow (25 cm) hyporheic flow paths. Spatial patterns of hyporheic redox conditions, dissolved oxygen and organic carbon (DOC) content as well as concentrations of major anions, TCE and its decay products have been observed in 48 nested multi-level piezometers and passive DET (Diffusive Equilibrium in Thin film) gel probes. Our results indicate that patterns of cold spots in streambed sediments can be attributed to fast groundwater up-welling in sandy and gravely sediments resulting in low hyporheic residence times. Contrasting conditions were found at warmer areas at the streambed surface where groundwater - surface water exchange was

  3. Induced infiltration from the Rockaway River and water chemistry in a stratified-drift aquifer at Dover, New Jersey, with a section on modeling ground-water flow in the Rockaway River Valley

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dysart, Joel E.; Rheaume, Stephen J.; Kontis, Angelo L.

    1999-01-01

    The vertical hydraulic conductivity per unit thickness (streambed leakance) of unconsolidated sediment immediately beneath the channel of the Rockaway River near a municipal well field at Dover, N.J., is between 0.2 and 0.6 feet per day per foot and is probably near the low end of this range. This estimate is based on evaluation of three lines of evidence: (1) Streamflow measurements, which indicated that induced infiltration of river water near the well field averaged 0.67 cubic feet per second; (2) measurements of the rate of downward propagation of diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen and water temperature at three piezometers, which indicated vertical Darcian flow velocities of 0.6 and 1.5 feet per day, respectively; and (3) chemical mixing models based on stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, which indicated that 30 percent of the water reaching a well near the center of the well field was derived from the river. The estimated streambed-leakance values are compatible with other aquifer properties and with hydraulic stresses observed over a 2-year period, as demonstrated by a set of six alternative groundwater flow models of the Rockaway River valley. Simulated water levels rose 0.5 to 1.7 feet near the well field when simulated streambed leakance was changed from 0.2 to 0.6 feet per day per foot, or when a former reach of the Rockaway River valley that is now blocked by glacial drift was simulated as containing a continuous sand aquifer (rather than impermeable till). Model recalibration to observed water levels could accommodate either of these changes, however, by plausible adjustments in hydraulic conductivity of 35 percent or less.The ground-water flow models incorporate a new procedure for simulating areal recharge, in which water available for recharge in any time interval is accepted as recharge only where the water level in the uppermost model layer is below land surface. Water rejected as recharge on upland hillsides is allowed to recharge

  4. Warriors Edge Simulation and Gaming System: The Squad Simulation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-08-01

    Warriors Edge Simulation and Gaming System: The Squad Simulation by Mark Thomas and Gary Moss ARL-TR-3564 August 2005...Edge Simulation and Gaming System: The Squad Simulation Mark Thomas and Gary Moss Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, ARL...2004–30 September 2004 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Warriors Edge Simulation and Gaming System: The Squad

  5. Exchanges of Water between the Upper Floridan Aquifer and the Lower Suwannee and Lower Santa Fe Rivers, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Grubbs, J.W.; Crandall, C.A.

    2007-01-01

    Exchanges of water between the Upper Floridan aquifer and the Lower Suwannee River were evaluated using historic and current hydrologic data from the Lower Suwannee River Basin and adjacent areas that contribute ground-water flow to the lowest 76 miles of the Suwannee River and the lowest 28 miles of the Santa Fe River. These and other data were also used to develop a computer model that simulated the movement of water in the aquifer and river, and surface- and ground-water exchanges between these systems over a range of hydrologic conditions and a set of hypothetical water-use scenarios. Long-term data indicate that at least 15 percent of the average annual flow in the Suwannee River near Wilcox (at river mile 36) is derived from ground-water discharge to the Lower Suwannee and Lower Santa Fe Rivers. Model simulations of ground-water flow to this reach during water years 1998 and 1999 were similar to these model-independent estimates and indicated that ground-water discharge accounted for about 12 percent of the flow in the Lower Suwannee River during this time period. The simulated average ground-water discharge to the Lower Suwannee River downstream from the mouth of the Santa Fe River was about 2,000 cubic feet per second during water years 1998 and 1999. Simulated monthly average ground-water discharge rates to this reach ranged from about 1,500 to 3,200 cubic feet per second. These temporal variations in ground-water discharge were associated with climatic phenomena, including periods of strong influence by El Ni?o-associated flooding, and La Ni?a-associated drought. These variations showed a relatively consistent pattern in which the lowest rates of ground-water inflow occurred during periods of peak flood levels (when river levels rose faster than ground-water levels) and after periods of extended droughts (when ground-water storage was depleted). Conversely, the highest rates of ground-water inflow typically occurred during periods of receding levels that

  6. 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

  7. Reservoir heterogeneity in Carboniferous sandstone of the Black Warrior basin. Final report

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

    Kugler, R.L.; Pashin, J.C.; Carroll, R.E.

    1994-04-01

    Although oil production in the Black Warrior basin of Alabama is declining, additional oil may be produced through improved recovery strategies, such as waterflooding, chemical injection, strategic well placement, and infill drilling. High-quality characterization of reservoirs in the Black Warrior basin is necessary to utilize advanced technology to recover additional oil and to avoid premature abandonment of fields. This report documents controls on the distribution and producibility of oil from heterogeneous Carboniferous reservoirs in the Black Warrior basin of Alabama. The first part of the report summarizes the structural and depositional evolution of the Black Warrior basin and establishes themore » geochemical characteristics of hydrocarbon source rocks and oil in the basin. This second part characterizes facies heterogeneity and petrologic and petrophysical properties of Carter and Millerella sandstone reservoirs. This is followed by a summary of oil production in the Black Warrior basin and an evaluation of seven improved-recovery projects in Alabama. In the final part, controls on the producibility of oil from sandstone reservoirs are discussed in terms of a scale-dependent heterogeneity classification.« less

  8. Occurrence, Distribution, Sources, and Trends of Elevated Chloride Concentrations in the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer in Southeastern Arkansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kresse, Timothy M.; Clark, Brian R.

    2008-01-01

    Water-quality data from approximately 2,500 sites were used to investigate the distribution of chloride concentrations in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in southeastern Arkansas. The large volume and areal distribution of the data used for the investigation proved useful in delineating areas of elevated (greater than 100 milligrams per liter) chloride concentrations, assessing potential sources of saline water, and evaluating trends in chloride distribution and concentration over time. Irrigation water containing elevated chloride concentrations is associated with negative effects to rice and soybeans, two of the major crops in Arkansas, and a groundwater chloride concentration of 100 milligrams per liter is recommended as the upper limit for use on rice. As such, accurately delineating areas with high salinity ground water, defining potential sources of chloride, and documenting trends over time is important in assisting the agricultural community in water management. The distribution and range of chloride concentrations in the study area revealed distinct areas of elevated chloride concentrations. Area I includes an elongated, generally northwest-southeast trending band of moderately elevated chloride concentrations in the northern part of the study area. This band of elevated chloride concentrations is approximately 40 miles in length and varies from approximately 2 to 9 miles in width, with a maximum chloride concentration of 360 milligrams per liter. Area II is a narrow, north-south trending band of elevated chloride concentrations in the southern part of the study area, with a maximum chloride concentration of 1,639 milligrams per liter. A zone of chloride concentrations exceeding 200 milligrams per liter is approximately 25 miles in length and 5 to 6 miles in width. In Area I, low chloride concentrations in samples from wells completed in the alluvial aquifer next to the Arkansas River and in samples from the upper Claiborne aquifer, which

  9. Potentiometric surface map of the Floridan Aquifer in the St Johns River Water Management District and vicinity, Florida, September, 1977

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Watkins, F.A.; Laughlin, C.P.; Hayes, E.C.

    1977-01-01

    This map presents the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September 1977. The Floridan aquifer is the principal source of potable water in the area. Water-level measurements were made on approximately 900 wells and springs. The potentiometric surface is shown by 5-foot contours except in the Fernandina Beach area where 10- and 20-foot contours are used to show the deep cone of depression. This is the first map covering the entire St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for September, a high water-level period. The potentiometric surface ranged from 130 feet above mean sea level in Polk County to 131 feet below sea level in Nassau County. (Woodard-USGS)

  10. The Marine Corps’ Warrior Ethos: Practicality for Today’s Operating Environment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    warrior ethos if that ethos does not place value on all human life, adhere to core values and recognize the importance of leaders, at all levels ...Adherence to the warrior ethos is critical because in the current environment, small unit tactical actions have strategic level impacts. The current...entry- level training. Violations of the Marine Corps warrior ethos have occurred in recent conflicts. Exploration of these violations is vital to

  11. Hydrogeology, groundwater levels, and generalized potentiometric-surface map of the Green River Basin lower Tertiary aquifer system, 2010–14, in the northern Green River structural basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartos, Timothy T.; Hallberg, Laura L.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl

    2015-07-14

    The groundwater-level measurements were used to construct a generalized potentiometric-surface map of the Green River Basin lower Tertiary aquifer system. Groundwater-level altitudes measured in nonflowing and flowing wells used to construct the potentiometric-surface map ranged from 6,451 to 7,307 feet (excluding four unmeasured flowing wells used for contour construction purposes). The potentiometric-surface map indicates that groundwater in the study area generally moves from north to south, but this pattern of flow is altered locally by groundwater divides, groundwater discharge to the Green River, and possibly to a tributary river (Big Sandy River) and two reservoirs (Fontenelle and Big Sandy Reservoirs).

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. Printing Ancient Terracotta Warriors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gadecki, Victoria L.

    2010-01-01

    Standing in awe in Xian, China, at the Terra Cotta warrior archaeological site, the author thought of sharing this experience and excitement with her sixth-grade students. She decided to let her students carve patterns of the ancient soldiers to understand their place in Chinese history. They would make block prints and print multiple soldiers on…

  15. 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.

  16. 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

  17. AUTOMATED WATER LEVEL MEASUREMENTS IN SMALL-DIAMETER AQUIFER TUBES

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

    PETERSEN SW; EDRINGTON RS; MAHOOD RO

    2011-01-14

    Groundwater contaminated with hexavalent chromium, strontium-90, and uranium discharges into the Columbia River along approximately 16 km (10 mi) of the shoreline. Various treatment systems have and will continue to be implemented to eliminate the impact of Hanford Site contamination to the river. To optimize the various remediation strategies, it is important to understand interactions between groundwater and the surface water of the Columbia River. An automated system to record water levels in aquifer sampling tubes installed in the hyporheic zone was designed and tested to (1) gain a more complete understanding of groundwater/river water interactions based on gaining andmore » losing conditions ofthe Columbia River, (2) record and interpret data for consistent and defensible groundwater/surface water conceptual models that may be used to better predict subsurface contaminant fate and transport, and (3) evaluate the hydrodynamic influence of extraction wells in an expanded pump-and-treat system to optimize the treatment system. A system to measure water levels in small-diameter aquifer tubes was designed and tested in the laboratory and field. The system was configured to allow manual measurements to periodically calibrate the instrument and to permit aquifer tube sampling without removing the transducer tube. Manual measurements were collected with an e-tape designed and fabricated especially for this test. Results indicate that the transducer system accurately records groundwater levels in aquifer tubes. These data are being used to refine the conceptual and numeric models to better understand interactions in the hyporheic zone of the Columbia River and the adjacent river water and groundwater, and changes in hydrochemistry relative to groundwater flux as river water recharges the aquifer and then drains back out in response to changes in the river level.« less

  18. Geochemistry of groundwater in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, eastern Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rattray, Gordon W.

    2018-05-30

    Nuclear research activities at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in eastern Idaho produced radiochemical and chemical wastes that were discharged to the subsurface, resulting in detectable concentrations of some waste constituents in the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. These waste constituents may pose risks to the water quality of the aquifer. In order to understand these risks to water quality the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the DOE, conducted a study of groundwater geochemistry to improve the understanding of hydrologic and chemical processes in the ESRP aquifer at and near the INL and to understand how these processes affect waste constituents in the aquifer.Geochemistry data were used to identify sources of recharge, mixing of water, and directions of groundwater flow in the ESRP aquifer at the INL. The geochemistry data were analyzed from 167 sample sites at and near the INL. The sites included 150 groundwater, 13 surface-water, and 4 geothermal-water sites. The data were collected between 1952 and 2012, although most data collected at the INL were collected from 1989 to 1996. Water samples were analyzed for all or most of the following: field parameters, dissolved gases, major ions, dissolved metals, isotope ratios, and environmental tracers.Sources of recharge identified at the INL were regional groundwater, groundwater from the Little Lost River (LLR) and Birch Creek (BC) valleys, groundwater from the Lost River Range, geothermal water, and surface water from the Big Lost River (BLR), LLR, and BC. Recharge from the BLR that may have occurred during the last glacial epoch, or paleorecharge, may be present at several wells in the southwestern part of the INL. Mixing of water at the INL primarily included mixing of surface water with groundwater from the tributary valleys and mixing of geothermal water with regional groundwater. Additionally, a zone of mixing between tributary valley water and

  19. Steady-state and transient models of groundwater flow and advective transport, Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ackerman, Daniel J.; Rousseau, Joseph P.; Rattray, Gordon W.; Fisher, Jason C.

    2010-01-01

    Three-dimensional steady-state and transient models of groundwater flow and advective transport in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy. The steady-state and transient flow models cover an area of 1,940 square miles that includes most of the 890 square miles of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). A 50-year history of waste disposal at the INL has resulted in measurable concentrations of waste contaminants in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. Model results can be used in numerical simulations to evaluate the movement of contaminants in the aquifer. Saturated flow in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer was simulated using the MODFLOW-2000 groundwater flow model. Steady-state flow was simulated to represent conditions in 1980 with average streamflow infiltration from 1966-80 for the Big Lost River, the major variable inflow to the system. The transient flow model simulates groundwater flow between 1980 and 1995, a period that included a 5-year wet cycle (1982-86) followed by an 8-year dry cycle (1987-94). Specified flows into or out of the active model grid define the conditions on all boundaries except the southwest (outflow) boundary, which is simulated with head-dependent flow. In the transient flow model, streamflow infiltration was the major stress, and was variable in time and location. The models were calibrated by adjusting aquifer hydraulic properties to match simulated and observed heads or head differences using the parameter-estimation program incorporated in MODFLOW-2000. Various summary, regression, and inferential statistics, in addition to comparisons of model properties and simulated head to measured properties and head, were used to evaluate the model calibration. Model parameters estimated for the steady-state calibration included hydraulic conductivity for seven of nine hydrogeologic zones and a global value of vertical anisotropy. Parameters

  20. Availability of water from the Outwash Aquifer, Marion County, Indiana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, B.S.

    1983-01-01

    The outwash aquifer in Marion County, Indiana is a continuous, unconfined sand and gravel deposit containing isolated boulder, till, silt, and clay deposits along the White River, Fall Creek, and Eagle Creek. Flow in the aquifer is from the boundaries of the aquifer with the Tipton till plain toward the streams and major pumping centers in the aquifer. A two-dimensional, finite-difference model of the outwash aquifer was calibrated to water levels of October 6 to 10, 1980 and used to estimate availability of water in the aquifer. A drawdown limit of 50-percent saturated thickness applied to 78 simulated-pumping wells assumed to be 1 foot in diameter produced 97 cubic feet per second from the outwash aquifer. Streamflow reductions caused by 97 cubic feet per second simulated pumpage and constant-flux boundaries were estimated to be 85 cubic feet per second in the White River and 12 cubic feet per second in Fall Creek. In comparison, the 7-day, 10-year low flows were 83 cubic feet per second in the White River near Nora and 23 cubic feet per second in Fall Creek at Millersville. Simulated pumpage of 115 cubic feet per second and constant-flux boundaries produced streamflow reductions of 101 cubic feet per second on the White River and 13 cubic feet per second on Fall Creek. (USGS)

  1. Laboratory-Measured and Property-Transfer Modeled Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Snake River Plain Aquifer Sediments at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Perkins, Kim S.

    2008-01-01

    Sediments are believed to comprise as much as 50 percent of the Snake River Plain aquifer thickness in some locations within the Idaho National Laboratory. However, the hydraulic properties of these deep sediments have not been well characterized and they are not represented explicitly in the current conceptual model of subregional scale ground-water flow. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the nature of the sedimentary material within the aquifer and to test the applicability of a site-specific property-transfer model developed for the sedimentary interbeds of the unsaturated zone. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) was measured for 10 core samples from sedimentary interbeds within the Snake River Plain aquifer and also estimated using the property-transfer model. The property-transfer model for predicting Ksat was previously developed using a multiple linear-regression technique with bulk physical-property measurements (bulk density [pbulk], the median particle diameter, and the uniformity coefficient) as the explanatory variables. The model systematically underestimates Ksat,typically by about a factor of 10, which likely is due to higher bulk-density values for the aquifer samples compared to the samples from the unsaturated zone upon which the model was developed. Linear relations between the logarithm of Ksat and pbulk also were explored for comparison.

  2. Hydrogeology of Ljubljana polje perched aquifers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Šram, D.; Brenčič, M.

    2012-04-01

    Ljubljana polje aquifer lies in central part of Slovenia and is one of the biggest and most important aquifers in Slovenia. Aquifer was formed in quaternary basin which was filled with sediments from local rivers. River Sava is the biggest and the most important among them. Thickness of the aquifer varies from 20 m to 100 m. In general it is an unconfined aquifer, but locally, between gravel and sand sediments which have good hydraulic conductivity, layers with low hydraulic conductivity, such as silt and clay, appear. Those layers or lenses can form perched aquifers. Perched aquifers are important for prevention of pollution of the main aquifer and also for the water recharge in the time periods with high precipitation. The perched aquifers were located by boreholes, while their spatial distribution has not been studied yet. Within the project INCOME all the existing lithological borehole logs were collected and analysed with Jewel Suite 2011 software. A geostatistical method sequential indicator simulation was used to create spatial distribution of five hydrofacies at the Ljubljana polje aquifer. The layers/lenses that are bigger than 0.07 km2 and have hydraulic conductivity lower than K = 10-7 m/s were defined as lenses that can potentially form perched aquifers. In the modelling area, two areas with higher concentration of lenses with low hydraulic conductivity were defined. At those areas, according to the borehole data, perched aquifers appear few meters below surface to the depth around 30 m. At the other parts of the model area lenses with low hydraulic conductivity are less abundant. With spatial information (lateral and vertical extension) of perched aquifers in Ljubljana polje improvement of existing hydrogeological models can be made which can help to improve the qualitative and quantitative status of the Ljubljana polje main aquifer.

  3. Chlorine-36 in the Snake River Plain Aquifer at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory; origin and implications

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Beasley, T.M.; Cecil, L.D.; Sharma, P.; Kubik, P.W.; Fehn, U.; Mann, L.J.; Gove, H.E.

    1993-01-01

    Between 1952 and 1984, low-level radioactive waste was introduced directly into the Snake River Plain aquifer at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), Idaho Falls, Idaho. These wastes were generated, principally, at the nuclear fuel reprocessing facility on the site. Our measurements of 36C1 in monitoring and production well waters, downgradient from disposal wells and seepage ponds, found easily detectable, nonhazardous concentrations of this radionuclide from the point of injection to the INEL southern site boundary. Comparisons are made between 3H and 36Cl concentrations in aquifer water and the advantages of 36C1 as a tracer of subsurface-water dynamics at the site are discussed.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Application of Surface Geophysical Methods, With Emphasis on Magnetic Resonance Soundings, to Characterize the Hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River Alluvium Aquifer, College Station, Texas, July 2006 - A Pilot Study

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Shah, Sachin D.; Kress, Wade H.; Legchenko, Anatoly

    2007-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, used surface geophysical methods at the Texas A&M University Brazos River Hydrologic Field Research Site near College Station, Texas, in a pilot study, to characterize the hydrostratigraphic properties of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer and determine the effectiveness of the methods to aid in generating an improved ground-water availability model. Three non-invasive surface geophysical methods were used to characterize the electrical stratigraphy and hydraulic properties and to interpret the hydrostratigraphy of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer. Two methods, time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) soundings and two-dimensional direct-current (2D-DC) resistivity imaging, were used to define the lateral and vertical extent of the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the underlying Yegua Formation. Magnetic resonance sounding (MRS), a recently developed geophysical method, was used to derive estimates of the hydrologic properties including percentage water content and hydraulic conductivity. Results from the geophysics study demonstrated the usefulness of combined TDEM, 2D-DC resistivity, and MRS methods to reduce the need for additional boreholes in areas with data gaps and to provide more accurate information for ground-water availability models. Stratigraphically, the principal finding of this study is the relation between electrical resistivity and the depth and thickness of the subsurface hydrostratigraphic units at the site. TDEM data defined a three-layer electrical stratigraphy corresponding to a conductor-resistor-conductor that represents the hydrostratigraphic units - the Ships clay, the alluvium of the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, and the Yegua Formation. Sharp electrical boundaries occur at about 4 to 6 and 20 to 22 meters below land surface based on the TDEM data and define the geometry of the more resistive Brazos River alluvium aquifer

  7. 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

  8. Evaluation of Managed Aquifer Recharge Scenarios using Treated Wastewater: a Case study of the Zarqa River Basin, Jordan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Rawy, Mustafa; Zlotnik, Vitaly; Al-Maktoumi, Ali; Al-Raggad, Marwan; Kacimov, Anvar; Abdalla, Osman

    2016-04-01

    Jordan is an arid country, facing great challenges due to limited water resources. The shortage of water resources constrains economy, especially agriculture that consumes the largest amount of available water (about 53 % of the total demand). According to the Jordan Water Strategy 2008 - 2022, groundwater is twice greater than the recharge rate. Therefore, the government charged the planners to consider treated wastewater (TWW) as a choice in the water resources management and development strategies. In Jordan, there are 31 TWW plants. Among them, As Samra plant serving the two major cities, Amman and Zarqa, is the largest, with projected maximum capacity of 135 Million m3/year. This plant is located upstream of the Zarqa River basin that accepts all TWW discharges. The Zarqa River is considered the most important source of surface water in Jordan and more than 78 % of its current is composed of TWW. The main objectives were to develop a conceptual model for a selected part of the Zarqa River basin, including the As Samrapant, and to provide insights to water resources management in the area using TWW. The groundwater flow model was developed using MODFLOW 2005 and used to assess changes in the aquifer and the Zarqa River under a set of different increments in discharge rates from the As Samra plant and different groundwater pumping rates. The results show that the water table in the study area underwent an average water table decline of 29 m prior to the As Samra plant construction, comparing with the current situation (with annual TWW discharge of 110 Million m3). The analysis of the TWW rate increase to 135 million m3/year (maximum capacity of the As Samra plant) shows that the average groundwater level will rise 0.55 m, compared to the current conditions. We found that the best practices require conjunctive use management of surface- and groundwater. The simulated scenarios highlight the significant role of TWW in augmenting the aquifer storage, improving

  9. Assessment of DoD Wounded Warrior Matters: Selection and Training of Warrior Transition Unit and Wounded Warrior Battalion Leaders and Cadre

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-08-22

    balancing cost, schedule, performance, and risk. Observation 1 DODIG-2014-100 │ 9 Warrior Transition Unit Cadre Training Program Facts Over the past 5...understaffed. The DC M&RA, and WWR must continually account for turnover, unplanned losses, and the cyclical nature of Reserve IMA manpower to balance ...provide boards with an update of military and civilian skills and qualifications which may not be included in a members Official Military Personnel

  10. Iodine-129 in the Snake River Plain Aquifer at and Near the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2003 and 2007

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartholomay, Roy C.

    2009-01-01

    From 1953 to 1988, wastewater containing approximately 0.94 curies of iodine-129 (129I) was generated at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in southeastern Idaho. Almost all of this wastewater was discharged at or near the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) on the INL site. Most of the wastewater was discharged directly into the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer through a deep disposal well until 1984; however, some wastewater also was discharged into unlined infiltration ponds or leaked from distribution systems below the INTEC. In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, collected samples for 129I from 36 wells used to monitor the Snake River Plain aquifer, and from one well used to monitor a perched zone at the INTEC. Concentrations of 129I in the aquifer ranged from 0.0000066 +- 0.0000002 to 0.72 +- 0.051 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Many wells within a 3-mile radius of the INTEC showed decreases of as much as one order of magnitude in concentration from samples collected during 1990-91, and all of the samples had concentrations less than the Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 1 pCi/L. The average concentration of 129I in 19 wells sampled during both collection periods decreased from 0.975 pCi/L in 1990-91 to 0.249 pCi/L in 2003. These decreases are attributed to the discontinuation of disposal of 129I in wastewater after 1988 and to dilution and dispersion in the aquifer. Although water from wells sampled in 2003 near the INTEC showed decreases in concentrations of 129I compared with data collected in 1990-91, some wells south and east of the Central Facilities Area, near the site boundary, and south of the INL showed slight increases. These slight increases may be related to variable discharge rates of wastewater that eventually moved to these well locations as a mass of water from a particular disposal period. In 2007, the USGS collected samples for

  11. 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.

  12. 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

  13. Surface complexation modeling for predicting solid phase arsenic concentrations in the sediments of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, Arkansas, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

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

    2011-01-01

    The potential health impact of As in drinking water supply systems in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in the state of Arkansas, USA is significant. In this context it is important to understand the occurrence, distribution and mobilization of As in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer. Application of surface complexation models (SCMs) to predict the sorption behavior of As and hydrous Fe oxides (HFO) in the laboratory has increased in the last decade. However, the application of SCMs to predict the sorption of As in natural sediments has not often been reported, and such applications are greatly constrained by the lack of site-specific model parameters. Attempts have been made to use SCMs considering a component additivity (CA) approach which accounts for relative abundances of pure phases in natural sediments, followed by the addition of SCM parameters individually for each phase. Although few reliable and internally consistent sorption databases related to HFO exist, the use of SCMs using laboratory-derived sorption databases to predict the mobility of As in natural sediments has increased. This study is an attempt to evaluate the ability of the SCMs using the geochemical code PHREEQC to predict solid phase As in the sediments of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer in Arkansas. The SCM option of the double-layer model (DLM) was simulated using ferrihydrite and goethite as sorbents quantified from chemical extractions, calculated surface-site densities, published surface properties, and published laboratory-derived sorption constants for the sorbents. The model results are satisfactory for shallow wells (10.6. m below ground surface), where the redox condition is relatively oxic or mildly suboxic. However, for the deep alluvial aquifer (21-36.6. m below ground surface) where the redox condition is suboxic to anoxic, the model results are unsatisfactory. ?? 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Age of irrigation water in ground water from the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, south-central Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Plummer, Niel; Rupert, M.G.; Busenberg, E.; Schlosser, P.

    2000-01-01

    Stable isotope data (2H and 18O) were used in conjunction with chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and tritium/helium-3 (3H/3He) data to determine the fraction and age of irrigation water in ground water mixtures from farmed parts of the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) Aquifer in south-central Idaho. Two groups of waters were recognized: (1) regional background water, unaffected by irrigation and fertilizer application, and (2) mixtures of irrigation water from the Snake River with regional background water. New data are presented comparing CFC and 3H/3He dating of water recharged through deep fractured basalt, and dating of young fractions in ground water mixtures. The 3H/3He ages of irrigation water in most mixtures ranged from about zero to eight years. The CFC ages of irrigation water in mixtures ranged from values near those based on 3H/3He dating to values biased older than the 3H/3He ages by as much as eight to 10 years. Unsaturated zone air had CFC-12 and CFC-113 concentrations that were 60% to 95%, and 50% to 90%, respectively, of modern air concentrations and were consistently contaminated with CFC-11. Irrigation water diverted from the Snake River was contaminated with CFC-11 but near solubility equilibrium with CFC-12 and CFC-113. The dating indicates ground water velocities of 5 to 8 m/d for water along the top of the ESRP Aquifer near the southwestern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Many of the regional background waters contain excess terrigenic helium with a 3He/4He isotope ratio of 7 x 10-6 to 11 x 10-6 (R/Ra = 5 to 8) and could not be dated. Ratios of CFC data indicate that some rangeland water may contain as much as 5% to 30% young water (ages of less than or equal to two to 11.5 years) mixed with old regional background water. The relatively low residence times of ground water in irrigated parts of the ESRP Aquifer and the dilution with low-NO3 irrigation water from the Snake River lower the potential for

  15. Warrior Resilience Training in Operation Iraqi Freedom: combining rational emotive behavior therapy, resiliency, and positive psychology.

    PubMed

    Jarrett, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    Warrior Resilience Training (WRT) is an educational class designed to enhance Warrior resilience, thriving, and posttraumatic growth for Soldiers deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Warrior Resilience Training uses rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), Army leadership principles, and positive psychology as a vehicle for students to apply resilient philosophies derived from Army Warrior Ethos, Stoic philosophy, and the survivor and resiliency literature. Students in WRT are trained to focus upon virtue, character, and emotional self-regulation by constructing and maintaining a personal resiliency philosophy that emphasizes critical thinking, rationality, virtue, and Warrior Ethos. The author, an Army licensed clinical social worker, executive coach, REBT doctoral fellow, and former Special Forces noncommissioned officer, describes his initial experience teaching WRT during Operation Iraqi Freedom to combat medics and Soldiers from 2005 to 2006, and his experience as a leader of a combat stress control prevention team currently in Iraq offering mobile WRT classes in-theater. Warrior Resilience Training rationale, curriculum, variants (like Warrior Family Resilience Training), and feedback are included, with suggestions as to how behavioral health providers and combat stress control teams might better integrate their services with leaders, chaplains, and commands to better market combat stress resiliency, reduce barriers to care, and promote force preservation. Informal analysis of class feedback from 1168 respondents regarding WRT reception and utilization is examined.

  16. Vulnerbility of production wells in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system to saltwater intrusion from the Delaware River in Camden, Gloucester, and Salem Counties, New Jersey

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Navoy, Anthony S.; Voronin, Lois M.; Modica, Edward

    2005-01-01

    The Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system is hydraulically connected to the Delaware River in parts of Camden and Gloucester Counties, New Jersey, and has more limited contact with the river in Salem County, New Jersey. The aquifer system is used widely for water supply, and 122 production wells that are permitted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to pump more than 100,000 gallons per year in the three counties are within 2 miles of the river. During drought, saltwater may encroach upstream from the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay to areas where the aquifer system is recharged by induced infiltration through the Delaware River streambed. During the drought of the mid-1960's, water with a chloride concentration in excess of potability standards (250 mg/L (milligrams per liter)) encroached into the reach of the river that recharges the aquifer system. The vulnerability of the major production wells in the area to similar saltwater encroachment in the future is a concern to water managers. This vulnerability was evaluated by investigating two scenarios: (1) a one-time recurrence of the conditions approximating those that occurred in the1960's, and (2) the recurrence of those same conditions on an annual basis. Results of ground-water-flow simulation in conjunction with particle tracking and one-dimensional transport analysis indicate that the wells that are most vulnerable to saltwater intrusion are those in the Morris and Delair well fields in Camden County. A single 30-day event during which the concentration of dissolved chloride or sodium exceeds 2,098 mg/L or 407 mg/L, respectively, in the Delaware River would threaten the potability of water from these wells, given New Jersey drinking-water standards of 250 mg/L for dissolved chloride and 50 mg/L for dissolved sodium. This chloride concentration is about six times that observed in the river during the 1960's drought. An annually occurring 1-month event during which the concentrations of

  17. Characterizing Sources of Recharge and Groundwater Quality in Sacramento Aquifers Following California's Historic Drought

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robertson, C. A.; Paukert Vankeuren, A. N.; Wagner, A. J.; Blackburn, C.; Druecker, D.

    2016-12-01

    Characterizing recharge will be critical for sustainable groundwater use, particularly following California's historic five-year drought . Groundwater is of great importance to Sacramento, which is a high priority basin as determined by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014. The California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) campus has 18 monitoring wells, making it an ideal laboratory for examination of recharge sources and water quality in confined and unconfined aquifers in the Central Valley aquifer system. Historically, CSUS aquifers appear to have been recharged by water from the Western Sierra Nevada. The campus is bounded by the Lower American River, and some of its wells are in hydraulic connection with the river1. Lower than average river stage during the drought may have affected recharge to the aquifers from the river. Additionally, low impact development (LID) stormwater-management ponds have recently been installed on campus in an effort to increase infiltration and to help mitigate contamination of the aquifers and American River from campus runoff. The recently installed LID ponds on campus may have increased infiltration of local precipitation into the unconfined aquifer. Data collected from the monitoring wells allow for the examination of differences between the confined and unconfined aquifer systems in the Central Valley. To identify recharge sources, stable isotope and major ion analyses for samples collected from both campus aquifers are compared to samples from local precipitation and rivers in the Western Sierra Nevada feeding the American River. These results are used to assess current water quality and compared to historic datasets collected by the USGS to reveal changes that have occurred as a result of the recent drought. These data are the first in a dataset developed by CSUS Geology students for long-term monitoring of local groundwater quality. 1Moran et al., 2004. LLNL, UCR-203258.

  18. Aquifer-test results, direction of ground-water flow, and 1984-90 annual ground-water pumpage for irrigation, lower Big Lost River Valley, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bassick, M.D.; Jones, M.L.

    1992-01-01

    The study area (see index map of Idaho), part of the Big Lost River drainage basin, is at the northern side of the eastern Snake River Plain. The lower Big Lost River Valley extends from the confluence of Antelope Creek and the Big Lost River to about 4 mi south of Arco and encompasses about 145 mi2 (see map showing water-level contours). The study area is about 18 mi long and, at its narrowest, 4 mi wide. Arco, Butte City, and Moore, with populations of 1,016, 59, and 190, respectively, in 1990, are the only incorporated towns. The entire study area, except the extreme northwestern part, is in Butte City. The study area boundary is where alluvium and colluvium pinch out and abut against the White Knob Mountains (chiefly undifferentiated sedimentary rock with lesser amounts of volcanic rock) on the west and the Lost River Range (chiefly sedimentary rock) on the east. Gravel and sand in the valley fill compose the main aquifer. The southern boundary is approximately where Big Lost River valley fill intercalates with or abuts against basalt of the Snake River Group. Spring ground-water levels and flow in the Big Lost River depend primarily on temperature and the amount and timing of precipitation within the entire drainage basin. Periods of abundant water supply and water shortages are, therefore, related to the amount of annual precipitation. Surface reservoir capacity in the valley (Mackay Reservoir, about 20 mi northwest of Moore) is only 20 percent of the average annual flow of the Big Lost River (Crosthwaite and others, 1970, p. 3). Stored surface water is generally unavailable for carryover from years of abundant water supply to help relieve drought conditions in subsequent years. Many farmers have drilled irrigation wells to supplement surface-water supplies and to increase irrigated acreage. Average annual flow of the Big Lost River below Mackay Reservoir near Mackay (gaging station 13127000, not shown) in water years 1905, 1913-14, and 1920-90 was about 224

  19. Employee Warriors and the Future of the American Fighting Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-06-01

    Employee Warriors and the Future of the American Fighting Force HUGH S. VEST Major, USAF Fairchild Paper Air University Press Maxwell Air Force...control number. 1. REPORT DATE 00 JUN 2002 2. REPORT TYPE N/A 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Employee Warriors and the Future of the...American Fighting Force 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK

  20. Conservation and monitoring of a persecuted African lion population by Maasai warriors.

    PubMed

    Dolrenry, Stephanie; Hazzah, Leela; Frank, Laurence G

    2016-06-01

    Although Africa has many threatened species and biological hot spots, there are few citizen science schemes, particularly in rural communities, and there has been limited evaluation of existing programs. We engaged traditional Maasai warriors (pastoralist men aged 15 to 35) in community-based conservation and demographic monitoring of a persecuted African lion (Panthera leo) population. Through direct engagement, we investigated whether a citizen science approach employing local warriors, who had no formal education, could produce reliable data on the demographics, predation, and movements of a species with which their communities have been in conflict for generations. Warriors were given benefits such as literacy training and skill enhancement and engaged in the monitoring of the lions. The trained warriors reported on lion sign across an area nearly 4000 km(2) . Scientists worked together with the warriors to verify their reports and gather observations on the lion population. Using the verified reports and collected observations, we examined our scientific knowledge relative to the lion population preceding and during the citizen science program. Our observations showed that data quality and quantity improved with the involvement and training of the participants. Furthermore, because they engaged in conservation and gained personal benefits, the participants came to appreciate a species that was traditionally their foe. We believe engaging other local communities in biodiversity conservation and monitoring may be an effective conservation approach in rural Africa. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

  1. Chemical Constituents in Groundwater from Multiple Zones in the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2005-08

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartholomay, Roy C.; Twining, Brian V.

    2010-01-01

    From 2005 to 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey's Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Project office, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, collected water-quality samples from multiple water-bearing zones in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. Water samples were collected from six monitoring wells completed in about 350-700 feet of the upper part of the aquifer, and the samples were analyzed for major ions, selected trace elements, nutrients, selected radiochemical constituents, and selected stable isotopes. Each well was equipped with a multilevel monitoring system containing four to seven sampling ports that were each isolated by permanent packer systems. The sampling ports were installed in aquifer zones that were highly transmissive and that represented the water chemistry of the top four to five model layers of a steady-state and transient groundwater-flow model. The model's water chemistry and particle-tracking simulations are being used to better define movement of wastewater constituents in the aquifer. The results of the water chemistry analyses indicated that, in each of four separate wells, one zone of water differed markedly from the other zones in the well. In four wells, one zone to as many as five zones contained radiochemical constituents that originated from wastewater disposal at selected laboratory facilities. The multilevel sampling systems are defining the vertical distribution of wastewater constituents in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and the concentrations of wastewater constituents in deeper zones in wells Middle 2051, USGS 132, and USGS 103 support the concept of groundwater flow deepening in the southwestern part of the INL.

  2. A regional scale investigation on factors controlling the groundwater chemistry of various aquifers in a rapidly urbanized area: A case study of the Pearl River Delta.

    PubMed

    Huang, Guanxing; Liu, Chunyan; Sun, Jichao; Zhang, Ming; Jing, Jihong; Li, Liangping

    2018-06-01

    A growing population accompanied by urbanization has increased groundwater resource demands in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) area, southern China, and a comprehensive understanding of the groundwater chemistry in the PRD is necessary. The aims of this study were to investigate the groundwater chemistry in various aquifers in the PRD on a regional scale and to discuss the factors that control the groundwater chemistries of different types of aquifers. In addition, the effect of the expansion of construction land on the groundwater chemistry was also taken into consideration in this study. Nearly 400 groundwater samples were collected and fourteen chemical parameters were investigated. The results show that natural factors, such as seawater intrusions, are mainly responsible for the higher concentrations of total dissolved solids, Na + , Mg 2+ , K + , and Cl - , in granular aquifers than those in fissured and karst aquifers. Similarly, higher concentrations of NH 4 + , Fe and Mn in granular aquifers than those in the other two types of aquifers are mainly ascribed to natural reduction. In contrast, human activities, such as the continuous irrigation of river water, upon granular aquifer are mainly responsible for the higher concentrations of Ca 2+ and HCO 3 - in granular aquifers than those in other two types of aquifers. Urbanization and industrialization are the main driving forces for the frequently occurrences of NO 3 and SO 4 water types, respectively. Moreover, the number of water types in the PRD increased to 89 after the decades of urbanization. Factors that control groundwater chemistries in various aquifers were extracted. A four-factor model controlled the groundwater chemistry of granular aquifers, while two three-factor models controlled the groundwater chemistries of fissured and karst aquifers, respectively. The results of this study show that the expansion of construction land is a powerful driving force for the change of groundwater chemistry in the

  3. 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.

  4. Surface-water/ground-water interaction of the Spokane River and the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie aquifer, Idaho and Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Caldwell, Rodney R.; Bowers, Craig L.

    2003-01-01

    Although trace-element concentrations sometimes exceeded aquatic-life criteria in the water of the Spokane River and were elevated above national median values in the bed sediment, trace-element concentrations of all river and ground-water samples were at levels less than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. The Spokane River appears to be a source of cadmium, copper, zinc, and possibly lead in the near-river ground water. Dissolved cadmium, copper, and lead concentrations generally were less than 1 microgram per liter (µg/L) in the river water and ground water. During water year 2001, dissolved zinc concentrations were similar in water from near-river wells (17-71 µg/L) and the river water (22-66 µg/L), but were less than detection levels in wells farther from the river. Arsenic, found to be elevated in ground water in parts of the aquifer, does not appear to have a river source. Although the river does influence the ground-water chemistry in proximity to the river, it does not appear to adversely affect the ground-water quality to a level of human-health concern.

  5. A novel analytical solution for estimating aquifer properties within a horizontally anisotropic aquifer bounded by a stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Yibin; Zhan, Hongbin; Knappett, Peter S. K.

    2018-04-01

    Past studies modeling stream-aquifer interaction commonly account for vertical anisotropy in hydraulic conductivity, but rarely address horizontal anisotropy, which may exist in certain sedimentary environments. If present, horizontal anisotropy will greatly impact stream depletion and the amount of recharge a pumped aquifer captures from the river. This scenario requires a different and somewhat more sophisticated mathematical approach to model and interpret pumping test results than previous models used to describe captured recharge from rivers. In this study, a new mathematical model is developed to describe the spatiotemporal distribution of drawdown from stream-bank pumping with a well screened across a horizontally anisotropic, confined aquifer, laterally bounded by a river. This new model is used to estimate four aquifer parameters including the magnitude and directions of major and minor principal transmissivities and storativity based on the observed drawdown-time curves within a minimum of three non-collinear observation wells. In order to approve the efficacy of the new model, a MATLAB script file is programmed to conduct a four-parameter inversion to estimate the four parameters of concern. By comparing the results of analytical and numerical inversions, the accuracy of estimated results from both inversions is acceptable, but the MATLAB program sometimes becomes problematic because of the difficulty of separating the local minima from the global minima. It appears that the new analytical model of this study is applicable and robust in estimating parameter values for a horizontally anisotropic aquifer laterally bounded by a stream. Besides that, the new model calculates stream depletion rate as a function of stream-bank pumping. Unique to horizontally anisotropic and homogeneous aquifers, the stream depletion rate at any given pumping rate depends closely on the horizontal anisotropy ratio and the direction of the principle transmissivities relative to

  6. Iroquois Warriors in Iraq

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-01-01

    SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER( S ) 12. DISTRIBUTION /AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release; distribution unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES...Baghdad to work on the J-Staff soon after Mob-2 and 3’ s arrival in Iraq. Both officers, at least nominally, remained in charge of their respective...00-00-2007 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Iroquois Warriors in Iraq 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) 5d

  7. Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, May 2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

    2008-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2008. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 567 wells during the period May 6-May 27, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours. Measured values of the potentiometric surface ranged from 7 feet below NGVD29 near Fernandina Beach, Florida, to 124 feet above NGVD29 in Polk County, Florida. The average water level of the network in May 2008 was about 1 foot lower than the average in September 2007 following below-average rainfall during the dry season of 2007-08. Seasonal differences in network average water levels generally range from 4 to 6 feet. For 457 wells with previous measurements, May 2008 levels ranged from about 19 feet below to about 11 feet above September 2007 water levels. The average water level of the network in May 2008 was about 1 foot higher than the average in May 2007. For 544 wells with previous measurements, May 2008 levels ranged from about 8 feet below to about 13 feet above May 2007 water levels. Long-term hydrographs of ground-water levels for continuous and periodic wells are available

  8. The Warrior Wellness Study: A Randomized Controlled Exercise Trial for Older Veterans with PTSD.

    PubMed

    Hall, Katherine S; Morey, Miriam C; Beckham, Jean C; Bosworth, Hayden B; Pebole, Michelle M; Pieper, Carl F; Sloane, Richard

    2018-03-15

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects up to 30% of military veterans. Older veterans, many of whom have lived with PTSD symptoms for several decades, report a number of negative health outcomes. Despite the demonstrated benefits of regular exercise on physical and psychological health, no studies have explored the impact of exercise in older veterans with PTSD. This paper describes the development, design, and implementation of the Warrior Wellness exercise pilot study for older veterans with PTSD. Veterans aged ≥60 with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) diagnosis of PTSD will be recruited and randomized to (a) Warrior Wellness, a 12-week supervised, facility-based exercise intervention, or (b) usual care for 12 weeks. Warrior Wellness is a theory- and evidence-based behavioral intervention that involves 3 sessions per week of multi-component exercise training that targets strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility. Warrior Wellness focuses on satisfaction with outcomes, self-efficacy, self-monitoring, and autonomy. Factors associated with program adherence, defined as the number of sessions attended during the 12 weeks, will be explored. Primary outcomes include PTSD symptoms and cardiovascular endurance, assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. Compared to those in usual care, it is hypothesized that those in the Warrior Wellness condition will improve on these efficacy outcomes. The Warrior Wellness study will provide evidence on whether a short-term exercise intervention is feasible, acceptable, and effective among older veterans with PTSD, and explore factors associated with program adherence. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier : NCT02295995.

  9. Iodine-129 in the Snake River Plain aquifer at and near the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho, 1990-91

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mann, L.J.; Beasley, T.M.

    1994-01-01

    From 1953 to 1990, an estimated 0.56 to 1.18 curies of iodine-129 were contained in wastewater generated by the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The waste- water was discharged directly to the Snake River Plain aquifer through a deep disposal well prior to February 1984 and through unlined disposal ponds in 1984-90. The wastewater did not contain measurable concentrations of iodine-129 in 1989-90. Samples were collected from 51 wells that obtain water from the Snake River Plain aquifer and 1 well that obtains water from a perched ground-water zone. The samples were analyzed for iodine-129 using an accelerator mass spectrometer which is two to six orders of magnitude more sensitive than neutron- activation methods. Therefore, iodine-129 was detectable in samples from a larger number of wells distributed over a larger area than previously was possible. Ground-water flow velocities calculated using iodine-129 data are estimated to be at least 6 feet per day. These velocities compare favorably with those of 4 to 10 feet per day calculated from tritium data and tracer studies at wells down- gradient from the ICPP. In 1990-91, concentrations of iodine-129 in water samples from wells that obtain water from the Snake River Plain aquifer ranged from less than 0.0000006+0.0000002 to 3.82.+0.19 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The mean concentration in water from 18 wells was 0.81+0.19 pCi/L as compared with 1.30+0.26 pCi/L in 1986. The decrease in the iodine-l29 concentrations from 1986 to 1990-91 chiefly was the result of a decrease in the amount of iodine-129 disposed of annually, and changes in disposal techniques.

  10. Geologic Map of the Edwards Aquifer In Northern Medina and Northeastern Uvalde Counties, South-central Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clark, Allan K.; Faith, Jason R.; Blome, Charles D.; Pedraza, Diana E.

    2006-01-01

    The southern segment of the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas is one of the most productive subsurface reservoirs of potable water in the world, providing water of excellent quality to more than a million people in the San Antonio region, where the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared it to be a sole-source aquifer (van der Leeden and others, 1990). Depending on the depositional province within which the associated carbonate rocks originated (Maclay and Small, 1984), the Edwards aquifer is composed of several geologic formations (primarily limestone and dolostone) of Early Cretaceous age. Most water pumped from the Edwards aquifer comes form the Person and Kainer Formations, which were deposited over the San Marcos Platform. The principal source of ground water in study area is the Devils River Formation, which was deposited in the Devils River trend. The Devils River Formation provides large quantities of irrigation water to fertile bottomland areas of Medina and Uvalde Counties, where the success of farming and ranching activities has long depended upon water from the Edwards aquifer. The study area includes all of the Edwards aquifer recharge zone between the Sabinal River (on the west) and the Medina River (on the east) plus an updip fringe of the confined zone in east-central Uvalde and central Medina Counties. Over about ninety percent of the study area--within the Devils River trend--the Edwards aquifer is composed of the Georgetown Formation plus the underlying Devils River Formation. Over the remaining area--over the southwestern margin of the San Marcos platform--the Edwards aquifer consists of the Georgetown Formation plus the underlying Edwards Group (Rose, 1972), which comprises the Kainer and Person Formations.

  11. An Induced Infiltration and Groundwater Transfer Project to Enhance Recharge in the Lower Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer: Modeling and Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rigby, J.; Haugh, C. J.; Barlow, J.

    2015-12-01

    The Lower Mississippi River Basin is one of the major agricultural production regions in the United States producing over two-thirds of the rice, nearly half of sugarcane produced in the U.S., as well as significant amounts of soybeans, corn, and cotton. While the region experiences over 50 inches of precipitation annually, reaching yield potential for crops requires irrigation. Approximately 75% of crop acres in the alluvial valley are irrigated, and the expectation is that all acreage will eventually be irrigated. Currently over 90% of water for crop irrigation is derived from the shallow alluvial aquifer outpacing net recharge by several million acre-feet per year. This has resulted in severe groundwater declines in Arkansas and an increasingly threatening situation in northwestern Mississippi. In Mississippi, direct injection has received increasing attention as a means of artificial recharge, though water quality remains a concern both for the integrity of the aquifer and efficiency of injection. This project considers the use of pumping wells near major rivers known to be in connection with the aquifer to induce additional infiltration of surface water by steepening local gradients. The pumped water would be transferred by pipeline to areas within the regional cone of depression where it is then injected to enhance groundwater recharge. Groundwater flow modeling with zone budget analysis is used to evaluate the potential for net supply gains from induced infiltration at potential sites along major rivers in the region. The groundwater model will further evaluate the impact of the transfer and direct injection on regional water tables.

  12. River infiltration to a subtropical alluvial aquifer inferred using multiple environmental tracers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lamontagne, S.; Taylor, A. R.; Batlle-Aguilar, J.; Suckow, A.; Cook, P. G.; Smith, S. D.; Morgenstern, U.; Stewart, M. K.

    2015-06-01

    Chloride (Cl-), stable isotope ratios of water (δ18O and δ2H), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), tritium (3H), carbon-14 (14C), noble gases (4He, Ne, and Ar), and hydrometry were used to characterize groundwater-surface water interactions, in particular infiltration rates, for the Lower Namoi River (New South Wales, Australia). The study period (four sampling campaigns between November 2009 and November 2011) represented the end of a decade-long drought followed by several high-flow events. The hydrometry showed that the river was generally losing to the alluvium, except when storm-derived floodwaves in the river channel generated bank recharge—discharge cycles. Using 3H/14C-derived estimates of groundwater mean residence time along the transect, infiltration rates ranged from 0.6 to 5 m yr-1. However, when using the peak transition age (a more realistic estimate of travel time in highly dispersive environments), the range in infiltration rate was larger (4-270 m yr-1). Both river water (highest δ2H, δ18O, SF6, 3H, and 14C) and an older groundwater source (lowest δ2H, δ18O, SF6, 3H, 14C, and highest 4He) were found in the riparian zone. This old groundwater end-member may represent leakage from an underlying confined aquifer (Great Artesian Basin). Environmental tracers may be used to estimate infiltration rates in this riparian environment but the presence of multiple sources of water and a high dispersion induced by frequent variations in the water table complicates their interpretation.

  13. Simulation of Ground-Water Flow and Optimization of Withdrawals from Aquifers at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, St. Mary's County, Maryland

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dieter, Cheryl A.; Fleck, William B.

    2008-01-01

    Potentiometric surfaces in the Piney Point-Nanjemoy, Aquia, and Upper Patapsco aquifers have declined from 1950 through 2000 throughout southern Maryland. In the vicinity of Lexington Park, Maryland, the potentiometric surface in the Aquia aquifer in 2000 was as much as 170 feet below sea level, approximately 150 feet lower than estimated pre-pumping levels before 1940. At the present rate, the water levels will have declined to the regulatory allowable maximum of 80 percent of available drawdown in the Aquia aquifer by about 2050. The effect of the withdrawals from these aquifers by the Naval Air Station Patuxent River and surrounding users on the declining potentiometric surface has raised concern for future availability of ground water. Growth at Naval Air Station Patuxent River may increase withdrawals, resulting in further drawdown. A ground-water-flow model, combined with optimization modeling, was used to develop withdrawal scenarios that minimize the effects (drawdown) of hypothetical future withdrawals. A three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water-flow model was developed to simulate the ground-water-flow system in the Piney Point-Nanjemoy, Aquia, and Upper Patapsco aquifers beneath the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Transient and steady-state conditions were simulated to give water-resource managers additional tools to manage the ground-water resources. The transient simulation, representing 1900 through 2002, showed that the magnitude of withdrawal has increased over that time, causing ground-water flow to change direction in some areas. The steady-state simulation was linked to an optimization model to determine optimal solutions to hypothetical water-management scenarios. Two optimization scenarios were evaluated. The first scenario was designed to determine the optimal pumping rates for wells screened in the Aquia aquifer within three supply groups to meet a 25-percent increase in withdrawal demands, while minimizing the drawdown at a control

  14. Modes of occurrence of mercury and other trace elements in coals from the warrior field, Black Warrior Basin, Northwestern Alabama

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Diehl, S.F.; Goldhaber, M.B.; Hatch, J.R.

    2004-01-01

    The mineralogic residence and abundance of trace metals is an important environmental issue. Data from the USGS coal quality database show that potentially toxic elements, including Hg, As, Mo, Se, Cu, and Tl are enriched in a subset of coal samples in the Black Warrior Basin of Alabama, USA. Although the coal as-mined typically is low in these elements, localized enrichments occur in high-pyrite coals and near faults. Microscopic analyses demonstrate that the residence of these elements is dominantly in a late-stage pyrite associated with structurally disrupted coal. Further, our data suggest addition of Hg to the coal matrix as well. The source of these trace elements was hydrothermal fluids driven into the Black Warrior Basin by Alleghanian age tectonism. ?? 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Electronic Warfare for Cyber Warriors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-01

    This research paper provides complete course content for the AFIT EENG 509, Electronic Warfare class. It is intended as a replacement for the existing course and designed for Intermediate Developmental Education (IDE) students in the Cyber Warfare degree program. This course provides relevant academic courseware and study material to give cyber warriors an academic and operational perspective on electronic warfare and its integration in the cyber domain.

  16. Seasonal feeding specialization on snails by river darters (Percina shumardi) with a review of snail feeding by other darter species

    Treesearch

    Wendell R. Haag; Melvin L. Warren

    2006-01-01

    We report food habits of River Darters (Percina shumardi) in Brushy Creek and the Sipsey Fork Black Warrior River, Alabama. River Darters preyed heavily on pleurocerid snails in both streams. Snail feeding varied widely among sample dates and was highest in October when snails represented nearly 100% of darter food items. Snail feeding declined...

  17. Closed-form analytical solutions incorporating pumping and tidal effects in various coastal aquifer systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chaoyue; Li, Hailong; Wan, Li; Wang, Xusheng; Jiang, Xiaowei

    2014-07-01

    Pumping wells are common in coastal aquifers affected by tides. Here we present analytical solutions of groundwater table or head variations during a constant rate pumping from a single, fully-penetrating well in coastal aquifer systems comprising an unconfined aquifer, a confined aquifer and semi-permeable layer between them. The unconfined aquifer terminates at the coastline (or river bank) and the other two layers extend under tidal water (sea or tidal river) for a certain distance L. Analytical solutions are derived for 11 reasonable combinations of different situations of the L-value (zero, finite, and infinite), of the middle layer's permeability (semi-permeable and impermeable), of the boundary condition at the aquifer's submarine terminal (Dirichlet describing direct connection with seawater and no-flow describing the existence of an impermeable capping), and of the tidal water body (sea and tidal river). Solutions are discussed with application examples in fitting field observations and parameter estimations.

  18. Karst connections between unconfined aquifers and the Upper Floridan aquifer in south Georgia: geophysical evidence and hydrogeological models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thieme, D. M.; Denizman, C.

    2011-12-01

    Buried karst features in sedimentary rocks of the south Georgia Coastal Plain present a challenge for hydrogeological models of recharge and confined flow within the underlying Upper Floridan aquifer. The Withlacoochee River, the trunk stream for the area, frequently disappears into subsurface caverns as it makes its way south to join the Suwannee River in northern Florida. The Withlacoochee also receives inputs from small ponds and bays which in turn receive spring and seep groundwater inputs. We have mapped karst topography at the "top of rock" using ground-penetrating radar (GPR). Up to seven meters of relief is indicated for the paleotopography on Miocene to Pliocene rocks, contrasting with the more subdued relief of the modern landscape. Current stratigraphic and hydrogeological reconstructions do not incorporate this amount of relief or lateral variation in the confining beds. One "pipe" which is approximately four meters in diameter is being mapped in detail. We have field evidence at this location for rapid movement of surficial pond and river water with a meteoric signature through several separate strata of sedimentary rock into an aquifer in the Hawthorn formation. We use our geophysical and hydrological field evidence to constrain quantitative hydrogeological models for the flow rates into and out of both this upper aquifer and the underlying Upper Floridan aquifer, which is generally considered to be confined by the clays of the Hawthorn.

  19. Testing of stack-unit/aquifer sensitivity analysis using contaminant plume distribution in the subsurface of Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rine, J.M.; Shafer, J.M.; Covington, E.; Berg, R.C.

    2006-01-01

    Published information on the correlation and field-testing of the technique of stack-unit/aquifer sensitivity mapping with documented subsurface contaminant plumes is rare. The inherent characteristic of stack-unit mapping, which makes it a superior technique to other analyses that amalgamate data, is the ability to deconstruct the sensitivity analysis on a unit-by-unit basis. An aquifer sensitivity map, delineating the relative sensitivity of the Crouch Branch aquifer of the Administrative/Manufacturing Area (A/M) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina, USA, incorporates six hydrostratigraphic units, surface soil units, and relevant hydrologic data. When this sensitivity map is compared with the distribution of the contaminant tetrachloroethylene (PCE), PCE is present within the Crouch Branch aquifer within an area classified as highly sensitive, even though the PCE was primarily released on the ground surface within areas classified with low aquifer sensitivity. This phenomenon is explained through analysis of the aquifer sensitivity map, the groundwater potentiometric surface maps, and the plume distributions within the area on a unit-by- unit basis. The results of this correlation show how the paths of the PCE plume are influenced by both the geology and the groundwater flow. ?? Springer-Verlag 2006.

  20. Potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity, Florida, May 1994

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schiffer, D.M.; O'Reilly, A. M.; Phelps, G.G.; Bradner, L.A.; Halford, K.J.; Spechler, R.M.

    1994-01-01

    This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 1994. The map is based on water-level measurements made at approximately 1,000 wells and several springs. Data on the map were contoured using 5-foot contour intervals in most areas. The potentiometric surface of this karstic aquifer generally reflects land surface topography. Potentiometric surface highs often correspond to topographic highs, which are areas of surficial recharge to the Upper Floridan aquifer. Springs within topographic lows along with areas of more diffuse upward leakage are natural zones of discharge. Municipal, agricultural, and industrial withdrawals have lowered the potentiometric surface in some areas. The potentiometric surface ranged from 125 feet above sea level in Polk County to 32 feet below sea level in Nassau County. Water levels in May 1994 generally were 0 to 3 feet lower than those measured in May 1993. Water levels in May 1994 in northeast Florida generally were 0 to 3 feet higher than in September 1993, except in the lower St. Johns River basin, where water levels were 0 to 4 feet lower than in September 1993. In the rest of the mapped area, water levels in May 1994 generally were 0 to 4 feet lower than those measured in September 1993.

  1. Hydrogeology and sources of recharge to the Buffalo and Wahpeton aquifers in the southern part of the Red River of the North drainage basin, west-central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schoenberg, Michael

    1998-01-01

    The potential sources of recharge to the Wahpeton aquifers investigated were the Red River of the North, and adjacent hydro geologic units. The volume of ground water pumped from the Wahpeton aquifers provides an estimate of the upper limit for the volume of recharge to the aquifer. Based on pumpage from all of the Wapheton aquifers from 1990 to 1993, the upper limit is about 580 million gallons per year (2.4 x 105 cubic feet per day).

  2. Effects of aquifer storage and recovery activities on water quality in the Little Arkansas River and Equus Beds Aquifer, south-central Kansas, 2011–14

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stone, Mandy L.; Garrett, Jessica D.; Poulton, Barry C.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

    2016-07-18

    The Equus Beds aquifer in south-central Kansas is aprimary water source for the city of Wichita. The Equus Beds aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project was developed to help the city of Wichita meet increasing current (2016) and future water demands. The Equus Beds ASR project pumps water out of the Little Arkansas River during above-base flow conditions, treats it using drinking-water quality standards as a guideline, and recharges it into the Equus Beds aquifer for later use. Phase II of the Equus Beds ASR project currently (2016) includes a river intake facility and a surface-water treatment facility with a 30 million gallon per day capacity. Water diverted from the Little Arkansas River is delivered to an adjacent presedimentation basin for solids removal. Subsequently, waste from the surface-water treatment facility and the presedimentation basin is returned to the Little Arkansas River through a residuals return line. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city of Wichita, developed and implemented a hydrobiological monitoring program as part of the ASR project to characterize and quantify the effects of aquifer storage and recovery activities on the Little Arkansas River and Equus Beds aquifer water quality.Data were collected from 2 surface-water sites (one upstream and one downstream from the residuals return line), 1 residuals return line site, and 2 groundwater well sites (each having a shallow and deep part): the Little Arkansas River upstream from the ASR facility near Sedgwick, Kansas (upstream surface-water site 375350097262800), about 0.03 mile (mi) upstream from the residuals return line site; the Little Arkansas River near Sedgwick, Kans. (downstream surface-water site 07144100), about 1.68 mi downstream from the residuals return line site; discharge from the Little Arkansas River ASR facility near Sedgwick, Kansas (residuals return line site 375348097262800); 25S 01 W 07BCCC01 SMW–S11 near CW36 (MW–7 shallow groundwater well

  3. 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

  4. 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.

  5. Potentiometric surface of the Floridan Aquifer and its use in management of water resources, St. Johns River Water Management District, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rodis, Harry George; Munch, D.A.

    1983-01-01

    The Floridan aquifer supplies most of the fresh groundwater for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses within the 12,400 sq mi St. Johns River Water Management District. Because of the growing demand for water and the variation in rainfall, resource managers need timely information on short-term and long-term changes in the availability of fresh water. The purpose of this report is to explain potentiometric surface maps and their value in assessing the resource, particularly during drought conditions. The Floridan aquifer is recharged by rainfall falling directly on the outcrop of the aquifer, and, where the aquifer is overlain by the surficial aquifer with the water table above the potentiometric surface of the Floridan, by water infiltrating downward from the overlying surficial aquifer. Water is discharged by pumping and free-flowing wells, springflow, and upward leakage into overlying formations, streams, and lakes or into the ocean. Fluctuations in the potentiometric surface reflect net gains (recharge) or losses (discharge) of water stored in the aquifer. Net gains occur during the wet season (June through September) when recharge exceeds discharge and causes the potentiometric surface to rise in most places. Net losses in storage, and declines in the potentiometric surface, follow during the dry season (October through May) when discharge exceeds recharge. Seasonal changes in the potentiometric surface, based on a 2-yr average of water level measurements during May and September 1977, and May and September 1978, are illustrated. Two of the greater long-term declines in the potentiometric surface have occurred in the growing metropolitan areas of Jacksonville and Orlando-Winter Park, the two largest public suppliers of water in the Water Management District. Municipal pumpage increased in Jacksonville from 37 million gallons per day (mgd) in 1961 to 56 mgd in 1980. The increased pumpage and a deficiency in rainfall of 15.8 inches contributed to a

  6. Assessing river-groundwater exchange fluxes of the Wairau River, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilson, Scott; Woehling, Thomas; Davidson, Peter

    2014-05-01

    Allocation limits in river-recharged aquifers have traditionally been based on static observations of river gains and losses undertaken when river flow is low. This approach to setting allocation limits does not consider the dynamic relationship between river flows and groundwater levels. Predicting groundwater availability based on a better understanding of coupled river - aquifer systems opens the possibility for dynamic groundwater allocation approaches. Numerical groundwater models are most commonly used for regional scale allocation assessments. Using these models for predicting future system states is challenging, particularly under changing management and climate scenarios. The large degree of uncertainty associated with these predictions is caused by insufficient knowledge about the heterogeneity of subsurface flow characteristics, ineffective monitoring designs, and the inability to confidently predict the spatially and temporally varying river - groundwater exchange fluxes. These uncertainties are characteristic to many coupled surface water - groundwater systems worldwide. Braided river systems, however, create additional challenges due to their highly dynamic morphological character and mobile beds which also make river flow measurements extremely difficult. This study focuses on the characterization of river - groundwater exchange fluxes along a section of the Wairau River in the Northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. The braided river recharges the Wairau Aquifer which is an important source for irrigation and municipal water requirements of the city of Blenheim. The Wairau Aquifer is hosted by the highly permeable Rapaura Formation gravels that extend to a depth of about 20 to 30 m. However, the overall thickness of the alluvial sequence forming the Wairau Plain may be up to 500 m. The landuse in the area is mainly grapes but landsurface recharge to the aquifer is considered to be considerably smaller than the recharge from the Wairau river

  7. Serving Wounded Warriors in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Dawn

    2014-01-01

    An influx of veterans is returning to the classroom; as many as a third are returning as wounded warriors with disabilities, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury which affect classroom success. Research indicates that although many colleges and universities strive to support veterans by assisting with the GI Bill and…

  8. A female Viking warrior confirmed by genomics

    PubMed Central

    Kjellström, Anna; Zachrisson, Torun; Krzewińska, Maja; Sobrado, Veronica; Price, Neil; Günther, Torsten; Jakobsson, Mattias; Götherström, Anders; Storå, Jan

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Objectives The objective of this study has been to confirm the sex and the affinity of an individual buried in a well‐furnished warrior grave (Bj 581) in the Viking Age town of Birka, Sweden. Previously, based on the material and historical records, the male sex has been associated with the gender of the warrior and such was the case with Bj 581. An earlier osteological classification of the individual as female was considered controversial in a historical and archaeological context. A genomic confirmation of the biological sex of the individual was considered necessary to solve the issue. Materials and methods Genome‐wide sequence data was generated in order to confirm the biological sex, to support skeletal integrity, and to investigate the genetic relationship of the individual to ancient individuals as well as modern‐day groups. Additionally, a strontium isotope analysis was conducted to highlight the mobility of the individual. Results The genomic results revealed the lack of a Y‐chromosome and thus a female biological sex, and the mtDNA analyses support a single‐individual origin of sampled elements. The genetic affinity is close to present‐day North Europeans, and within Sweden to the southern and south‐central region. Nevertheless, the Sr values are not conclusive as to whether she was of local or nonlocal origin. Discussion The identification of a female Viking warrior provides a unique insight into the Viking society, social constructions, and exceptions to the norm in the Viking time‐period. The results call for caution against generalizations regarding social orders in past societies. PMID:28884802

  9. A Reassessment of Risk Factors and Frequency of Suicide Ideation Among U.S. Air Force Remote Warriors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-01-30

    AFRL-SA-WP-TR-2018-0006 A Reassessment of Risk Factors and Frequency of Suicide Ideation Among U.S. Air Force Remote Warriors...SUBTITLE A Reassessment of Risk Factors and Frequency of Suicide Ideation among U.S. Air Force Remote Warriors 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT...unlimited. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES Cleared, SAF/PA, Case # 2018-0305, 30 Apr 2018. 14. ABSTRACT The U.S. Air Force remote warrior community

  10. Lava tubes and aquifer vulnerability in the upper Actopan River basin, Veracruz, México

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Espinasa-Pereña, R.; Delgado Granados, H.

    2011-12-01

    Rapid infiltration leads to very dry conditions on the surface of some volcanic terrains, with large allogenic streams sometimes sinking underground upon reaching a lava flow. Aquifers in lava flows tend to be heterogeneous and discontinuous, generally unconfined and fissured, and have high transmissivity. Springs associated with basalts may be very large but are typically restricted to lava-flow margins. Concern has been expressed regarding the potential for lava-tube caves to facilitate groundwater contamination similar to that afflicting some karst aquifers (Kempe et al., 2003; Kiernan et al., 2002; Halliday 2003). The upper Actopan River basin is a series of narrow valleys excavated in Tertiary volcanic brechias. Several extensive Holocene basaltic tube-fed lava flows have partially filled these valleys. The youngest and longest flow originates at El Volcancillo, a 780 ybP monogenetic volcano. It is over 50 km long, and was fed through a major master tube, the remains of which form several lava-tube caves (Gassos and Espinasa-Pereña, 2008). Another tube-fed flow initiates at a vent at the bottom of Barranca Huichila and can be followed for 7 km to where it is covered by the Volcancillo flow. The Huichila River is captured by this system of lava tubes and can be followed through several underground sections. In dry weather the stream disappears at a sump in one of these caves, although during hurricanes it overflows the tube, floods the Tengonapa plain, and finally sinks through a series of skylights into the master tube of the Volcancillo flow. Near villages, the cave entrances are used as trash dumps, which are mobilized during floods. These include household garbage, organic materials associated with agriculture and even medical supplies. This is a relatively recent phenomenon, caused by population growth and the building of houses above the lava flows. The water resurges at El Descabezadero, gushing from fractures in the lava above the underlying brechias

  11. Development of a stream-aquifer numerical flow model to assess river water management under water scarcity in a Mediterranean basin.

    PubMed

    Mas-Pla, Josep; Font, Eva; Astui, Oihane; Menció, Anna; Rodríguez-Florit, Agustí; Folch, Albert; Brusi, David; Pérez-Paricio, Alfredo

    2012-12-01

    Stream flow, as a part of a basin hydrological cycle, will be sensible to water scarcity as a result of climate change. Stream vulnerability should then be evaluated as a key component of the basin water budget. Numerical flow modeling has been applied to an alluvial formation in a small mountain basin to evaluate the stream-aquifer relationship under these future scenarios. The Arbúcies River basin (116 km(2)) is located in the Catalan Inner Basins (NE Spain) and its lower reach, which is related to an alluvial aquifer, usually becomes dry during the summer period. This study seeks to determine the origin of such discharge losses whether from natural stream leakage and/or induced capture due to groundwater withdrawal. Our goal is also investigating how discharge variations from the basin headwaters, representing potential effects of climate change, may affect stream flow, aquifer recharge, and finally environmental preservation and human supply. A numerical flow model of the alluvial aquifer, based on MODFLOW and especially in the STREAM routine, reproduced the flow system after the usual calibration. Results indicate that, in the average, stream flow provides more than 50% of the water inputs to the alluvial aquifer, being responsible for the amount of stored water resources and for satisfying groundwater exploitation for human needs. Detailed simulations using daily time-steps permit setting threshold values for the stream flow entering at the beginning of the studied area so surface discharge is maintained along the whole watercourse and ecological flow requirements are satisfied as well. The effects of predicted rainfall and temperature variations on the Arbúcies River alluvial aquifer water balance are also discussed from the outcomes of the simulations. Finally, model results indicate the relevance of headwater discharge management under future climate scenarios to preserve downstream hydrological processes. They also point out that small mountain basins

  12. Aquifer response to stream-stage and recharge variations. II. Convolution method and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barlow, P. M.; DeSimone, L. A.; Moench, A. F.

    2000-05-01

    In this second of two papers, analytical step-response functions, developed in the companion paper for several cases of transient hydraulic interaction between a fully penetrating stream and a confined, leaky, or water-table aquifer, are used in the convolution integral to calculate aquifer heads, streambank seepage rates, and bank storage that occur in response to stream-stage fluctuations and basinwide recharge or evapotranspiration. Two computer programs developed on the basis of these step-response functions and the convolution integral are applied to the analysis of hydraulic interaction of two alluvial stream-aquifer systems in the northeastern and central United States. These applications demonstrate the utility of the analytical functions and computer programs for estimating aquifer and streambank hydraulic properties, recharge rates, streambank seepage rates, and bank storage. Analysis of the water-table aquifer adjacent to the Blackstone River in Massachusetts suggests that the very shallow depth of water table and associated thin unsaturated zone at the site cause the aquifer to behave like a confined aquifer (negligible specific yield). This finding is consistent with previous studies that have shown that the effective specific yield of an unconfined aquifer approaches zero when the capillary fringe, where sediment pores are saturated by tension, extends to land surface. Under this condition, the aquifer's response is determined by elastic storage only. Estimates of horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity, specific yield, specific storage, and recharge for a water-table aquifer adjacent to the Cedar River in eastern Iowa, determined by the use of analytical methods, are in close agreement with those estimated by use of a more complex, multilayer numerical model of the aquifer. Streambank leakance of the semipervious streambank materials also was estimated for the site. The streambank-leakance parameter may be considered to be a general (or lumped

  13. Altitude of the water table in the alluvial and other shallow aquifers along the Colorado River near La Grange, Texas, December 1980

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rettman, Paul

    1981-01-01

    The delineation of the water table in the alluvium of the Colorado River is fairly well defined, and 10-feet contour intervals may be interpreted with confidence in the area called ' potential lignite-mining area. ' The water table in the bedrock aquifers is more difficult to delineate with the available data; therefore, the contours are only estimates of the position of the water table in the hilly bedrock area adjacent to the Colorado River alluvium. 

  14. Stable isotope hydrology in fractured and detritic aquifers at both sides of the South Atlantic Ocean: Mar del Plata (Argentina) and the Rawsonville and Sandspruit river catchment areas (South Africa)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glok Galli, Melisa; Damons, Matthew E.; Siwawa, Sitembiso; Bocanegra, Emilia M.; Nel, Jacobus M.; Mazvimavi, Dominic; Martínez, Daniel E.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this work is to characterize the isotope composition of water (2H and 18O) in order to establish the relationship between fractured and detritic aquifers in similar hydrological environments located at both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The Mar del Plata zone, placed in the Argentine Buenos Aires province in South America, and the Rawsonville and Sandspruit river catchment areas, situated in the Western Cape province in South Africa were compared. Rainwater and groundwater samples from fractured and detritic aquifers were analyzed through laser spectroscopy. In both Argentina and South African study sites, stable isotopes data demonstrate an aquifers recharge source from rainfall. For the Mar del Plata region, two different groups of detritic aquifer's samples with distinct recharge processes can be identified due to the close relationship existing between the present hydrogeological environments, the aquifer's grain size sediments and the isotopes contents: one representing rapid infiltration in aquifer sediments of the creeks' palaeobeds and hills zones (sandy or silt sandy sediments) and the other with slow infiltration of evaporated water in plain zones with an aquitard behavior. In the last group, the evaporation process occurs previous infiltration or in the aquifer's non-saturated zone, because of the existence of very low topographic gradients and fine-grained sediments. The evaporation phenomenon is not evident in the Sandspruit river catchment site's detritic aquifer, because its sandy composition allows a faster infiltration rate than in the loess that compounds the Pampeano aquifer in the interfluves zones of the Argentinian study area.

  15. Potentiometric surface of the Floridan Aquifer, St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity, Florida, May 1981

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schiner, George R.; Hayes, Eugene C.

    1981-01-01

    This map presents the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 1981. The Floridan aquifer is the principal source of potable water in the area. Water-level measurements were made in approximately 1,000 wells and at several springs. The potentiometric surface is shown mostly by 5-foot contour intervals. In the Fernandina Beach area 20 and 40-foot intervals are used to show a deep cone of depression. The potentiometric surface ranged from 122 feet above NGVD (National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929) in Polk County to 125 feet below NGVD in Nassau County. Water levels were at record lows in many counties due to lack of rainfall. Declines were as much as 10 feet and commonly 5 feet from the May 1980 levels. (USGS)

  16. Measuring the Success of Warrior Transition Units

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-30

    overworked case managers.”1 They described patients and family members who were frustrated with the “messy bureaucratic battlefield”2 of Walter Reed...on every Warrior that includes an analysis of suicide risk, violence towards others, medication use, falls, driving, alcohol, non-prescribed drug use

  17. Recent climatic events controlling the hydrological and the aquifer dynamics at arid areas: The case of Huasco River watershed, northern Chile.

    PubMed

    Salas, I; Herrera, C; Luque, J A; Delgado, J; Urrutia, J; Jordan, T

    2016-11-15

    The investigation assesses the influence of recent climatic events in the water resources and the aquifer dynamics in the Huasco watershed by means of the analysis of precipitation, streamflow and piezometric levels during the last 50years. These hydrological and hydrogeological parameters were evaluated by an exploratory geostatistical analysis (semivariogram) and a spectral analysis (periodogram). Specifically, the hydrological and hydrogeological data analyses are organized according to three sub-basins, the Del Carmen River (Section I), the El Tránsito River (Section II), and the Huasco River (Section III). Data ranges for rainfall are from 1961 to 2015, for streamflow from 1964 to 2015, and for groundwater levels from 1969 to 2014, available from Water Authority of Chile. The analyses allowed the identification of cycles in the hydrological and hydrogeological records. The study area is located in a transient climatic fringe where the convergence of several climatic systems can be identified in the hydrological and hydrogeological records. Results indicate that the nival areas and the small glaciers are especially important to the recharge processes in the Huasco watershed during the spring-summer snowmelting. Water reservoirs in the main aquifer (Section III) and in the Santa Juana dam are highly sensitive to ENSO oscillation climatic patterns. The main climatic events that control this record are the El Niño and La Niña events. In addition, the climatic influence of the westerlies and the SE extratropical moisture were also identified. Spectral analysis identified the presence of a 22.9-yearcycle in piezometric levels of the alluvial aquifer of the Huasco River. This cycle is consistent with the 22-year Hale solar cycle, suggesting the existence of a solar forcing controlling the ENSO oscillations. Moreover, semivariogram and spectral analysis identified a 10.65-yearcycle and a 9.2-yearcycle in groundwater, respectively, which were attributed to the

  18. Lithology, hydraulic properties, and water quality of the Sandstone Aquifer in the northwestern part of the Bad River Indian Reservation, Wisconsin, 1998-1999

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dunning, Charles P.

    2005-01-01

    The Precambrian sandstone aquifer in the northwestern part of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians Reservation, Ashland County, Wisconsin, provides much of the drinking water to area residents. A study was undertaken in cooperation with the Bad River Tribe to provide specific information about the lithology, hydraulic properties, and water quality of the sandstone aquifer. During 1998 and 1999, the U.S. Geological Survey installed three monitoring wells, collected and analyzed lithologic and water samples, and conducted geophysical logging and aquifer tests to characterize the sandstone aquifer. The two monitoring wells in the southeastern part of the study area, the Diaperville Monitoring Well #1 (Diaperville MW #1) and the Tolman Monitoring Well #1 (Tolman MW #1) , are believed to have encountered older Middle Proterozoic Oronto Group sandstones. The sandstone encountered in the Ackley Monitoring Well #1 (Ackley MW #1) is believed to be Chequamegon Sandstone of the Late Proterozoic Bayfield Group. This interpretation is based on previous studies, as well as thin- section analysis of sandstone core recovered from the Ackley Monitoring Well #1. Results of aquifer tests conducted in the Diaperville Monitoring Well #1 and the Tolman Monitoring Well #1 provide ranges for hydraulic param - eter values in the sandstone aquifer: transmissivity ranges from 83 to 509 square feet per day; hydraulic conductivity ranges from 1.6 to 4.5 feet per day; storativity ranges from 0.00019 to 0.00046; and specific capacity ranges from 0.22 to 0.67 gallons per minute per foot. Though high- and low-angle fractures are present in Ackley Monitoring Well #1 core, the hydraulic properties of the bedrock appear to be due largely to the matrix porosity measured in thin section (16–21 percent) and permeability of the sandstone. The aquifer test for the Diaperville Monitoring Well #1 resulted in observed drawdown in nearby glacial wells, evidence of a hydraulic

  19. 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.

  20. Delineating depth to bedrock beneath shallow unconfined aquifers: a gravity transect across the Palmer River Basin.

    PubMed

    Bohidar, R N; Sullivan, J P; Hermance, J F

    2001-01-01

    In view of the increasing demand on ground water supplies in the northeastern United States, it is imperative to develop appropriate methods to geophysically characterize the most widely used sources of ground water in the region: shallow unconfined aquifers consisting of well-sorted, stratified glacial deposits laid down in bedrock valleys and channels. The gravity method, despite its proven value in delineating buried bedrock valleys elsewhere, is seldom used by geophysical contractors in this region. To demonstrate the method's effectiveness for evaluating such aquifers, a pilot study was undertaken in the Palmer River Basin in southeastern Massachusetts. Because bedrock is so shallow beneath this aquifer (maximum depth is 30 m), the depth-integrated mass deficiency of the overlying unconsolidated material was small, so that the observed gravity anomaly was on the order of 1 milligal (mGal) or less. Thus data uncertainties were significant. Moreover, unlike previous gravity studies elsewhere, we had no a priori information on the density of the sediment. Under such circumstances, it is essential to include model constraints and weighted least-squares in the inversion procedure. Among the model constraints were water table configuration, bedrock outcrops, and depth to bedrock from five water wells. Our procedure allowed us to delineate depth to bedrock along a 3.5 km profile with a confidence interval of 1.8 m at a nominal depth of 17 m. Moreover, we obtained a porosity estimate in the range of 39% to 44%. Thus the gravity method, with appropriate refinements, is an effective tool for the reconnaissance of shallow unconfined aquifers.

  1. A female Viking warrior confirmed by genomics.

    PubMed

    Hedenstierna-Jonson, Charlotte; Kjellström, Anna; Zachrisson, Torun; Krzewińska, Maja; Sobrado, Veronica; Price, Neil; Günther, Torsten; Jakobsson, Mattias; Götherström, Anders; Storå, Jan

    2017-12-01

    The objective of this study has been to confirm the sex and the affinity of an individual buried in a well-furnished warrior grave (Bj 581) in the Viking Age town of Birka, Sweden. Previously, based on the material and historical records, the male sex has been associated with the gender of the warrior and such was the case with Bj 581. An earlier osteological classification of the individual as female was considered controversial in a historical and archaeological context. A genomic confirmation of the biological sex of the individual was considered necessary to solve the issue. Genome-wide sequence data was generated in order to confirm the biological sex, to support skeletal integrity, and to investigate the genetic relationship of the individual to ancient individuals as well as modern-day groups. Additionally, a strontium isotope analysis was conducted to highlight the mobility of the individual. The genomic results revealed the lack of a Y-chromosome and thus a female biological sex, and the mtDNA analyses support a single-individual origin of sampled elements. The genetic affinity is close to present-day North Europeans, and within Sweden to the southern and south-central region. Nevertheless, the Sr values are not conclusive as to whether she was of local or nonlocal origin. The identification of a female Viking warrior provides a unique insight into the Viking society, social constructions, and exceptions to the norm in the Viking time-period. The results call for caution against generalizations regarding social orders in past societies. © 2017 The Authors American Journal of Physical Anthropology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. The "weekend warrior" and risk of mortality.

    PubMed

    Lee, I-Min; Sesso, Howard D; Oguma, Yuko; Paffenbarger, Ralph S

    2004-10-01

    Physical activity improves health, and current recommendations encourage daily exercise. However, little is known about any health benefits associated with infrequent bouts of exercise (e.g., 1-2 episodes/week) that generate the recommended energy expenditure. The authors conducted a prospective cohort study among 8,421 men (mean age, 66 years) in the Harvard Alumni Health Study, without major chronic diseases, who provided details about physical activity on mailed questionnaires in 1988 and 1993. Men were classified as "sedentary" (expending <500 kcal/week), "insufficiently active" (500-999 kcal/week), "weekend warriors" (>/=1,000 kcal/week from sports/recreation 1-2 times/week), or "regularly active" (all others expending >/=1,000 kcal/week). Between 1988 and 1997, 1,234 men died. The multivariate relative risks for mortality among the sedentary, insufficiently active, weekend warriors, and regularly active men were 1.00 (referent), 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62, 0.91), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.65, 1.11), and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.73), respectively. In stratified analysis, among men without major risk factors, weekend warriors had a lower risk of dying, compared with sedentary men (relative risk = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.81). This was not seen among men with at least one major risk factor (corresponding relative risk = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.38). These results suggest that regular physical activity generating 1,000 kcal/week or more should be recommended for lowering mortality rates. However, among those with no major risk factors, even 1-2 episodes/week generating 1,000 kcal/week or more can postpone mortality.

  3. Insights on surface-water/groundwater exchange in the upper Floridan aquifer, north-central Florida (USA), from streamflow data and numerical modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sutton, James E.; Screaton, Elizabeth J.; Martin, Jonathan B.

    2015-03-01

    Surface-water/groundwater exchange impacts water quality and budgets. In karst aquifers, these exchanges also play an important role in dissolution. Five years of river discharge data were analyzed and a transient groundwater flow model was developed to evaluate large-scale temporal and spatial variations of exchange between an 80-km stretch of the Suwannee River in north-central Florida (USA) and the karstic upper Floridan aquifer. The one-layer transient groundwater flow model was calibrated using groundwater levels from 59 monitoring wells, and fluxes were compared to the exchange calculated from discharge data. Both the numerical modeling and the discharge analysis suggest that the Suwannee River loses water under both low- and high-stage conditions. River losses appear greatest at the inside of a large meander, and the former river water may continue across the meander within the aquifer rather than return to the river. In addition, the numerical model calibration reveals that aquifer transmissivity is elevated within this large meander, which is consistent with enhanced dissolution due to river losses. The results show the importance of temporal and spatial variations in head gradients to exchange between streams and karst aquifers and dissolution of the aquifers.

  4. Iodine-129 in the Snake River Plain aquifer at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mann, L.J.; Chew, E.W.; Morton, J.S.; Randolph, R.B.

    1988-01-01

    From 1953 to 1983, an estimated 0.01 to 0.136 Ci (curies)/year of iodine-129 were contained in wastewater generated by the ICPP (Idaho Chemical Processing Plant) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The wastewater was directly discharged to the Snake River Plain aquifer through a deep disposal well until February 9, 1984, when the well was replaced by an unlined infiltration pond; a second pond was put into use on October 17, 1985. For 1984-86, the annual amount of iodine-129 in wastewater discharged to the ponds ranged from 0.0064 to 0.039 Ci. In August 1986, iodine-129 concentrations in water from 35 wells near the ICPP ranged from less than the reporting level to 3.6 +or-0.4 pCi/L (picocuries/L). By comparison, in April 1977 the water from 20 wells contained a maximum of 27 +or-1 pCi/L of iodine-129; in 1981, the maximum concentration in water from 32 wells was 41 +or-2 pCi/L. The average concentrations of iodine-129 in water from 18 wells that were sampled in 1977, 1981 and 1986 were 4.0, 6.7 and 1.3 pCi/L, respectively. The marked decrease in the iodine-129 concentration from 1981 to 1986 is the result of three factors: (1) The amount of iodine-129 disposed annually; (2) a change from the routine use of the disposal well to the infiltration ponds; and (3) a dilution of the iodine-129 in the aquifer by recharge from the Big Lost River. (USGS)

  5. Analysis of steady-state flow and advective transport in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer system, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ackerman, D.J.

    1995-01-01

    Quantitative estimates of ground-water flow directions and traveltimes for advective flow were developed for the regional aquifer system of the eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho. The work included: (1) descriptions of compartments in the aquifer that function as intermediate and regional flow systems, (2) descriptions of pathlines for flow originating at or near the water table, and (3) quantitative estimates of traveltimes for advective transport originating at or near the water table. A particle-tracking postprocessing program was used to compute pathlines on the basis of output from an existing three-dimensional steady-state flow model. The flow model uses 1980 conditions to approximate average annual conditions for 1950-80. The advective transport model required additional information about the nature of flow across model boundaries, aquifer thickness, and porosity. Porosity of two types of basalt strata has been reported for more than 1,500 individual cores from test holes, wells, and outcrops near the south side of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The central 80 percent of samples had porosities of 0.08 to 0.25, the central 50 percent of samples, O. 11 to 0.21. Calibration of the model involved choosing a value for porosity that yielded the best solution. Two radiologic contaminants, iodine-129 and tritium, both introduced to the flow system about 40 years ago, are relatively conservative tracers. Iodine- 129 was considered to be more useful because of a lower analytical detection limit, longer half-life, and longer flow path. The calibration value for porosity was 0.21. Most flow in the aquifer is contained within a regional-scale compartment and follows paths that discharge to the Snake River downstream from Milner Dam. Two intermediate-scale compartments exist along the southeast side of the aquifer and near Mud Lake.One intermediate-scale compartment along the southeast side of the aquifer discharges to the Snake River near American Fails

  6. Hydrology and digital simulation of the regional aquifer system, eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garabedian, S.P.

    1992-01-01

    The transient model was used to simulate aquifer changes from 1981 to 2010 in response to three hypothetical development alternatives: (1) Continuation of 1980 hydrologic conditions, (2) increased pumpage, and (3) increased recharge. Simulation of continued 1980 hydrologic conditions for 30 years indicated that head declines of 2 to 8 feet might be expected in the central part of the plain. The magnitude of simulated head declines was con- sistent with head declines measured during the 1980 water year. Larger declines were calculated along model boundaries, but these changes may have resulted from underestimation of tribu- tary drainage-basin underflow and inadequate aquifer definition. Simulation of increased ground-water pumpage (an additional 2,400 cubic feet per second) for 30 years indicated head declines of 10 to 50 feet in the central part of the plain. These relatively large head declines were accompanied by increased simulated river leakage of 50 percent and decreased spring discharge of 20 percent. The effect of increased recharge (800 cubic feet per sec- ond) for 30 years was a rise in simulated heads of 0 to 5 feet in the central part of the plain.

  7. 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

  8. Geomorphic Controls on Aquifer Geometry in Northwestern India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Dijk, W. M.; Densmore, A. L.; Sinha, R.; Gupta, S.; Mason, P. J.; Singh, A.; Joshi, S. K.; Nayak, N.; Kumar, M.; Shekhar, S.

    2014-12-01

    The Indo-Gangetic foreland basin suffers from one of the highest rates of groundwater extraction in the world, especially in the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. To understand the effects of this extraction on ground water levels, we must first understand the geometry and sedimentary architecture of the aquifer system, which in turn depend upon its geomorphic setting. We use satellite images and digital elevation models to map the geomorphology of the Sutlej and Yamuna river systems, while aquifer geometry is assessed using ~250 wells that extend to ~300 m depth in Punjab and Haryana. The Sutlej and Yamuna rivers have deposited large sedimentary fans at their outlets. Elongate downslope ridges on the fan surfaces form distributary networks that radiate from the Sutlej and Yamuna fan apices, and we interpret these ridges as paleochannel deposits associated with discrete fan lobes. Paleochannels picked out by soil moisture variations illustrate a complex late Quaternary history of channel avulsion and incision, probably associated with variations in monsoon intensity. Aquifer bodies on the Sutlej and Yamuna fans have a median thickness of 7 and 6 m, respectively, and follow a heavy-tailed distribution, probably because of stacked sand bodies. The percentage of aquifer material in individual lithologs decreases downstream, although the exponent on the thickness distribution remains the same, indicating that aquifer bodies decrease in number down fan but do not thin appreciably. Critically, the interfan area between the Sutlej and Yamuna fans has thinner aquifers and a lower proportion of aquifer material, despite its proximal location. Our data show that the Sutlej and Yamuna fan systems form the major aquifer systems in this area, and that their geomorphic setting therefore provides a first-order control on aquifer distribution and geometry. The large spatial heterogeneity of the system must be considered in any future aquifer management scheme.

  9. Transboundary study of the Milk River aquifer (Canada, USA): geological, conceptual and numerical models for the sound management of the regional groundwater resources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pétré, Marie-Amélie; Rivera, Alfonso; Lefebvre, René

    2016-04-01

    The Milk River transboundary aquifer straddles southern Alberta (Canada) and northern Montana (United States), a semi-arid and water-short region. The extensive use of this regional sandstone aquifer over the 20th century has led to a major drop in water levels locally, and concerns about the durability of the resources have been raised since the mid-1950. Even though the Milk River Aquifer (MRA) has been studied for decades, most of the previous studies were limited by the international border, preventing a sound understanding of the aquifer dynamics. Yet, a complete portrait of the aquifer is required for proper management of this shared resource. The transboundary study of the MRA aims to overcome transboundary limitations by providing a comprehensive characterization of the groundwater resource at the aquifer scale, following a three-stage approach: 1) The development of a 3D unified geological model of the MRA (50,000 km2). The stratigraphic framework on both sides of the border was harmonized and various sources of geological data were unified to build the transboundary geological model. The delineation of the aquifer and the geometry and thicknesses of the geological units were defined continuously across the border. 2) Elaboration of a conceptual hydrogeological model by linking hydrogeological and geochemical data with the 3D unified geological model. This stage is based on a thorough literature review and focused complementary field work on both sides of the border. The conceptual model includes the determination of the groundwater flow pattern, the spatial distribution of hydraulic properties, a groundwater budget and the definition of the groundwater types. Isotopes (3H, 14C, 36Cl) were used to delineate the recharge area as well as the active and low-flow areas. 3) The building of a 3D numerical groundwater flow model of the MRA (26,000 km2). This model is a transposition of the geological and hydrogeological conceptual models. A pre

  10. Groundwater quality and occurrence and distribution of selected constituents in the Aquia and Upper Patapsco aquifers, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, St. Mary's County, Maryland, July 2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dieter, Cheryl A.; Campo, Kimberly W.; Baker, Anna C.

    2012-01-01

    The Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland has continued to expand in the first decade of the 21st century, contributing to rapid population growth in the surrounding area. The increase in population has caused State and County water managers and others to be concerned about the impact of population growth on the quantity and quality of groundwater supplies. The U.S. Geological Survey has been investigating the groundwater resources of the air station since 1998. As part of that ongoing investigation, groundwater was sampled in 2008 in six wells in the Aquia aquifer and two wells in the Upper Patapsco aquifer in the vicinity of Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Webster Outlying Field. Groundwater samples were analyzed for basic chemistry (field parameters, major ions, and nutrients) as well as several water-quality issues of concern including the occurrence of arsenic and tungsten, and saltwater intrusion. The results of the 2008 groundwater-quality sampling indicate that the overall quality of groundwater in the Aquia aquifer has not changed since 1943; data are too limited to determine if groundwater quality has changed in the Upper Patapsco aquifer. At one well in the Aquia aquifer, the arsenic concentration exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for drinking water. Arsenic was not detected in samples from the Upper Patapsco aquifer. Tungsten concentrations were detected at low concentrations near the laboratory reporting level in all eight samples. There was no evidence of saltwater intrusion in any of the wells.

  11. 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.

  12. Geologic framework of the Edwards Aquifer and upper confining unit, and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Edwards Aquifer, south-central Uvalde County, Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clark, Allan K.; Small, Ted A.

    1997-01-01

    The stratigraphic units of the Edwards aquifer in south-central Uvalde County generally are porous and permeable. The stratigraphic units that compose the Edwards aquifer in south-central Uvalde County are the Devils River Formation in the Devils River trend; and the West Nueces, McKnight, and Salmon Peak Formations in the Maverick Basin. The Balcones fault zone is the principal structural feature in Uvalde County; however, the displacement along the fault zone is less in Uvalde County than in adjacent Medina and Bexar Counties to the east. The Uvalde Salient is a structural high in south-central Uvalde County, and consists of several closely connected crustal uplifts that bring Edwards aquifer strata to the surface generally forming prominent hills. The crustal uplifts forming this structural high are the remnants of intrusive and extrusive magnatic activity. Six primary faults—Cooks, Black Mountain, Blue Mountain, Uvalde, Agape, and Connor—cross the length of the study area from the southwest to the northeast juxtaposing the Lower Cretaceous Salmon Peak Formation at the surface in the northwestern part of the study area against Upper Cretaceous formations in the central part of the study area. In the study area, the porosity of the rocks in the Edwards aquifer is related to depositional or diagenetic elements along specific stratigraphic horizons (fabric selective) and to dissolution and structural elements that can occur in any lithostratigraphic horizon (not fabric selective). Permeability depends on the physical properties of the rock such as size, shape, distribution of pores, and fissuring and dissolution. The middle 185 feet of the lower part of the Devils River Formation, the upper part of the Devils River Formation, and the upper unit of the Salmon Peak Formation probably are the most porous and permeable stratigraphic zones of the Edwards aquifer in south-central Uvalde County.

  13. Analysis of long-term groundwater storage trends in the Wairau aquifer, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wöhling, Thomas; Gosses, Moritz; Davidson, Peter; Wilson, Scott

    2016-04-01

    The Wairau Aquifer covers a small proportion of the Wairau catchment in the Marlborough District of New Zealand just prior to the river discharging into the sea. The aquifer is almost exclusively recharged by surface water from the Wairau River and serves as the major drinking water resource for Blenheim and the surrounding settlements on the Wairau Plain. Because a small but constantly declining trend in aquifer levels and spring flows have been observed over the past decades, it has been made a high priority by the Marlborough District Council to better understand the limits and the mechanics of the recharge mechanism. While previous research efforts have been centred at water budgets during low-flow conditions and steady-state modelling, this study aims at understanding the dynamics of river-groundwater exchange fluxes using information of Wairau river flows at three new gauging stations, time series of groundwater observations, spring flows and qualitative (soft-)knowledge. Both qualitative and quantitative observations were integrated into a transient numerical MODFLOW model and simulations were conducted with the calibrated model for a 20-year time period. The gravels of the Wairau aquifer are highly conductive with estimated lateral conductivity values exceeding 1km per day. Although there is also evidence for anisotropy of the aquifer materials, it was found that river recharge at the upper slopes of the Wairau aquifer was consistently happening under perched conditions. In addition, exchange fluxes seem to have a functional relationship with river discharge only under low flow conditions while the exchange fluxes appear to be capped at about 16-20 m³/s for medium and large river flows. Therefore, the Wairau aquifer storage seems to be vulnerable more to the occurrence and duration of extreme low flow periods. To analyse this further, we have analysed the frequency and re-occurrence of low flow periods from the Wairau river record and found that the days

  14. "We Are among the Poor, the Powerless, the Inexperienced and the Inarticulate": Clyde Warrior's Campaign for a "Greater Indian America"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKenzie-Jones, Paul

    2010-01-01

    This article discusses Clyde Warrior's campaign for a "Greater Indian America" during the 1960s. Warrior was an activist who demanded a new style of leadership and new rules for living, and was a founding member of the National Indian Youth Council (NIYC). Warrior was a leading influence upon the generation of college-educated Indians who…

  15. 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

  16. Multi-scale nitrate transport in a sandstone aquifer system under intensive agriculture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paradis, Daniel; Ballard, Jean-Marc; Lefebvre, René; Savard, Martine M.

    2018-03-01

    Nitrate transport in heterogeneous bedrock aquifers is influenced by mechanisms that operate at different spatial and temporal scales. To understand these mechanisms in a fractured sandstone aquifer with high porosity, a groundwater-flow and nitrate transport model—reproducing multiple hydraulic and chemical targets—was developed to explain the actual nitrate contamination observed in groundwater and surface water in a study area on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Simulations show that nitrate is leached to the aquifer year-round, with 61% coming from untransformed and transformed organic sources originating from fertilizers and manure. This nitrate reaches the more permeable shallow aquifer through fractures in weathered sandstone that represent only 1% of the total porosity (17%). Some of the nitrate reaches the underlying aquifer, which is less active in terms of groundwater flow, but most of it is drained to the main river. The river-water quality is controlled by the nitrate input from the shallow aquifer. Groundwater in the underlying aquifer, which has long residence times, is also largely influenced by the diffusion of nitrate in the porous sandstone matrix. Consequently, following a change of fertilizer application practices, water quality in domestic wells and the river would change rapidly due to the level of nitrate found in fractures, but a lag time of up to 20 years would be necessary to reach a steady level due to diffusion. This demonstrates the importance of understanding nitrate transport mechanisms when designing effective agricultural and water management plans to improve water quality.

  17. Hydrogeology, water quality, and water-resources development potential of the upper Floridan Aquifer in the Valdosta area, south-central Georgia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McConnell, J.B.; Hacke, C.M.

    1993-01-01

    Water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Valdosta, Georgia area is adversely affected by direct recharge from the Withlacoochee River. Water enters the aquifer along a short reach of the river where sinkholes have formed in the stream bed. The water receives little filtration as it recharges the Upper Floridan aquifer through these sinkholes. Naturally occurring organic material in the river provides a readily available source of energy for the growth of microbiota in the aquifer. Microbiological processes and chemical reactions in the aquifer produce methane and hydrogen sulfide as the water from the river mixes with ground water and moves downgradient in the aquifer. Humic substances associated with the organic material in the ground water in this area can form trihalomethanes when the water is chlorinated for public supply. To assess areas most suitable for ground-water supply development, areal distributions of total organic carbon, total sulfide, and methane in the Upper Floridan aquifer were mapped and used to evaluate areas affected by recharge from the Withlacoochee River. Areas where concentrations of total organic carbon, total sulfide, and methane were less than or equal to 2.0 milligrams per liter, 0.5 milligrams per liter, and 100 micrograms per liter, respectively, were considered to be relatively unaffected by recharge from the river and to have the greatest potential for water- resources development.

  18. Denitrification and mixing in a stream-aquifer system: Effects on nitrate loading to surface water

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McMahon, P.B.; Böhlke, J.K.

    1996-01-01

    Ground water in terrace deposits of the South Platte River alluvial aquifer near Greeley, Colorado, USA, had a median nitrate concentration of 1857 ??mol l-1. Median nitrate concentrations in ground water from adjacent floodplain deposits (468 ??mol l-1) and riverbed sediments (461 ??mol l-1), both of which are downgradient from the terrace deposits, were lower than the median concentration in the terrace deposits. The concentrations and ??15N values of nitrate and N2 in ground water indicated that denitrifying activity in the floodplain deposits and riverbed sediments accounted for 15- 30% of the difference in nitrate concentrations. Concentrations of Cl- and SiO2 indicated that mixing between river water and ground water in the floodplain deposits and riverbed sediments accounted for the remainder of the difference in nitrate concentrations. River flux measurements indicated that ground-water discharge in a 7.5 km segment of river had a nitrate load of 1718 kg N day-1 and accounted for about 18% of the total nitrate load in the river at the downstream end of that segment. This nitrate load was 70% less than the load predicted on the basis of the median nitrate concentration in the terrace deposits and assuming no denitrification or mixing in the aquifer. Water exchange between the river and aquifer caused ground water that originally discharged to the river to reenter denitrifying sediments in the riverbed and floodplain, thereby further decreasing the nitrate load in this stream-aquifer system. Results from this study indicated that denitrification and mixing within alluvial aquifer sediments may substantially decrease the nitrate load added to rivers by discharging ground water.

  19. 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

  20. 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

  1. Bedrock aquifers of eastern San Juan County, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Avery, Charles

    1986-01-01

    This study is one of a series of studies appraising the waterbearing properties of the Navajo Sandstone and associated formations in southern Utah.  The stu<¥ area is al:x>dy area is about 4,600 square miles, extending from the Utah-Arizona State line northward to the San Juan-Grand County line and westward from the Utah-Colorado State line to the longitude of about 109°50'.Some of the water-yielding formations are grouped into aquifer systems. The C aquifer is comprised of the DeChelly Sandstone Member of the Cutler Formation.  The P aquifer is comprised of the Cedar Mesa Member of the Cutler Formation and the undifferentiated Cutler Formation. The N aquifer is comprised of the sedimentary section that includes the Wingate Sandstone, Kayenta Formation, Navajo Sandstone, Carmel Formation, and Entrada sandstone.  The M aquifer is comprised of the Bluff Sandstone Member and other sandstone units of the Morrison Formation.  The D aquifer is comprised of the Burro Canyon Formation and Dakota Sandstone.  Discharge from the ground-water reservoir to the San Juan River between gaging stations at Four Corners and Mexican Hat is about 66 cubic feet per second.The N aquifer is the main aquifer in the study area. Recharge by infiltration of precipitation is estimated to be 25,000 acre-feet per year.  A major ground-water divide exists under the broad area east of Monticello.  The thickness of the N aquifer, where the sedimentary section is fully preserved and saturated, generally is 750 to 1,250 feet.   Hydraulic conductivity values obtained from aquifer tests range from 0.02 to 0.34 foot per day.  The total volume of water in transient storage is about 11 million acre-feet. Well discharge somewhat exceeded 2,340 acre-feet during 1981.  Discharge to the San Juan River from the N aquifer is estimated to be 6.9 cubic feet per second. Water quality ranges from a calcium bicarbonate to sodium chloride type water

  2. Sexual Healthcare for Wounded Warriors with Serious Combat-Related Injuries and Disabilities.

    PubMed

    Tepper, Mitchell S

    2014-04-01

    Short of the rich literature on sexuality in men following spinal cord injury, started largely by physicians and mental health professionals within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system following earlier wars, little attention has been paid to the sexual healthcare of wounded warriors with other serious combat-related injuries. The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan-Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND)-resulted in physical injuries including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), amputations, and serious burns. There are wounded warriors who are left blind or deaf, and a significant percent of OEF/OIF/OND warriors acquire other "invisible" injuries. While the signature injury of the war in Iraq is said to be TBI, there are a substantial number of service members surviving with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many with serious injury are struggling with co-occurring depression. Furthermore, many of our wounded warriors are surviving with polytrauma (multiple traumatic injuries, i.e., amputation plus burns). One specific constellation of injuries seen too frequently among our service members in Afghanistan is referred to as a Dismounted Complex Blast Injury (DCBI) sometimes resulting in orchiectomy and/or penile injury. As with other blast injuries, burns, shrapnel injuries, vision loss, hearing loss, TBI, and PTSD often accompany DCBIs. All of the above injuries have significant sexual, endocrine, psychological, and relationship issues that need to be addressed. This article presents an overview of the effects of serious, combat-related injuries on sexual health and provides medical and other health professionals a framework within which to address comprehensive sexual healthcare using a medical rehabilitation model. Sexual healthcare for persons with combat-related disabilities presents a complex array of biopsychosocial and relational issues that call for a coordinated

  3. Anthrax Immunization in the Older Warrior

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-08-01

    were impaired. made to relate these variables to age . It was found that older warriors were at least as likely as younger Voluntary immunization...hence, older age could not account questionnaire by post for completion and return. In for an increased prevalence of adverse reactions in order to... older adults generally have less given that previously immunized personnel were found effective immune responses to invading organisms more likely to

  4. Hydrologic properties of coal-beds in the Powder River Basin, Montana. II. Aquifer test analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weeks, E.P.

    2005-01-01

    A multiple well aquifer test to determine anisotropic transmissivity was conducted on a coal-bed in the Powder River Basin, southeastern Montana, as part of a multidisciplinary investigation to determine hydrologic conditions of coal-beds in the area. For the test, three wells were drilled equidistant from and at different angles to a production well tapping the Flowers-Goodale coal seam, a 7.6-m thick seam confined at a depth of about 110 m. The test was conducted by air-lift pumping for 9 h, and water levels were monitored in the three observation wells using pressure transducers. Drawdown data collected early in the test were affected by interporosity flow between the coal fracture network and the matrix, but later data were suitable to determine aquifer anisotropy, as the slopes of the late-time semilog time-drawdown curves are nearly identical, and the zero-drawdown intercepts are different. The maximum transmissivity, trending N87??E, is 14.9 m2/d, and the minimum transmissivity 6.8 m2/d, giving an anisotropy ratio of 2.2:1. Combined specific storage of the fractures and matrix is 2??10 -5/m, and of the fracture network alone 5??10-6/m. The principal direction of the anisotropy tensor is not aligned with the face cleats, but instead is aligned with another fracture set and with dominant east-west tectonic compression. Results of the test indicate that the Flowers-Goodale coal-bed is more permeable than many coals in the Powder River Basin, but the anisotropy ratio and specific storage are similar to those found for other coal-beds in the basin.

  5. Hydrogeologic atlas of aquifers in Indiana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fenelon, Joseph M.; Bobay, K.E.; Greeman, T.K.; Hoover, M.E.; Cohen, D.A.; Fowler, K.K.; Woodfield, M.C.; and Durbin, J. M.

    1994-01-01

    Aquifers in 12 water-management basins of Indiana are identified in a series of 104 hydrogeologic sections and 12 maps that show the thickness and configuration of aquifers. The vertical distribution of water-bearing units and a generalized potentiometric profile are shown along 3,500 miles of section lines that were constructed from drillers' logs of more than 4,200 wells. The horizontal scale of the sections is 1:125,000. Maps of aquifers showing the areal distribution of each aquifer type were drawn at a scale of 1:500,000. Unconsolidated aquifers are the most widely used aquifers in Indiana and include surficial, buried, and discontinuous layers of sand and gravel. Most of the surficial sand and gravel is in large outwash plains in northern Indiana and along the major rivers. Buried sand and gravel aquifers are interbedded with till deposits in much of the northern two-thirds of Indiana. Discontinuous sand and gravel deposits are present as isolated lenses, primarily in glaciated areas. The bedrock aquifers generally have lower yields than most of the sand and gravel aquifers; however, bedrock aquifers are areally widespread and are an important source of water. Bedrock aquifer types consist of carbonates; sandstones; complexly interbedded sandstones, siltstones, shales, limestones, and coals; and an upper weathered zone in low permeability rock. Carbonate aquifers underlie about one-half of Indiana and are the most productive of the bedrock aquifers. The other principal bedrock aquifer type, sandstone, underlies large areas in the southwestern one-fifth of Indiana. No aquifer is known to be present in the southeastern corner of Indiana.

  6. Dynamic surface water-groundwater exchange and nitrogen transport in the riparian aquifer of a tidal river

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sawyer, A. H.; Barnes, R.; Wallace, C.; Knights, D.; Tight, D.; Bayer, M.

    2017-12-01

    Tides in coastal rivers can propagate tens to hundreds of kilometers inland and drive large daily changes in water and nitrogen exchange across the sediment-water interface. We use field observations and numerical models to illuminate hydrodynamic controls on nitrogen export from the riparian aquifer to a fresh, tidal reach of White Clay Creek (Delaware, USA). In the banks, an aerobic zone with high groundwater nitrate concentrations occurs near the fluctuating water table. Continuous depth-resolved measurements of redox potential suggest that this zone is relatively stable over tidal timescales but moves up or down in response to storms. The main source of dissolved oxygen is soil air that is imbibed in the zone of water table fluctuations, and the source of nitrate is likely nitrification of ammonium produced locally from the mineralization of organic matter in floodplain soils. Much of the nitrate is removed by denitrification along oscillating flow paths towards the channel. Within centimeters of the sediment-water interface, denitrification is limited by the mixing of groundwater with oxygen-rich river water. Our models predict that the benthic zones of tidal rivers play an important role in removing new nitrate inputs from discharging groundwater but may be less effective at removing nitrate from river water. Nitrate removal and production rates are expected to vary significantly along tidal rivers as permeability, organic matter content, tidal range vary. It is imperative that we understand nitrogen dynamics along tidal rivers and their role in nitrogen export to the coast.

  7. 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.

  8. An update of hydrologic conditions and distribution of selected constituents in water, eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and perched groundwater zones, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, emphasis 2012-15

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartholomay, Roy C.; Maimer, Neil V.; Rattray, Gordon W.; Fisher, Jason C.

    2017-04-10

    Since 1952, wastewater discharged to in ltration ponds (also called percolation ponds) and disposal wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has affected water quality in the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer and perched groundwater zones underlying the INL. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains groundwater-monitoring networks at the INL to determine hydrologic trends and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer and in perched groundwater zones. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from the ESRP aquifer, multilevel monitoring system (MLMS) wells in the ESRP aquifer, and perched groundwater wells in the USGS groundwater monitoring networks during 2012-15.

  9. Two Reactive Zones within Riverbank Aquifers Impact the Accumulation of Arsenic within Permeable Natural Reactive Barrier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knappett, P.; Myers, K.; Jewell, K.; Berube, M.; Datta, S.; Hossain, A.; Hosain, A.; Lipsi, M.; Ahmed, K. M.

    2017-12-01

    River stage fluctuations drives river water, rich oxidants, into riverbanks aquifers. When these aquifers are rich in dissolved iron (Fe), iron oxides (FeOOH) precipitate, creating a reactive surface upon which toxic elements such as arsenic (As) may sorb. These Permeable Natural Reactive Barriers (PNRBs) have been studied on the Meghna River. The lack of understanding of what controls their formation and fate could result in dangerous consequences. Pumping of riverbank aquifers for irrigation could re-mobilize toxic concentrations of As into drinking water aquifers. It is important to understand the hydrological, geochemical and biological processes controlling the properties of PNRBs. To this end, monitoring wells and drive-point piezometers were installed orthogonal to the Meghna River in Bangladesh. The dimensions of the shallow aquifer was mapped with Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). The monitoring wells and a river gage were instrumented with pressure transducers to record water level fluctuations. Groundwater flows towards the river for most of the year but reverses under the influence of local irrigation pumping in the late dry season and rapidly rising river stage in the early monsoon. Semi-diurnal tides in the dry season have an amplitude of 80 cm. Declining concentrations of conservative dissolved ions towards the river indicated a zone of dilution from river water extending up to 50 m from the river's dry season edge. Dissolved As was produced as groundwater passed through this dilution zone until the final 20 m where As was abruptly removed from solution. This location coincided with a PNRB with enriched solid-phase Fe and Mn within the upper 3 m of sediment. 16S bacterial community DNA was sequenced from the wells and drive-point piezometers to map the distribution of Fe and As reducers and oxidizers. The richest overall biodiversity was found within the PNRB zone. It contained the most oxidizing and reducing species. This evidence suggests

  10. DataWarrior: an open-source program for chemistry aware data visualization and analysis.

    PubMed

    Sander, Thomas; Freyss, Joel; von Korff, Modest; Rufener, Christian

    2015-02-23

    Drug discovery projects in the pharmaceutical industry accumulate thousands of chemical structures and ten-thousands of data points from a dozen or more biological and pharmacological assays. A sufficient interpretation of the data requires understanding, which molecular families are present, which structural motifs correlate with measured properties, and which tiny structural changes cause large property changes. Data visualization and analysis software with sufficient chemical intelligence to support chemists in this task is rare. In an attempt to contribute to filling the gap, we released our in-house developed chemistry aware data analysis program DataWarrior for free public use. This paper gives an overview of DataWarrior's functionality and architecture. Exemplarily, a new unsupervised, 2-dimensional scaling algorithm is presented, which employs vector-based or nonvector-based descriptors to visualize the chemical or pharmacophore space of even large data sets. DataWarrior uses this method to interactively explore chemical space, activity landscapes, and activity cliffs.

  11. Serving Wounded Warriors: Current Practices in Postsecondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vance, Mary Lee; Miller, Wayne K., II

    2009-01-01

    From September to October 2009 the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) invited anonymous voluntary responses from 2,500 members and affiliates to complete a 29-question online survey on current practices in postsecondary education for serving veterans with disabilities (wounded warriors). Two hundred and thirty seven complete…

  12. Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the Elk City Aquifer in western Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Becker, C.J.; Runkle, D.L.; Rea, Alan

    1997-01-01

    ARC/INFO export and nonproprietary format files This diskette contains digitized aquifer boundaries and maps of hydraulic conductivity, recharge, and ground-water level elevation contours for the Elk City aquifer in western Oklahoma. The aquifer covers an area of approximately 193,000 acres and supplies ground water for irrigation, domestic, and industrial purposes in Beckham, Custer, Roger Mills, and Washita Counties along the divide between the Washita and Red River basins. The Elk City aquifer consists of the Elk City Sandstone and overlying terrace deposits, made up of clay, silt, sand and gravel, and dune sands in the eastern part and sand and gravel of the Ogallala Formation (or High Plains aquifer) in the western part of the aquifer. The Elk City aquifer is unconfined and composed of very friable sandstone, lightly cemented with clay, calcite, gypsum, or iron oxide. Most of the grains are fine-sized quartz but the grain size ranges from clay to cobble in the aquifer. The Doxey Shale underlies the Elk City aquifer and acts as a confining unit, restricting the downward movement of ground water. All of the data sets were digitized and created from information and maps in a ground-water modeling thesis and report of the Elk City aquifer. The maps digitized were published at a scale of 1:63,360. 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.

  13. Using Geophysics to Define Hydrostratigraphic Units in the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers, Texas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, B. D.; Blome, C. D.; Clark, A. K.; Kress, W.; Smith, D. V.

    2007-05-01

    Airborne and ground geophysical surveys conducted in Uvalde, Medina, and northern Bexar counties, Texas, can be used to define and characterize hydrostratigraphic units of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers. Airborne magnetic surveys have defined numerous Cretaceous intrusive stocks and laccoliths, mainly in Uvalde County, that influence local hydrology and perhaps regional ground-water flow paths. Depositional environments in the aquifers can be classified as shallow water platforms (San Marcos Platform, Edwards Group), shoal and reef facies (Devils River Trend, Devils River Formation), and deeper water basins (Maverick Basin, West Nueces, McKnight, and Salmon Peak Formations). Detailed airborne and ground electromagnetic surveys have been conducted over the Edwards aquifer catchment zone (exposed Trinity aquifer rocks), recharge zone (exposed Edwards aquifer rocks), and artesian zone (confined Edwards) in the Seco Creek area (northeast Uvalde and Medina Counties; Devils River Trend). These geophysical survey data have been used to divide the Edwards exposed within the Balcones fault zone into upper and lower hydrostratigraphic units. Although both units are high electrical resistivity, the upper unit has slightly lower resistivity than the lower unit. The Georgetown Formation, at the top of the Edwards Group has a moderate resistivity. The formations that comprise the upper confining units to the Edwards aquifer rocks have varying resistivities. The Eagleford and Del Rio Groups (mainly clays) have very low resistivities and are excellent electrical marker beds in the Seco Creek area. The Buda Limestone is characterized by high resistivities. Moderate resistivities characterize the Austin Group rocks (mainly chalk). The older Trinity aquifer, underlying the Edwards aquifer rocks, is characterized by less limestone (electrically resistive or low conductivity units) and greater quantities of mudstones (electrically conductive or low resistivity units). In the western

  14. An update of hydrologic conditions and distribution of selected constituents in water, Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, Emphasis 1999-2001

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davis, Linda C.

    2006-01-01

    Radiochemical and chemical wastewater discharged since 1952 to infiltration ponds, evaporation ponds, and disposal wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has affected water quality in the Snake River Plain aquifer underlying the INL. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains ground-water monitoring networks at the INL to determine hydrologic trends, and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from wells in the USGS ground-water monitoring networks during 1999-2001. Water in the Snake River Plain aquifer moves principally through fractures and interflow zones in basalt, generally flows southwestward, and eventually discharges at springs along the Snake River. The aquifer is recharged principally from infiltration of irrigation water, infiltration of streamflow, ground-water inflow from adjoining mountain drainage basins, and infiltration of precipitation. Water levels in wells rose in the northern and west-central parts of the INL by 1 to 3 feet, and declined in the southwestern parts of the INL by up to 4 feet during 1999-2001. Detectable concentrations of radiochemical constituents in water samples from wells in the Snake River Plain aquifer at the INL generally decreased or remained constant during 1999-2001. Decreases in concentrations were attributed to decreased rates of radioactive-waste disposal, radioactive decay, changes in waste-disposal methods, and dilution from recharge. Tritium concentrations in water samples decreased as much as 8.3 picocuries per milliliter (pCi/mL) during 1999-2001, ranging from 0.43?0.14 to 13.6?0.6 pCi/mL in October 2001. Tritium concentrations in five wells near the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) increased a few picocuries per milliliter from October 2000 to October 2001. Strontium-90 concentrations decreased or remained

  15. Water-quality assessment of the Trinity River basin, Texas : ground-water quality of the Trinity, Carrizo-Wilcox, and Gulf Coast aquifers, February-August 1994

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Reutter, David C.; Dunn, David D.

    2000-01-01

    Ground-water samples were collected from wells in the outcrops of the Trinity, Carrizo-Wilcox, and Gulf Coast aquifers during February-August 1994 to determine the quality of ground water in the three major aquifers in the Trinity River Basin study unit, Texas. These samples were collected and analyzed for selected properties, nutrients, major inorganic constituents, trace elements, pesticides, dissolved organic carbon, total phenols, methylene blue active substances, and volatile organic compounds as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Quality-control practices included the collection and analysis of blank, duplicate, and spiked samples. Samples were collected from 12 shallow wells (150 feet or less) and from 12 deep wells (greater than 150 feet) in the Trinity aquifer, 11 shallow wells and 12 deep wells in the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer, and 14 shallow wells and 10 deep wells in the Gulf Coast aquifer. The three aquifers had similar water chemistries-calcium was the dominant cation and bicarbonate the dominant anion. Statistical tests relating well depths to concentrations of nutrients and major inorganic constituents indicated correlations between well depth and concentrations of ammonia nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, bicarbonate, sodium, and dissolved solids in the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer and between well depth and concentrations of sulfate in the Gulf Coast aquifer. The tests indicated no significant correlations for the Trinity aquifer. Concentrations of dissolved solids were larger than the secondary maximum contaminant level of 500 milligrams per liter established for drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 12 wells in the Trinity aquifer, 4 wells in the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer, and 6 wells in the Gulf Coast aquifer. Iron concentrations were larger than the secondary maximum contaminant level of 300 micrograms per liter in at least 3 samples from each aquifer, and manganese concentrations

  16. Aquifer response to stream-stage and recharge variations. II. Convolution method and applications

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Barlow, P.M.; DeSimone, L.A.; Moench, A.F.

    2000-01-01

    In this second of two papers, analytical step-response functions, developed in the companion paper for several cases of transient hydraulic interaction between a fully penetrating stream and a confined, leaky, or water-table aquifer, are used in the convolution integral to calculate aquifer heads, streambank seepage rates, and bank storage that occur in response to streamstage fluctuations and basinwide recharge or evapotranspiration. Two computer programs developed on the basis of these step-response functions and the convolution integral are applied to the analysis of hydraulic interaction of two alluvial stream-aquifer systems in the northeastern and central United States. These applications demonstrate the utility of the analytical functions and computer programs for estimating aquifer and streambank hydraulic properties, recharge rates, streambank seepage rates, and bank storage. Analysis of the water-table aquifer adjacent to the Blackstone River in Massachusetts suggests that the very shallow depth of water table and associated thin unsaturated zone at the site cause the aquifer to behave like a confined aquifer (negligible specific yield). This finding is consistent with previous studies that have shown that the effective specific yield of an unconfined aquifer approaches zero when the capillary fringe, where sediment pores are saturated by tension, extends to land surface. Under this condition, the aquifer's response is determined by elastic storage only. Estimates of horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity, specific yield, specific storage, and recharge for a water-table aquifer adjacent to the Cedar River in eastern Iowa, determined by the use of analytical methods, are in close agreement with those estimated by use of a more complex, multilayer numerical model of the aquifer. Streambank leakance of the semipervious streambank materials also was estimated for the site. The streambank-leakance parameter may be considered to be a general (or lumped

  17. Groundwater discharge to the Mississippi River and groundwater balances for the Interstate 94 Corridor surficial aquifer, Clearwater to Elk River, Minnesota, 2012–14

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, Erik A.; Lorenz, David L.; Kessler, Erich W.; Berg, Andrew M.; Sanocki, Chris A.

    2017-12-13

    The Interstate 94 Corridor has been identified as 1 of 16 Minnesota groundwater areas of concern because of its limited available groundwater resources. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, completed six seasonal and annual groundwater balances for parts of the Interstate 94 Corridor surficial aquifer to better understand its long-term (next several decades) sustainability. A high-precision Mississippi River groundwater discharge measurement of 5.23 cubic feet per second per mile was completed at low-flow conditions to better inform these groundwater balances. The recharge calculation methods RISE program and Soil-Water-Balance model were used to inform the groundwater balances. For the RISE-derived recharge estimates, the range was from 3.30 to 11.91 inches per year; for the SWB-derived recharge estimates, the range was from 5.23 to 17.06 inches per year.Calculated groundwater discharges ranged from 1.45 to 5.06 cubic feet per second per mile, a ratio of 27.7 to 96.4 percent of the measured groundwater discharge. Ratios of groundwater pumping to total recharge ranged from 8.6 to 97.2 percent, with the longer-term groundwater balances ranging from 12.9 to 19 percent. Overall, this study focused on the surficial aquifer system and its interactions with the Mississippi River. During the study period (October 1, 2012, through November 30, 2014), six synoptic measurements, along with continuous groundwater hydrographs, rainfall records, and a compilation of the pertinent irrigation data, establishes the framework for future groundwater modeling efforts.

  18. Ground-water quality of the surficial aquifer system and the upper Floridan Aquifer, Ocala National Forest and Lake County, Florida, 1990-99

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Adamski, J.C.; Knowles, Leel

    2001-01-01

    Data from 217 ground-water samples were statistically analyzed to assess the water quality of the surficial aquifer system and Upper Floridan aquifer in the Ocala National Forest and Lake County, Florida. Samples were collected from 49 wells tapping the surficial aquifer system, 141 wells tapping the Upper Floridan aquifer, and from 27 springs that discharge water from the Upper Floridan aquifer. A total of 136 samples was collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from 1995 through 1999. These data were supplemented with 81 samples collected by the St. Johns River Water Management District and Lake County Water Resources Management from 1990 through 1998. In general, the surficial aquifer system has low concentrations of total dissolved solids (median was 41 milligrams per liter) and major ions. Water quality of the surficial aquifer system, however, is not homogeneous throughout the study area. Concentrations of total dissolved solids, many major ions, and nutrients are greater in samples from Lake County outside the Ocala National Forest than in samples from within the Forest. These results indicate that the surficial aquifer system in Lake County outside the Ocala National Forest probably is being affected by agricultural and (or) urban land-use practices. High concentrations of dissolved oxygen (less than 0.1 to 8.2 milligrams per liter) in the surficial aquifer system underlying the Ocala National Forest indicate that the aquifer is readily recharged by precipitation and is susceptible to surface contamination. Concentrations of total dissolved solids were significantly greater in the Upper Floridan aquifer (median was 182 milligrams per liter) than in the surficial aquifer system. In general, water quality of the Upper Floridan aquifer was homogeneous, primarily being a calcium or calciummagnesium- bicarbonate water type. Near the St. Johns River, the water type of the Upper Floridan aquifer is sodium-chloride, corresponding to an increase in total dissolved

  19. Geohydrology and numerical simulation of the alluvium and terrace aquifer along the Beaver-North Canadian River from the Panhandle to Canton Lake, northwestern Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davis, Robert E.; Christenson, Scott C.

    1981-01-01

    A quantitative description of the hydrologic system in alluvium and terrace deposits along the Beaver-North Canadian River in northwestern Oklahoma is needed as an aid for planning and management of the aquifer. A two-dimensional finite-difference model was used to describe the aquifer and to predict the effects of future ground-water withdrawals.The aquifer principally consists of three geologic units: Alluvium with an average thickness of 30 feet, low terrace deposits with an average thickness of 50 feet, and high terrace deposits with an average thickness of 70 feet. A thin cover of dune sand overlies much of the area and provides an excellent catchment for recharge, but is generally unsaturated.Hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer ranges from 0 to 160 feet per day and averages 59 feet per day. Specific yield is estimated to be 0.29. Recharge to the aquifer is approximately 1 inch annually. Under present conditions (1978), most discharge is the result of ground-water flow to the Beaver-North Canadian River at a rate of 36 cubic feet per second and to pumpage for public-supply, industrial, and irrigation use at a rate of 28 cubic feet per second. In 1978, the aquifer had an average saturated thickness of 31 feet and contained 4.07 million acre-feet of water.The model was used to predict future head response in the aquifer to various pumping stresses. For any one area, the pumping stress was applied until the saturated thickness for that area was less than 5 feet, at which time the pumping ceased.The results of the modeled projections show that if the aquifer is stressed from 1978 to 1993 at the 1977 pumpage rates and well distribution, the average saturated thickness will decrease 1.0 foot and the volume of water in storage will be 3.94 million acre-feet, or 97 percent of the 1978 volume. If the aquifer is stressed at this same rate until 2020, the average saturated thickness will decrease an additional 0.7 foot and the volume of water in storage will be 3

  20. Surface-Water and Groundwater Interactions along the Withlacoochee River, West-Central Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Trommer, J.T.; Yobbi, D.K.; McBride, W.S.

    2009-01-01

    A study of the Withlacoochee River watershed in west-central Florida was conducted from October 2003 to March 2007 to gain a better understanding of the hydrology and surface-water and groundwater interactions along the river. The Withlacoochee River originates in the Green Swamp area in north-central Polk County and flows northerly through seven counties, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. This study includes only the part of the watershed located between the headwaters in the Green Swamp and the U.S. Geological Survey gaging station near Holder, Florida. The Withlacoochee River within the study area is about 108 miles long and drains about 1,820 square miles. The Withlacoochee River watershed is underlain by thick sequences of carbonate rock that are covered by thin surficial deposits of unconsolidated sand and sandy clay. The clay layer is breached in many places because of the karst nature of the underlying limestone, and the degree of confinement between the Upper Florida aquifer and the surficial aquifer is highly variable throughout the watershed. The potential for movement of water from the surface or shallow deposits to deeper deposits, or from deeper deposits to the shallow deposits, exists throughout the Withlacoochee River watershed. Water levels were higher in deeper Upper Floridan aquifer wells than in shallow Upper Floridan aquifer wells or surficial aquifer wells at 11 of 19 paired or nested well sites, indicating potential for discharge to the surface-water system. Water levels were higher in shallow Upper Floridan aquifer or surficial aquifer wells than in deeper Upper Floridan aquifer wells at five other sites, indicating potential for recharge to the deeper Upper Floridan aquifer. Water levels in the surficial aquifer and Upper Floridan aquifer wells at the remaining three sites were virtually the same, indicating little or no confinement at the sites. Potentiometric-surface maps of the Upper Floridan aquifer indicate the pattern of groundwater

  1. A Novel Analytical Solution for Estimating Aquifer Properties and Predicting Stream Depletion Rates by Pumping from a Horizontally Anisotropic Aquifer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Y.; Zhan, H.; Knappett, P.

    2017-12-01

    Past studies modeling stream-aquifer interactions commonly account for vertical anisotropy, but rarely address horizontal anisotropy, which does exist in certain geological settings. Horizontal anisotropy is impacted by sediment deposition rates, orientation of sediment particles and orientations of fractures etc. We hypothesize that horizontal anisotropy controls the volume of recharge a pumped aquifer captures from the river. To test this hypothesis, a new mathematical model was developed to describe the distribution of drawdown from stream-bank pumping with a well screened across a horizontally anisotropic, confined aquifer, laterally bounded by a river. This new model was used to determine four aquifer parameters including the magnitude and directions of major and minor principal transmissivities and storativity based on the observed drawdown-time curves within a minimum of three non-collinear observation wells. By comparing the aquifer parameters values estimated from drawdown data generated known values, the discrepancies of the major and minor transmissivities, horizontal anisotropy ratio, storativity and the direction of major transmissivity were 13.1, 8.8, 4, 0 and <1 percent, respectively. These discrepancies are well within acceptable ranges of uncertainty for aquifer parameters estimation, when compared with other pumping test interpretation methods, which typically estimate uncertainty for the estimated parameters of 20 or 30 percent. Finally, the stream depletion rate was calculated as a function of stream-bank pumping. Unique to horizontally anisotropic aquifer, the stream depletion rate at any given pumping rate depends on the horizontal anisotropy ratio and the direction of the principle transmissivity. For example, when horizontal anisotropy ratios are 5 and 50 respectively, the corresponding depletion rate under pseudo steady-state condition are 86 m3/day and 91 m3/day. The results of this research fill a knowledge gap on predicting the response

  2. Geologic framework and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Edwards aquifer, Uvalde County, Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clark, Allan K.

    2003-01-01

    The Edwards aquifer in Uvalde County is composed of Lower Cretaceous carbonate (mostly dolomitic limestone) strata of the Devils River Formation in the Devils River trend and of the West Nueces, McKnight, and Salmon Peak Formations in the Maverick basin. Rocks in the Devils River trend are divided at the bottom of the Devils River Formation into the (informal) basal nodular unit. Maverick basin rocks are divided (informally) into the basal nodular unit of the West Nueces Formation; into lower, middle, and upper units of the McKnight Formation; and into lower and upper units of the Salmon Peak Formation. The Edwards aquifer overlies the (Lower Cretaceous) Glen Rose Limestone, which composes the lower confining unit of the Edwards aquifer. The Edwards aquifer is overlain by the (Upper Cretaceous) Del Rio Clay, the basal formation of the upper confining unit. Upper Cretaceous and (or) Lower Tertiary igneous rocks intrude all stratigraphic units that compose the Edwards aquifer, particularly in the southern part of the study area.The Balcones fault zone and the Uvalde salient are the principal structural features in the study area. The fault zone comprises mostly en echelon, high-angle, and down-to-the-southeast normal faults that trend mostly from southwest to northeast. The Uvalde salient—resulting apparently from a combination of crustal uplift, diverse faulting, and igneous activity—elevates the Edwards aquifer to the surface across the central part of Uvalde County. Downfaulted blocks associated with six primary faults—Cooks, Black Mountain, Blue Mountain, Uvalde, Agape, and Connor—juxtapose the Salmon Peak Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in central parts of the study area against Upper Cretaceous strata in the southeastern part.The carbonate rocks of the Devils River trend and the Maverick basin are products of assorted tectonic and depositional conditions that affected the depth and circulation of the Cretaceous seas. The Devils River Formation formed in a

  3. 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)

  4. Dissolved solids in basin-fill aquifers and streams in the southwestern United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Anning, David W.; Bauch, Nancy J.; Gerner, Steven J.; Flynn, Marilyn E.; Hamlin, Scott N.; Moore, Stephanie J.; Schaefer, Donald H.; Anderholm, Scott K.; Spangler, Lawrence E.

    2007-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program performed a regional study in the Southwestern United States (Southwest) to describe the status and trends of dissolved solids in basin-fill aquifers and streams and to determine the natural and human factors that affect dissolved solids. Basin-fill aquifers, which include the Rio Grande aquifer system, Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers, and California Coastal Basin aquifers, are the most extensively used ground-water supplies in the Southwest. Rivers, such as the Colorado, the Rio Grande, and their tributaries, are also important water supplies, as are several smaller river systems that drain internally within the Southwest, or drain externally to the Pacific Ocean in southern California. The study included four components that characterize (1) the spatial distribution of dissolved-solids concentrations in basin-fill aquifers, and dissolved-solids concentrations, loads, and yields in streams; (2) natural and human factors that affect dissolved-solids concentrations; (3) major sources and areas of accumulation of dissolved solids; and (4) trends in dissolved-solids concentrations over time in basin-fill aquifers and streams, and the relation of trends to natural or human factors.

  5. Genesis of economic relevant fresh groundwater resources in Pleistocene/ Neogene aquifers in Nam Dinh (Red River Delta, Vietnam).

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wagner, F.; Ludwig, R. R.; Noell, U.; Hoang, H. V.; Pham, N. Q.; Larsen, F.; Lindenmaier, F.

    2012-04-01

    In the Southern Red River Delta (Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam), a local lens of low saline pore water of high quality has been identified in unconsolidated Pleistocene and Neogene aquifers, which are regionally known to contain brackish and saline pore waters. Since the 1990ies, ongoing overexploitation of the fresh groundwater results in decreasing GW heads up to 0.6 m/a and the development of a regional abstraction cone. The presented study focuses on distribution and genesis of fresh and saline pore waters and reflects the results in frame of the regional hydrogeological context. Observations of the geological structure and groundwater dynamics combined with hydrochemical and isotopic studies suggest adjacent Triassic hard rock aquifers as the major source for fresh Pleistocene and Neogene groundwater. Salinization status in the economically most relevant Pleistocene aquifer has been studied based on archive and new hydrochemical and geophysical data. Own hydrochemical field studies as well as laboratory measurements of the specific resistivity of dry sediment samples allow the translation of induction logging data from existing monitoring wells into vertical pore water salinity profiles. This approach suggests the regional occurrence of saline pore water in shallow Holocene sediments in the working area, as confirmed by pore water studies in Hoan et al. (2010). Interpretation of induction logging and stable isotope data suggest vertical diffusion of saline pore water in shallow Holocene sediments as a source for high saline pore water in deeper aquifers. Analytical diffusion modeling for a period of 3000 years confirms that vertical diffusion of Holocene paleo-sea water can explain saline pore water in Pleistocene and Neogene aquifers in a stagnant environment. The constant influx of fresh groundwater from adjacent Triassic hard rocks results in flushing of the primary Pleistocene and Neogene pore water and inhibits the infiltration of saline water from marine

  6. Inferring Aquifer Transmissivity from River Flow Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trichakis, Ioannis; Pistocchi, Alberto

    2016-04-01

    Daily streamflow data is the measurable result of many different hydrological processes within a basin; therefore, it includes information about all these processes. In this work, recession analysis applied to a pan-European dataset of measured streamflow was used to estimate hydrogeological parameters of the aquifers that contribute to the stream flow. Under the assumption that base-flow in times of no precipitation is mainly due to groundwater, we estimated parameters of European shallow aquifers connected with the stream network, and identified on the basis of the 1:1,500,000 scale Hydrogeological map of Europe. To this end, Master recession curves (MRCs) were constructed based on the RECESS model of the USGS for 1601 stream gauge stations across Europe. The process consists of three stages. Firstly, the model analyses the stream flow time-series. Then, it uses regression to calculate the recession index. Finally, it infers characteristics of the aquifer from the recession index. During time-series analysis, the model identifies those segments, where the number of successive recession days is above a certain threshold. The reason for this pre-processing lies in the necessity for an adequate number of points when performing regression at a later stage. The recession index derives from the semi-logarithmic plot of stream flow over time, and the post processing involves the calculation of geometrical parameters of the watershed through a GIS platform. The program scans the full stream flow dataset of all the stations. For each station, it identifies the segments with continuous recession that exceed a predefined number of days. When the algorithm finds all the segments of a certain station, it analyses them and calculates the best linear fit between time and the logarithm of flow. The algorithm repeats this procedure for the full number of segments, thus it calculates many different values of recession index for each station. After the program has found all the

  7. Infiltration and hydraulic connections from the Niagara River to a fractured-dolomite aquifer in Niagara Falls, New York

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Yager, R.M.; Kappel, W.M.

    1998-01-01

    The spatial distribution of hydrogen and oxygen stable-isotope values in groundwater can be used to distinguish different sources of recharge and to trace groundwater flow directions from recharge boundaries. This method can be particularly useful in fractured-rock settings where multiple lines of evidence are required to delineate preferential flow paths that result from heterogeneity within fracture zones. Flow paths delineated with stable isotopes can be combined with hydraulic data to form a more complete picture of the groundwater flow system. In this study values of ??D and ??18O were used to delineate paths of river-water infiltration into the Lockport Group, a fractured dolomite aquifer, and to compute the percentage of fiver water in groundwater samples from shallow bedrock wells. Flow paths were correlated with areas of high hydraulic diffusivity in the shallow bedrock that were delineated from water-level fluctuations induced by diurnal stage fluctuations in man-made hydraulic structures. Flow paths delineated with the stable-isotope and hydraulic data suggest that fiver infiltration reaches an unlined storm sewer in the bedrock through a drainage system that surrounds aqueducts carrying river water to hydroelectric power plants. This finding is significant because the storm sewer is the discharge point for contaminated groundwater from several chemical waste-disposal sites and the cost of treating the storm sewer's discharge could be reduced if the volume of infiltration from the river were decreased.The spatial distribution of hydrogen and oxygen stable-isotope values in groundwater can be used to distinguish different sources of recharge and to trace groundwater flow directions from recharge boundaries. This method can be particularly useful in fractured-rock settings where multiple lines of evidence are required to delineate preferential flow paths that result from heterogeneity within fracture zones. Flow paths delineated with stable isotopes can be

  8. Water resources of the Blackstone River basin, Massachusetts

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Izbicki, John A.

    2000-01-01

    By 2020, demand for water in the Blackstone River Basin is expected to be 52 million gallons per day, one-third greater than the demand of 39 million gallons per day in 1980. Most of this increase is expected to be supplied by increased withdrawals of ground water from stratified-drift aquifers in the eastern and northern parts of the basin. Increased withdrawals from stratified-drift aquifers along the Blackstone River and in the western part of the basin also are expected.The eastern and northern parts of the Blackstone River Basin contain numerous small, discontinuous aquifers which, as a group, comprise the largest ground-water resource of the study area. Fifteen aquifers, ranging in areal extent from 0.57 to 4.3 square miles, were identified. These aquifers have maximum saturated thicknesses ranging from less than 10 feet to 105 feet and maximum transmissivities ranging from less than 1,000 to more than 20,000 feet squared per day. Yields of nine study aquifers were estimated by use of digital ground-water-flow models. Yields depend on the hydraulic properties of the aquifer and the amount of streamflow available for depletion by wells. If streamflow is maintained at 98-percent duration, long-term yields from the aquifers that would be expected to be equaled or exceeded 50 percent of the time range from 0.22 to 11 million gallons per day, and long-term yields equaled or exceeded 95 percent of the time range from 0.06 to 1.0 million gallons per day. If streamflow is maintained at 99.5-percent duration, long-term yields equaled or exceeded 50 percent of the time range from 0.22 to 11 million gallons per day, long-term yields equaled or exceeded 95 percent of the time range from 0.04 to 1.4 million gallons per day, and longterm yields equaled or exceeded 98 percent of the time range from 0.02 to 0.39 million gallons per day. Maintaining streamflow at 98-percent duration is a more restrictive criterion than maintaining streamflow at 99.5-percent duration. The

  9. Hydrogeologic framework of the North Carolina Coastal Plain aquifer system

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Winner, M.D.; Coble, R.W.

    1989-01-01

    The hydrogeologic framework of the North Carolina Coastal Plain aquifer system consists of ten aquifers separated by nine confining units. From top to bottom the aquifers are: the surficial aquifer, Yorktown aquifer, Pungo River aquifer, Castle Hayne aquifer, Beaufort aquifer, Peedee aquifer, Black Creek aquifer, upper Cape Fear aquifer, lower Cape Fear aquifer, and the Lower Cretaceous aquifer. The uppermost aquifer (the surficial aquifer in most places) is a water-table aquifer and the bottom of the system is underlain by crystalline bedrock. The sedimentary deposits forming the aquifers are of Holocene to Cretaceous age and are composed mostly of sand with lesser amounts of gravel and limestone. Confining units between aquifers are composed primarily of clay and silt. The thickness of the aquifers ranges from zero along the Fall Line to more than 10,000 feet at Cape Hatteras. Prominent structural features are the increasing easterly homoclinal dip of the sediments and the Cape Fear arch, the axis of which trends in a southeast direction. The stratigraphic continuity is determined from correlations of 161 geophysical logs along with data from drillers' and geologists' logs. Aquifers were defined by means of these logs plus water-level and water-quality data and evidence of the continuity of pumping effects. Eighteen hydrogeologic sections depict the correlation of these aquifers throughout the Coastal Plain.

  10. Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 17. Geomorphology of the Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, and Influence on Ground-Water Flow in the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vincent, Kirk R.

    2008-01-01

    In April 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) began a cooperative study to infer the pre-mining ground-water chemistry at the Molycorp molybdenum mine site in the Red River Valley of north-central New Mexico. This report is one in a series of reports that can be used to determine pre-mining ground-water conditions at the mine site. Molycorp?s Questa molybdenum mine in the Red River Valley, northern New Mexico, is located near the margin of the Questa caldera in a highly mineralized region. The bedrock of the Taos Range surrounding the Red River is composed of Proterozoic rocks of various types, which are intruded and overlain by Oligocene volcanic rocks associated with the Questa caldera. Locally, these rocks were altered by hydrothermal activity. The alteration zones that contain sulfide minerals are particularly important because they constitute the commercial ore bodies of the region and, where exposed to weathering, form sites of rapid erosion referred to as alteration scars. Over the past thousand years, if not over the entire Holocene, erosion rates were spatially variable. Forested hillslopes eroded at about 0.04 millimeter per year, whereas alteration scars eroded at about 2.7 millimeters per year. The erosion rate of the alteration scars is unusually rapid for naturally occurring sites that have not been disturbed by humans. Watersheds containing large alteration scars delivered more sediment to the Red River Valley than the Red River could remove. Consequently, large debris fans, as much as 80 meters thick, developed within the valley. The geomorphology of the Red River Valley has had several large influences on the hydrology of the shallow alluvial aquifer, and those influences were in effect before the onset of mining within the watershed. Several reaches where alluvial ground water emerges to become Red River streamflow were observed by a tracer dilution study conducted in 2001. The aquifer narrows

  11. Estimating Aquifer Properties Using Sinusoidal Pumping Tests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rasmussen, T. C.; Haborak, K. G.; Young, M. H.

    2001-12-01

    We develop the theoretical and applied framework for using sinusoidal pumping tests to estimate aquifer properties for confined, leaky, and partially penetrating conditions. The framework 1) derives analytical solutions for three boundary conditions suitable for many practical applications, 2) validates the analytical solutions against a finite element model, 3) establishes a protocol for conducting sinusoidal pumping tests, and 4) estimates aquifer hydraulic parameters based on the analytical solutions. The analytical solutions to sinusoidal stimuli in radial coordinates are derived for boundary value problems that are analogous to the Theis (1935) confined aquifer solution, the Hantush and Jacob (1955) leaky aquifer solution, and the Hantush (1964) partially penetrated confined aquifer solution. The analytical solutions compare favorably to a finite-element solution of a simulated flow domain, except in the region immediately adjacent to the pumping well where the implicit assumption of zero borehole radius is violated. The procedure is demonstrated in one unconfined and two confined aquifer units near the General Separations Area at the Savannah River Site, a federal nuclear facility located in South Carolina. Aquifer hydraulic parameters estimated using this framework provide independent confirmation of parameters obtained from conventional aquifer tests. The sinusoidal approach also resulted in the elimination of investigation-derived wastes.

  12. Stream seepage and groundwater levels, Wood River Valley, south-central Idaho, 2012-13

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartolino, James R.

    2014-01-01

    Stream discharge and water levels in wells were measured at multiple sites in the Wood River Valley, south-central Idaho, in August 2012, October 2012, and March 2013, as a component of data collection for a groundwater-flow model of the Wood River Valley aquifer system. This model is a cooperative and collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Idaho Department of Water Resources. Stream-discharge measurements for determination of seepage were made during several days on three occasions: August 27–28, 2012, October 22–24, 2012, and March 27–28, 2013. Discharge measurements were made at 49 sites in August and October, and 51 sites in March, on the Big Wood River, Silver Creek, their tributaries, and nearby canals. The Big Wood River generally gains flow between the Big Wood River near Ketchum streamgage (13135500) and the Big Wood River at Hailey streamgage (13139510), and loses flow between the Hailey streamgage and the Big Wood River at Stanton Crossing near Bellevue streamgage (13140800). Shorter reaches within these segments may differ in the direction or magnitude of seepage or may be indeterminate because of measurement uncertainty. Additional reaches were measured on Silver Creek, the North Fork Big Wood River, Warm Springs Creek, Trail Creek, and the East Fork Big Wood River. Discharge measurements also were made on the Hiawatha, Cove, District 45, Glendale, and Bypass Canals, and smaller tributaries to the Big Wood River and Silver Creek. Water levels in 93 wells completed in the Wood River Valley aquifer system were measured during October 22–24, 2012; these wells are part of a network established by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2006. Maps of the October 2012 water-table altitude in the unconfined aquifer and the potentiometric-surface altitude of the confined aquifer have similar topology to those on maps of October 2006 conditions. Between October 2006 and October 2012, water-table altitude in the unconfined aquifer rose by

  13. Hydrogeology and simulation of groundwater flow in fractured-rock aquifers of the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Physiographic Provinces, Bedford County, Virginia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCoy, Kurt J.; White, Bradley A.; Yager, Richard M.; Harlow, George E.

    2015-09-11

    A steady-state groundwater-flow simulation for Bedford County was developed to test the conceptual understanding of flow in the fractured-rock aquifers and to compute a groundwater budget for the four major drainages: James River, Smith Mountain and Leesville Lakes, Goose Creek, and Big Otter River. Model results indicate that groundwater levels mimic topography and that minimal differences in aquifer properties exist between the Proterozoic basement crystalline rocks and Late Proterozoic-Cambrian cover crystalline rocks. The Big Otter River receives 40.8 percent of the total daily groundwater outflow from fractured-rock aquifers in Bedford County; Goose Creek receives 25.8 percent, the James River receives 18.2 percent, and Smith Mountain and Leesville Lakes receive 15.2 percent. The remaining percentage of outflow is attributed to pumping from the aquifer (consumptive use).

  14. Conceptual Model of Hydrologic and Thermal Conditions of the Eastbank Aquifer System near Rocky Reach Dam, Douglas County, Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    van Heeswijk, Marijke; Cox, Stephen E.; Huffman, Raegan L.; Curran, Christopher A.

    2008-01-01

    The Lower and Combined Aquifers of the Eastbank Aquifer system, located in a river-terrace deposit along the Columbia River near Rocky Reach Dam, Washington, are primarily recharged by the Columbia River and provide water to the Eastbank Hatchery and the regional water system servicing the cities of Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, and parts of unincorporated Chelan and Douglas Counties. In 2006, mean annual pumpage from the aquifers by the hatchery and regional water system was about 43 and 16 cubic feet per second, respectively. Reportedly, temperatures of ground water pumped by the hatchery have been increasing, thereby making water potentially too warm for salmonid fish production. An evaluation of hourly ground-water and river temperatures from January 1991 through August 2007 indicates increasing interannual trends in temperatures in most of the Lower and Combined Aquifers from 1999 through 2006 that correspond to increasing trends in the annual mean and annual maximum river temperatures during the same period of 0.07 and 0.17?C per year, respectively. There were no trends in the annual minimum river temperatures from 1999 through 2006, and there were no trends in the annual minimum, mean, and maximum river temperatures from 1991 through 1998 and from 1991 through 2007. Increases in river temperatures from 1999 through 2006 are within the natural variability of the river temperatures. Most of the Lower and Combined Aquifers reached thermal equilibrium?defined by constant time lags between changes in river temperatures and subsequent changes in ground-water temperatures?during 1991?98. The only exceptions are the Combined Aquifer north of the well field of the regional water system, which had not reached thermal equilibrium by 2006, and the Lower Aquifer west of the well fields of the hatchery and the regional water system, which reached thermal equilibrium prior to 1991. Because most of the Lower and Combined Aquifers were in thermal equilibrium from 1999 through

  15. Extent and Depth to Top of Basalt and Interbed Hydrogeologic Units, Yakima River Basin Aquifer System, Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jones, M.A.; Vaccaro, J.J.

    2008-01-01

    The hydrogeologic framework was delineated for the ground-water flow system of the three basalt formations and two interbeds in the Yakima River Basin, Washington. The basalt units are nearly equivalent to the Saddle Mountains, Wanapum, and Grande Ronde. The two major interbed units between the basalt formations generally are referred to as the Mabton and Vantage. The basalt formations are a productive source of ground-water for the Yakima River Basin. The Grande Ronde unit comprises the largest area in the Yakima River Basin aquifer system. This unit encompasses an area of about 5,390 mi2 and ranges in altitude from 6,900 ft, where it is exposed at land surface, to a depth of 2,800 ft below land surface. The Wanapum unit encompasses an area of 3,450 mi2 and ranges in altitude from 5,680 ft, where exposed at land surface, to a depth of 2,050 ft below land surface. The Saddle Mountains unit, the least extensive, encompasses an area of 2,290 mi2 and ranges from 4,290 ft, where exposed at the surface, to a depth of 1,840 ft below land surface.

  16. Effects of ground-water withdrawals on the Rock River and associated valley aquifer, eastern Rock County, Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lindgren, Richard J.; Landon, M.K.

    2000-01-01

    Model results indicate that the additional water withdrawn by wells due to anticipated increased ground-water withdrawals was derived from a decrease in net leakage of ground water from the aquifer to the streams. The simulations indicated that the increased ground-water withdrawals and normal precipitation resulted in an increase in induced infiltration from the Rock River of 0.1 cubic feet per second for the Luverne Municipal well field and 0.3 cubic feet per second for the Rock County Rural Water well field. Maximum drawdowns ranged from 0.5 to 1.4 feet near the three well fields. For drought conditions, the simulated streamflow losses constituted approximately 30 percent and nearly 65 percent of the flows in the Rock River for the Luverne Municipal and Rock County Rural Water well fields, respectively. Maximum drawdowns ranged from 3.8 to 7.0 feet near the three well fields. Transient simulations with anticipated increased ground-water withdrawals and drought conditions indicated declines in hydraulic heads ranging from 0.2 to 0.4 feet per year in the vicinity of the three well fields, except for near the Rock River

  17. Evolution and the psychology of intergroup conflict: the male warrior hypothesis.

    PubMed

    McDonald, Melissa M; Navarrete, Carlos David; Van Vugt, Mark

    2012-03-05

    The social science literature contains numerous examples of human tribalism and parochialism-the tendency to categorize individuals on the basis of their group membership, and treat ingroup members benevolently and outgroup members malevolently. We hypothesize that this tribal inclination is an adaptive response to the threat of coalitional aggression and intergroup conflict perpetrated by 'warrior males' in both ancestral and modern human environments. Here, we describe how male coalitional aggression could have affected the social psychologies of men and women differently and present preliminary evidence from experimental social psychological studies testing various predictions from the 'male warrior' hypothesis. Finally, we discuss the theoretical implications of our research for studying intergroup relations both in humans and non-humans and discuss some practical implications.

  18. Groundwater Discharges to Rivers in the Western Canadian Oil Sands Region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ellis, J.; Jasechko, S.

    2016-12-01

    Groundwater discharges into rivers impacts the movement and fate of nutrients and contaminants in the environment. Understanding groundwater-surface water interactions is especially important in the western Canadian oil sands, where groundwater contamination risks are elevated and baseline water chemistry data is lacking, leading to substantial uncertainties about anthropogenic influences on local river quality. High salinity groundwater springs sourced from deep aquifers, comprised of Pleistocene-aged glacial meltwater, are known to discharge into many rivers in the oil sands. Understanding connections between deep aquifers and surficial waterways is important in order to determine natural inputs into these rivers and to assess the potential for injected wastewater or oil extraction fluids to enter surface waters. While these springs have been identified, their spatial distribution along rivers has not been fully characterized. Here we present river chemistry data collected along a number of major river corridors in the Canadian oil sands region. We show that saline groundwater springs vary spatially along the course of these rivers and tend to be concentrated where the rivers incise Devonian- or Cretaceous-aged aquifers along an evaporite dissolution front. Our results suggest that water sourced from Devonian aquifers may travel through bitumen-bearing Cretaceous units and discharge into local rivers, implying a strong groundwater-surface water connection in specialized locations. These findings indicate that oil sands process-affected waters that are injected at depth have the potential to move through these aquifers and reach the rivers at the surface at some time in the future. Groundwater-surface water interactions remain key to understanding the risks oil sands activities pose to aquatic ecosystems and downstream communities.

  19. 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

    To improve the understanding of how aquifers in different alluvial settings respond to extreme events in a changing environment, we analyze standardized time series of groundwater levels (Standardized Groundwater level Index - SGI), precipitation (Standardized Precipitation Index - SPI), and river stages of three subregions within the catchment of the river Mur (Austria). Using correlation matrices, differences and similarities between the subregions, ranging from the Alpine upstream part of the catchment to its shallow foreland basin, are identified and visualized. Generally, river stages exhibit the highest correlations with groundwater levels, frequently affecting not only the wells closest to the river, but also more distant parts of the alluvial aquifer. As a result, human impacts on the river are transferred to the aquifer, thus affecting the behavior of groundwater levels. Hence, to avoid misinterpretation of groundwater levels in this type of setting, it is important to account for the river and human impacts on it. While the river is a controlling factor in all of the subregions, an influence of precipitation is evident too. Except for deep wells found in an upstream Alpine basin, groundwater levels show the highest correlation with a precipitation accumulation period of 6 months (SPI6). The correlation in the foreland is generally higher than that in the Alpine subregions, thus corresponding to a trend from deeper wells in the Alpine parts of the catchment towards more shallow wells in the foreland. Extreme events are found to affect the aquifer in different ways. As shown with the well-known European 2003 drought and the local 2009 floods, correlations are reduced under flood conditions, but increased under drought. Thus, precipitation, groundwater levels and river stages tend to exhibit uniform behavior under drought conditions, whereas they may show irregular behavior during floods. Similarly, correlations are found to be weaker in years with little

  20. Groundwater solute chemistry and arsenic fate in aquifer of Brahmaputra river basin, India: Controls of geology and tectonic setting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Verma, S.; Mukherjee, A.; Mahanta, C.

    2015-12-01

    Elevated arsenic (As) concentrations in groundwater of the river Brahmaputra basin of India has been largely undocumented, and unexplored. Hydrogeochemical investigations in three different tectono-geomorphic settings of the basin i.e. the northwestern and northern part (located along foothills of the Eastern Himalayas) and southern part (in vicinity of Naga-thrust belt) demonstrate regional variability of groundwater chemistry and redox conditions with geology. Shallow alluvial aquifers of southern part, which are mainly composed of black/dark grey clay and fine sands are affected by high arsenic concentration whereas groundwater from sandy aquifer in the northwestern and northern part have comparatively lower As concentrations. Stable isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) in groundwater indicate suggest that some evaporation may have taken place through recharging water in the study areas. The major-ion composition shows that groundwater of northwestern and northern part are dominated by Ca2+-HCO3-, Ca2+-Na+-HCO3 while southern part is dominated by Na+-Ca2+-HCO3- hydrochemical facies. Molar ratios suggested that most groundwater solutes of northwestern and northern parts were derived from both silicate weathering and carbonate dissolution and have not been affected by cation exchange, while silicate weathering process dominates in aquifers of southern where cation exchange probably has little influence on water chemistry. Thermodynamic calculations show that most of samples fall along the equilibrium line between kaolinite and smectite. While, positive correlations of As with Fe, Mn and HCO3 were observed in northwestern and northern parts aquifers, no consistent correlation of As with any parameter was observed in the aquifers of southern part. Therefore, the results of the study clearly indicate geological control (i.e. change in lithofacies, tectonic set-up) on groundwater chemistry and distribution of redox-sensitive solutes such as As.

  1. Geohydrology and water quality of stratified-drift aquifers in the Saco and Ossipee River basins, east-central New Hampshire

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Moore, R.B.; Medalie, Laura

    1995-01-01

    Stratified-drift aquifers discontinuously underlie 152.5 square miles of the Saco and Ossipee River Basins, which have a total drainage area of 869.4 square miles. Saturated thicknesses of stratified drift in the study area are locally greater than 280 feet, but generally are less. Transmissivity locally exceeds 8,000 feet squared per day but are generally less. About 93.6 square miles, or 10.8 percent of the study area, are identified as having transmissivity greater than 1,000 feet squared per day. The stratified-drift aquifer in Ossipee, Freedom, Effingham, Madison, and Tamworth was analyzed for the availability of ground water by use of transient simulations and a two-dimensional, finite-difference ground-water-flow model. The numerical -model results indicate that potential available water amounts in this aquifer are 7.72 million gallons per day. Sample results of water- quality analyses obtained from 25 test wells and 4 springs indicated that water was generally suitable for drinking and other domestic purposes. Concen- trations of dissolved constituents in ground-water samples are less than or meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)primary and secondary drinking-water regulations. Concentrations of inorganic constituents that exceeded the USEPA's secondary regulations were chloride and sodium, iron manganese, and fluoride.

  2. The behavior of groundwater with dispersion in coastal aquifers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kakinuma, Tadao; Kishi, Yosuke; Inouchi, Kunimitsu

    1988-04-01

    A three-dimensional steady-state hydrodynamic dispersion model is used to simulate seawater encroachment in the confined aquifers in the estuaries of the Naka and Kiki Rivers in Japan. Two expressions of the dispersion coefficient are considered; one is constant over the entire region of the aquifer and the other is dependent on the flow velocity of the groundwater. The magnitudes of the constant dispersion coefficients in the horizontal and vertical directions, Dxx and Dzz, as well as the longitudinal and lateral dispersivities, aL and aT, are determined so as to reproduce the regional distributions of salt concentration in the confined aquifers in both estuaries. It is found that Dxx = 5 cm 2s -1, Dzz = 5-0.5 cm 2s -1 and aL = 1000-1250 m, aT = 100-125 m in the estuary of the Naka River; and Dxx = 0.2 cm 2s -1, Dzz = 0.2-0.02 cm 2s -1 and aL = 200 m, aT = 200-20 m in the estuary of the Kiki River. Examining the local distributions of the dispersion coefficient computed from the dispersivity and velocity fields of groundwater in both estuaries, the same value as estimated in the analysis with the constant dispersion coefficient is located in the middle layer of the aquifer. In the estuary of the Naka River, the piezometric surface predicted with the dispersion model with the velocity-dependent dispersion coefficient is almost the same as that predicted with the dispersion model with the constant dispersion coefficient and they are 5 10% lower than that predicted with the interface model (Kakinuma et al., 1984). They are, however, about 1.3 times the observed one.

  3. Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Ichetucknee springshed and vicinity, northern Florida, September 2003

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sepulveda, A. Alejandro; Katz, Brian G.; Mahon, Gary L.

    2006-01-01

    The Upper Floridan aquifer is a highly permeable unit of carbonate rock extending beneath most of Florida and parts of southern Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The high permeability is due in a large part to the widening of fractures that developed over time and the formation of conduits within the aquifer through dissolution of the limestone. This process has also produced numerous karst features such as springs, sinking streams, and sinkholes in northern Florida. These dissolution features, whether expressed at the surface or not, greatly influence the direction of ground-water flow in the Ichetucknee springshed adjacent to the Ichetucknee River. Ground water generally flows southwestward in the springshed and discharges to the Ichetucknee or Santa Fe Rivers, or to the springs along those rivers. This map depicts the September 9-10, 2003, potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer based on 94 water-level measurements made by the Suwannee River Water Management District. Ground-water levels in this watershed fluctuate in response to precipitation and due to the high degree of interconnection between the surface-water system and the aquifer.

  4. Estimating harvested rainwater at greenhouses in south Portugal aquifer Campina de Faro for potential infiltration in Managed Aquifer Recharge.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Costa, Luís; Monteiro, José Paulo; Leitão, Teresa; Lobo-Ferreira, João Paulo; Oliveira, Manuel; Martins de Carvalho, José; Martins de Carvalho, Tiago; Agostinho, Rui

    2015-04-01

    The Campina de Faro (CF) aquifer system, located on the south coast of Portugal, is an important source of groundwater, mostly used for agriculture purposes. In some areas, this multi-layered aquifer is contaminated with high concentration of nitrates, possibly arising from excessive usage of fertilizers, reaching to values as high as 300 mg/L. In order to tackle this problem, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) techniques are being applied at demonstration scale to improve groundwater quality through aquifer recharge, in both infiltration basins at the river bed of ephemeral river Rio Seco and existing traditional large diameter wells located in this aquifer. In order to assess the infiltration capacity of the existing infrastructures, in particular infiltration basins and large diameter wells at CF aquifer, infiltration tests were performed, indicating a high infiltration capacity of the existing infrastructures. Concerning the sources of water for recharge, harvested rainwater at greenhouses was identified in CF aquifer area as one of the main potential sources for aquifer recharge, once there is a large surface area occupied by these infrastructures at the demo site. This potential source of water could, in some cases, be redirected to the large diameter wells or to the infiltration basins at the riverbed of Rio Seco. Estimates of rainwater harvested at greenhouses were calculated based on a 32 year average rainfall model and on the location of the greenhouses and their surface areas, the latter based on aerial photograph. Potential estimated annual rainwater intercepted by greenhouses at CF aquifer accounts an average of 1.63 hm3/year. Nonetheless it is unlikely that the totality of this amount can be harvested, collected and redirected to aquifer recharge infrastructures, for several reasons, such as the lack of appropriate greenhouse infrastructures, conduits or a close location between greenhouses and large diameter wells and infiltration basins. Anyway, this

  5. Environmental effects of aquifer overexploitation: a case study in the highlands of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Esteller, Maria Vicenta; Diaz-Delgado, Carlos

    2002-02-01

    There are several environmental processes occurring under aquifer overexploitation conditions. These processes include groundwater table decline, subsidence, attenuation and drying of springs, decrease of river flow, and increased pollution vulnerability, among others processes. Some of these effects have been observed on the Upper Basin of the Lerma River. The Lerma River begins in the SE of the Valley of Toluca at 2,600 m asl, in the wetland known as Lagoons of Almoloya del Río. This wetland is made up of a group of lagoons, which are an important aquatic system from an environmental point of view. The water inflow of this wetland is a discharge of springs, which occur between the fractured volcanic material of the mountain range and granular volcanic-continental deposits of the Valley of Toluca aquifer. The intensive exploitation of the Valley of Toluca aquifer to supply urban and industrial water to Mexico City and Toluca began in 1950 and is responsible for a steady decline of piezometric levels of 1-3.5 m/yr. Other effects of this exploitation--the drying of the wetland, the decrease of river flow and the land subsidence--caused serious ecological and social impacts. The authorities declared this aquifer as overexploited in order to reduce the exploitation and preserve the availability of water resources in this important region.

  6. Organic and inorganic carbon dynamics in a karst aquifer: Santa Fe River Sink-Rise system, north Florida, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jin, Jin; Zimmerman, Andrew R.; Moore, Paul J.; Martin, Jonathan B.

    2014-03-01

    Spatiotemporal variations in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), major ions concentrations and other geochemical parameters including stable carbon isotopes of DIC (δ13CDIC), were measured in surface water and deep and shallow well water samples of the Santa Fe River Sink-Rise eogenetic karst system, north Florida, USA. Three end-member water sources were identified: one DOC-rich/DIC-poor/δ13CDIC-depleted, one DOC-poor/DIC-rich/δ13CDIC-enriched, and one enriched in major ions. Given their spatiotemporal distributions, they were presumed to represent soil water, upper aquifer groundwater, and deep aquifer water sources, respectively. Using assumed ratios of Na+, Cl, and SO42- for each end-member, a mixing model calculated the contribution of each water source to each sample. Then, chemical effects of biogeochemical reactions were calculated as the difference between those predicted by the mixing model and measured species concentrations. In general, carbonate mineral dissolution occurred throughout the Sink-Rise system, surface waters were net autotrophic and the subsurface was in metabolic balance, i.e., no net DOC or DIC production or consumption. However, there was evidence for chemolithoautotrophy, perhaps by hydrogen oxidizing microbes, at some deep aquifer sites. Mineralization of this autochthonous natural dissolved organic matter (NDOM) led to localized carbonate dissolution as did surface water-derived NDOM supplied to shallow well sites during the highest flow periods. This study demonstrates linkages between hydrology, abiotic and microbial processes and carbon dynamics and has important implications for groundwater quality, karst morphologic evolution, and hydrogeologic projects such as aquifer storage and recovery in karst systems.

  7. Hydrodynamics of coalbed methane reservoirs in the Black Warrior Basin: Key to understanding reservoir performance and environmental issues

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pashin, J.C.

    2007-01-01

    The Black Warrior Basin of the southeastern United States hosts one of the world's most prolific and long-lived coalbed methane plays, and the wealth of experience in this basin provides insight into the relationships among basin hydrology, production performance, and environmental issues. Along the southeast margin of the basin, meteoric recharge of reservoir coal beds exposed in an upturned fold limb exerts a strong control on water chemistry, reservoir pressure, and production performance. Fresh-water plumes containing Na-HCO3 waters with low TDS content extend from the structurally upturned basin margin into the interior of the basin. Northwest of the plumes, coal beds contain Na-Cl waters with moderate to high-TDS content. Carbon isotope data from produced gas and mineral cements suggest that the fresh-water plumes have been the site of significant bacterial activity and that the coalbed methane reservoirs contain a mixture of thermogenic and late-stage biogenic gases. Water produced from the fresh-water plumes may be disposed safely at the surface, whereas underground injection has been used locally to dispose of highly saline water. Wells in areas that had normal hydrostatic reservoir pressure prior to development tend to produce large volumes of water and may take up to 4 a to reach peak gas production. In contrast, wells drilled in naturally underpressured areas distal to the fresh-water plumes typically produce little water and achieve peak gas rates during the first year of production. Environmental debate has focused largely on issues associated with hydrologic communication between deep reservoir coal beds and shallow aquifers. In the coalbed methane fields of the Black Warrior Basin, a broad range of geologic evidence suggests that flow is effectively confined within coal and that the thick intervals of marine shale separating coal zones limit cross-formational flow. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Geologic framework and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Edwards Aquifer outcrop, Medina County, Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Small, Ted A.; Clark, Allan K.

    2000-01-01

    The hydrogeologic subdivisions of the Edwards aquifer outcrop in Medina County generally are porous and permeable. The most porous and permeable appear to be hydrogeologic subdivision VI, the Kirschberg evaporite member of the Kainer Formation; and hydrogeologic subdivision III, the leached and collapsed members, undivided, of the Person Formation. The most porous and permeable rocks of the Devils River Formation in Medina County appear to be in the top layer. The upper member of the Glen Rose Limestone, the lower confining unit, has much less porosity and permeability than that observed in the Edwards aquifer.The Edwards aquifer has relatively large porosity and permeability resulting, in part, from the development or redistribution of secondary porosity. Lithology, stratigraphy, diagenesis, and karstification account for the effective porosity and permeability in the Edwards aquifer outcrop. Karst features that can greatly enhance effective porosity and permeability in the Edwards aquifer outcrop include sinkholes, dolines, and caves. The Edwards aquifer rocks in Medina County change from the eight-member Edwards Group to the essentially indivisible Devils River Formation. The facies change occurs along a line extending northwestward from just south of Medina Lake.

  9. 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.

  10. The Spokane aquifer, Washington: its geologic origin and water-bearing and water-quality characteristics

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Molenaar, Dee

    1988-01-01

    The Spokane aquifer is an unconfined aquifer consisting of coarse sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders deposited during several catastrophic glacial outburst floods--known as the Spokane Floods---of Pleistocene time. The aquifer is one of the most productive in the United States, and, as the only significant source of good-quality water supply in the Spokane Valley, it has been designated as a 'Sole Source Aquifer' by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Spokane aquifer underlies an area of about 135 square miles in the Spokane Valley and varies in saturated thickness from a few feet to 500 feet or more. The aquifer is recharged by ground-water underflow from the Rathdrum Prairie aquifer in Idaho on the east, by ground-water underflow and surface-water seepage from small drainage areas along the Spokane Valley margins, and by percolation from various sources--from rainfall and snowmelt, from some reaches of the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers, and from septic-tank drain fields, cesspools, and irrigation water. Discharge from the aquifer occurs by ground-water underflow from the lowermost end of the valley, by leakage to the Spokane and the Little Spokane Rivers, by evapotranspiration, and by ground-water withdrawal by pumping. The transmissivity of the aquifer ranges from less than 0.05 to 70 feet squared per second, and its specific yield ranges from less than 5 to 20 percent of the aquifer volume. Seasonal water-level fluctuations in wells tapping the aquifer are generally less than 10 feet. The annual pumpage from the aquifer in 1977 was about 164,000 acre-feet, of which about 70 percent was for municipal supplies, which included some industrial and commercial supplies. Land use over the aquifer includes predominantly agricultural activities in the eastern one-third of the valley and urban and residential developments in most of the remaining area. Potential sources of contamination of the aquifer include percolation from cesspools, septic-tank drain

  11. An update of hydrologic conditions and distribution of selected constituents in water, Snake River Plain aquifer and perched groundwater zones, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, emphasis 2006-08

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davis, Linda C.

    2010-01-01

    Since 1952, radiochemical and chemical wastewater discharged to infiltration ponds (also called percolation ponds), evaporation ponds, and disposal wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has affected water quality in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and perched groundwater zones underlying the INL. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains groundwater monitoring networks at the INL to determine hydrologic trends, and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer and in perched groundwater zones. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from aquifer and perched groundwater wells in the USGS groundwater monitoring networks during 2006-08. Water in the Snake River Plain aquifer primarily moves through fractures and interflow zones in basalt, generally flows southwestward, and eventually discharges at springs along the Snake River. The aquifer primarily is recharged from infiltration of irrigation water, infiltration of streamflow, groundwater inflow from adjoining mountain drainage basins, and infiltration of precipitation. From March-May 2005 to March-May 2008, water levels in wells generally remained constant or rose slightly in the southwestern corner of the INL. Water levels declined in the central and northern parts of the INL. The declines ranged from about 1 to 3 feet in the central part of the INL, to as much as 9 feet in the northern part of the INL. Water levels in perched groundwater wells around the Advanced Test Reactor Complex (ATRC) also declined. Detectable concentrations of radiochemical constituents in water samples from wells in the Snake River Plain aquifer at the INL generally decreased or remained constant during 2006-08. Decreases in concentrations were attributed to decreased rates of radioactive-waste disposal, radioactive decay, changes in waste-disposal methods, and dilution from recharge and underflow. In April

  12. Estimated predevelopment discharge to streams from the High Plains Aquifer in northwestern Oklahoma, southwestern Kansas, and northwestern Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Luckey, R.R.; Becker, M.F.

    1998-01-01

    A study of the High Plains aquifer in Okla homa was initiated in 1996 to: (1) provide the information needed by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to manage the quantity of water produced from the aquifer; and (2) provide base line water-chemistry data. The approach used to meet the first objective is to develop a digital ground-water flow model. The model will be cali brated, in part, by comparing simulated and esti mated predevelopment discharge from the aquifer to streams and cross-boundary flow. This report presents the estimated predevelopment discharge to streams from the High Plains aquifer. Streamflow data were the primary source of information used to estimate predevelopment dis charge from the High Plains aquifer. Data from 30 streamflow stations between the Arkansas and Canadian Rivers were considered in the analysis, and winter low-flow frequencies for 7-, 14-, and 30-day periods were determined for 25 stations. The 14-day low flow with a recurrence interval of 2 years was the primary value used to estimate pre development discharge from the aquifer. The streams that drain the eastern part of the High Plains aquifer in Kansas (generally east of 99.5 longitude) are estimated to have had large predevelopment discharge from the aquifer, and most of them received discharge from near their headwaters. For streams with more than one streamflow gage, the upper perennial reaches appeared to have gained more discharge from the aquifer than the lower reaches. The total predevel opment discharge from the aquifer in this area to several streams is estimated to have been about 312 cubic feet per second, not including discharge that probably went directly to the Arkansas River. The Cimarron River and its tributaries are estimated to have gained about 78 cubic feet per second, but nearly one-half that amount was lost in the lower reaches of the river. The cause of the loss in the lower reaches is unknown. The Beaver River and its tributaries are estimated to have

  13. Considerations for monitoring water quality of the Schenectady aquifer, Schenectady County, New York

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Allen, R.V.; Waller, Roger Milton

    1981-01-01

    Six public water-supply systems in Schenectady County, N.Y., obtain water from sand and gravel units that form a more or less continuous aquifer system contiguous to the Mohawk River. The aquifer is under water-table conditions and in hydraulic contact with the river, so that pumping wells induces recharge from the river. Direct recharge to the aquifer from precipitation and runoff occurs throughout the valley floor. Chemical analyses since 1972 have indicated no water-quality deterioration from toxic substances, including pesticides. Geohydrologic conditions at each of the six well fields were evaluated to determine the feasibility of a monitoring system to provide warning of contamination before it reaches a pumping center. Potential contamination sources in the area are landfills, gravel pits, industrial sites, and transportation corridors. Only two of the well fields have wells that could be used for monitoring; at most sites, two or more wells would need to be installed to provide minimal means of detecting contaminants migrating toward a pumping center. (USGS)

  14. The Sparta Aquifer: A Sustainable Water Resource?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McKee, Paul W.; Hays, Phillip D.

    2002-01-01

    Introduction The Sparta aquifer is an aquifer of regional importance within the Mississippi embayment aquifer system. It consists of varying amounts of unconsolidated sand, inter-stratified with silt and clay lenses within the Sparta Sand of the Claiborne Group. It extends from south Texas, north into Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee, and eastward into Mississippi and Alabama (fig. 1). On both the west and east sides of the Mississippi embayment, the Sparta aquifer is exposed at the surface (outcrops) and is locally unconfined; it becomes confined as it dips toward the axis of the embayment, (generally corresponding with the Mississippi River) and southward toward the Gulf of Mexico where it is deeply buried in the subsurface (Hosman, 1968). Generalized ground-water flow in the Sparta aquifer is from the outcrop areas to the axis (center) of the embayment (fig. 2). In Arkansas, the Sparta aquifer outcrops parallel to the Fall Line at the western extreme of the Mississippi embayment (the Fall Line is a line dividing the mountainous highlands of Arkansas from the lowland area); and the formation dips from its outcrop area to the southeast. The Sparta aquifer supplies water for municipalities, industries such as paper production, and to a lesser degree, irrigation of agricultural crops (fig. 3). This report highlights hydrologic conditions of the aquifer in Arkansas County as an example of how water use is affecting water levels.

  15. Geology and ground-water conditions of Clark County Washington, with a description of a major alluvial aquifer along the Columbia River

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mundorff, Maurice John

    1964-01-01

    This report presents the results of an investigation of the ground-water resources of the populated parts of Clark County. Yields adequate for irrigation can be obtained from wells inmost farmed areas in Clark County, Wash. The total available supply is sufficient for all foreseeable irrigation developments. In a few local areas aquifers are fine-grained, and yields of individual wells are low. An enormous ground-water supply is available from a major alluvial aquifer underlying the flood plain of the Columbia River in the vicinity of Vancouver, Camas, and Washougal, where the aquifer is recharged, in part, by infiltration from the river. Yields of individual wells are large, ranging to as much as 4,000 gpm (gallons per minute). Clark County lies along the western flank of the Cascade Range. in the structural lowland (Willamette-Puget trough) between those mountains and the Coast Ranges to the west. The area covered by the report includes the urban, the suburban, and most of the agricultural lands in the county. These lands lie on a Series of nearly fiat plains and benches which rise steplike from the level of the Columbia River (a few feet above sea level) to about 800 feet above sea level. Clark County is-drained by the Columbia River (the trunk stream of the Pacific Northwest) and its tributaries. The Columbia River forms the southern and western boundaries of the county. Although the climate of the county is considered to be humid, the precipitation ranging from about 37 to more than 110 inches annually in various parts of the county, the unequal seasonal distribution (about 1.5 inches total for ;July and August in the agricultural area) makes irrigation highly desirable for most .crops and essential for some specialized crops. Consolidated rocks of Eocene to Miocene age, chiefly volcanic lava flows and pyroclastics but including some sedimentary strata, crop out in the foothills of the Cascades in the eastern part of the county and underlie the younger

  16. Variable exchange between a stream and an aquifer in the Rio Grande Project Area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sheng, Z.; Abudu, S.; Michelsen, A.; King, P.

    2016-12-01

    Both surface water and groundwater in the Rio Grande Project area in southern New Mexico and Far West Texas have been stressed by natural conditions such as droughts and human activities, including urban development and agricultural irrigation. In some area pumping stress in the aquifer becomes so great that it depletes the river flow especially during the irrigation season, typically from March through October. Therefore understanding such relationship between surface water and groundwater becomes more important in regional water resources planning and management. In this area, stream flows are highly regulated by the upstream reservoirs during the irrigation season and greatly influenced by return flows during non-irrigation season. During a drought additional groundwater pumping to supplement surface water shortage further complicates the surface water and groundwater interaction. In this paper the authors will use observation data and results of numerical models (MODFLOW) to characterize and quantify hydrological exchange fluxes between groundwater in the aquifers and surface water as well as impacts of groundwater pumping. The interaction shows a very interesting seasonal variation (irrigation vs. non-irrigation) as well as impact of a drought. Groundwater has been pumped for both municipal supplies and agricultural irrigation, which has imposed stresses toward both stream flows and aquifer storage. The results clearly show that historic groundwater pumping has caused some reaches of the river change from gaining stream to losing stream. Beyond the exchange between surface water and groundwater in the shallow aquifer, groundwater pumping in a deep aquifer could also enhance the exchanges between different aquifers through leaky confining layers. In the earlier history of pumping, pumping from the shallow aquifer is compensated by simple depletion of surface water, while deep aquifer tends to use the aquifer storage. With continued pumping, the cumulative

  17. 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.

  18. A Trans-disciplinary Hydrogeological Systems Analysis Approach for Identifying and Assessing Managed Aquifer Recharge Options: Example from the Darling River Floodplain, N.S.W., Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lawrie, K.; Brodie, R. S.; Tan, K. P.; Halas, L.; Magee, J.; Gow, L.; Christensen, N. B.

    2013-12-01

    Surface water availability and quality generally limits managed aquifer recharge (MAR) opportunities in inland Australia's highly salinized landscapes and groundwater systems. Economic factors also commonly limit MAR investigations to shallow freshwater groundwater systems near existing infrastructure. Aquifer opportunities lie mainly in zones of fresh groundwater in relatively thin fluvial sedimentary aquifer systems with highly variable hydraulic properties. As part of a broader strategy to identify water savings in the Murray-Darling Basin, the Broken Hill Managed Aquifer Recharge (BHMAR) project was tasked with identifying and assessing MAR and/or groundwater extraction options to reduce evaporative losses from existing surface water storages, secure Broken Hill's water supply, protect the local environment and heritage, and return water to the river system. A trans-disciplinary research approach was used to identify and assess MAR options across a broad area of the Darling River floodplain. This methodology enabled the team to recognise fundamental problems in discipline approaches, helped identify critical data gaps, led to significant innovation across discipline boundaries, was critical in the development of a new hydrogeological conceptual model, facilitated development of new models of landscape, geological and tectonic evolution of the study area, and enabled completion of pre-commissioning maximal and residual MAR risk assessments. An airborne electromagnetics (AEM) survey, acquired over a large (>7,500 sq km) area of the Darling Floodplain, enabled rapid identification of a multi-layer sequence of aquifers and aquitards, while a phased assessment methodology was developed to rapidly identify and assess over 30 potential MAR targets (largely in fresh groundwater zones within palaeochannels and at palaeochannel confluences). Hydraulic properties were confirmed by a 7.5 km drilling program (100 sonic and rotary mud holes), and complementary field

  19. Net Warrior D10 Technology Report: Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) and Data Link Nodes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-04-01

    ADO ) approach to implementing Network Centric Warfare (NCW) through ‘learning by doing’. Net Warrior was conceived to address, through... frameworks are able to satisfy design needs of applications to produce stable mission and net centric systems. NW-D10 employed a SOA approach to...UNCLASSIFIED Net Warrior D10 Technology Report: Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) and Data Link Nodes Derek Dominish

  20. Hydrogeologic setting and the potentiometric surfaces of regional aquifers in the Hollandale Embayment, southeastern Minnesota, 1970-80

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Delin, G.N.; Woodward, D.G.

    1984-01-01

    Potentiometric-surface maps for each aquifer indicate that movement of ground water is predominantly toward the major rivers. The St. Croix, Minnesota, and Mississippi Rivers constitute regional discharge boundaries for ground-water flow. A major ground-water divide in the St. Peter, Prairie du Chien-Jordan, Ironton-Galesville, and Mount Simon-Hinckley aquifers in the south-central part of the Hollandale embayment separates ground-water flow northward toward the Twin Cities area and southward toward Iowa. The St. Peter and Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifers in the southeastern part of the embayment contain ground-water mounds as high as 90 ft above the regional potentiometric surface. The mounds occur as a result of increased recharge where the Decorah-Platteville-Glenwood confining bed has been removed by erosion and the aquifers subcrop beneath drift that is about 20 ft thick. This head distribution produces a locally complex pattern of flow in which ground water moves southwesterly toward Iowa instead of directly toward the Mississippi River.

  1. INFILTRATION OF ATRAZINE AND METABOLOTES FROM A STREAM TO AN ALLUVIAL AQUIFER

    EPA Science Inventory

    The infiltration of atrazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine from Walnut Creek, a tributary stream, to the alluvial valley aquifer along the South Skunk River in central Iowa occurred where the stream transects the river's flood plain. A preliminary estimate indicated t...

  2. Method to identify wells that yield water that will be replaced by Colorado River water in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

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

    1994-01-01

    Accounting for the use of Colorado River water is required by the U.S. Supreme Court decree, 1964, Arizona v. California. Water pumped from wells on the flood plain and from certain wells on alluvial slopes outside the flood plain is presumed to be river water and is accounted for as Colorado River water. A method was developed to identify wells outside the f1ood plain of the lower Colorado River that yield water that will be replaced by water from the river. The method provides a uniform criterion of identification for all users pumping water from wells. Wells that have a static water-level elevation equal to or below the accounting surface are presumed to yield water that will be replaced by water from the river. Wells that have a static water-level elevation above the accounting surface are presumed to yield water that will be replaced by water from precipitation and inflow from tributary valleys. The method is based on the concept of a river aquifer and an accounting surface within the river aquifer. The river aquifer consists of permeable, partly saturated sediments and sedimentary rocks that are hydraulically connected to the Colorado River so that water can move between the river and the aquifer in response to withdrawal of water from the aquifer or differences in water-level elevations between the river and the aquifer. The accounting surface represents the elevation and slope of the unconfined static water table in the river aquifer outside the flood plain and reservoirs that would exist if the river were the only source of water to the river aquifer. Maps at a scale of 1:100,000 show the extent and elevation of the accounting surface from the area surrounding Lake Mead to Laguna Dam near Yuma, Arizona.

  3. Base of Principal Aquifer for the Elkhorn-Loup Model Area, North-Central Nebraska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McGuire, V.L.; Peterson, Steven M.

    2008-01-01

    In Nebraska, the water managers in the Natural Resources Districts and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources are concerned with the effect of ground-water withdrawal on the availability of surface water and the long-term effects of ground-water withdrawal on ground- and surface-water resources. In north-central Nebraska, in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, ground water is used for irrigation, domestic supply, and public supply; surface water is used in this area for irrigation, recreation, and hydropower production. In recognition of these sometimes competing ground- and surface-water uses in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Lewis and Clark Natural Resources District, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, the Lower Loup Natural Resources District, the Lower Niobrara Natural Resources District, the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District, the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District, the Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District, and the Upper Loup Natural Resources District agreed to cooperatively study water resources in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins. The goals of the overall study were to construct and calibrate a regional ground-water flow model of the area and to use that flow model as a tool to assess current and future effects of ground-water irrigation on stream base flow and to help develop long-term water-resource management strategies for this area, hereafter referred to as the Elkhorn-Loup model area. The Elkhorn-Loup model area covers approximately 30,800 square miles, and extends from the Niobrara River in the north to the Platte River in the south. The western boundary of the Elkhorn-Loup model area coincides with the western boundary of the Middle Niobrara, Twin Platte, and Upper Loup Natural Resources Districts; the eastern boundary coincides with the approximate location of the western extent of glacial till in eastern Nebraska. The principal aquifer in most of the Elkhorn-Loup model

  4. Hypoaigic influences on groundwater flux to a seasonally saline river

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trefry, M. G.; Svensson, T. J. A.; Davis, G. B.

    2007-03-01

    SummaryHypoaigic zones are aquifer volumes close to and beneath the shores of saline surface water bodies, and are characterized by the presence of time-dependent natural convection and chemical stratification. When transient and cyclic processes are involved there is significant potential for complex flow and reaction in the near-shore aquifer, presenting a unique challenge to pollutant risk assessment methodologies. This work considers the nature of some hypoaigic processes generated by the seasonally saline Canning River of Western Australia near a site contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. A dissolved hydrocarbon plume migrates within the shallow superficial aquifer to the nearby bank of the Canning River. Beneath the river bank a zone of complex fluid mixing is established by seasonal and tidal influences. Understanding this complexity and the subsequent ramifications for local biogeochemical conditions is critical to inferring the potential for degradation of advecting contaminants. A range of modelling approaches throws light on the overall topographic controls of discharge to the river, on the saline convection processes operating under the river bank, on the potential for fluid mixing, and on the various important time scales in the system. Saline distributions simulated within the aquifer hypoaigic zone are in at least qualitative agreement with previous field measurements at the site and are strongly affected by seasonal influences. Groundwater seepage velocities at the shoreline are found to be positively correlated with river salinity. Calculations of fluid age distributions throughout the system show sensitivity to dispersivity values; however, maximum fluid ages under the river appear to be diffusion limited to a few decades. The saline convection cell in the aquifer defines a zone of strong dispersive dilution of aged (many decades) deep aquifer fluids with relatively young (several months) riverine fluids. Seasonal recharge and river salinity

  5. 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

  6. Steady-State and Transient Groundwater Flow and Advective Transport, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory and Vicinity, Idaho

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fisher, J. C.; Ackerman, D. J.; Rousseau, J. P.; Rattray, G. W.

    2009-12-01

    Three-dimensional steady-state and transient models of groundwater flow and advective transport through the fractured basalts and interbedded sediments of the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy. The model domain covers an area of 1,940 square miles that includes most of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). A 50-year history of waste disposal at the INL has resulted in measurable concentrations of waste contaminants in the aquifer. Numerical models simulated 1980 steady-state conditions and transient flow for 1980-95. In the transient model, streamflow infiltration was the major stress. The models were calibrated using the parameter-estimation program incorporated in MODFLOW-2000. The steady-state model reasonably simulated the observed water-table altitude and gradients. Simulation of transient conditions reproduced changes in the flow system resulting from episodic infiltration from the Big Lost River. Analysis of simulations shows that flow is (1) dominantly horizontal through interflow zones in basalt, vertical anisotropy resulting from contrasts in hydraulic conductivity of different types of basalt and the interbedded sediments, (2) temporally variable due to streamflow infiltration from the Big Lost River, and (3) moving downward downgradient of the INL. Particle-tracking simulations were used to evaluate how simulated groundwater flow paths and travel times differ between the steady-state and transient flow models, and how well model-derived groundwater flow directions and velocities compare to independently-derived estimates. Particle tracking also was used to simulate the growth of tritium plumes originating at two INL facilities over a 16 year period under steady-state and transient flow conditions (1953-68). The shape, dimensions, and areal extent of these plumes were compared to a map of the plumes for 1968 from tritium releases beginning in 1952

  7. 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

  8. Numerical Simulation of Ground-Water Salinization in the Arkansas River Corridor, Southwest Kansas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whittemore, D. O.; Perkins, S.; Tsou, M.; McElwee, C. D.; Zhan, X.; Young, D. P.

    2001-12-01

    The salinity of ground water in the High Plains aquifer underlying the upper Arkansas River corridor in southwest Kansas has greatly increased during the last few decades. The source of the salinization is infiltration of Arkansas River water along the river channel and in areas irrigated with diverted river water. The saline river water is derived from southeastern Colorado where consumptive losses of water in irrigation systems substantially concentrate dissolved solids in the residual water. Before development of surface- and ground-water resources, the Arkansas River gained flow along nearly all of its length in southwest Kansas. Since the 1970's, ground-water levels have declined in the High Plains aquifer from consumptive use of ground water. The water-level declines have now changed the river to a generally losing rather than gaining system. We simulated ground-water flow in the aquifers underlying 126 miles of the river corridor using MODFLOW integrated with the GIS software ArcView (Tsou and Whittemore, 2001). There are two layers in the model, one for the Quaternary alluvial aquifer and the other for the underlying High Plains aquifer. We prepared a simulation for circa 1940 that represented conditions prior to substantial ground-water development, and simulations for 40 years into the future that were based on holding constant either average water use or average ground-water levels for the 1990's. Streamflows along the river computed from the model results illustrated the flow gains from ground-water discharge for circa 1940 and losses during the 1990's. We modeled the movement of salinity as particle tracks generated by MODPATH based on the MODFLOW solutions. The results indicate that during the next 40 years, saline water will move a substantial distance in the High Plains aquifer on the south side of the central portion of the river valley. The differences between the circa 1940 and 1990's simulations fit the observed data that show large increases in

  9. 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

    A numerical flow model (MODFLOW) of the groundwater flow system in the primary aquifers in northern Arizona was developed to simulate interactions between the aquifers, perennial streams, and springs for predevelopment and transient conditions during 1910 through 2005. Simulated aquifers include the Redwall-Muav, Coconino, and basin-fill aquifers. Perennial stream reaches and springs that derive base flow from the aquifers were simulated, including the Colorado River, Little Colorado River, Salt River, Verde River, and perennial reaches of tributary streams. Simulated major springs include Blue Spring, Del Rio Springs, Havasu Springs, Verde River headwater springs, several springs that discharge adjacent to major Verde River tributaries, and many springs that discharge to the Colorado River. Estimates of aquifer hydraulic properties and groundwater budgets were developed from published reports and groundwater-flow models. Spatial extents of aquifers and confining units were developed from geologic data, geophysical models, a groundwater-flow model for the Prescott Active Management Area, drill logs, geologic logs, and geophysical logs. Spatial and temporal distributions of natural recharge were developed by using a water-balance model that estimates recharge from direct infiltration. Additional natural recharge from ephemeral channel infiltration was simulated in alluvial basins. Recharge at wastewater treatment facilities and incidental recharge at agricultural fields and golf courses were also simulated. Estimates of predevelopment rates of groundwater discharge to streams, springs, and evapotranspiration by phreatophytes were derived from previous reports and on the basis of streamflow records at gages. Annual estimates of groundwater withdrawals for agriculture, municipal, industrial, and domestic uses were developed from several sources, including reported withdrawals for nonexempt wells, estimated crop requirements for agricultural wells, and estimated per

  10. Vertical gradients in water chemistry and age in the Northern High Plains Aquifer, Nebraska, 2003

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McMahon, P.B.; Böhlke, J.K.; Carney, C.P.

    2007-01-01

    and clay-mineral precipitation; organic-carbon and pyrite oxidation; oxygen reduction and denitrification; and cation exchange. Mixing with surface water affected the chemistry of ground water in alluvial sediments of the Platte River Valley. Radiocarbon ages in the aquifer, adjusted for carbon mass transfers, ranged from 1,800 to 15,600 14C years before present. These results have important implications with respect to development of ground-water resources in the Sand Hills. Most of the water in the aquifer predates modern anthropogenic activity so excessive removal of water by pumping is not likely to be replenished by natural recharge in a meaningful timeframe. Vertical gradients in ground-water age were used to estimate long-term average recharge rates in the aquifer. In most areas, the recharge rates ranged from 0.02 to 0.05 foot per year. The recharge rate was 0.2 foot per year in one part of the aquifer characterized by large downward hydraulic gradients.Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations at the water table were 0.13 to 3.13 milligrams per liter as nitrogen, and concentrations substantially decreased with depth in the aquifer. Dissolved-gas and nitrogen-isotope data indicate that denitrification in the aquifer removed 0 to 97 percent (average = 50 percent) of the nitrate originally present in recharge. The average amount of nitrate removed by denitrification in the aquifer north of the Platte River (Sand Hills) was substantially greater than the amount removed south of the river (66 as opposed to 0 percent), and the extent of nitrate removal appears to be related to the presence of thick deposits of sediment on top of the Ogallala Group in the Sand Hills that contained electron donors, such as organic carbon and pyrite, to support denitrification.Apparent rates of dissolved-oxygen reduction and denitrification were estimated on the basis of decreases in dissolved-oxygen concentrations and increases in concentrations of excess nitrogen gas and ground-water ages

  11. Cross-well slug testing in unconfined aquifers: A case study from the Sleepers River Watershed, Vermont

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Belitz, K.; Dripps, W.

    1999-01-01

    Normally, slug test measurements are limited to the well in which the water level is perturbed. Consequently, it is often difficult to obtain reliable estimates of hydraulic properties, particularly if the aquifer is anisotropic or if there is a wellbore skin. In this investigation, we use partially penetrating stress and observation wells to evaluate specific storage, radial hydraulic conductivity and anisotropy of the aquifer, and the hydraulic conductivity of the borehole skin. The study site is located in the W9 subbasin of the Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont. At the site, ~3 m of saturated till are partially penetrated by a stress well located in the center of the unconfined aquifer and six observation wells located above, below, and at the depth of the stress well at radial distances of 1.2 and 2.4 m. The observation wells were shut in with inflatable packers. The semianalytical solution of Butler (1995) was used to conduct a sensitivity analysis and to interpret slug test results. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the response of the stress well is primarily sensitive to radial hydraulic conductivity, less sensitive to anisotropy and the conductivity of the borehole skin, and nearly insensitive to specific storage. In contrast, the responses of the observation wells are sensitive to all four parameters. Interpretation of the field data was facilitated by generating type curves in a manner analogous to the method of Cooper et al. (1967). Because the value of radial hydraulic conductivity is obtained from a match point, the number of unknowns is reduced to three. The estimated values of radial hydraulic conductivity and specific storage are comparable to those derived from the methods of Bouwer and Rice (1976) and Cooper et al. (1967). The values and skin conductivity, however, could not have been obtained without the use of observation wells.Normally, slug test measurements are limited to the well in which the water level is perturbed

  12. Hydrogeology of the Judith River Formation in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferris, David; Lypka, Morgan; Ferguson, Grant

    2017-11-01

    The Judith River Formation forms an important regional aquifer in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. This aquifer is used for domestic and agricultural purposes in some areas and supports oil and gas production in other areas. As a result, the available data come from a range of sources and integration is required to provide an overview of aquifer characteristics. Here, data from oil and gas databases are combined with data from groundwater resource assessments. Analysis of cores, drill-stem tests and pumping tests provide a good overview of the physical hydrogeology of the Judith River Aquifer. Water chemistry data from oil and gas databases were less helpful in understanding the chemical hydrogeology due contamination of samples and unreliable laboratory analyses. Analytical modeling of past pumping in the aquifer indicates that decreases in hydraulic head exceeding 2 m are possible over distances of 10s of kilometers. Similar decreases in head should be expected for additional large withdrawals of groundwater from the Judith River Aquifer. Long-term groundwater abstraction should be limited by low pumping rates. Higher pumping rates appear to be possible for short-term uses, such as those required by the oil and gas industry.

  13. Development of a regional groundwater flow model for the area of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer

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

    McCarthy, J.M.; Arnett, R.C.; Neupauer, R.M.

    This report documents a study conducted to develop a regional groundwater flow model for the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer in the area of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The model was developed to support Waste Area Group 10, Operable Unit 10-04 groundwater flow and transport studies. The products of this study are this report and a set of computational tools designed to numerically model the regional groundwater flow in the Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. The objective of developing the current model was to create a tool for defining the regional groundwater flow at the INEL. The model wasmore » developed to (a) support future transport modeling for WAG 10-04 by providing the regional groundwater flow information needed for the WAG 10-04 risk assessment, (b) define the regional groundwater flow setting for modeling groundwater contaminant transport at the scale of the individual WAGs, (c) provide a tool for improving the understanding of the groundwater flow system below the INEL, and (d) consolidate the existing regional groundwater modeling information into one usable model. The current model is appropriate for defining the regional flow setting for flow submodels as well as hypothesis testing to better understand the regional groundwater flow in the area of the INEL. The scale of the submodels must be chosen based on accuracy required for the study.« less

  14. Implementation of a 3d numerical model of a folded multilayer carbonate aquifer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Salvo, Cristina; Guyennon, Nicolas; Romano, Emanuele; Bruna Petrangeli, Anna; Preziosi, Elisabetta

    2016-04-01

    The main objective of this research is to present a case study of the numerical model implementation of a complex carbonate, structurally folded aquifer, with a finite difference, porous equivalent model. The case study aquifer (which extends over 235 km2 in the Apennine chain, Central Italy) provides a long term average of 3.5 m3/s of good quality groundwater to the surface river network, sustaining the minimum vital flow, and it is planned to be exploited in the next years for public water supply. In the downstream part of the river in the study area, a "Site of Community Importance" include the Nera River for its valuable aquatic fauna. However, the possible negative effects of the foreseen exploitation on groundwater dependent ecosystems are a great concern and model grounded scenarios are needed. This multilayer aquifer was conceptualized as five hydrostratigraphic units: three main aquifers (the uppermost unconfined, the central and the deepest partly confined), are separated by two locally discontinuous aquitards. The Nera river cuts through the two upper aquifers and acts as the main natural sink for groundwater. An equivalent porous medium approach was chosen. The complex tectonic structure of the aquifer requires several steps in defining the conceptual model; the presence of strongly dipping layers with very heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity, results in different thicknesses of saturated portions. Aquifers can have both unconfined or confined zones; drying and rewetting must be allowed when considering recharge/discharge cycles. All these characteristics can be included in the conceptual and numerical model; however, being the number of flow and head target scarce, the over-parametrization of the model must be avoided. Following the principle of parsimony, three steady state numerical models were developed, starting from a simple model, and then adding complexity: 2D (single layer), QUASI -3D (with leackage term simulating flow through aquitards) and

  15. 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.

  16. Conceptual and numerical modeling approach of the Guarani Aquifer System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodríguez, L.; Vives, L.; Gomez, A.

    2013-01-01

    In large aquifers, relevant for their considerable size, regional groundwater modeling remains challenging given geologic complexity and data scarcity in space and time. Yet, it may be conjectured that regional scale groundwater flow models can help in understanding the flow system functioning and the relative magnitude of water budget components, which are important for aquifer management. The Guaraní Aquifer System is the largest transboundary aquifer in South America. It contains an enormous volume of water; however, it is not well known, being difficult to assess the impact of exploitation currently used to supply over 25 million inhabitants. This is a sensitive issue because the aquifer is shared by four countries. Moreover, an integrated groundwater model, and therefore a global water balance, were not available. In this work, a transient regional scale model for the entire aquifer based upon five simplified, equally plausible conceptual models represented by different hydraulic conductivity parametrizations is used to analyze the flow system and water balance components. Combining an increasing number of hydraulic conductivity zones and an appropriate set of boundary conditions, the hypothesis of a continuous sedimentary unit yielded errors within the calibration target in a regional sense. The magnitude of the water budget terms resulted very similar for all parametrizations. Recharge and stream/aquifer fluxes were the dominant components representing, on average, 84.2% of total inflows and 61.4% of total outflows, respectively. However, leakage was small compared to stream discharges of main rivers. For instance, the simulated average leakage for the Uruguay River was 8 m3 s-1 while the observed absolute minimum discharge was 382 m3 s-1. Streams located in heavily pumped regions switched from a gaining condition in early years to a losing condition over time. Water is discharged through the aquifer boundaries, except at the eastern boundary. On average

  17. Method to identify wells that yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River downstream from Laguna Dam in Arizona and California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; Wilson, Richard P.; Carpenter, Michael C.; Fink, James B.

    2000-01-01

    Accounting for the use of Colorado River water is required by the U.S. Supreme Court decree, 1964, Arizona v. California. Water pumped from wells on the flood plain and from certain wells on alluvial slopes outside the flood plain is presumed to be river water and is accounted for as Colorado River water. The accounting-surface method developed for the area upstream from Laguna Dam was modified for use downstream from Laguna Dam to identify wells outside the flood plain of the lower Colorado River that yield water that will be replaced by water from the river. Use of the same method provides a uniform criterion of identification for all users pumping water from wells by determining if the static water-level elevation in the well is above or below the elevation of the accounting surface. Wells that have a static water-level elevation equal to or below the accounting surface are presumed to yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River. Wells that have a static water-level elevation above the accounting surface are presumed to yield river water stored above river level. The method is based on the concept of a river aquifer and an accounting surface within the river aquifer. The river aquifer consists of permeable sediments and sedimentary rocks that are hydraulically connected to the Colorado River so that water can move between the river and the aquifer in response to withdrawal of water from the aquifer or differences in water-level elevations between the river and the aquifer. The subsurface limit of the river aquifer is the nearly impermeable bedrock of the bottom and sides of the basins that underlie the Yuma area and adjacent valleys. The accounting surface represents the elevation and slope of the unconfined static water table in the river aquifer outside the flood plain of the Colorado River that would exist if the river were the only source of water to the river aquifer. The accounting surface was generated by using water

  18. Arsenic pollution of groundwater in Vietnam exacerbated by deep aquifer exploitation for more than a century

    PubMed Central

    Winkel, Lenny H. E.; Trang, Pham Thi Kim; Lan, Vi Mai; Stengel, Caroline; Amini, Manouchehr; Ha, Nguyen Thi; Viet, Pham Hung; Berg, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Arsenic contamination of shallow groundwater is among the biggest health threats in the developing world. Targeting uncontaminated deep aquifers is a popular mitigation option although its long-term impact remains unknown. Here we present the alarming results of a large-scale groundwater survey covering the entire Red River Delta and a unique probability model based on three-dimensional Quaternary geology. Our unprecedented dataset reveals that ∼7 million delta inhabitants use groundwater contaminated with toxic elements, including manganese, selenium, and barium. Depth-resolved probabilities and arsenic concentrations indicate drawdown of arsenic-enriched waters from Holocene aquifers to naturally uncontaminated Pleistocene aquifers as a result of > 100 years of groundwater abstraction. Vertical arsenic migration induced by large-scale pumping from deep aquifers has been discussed to occur elsewhere, but has never been shown to occur at the scale seen here. The present situation in the Red River Delta is a warning for other As-affected regions where groundwater is extensively pumped from uncontaminated aquifers underlying high arsenic aquifers or zones. PMID:21245347

  19. Examining the spatial and temporal variation of groundwater inflows to a valley-to-floodplain river using 222Rn, geochemistry and river discharge: the Ovens River, southeast Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, M. C. L.; Cartwright, I.; Braden, J. L.; de Bree, S. T.

    2013-12-01

    Radon (222Rn) and major ion geochemistry were used to define and quantify the catchment-scale groundwater-surface water interactions along the Ovens River in the southeast Murray-Darling Basin, Victoria, Australia, between September 2009 and October 2011. The Ovens River is characterized by the transition from a single channel within a mountain valley in the upper catchment to a multi-channel meandering river on flat alluvial plains in the lower catchment. Overall, the Ovens River is dominated by gaining reaches, receiving groundwater from both alluvial and basement aquifers. The distribution of gaining and losing reaches is governed by catchment morphology and lithology. In the upper catchment, rapid groundwater recharge through the permeable aquifers increases the water table. The rising water table, referred to as hydraulic loading, increases the hydraulic head gradient toward the river and hence causes high baseflow to the river during wet (high flow) periods. In the lower catchment, lower rainfall and finer-gained sediments reduce the magnitude and variability of hydraulic gradient between the aquifer and the river, producing lower but more constant groundwater inflows. The water table in the lower reaches has a shallow gradient, and small changes in river height or groundwater level can result in fluctuating gaining and losing behaviour. The middle catchment represents a transition in river-aquifer interactions from the upper to the lower catchment. High baseflow in some parts of the middle and lower catchments is caused by groundwater flowing over basement highs. Mass balance calculations based on 222Rn activities indicate that groundwater inflows are 2 to 17% of total flow with higher inflows occurring during high flow periods. In comparison to 222Rn activities, estimates of groundwater inflows from Cl concentrations are higher by up to 2000% in the upper and middle catchment but lower by 50 to 100% in the lower catchment. The high baseflow estimates using

  20. Integration of models of various types of aquifers for water quality management in the transboundary area of the Soča/Isonzo river basin (Slovenia/Italy).

    PubMed

    Vižintin, Goran; Ravbar, Nataša; Janež, Jože; Koren, Eva; Janež, Naško; Zini, Luca; Treu, Francesco; Petrič, Metka

    2018-04-01

    Due to intrinsic characteristics of aquifers groundwater frequently passes between various types of aquifers without hindrance. The complex connection of underground water paths enables flow regardless of administrative boundaries. This can cause problems in water resources management. Numerical modelling is an important tool for the understanding, interpretation and management of aquifers. Useful and reliable methods of numerical modelling differ with regard to the type of aquifer, but their connections in a single hydrodynamic model are rare. The purpose of this study was to connect different models into an integrated system that enables determination of water travel time from the point of contamination to water sources. The worst-case scenario is considered. The system was applied in the Soča/Isonzo basin, a transboundary river in Slovenia and Italy, where there is a complex contact of karst and intergranular aquifers and surface flows over bedrock with low permeability. Time cell models were first elaborated separately for individual hydrogeological units. These were the result of numerical hydrological modelling (intergranular aquifer and surface flow) or complex GIS analysis taking into account the vulnerability map and tracer tests results (karst aquifer). The obtained cellular models present the basis of a contamination early-warning system, since it allows an estimation when contaminants can be expected to appear, and in which water sources. The system proves that the contaminants spread rapidly through karst aquifers and via surface flows, and more slowly through intergranular aquifers. For this reason, karst water sources are more at risk from one-off contamination incidents, while water sources in intergranular aquifers are more at risk in cases of long-term contamination. The system that has been developed is the basis for a single system of protection, action and quality monitoring in the areas of complex aquifer systems within or on the borders of

  1. Iodine-129 in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer at and near the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2010-12

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartholomay, Roy C.

    2013-01-01

    From 1953 to 1988, approximately 0.941 curies of iodine-129 (129I) were contained in wastewater generated at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) with almost all of this wastewater discharged at or near the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC). Most of the wastewater containing 129I was discharged directly into the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer through a deep disposal well until 1984; lesser quantities also were discharged into unlined infiltration ponds or leaked from distribution systems below the INTEC. During 2010–12, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy collected groundwater samples for 129I from 62 wells in the ESRP aquifer to track concentration trends and changes for the carcinogenic radionuclide that has a 15.7 million-year half-life. Concentrations of 129I in the aquifer ranged from 0.0000013±0.0000005 to 1.02±0.04 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and generally decreased in wells near the INTEC, relative to previous sampling events. The average concentration of 129I in groundwater from 15 wells sampled during four different sample periods decreased from 1.15 pCi/L in 1990–91 to 0.173 pCi/L in 2011–12. All but two wells within a 3-mile radius of the INTEC showed decreases in concentration, and all but one sample had concentrations less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 1 pCi/L. These decreases are attributed to the discontinuation of disposal of 129I in wastewater and to dilution and dispersion in the aquifer. The decreases in 129I concentrations, in areas around INTEC where concentrations increased between 2003 and 2007, were attributed to less recharge near INTEC either from less flow in the Big Lost River or from less local snowmelt and anthropogenic sources. Although wells near INTEC sampled in 2011–12 showed decreases in 129I concentrations compared with previously collected data, some wells south and east of the Central Facilities Area

  2. An Update of Hydrologic Conditions and Distribution of Selected Constituents in Water, Snake River Plain Aquifer and Perched-Water Zones, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, Emphasis 2002-05

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davis, Linda C.

    2008-01-01

    Radiochemical and chemical wastewater discharged since 1952 to infiltration ponds, evaporation ponds, and disposal wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has affected water quality in the Snake River Plain aquifer and perched-water zones underlying the INL. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains ground-water monitoring networks at the INL to determine hydrologic trends, and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer and in perched-water zones. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from aquifer and perched-water wells in the USGS ground-water monitoring networks during 2002-05. Water in the Snake River Plain aquifer primarily moves through fractures and interflow zones in basalt, generally flows southwestward, and eventually discharges at springs along the Snake River. The aquifer is recharged primarily from infiltration of irrigation water, infiltration of streamflow, ground-water inflow from adjoining mountain drainage basins, and infiltration of precipitation. From March-May 2001 to March-May 2005, water levels in wells declined throughout the INL area. The declines ranged from about 3 to 8 feet in the southwestern part of the INL, about 10 to 15 feet in the west central part of the INL, and about 6 to 11 feet in the northern part of the INL. Water levels in perched water wells declined also, with the water level dropping below the bottom of the pump in many wells during 2002-05. For radionuclides, concentrations that equal 3s, wheres s is the sample standard deviation, represent a measurement at the minimum detectable concentration, or 'reporting level'. Detectable concentrations of radiochemical constituents in water samples from wells in the Snake River Plain aquifer at the INL generally decreased or remained constant during 2002-05. Decreases in concentrations were attributed to decreased rates of radioactive-waste disposal

  3. 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

  4. Wounded Warriors (AW2), 5th Anniversary Report, 2004-2009

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    7 History ... Saffrons continue their commitment to the Army and wounded warriors. Recently SSG Saffron and his spouse, Colleen, accepted more than 400 holiday cards...from Harker Heights High School band students for the AW2 Soldiers at Fort Hood, TX, in December 2008. Colleen Saffron , who is extremely involved in

  5. A conceptual model for groundwater - surface water interactions in the Darling River Floodplain, N.S.W., Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brodie, R. S.; Lawrie, K.; Somerville, P.; Hostetler, S.; Magee, J.; Tan, K. P.; Clarke, J.

    2013-12-01

    Multiple lines of evidence were used to develop a conceptual model for interaction between the Darling River and associated floodplain aquifers in western New South Wales, Australia. Hydrostratigraphy and groundwater salinities were mapped using airborne electromagnetics (AEM), validated by sonic-core drilling. The AEM was highly effective in mapping groundwater freshening due to river leakage in discrete zones along the river corridor. These fresh resources occurred in both the unconfined Quaternary aquifers and the underlying, largely semi-confined Pliocene aquifers. The AEM was also fundamental to mapping the Blanchetown Clay aquitard which separates these two aquifer systems. Major-ion chemistry highlighted a mixing signature between river waters and groundwaters in both the Quaternary and Pliocene aquifers. Stable isotope data indicates that recharge to the key Pliocene aquifers is episodic and linked to high-flow flood events rather than river leakage being continuous. This was also evident when groundwater chemistry was compared with river chemistry under different flow conditions. Mapping of borehole levels showed groundwater mounding near the river, emphasising the regional significance of losing river conditions for both aquifer systems. Critically, rapid and significant groundwater level responses were measured during large flood events. In the Pliocene aquifers, continuation of rising trends after the flood peak receded confirms that this is an actual recharge response rather than hydraulic loading. The flow dependency of river leakage can be explained by the presence of mud veneers and mineral precipitates along the Darling River channel bank when river flows are low. During low flow conditions these act as impediments to river leakage. During floods, high flow velocities scour these deposits, revealing lateral-accretion surfaces in the shallow scroll plain sediments. This scouring allows lateral bank recharge to the shallow aquifer. During flood

  6. Assessment of DoD Wounded Warrior Matters -- Camp Lejeune

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-30

    steadfast to serve the total Wounded, Ill and Injured ( WII ) force: active duty, reserve, retired, and veteran Marines.” Wounded Warrior...to a Physical Evaluation Board . 16 During our site visit, we observed a 9-Block meeting, which was chaired by the WWBn-East Executive...Support Coordinator Medical Case Managers (Naval Hospital) Recovery Care Coordinators Medical Board Clerk The Medical Case Management Advisor

  7. 40 CFR 147.102 - Aquifer exemptions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... than the indicated depths below the ground surface, and described by a 1/4 mile area beyond and lying directly below the following oil and gas producing fields: (i) Swanson River Field—1700 feet. (ii) Beaver Creek Field—1650 feet. (iii) Kenai Gas Field—1300 feet. (2) The portion of aquifers beneath Cook Inlet...

  8. 40 CFR 147.102 - Aquifer exemptions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... than the indicated depths below the ground surface, and described by a 1/4 mile area beyond and lying directly below the following oil and gas producing fields: (i) Swanson River Field—1700 feet. (ii) Beaver Creek Field—1650 feet. (iii) Kenai Gas Field—1300 feet. (2) The portion of aquifers beneath Cook Inlet...

  9. 40 CFR 147.102 - Aquifer exemptions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... than the indicated depths below the ground surface, and described by a 1/4 mile area beyond and lying directly below the following oil and gas producing fields: (i) Swanson River Field—1700 feet. (ii) Beaver Creek Field—1650 feet. (iii) Kenai Gas Field—1300 feet. (2) The portion of aquifers beneath Cook Inlet...

  10. 40 CFR 147.102 - Aquifer exemptions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... than the indicated depths below the ground surface, and described by a 1/4 mile area beyond and lying directly below the following oil and gas producing fields: (i) Swanson River Field—1700 feet. (ii) Beaver Creek Field—1650 feet. (iii) Kenai Gas Field—1300 feet. (2) The portion of aquifers beneath Cook Inlet...

  11. Potentiometric levels and water quality in the aquifers underlying Belvidere, Illinois, 1993-96

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mills, Patrick C.; Thomas, C.A.; Brown, T.A.; Yeskis, D.J.; Kay, R.T.

    1999-01-01

    In 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), began a study of the hydrogeology and water quality of the aquifers underlying the vicinity of Belvidere, Boone County, Ill. Previously, volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and other constituents of industrial origin were detected in one or more ground-water samples from about 100 of the approximately 700 monitoring and water-supply wells in the area, including the 8 municipal wells in Belvidere. A glacial drift aquifer underlies at least 50 percent of the 80-square-mile study area; bedrock aquifers that underlie virtually all of the study area include the Galena-Platteville, St. Peter Sandstone, Ordovician, and Cambrian-Ordovician aquifers. During 1993, water levels were measured in 152 wells and water-quality samples were collected from 97 wells distributed throughout the study area. During 1994-96, similar data were collected from 31 wells. Potentiometric levels in the glacial drift and Galena-Platteville aquifers are similar and range from about 750 to 900 feet above sea level. The potentiometric surfaces of the aquifers are subdued representations of the land surface. Horizontal ground-water flow in the aquifers primarily is towards the Kishwaukee River, which flows through the central part of the study area, and its principal tributaries. Vertical ground-water flow appears to be downward at most locations in the study area, particularly in the urbanized areas affected by pumping of the Belvidere municipal wells and upland areas remote from the principal surface-water drainages. Flow appears to be upward between the Galena-Platteville and glacial drift aquifers where ground water discharges to the Kishwaukee River and its principal tributaries. All water samples were analyzed for VOC's. Selected samples also were analyzed for trace metals, cyanide, semivolatile organic compounds, or other constituents. VOC's were detected in samples from 50 wells (52

  12. Modelling the salinization of a coastal lagoon-aquifer system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Colombani, N.; Mastrocicco, M.

    2017-08-01

    In this study, a coastal area constituted by alternations of saline-brackish lagoons and freshwater bodies was studied and modelled to understand the hydrological processes occurring between the lagoons, the groundwater system of the Po River Delta (Italy) and the Adriatic Sea. The contribution of both evaporation and anthropogenic factors on groundwater salinization was assessed by means of soil, groundwater and surface water monitoring. Highresolution multi-level samplers were used to capture salinity gradients within the aquifer and surface water bodies. Data were employed to calibrate a density-dependent numerical transport model implemented with SEAWAT code along a transect perpendicular to the coast line. The results show that the lagoon is hydraulically well connected with the aquifer, which provides the major source of salinity because of the upcoming of paleo-seawater from the aquitard laying at the base of the unconfined aquifer. On the contrary, the seawater (diluted by the freshwater river outflow) creates only a limited saltwater wedge. The increase in groundwater salinity could be of serious concern, especially for the pinewood located in the dune near the coast, sensitive to salinity increases. This case study represents an interesting paradigm for other similar environmental setting, where the assumption of classical aquifer salinization from a saltwater wedge intruding from the sea is often not representative of the actual aquifer’s salinization mechanisms.

  13. The quality of our Nation's waters: groundwater quality in the Columbia Plateau and Snake River Plain basin-fill and basaltic-rock aquifers and the Hawaiian volcanic-rock aquifers, Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii, 1993-2005

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rupert, Michael G.; Hunt, Charles D.; Skinner, Kenneth D.; Frans, Lonna M.; Mahler, Barbara J.

    2015-01-01

    The Columbia Plateau, Snake River Plain, and Hawaii are large volcanic areas in the western United States and mid-Pacific ocean that contain extensive regional aquifers of a hard, gray, volcanic rock called basalt. Residents of the Columbia Plateau, the Snake River Plain, and the island of Oahu depend on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Although the depth to the water table can be several hundred feet, the groundwater is highly vulnerable to contamination because the permeable sediments and rocks allow contaminants to move readily down to the water table. Intense agricultural and urban activities occur above the drinking-water supply and are increasing in some areas. Contaminants, such as nitrate, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds, associated with agricultural and urban activities, have adversely affected groundwater quality.

  14. Geohydrology and water quality of the Calumet aquifer, in the vicinity of the Grand Calumet River/Indiana Harbor Canal, northwestern Indiana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fenelon, J.M.; Watson, Lee R.

    1993-01-01

    A comparison of primarily inorganic-constituent data from the five land-use groups to inorganic-constituent data from sites known to be contaminated shows that constituent concentrations in ground waters from wells in the land-use areas generally are lower than those in ground water from contaminated areas. Abstract 1 Likewise, a comparison of inorganic-constituent data from the land-use groups to inorganic-constituent data from areas relatively unaffected by human presence shows that constituent concentrations in ground water from wells in the land-use areas generally are greater than those in ground water from the unaffected areas. Some documented but unaccounted for chemical loads in the Grand Calumet River are from ground water. Ground water probably contributes more than 10 percent of the total chemical load of ammonia, chromium, and cyanide to the Grand Calumet River. In comparison, about 1 to 3 percent of the total streamflow in the Grand Calumet River is from ground water. Of the four major groundwater sinks in the aquifer, the east branch of the Grand Calumet River and the Indiana Harbor Canal generally receive the greatest chemical loads from ground water, whereas Lake Michigan generally receives the smallest loads.

  15. Similar sediment provenance of low and high arsenic aquifers in Bangladesh

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Y.; Yang, Q.; Li, S.; Hemming, S. R.; Zhang, Y.; Rasbury, T.; Hemming, G.

    2017-12-01

    Geogenic arsenic (As) in drinking water, especially in groundwater, is estimated to have affected the health of over 100 million people worldwide, with nearly half of the total at risk population in Bangladesh. Sluggish flow and reducing biogeochemical environment in sedimentary aquifers have been shown as the primary controls for the release of As from sediment to the shallower groundwater in the Holocene aquifer. In contrast, deeper groundwater in the Pleistocene aquifer is depleted in groundwater As and sediment-extractable As. This study assesses the origin of the sediment in two aquifers of Bangladesh that contain distinctly different As levels to ascertain whether the source of the sediment is a factor in this difference through measurements of detrital mica Ar-Ar age, detrital zircon U-Pb age, as well as sediment silicate Sr and Nd isotopes. Whole rock geochemical data were also used to illuminate the extent of chemical weathering. Detrital mica 40Ar/39Ar cooling ages and detrital zircon U-Pb ages show no statistical difference between high-As Holocene sediment and low-As Pleistocene sediment, but suggest an aquifer sediment source of both the Brahmaputra and the Ganges rivers. Silicate 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd further depict a major sediment source from the Brahmaputra river, which is supported by a two end member mixing model using 87Sr/86Sr and Sr concentrations. Pleistocene and Holocene sediments show little difference in weathering of mobile elements including As, while coarser sediments and a longer history of the Pleistocene aquifer suggest that sorting and flushing play more important roles in regulating the contrast of As occurrence between these two aquifers.

  16. Visualization of conduit-matrix conductivity differences in a karst aquifer using time-lapse electrical resistivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyerhoff, Steven B.; Karaoulis, Marios; Fiebig, Florian; Maxwell, Reed M.; Revil, André; Martin, Jonathan B.; Graham, Wendy D.

    2012-12-01

    In the karstic upper Floridan aquifer, surface water flows into conduits of the groundwater system and may exchange with water in the aquifer matrix. This exchange has been hypothesized to occur based on differences in discharge at the Santa Fe River Sink-Rise system, north central Florida, but has yet to be visualized using any geophysical techniques. Using electrical resistivity tomography, we conducted a time-lapse study at two locations with mapped conduits connecting the Santa Fe River Sink to the Santa Fe River Rise to study changes of electrical conductivity during times of varying discharge over a six-week period. Our results show conductivity differences between matrix, conduit changes in resistivity occurring through time at the locations of mapped karst conduits, and changes in electrical conductivity during rainfall infiltration. These observations provide insight into time scales and matrix conduit conductivity differences, illustrating how surface water flow recharged to conduits may flow in a groundwater system in a karst aquifer.

  17. Use of chlorine-36 to determine regional-scale aquifer dispersivity, eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho/USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cecil, L.D.; Welhan, J.A.; Green, J.R.; Grape, S.K.; Sudicky, E.R.

    2000-01-01

    Chlorine-36 (36Cl) derived from processed nuclear waste that was disposed at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) through a deep injection well in 1958, was detected 24-28 yr later in groundwater monitoring wells approximately 26 km downgradient from the source. Groundwater samples covering the period 1966-1995 were selected from the US Geological Survey's archived-sample library at the INEEL and analyzed for 36Cl by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The smaller 36Cl peak concentrations in water from the far-field monitoring wells relative to the input suggest that aquifer dispersivity may be large. However, the sharpness of the 1958 disposal peak of 36Cl is matched by the measured 36Cl concentrations in water from these wells. This implies that a small aquifer dispersivity may be attributed to preferential groundwater flowpaths. Assuming that tracer arrival times at monitoring wells are controlled by preferential flow, a 1-D system-response model was used to estimate dispersivity by comparing the shape of predicted 36Cl-concentration curves to the shape of 36Cl-concentration curves measured in water from these observation wells. The comparisons suggest that a 1-D dispersivity of 5 m provides the best fit to the tracer data. Previous work using a 2-D equivalent porous-media model concluded that longitudinal dispersivity (equivalent to 1-D dispersivity in our model) was 90 m (Ackerman, 1991). A 90 m dispersivity value eliminates the 1958 disposal peak in our model output curves. The implications of the arrival of 36Cl at downgradient monitoring wells are important for three reasons: (1) the arrival times and associated 36Cl concentrations provide quantitative constraints on residence times, velocities, and dispersivities in the aquifer; (2) they help to refine our working hypotheses of groundwater flow in this aquifer and (3) they may suggest a means of estimating the distribution of preferential flowpaths

  18. Nett Warrior: Initial Operational Test and Evaluation Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-05-01

    smartphone modified for military purposes. The version of the EUD used in the IOT&E was developed by Samsung and is referred to as the Note 2; the...a secure radio to the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) network and enables communicate among different echelons using voice, data, and Position Location...must function together if the data and information collected by Nett Warrior are to be distributed and used effectively.  Reduce the number of

  19. School-University Partnership: The Wizard, the Warrior, and the Wagoner

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castelli, Darla; Centeio, Erin; Boehrnsen, Helen; Barclay, Doug; Bundy, Craig

    2012-01-01

    There are many key players in a functional school-university partnership. The purpose of this article is to provide insight into the establishment of roles within a school-university partnership charged with creating educational reform. Specific details are provided about three key change agents (the Wizard, the Warrior, and the Wagoner) who…

  20. Is high-resolution inverse characterization of heterogeneous river bed hydraulic conductivities needed and possible?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurtz, W.; Hendricks Franssen, H.-J.; Brunner, P.; Vereecken, H.

    2013-10-01

    River-aquifer exchange fluxes influence local and regional water balances and affect groundwater and river water quality and quantity. Unfortunately, river-aquifer exchange fluxes tend to be strongly spatially variable, and it is an open research question to which degree river bed heterogeneity has to be represented in a model in order to achieve reliable estimates of river-aquifer exchange fluxes. This research question is addressed in this paper with the help of synthetic simulation experiments, which mimic the Limmat aquifer in Zurich (Switzerland), where river-aquifer exchange fluxes and groundwater management activities play an important role. The solution of the unsaturated-saturated subsurface hydrological flow problem including river-aquifer interaction is calculated for ten different synthetic realities where the strongly heterogeneous river bed hydraulic conductivities (L) are perfectly known. Hydraulic head data (100 in the default scenario) are sampled from the synthetic realities. In subsequent data assimilation experiments, where L is unknown now, the hydraulic head data are used as conditioning information, with the help of the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). For each of the ten synthetic realities, four different ensembles of L are tested in the experiments with EnKF; one ensemble estimates high-resolution L fields with different L values for each element, and the other three ensembles estimate effective L values for 5, 3 or 2 zones. The calibration of higher-resolution L fields (i.e. fully heterogeneous or 5 zones) gives better results than the calibration of L for only 3 or 2 zones in terms of reproduction of states, stream-aquifer exchange fluxes and parameters. Effective L for a limited number of zones cannot always reproduce the true states and fluxes well and results in biased estimates of net exchange fluxes between aquifer and stream. Also in case only 10 head data are used for conditioning, the high-resolution characterization of L fields

  1. Hydrogeochemical Analysis of an Overexploited Aquifer In Bangladesh Toward Managed Aquifer Recharge Project Implementation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahman, M. A.; Wiegand, B. A.; Pervin, M.; Sauter, M.

    2012-12-01

    In most parts of the upper Dupitila aquifer (Dhaka City, Bangladesh) the average groundwater depletion reaches 2-3 m/year due to increasing water demands of the growing population. To counteract overexploitation of the aquifer, a more sustainable water management is required. The analysis of the local water resources system suggests that Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) would help to restore groundwater resources to strengthen water supply of Dhaka City, e.g., by using collected urban monsoon runoff and excess surface water from rivers. To assess possible effects of surface water or rainwater injection on groundwater quality, a comprehensive hydrogeochemical survey of the Dupitila aquifer is required. This paper presents hydrogeochemical data to document the current status of groundwater quality and to evaluate potential groundwater pollution by mobilization of hazardous chemicals as a result of changes in the hydrochemical equilibria. We performed a comprehensive review of available secondary data sources and will present new results from hydrochemical and Sr isotope investigations of water samples that were conducted within this study. Currently, groundwater quality in the upper Dupitila aquifer is characterized by variations in the electrical conductivity in the range of 200 to 1100 μS/cm, which may indicate some anthropogenic contamination by leakage from waste disposal including the sewage network and from surface water infiltration into the groundwater aquifer. Dissolved oxygen concentrations range from 1.0 to 4.9 mg/L (average 2.5 mg/L) in the upper Dupitila aquifer, while the lower Dupilita aquifer shows dissolved oxygen concentrations in the range 0 to 0.7 mg/L. Concentrations of major ions show some variation primarily due to a sedimentologically/mineralogically heterogeneous aquifer composition (sand, gravel, clay horizons), but may also be affected by anthropogenic processes. The groundwater composition is predominated by Ca-Mg-HCO3 and saturation values

  2. A digital-computer model of the Big Sioux aquifer in Minnehaha County, South Dakota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Koch, N.C.

    1982-01-01

    A finite-difference digital model was used to simulate steady-state conditions of the Big Sioux aquifer in Minnehaha County. Average water levels and average base flow discharge (4.9 cu ft/s) of the Big Sioux River were based on data from 1970 through 1979. The computer model was calibrated for transient conditions by simulating monthly historic conditions for 1976. During 1976, pumpage was offset mostly by surface-water recharge to the aquifer from January through June and ground-water discharge from storage from July through December. Measured drawdowns during 1976 generally were less than 2 feet except in the Sioux Falls city well field where drawdowns were as much as 15 feet. The model was used to study the effects of increased withdrawals under three hypothetical hydrologic situations. One hypothetical situation consisted of using 1976 pumping rates, recharge, and evapotranspiration but the Big Sioux River dry. The pumping rate after 16 months was decreased by 40 percent from the actual pumping rate for that month in order to complete the monthly simulation without the storage being depleted at a nodal area. The second hypothetical situation consisted of a pumpage rate of 44.4 cubic feet per second from 60 wells spaced throughout the aquifer under historic 1976 hydrologic conditions. The results were that the aquifer could supply the additional withdrawal. The third hypothetical situation used the same hydrologic conditions as the second except that recharge was zero and the Big Sioux River was dry downstream from row 54. After 18 monthly simulations, the pumping rate was decreased by 44 percent to prevent pumping wells from depleting the aquifer, and, at that rate, 63 percent of the water being pumped was being replaced by water from the river. (USGS)

  3. 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.

  4. Simulation of ground-water flow in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system, Pennsauken Township and vicinity, New Jersey

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pope, Daryll A.; Watt, Martha K.

    2004-01-01

    The Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system is one of the primary sources of potable water in the Coastal Plain of New Jersey, particularly in heavily developed areas along the Delaware River. In Pennsauken Township, Camden County, local drinking-water supplies from this aquifer system have been contaminated by hexavalent chromium at concentrations that exceed the New Jersey maximum contaminant level. In particular, ground water at the Puchack well field has been adversely affected to the point where, since 1984, water is no longer withdrawn from this well field for public supply. The area that contains the Puchack well field was added to the National Priorities List in 1998 as a Superfund site. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a reconnaissance study from 1996 to 1998 during which hydrogeologic and water-quality data were collected and a ground-water-flow model was developed to describe the conditions in the aquifer system in the Pennsauken Township area. The current investigation by the USGS, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), is an extension of the previous study. Results of the current study can be applied to a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study conducted at the Puchack well field Superfund site. The USGS study collected additional data on the hydrogeology and water-quality in the area. These data were incorporated into a refined model of the ground-water-flow system in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system. A finite-difference model was developed to simulate ground-water flow and the advective transport of chromium-contaminated ground water in the aquifers of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in the Pennsauken Township area. An 11-layer model was used to represent the complex hydrogeologic framework. The model was calibrated using steady-state water-level data from March 1998, April 1998, and April 2001. Water-level recovery during the shutdown of Puchack 1 during March to April 1998 was

  5. Simulation of Regional Ground-Water Flow in the Suwannee River Basin, Northern Florida and Southern Georgia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Planert, Michael

    2007-01-01

    The Suwannee River Basin covers a total of nearly 9,950 square miles in north-central Florida and southern Georgia. In Florida, the Suwannee River Basin accounts for 4,250 square miles of north-central Florida. Evaluating the impacts of increased development in the Suwannee River Basin requires a quantitative understanding of the boundary conditions, hydrogeologic framework and hydraulic properties of the Floridan aquifer system, and the dynamics of water exchanges between the Suwannee River and its tributaries and the Floridan aquifer system. Major rivers within the Suwannee River Basin are the Suwannee, Santa Fe, Alapaha, and Withlacoochee. Four rivers west of the Suwannee River are the Aucilla, the Econfina, the Fenholloway, and the Steinhatchee; all drain to the Gulf of Mexico. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the surface-water hydrology of the study area is that large areas east of the Suwannee River are devoid of channelized, surface drainage; consequently, most of the drainage occurs through the subsurface. The ground-water flow system underlying the study area plays a critical role in the overall hydrology of this region of Florida because of the dominance of subsurface drain-age, and because ground-water flow sustains the flow of the rivers and springs. Three principal hydrogeologic units are present in the study area: the surficial aquifer system, the intermediate aquifer system, and the Floridan aquifer system. The surficial aquifer system principally consists of unconsoli-dated to poorly indurated siliciclastic deposits. The intermediate aquifer system, which contains the intermediate confining unit, lies below the surficial aquifer system (where present), and generally consists of fine-grained, uncon-solidated deposits of quartz sand, silt, and clay with interbedded limestone of Miocene age. Regionally, the intermediate aquifer system and intermediate con-fining unit act as a confining unit that restricts the exchange of water between the over

  6. 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

  7. The myth of the warrior: martial masculinity and the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

    PubMed

    Allsep, L Michael

    2013-01-01

    The image of the male warrior still dominates military culture, to the exclusion of women and homosexuals. Complicating the picture is a technological revolution that promises to widen the current gap between the myth and reality of the modern warrior even further. Nonetheless, despite long arguing that homosexuals were a direct threat to military culture and effectiveness, the Pentagon has largely treated the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell as a policy matter. The difficulties still experienced by women in the armed services 40 years after they were first incorporated in significant numbers indicates that this response will be insufficient to address the deeper cultural issues. Gender issues implicate deeply held beliefs and values that persist even in the face of years of official admonishment and denial. Unless the military begins to transparently bridge the gap between the myth and reality of the modern warrior, military service without discrimination based on sexual orientation will remain an unachieved goal.

  8. Processes affecting geochemistry and contaminant movement in the middle Claiborne aquifer of the Mississippi embayment aquifer system

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Katz, Brian G.; Kingsbury, James A.; Welch, Heather L.; Tollett, Roland W.

    2012-01-01

    Groundwater chemistry and tracer-based age data were used to assess contaminant movement and geochemical processes in the middle Claiborne aquifer (MCA) of the Mississippi embayment aquifer system. Water samples were collected from 30 drinking-water wells (mostly domestic and public supply) and analyzed for nutrients, major ions, pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and transient age tracers (chlorofluorocarbons, tritium and helium-3, and sulfur hexafluoride). Redox conditions are highly variable throughout the MCA. However, mostly oxic groundwater with low dissolved solids is more vulnerable to nitrate contamination in the outcrop areas east of the Mississippi River in Mississippi and west Tennessee than in mostly anoxic groundwater in downgradient areas in western parts of the study area. Groundwater in the outcrop area was relatively young (apparent age of less than 40 years) with significantly (p 50 m depth) indicated contaminant movement from shallow parts of the aquifer into deeper oxic zones. Given the persistence of nitrate in young oxic groundwater that was recharged several decades ago, and the lack of a confining unit, the downward movement of young contaminated water may result in higher nitrate concentrations over time in deeper parts of the aquifer containing older oxic water.

  9. Assessing groundwater availability in a folded carbonate aquifer through the development of a numerical model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Salvo, Cristina; Romano, Emanuele; Guyennon, Nicolas; Bruna Petrangeli, Anna; Preziosi, Elisabetta

    2015-04-01

    The study of aquifer systems from a quantitative point of view is fundamental for adopting water management plans aiming at preserving water resources and reducing environmental risks related to groundwater level and discharge changes. This is also what the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) states, holding the development of numerical models as a key aspect for groundwater management. The objective of this research is to i) define a methodology for modeling a complex hydrogeological structure in a structurally folded carbonate area and ii) estimate the concurrent effects of exploitation and climate changes on groundwater availability through the implementation of a 3D groundwater flow model. This study concerns the Monte Coscerno karst aquifer located in the Apennine chain in Central Italy in the Nera River Valley.This aquifer, is planned to be exploited in the near future for water supply. Negative trends of precipitation in Central Italy have been reported in relation to global climate changes, which are expected to affect the availability of recharge to carbonate aquifers throughout the region . A great concern is the combined impact of climate change and groundwater exploitation, hence scenarios are needed taking into account the effect of possible temperature and precipitation trends on recharge rates. Following a previous experience with model conceptualization and long-term simulation of groundwater flow, an integrated three-dimensional groundwater model has been developed for the Monte Coscerno aquifer. In a previous paper (Preziosi et al 2014) the spatial distribution of recharge to this aquifer was estimated through the Thornthwaite Mather model at a daily time step using as inputs past precipitation and temperature values (1951-2013) as well as soil and landscape properties. In this paper the numerical model development is described. On the basis of well logs from private consulting companies and literature cross sections the

  10. Hydrologic connections and dynamics of water movement in the classical Karst (Kras) Aquifer: evidence from frequent chemical and stable isotope sampling

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Doctor, Daniel H.

    2008-01-01

    A review of past research on the hydrogeology of the Classical Karst (Kras) region and new information obtained from a two- year study using environmental tracers are presented in this paper. The main problems addressed are 1) the sources of water to the Kras aquifer resurgence zone-including the famous Timavo springs-under changing flow regimes; 2) a quantification of the storage volumes of the karst massif corresponding to flow regimes defined by hydrograph recessions of the Timavo springs; and 3) changing dynamics between deep phreatic conduit flow and shallow phreatic and epiphreatic storage within the aquifer resurgence zone as determined through changes in chemical and isotopic composition at springs and wells. Particular focus was placed on addressing the long-standing question of the influence of the Soca River on the ground waters of the aquifer resurgence zone. The results indicate that the alluvial aquifer supplied by the sinking of the Soca River on the northwestern edge of the massif contributes approximately 75% of the mean annual outflow to the smaller springs of the aquifer resurgence zone, and as much as 53% to the mean annual outflow of the Timavo springs. As a whole, the Soca River is estimated to contribute 56% of the average outflow of the Kras aquifer resurgence. The proportions of Soca River water increase under drier conditions, and decrease under wetter conditions. Time series analysis of oxygen stable isotope records indicate that the transit time of Soca River water to the Timavo springs, Sardos spring, and well B-4 is on the order of 1-2 months, depending on hydrological conditions. The total baseflow storage of the Timavo springs is estimated to be 518 million m3, and represents 88.5% of the storage capacity estimated for all flow regimes of the springs. The ratio of baseflow storage volume to the average annual volume discharged at the Timavo springs is 0.54. The Reka River sinking in Slovenia supplies substantial allogenic recharge to

  11. Hydrogeologic Framework of the Yakima River Basin Aquifer System, Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vaccaro, J.J.; Jones, M.A.; Ely, D.M.; Keys, M.E.; Olsen, T.D.; Welch, W.B.; Cox, S.E.

    2009-01-01

    The Yakima River basin aquifer system underlies about 6,200 square miles in south-central Washington. The aquifer system consists of basin-fill deposits occurring in six structural-sedimentary basins, the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG), and generally older bedrock. The basin-fill deposits were divided into 19 hydrogeologic units, the CRBG was divided into three units separated by two interbed units, and the bedrock was divided into four units (the Paleozoic, the Mesozoic, the Tertiary, and the Quaternary bedrock units). The thickness of the basin-fill units and the depth to the top of each unit and interbed of the CRBG were mapped. Only the surficial extent of the bedrock units was mapped due to insufficient data. Average mapped thickness of the different units ranged from 10 to 600 feet. Lateral hydraulic conductivity (Kh) of the units varies widely indicating the heterogeneity of the aquifer system. Average or effective Kh values of the water-producing zones of the basin-fill units are on the order of 1 to 800 ft/d and are about 1 to 10 ft/d for the CRBG units as a whole. Effective or average Kh values for the different rock types of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Tertiary units appear to be about 0.0001 to 3 ft/d. The more permeable Quaternary bedrock unit may have Kh values that range from 1 to 7,000 ft/d. Vertical hydraulic conductivity (Kv) of the units is largely unknown. Kv values have been estimated to range from about 0.009 to 2 ft/d for the basin-fill units and Kv values for the clay-to-shale parts of the units may be as small as 10-10 to 10-7 ft/d. Reported Kv values for the CRBG units ranged from 4x10-7 to 4 ft/d. Variations in the concentrations of geochemical solutes and the concentrations and ratios of the isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon in groundwater provided information on the hydrogeologic framework and groundwater movement. Stable isotope ratios of water (deuterium and oxygen-18) indicated dispersed sources of groundwater recharge to

  12. Hydrogeologic and water-quality characteristics of the Red River-Winnipeg aquifer northwestern Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ruhl, J.F.; Adolphson, D.G.

    1986-01-01

    Ground water generally flows eastward through the aquifer from North Dakota and discharges upward to wells and to overlying deposits. Yields of wells open to the full thickness of the aquifer range from 100 t 250 gallons per minute. The water is unsuitable for most uses because of the high mineral content. Dissolved-solids concentrations range from about 3,000 milligrams per liter in the eastern part of the aquifer to about 60,000 milligrams per liter in the northwestern corner of Minnesota.

  13. Hydrologic conditions in the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge and Planet Valley, Arizona, 2000

    USGS Publications Warehouse

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

    2002-01-01

    During a period of sustained base-flow conditions in the Bill Williams River below Alamo Dam in west central Arizona from March to July 2000, the channel of the river through Planet Valley was dry, and the water table sloped almost due west parallel to the main slope of the flood plain. Water from the river infiltrated into the channel bottom at the head of Planet Valley, moved downgradient in the subsurface, and reappeared in the channel about 0.3 mile downstream from the east boundary of the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. A river aquifer in hydraulic connection with the Bill Williams River was mapped from a point 6.3 miles upstream from Highway 95 to the upstream end of Planet Valley. Formations that make up the river aquifer in Planet Valley are younger alluvium, older alluviums, and fanglomerate. Total thickness of the river aquifer probably is less than 200 feet in the bedrock canyons to as much as 1,035 feet in Planet Valley. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current hydrologic conditions along the Bill Williams River, which included an inventory of wells within the river aquifer of the Colorado River and in Planet Valley, and to determine the configuration of the water table. A map shows the elevation and configuration of the water table from the east end of Planet Valley to the confluence of the Bill Williams River with Lake Havasu.

  14. Aquifer characteristics, water availability, and water quality of the Quaternary aquifer, Osage County, northeastern Oklahoma, 2001-2002

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mashburn, Shana L.; Cope, Caleb C.; Abbott, Marvin M.

    2003-01-01

    Additional sources of water are needed on the Osage Reservation for future growth and development. The Quaternary aquifer along the Arkansas River in the Osage Reservation may represent a substantial water resource, but limited amounts of hydrogeologic data were available for the aquifer. The study area is about 116 square miles of the Quaternary aquifer in the Arkansas River valley and the nearby upland areas along the Osage Reservation. The study area included the Arkansas River reach downstream from Kaw Lake near Ponca City, Oklahoma to upstream from Keystone Lake near Cleveland, Oklahoma. Electrical conductivity logs were produced for 103 test holes. Water levels were determined for 49 test holes, and 105 water samples were collected for water-quality field analyses at 46 test holes. Water-quality data included field measurements of specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nitrate (nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen). Sediment cores were extracted from 20 of the 103 test holes. The Quaternary aquifer consists of alluvial and terrace deposits of sand, silt, clay, and gravel. The measured thickness of the alluvium ranged from 13.7 to 49.8 feet. The measured thickness of the terrace sediments ranged from 7 to 93.8 feet. The saturated thickness of all sediments ranged from 0 to 38.2 feet with a median of 24.8 feet. The weighted-mean grain size for cores from the alluvium ranged from 3.69 to 0.64 f, (0.08- 0.64 millimeter), and ranged from 4.02 to 2.01 f (0.06-0.25 millimeter) for the cores from terrace deposits. The mean of the weighted-mean grain sizes for cores from the alluvium was 1.67 f (0.31 millimeter), and the terrace deposits was 2.73 f (0.15 millimeter). The hydraulic conductivity calculated from grain size of the alluvium ranged from 2.9 to 6,000 feet per day and of the terrace deposits ranged from 2.9 to 430 feet per day. The calculated transmissivity of the alluvium ranged from 2,000 to 26,000 feet squared per day with a median

  15. Hydrologic description of the Braden River watershed, west-central Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    DelCharco, M.J.; Lewelling, B.R.

    1997-01-01

    The Braden River watershed drains an 83-square mile area in west-central Florida and is the largest tributary to the Manatee River. The hydrology of the Braden River was altered in 1936 when the city of Bradenton created Ward Lake, a reservoir with an 838-foot broad-crested weir 6 miles upstream from the mouth. In 1985 the reservoir, which is the sole source of drinking water for the city of Bradenton, was expanded and supplies an annual average of 5.7 million gallons of water per day. The Braden River can be hydrologically divided into three distinct sections that include an 8.6-mile reach of naturally incised, free-flowing channel; a 6.4-mile reach of impounded river created by the Ward Lake reservoir and weir; and a 6-mile reach of tidal estuary. Ten first-order and two second-order tributaries that flow into the Braden River were examined in this report. The Braden River watershed is dominated by low topographic relief. The two physiographic zones that contain the Braden River watershed, the Gulf Coast Lowlands and De Soto Plain, are both poorly drained and have numerous depressional features. The climate is subtropical with an annual average rainfall of 56 inches, annual average temperatures of 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and estimated annual lake evaporation of 52 inches. The soil series in the watershed are predominantly Myakka-Cassia and the EauGallie-Floridana; these series are characterized as nearly level and poorly drained soils. Land use within the watershed is the fastest changing characteristic that affects the hydrology of the system. The western half of the watershed is typically urban and includes parts of the city of Bradenton. Land use in the eastern half of the watershed is predominantly agricultural, but the explosive population growth of the area is driving the development of medium to high-density residential communities. The three major aquifers underlying the Braden River watershed are the surficial, intermediate, and Floridan aquifer systems

  16. Water Decisions for Sustainability of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lazrus, H.; Mcpherson, R. A.; Morss, R. E.; PaiMazumder, D.; Silvis, V.; Towler, E.

    2012-12-01

    The Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer in south-central Oklahoma, situated in the heart of the Chickasaw Nation, is the state's only sole-source groundwater basin and sustains the Blue River, the state's only freeflowing river. The recent comprehensive hydrological studies of the aquifer indicate the need for sustainable management of the amount of water extracted. However, the question of how to deal with that management in the face of increasing drought vulnerability, diverse demands, and climate variability and change remains. Water management carries a further imperative to be inclusive of tribal and non-tribal interests. To address these issues, this interdisciplinary project takes an integrated approach to understanding risk perceptions and water decisions for sustainability of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer. Our interdisciplinary research asks: How do stakeholders in the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer perceive drought risks across weather and climate scales, and how do these perceptions guide water management decisions given (i) diverse cultural beliefs, (ii) valued hydrologic services, (iii) past drought experience, and (iv) uncertainties in future projection of precipitation and drought? We will use ethnographic methods to diagnose how cultural values and beliefs inform risk perceptions, and how this in turn guides decision making or ignites conflict across different sectors and stakeholder groups. Further, the characterization of drought risk will be examined in the context of historic meteorological and hydrologic events, as well as climate variability and change. This will identify which risks are prioritized, and under what conditions, in regional decision making or water-related conflicts.

  17. Groundwater components in the alluvial aquifer of the alpine Rhone River valley, Bois de Finges area, Wallis Canton, Switzerland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schürch, Marc; Vuataz, François-D.

    2000-09-01

    Source, type, and quantity of various components of groundwater, as well as their spatial and temporal variations were determined by different hydrochemical methods in the alluvial aquifer of the upper Rhone River valley, Bois de Finges, Wallis Canton, Switzerland. The methods used are hydrochemical modeling, stable-isotope analysis, and chemical analysis of surface water and groundwater. Sampling during high- and low-water periods determined the spatial distribution of the water chemistry, whereas monthly sampling over three years provided a basis for understanding seasonal variability. The physico-chemical parameters of the groundwater have spatial and seasonal variations. The groundwater chemical composition of the Rhone alluvial aquifer indicates a mixing of weakly mineralized Rhone River water and SO4-rich water entering from the south side of the valley. Temporal changes in groundwater chemistry and in groundwater levels reflect the seasonal variations of the different contributors to groundwater recharge. The Rhone River recharges the alluvial aquifer only during the summer high-water period. Résumé. Origine, type et quantité de nombreux composants d'eau de l'aquifère alluvial dans la vallée supérieure du Rhône, Bois de Finges, Valais, Suisse, ainsi que leurs variations spatiales et temporelles ont été déterminés par différentes méthodes hydrochimiques. Les méthodes utilisées sont la modélisation hydrochimique, les isotopes stables, ainsi que l'échantillonnage en période de hautes eaux et de basses eaux pour étudier la distribution spatiale de la composition chimique, alors qu'un échantillonnage mensuel pendant trois ans sert à comprendre les processus de la variabilité saisonnière. Les paramètres physico-chimiques des eaux souterraines montrent des variations spatiales et saisonnières. La composition chimique de l'aquifère alluvial du Rhône indique un mélange entre une eau peu minéralisée venant du Rhône et une eau sulfatée s

  18. 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

  19. The Native American: Warriors in the U.S. Military

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-03-10

    large as 95 percent.Ŗ Europeans brought measles, smallpox, cholera , and other diseases that reduced the Native American population and wiped out...Press, 1984. Clevenger, Steven. America’s First Warriors: Native Americans and Iraq. Museum of New Mexico Press. 2010. Clodfelter, MichaeL The Dakota...Autobiography of a Winnebago Indian. Dover Publications, Inc., 1963. Vandervort, Bruce. Indian Wars of Mexico , Canada, and the United States, 1812-1900

  20. Professional Military Education for the 21st Century Warrior

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-01-16

    vii BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES ........................................................... xi OVERALL SCHEDULE ............... I...we go from here? xiv PME for the 21st Century Warrior A Conference Sponsored By Overall Schedule UU IS0 a) 0) 0)0 =~ o-- Cd 0) t _ m F4 0 Q, W) M- -S...the case, I wonder why we scheduled the conference this week (it rained .95 inches during the first 36 hours of the conference). Maybe technology is

  1. Simulation of ground-water flow in an unconfined sand and gravel aquifer at Marathon, Cortland County, New York

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Miller, Todd S.

    2000-01-01

    The Village of Marathon, in Cortland County, N.Y., has three municipal wells that tap a relatively thin (25 to 40 feet thick) and narrow (less than 0.25 mile wide) unconfined sand and gravel aquifer in the Tioughnioga River valley. Only one of the wells is in use because water from one well has been contaminated by petroleum chemicals from a leaking storage tank, and water from the other well contains high concentrations of manganese. The operating well pumps about 0.1 million gallons per day and supplies about 1,000 people.A three-dimensional, finite-difference ground-water-flow model was used to (1) compute hydraulic heads in the aquifer under steady-state conditions, (2) develop a water budget, and (3) delineate the areas contributing recharge to two simulated wells that represent two of the municipal wells: one 57 feet east of the Tioughnioga River, the other 4,000 feet to the south and 75 feet from a man-made pond. The water budget for simulated long-term average, steady-state conditions with two simulated pumping wells indicates that the principal sources of recharge to the unconfined aquifer are unchanneled runoff and ground-water inflow from the uplands (41 percent of total recharge), precipitation that falls directly on the aquifer (34 percent), and stream leakage (23 percent). Only 2 percent of the recharge to the aquifer is from ground-water underflow into the northern end of the modeled area. Most of the simulated groundwater discharge from the modeled area (78 percent of total discharge) is to the Tioughnioga River; the rest discharges to the two simulated wells (19 percent) and as underflow at the southern end of the modeled area (3 percent).Results of a particle-tracking analysis indicate that the aquifer contributing area of the northern (simulated) well is 0.10 mile wide and 0.15 mile long and encompasses 0.015 square miles; the contributing area of the southern (simulated) well is 0.20 mile wide and 0.11 mile long and encompasses 0.022 square

  2. Compilation of geologic, hydrologic, and ground-water flow modeling information for the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer, Spokane County, Washington, and Bonner and Kootenai Counties, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kahle, Sue C.; Caldwell, Rodney R.; Bartolino, James R.

    2005-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources and Washington Department of Ecology compiled and described geologic, hydrologic, and ground-water flow modeling information about the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) aquifer in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington. Descriptions of the hydrogeologic framework, water-budget components, ground- and surface-water interactions, computer flow models, 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, was designated a Sole Source Aquifer by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1978. 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 is composed of sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders primarily deposited by a series of catastrophic glacial outburst floods from ancient Glacial Lake Missoula. The material deposited in this high-energy environment is coarser-grained than is typical for most basin-fill deposits, resulting in an unusually productive aquifer with well yields as high as 40,000 gallons per minute. In most places, the aquifer is bounded laterally by bedrock composed of granite, metasedimentary rocks, or basalt. The lower boundary of the aquifer is largely unknown except along the margins or in shallower parts of the aquifer where wells have penetrated its entire thickness and reached bedrock or silt and clay deposits. Based on surface geophysics, the thickness of the aquifer is about 500 ft near the Washington-Idaho state line, but more than 600 feet within the Rathdrum Prairie and more than 700 feet in the Hillyard trough based on drilling records. Depth to water in the aquifer is greatest in the northern

  3. Ground-water flow in the shallow aquifer system at the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, Barry S.

    2001-01-01

    The Environmental Directorate of the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia, is concerned about possible contamination of ground water at the Station. Ground water at the Station flows through a shallow system of layered aquifers and leaky confining units. The units of the shallow aquifer system are the Columbia aquifer, the Cornwallis Cave confining unit, the Cornwallis Cave aquifer, the Yorktown confining unit, and the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer. The Eastover-Calvert confining unit separates the shallow aquifer system from deeper confined aquifers beneath the Station. A three-dimensional, finite-difference, ground-water flow model was used to simulate steady-state ground-water flow of the shallow aquifer system in and around the Station. The model simulated ground-water flow from the peninsular drainage divide that runs across the Lackey Plain near the southern end of the Station north to King Creek and the York River and south to Skiffes Creek and the James River. The model was calibrated by minimizing the root mean square error between 4 7 measured and corresponding simulated water levels. The calibrated model was used to determine the ground-water budget and general directions of ground-water flow. A particle-tracking routine was used with the calibrated model to estimate groundwater flow paths, flow rates, and traveltimes from selected sites at the Station. Simulated ground-water flow velocities of the Station-area model were small beneath the interstream areas of the Lackey Plain and Croaker Flat, but increased outward toward the streams and rivers where the hydraulic gradients are larger. If contaminants from the land surface entered the water table at or near the interstream areas of the Station, where hydraulic gradients are smaller, they would migrate more slowly than if they entered closer to the streams or the shores of the rivers where gradients commonly are larger. The ground-water flow simulations indicate that some ground water leaks downward from

  4. Update of the Accounting Surface Along the Lower Colorado River

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wiele, Stephen M.; Leake, Stanley A.; Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; McGuire, Emmet H.

    2008-01-01

    The accounting-surface method was developed in the 1990s by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, to identify wells outside the flood plain of the lower Colorado River that yield water that will be replaced by water from the river. This method was needed to identify which wells require an entitlement for diversion of water from the Colorado River and need to be included in accounting for consumptive use of Colorado River water as outlined in the Consolidated Decree of the United States Supreme Court in Arizona v. California. The method is based on the concept of a river aquifer and an accounting surface within the river aquifer. The study area includes the valley adjacent to the lower Colorado River and parts of some adjacent valleys in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah and extends from the east end of Lake Mead south to the southerly international boundary with Mexico. Contours for the original accounting surface were hand drawn based on the shape of the aquifer, water-surface elevations in the Colorado River and drainage ditches, and hydrologic judgment. This report documents an update of the original accounting surface based on updated water-surface elevations in the Colorado River and drainage ditches and the use of simple, physically based ground-water flow models to calculate the accounting surface in four areas adjacent to the free-flowing river.

  5. Geostatistical analysis of regional hydraulic conductivity variations in the Snake River Plain aquifer, eastern Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Welhan, J.A.; Reed, M.F.

    1997-01-01

    The regional spatial correlation structure of bulk horizontal hydraulic conductivity (Kb) estimated from published transmissivity data from 79 open boreholes in the fractured basalt aquifer of the eastern Snake River Plain was analyzed with geostatistical methods. The two-dimensional spatial correlation structure of In Kb shows a pronounced 4:1 range anisotropy, with a maximum correlation range in the north-northwest- south-southeast direction of about 6 km. The maximum variogram range of In Kb is similar to the mean length of flow groups exposed at the surface. The In Kb range anisotropy is similar to the mean width/length ratio of late Quaternary and Holocene basalt lava flows and the orientations of the major volcanic structural features on the eastern Snake River Plain. The similarity between In Kb correlation scales and basalt flow dimensions and between basalt flow orientations and correlation range anisotropy suggests that the spatial distribution of zones of high hydraulic conductivity may be controlled by the lateral dimensions, spatial distribution, and interconnection between highly permeable zones which are known to occur between lava flows within flow groups. If hydraulic conductivity and lithology are eventually shown to be cross correlative in this geologic setting, it may be possible to stochastically simulate hydraulic conductivity distributions, which are conditional on a knowledge of volcanic stratigraphy.

  6. Salinization of aquifers at the regional scale by marine transgression: Time scales and processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Armandine Les Landes, A.; Davy, P.; Aquilina, L.

    2014-12-01

    Saline fluids with moderate concentrations have been sampled and reported in the Armorican basement at the regional scale (northwestern France). The horizontal and vertical distributions of high chloride concentrations (60-1400mg/L) at the regional scale support the marine origin and provide constraints on the age of these saline fluids. The current distribution of fresh and "saline" groundwater at depth is the result mostly of processes occurring at geological timescales - seawater intrusion processes followed by fresh groundwater flushing -, and only slightly of recent anthropogenic activities. In this study, we focus on seawater intrusion mechanisms in continental aquifers. We argue that one of the most efficient processes in macrotidal environments is the gravity-driven downconing instability below coastal salinized rivers. 2-D numerical experiments have been used to quantify this process according to four main parameter types: (1) the groundwater system permeability, (2) the salinity degree of the river, (3) the river width and slope, and (4) the tidal amplitude. A general expression of the salinity inflow rates have been derived, which has been used to estimate groundwater salinization rates in Brittany, given the geomorphological and environmental characteristics (drainage basin area, river widths and slopes, tidal range, aquifer permeability). We found that downconing below coastal rivers entail very high saline rates, indicating that this process play a major role in the salinization of regional aquifers. This is also likely to be an issue in the context of climate change, where sea-level rise is expected.

  7. 18 CFR 806.12 - Constant-rate aquifer testing.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... groundwater availability analysis to determine the availability of water during a 1-in-10-year recurrence... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Constant-rate aquifer testing. 806.12 Section 806.12 Conservation of Power and Water Resources SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN...

  8. Effect of Rapidly Changing River Stage on Uranium Flux through the Hyporheic Zone

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

    Fritz, Brad G.; Arntzen, Evan V.

    2007-11-01

    At the Hanford Site, the flux of uranium contaminated groundwater into the Columbia River varies according to the dynamic changes in hydraulic gradient caused by fluctuating river stage. The river stage changes in response to operations of dams on the Columbia River. Piezometers were installed in the hyporheic zone to facilitate long term, high frequency measurement of water and uranium fluxes into the Columbia River in response to fluctuating river stage. In addition, measurement of the water level in the near shore unconfined aquifer enhanced the understanding of the relationship between fluctuating river stage and uranium flux. The changing rivermore » stage caused head fluctuations in the unconfined aquifer, and resulted in fluctuating hydraulic gradient in the hyporheic zone. Further, influx of river water into the unconfined aquifer caused reduced uranium concentration in near shore groundwater as a result of dilution. Calculated water flux through the hyporheic zone ranged between 0.3 and -0.5 L/min/m2. The flux of uranium through the hyporheic zone exceeded 30 ug/min/m2 during some time periods, but was generally on the order of 3 to 5 ug/min/m2 over the course of this study. It was also found that at this location, the top 20 cm of the hyporheic zone constituted the most restrictive portion of the aquifer, and controlled the flux of water through the hyporheic zone.« less

  9. Water quality of the Little Arkansas River and Equus Beds Aquifer before and concurrent with large-scale artificial recharge, south-central Kansas, 1995-2012

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tappa, Daniel J.; Lanning-Rush, Jennifer L.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

    2015-01-01

    This fact sheet describes baseline water quality of the Equus Beds aquifer and Little Arkansas River and water-quality effects of artificial recharge by the city of Wichita associated with Phase I (2007–present) of the Aquifer Storage and Recovery project. During 1995 through 2012, more than 8,800 surface water and groundwater water-quality samples were collected and analyzed for more than 400 compounds, including most of the compounds on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s primary drinking-water standards maximum contaminant level list and secondary drinkingwater regulations secondary maximum contaminant level list. Water-quality constituents of concern discussed in detail in this fact sheet are chloride, arsenic, total coliform bacteria, and atrazine. Sulfate, nitrate, iron, manganese, oxidation-reduction potential, and specific conductance also are constituents of concern and are discussed to a lesser extent.

  10. Geohydrologic framework of the Snake River plain regional aquifer system, Idaho and eastern Oregon

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Whitehead, R.L.

    1992-01-01

    Across most of the plain, Quaternary basalt aquifers overlie aquifers in the Tertiary Idavada Volcanics and Banbury Basalt of the Idaho Group. The older volcanic rocks are typically much less transmissive than the Quaternary basalt. Faults and frac- tures are permeable zones for water storage and conduits for water movement. In places near the margins of the plain, the Idavada Volcanics contains important geothermal aquifers.

  11. Occurrence, distribution and sources of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments from the Lijiang River, a typical karst river of southwestern China.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dan; Wang, Yinghui; Yu, Kefu; Li, Pingyang; Zhang, Ruijie; Xu, Yiyin

    2014-11-01

    The Lijiang River is a typical karst river of southwestern China. Karst-aquifer systems are more vulnerable to contamination compared to other types of aquifers. The occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments from the Lijiang River were investigated to evaluate their potential ecological risks. The total concentrations of them in sediments ranged from 0.80 to 18.73 ng/g dry weight (dw) (mean 6.83 ng/g dw). The residue levels of OCPs varied in the order of HCB > HCHs > DDTs. Compositional analyses of OCPs showed that HCHs and DDTs were mainly from historical usage. The ecological risk assessment suggested that HCHs and DDTs in Lijiang River sediments may cause adverse ecological risks, particularly at sites near agricultural areas.

  12. Is inversion based high resolution characterization of spatially heterogeneous river bed hydraulic conductivity needed and possible?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurtz, W.; Hendricks Franssen, H.-J.; Brunner, P.; Vereecken, H.

    2013-05-01

    River-aquifer exchange fluxes influence local and regional water balances and affect groundwater and river water quality and quantity. Unfortunately, river-aquifer exchange fluxes tend to be strongly spatially variable and it is an open research question to which degree river bed heterogeneity has to be represented in a~model in order to achieve reliable estimates of river-aquifer exchange fluxes. This research question is addressed in this paper with help of synthetic simulation experiments, which mimic the Limmat aquifer in Zurich (Switzerland), where river-aquifer exchange fluxes and groundwater management activities play an important role. The solution of the unsaturated-saturated subsurface hydrological flow problem including river-aquifer interaction is calculated for ten different synthetic realities where the strongly heterogeneous river bed hydraulic conductivities (L) are perfectly known. Hydraulic head data (100 in the default scenario) are sampled from the synthetic realities. In subsequent data assimilation experiments, where L is unknown now, the hydraulic head data are used as conditioning information, with help of the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF). For each of the ten synthetic realities, four different ensembles of L are tested in the experiments with EnKF; one ensemble estimates high resolution L-fields with different L values for each element, and the other three ensembles estimate effective L values for 5, 3 or 2 zones. The calibration of higher resolution L-fields (i.e., fully heterogeneous or 5 zones) gives better results than the calibration of L for only 3 or 2 zones in terms of reproduction of states, stream-aquifer exchange fluxes and parameters. Effective L for a limited number of zones cannot always reproduce the true states and fluxes well and results in biased estimates of net exchange fluxes between aquifer and stream. Also in case only 10 head data are used for conditioning, the high resolution L-fields outperform the others. In case

  13. 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)

  14. Source, movement and age of groundwater in the upper part of the Mojave River Basin, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Izbicki, J.A.; Martin, P.; Michel, R.L.

    1995-01-01

    Water samples from wells were collected and analysed for oxygen-18, deuterium, tritium, carbon-14, and carbon-13 to determine the source, movement and age of groundwater in the upper part of the Mojave River basin. Water in the alluvial aquifer has a median deuterium composition of -66??? and contains tritium, and was recently recharged by water from the Mojave River. Water in the regional aquifer near the Mojave River, near Summit Valley, and underlying several small washes has deuterium compositions heavier than -60???. Although some water in the regional aquifer near the Mojave River contains tritium, most of this water does not contain tritium. Carbon-14 data indicate that this water was recharged less than 2400 years ago. Water in the remainder of the regional aquifer has a median deuterium composition of -84???, which is as much as 20??? lighter than the volume-weighted deuterium composition of present-day precipitation. These data show that this water was recharged under climatic conditions different from average conditions today. Carbon-14 data indicate that some water in the regional aquifer was recharged more than 20 000 years ago.Water samples from wells were collected and analyzed for oxygen-18, deuterium, tritium, carbon-14, and carbon-13 to determine the source, movement and age of groundwater in the upper part of the Mojave River basin. Water in the alluvial aquifer has a median deuterium composition of -66qq and contains tritium, and was recently recharged by water from the Mojave River. Water in the regional aquifer near the Mojave River, near Summit Valley, and underlying several small washes has deuterium compositions heavier than -60qq. Although some water in the regional aquifer near the Mojave River contains tritium, most of this water does not contain tritium. Carbon-14 data indicate that this water was recharged less than 2400 years ago. Water in the remainder of the regional aquifer has a median deuterium composition of -84qq, which is as

  15. 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

  16. Impact of hydrological alterations on river-groundwater exchange and water quality in a semi-arid area: Nueces River, Texas.

    PubMed

    Murgulet, Dorina; Murgulet, Valeriu; Spalt, Nicholas; Douglas, Audrey; Hay, Richard G

    2016-12-01

    There is a lack of understanding and methods for assessing the effects of anthropogenic disruptions, (i.e. river fragmentation due to dam construction) on the extent and degree of groundwater-surface water interaction and geochemical processes affecting the quality of water in semi-arid, coastal catchments. This study applied a novel combination of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and elemental and isotope geochemistry in a coastal river disturbed by extended drought and periodic flooding due to the operation of multiple dams. Geochemical analyses show that the saltwater barrier causes an increase in salinity in surface water in the downstream river as a result of limited freshwater inflows, strong evaporation effects on shallow groundwater and mostly stagnant river water, and is not due to saltwater intrusion by tidal flooding. Discharge from bank storage is dominant (~84%) in the downstream fragment and its contribution could increase salinity levels within the hyporheic zone and surface water. When surface water levels go up due to upstream freshwater releases the river temporarily displaces high salinity water trapped in the hyporheic zone to the underlying aquifer. Geochemical modeling shows a higher contribution of distant and deeper groundwater (~40%) in the upstream river and lower discharge from bank storage (~13%) through the hyporheic zone. Recharge from bank storage is a source of high salt to both upstream and downstream portions of the river but its contribution is higher below the dam. Continuous ERT imaging of the river bed complements geochemistry findings and indicate that while lithologically similar, downstream of the dam, the shallow aquifer is affected by salinization while fresher water saturates the aquifer in the upstream fragment. The relative contribution of flows (i.e. surface water releases or groundwater discharge) as related to the river fragmentation control changes of streamwater chemistry and likely impact the interpretation

  17. Potentiometric surface of the Catahoula aquifer in central Louisiana, 2013

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fendick, Jr., Robert B.; Carter, Kayla

    2015-12-09

    The potentiometric surface of the Catahoula aquifer was constructed by using the altitude of water levels measured at 29 wells during the period May through September 2013. The altitude of water levels ranged from 0.02 ft above the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) in well Co-51 to 238 ft above NGVD 29 in well Na-317. Groundwater movement in the Catahoula aquifer is generally to the southeast and towards discharge areas beneath the Sabine, Red, Little, and Tensas River Valleys.

  18. River water infiltration enhances denitrification efficiency in riparian groundwater.

    PubMed

    Trauth, Nico; Musolff, Andreas; Knöller, Kay; Kaden, Ute S; Keller, Toralf; Werban, Ulrike; Fleckenstein, Jan H

    2018-03-01

    Nitrate contamination in ground- and surface water is a persistent problem in countries with intense agriculture. The transition zone between rivers and their riparian aquifers, where river water and groundwater interact, may play an important role in mediating nitrate exports, as it can facilitate intensive denitrification, which permanently removes nitrate from the aquatic system. However, the in-situ factors controlling riparian denitrification are not fully understood, as they are often strongly linked and their effects superimpose each other. In this study, we present the evaluation of hydrochemical and isotopic data from a 2-year sampling period of river water and groundwater in the riparian zone along a 3rd order river in Central Germany. Based on bi- and multivariate statistics (Spearman's rank correlation and partial least squares regression) we can show, that highest rates for oxygen consumption and denitrification in the riparian aquifer occur where the fraction of infiltrated river water and at the same time groundwater temperature, are high. River discharge and depth to groundwater are additional explanatory variables for those reaction rates, but of minor importance. Our data and analyses suggest that at locations in the riparian aquifer, which show significant river water infiltration, heterotrophic microbial reactions in the riparian zone may be fueled by bioavailable organic carbon derived from the river water. We conclude that interactions between rivers and riparian groundwater are likely to be a key control of nitrate removal and should be considered as a measure to mitigate high nitrate exports from agricultural catchments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. DoD Warrior Care | Proactively supporting wounded, ill, and/or injured

    Science.gov Websites

    Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Team Members Originally published on Defense.gov May 1, 2018 The Department of , 2018 Department of Defense Announces Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Team Members Originally published on ) Healing Arts (6) Military Adaptive Sports (27) Invictus Games (3) Warrior Games (6) Military Families (80

  20. Water Quality in the Nation's Streams and Aquifers Overview of Selected Findings, 1991-2001

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hamilton, Pixie A.; Miller, Timothy L.; Myers, Donna N.

    2004-01-01

    This report accompanies the publication of the last 15 of 51 river basin and aquifer assessments by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program during 1991?2001. It highlights selected water-quality findings of regional and national interest through examples from river basins and aquifer systems across the Nation. Forthcoming reports in the USGS series ?The Quality of Our Nation?s Waters? will present comprehensive national syntheses of information collected in the 51 study units on pesticides in water, sediment, and fish; volatile organic compounds in major aquifers used for domestic and public supply; nutrients and trace elements in streams and ground water; and aquatic ecology. This report, summaries of the 51 water-quality assessments, and a 1999 national synthesis of information on nutrients and pesticides, are available free of charge as USGS Circulars and on the World Wide Web at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/nawqa_sumr.html.

  1. 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.

  2. Perfluoroalkyl acids in the water cycle from a freshwater river basin to coastal waters in eastern China.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xiaobin; Jin, Ling; Yang, Jingping; Wu, Jianfeng; Zhang, Beibei; Zhang, Xiaowei; Yu, Nanyang; Wei, Si; Wu, Jichun; Yu, Hongxia

    2017-02-01

    The distribution of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), one class of persistent organic pollutants, in groundwater, especially in confined aquifers remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of 12 PFAAs through a water cycle from the Huai River Basin to the Yellow Sea, including confined aquifers, unconfined aquifers, rivers, and coastal waters. We found the ubiquity of PFAAs in all types of samples, including those from confined aquifers (2.7-6.8 ng/L). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were the major PFAAs in all samples, accounting for an average of 49.1% (0.8-84.8%) and 33.3% (6.3-92.2%) of total PFAAs, respectively. Comparing the concentration of PFOA with that of PFOS, we found a higher concentration of PFOA in rivers and a higher concentration of PFOS in confined aquifers. Short-chain perfluoropentanoic acid accounted for an average of 10.3% (1.9-24.6%) of total PFAAs in rivers and coastal waters. Branched isomers of both PFOA and PFOS were detected in most samples (36/42 and 39/42, respectively). One-way analysis of variance indicated a significant difference in the profiles of PFAAs among the different types of water samples. Principal component analysis suggested that rainwater and recent uses of PFAAs could be the major sources of PFAAs in confined aquifers, while recent and current uses of PFAAs could be the major source of PFAAs in unconfined aquifers, rivers and coastal waters. The risk quotients of PFOA and PFOS in groundwater and rivers were 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than unity, indicating no immediate risks via drinking water consumption. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Hydrogeology and water-quality characteristics of the Lower Floridan aquifer in east-central Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    O'Reilly, Andrew M.; Spechler, Rick M.; McGurk, Brian E.

    2002-01-01

    surface of the Lower Floridan aquifer ranged from about 16 to 113 feet above sea level, and altitudes in May 1999 were about 2 to 7 feet lower than those measured in September 1998. The potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer system is constantly fluctuating, mainly in response to seasonal variations in rainfall and ground-water withdrawals. Seasonal fluctuations in the Lower Floridan aquifer typically range from about 2 to 10 feet. Water samples from 50 Lower Floridan aquifer wells were collected during this study. Most samples were analyzed in the field for temperature, pH, and specific conductance, and in the laboratory for major cations and anions. Specific conductance ranged from 147 to 6,710 microsiemens per centimeter. Chloride concentrations ranged from 3.0 to 2,188 milligrams per liter; sulfate concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 750 milli-grams per liter; and hardness ranged from 69 to 940 milligrams per liter. Water was least mineralized in the recharge areas of the Lower Floridan aquifer in the western part of the study area. The most mineralized water in the Lower Floridan aquifer occurred along parts of the Wekiva and St. Johns Rivers and in much of the eastern and southern parts of the study area. The altitude of the base of freshwater in the Floridan aquifer system (where chloride concentrations are equal to 250 milligrams per liter) is variable throughout the study area. The estimated position of the 250 milligram per liter isochlor surface is less than 200 feet below sea level in much of the eastern part of the study area, including the areas along the St. Johns River in Lake, Seminole, and Volusia Counties and near the Wekiva River in western Seminole County. The altitude of the 250 milligram per liter isochlor exceeds 3,000 feet below sea level in the extreme southwestern part of the study area.

  4. Susceptibility of major aquifers to surface contamination - Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Sharkey, Washington, and Yazoo Counties, Mississippi

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Moreland, Richard S.; O'Hara, Charles G.

    1994-01-01

    A geographic information system was used to integrate digital spatial data sets describing geology, slope of the land surface, depth to water table, soil permeability, and land use/land cover to rate the relative susceptibility of unconfined parts of the Mississippi River alluvial, Cockfield, and Sparta aquifers in west-central Mississippi to contamination from surface sources. Areas were rated as having a very low, low, moderate, high, or very high susceptibility to contamination from surface sources. Less than 1 percent of the Mississippi River alluvial aquifer has a very high susceptibility to surface contamination, 35 percent has a high susceptibility, 62 percent has a moderate susceptibility, and 2 percent has a low suscepti- bility. About 43 percent of the Cockfield aquifer has a high susceptibility to surface contamination, 57 percent has a moderate susceptibility, and less than 1 percent has a low susceptibility. About 41 percent of the Sparta aquifer has a high suscepti- bility, and less than 1 percent has a low suscepti- bility, and 1 percent has a low susceptibility. For all three aquifers, less than 1 percent has a very low susceptibility to surface contamination.

  5. Groundwater-quality data from the eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Jerome and Gooding Counties, south-central Idaho, 2017

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Skinner, Kenneth D.

    2018-05-11

    Groundwater-quality samples and water-level data were collected from 36 wells in the Jerome/Gooding County area of the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer during June 2017. The wells included 30 wells sampled for the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment project, plus an additional 6 wells were selected to increase spatial distribution. The data provide water managers with the ability for an improved understanding of groundwater quality and flow directions in the area. Groundwater-quality samples were analyzed for nutrients, major ions, trace elements, and stable isotopes of water. Quality-assurance and quality-control measures consisted of multiple blank samples and a sequential replicate sample. All data are available online at the USGS National Water Information System.

  6. Warrior Spirit: Soul Wound and Coping among American Indians in Law Enforcement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arndt, Leah M. Rouse; Davis, Amileah R.

    2011-01-01

    This qualitative, exploratory study examined the role vocation played for American Indian non-Tribal law enforcement officers in adaptively coping with historical trauma, or "Soul Wound." Participants' views of career in relationship to its perceived congruence with their Nations' warrior societies and how this vocation may facilitate or constrain…

  7. Stratigraphy of the unsaturated zone and the Snake River Plain aquifer at and near the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

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

    Anderson, S.R.; Liszewski, M.J.

    1997-08-01

    The unsaturated zone and the Snake River Plain aquifer at and near the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) are made up of at least 178 basalt-flow groups, 103 sedimentary interbeds, 6 andesite-flow groups, and 4 rhyolite domes. Stratigraphic units identified in 333 wells in this 890-mile{sup 2} area include 121 basalt-flow groups, 102 sedimentary interbeds, 6 andesite-flow groups, and 1 rhyolite dome. Stratigraphic units were identified and correlated using the data from numerous outcrops and 26 continuous cores and 328 natural-gamma logs available in December 1993. Basalt flows make up about 85% of the volume of deposits underlying the area.

  8. Groundwater record of halocarbon transport by the Danube River

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Böhlke, J.K.; Revesz, K.; Busenberg, E.; Deak, J.; Deseo, E.; Stute, M.

    1997-01-01

    Groundwater dating studies have supported the concept that aquifers with low coefficients of dispersion may contain coherent records of past conditions in recharge areas. Groundwater records can provide unique information about natural or anthropogenic changes in the atmosphere and hydrosphere where long-term monitoring data are not available. Here we describe a 40-year record of halocarbon contamination in the Danube River that was retrieved from a shallow aquifer in northwest Hungary. The time scale is based on 3H and He isotope dating of groundwaters that were recharged by the Danube River and moved horizontally away from the river in a surficial gravel aquifer with minor dispersion at a maximum rate of at least 500 m/yr. Analyses of dated groundwaters along a flow path indicate that the river loads of selected compounds (including CFC-12, CFC-113, and trichloroethane) were negligible before about 1950, rose rapidly to peak values in the 1960s and 1970s, and then decreased by varying degrees to the present. Peak concentrations are tentatively attributed to point sources in upstream urban-industrial centers; while recent decreases presumably resulted from declining manufacturing rates and(or) improvements in control of urban- industrial runoff and sewage effluent entering the river in upstream areas.

  9. Effects of Proposed Additional Ground-Water Withdrawals from the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer on Water Levels in Lonoke County, Arkansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Czarnecki, John B.

    2006-01-01

    The Grand Prairie Water Users Association, located in Lonoke County, Arkansas, plans to increase ground-water withdrawals from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer from their current (2005) rate of about 400 gallons per minute to 1,400 gallons per minute (2,016,000 gallons per day). The effect of pumping from a proposed well was simulated using a digital model of ground-water flow. The proposed additional withdrawals were added to an existing pumping cell specified in the model, with increased pumping beginning in 2005, and specified to pump at a total combined rate of 2,016,000 gallons per day for a period of 46 years. In addition, pumping from wells owned by Cabot Water Works, located about 2 miles from the proposed pumping, was added to the model beginning in 2001 and continuing through to the end of 2049. Simulated pumping causes a cone of depression to occur in the alluvial aquifer with a maximum decline in water level of about 8.5 feet in 46 years in the model cell of the proposed well compared to 1998 withdrawals. However, three new dry model cells occur south of the withdrawal well after 46 years. This total water-level decline takes into account the cumulative effect of all wells pumping in the vicinity, although the specified pumping rate from all other model cells in 2005 is less than for actual conditions in 2005. After 46 years with the additional pumping, the water-level altitude in the pumped model cell was about 177.4 feet, which is 41.7 feet higher than 135.7 feet, the altitude corresponding to half of the original saturated thickness of the alluvial aquifer (a metric used to determine if the aquifer should be designated as a Critical Ground-Water Area (Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, 2006)).

  10. Occurrence, fate and risk assessment of personal care products in river-groundwater interface.

    PubMed

    Serra-Roig, Maria Pau; Jurado, Anna; Díaz-Cruz, M Silvia; Vázquez-Suñé, Enric; Pujades, Estanislao; Barceló, Damià

    2016-10-15

    This work presents the occurrence and fate of selected personal care products (PCPs) in the urban river-groundwater interface. To this end, urban river and groundwater samples were collected in Sant Adrià del Besòs (NE of Spain) and a total of 16 PCPs were analyzed including benzophenone derivatives, camphor derivatives, p-aminobenzoic acid derivatives, triazoles and parabens in three different campaigns (from May 2010 to July 2014). These compounds reach the aquifer through the recharge of Besòs River that receives large amounts of effluents from waste water treatment plants. Results have shown that most of the compounds were not or barely detected (maximum concentrations around 200ng/L) in groundwater samples during the different sampling campaigns. Only two triazoles, namely benzotriazole (BZT) and methyl benzotriazol (MeBZT) were found at high concentrations in groundwater samples (maximum concentration around 2000ng/L). The fate of PCPs in the aquifer was assessed using mixing analysis considering the seasonal variability of the Besòs River. Overall, measured groundwater concentrations were significantly much lower than those estimated by the mixing of the river water. This observation suggested that most of the PCPs are naturally removed when river water infiltrates the aquifer. However, some compounds were more persistent in the aquifer. These compounds were in descending order: the triazoles BZT and MeBZT followed by the camphor derivative 4MBC and the paraben MePB. The measured concentrations allowed us to assess the environmental risk posed by the selected UV-filters and parabens in the river and groundwater samples. Hazard Quotients (HQs) for different aquatic species were calculated in order to characterize the ecotoxicity potential of the studied compounds in the river-groundwater interface. HQ values were always below 1 indicating that at the concentrations observed in the surface or aquifer water of Besòs River these compounds pose no risk to

  11. Geologic map and profiles of the north wall of the Snake River Canyon, Thousand Springs and Niagara quadrangles, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Covington, H.R.; Weaver, Jean N.

    1991-01-01

    The Snake River Plain is a broad, arcuate region of low relief that extends more than 300 mi across southern Idaho. The Snake River enters the plain near Idaho Falls and flows westward along the southern margin of the eastern Snake River Plain (fig. 1), a position mainly determined by the basaltic lava flows that erupted near the axis of the plain. The highly productive Snake River Plain aquifer north of the Snake River underlies most of the eastern plain. The aquifer is composed of basaltic rocks that are interbedded with fluvial and lacustrine sedimentary rocks. The top of the aquifer (water table) is typically less than 500 ft below the land surface but is deeper than 1,000 ft in a few areas. The Snake River has excavated a canyon into the nearly flat lying basaltic and sedimentary rocks of the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, which discharges from the northern canyon wall as springs of variable size, spacing, and altitude. Geologic controls on springs are of importance because nearly 60 percent of the aquifer's discharge occurs as spring flow along the describes the geologic occurrence of springs along the northern wall of the Snake River canyon. This report is one of several that describes the geologic occurrence of springs along the northern wall of the Snake River canyon from Milner Dam to King Hill. To understand the local geologic controls on springs, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a geologic mapping project as part of their Snake River Plain Regional Aquifer System-Analysis Program. Objectives of the project were (1) to prepare a geologic map of a strip of land immediately north of the Snake River canyon, (2) to map the geology of the north canyon wall in profile, (3) to locate spring occurrences along the north side of the Snake River between Milner Sam and King Hill, and (4) to estimate spring discharge from the north wall of the canyon.

  12. Geologic map and profiles of the north wall of the Snake River Canyon, Pasadena Valley and Ticeska quadrangles, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Covington, H.R.; Weaver, Jean N.

    1990-01-01

    The Snake River Plain is a broad, arcuate region of low relief that extends more than 300 mi across southern Idaho. The Snake River enters the plain near Idaho Falls and flows westward along the southern margin of the eastern Snake River Plain (fig. 1), a position mainly determined by the basaltic lava flows that erupted near the axis of the plain. The highly productive Snake River Plain aquifer north of the Snaked River underlies the most of the eastern plain. The aquifer is composed of basaltic ricks that are interbedded with fluvial and lacustrine sedimentary rocks. The top of the aquifer (water table) is typically less than 500 ft below the land surface, but is deeper than 1,000 ft in few areas. The Snake River had excavated a canyon into the nearly flat-lying basaltic and sedimentary rocks of the eastern Snake River Plain between Milner Dam and King Hill (fig. 2), a distance of almost 90 mi. For much of its length the canyon intersects the Snake River Plain aquifer, which discharges from the north canyon wall as springs of variable size, spacing, and altitude. Geologic controls on springs are of importance because nearly 60 percent of the aquifer's discharge occurs as spring flow along this reach of the canyon. This report is one of several that describes the geologic occurrence of springs along the northern wall of the Snake River canyon from Milner Dam to King Hill. To understand the local geologic controls on springs, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a geologic mapping project as part of their Snake River Plain Regional Aquifer System-Analysis Program. Objectives of the project were (1) to prepare a geologic map of a strip of land immediately north of the Snake River canyon, (2) to map the geology of the north canyon wall in profile, (3) to locate spring occurrences along the north side of the Snake River between Milner Dam and King Hill, and (4) to estimate spring discharge from the north wall of the canyon.

  13. Hydrogeologic for the Saco River valley glacial aquifer from Bartlett, New Hampshire to Fryeburg, Maine; October 1983 through January 1986

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, C.D.; Tepper, D.H.; Morrissey, D.J.

    1987-01-01

    Hydrogeologic data was collected for a study of the Saco River valley glacial aquifer. The study area extends along the Saco River from Bartlett, New Hampshire to Fryeburg, Maine. The study was done in cooperation with the Maine Geological Survey (Department of Conservation), the New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Commission, the New Hampshire Water Resources Board, and the Town of Conway, New Hampshire. The data include information on 54 well-inventory sites, 69 exploration-hole logs , analyses of grain-size distribution in 130 samples of glacial sediments, monthly water-table measurements in 100 wells, and continuous water-table measurements in 7 wells. Discharge data are presented from 6 stream-gaging stations operated for this study during the 1984 and 1985 water years. Data from 50 sets of seepage runs and 15 miscellaneous discharge measurements conducted on the mainstream of the Saco River and on 7 tributary streams during the 1984 and 1985 water years are also presented. Water quality analyses of groundwater samples from 92 sites and surface water samples from 12 sites are presented. Field determinations include pH, temperature, and specific conductance. Laboratory determinations include nutrients, common inorganic anions and cations, selected volatile organic compounds, and detergents. Maps show the locations of data-collection sites. (USGS)

  14. Water-level trends and potentiometric surfaces in the Nacatoch Aquifer in northeastern and southwestern Arkansas and in the Tokio Aquifer in southwestern Arkansas, 2014–15

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rodgers, Kirk D.

    2017-09-20

    The Nacatoch Sand in northeastern and southwestern Arkansas and the Tokio Formation in southwestern Arkansas are sources of groundwater for agricultural, domestic, industrial, and public use. Water-level altitudes measured in 51 wells completed in the Nacatoch Sand and 42 wells completed in the Tokio Formation during 2014 and 2015 were used to create potentiometric-surface maps of the two areas. Aquifers in the Nacatoch Sand and Tokio Formation are hereafter referred to as the Nacatoch aquifer and the Tokio aquifer, respectively.Potentiometric surfaces show that groundwater in the Nacatoch aquifer flows southeast toward the Mississippi River in northeastern Arkansas. Groundwater flow direction is towards the south and southeast in Hempstead, Little River, and Nevada Counties in southwestern Arkansas. An apparent cone of depression exists in southern Clark County and likely alters groundwater flow from a regional direction toward the depression.In southwestern Arkansas, potentiometric surfaces indicate that groundwater flow in the Tokio aquifer is towards the city of Hope. Northwest of Hope, an apparent cone of depression exists. In southwestern Pike, northwestern Nevada, and northeastern Hempstead Counties, an area of artesian flow (water levels are at or above land surface) exists.Water-level changes in wells were identified using two methods: (1) linear regression analysis of hydrographs from select wells with a minimum of 20 years of water-level data, and (2) a direct comparison between water-level measurements from 2008 and 2014–15 at each well. Of the six hydrographs analyzed in the Nacatoch aquifer, four indicated a decline in water levels. Compared to 2008 measurements, the largest rise in water levels was 35.14 feet (ft) in a well in Clark County, whereas the largest decline was 14.76 ft in a well in Nevada County, both located in southwestern Arkansas.Of the four hydrographs analyzed in the Tokio aquifer, one indicated a decline in water levels, while

  15. The Impact of the Degree of Aquifer Confinement and Anisotropy on Tidal Pulse Propagation.

    PubMed

    Shuai, Pin; Knappett, Peter S K; Hossain, Saddam; Hosain, Alamgir; Rhodes, Kimberly; Ahmed, Kazi Matin; Cardenas, M Bayani

    2017-07-01

    Oceanic tidal fluctuations which propagate long distances up coastal rivers can be exploited to constrain hydraulic properties of riverbank aquifers. These estimates, however, may be sensitive to degree of aquifer confinement and aquifer anisotropy. We analyzed the hydraulic properties of a tidally influenced aquifer along the Meghna River in Bangladesh using: (1) slug tests combined with drilling logs and surface resistivity to estimate Transmissivity (T); (2) a pumping test to estimate T and Storativity (S) and thus Aquifer Diffusivity (D PT ); and (3) the observed reduction in the amplitude and velocity of a tidal pulse to calculate D using the Jacob-Ferris analytical solution. Average Hydraulic Conductivity (K) and T estimated with slug tests and borehole lithology were 27.3 m/d and 564 m 2 /d, respectively. Values of T and S determined from the pumping test ranged from 400 to 500 m 2 /d and 1 to 5 × 10 -4 , respectively with D PT ranging from 9 to 40 × 10 5  m 2 /d. In contrast, D estimated from the Jacob-Ferris model ranged from 0.5 to 9 × 10 4  m 2 /d. We hypothesized this error resulted from deviations of the real aquifer conditions from those assumed by the Jacob-Ferris model. Using a 2D numerical model tidal pulses were simulated across a range of conditions and D was calculated with the Jacob-Ferris model. Moderately confined (K top /K aquifer  < 0.01) or anisotropic aquifers (K x /K z  > 10) yield D within a factor of 2 of the actual value. The order of magnitude difference in D between pumping test and Jacob-Ferris model at our site argues for little confinement or anisotropy. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

  16. 77 FR 62440 - Safety Zone; Wounded Warriors Benefit, Lake Erie, Huron, OH

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-15

    ...-AA00 Safety Zone; Wounded Warriors Benefit, Lake Erie, Huron, OH AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of Lake Erie, East Huron, Ohio. This regulation is intended to restrict vessels from portions of Lake Erie...

  17. Impact of variable river water stage on the simulation of groundwater-river interactions over the Upper Rhine Graben hydrosystem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Habets, F.; Vergnes, J.

    2013-12-01

    The Upper Rhine alluvial aquifer is an important transboundary water resource which is particularly vulnerable to pollution from the rivers due to anthropogenic activities. A realistic simulation of the groundwater-river exchanges is therefore of crucial importance for effective management of water resources, and hence is the main topic of the NAPROM project financed by the French Ministry of Ecology. Characterization of these fluxes in term of quantity and spatio-temporal variability depends on the choice made to represent the river water stage in the model. Recently, a couple surface-subsurface model has been applied to the whole aquifer basin. The river stage was first chosen to be constant over the major part of the basin for the computation of the groundwater-river interactions. The present study aims to introduce a variable river water stage to better simulate these interactions and to quantify the impact of this process over the simulated hydrological variables. The general modeling strategy is based on the Eau-Dyssée modeling platform which couples existing specialized models to address water resources and quality in regional scale river basins. In this study, Eau-Dyssée includes the RAPID river routing model and the SAM hydrogeological model. The input data consist in runoff and infiltration coming from a simulation of the ISBA land surface scheme covering the 1986-2003 period. The QtoZ module allows to calculate river stage from simulated river discharges, which is then used to calculate the exchanges between aquifer units and river. Two approaches are compared. The first one uses rating curves derived from observed river discharges and river stages. The second one is based on the Manning's formula. Manning's parameters are defined with geomorphological parametrizations and topographic data based on Digital Elevation Model (DEM). First results show a relatively good agreement between observed and simulated river water height. Taking into account a

  18. Alluvial aquifers in the Mzingwane catchment: Their distribution, properties, current usage and potential expansion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moyce, William; Mangeya, Pride; Owen, Richard; Love, David

    The Mzingwane River is a sand filled channel, with extensive alluvial aquifers distributed along its banks and bed in the lower catchment. LandSat TM imagery was used to identify alluvial deposits for potential groundwater resources for irrigation development. On the false colour composite band 3, band 4 and band 5 (FCC 345) the alluvial deposits stand out as white and dense actively growing vegetation stands out as green making it possible to mark out the lateral extent of the saturated alluvial plain deposits using the riverine fringe and vegetation . The alluvial aquifers form ribbon shaped aquifers extending along the channel and reaching over 20 km in length in some localities and are enhanced at lithological boundaries. These alluvial aquifers extend laterally outside the active channel, and individual alluvial aquifers have been measured with area ranging from 45 ha to 723 ha in the channels and 75 ha to 2196 ha on the plains. The alluvial aquifers are more pronounced in the Lower Mzingwane, where the slopes are gentler and allow for more sediment accumulation. Estimated water resources potential ranges between 175,000 m 3 and 5,430,000 m 3 in the channels and between 80,000 m 3 and 6,920,000 m 3 in the plains. Such a water resource potential can support irrigation ranging from 18 ha to 543 ha for channels alluvial aquifers and 8 ha to 692 ha for plain alluvial aquifers. Currently, some of these aquifers are being used to provide water for domestic use, livestock watering and dip tanks, commercial irrigation and market gardening. The water quality of the aquifers in general is fairly good due to regular recharge and flushing out of the aquifers by annual river flows and floodwater. Water salinity was found to increase significantly in the end of the dry season, and this effect was more pronounced in water abstracted from wells on the alluvial plains. During drought years, recharge is expected to be less and if the drought is extended water levels in the

  19. 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

    approximately 326 square miles. For the most part, the model extent coincides with the 2005 revised extent of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer as defined in a previous report. However, the model excludes Spirit and Hoodoo Valleys because of uncertainties about the ground-water flow directions in those valleys and the degree of hydraulic connection between the valleys and northern Rathdrum Prairie. The SVRP aquifer is considered to be a single hydrogeologic unit except in Hillyard Trough and the Little Spokane River Arm. In those areas, a continuous clay layer divides the aquifer into an upper, unconfined unit and a lower, confined unit. The model includes all known components of inflows to and outflows from the aquifer. Inflows to the SVRP aquifer include (1) recharge from precipitation, (2) inflows from tributary basins and adjacent uplands, (3) subsurface seepage and surface overflows from lakes that border the aquifer, (4) flow from losing segments of the Spokane River to the aquifer, (5) return percolation from irrigation, and (6) effluent from septic systems. Outflows from the SVRP aquifer include (1) ground-water withdrawals from wells, (2) flow from the aquifer to gaining segments of the Spokane River, (3) aquifer discharge to the Little Spokane River, and (4) subsurface outflow from the lower unit at the western limit of the model area near Long Lake. These inflow and outflow components are represented in the model by using MODFLOW-2000 packages. The parameter-estimation program PEST was used to calibrate the SVRP aquifer model. PEST implements a nonlinear least-squares regression method to estimate model parameters so that the differences between measured and simulated quantities are minimized with respect to an optimal criterion. Calibration data include 1,573 measurements of water levels and 313 measurements of streamflow gains and losses along segments of the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers. Model parameters estimated during calib

  20. 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

  1. Quantifying the Contribution of Regional Aquifers to Stream Flow in the Upper Colorado River Basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masbruch, M.; Dickinson, J.

    2017-12-01

    The growing population of the arid and semiarid southwestern U.S. relies on over-allocated surface water resources and poorly quantified groundwater resources. In the Upper Colorado River Basin, recent studies have found that about 50 percent of the surface water at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gages is derived from groundwater contributions as base flow. Prior USGS and other studies for the Colorado Plateau region have mainly examined groundwater and surface water as separate systems, and there has yet to be regional synthesis of groundwater availability in aquifers that contribute to surface water. A more physically based representation of groundwater flow could improve simulations of surface-water capture by groundwater pumping, and changes of groundwater discharge to surface water caused by possible shifts in the distribution, magnitude, and timing of recharge in the future. We seek to improve conceptual and numerical models of groundwater and surface-water interactions in the Colorado Plateau region as part of a USGS regional groundwater availability assessment. Numerical modeling is used to simulate and quantify the base flow from groundwater to the Colorado River and its major tributaries. Groundwater/surface-water interactions will be simulated using the USGS code GSFLOW, which couples the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) to the groundwater flow model MODFLOW. Initial results suggest that interactions between groundwater and surface water are important for projecting long-term changes in surface water budgets.

  2. Evaluation of areas of contribution and water quality at receptors related to TCE plumes in a valley fill aquifer system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lefebvre, R.; Ouellon, T.; Blais, V.; Ballard, J.; Brunet, P.

    2009-05-01

    The Val-Belair sector is located within Quebec City, about 20 km from downtown. Potential source zones and TCE plumes in groundwater are found at the western limit of the sector. At the center of the sector, four municipal water supply wells pump groundwater from an aquifer in surficial sediments where dissolved TCE is found. Private residential wells are also found in the sector. The Nelson River and its tributaries drain the sector and flows from west to east. New characterization results and available data were used to develop a numerical model of groundwater flow and mass transport to 1) define geological and hydrogeological contexts, 2) delineate the distribution of TCE and identify its migration paths and 3) evaluate the effect of TCE on the water quality of receptors (Nelson River, municipal and residential wells). In the sector, 30 to 40 m of sediments filling a buried valley form two aquifers separated by an aquitard: an unconfined deltaic aquifer at surface, an underlying silty prodeltaic aquitard and a semi-confined aquifer of deltaic sands and diamictons. Groundwater exchanges between the aquifers are generally downward through the aquitard, but near the Nelson River there is upward flow. Monitoring has led to sparse TCE detections in the Nelson River, regular detections at a mean value of 0.62 μg/L at one municipal well, occasional detections at another well and no detection at the other two wells. No TCE was detected in private wells, which are located outside the migration paths of TCE plumes. The context and numerical modeling with particle tracking and mass transport show the relationships between the two source zones, three TCE plumes and three receptors. Municipal wells pump in the semi-confined aquifer at a level appearing sustainable, but use most of the recharge in the sub-watershed. Areas of contribution to the wells thus cover almost all the study area with a complex pattern. These wells compete with the effect of the Nelson River to drain

  3. Groundwater dynamics in a two-dimensional aquifer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jules, Valentin; Devauchelle, Olivier; Lajeunesse, Eric

    2017-11-01

    During a rain event, water infiltrates into the ground where it flows slowly towards a river. The time scale and the geometry of this flow control the chemical composition and the discharge of the river. We use a tank filled with glass beads to simulate this process in a simplified laboratory experiment. A sprinkler pipe generates rain, which infiltrates into the porous material. Groundwater exits this laboratory aquifer through a side of the tank. Guérin et al. (2014) investigated the case of a quasi-horizontal flow. In nature, however, groundwater often follows non-horizontal flowlines. To create a vertical flow, we place the outlet of our experiment high above its bottom. We find that, during rainfall, the discharge Q increases as the rainfall rate R times the square root of time t (Q Rt 1 / 2). This laboratory aquifer thus responds linearly to the forcing. However, long after the rain has stopped, the discharge decreases as the inverse square of time (Q t-2), although linear systems of finite size typically relax exponentially. We investigate this surprising behavior using a combination of complex analysis and numerical methods.

  4. 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

  5. Using "Warriors Don't Cry" in a Capstone Project to Combat Bullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korneliussen, Kristin

    2012-01-01

    "Two, four, six, eight, we ain't gonna integrate!" the author's eighth-grade students shouted with gusto. They were reading "Warriors Don't Cry," Melba Patillo Beals's memoir about her experiences as one of the nine African American students who integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Each time those hateful words…

  6. Leadership of Cyber Warriors: Enduring Principles and New Directions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-11

    cyber warfare threat against the United States, the creation of United States Cyber Command and the designation of cyberspace as a warfighting domain now necessitate study of the attributes of successful cyber warfare leaders and the leadership techniques required to successfully lead cyber warriors. In particular, we must develop an understanding of where traditional kinetic leadership paradigms succeed, where they fail, and where new techniques must be adopted. Leadership is not a one size fits all endeavor. The capabilities and characteristics of

  7. Digital modeling of radioactive and chemical waste transport in the aquifer underlying the Snake River Plain at the National Reactor Testing Station, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Robertson, J.B.

    1974-01-01

    Industrial and low-level radioactive liquid wastes at the National Reactor Testing Station (NRTS) in Idaho have been disposed to the Snake River Plain aquifer since 1952. Monitoring studies have indicated that tritium and chloride have dispersed over a 15-square mile (39-square kilometer) area of the aquifer in low but detectable concentrations and have only migrated as far as 5 miles (8 kilometers) downgradient from discharge points. The movement of cationic waste solutes, particularly 90Sr and 137Cs, has been significantly retarded due to sorption phenomena, principally ion exchange. 137Cs has shown no detectable migration in the aquifer and 90Sr has migrated only about 1.5 miles (2 kilometers) from the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) discharge well, and is detectable over an area of only 1.5 square miles ( 4 square kilometers) of the aquifer. Digital modeling techniques have been applied successfully to the analysis of the complex waste-transport system by utilizing numerical solution of the coupled equations of groundwater motion and mass transport. The model includes the effects of convective transport, flow divergence, two-dimensional hydraulic dispersion, radioactive decay, and reversible linear sorption. The hydraulic phase of the model uses the iterative, alternating direction, implicit finite-difference scheme to solve the groundwater flow equations, while the waste-transport phase uses a modified method of characteristics to solve the solute transport equations simulated by the model. The modeling results indicate that hydraulic dispersion (especially transverse) is a much more significant influence than previously suggested by earlier studies. The model has been used to estimate future waste migration patterns for varied assumed hydrological and waste conditions up through the year 2000. The hydraulic effects of recharge from the Big Lost River have an important (but not predominant) influence on the simulated future migration patterns. For the

  8. 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.

  9. From Tuscaloosa to Squaw Shoals: a history of Holt Lake, Alabama

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

    Wood, K.G.

    1988-07-15

    An archival study was performed for Corps of Engineers land at Holt Lake, located north of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on the Black Warrior River. The project area lies at the southern terminus of the Warrior Coal Fields, which are dissected by the Black Warrior River. Much coal-mining activity has taken place in the area historically. But coal mining did not increase significantly until the early twentieth century when the building of several railroad lines into the area facilitated coal operations. The construction of locks on the Black Warrior River north of Tuscaloosa in the early twentieth century allowed year-round traffic onmore » the Black Warrior River which added extra impetus to the coal mining industry. Three lock sites, portions of a railroad complex (including the road grade, a tunnel, and trestle piers), a probable twentieth century house site, a small cemetery, a historic artifact scatter, and two aboriginal sites were identified during a survey of the area. The lock sites and the railroad complex do not appear to be eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places because a great portion of them have been destroyed or submerged by the construction of Holt Lock and Dam.« less

  10. Reservoir heterogeneity in Carter Sandstone, North Blowhorn Creek oil unit and vicinity, Black Warrior Basin, Alabama

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

    Kugler, R.L.; Pashin, J.C.

    1992-05-01

    This report presents accomplishments made in completing Task 3 of this project which involves development of criteria for recognizing reservoir heterogeneity in the Black Warrior basin. The report focuses on characterization of the Upper Mississippian Carter sandstone reservoir in North Blowhorn Creek and adjacent oil units in Lamar County, Alabama. This oil unit has produced more than 60 percent of total oil extracted from the Black Warrior basin of Alabama. The Carter sandstone in North Blowhorn Creek oil unit is typical of the most productive Carter oil reservoirs in the Black Warrior basin of Alabama. The first part of themore » report synthesizes data derived from geophysical well logs and cores from North Blowhorn Creek oil unit to develop a depositional model for the Carter sandstone reservoir. The second part of the report describes the detrital and diagenetic character of Carter sandstone utilizing data from petrographic and scanning electron microscopes and the electron microprobe. The third part synthesizes porosity and pore-throat-size-distribution data determined by high-pressure mercury porosimetry and commercial core analyses with results of the sedimentologic and petrographic studies. The final section of the report discusses reservoir heterogeneity within the context of the five-fold classification of Moore and Kugler (1990).« less

  11. Modelling tools for managing Induced RiverBank Filtration MAR schemes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    De Filippis, Giovanna; Barbagli, Alessio; Marchina, Chiara; Borsi, Iacopo; Mazzanti, Giorgio; Nardi, Marco; Vienken, Thomas; Bonari, Enrico; Rossetto, Rudy

    2017-04-01

    Induced RiverBank Filtration (IRBF) is a widely used technique in Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) schemes, when aquifers are hydraulically connected with surface water bodies, with proven positive effects on quality and quantity of groundwater. IRBF allows abstraction of a large volume of water, avoiding large decrease in groundwater heads. Moreover, thanks to the filtration process through the soil, the concentration of chemical species in surface water can be reduced, thus becoming an excellent resource for the production of drinking water. Within the FP7 MARSOL project (demonstrating Managed Aquifer Recharge as a SOLution to water scarcity and drought; http://www.marsol.eu/), the Sant'Alessio IRBF (Lucca, Italy) was used to demonstrate the feasibility and technical and economic benefits of managing IRBF schemes (Rossetto et al., 2015a). The Sant'Alessio IRBF along the Serchio river allows to abstract an overall amount of about 0.5 m3/s providing drinking water for 300000 people of the coastal Tuscany (mainly to the town of Lucca, Pisa and Livorno). The supplied water is made available by enhancing river bank infiltration into a high yield (10-2 m2/s transmissivity) sandy-gravelly aquifer by rising the river head and using ten vertical wells along the river embankment. A Decision Support System, consisting in connected measurements from an advanced monitoring network and modelling tools was set up to manage the IRBF. The modelling system is based on spatially distributed and physically based coupled ground-/surface-water flow and solute transport models integrated in the FREEWAT platform (developed within the H2020 FREEWAT project - FREE and Open Source Software Tools for WATer Resource Management; Rossetto et al., 2015b), an open source and public domain GIS-integrated modelling environment for the simulation of the hydrological cycle. The platform aims at improving water resource management by simplifying the application of EU water-related Directives and at

  12. Hydrochemical assessment of freshening saline groundwater using multiple end-members mixing modeling: A study of Red River delta aquifer, Vietnam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Ji-Hyun; Kim, Kyoung-Ho; Thao, Nguyen Thi; Batsaikhan, Bayartungalag; Yun, Seong-Taek

    2017-06-01

    In this study, we evaluated the water quality status (especially, salinity problems) and hydrogeochemical processes of an alluvial aquifer in a floodplain of the Red River delta, Vietnam, based on the hydrochemical and isotopic data of groundwater samples (n = 23) from the Kien Xuong district of the Thai Binh province. Following the historical inundation by paleo-seawater during coastal progradation, the aquifer has been undergone progressive freshening and land reclamation to enable settlements and farming. The hydrochemical data of water samples showed a broad hydrochemical change, from Na-Cl through Na-HCO3 to Ca-HCO3 types, suggesting that groundwater was overall evolved through the freshening process accompanying cation exchange. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the hydrochemical data indicates the occurrence of three major hydrogeochemical processes occurring in an aquifer, namely: 1) progressive freshening of remaining paleo-seawater, 2) water-rock interaction (i.e., dissolution of silicates), and 3) redox process including sulfate reduction, as indicated by heavy sulfur and oxygen isotope compositions of sulfate. To quantitatively assess the hydrogeochemical processes, the end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) and the forward mixing modeling using PHREEQC code were conducted. The EMMA results show that the hydrochemical model with the two-dimensional mixing space composed of PC 1 and PC 2 best explains the mixing in the study area; therefore, we consider that the groundwater chemistry mainly evolved by mixing among three end-members (i.e., paleo-seawater, infiltrating rain, and the K-rich groundwater). The distinct depletion of sulfate in groundwater, likely due to bacterial sulfate reduction, can also be explained by EMMA. The evaluation of mass balances using geochemical modeling supports the explanation that the freshening process accompanying direct cation exchange occurs through mixing among three end-members involving the K-rich groundwater. This

  13. Regional-Scale Controls on Arsenic Contamination in the Multi-Aquifer System of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erban, L.; Gorelick, S.; Fendorf, S. E.

    2014-12-01

    Geogenic groundwater arsenic poses a considerable health threat to a large, largely agrarian population in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Demand for groundwater continues to rise despite limited information about where arsenic contamination occurs and how it may be affected by excessive pumping. We investigate arsenic measurements from over >40,000 wells found throughout the Delta's seven major exploited aquifers, relating trends in contamination to ancillary physico-chemical datasets. Logistic regression modeling shows that among wells in the most shallow aquifers, arsenic occurrence above the WHO standard (10 µg/L) is best described by a well's distance to 1) the Mekong River network and 2) delta front, its depth and location within fault-bounded areas of the delta. The shallow model is inadequate to capture contaminant occurrence in deeper aquifers (generally 200-500m) where wells are rarely contaminated except in near-river areas undergoing heavy pumping. Our results are the first to quantify how the probability of arsenic contamination varies in 3D throughout the complex aquifer system in relation to both natural and anthropogenically-mediated factors, and suggest that excessive extraction may be degrading the quality of deep aquifers. Findings may serve as a baseline for managing groundwater use for optimal human welfare and assessing any future changes in arsenic occurrence.

  14. Hydrogeology and ground-water flow in the Memphis and Fort Pillow aquifers in the Memphis area, Tennessee

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brahana, J.V.; Broshears, R.E.

    2001-01-01

    On the basis of known hydrogeology of the Memphis and Fort Pillow aquifers in the Memphis area, a three-layer, finite-difference numerical model was constructed and calibrated as the primary tool to refine understanding of flow in the aquifers. The model was calibrated and tested for accuracy in simulating measured heads for nine periods of transient flow from 1886-1985. Testing and sensitivity analyses indicated that the model accurately simulated observed heads areally as well as through time. The study indicates that the flow system is currently dominated by the distribution of pumping in relation to the distribution of areally variable confining units. Current withdrawal of about 200 million gallons per day has altered the prepumping flow paths, and effectively captured most of the water flowing through the aquifers. Ground-water flow is controlled by the altitude and location of sources of recharge and discharge, and by the hydraulic characteristics of the hydrogeologic units. Leakage between the Fort Pillow aquifer and Memphis aquifer, and between the Memphis aquifer and the water-table aquifers (alluvium and fluvial deposits) is a major component of the hydrologic budget. The study indicates that more than 50 percent of the water withdrawn from the Memphis aquifer in 1980 is derived from vertical leakage across confining units, and the leakage from the shallow aquifer (potential source of contamination) is not uniformly distributed. Simulated leakage was concentrated along the upper reaches of the Wolf and Loosahatchie Rivers, along the upper reaches of Nonconnah Creek, and the surficial aquifer of the Mississippi River alluvial plain. These simulations are supported by the geologic and geophysical evidence suggesting relatively thin or sandy confining units in these general locations. Because water from surficial aquifers is inferior in quality and more susceptible to contamination than water in the deeper aquifers, high rates of leakage to the Memphis

  15. A Photographic Essay of Apache Chiefs and Warriors, Volume 2-Part B.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barkan, Gerald; Jacobs, Ben

    As part of a series designed for instruction of American Indian children and youth, this resource guide constitutes a pictorial essay describing forts, Indian agents, and Apache chiefs, warriors, and scouts of the 19th century. Accompanying each picture is a brief historical-biographical narrative. Focus is on Apache resistance to the reservation.…

  16. A two-dimensional analytical model for groundwater flow in a leaky aquifer extending finite distance under the estuary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chuang, Mo-Hsiung; Hung, Chi-Tung; -Yen Lin, Wen; Ma, Kuo-chen

    2017-04-01

    In recent years, cities and industries in the vicinity of the estuarine region have developed rapidly, resulting in a sharp increase in the population concerned. The increasing demand for human activities, agriculture irrigation, and aquaculture relies on massive pumping of water in estuarine area. Since the 1950s, numerous studies have focused on the effects of tidal fluctuations on groundwater flow in the estuarine area. Tide-induced head fluctuation in a two-dimensional estuarine aquifer system is complicated and rather important in dealing with many groundwater management or remediation problems. The conceptual model of the aquifer system considered is multi-layered with estuarine bank and the leaky aquifer extend finite distance under the estuary. The solution of the model describing the groundwater head distribution in such an estuarine aquifer system and subject to the tidal fluctuation effects from estuarine river is developed based on the method of separation of variables along with river boundary. The solutions by Sun (Sun H. A two-dimensional analytical solution of groundwater response to tidal loading in an estuary, Water Resour. Res. 1997; 33:1429-35) as well as Tang and Jiao (Tang Z. and J. J. Jiao, A two-dimensional analytical solution for groundwater flow in a leaky confined aquifer system near open tidal water, Hydrological Processes, 2001; 15: 573-585) can be shown to be special cases of the present solution. On the basis of the analytical solution, the groundwater head distribution in response to estuarine boundary is examined and the influences of leakage, hydraulic parameters, and loading effect on the groundwater head fluctuation due to tide are investigated and discussed. KEYWORDS: analytical model, estuarine river, groundwater fluctuation, leaky aquifer.

  17. Petroleum geology of Carter sandstone (upper Mississippian), Black Warrior Basin, Alabama

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

    Bearden, B.L.; Mancini, E.A.

    1985-03-01

    The presence of combination petroleum traps makes the Black Warrior basin of northwestern Alabama an attractive area for continued hydrocarbon exploration. More than 1,500 wells have been drilled, and more than 90 separate petroleum pools have been discovered. The primary hydrocarbon reservoirs are Upper Mississippian sandstones. The Carter sandstone is the most productive petroleum reservoir in the basin. Productivity of the Carter sandstone is directly related to its environment of deposition. The Carter accumulated within a high constructive elongate to lobate delta, which prograded into the basin from the northwest to the southeast. Carter bar-finger and distal-bar lithofacies constitute themore » primary hydrocarbon reservoirs. Primary porosity in the Carter sandstone has been reduced by quartz overgrowths and calcite cementation. Petroleum traps in the Carter sandstone in central Fayette and Lamar Counties, Alabama, are primarily stratigraphic and combination (structural-stratigraphic) traps. The potential is excellent for future development of hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Upper Mississippian Carter sandstone. Frontier regions south and east of the known productive limits of the Black Warrior basin are ideal areas for continued exploration.« less

  18. The ESPAT tool: a general-purpose DSS shell for solving stochastic optimization problems in complex river-aquifer systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macian-Sorribes, Hector; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel; Tilmant, Amaury

    2015-04-01

    Stochastic programming methods are better suited to deal with the inherent uncertainty of inflow time series in water resource management. However, one of the most important hurdles in their use in practical implementations is the lack of generalized Decision Support System (DSS) shells, usually based on a deterministic approach. The purpose of this contribution is to present a general-purpose DSS shell, named Explicit Stochastic Programming Advanced Tool (ESPAT), able to build and solve stochastic programming problems for most water resource systems. It implements a hydro-economic approach, optimizing the total system benefits as the sum of the benefits obtained by each user. It has been coded using GAMS, and implements a Microsoft Excel interface with a GAMS-Excel link that allows the user to introduce the required data and recover the results. Therefore, no GAMS skills are required to run the program. The tool is divided into four modules according to its capabilities: 1) the ESPATR module, which performs stochastic optimization procedures in surface water systems using a Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming (SDDP) approach; 2) the ESPAT_RA module, which optimizes coupled surface-groundwater systems using a modified SDDP approach; 3) the ESPAT_SDP module, capable of performing stochastic optimization procedures in small-size surface systems using a standard SDP approach; and 4) the ESPAT_DET module, which implements a deterministic programming procedure using non-linear programming, able to solve deterministic optimization problems in complex surface-groundwater river basins. The case study of the Mijares river basin (Spain) is used to illustrate the method. It consists in two reservoirs in series, one aquifer and four agricultural demand sites currently managed using historical (XIV century) rights, which give priority to the most traditional irrigation district over the XX century agricultural developments. Its size makes it possible to use either the SDP or

  19. Evaluation of volatile organic compounds in two Mojave Desert basins-Mojave River and Antelope Valley-in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Kern Counties, California, June-October 2002

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Densmore, Jill N.; Belitz, Kenneth; Wright, Michael T.; Dawson, Barbara J.; Johnson, Tyler D.

    2005-01-01

    The California Aquifer Susceptibility Assessment of the Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program was developed to assess water quality and susceptibility of ground-water resources to contamination from surficial sources. This study focuses on the Mojave River and the Antelope Valley ground-water basins in southern California. Volatile organic compound (VOC) data were evaluated in conjunction with tritium data to determine a potential correlation with aquifer type, depth to top of perforations, and land use to VOC distribution and occurrence in the Mojave River and the Antelope Valley Basins. Detection frequencies for VOCs were compiled and compared to assess the distribution in each area. Explanatory variables were evaluated by comparing detection frequencies for VOCs and tritium and the number of compounds detected. Thirty-three wells were sampled in the Mojave River Basin (9 in the floodplain aquifer, 15 in the regional aquifer, and 9 in the sewered subset of the regional aquifer). Thirty-two wells were sampled in the Antelope Valley Basin. Quality-control samples also were collected to identify, quantify, and document bias and variability in the data. Results show that VOCs generally were detected slightly more often in the Antelope Valley Basin samples than in the Mojave River Basin samples. VOCs were detected more frequently in the floodplain aquifer than in the regional aquifer and the sewered subset. Tritium was detected more frequently in the Mojave River Basin samples than in the Antelope Valley Basin samples, and it was detected more frequently in the floodplain aquifer than in the regional aquifer and the sewered subset. Most of the samples collected in both basins for this study contained old water (water recharged prior to 1952). In general, in these desert basins, tritium need not be present for VOCs to be present. When VOCs were detected, young water (water recharge after 1952) was slightly more likely to be contaminated than old water

  20. Women Warriors: Why the Robotics Revolution Changes the Combat Equation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-01

    combat. U.S. Army RDECOM PRISM 6, no. 1 FEATURES | 91 Women Warriors Why the Robotics Revolution Changes the Combat Equation1 BY LINELL A. LETENDRE...underappreciated—fac- tor is poised to alter the women in combat debate: the revolution in robotics and autonomous systems. The technology leap afforded by...developing robotic and autonomous systems and their potential impact on the future of combat. Revolution in Robotics: A Changing Battlefield20 The

  1. Groundwater Flow Model of Göksu Delta Coastal Aquifer System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erdem Dokuz, Uǧur; Çelik, Mehmet; Arslan, Şebnem; Engin, Hilal

    2016-04-01

    Like many other coastal areas, Göksu Delta (Mersin-Silifke, Southern Turkey) is a preferred place for human settlement especially due to its productive farmlands and water resources. The water dependent ecosystem in Göksu delta hosts about 332 different plant species and 328 different bird species besides serving for human use. Göksu Delta has been declared as Special Environmental Protection Zone, Wildlife Protection Area, and RAMSAR Convention for Wetlands of International Importance area. Unfortunately, rising population, agricultural and industrial activities cause degradation of water resources both by means of quality and quantity. This problem also exists for other wetlands around the world. It is necessary to prepare water management plans by taking global warming issues into account to protect water resources for next generations. To achieve this, the most efficient tool is to come up with groundwater management strategies by constructing groundwater flow models. By this aim, groundwater modeling studies were carried out for Göksu Delta coastal aquifer system. As a first and most important step in all groundwater modeling studies, geological and hydrogeological settings of the study area have been investigated. Göksu Delta, like many other deltaic environments, has a complex structure because it was formed with the sediments transported by Göksu River throughout the Quaternary period and shaped throughout the transgression-regression periods. Both due to this complex structure and the lack of observation wells penetrating deep enough to give an idea of the total thickness of the delta, it was impossible to reveal out the hydrogeological setting in a correct manner. Therefore, six wells were drilled to construct the conceptual hydrogeological model of Göksu Delta coastal aquifer system. On the basis of drilling studies and slug tests that were conducted along Göksu Delta, hydrostratigraphic units of the delta system have been obtained. According to

  2. Nonlinear effects of locally heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity fields on regional stream-aquifer exchanges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, J.; Winter, C. L.; Wang, Z.

    2015-11-01

    Computational experiments are performed to evaluate the effects of locally heterogeneous conductivity fields on regional exchanges of water between stream and aquifer systems in the Middle Heihe River basin (MHRB) of northwestern China. The effects are found to be nonlinear in the sense that simulated discharges from aquifers to streams are systematically lower than discharges produced by a base model parameterized with relatively coarse effective conductivity. A similar, but weaker, effect is observed for stream leakage. The study is organized around three hypotheses: (H1) small-scale spatial variations of conductivity significantly affect regional exchanges of water between streams and aquifers in river basins, (H2) aggregating small-scale heterogeneities into regional effective parameters systematically biases estimates of stream-aquifer exchanges, and (H3) the biases result from slow paths in groundwater flow that emerge due to small-scale heterogeneities. The hypotheses are evaluated by comparing stream-aquifer fluxes produced by the base model to fluxes simulated using realizations of the MHRB characterized by local (grid-scale) heterogeneity. Levels of local heterogeneity are manipulated as control variables by adjusting coefficients of variation. All models are implemented using the MODFLOW (Modular Three-dimensional Finite-difference Groundwater Flow Model) simulation environment, and the PEST (parameter estimation) tool is used to calibrate effective conductivities defined over 16 zones within the MHRB. The effective parameters are also used as expected values to develop lognormally distributed conductivity (K) fields on local grid scales. Stream-aquifer exchanges are simulated with K fields at both scales and then compared. Results show that the effects of small-scale heterogeneities significantly influence exchanges with simulations based on local-scale heterogeneities always producing discharges that are less than those produced by the base model

  3. Nonlinear effects of locally heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity fields on regional stream-aquifer exchanges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, J.; Winter, C. L.; Wang, Z.

    2015-08-01

    Computational experiments are performed to evaluate the effects of locally heterogeneous conductivity fields on regional exchanges of water between stream and aquifer systems in the Middle Heihe River Basin (MHRB) of northwestern China. The effects are found to be nonlinear in the sense that simulated discharges from aquifers to streams are systematically lower than discharges produced by a base model parameterized with relatively coarse effective conductivity. A similar, but weaker, effect is observed for stream leakage. The study is organized around three hypotheses: (H1) small-scale spatial variations of conductivity significantly affect regional exchanges of water between streams and aquifers in river basins, (H2) aggregating small-scale heterogeneities into regional effective parameters systematically biases estimates of stream-aquifer exchanges, and (H3) the biases result from slow-paths in groundwater flow that emerge due to small-scale heterogeneities. The hypotheses are evaluated by comparing stream-aquifer fluxes produced by the base model to fluxes simulated using realizations of the MHRB characterized by local (grid-scale) heterogeneity. Levels of local heterogeneity are manipulated as control variables by adjusting coefficients of variation. All models are implemented using the MODFLOW simulation environment, and the PEST tool is used to calibrate effective conductivities defined over 16 zones within the MHRB. The effective parameters are also used as expected values to develop log-normally distributed conductivity (K) fields on local grid scales. Stream-aquifer exchanges are simulated with K fields at both scales and then compared. Results show that the effects of small-scale heterogeneities significantly influence exchanges with simulations based on local-scale heterogeneities always producing discharges that are less than those produced by the base model. Although aquifer heterogeneities are uncorrelated at local scales, they appear to induce

  4. Water exchange, mixing and transient storage between a saturated karstic conduit and the surrounding aquifer: Groundwater flow modeling and inputs from stable water isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Binet, S.; Joigneaux, E.; Pauwels, H.; Albéric, P.; Fléhoc, Ch.; Bruand, A.

    2017-01-01

    Water exchanges between a karstic conduit and the surrounding aquifer are driven by hydraulic head gradient at the interface between these two domains. The case-study presented in this paper investigates the impact of the geometry and interface conditions around a conduit on the spatial distribution of these exchanges. Isotopic (δ18O and δD), discharge and water head measurements were conducted at the resurgences of a karst system with a strong allogenic recharge component (Val d'Orléans, France), to estimate the amounts of water exchanged and the mixings between a saturated karstic conduit and the surrounding aquifer. The spatio-temporal variability of the observed exchanges was explored using a 2D coupled continuum-conduit flow model under saturated conditions (Feflow®). The inputs from the water heads and stable water isotopes in the groundwater flow model suggest that the amounts of water flowing from the aquifer are significant if the conduit flow discharges are less than the conduit flow capacity. This condition creates a spatial distribution of exchanges from upstream where the aquifer feeds the conduit (recharge area) to downstream where the conduit reaches its maximum discharge capacity and can feed the aquifer (discharge area). In the intermediate transport zone no exchange between the two domains takes place that brings a new criterion to delineate the vulnerable zones to surface water. On average, 4% of the water comes from the local recharge, 80% is recent river water and 16% is old river water. During the November 2008 flood, both isotopic signatures and model suggest that exchanges fluctuate around this steady state, limited when the river water level increases and intensified when the river water level decreases. The existence of old water from the river suggests a transient storage at the aquifer/conduit interface that can be considered as an underground hyporheic zone.

  5. Preliminary evaluation of the Highland Rim aquifer system in Tennessee for receiving injected wastes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bradley, M.W.

    1986-01-01

    The EPA has authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect underground sources of drinking water from contamination by deep well injection. An aquifer, however, may be exempted from protection and used for injected wastes where the aquifer meets criteria established in the Agency 's Underground Injection Control program. The Highland Rim aquifer system in Tennessee consists of Mississippian age carbonate rocks and occurs from the Valley and Ridge of East Tennessee to west of the Tennessee River. This aquifer contains potable water and is an important source of drinking water for municipal and domestic supplies on the Highland Rim. The Highland Rim aquifer system under parts of the Cumberland Plateau is not currently used as a source of drinking water and is not expected to be used in the future. These areas meet parts of the EPA 's Underground Injection Control criteria for exempting aquifers to receive injected waste. (Author 's abstract)

  6. Geohydrology of alluvium and terrace deposits of the Cimarron River from freedom to Guthrie, Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Adams, G.P.; Bergman, D.L.

    1996-01-01

    Ground water in 1,305 square miles of Quaternary alluvium and terrace deposits along the Cimarron River from Freedom to Guthrie, Oklahoma, is used for irrigation, municipal, stock, and domestic supplies. As much as 120 feet of clay, silt, sand, and gravel form an unconfined aquifer with an average saturated thickness of 28 feet. The 1985-86 water in storage, assuming a specific yield of 0.20, was 4.47 million acre-feet. The aquifer is bounded laterally and underlain by relatively impermeable Permian geologic units. Regional ground-water flow is generally southeast to southwest toward the Cimarron River, except where the flow direction is affected by perennial tributaries. Estimated average recharge to the aquifer is 207 cubic feet per second. Estimated average discharge from the aquifer by seepage and evapotranspiration is 173 cubic feet per second. Estimated 1985 discharge by withdrawals from wells was 24.43 cubic feet per second. Most water in the terrace deposits varied from a calcium bicarbonate to mixed bicarbonate type, with median dissolved-solids concentration of 538 milligrams per liter. Cimarron River water is a sodium chloride type with up to 16,600 milligrams per liter dissolved solids. A finite-difference ground-water flow model was developed and calibrated to test the conceptual model of the aquifer under steady-state conditions. The model was calibrated to match 1985-86 aquifer heads and discharge to the Cimarron River between Waynoka and Dover.

  7. Base flow (1966-2005) and streamflow gain and loss (2006) of the Brazos River, McLennan County to Fort Bend County, Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Turco, Michael J.; East, Jeffery W.; Milburn, Matthew S.

    2007-01-01

    During 2006?07, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, did a study to quantify historical (water years 1966?2005) base flow and streamflow gains and losses from two streamflow-measuring surveys (March and August 2006) in the Brazos River from McLennan County to Fort Bend County, Texas. The Brazos River is hydraulically connected to the Brazos River alluvium aquifer, which in turn is hydraulically connected to several underlying aquifers, the outcrops of which occur in laterally adjacent layers generally parallel to the coast (major aquifers, Carrizo-Wilcox and Gulf Coast, and minor aquifers, Queen City, Sparta, and Yegua-Jackson). Hydrograph separation was done using the USGS computer program Hydrograph Separation and Analysis with historical streamflow from 10 USGS gaging stations, three on the Brazos River and seven on selected tributaries to the Brazos River. Streamflow data for computation of gains and losses were collected in March 2006 from 36 sites on the Brazos River and 19 sites on 19 tributaries to the Brazos River; and in August 2006 from 28 sites on the Brazos River and 16 sites on tributaries. Hydrograph separation and associated analyses indicate an appreciable increase in base flow as a percentage of streamflow in the reach of the Brazos River that crosses the outcrops of the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, Sparta, and Yegua-Jackson aquifers compared to that in the adjacent upstream reach (on average from about 43 percent to about 60 percent). No increase in base flow as a percentage of streamflow in the reach of the Brazos River crossing the Gulf Coast aquifer compared to that in the adjacent upstream reach was indicated. Streamflow gains and losses computed for March 2006 for 35 reaches defined by pairs of sites on the Brazos River indicated that five reaches were verifiably gaining streamflow (computed gain exceeded potential flow measurement error) and none were verifiably losing streamflow. Four of

  8. 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.

  9. Experimental salinity alleviation at Malaga Bend of the Pecos River, Eddy County, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Havens, John S.; Wilkins, D.W.

    1979-01-01

    Upward-leaking brine, from a confined aquifer at the base of the Rustler Formation, mixes with fresher water in a shallow aquifer , resulting in discharge to the Pecos River in southern Eddy County, New Mexico, of about 0.5 cubic feet per second of saturated brine. Pumping brine from the aquifer at a rate greater than 0.5 cubic feet per second lowered the potentiometric head in the confined aquifer. From July 22, 1963, through December 1968, approximately 3,878 acre-feet of brine had been pumped into the Northeast Depression. The depression leaked brine to the Pecos River. Water downgradient of the depression increased in specific conductance ranging from 1,500 to 99,400 milligrams per liter chloride and water levels near the depression increased over 3 feet from 1963 to 1968. For water years 1952-63, the Pecos River gained about 240 tons per day of chloride in the reach from Malaga gaging station to Pierce Canyon Crossing. The average chloride gain to the Pecos River from July 1963 to August 1966 was 167 tons per day; the 1967-68 gain increased to 256 tons per day after a major flood in August 1966. (USGS)

  10. Continental hydrosystem modelling: the concept of nested stream-aquifer interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flipo, N.; Mouhri, A.; Labarthe, B.; Biancamaria, S.; Rivière, A.; Weill, P.

    2014-08-01

    Coupled hydrological-hydrogeological models, emphasising the importance of the stream-aquifer interface, are more and more used in hydrological sciences for pluri-disciplinary studies aiming at investigating environmental issues. Based on an extensive literature review, stream-aquifer interfaces are described at five different scales: local [10 cm-~10 m], intermediate [~10 m-~1 km], watershed [10 km2-~1000 km2], regional [10 000 km2-~1 M km2] and continental scales [>10 M km2]. This led us to develop the concept of nested stream-aquifer interfaces, which extends the well-known vision of nested groundwater pathways towards the surface, where the mixing of low frequency processes and high frequency processes coupled with the complexity of geomorphological features and heterogeneities creates hydrological spiralling. This conceptual framework allows the identification of a hierarchical order of the multi-scale control factors of stream-aquifer hydrological exchanges, from the larger scale to the finer scale. The hyporheic corridor, which couples the river to its 3-D hyporheic zone, is then identified as the key component for scaling hydrological processes occurring at the interface. The identification of the hyporheic corridor as the support of the hydrological processes scaling is an important step for the development of regional studies, which is one of the main concerns for water practitioners and resources managers. In a second part, the modelling of the stream-aquifer interface at various scales is investigated with the help of the conductance model. Although the usage of the temperature as a tracer of the flow is a robust method for the assessment of stream-aquifer exchanges at the local scale, there is a crucial need to develop innovative methodologies for assessing stream-aquifer exchanges at the regional scale. After formulating the conductance model at the regional and intermediate scales, we address this challenging issue with the development of an

  11. Groundwater Quality, Age, and Probability of Contamination, Eagle River Watershed Valley-Fill Aquifer, North-Central Colorado, 2006-2007

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rupert, Michael G.; Plummer, Niel

    2009-01-01

    The Eagle River watershed is located near the destination resort town of Vail, Colorado. The area has a fastgrowing permanent population, and the resort industry is rapidly expanding. A large percentage of the land undergoing development to support that growth overlies the Eagle River watershed valley-fill aquifer (ERWVFA), which likely has a high predisposition to groundwater contamination. As development continues, local organizations need tools to evaluate potential land-development effects on ground- and surface-water resources so that informed land-use and water management decisions can be made. To help develop these tools, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Eagle County, the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Eagle, the Town of Gypsum, and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority, conducted a study in 2006-2007 of the groundwater quality, age, and probability of contamination in the ERWVFA, north-central Colorado. Ground- and surface-water quality samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, tritium, dissolved gases, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) determined with very low-level laboratory methods. The major-ion data indicate that groundwaters in the ERWVFA can be classified into two major groups: groundwater that was recharged by infiltration of surface water, and groundwater that had less immediate recharge from surface water and had elevated sulfate concentrations. Sulfate concentrations exceeded the USEPA National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (250 milligrams per liter) in many wells near Eagle, Gypsum, and Dotsero. The predominant source of sulfate to groundwater in the Eagle River watershed is the Eagle Valley Evaporite, which is a gypsum deposit of Pennsylvanian age located predominantly in the western one-half of Eagle County.

  12. Assessment of DoD Wounded Warrior Matters -- Joint Base Lewis-McChord

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-05-31

    Report No. DODIG-2013-087 May 31, 2013 Special Plans and Operations Assessment of DoD Wounded Warrior... Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other...integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Department of Defense programs and operations . Mission Promote integrity, accountability, and

  13. A Microbiological Water Quality Evaluation of Ganges River Deltaic Aquifers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yerby, C. J.; Gragg, S. E.; Page, J.; Leavens, J.; Bhattacharya, P.; Harrington, J.; Datta, S.

    2014-12-01

    Substantial natural contamination from trace elements (like arsenic) and pathogens make Ganges Deltaic aquifers an area of utmost concern. Following millions of cases of chronic arsenic poisoning from the groundwaters of the region, numerous residents are still knowingly ingesting water from shallow to intermediate accessible depth drinking water wells. Added to the calamity of arsenic is the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria in these waters. The increasing frequency of gastroenteritis signifies the need to quantify the magnitude and extensiveness of health degrading agents--bacterial pathogens (i.e. Salmonella) and non-pathogens (i.e. Enterobacteriaceae) --within the water supply in accessible Gangetic aquifers. To assess the dissolved microbiological quality in the region, present study sampling locations are along defined piezometer nests in an area in SE Asia (Bangladesh). Every nest contains samples from wells at varying depths covering shallow to deep aquifers. To date, 17 of the 76 water samples were analyzed for Salmonella, generic Escherichia coli (E. coli) and coliforms. Briefly, samples were plated in duplicate onto E. coli/Coliform petrifilm and incubated at 370C for 48 hours. Next, each sample was enriched in buffered peptone water and incubated at 370C for 18 hours. Bacterial DNA was extracted and amplified using a qPCR machine. Amplification plots were analyzed to determine presence/absence of microorganisms. All water samples (n=~76) are analyzed for Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria spp. and Shigella. Pathogen populations of PCR-positive water samples are enumerated using the agar direct plate method. Non-pathogenic bacterial indicator organisms (i.e. Enterobacteriaceae) will also be enumerated. Over the course of the experiment, we hypothesize that shallower wells will 1)have a higher pathogen prevalence and 2)harbor pathogens and nonpathogens at higher concentrations. While the 17 samples analyzed to date were negative for Salmonella

  14. A Regional Strategy for the Assessment and Management of Transboundary Aquifer Systems in the Americas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hanson, R. T.; Rivera, A.; Tujchneider, O.; Guillén, C.; Campos, M.; Da Franca, N.; May, Z.; Aureli, A.

    2015-12-01

    The UNESCO-IHP ISARM-Americas technical committee has developed a regional strategy for the assessment and management of transboundary aquifer systems in the Americas as part of their ongoing cooperative assistance to help neighboring countries sustain water resources and reduce potential conflict. The fourth book in the series of publications sponsored by UNESCO and OAS documents this strategy. The goal of this strategy is the collective understanding, developing, managing, and protecting of the transboundary aquifers in the Americas This strategy includes technical, social, and governance recommendations for an integrated resource management of groundwater based on flexible arrangements that not only manage but also demand social participation in solving problems, consider changes in land use and water use and promote the increase of water sustainability for all transboundary neighbors. The successful implementation of this strategy starts with sharing information of the status and use of land and water as well as intergovernmental partnerships to link science and policy with existing instruments for managing the water resources. International organizations such as UNESCO and OAS also can help facilitate the development of transboundary agreements and establish cooperation on transboundary aquifers between neighbors. The UNESCO-IHP ISARM-Americas technical committee has been successful in creating a network of partners from 24 countries and in translating existing aquifer knowledge into a meaningful strategy for the American hemisphere. The strategy aims to explain and develop the role of science and the informed-decision approach. Examples from North and South America show how the process has begun to develop for selected transboundary aquifers. These include the Milk River basin between the US and Canada, the Rio Grande and Colorado River basins between the US and Mexico, and the Guarani River basin in South America.

  15. The thermal consequences of river-level variations in an urban groundwater body highly affected by groundwater heat pumps.

    PubMed

    García-Gil, Alejandro; Vázquez-Suñe, Enric; Schneider, Eduardo Garrido; Sánchez-Navarro, José Ángel; Mateo-Lázaro, Jesús

    2014-07-01

    The extensive implementation of ground source heat pumps in urban aquifers is an important issue related to groundwater quality and the future economic feasibility of existent geothermal installations. Although many cities are in the immediate vicinity of large rivers, little is known about the thermal river-groundwater interaction at a kilometric-scale. The aim of this work is to evaluate the thermal impact of river water recharges induced by flood events into an urban alluvial aquifer anthropogenically influenced by geothermal exploitations. The present thermal state of an urban aquifer at a regional scale, including 27 groundwater heat pump installations, has been evaluated. The thermal impacts of these installations in the aquifer together with the thermal impacts from "cold" winter floods have also been spatially and temporally evaluated to ensure better geothermal management of the aquifer. The results showed a variable direct thermal impact from 0 to 6 °C depending on the groundwater-surface water interaction along the river trajectory. The thermal plumes far away from the riverbed also present minor indirect thermal impacts due to hydraulic gradient variations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Arsenic in glacial drift aquifers and the implication for drinking water - Lower Illinois River Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Warner, K.L.

    2001-01-01

    The lower Illinois River Basin (LIRB) covers 47,000 km2 of central and western Illinois. In the LIRB, 90% of the ground water supplies are from the deep and shallow glacial drift aquifers. The deep glacial drift aquifer (DGDA) is below 152 m altitude, a sand and gravel deposit that fills the Mahomet Buried Bedrock Valley, and overlain by more than 30.5 m of clayey till. The LIRB is part of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment program, which has an objective to describe the status and trends of surface and ground water quality. In the DGDA, 55 % of the wells used for public drinking-water supply and 43 % of the wells used for domestic drinking water supply have arsenic concentrations above 10 ??g/L (a new U.S. EPA drinking water standard). Arsenic concentrations greater than 25 ??g/L in ground water are mostly in the form of arsenite (AsIII). The proportion of arsenate (AsV) to arsenite does not change along the flowpath of the DGDA. Because of the limited number of arsenic species analyses, no clear relations between species and other trace elements, major ions, or physical parameters could be established. Arsenic and barium concentrations increase from east to west in the DGDA and are positively correlated. Chloride and arsenic are positively correlated and provide evidence that arsenic may be derived locally from underlying bedrock. Solid phase geochemical analysis of the till, sand and gravel, and bedrock show the highest presence of arsenic in the underlying organic-rich carbonate bedrock. The black shale or coal within the organic-rich carbonate bedrock is a potential source of arsenic. Most high arsenic concentrations found in the DGDA are west and downgradient of the bedrock structural features. Geologic structures in the bedrock are potential pathways for recharge to the DGDA from surrounding bedrock.

  17. Water-resources appraisal of the upper Arkansas River basin from Leadville to Pueblo, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Crouch, T.M.; Cain, Doug; Abbott, P.O.; Penley, R.D.; Hurr, R.T.

    1984-01-01

    Water used for agriculture and stock and municipal supplies in the upper Arkansas River basin is derived mostly from the Arkansas River and its tributaries. The flow regime of the river has been altered by increased reservoir capacities and importation of 69,200 acre-feet per year from the Colorado River drainage through transmountain diversions. An estimated 10.2 million acre-feet of hydrologically recoverable water is present in the first 200 feet of basin-fill alluvium. Well yields of 300 gallons per minute have been reported for the Dakota-Purgatoire aquifer aquifer located east of Canon City. Water quality of ground- and surface-water resources are generally acceptable for agriculture and stock watering, but concentrations of iron, manganese, sulfate, pH, and hardness may exceed recommended drinking-water criteria during periods of river low flow. Concentrations of mercury, selenium, and select radiochemical constituents also were high in the Dakota-Purgatoire aquifer. Dissolved solids increased downstream and in local areas as a result of water use and in the Leadville area because of mine drainage. (USGS)

  18. American Indian Females and Stereotypes: Warriors, Leaders, Healers, Feminists; Not Drudges, Princesses, Prostitutes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lajimodiere, Denise K.

    2013-01-01

    This article is written by a Native female author. It delves into the historical stereotypes of Native females as drudges, princesses, and prostitutes perpetrated by media, movies, and literature. The author reviews research on the traditional and modern roles of Native females, including roles as warriors, leaders, and healers. Current literature…

  19. The OSS Model and the Future of the SOF Warrior

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-11-01

    The OSS Model and the Future of the SOF Warrior 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER...5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) Joint Special Operations University,7701 Tampa Point...Boulevard,MacDill AFB,FL,33621 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S

  20. Water resources of Rockland County, New York, 2005-07, with emphasis on the Newark Basin Bedrock Aquifer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heisig, Paul M.

    2011-01-01

    Concerns over the state of water resources in Rockland County, NY, prompted an assessment of current (2005-07) conditions. The investigation included a review of all water resources but centered on the Newark basin aquifer, a fractured-bedrock aquifer over which nearly 300,000 people reside. Most concern has been focused on this aquifer because of (1) high summer pumping rates, with occasional entrained-air problems and an unexplained water-level decline at a monitoring well, (2) annual withdrawals that have approached or even exceeded previous estimates of aquifer recharge, and (3) numerous contamination problems that have caused temporary or long-term shutdown of production wells. Public water supply in Rockland County uses three sources of water in roughly equal parts: (1) the Newark basin sedimentary bedrock aquifer, (2) alluvial aquifers along the Ramapo and Mahwah Rivers, and (3) surface waters from Lake DeForest Reservoir and a smaller, new reservoir supply in the Highlands part of the county. Water withdrawals from the alluvial aquifer in the Ramapo River valley and the Lake DeForest Reservoir are subject to water-supply application permits that stipulate minimum flows that must be maintained downstream into New Jersey. There is a need, therefore, at a minimum, to prevent any loss of the bedrock-aquifer resource--to maintain it in terms of both sustainable use and water-quality protection. The framework of the Newark basin bedrock aquifer included characterization of (1) the structure and fracture occurrence associated with the Newark basin strata, (2) the texture and thickness of overlying glacial and alluvial deposits, (3) the presence of the Palisades sill and associated basaltic units on or within the Newark basin strata, and (4) the streams that drain the aquifer system. The greatest concern regarding sustainability of groundwater resources is the aquifer response to the seasonal increase in pumping rates from May through October (an average increase

  1. 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.

  2. Hyporheic Zone Residence Time Distributions in Regulated River Corridors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, X.; Chen, X.; Shuai, P.; Gomez-Velez, J. D.; Ren, H.; Hammond, G. E.

    2017-12-01

    Regulated rivers exhibit stage fluctuations at multiple frequencies due to both natural processes (e.g., seasonal cycle) and anthropogenic activities (e.g., dam operation). The interaction between the dynamic river flow conditions and the heterogeneous aquifer properties results in complex hydrologic exchange pathways that are ubiquitous in free-flowing and regulated river corridors. The dynamic nature of the exchange flow is reflected in the residence time distribution (RTD) of river water within the groundwater system, which is a key metric that links river corridor biogeochemical processes with the hydrologic exchange. Understanding the dynamics of RTDs is critical to gain the mechanistic understanding of hydrologic exchange fluxes and propose new parsimonious models for river corridors, yet it is understudied primarily due to the high computational demands. In this study, we developed parallel particle tracking algorithms to reveal how river flow variations affect the RTD of river water in the alluvial aquifer. Particle tracking was conducted using the velocity outputs generated by three-dimensional groundwater flow simulations of PFLOTRAN in a 1600 x 800 x 20m model domain within the DOE Hanford Site. Long-term monitoring data of inland well water levels and river stage were used for eight years of flow simulation. Nearly a half million particles were continually released along the river boundary to calculate the RTDs. Spectral analysis of the river stage data revealed high-frequency (sub-daily to weekly) river stage fluctuations caused by dam operations. The higher frequencies of stage variation were progressively filtered to generate multiple sets of flow boundary conditions. A series of flow simulations were performed by using the filtered flow boundary conditions and various degrees of subsurface heterogeneity to study the relative contribution of flow dynamics and physical heterogeneity on river water RTD. Our results revealed multimodal RTDs of river

  3. Estimate of aquifer properties by numerically simulating ground-water/surface-water interactions, Fort Wainwright, Alaska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nakanishi, Allen S.; Lilly, Michael R.

    1998-01-01

    MODFLOW, a finite-difference model of ground-water flow, was used to simulate the flow of water between the aquifer and the Chena River at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The model was calibrated by comparing simulated ground-water hydrographs to those recorded in wells during periods of fluctuating river levels. The best fit between simulated and observed hydrographs occurred for the following: 20 feet per day for vertical hydraulic conductivity, 400 feet per day for horizontal hydraulic conductivity, 1:20 for anisotropy (vertical to horizontal hydraulic conductivity), and 350 per feet for riverbed conductance. These values include a 30 percent adjustment for geometry effects. The estimated values for hydraulic conductivities of the alluvium are based on assumed values of 0.25 for specific yield and 0.000001 per foot for specific storage of the alluvium; the values assumed for bedrock are 0.1 foot per day horizontal hydraulic conductivity, 0.005 foot per day vertical hydraulic conductivity, and 0.0000001 per foot for specific storage. The resulting diffusivity for the alluvial aquifer is 1,600 feet per day. The estimated values of these hydraulic properties are nearly proportional to the assumed value of specific yield. These values were not found to be sensitive to the assumed values for bedrock. The hydrologic parameters estimated using the cross-sectional model are only valid when taken in context with the other values (both estimated and assumed) used in this study. The model simulates horizontal and vertical flow directions near the river during periods of varying river stage. This information is useful for interpreting bank-storage effects, including the flow of contaminants in the aquifer near the river.

  4. Stratigraphy of the unsaturated zone and uppermost part of the Snake River Plain aquifer at test area north, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

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

    Anderson, S.R.; Bowers, B.

    1995-06-01

    A complex sequence of basalt flows and sedimentary interbeds underlies Test Area North (TAN) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in eastern Idaho. Wells drilled to depths of at least 500 feet penetrate 10 basalt-flow groups and 5 to 10 sedimentary interbeds that range in age from about 940,000 to 1.4 million years. Each basalt-flow group consists of one or more basalt flows from a brief, single or compound eruption. All basalt flows of each group erupted from the same vent, and have similar ages, paleomagnetic properties, potassium contents, and natural-gamma emissions. Sedimentary interbeds consist of fluvial, lacustrine, and eolianmore » deposits of clay, silt, sand, and gravel that accumulated for hundreds to hundreds of thousands of years during periods of volcanic quiescence. Basalt and sediment are elevated by hundreds of feet with respect to rocks of equivalent age south and cast of the area, a relation that is attributed to past uplift at TAN. Basalt and sediment are unsaturated to a depth of about 200 feet below land surface. Rocks below this depth are saturated and make up the Snake River Plain aquifer. The effective base of the aquifer is at a depth of 885 feet below land surface. Detailed stratigraphic relations for the lowermost part of the aquifer in the depth interval from 500 to 885 feet were not determined because of insufficient data. The stratigraphy of basalt-flow groups and sedimentary interbeds in the upper 500 feet of the unsaturated zone and aquifer was determined from natural-gamma logs, lithologic logs, and well cores. Basalt cores were evaluated for potassium-argon ages, paleomagnetic properties, petrographic characteristics, and chemical composition. Stratigraphic control was provided by differences in ages, paleomagnetic properties, potassium content, and natural-gamma emissions of basalt-flow groups and sedimentary interbeds.« less

  5. How to Recharge a Confined Alluvial Aquifer System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maples, S.; Fogg, G. E.; Liu, Y.

    2016-12-01

    Greater water storage capacity is needed to offset future decreases in snowpack-water storage in California. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in California's Central Valley aquifer system is a promising alternative to new surface reservoir storage because it has the potential to both reduce overdraft conditions observed in many Central Valley groundwater basins and offset continued decreases in snowpack storage. MAR to the Central Valley's productive confined-aquifer system remains a challenge because, like most alluvial aquifer systems, it is composed mostly of silt and clay sediments that form nearly ubiquitous, multiple confining layers that inhibit direct recharge of the interconnected sand and gravel body networks. Several studies have mapped surficial soil types in the Central Valley that are conducive to MAR, but few studies have evaluated how subsurface geologic heterogeneity controls recharge to the confined aquifer system. Here, we use a transition probability Markov-chain geostatistical model conditioned with 1200 well logs to create a physically-realistic representation of the subsurface geologic heterogeneity in the American and Cosumnes River watersheds on the east side of the Sacramento Valley, CA, where studies have shown the presence of massive, interconnected, highly-permeable gravel deposits that are potentially conducive to considerably higher rates of regional recharge than would be possible over the rest of the landscape. Such localized stratigraphic features to support accelerated recharge occur throughout the Central Valley, but are mostly still undiscovered. A variably-saturated, fully-integrated, groundwater/surface-water code, ParFlow, was used to simulate MAR dynamics in this system. Results show the potential for (1) accelerated, high-volume recharge through interconnected gravels where they outcrop at land surface, and (2) regional repressurization of the deeper confined aquifer system. These findings provide insight into the critical

  6. Hydrogeological investigations of river bed clogging at a river bank filtration site along the River Warta, Poland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Przybyłek, Jan; Dragon, Krzysztof; Kaczmarek, Piotr Michał Jan

    2017-12-01

    River bank filtration (RBF) is a system that enriches groundwater resources by induced infiltration of river water to an aquifer. Problematic during operation of RBF systems is the deterioration of infiltration effectiveness caused by river bed clogging. This situation was observed in the Krajkowo well field which supplies fresh water to the city of Poznań (Poland) during and after the long hydrological drought between the years 1989 and 1992. The present note discusses results of specific hydrogeological research which included drilling of a net of boreholes to a depth of 10 m below river bottom (for sediment sampling as well as for hydrogeological measurements), analyses of grain size distribution and relative density studies. The results obtained have allowed the recognition of the origin of the clogging processes, as well as the documentation of the clogged parts of the river bottom designated for unclogging activities.

  7. Water resources in the Blackstone River basin, Massachusetts

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Walker, Eugene H.; Krejmas, Bruce E.

    1983-01-01

    The Blackstone River heads in brooks 6 miles northwest of Worcester and drains about 330 square miles of central Massachusetts before crossing into Rhode Island at Woonsocket. The primary source of the Worcester water supply is reservoirs, but for the remaining 23 communities in the basin, the primary source is wells. Bedrock consists of granitic and metamorphic rocks. Till mantles the uplands and extends beneath stratified drift in the valleys. Stratified glacial drift, consisting of clay, silt, and fine sand deposited in lakes and coarse-textured sand and gravel deposited by streams, is found in lowlands and valleys. The bedrock aquifer is capable of sustaining rural domestic supplies throughout the Blackstone River basin. Bedrock wells yield an average of 10 gallons per minute, but some wells, especially those in lowlands where bedrock probably contains more fractures and receives more recharge than in the upland areas, yield as much as 100 gallons per minute. Glacial sand and gravel is the principal aquifer. It is capable of sustaining municipal supplies. Average daily pumpage from this aquifer in the Blackstone River basin was 10.4 million gallons per day in 1978. The median yield of large-diameter wells in the aquifer is 325 gallons per minute. The range of yields from these wells is 45 to 3,300 gallons per minute. The median specific capacity is about 30 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown.

  8. Evaluation of long-term water-level declines in basalt aquifers near Mosier, Oregon

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Burns, Erick R.; Morgan, David S.; Lee, Karl K.; Haynes, Jonathan V.; Conlon, Terrence D.

    2012-01-01

    The Mosier area lies along the Columbia River in northwestern Wasco County between the cities of Hood River and The Dalles, Oregon. Major water uses in the area are irrigation, municipal supply for the city of Mosier, and domestic supply for rural residents. The primary source of water is groundwater from the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) aquifers that underlie the area. Concerns regarding this supply of water arose in the mid-1970s, when groundwater levels in the orchard tract area began to steadily decline. In the 1980s, the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) conducted a study of the aquifer system, which resulted in delineation of an administrative area where parts of the Pomona and Priest Rapids aquifers were withdrawn from further appropriations for any use other than domestic supply. Despite this action, water levels continued to drop at approximately the same, nearly constant annual rate of about 4 feet per year, resulting in a current total decline of between 150 and 200 feet in many wells with continued downward trends. In 2005, the Mosier Watershed Council and the Wasco Soil and Water Conservation District began a cooperative investigation of the groundwater system with the U.S. Geological Survey. The objectives of the study were to advance the scientific understanding of the hydrology of the basin, to assess the sustainability of the water supply, to evaluate the causes of persistent groundwater-level declines, and to evaluate potential management strategies. An additional U.S. Geological Survey objective was to advance the understanding of CRBG aquifers, which are the primary source of water across a large part of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. In many areas, significant groundwater level declines have resulted as these aquifers were heavily developed for agricultural, municipal, and domestic water supplies. Three major factors were identified as possible contributors to the water-level declines in the study area: (1) pumping at rates that

  9. 78 FR 57852 - Warrior Rosin Spill Superfund Site, Holt, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama ; Notice of Settlement

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-20

    ... Superfund Site, Holt, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama ; Notice of Settlement AGENCY: Environmental Protection... concerning the Warrior Rosin Spill Superfund Site located in Holt, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The settlement.../superfund/programs/enforcement/enforcement.html . U.S. Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund...

  10. Association of "Weekend Warrior" and Other Leisure Time Physical Activity Patterns With Risks for All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality.

    PubMed

    O'Donovan, Gary; Lee, I-Min; Hamer, Mark; Stamatakis, Emmanuel

    2017-03-01

    More research is required to clarify the association between physical activity and health in "weekend warriors" who perform all their exercise in 1 or 2 sessions per week. To investigate associations between the weekend warrior and other physical activity patterns and the risks for all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality. This pooled analysis of household-based surveillance studies included 11 cohorts of respondents to the Health Survey for England and Scottish Health Survey with prospective linkage to mortality records. Respondents 40 years or older were included in the analysis. Data were collected from 1994 to 2012 and analyzed in 2016. Self-reported leisure time physical activity, with activity patterns defined as inactive (reporting no moderate- or vigorous-intensity activities), insufficiently active (reporting <150 min/wk in moderate-intensity and <75 min/wk in vigorous-intensity activities), weekend warrior (reporting ≥150 min/wk in moderate-intensity or ≥75 min/wk in vigorous-intensity activities from 1 or 2 sessions), and regularly active (reporting ≥150 min/wk in moderate-intensity or ≥75 min/wk in vigorous-intensity activities from ≥3 sessions). The insufficiently active participants were also characterized by physical activity frequency. All-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality ascertained from death certificates. Among the 63 591 adult respondents (45.9% male; 44.1% female; mean [SD] age, 58.6 [11.9] years), 8802 deaths from all causes, 2780 deaths from CVD, and 2526 from cancer occurred during 561 159 person-years of follow-up. Compared with the inactive participants, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.62-0.72) in insufficiently active participants who reported 1 to 2 sessions per week, 0.70 (95% CI, 0.60-0.82) in weekend warrior participants, and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.58-0.73) in regularly active participants. Compared with the inactive participants, the HR for CVD mortality was 0.60 (95% CI

  11. Geohydrology of the lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin, southwestern Georgia, northwestern Florida, and southeastern Alabama

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Torak, Lynn J.; Painter, Jaime A.

    2006-01-01

    The lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin contains about 4,600 square miles of karstic and fluvial plains and nearly 100,000 cubic miles of predominantly karst limestone connected hydraulically to the principal rivers and lakes in the Coastal Plain of southwestern Georgia, northwestern Florida, and southwestern Alabama. Sediments of late-middle Eocene to Holocene in hydraulic connection with lakes, streams, and land surface comprise the surficial aquifer system, upper semiconfining unit, Upper Floridan aquifer, and lower semiconfining unit and contribute to the exchange of ground water and surface water in the stream-lake-aquifer flow system. Karst processes, hydraulic properties, and stratigraphic relations limit ground-water and surface-water interaction to the following hydrologic units of the stream-lake-aquifer flow system: the surficial aquifer system, upper semiconfining unit, Upper Floridan aquifer, and lower confining unit. Geologic units corresponding to these hydrologic units are, in ascending order: Lisbon Formation; Clinchfield Sand; Ocala, Marianna, Suwannee, and Tampa Limestones; Hawthorn Group; undifferentiated overburden (residuum); and terrace and undifferentiated (surficial) deposits. Similarities in hydraulic properties and direct or indirect interaction with surface water allow grouping sediments within these geologic units into the aforementioned hydrologic units, which transcend time-stratigraphic classifications and define the geohydrologic framework for the lower ACF River Basin. The low water-transmitting properties of the lower confining unit, principally the Lisbon Formation, allow it to act as a nearly impermeable base to the stream-lake-aquifer flow system. Hydraulic connection of the surficial aquifer system with surface water and the Upper Floridan aquifer is direct where sandy deposits overlie the limestone, or indirect where fluvial deposits overlie clayey limestone residuum. The water level in perched zones

  12. Summary of ground-water hydrology of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system in the northern Midwest, United States: A in Regional aquifer system analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Young, H.L.

    1992-01-01

    Development of the aquifer system began in various parts of the northern Midwest in the 1860's and 1870's with the drilling of deep, generally flowing artesian wells near Lake Michigan in eastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois and along the valleys of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Initial heads of 186 and 130 feet above Lake Michigan at Milwaukee and Chicago, respectively, have been reported. Large-scale pumping has produced cones of depression in these two areas, with respective head declines of as much as 375 and 900 feet. Other major pumping centers generally have had much smaller declines. The largest withdrawals from the aquifer system were about 180 million gallons per day in each of the major metropolitan areas of Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul (Twin Cities). However, the total decline in head in the St. Peter-Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer in the Twin Cities by 1980 was only 90 feet because the aquifer is unconfined. Most of the eastern two-thirds of Iowa, where the aquifer system is tightly confined, is characterized by more than 50 feet of head decline, with 200 feet or more at Mason City and the Quad Cities. Pumpage from the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system throughout the study area averaged 683 million gallons per day for the period 1976-80. Results of a transient-model simulation show that recharge increased over predevelopment recharge by 447 million gallons per day. Natural discharge decreased by 99 million gallons per day, and 137 million gallons per day was released from aquifer storage. Mineralization of ground water in the aquifer system increases from slightly mineralized calcium magnesium bicarbonate water in the northern recharge areas, through more mineralized, mixed water types with increased sodium and sulfate, to highly mineralized sodium chloride brines in the deeper parts of the structural basins.

  13. Uncertainties in simulating river/groundwater exchanges over the Upper Rhine Graben hydrosystem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vergnes, Jean-Pierre; Habets, Florence

    2014-05-01

    The Upper Rhine alluvial aquifer is an important transboundary water resource which is particularly vulnerable to pollution from the rivers due to anthropogenic activities. A realistic simulation of the groundwater-river exchanges is therefore of crucial importance for an effective management of water resources. Characterization of these fluxes in term of quantity and spatio-temporal variability depends on choices made to represent the river water stage in the model as well as on the hydrogeological parameters. Recently, a coupled surface-subsurface model has been applied to the whole aquifer basin (Thierion et al., 2012). The present study aims at improving the estimation of the river/groundwater exchange, and thus, of the hydrodynamic of the alluvial aquifer, and at getting an idea of the associated uncertainty by performing a set of simulations that best take advantage of the different kinds of observed data. The general modeling strategy is based on the Eau-Dyssée modeling platform which couples existing specialized models to address water resources quantity and quality in small to regional scale river basins. In this study, Eau-Dyssée includes the ISBA surface scheme that estimates the water balance, the RAPID river routing model and the SAM hydrogeological model. In addition, the QtoZ module (Saleh et al., 2011) is used to calculate the river stage from simulated river discharges, which is then used to calculate the exchanges between aquifer units and river, according to three different approaches that are compared: a control experiment with constant river water stage, a rating curves approach derived from observed river discharges and river stages, and the Manning's formula, for which Manning's parameters are defined according to geomorphological parameterizations and topographic data based on Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Supplementary sensitivity tests are also performed by using different hydrogeological parameter datasets (porosity and transmissivity

  14. Occurrence, fate and ecotoxicological risk of personal care products in urban river-groundwater interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jurado, Anna; Pau Serra, Maria; Díaz-Cruz, M. Silvia; Vázquez-Suñé, Enric; Pujades, Estanislao; Barceló, Damià

    2016-04-01

    This work presents the occurrence and fate of selected personal care products (PCPs) in the urban river-groundwater interface. To this end, urban groundwater and river samples were collected in Sant Adrià del Besòs (NE of Spain) and a total of 16 PCPs were analyzed including benzophenone derivatives, camphor derivatives, p-aminobenzoic acid derivatives, triazoles and parabens in three different campaigns (from May 2010 to July 2014). These compounds reach the aquifer through the recharge of River Besòs that receives large amounts of effluents from waste water treatment plants. Results shown that most of compounds were not or barely detected (maximum concentrations around 30 ng/L) in groundwater samples during the different sampling campaigns. Only two triazoles, named as benzotriazole (BZT) and methyl benzotriazol (MeBZT) were found at high concentrations in groundwater samples (maximum concentration around 2000 ng/L). The fate of PCPs in the aquifer was assessed using mixing analysis considering the temporal variability of the River Besòs. Overall, measured groundwater concentrations were significantly much lower than those estimated by the mixing of the river water. This observation suggested that most of the PCPs are naturally removed when river water infiltrates the aquifer. However, some compounds were more persistent in the aquifer. These compounds were in descending order: the triazoles MeBZT and BZT followed by the camphor derivative 4MBC. The measured concentrations allowed us to assess the environmental risk posed by the selected UV-Fs (e.g. benzophenone derivatives) in the river-groundwater samples. Hazard Quotients (HQs) for diferent aquatic species were calculated in order to characterise the ecotoxicity potential of the studied compounds in the river-groundwater interface. HQ values will be presented and discussed in the presentation.

  15. 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

  16. Vertical gradients in water chemistry in the central High Plains aquifer, southwestern Kansas and Oklahoma panhandle, 1999

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McMahon, Peter B.

    2001-01-01

    The central High Plains aquifer is the primary source of water for domestic, industrial, and irrigation uses in parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Water-level declines of more than 100 feet in some areas of the aquifer have increased the demand for water deeper in the aquifer. The maximum saturated thickness of the aquifer ranged from 500 to 600 feet in 1999. As the demand for deeper water increases, it becomes increasingly important for resource managers to understand how the quality of water in the aquifer changes with depth. In 1998?99, 18 monitoring wells at nine sites in southwestern Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle were completed at various depths in the central High Plains aquifer, and one monitoring well was completed in sediments of Permian age underlying the aquifer. Water samples were collected once from each well in 1999 to measure vertical gradients in water chemistry in the aquifer. Tritium concentrations measured in ground water indicate that water samples collected in the upper 30 feet of the aquifer were generally recharged within the last 50 years, whereas all of the water samples collected at depths more than 30 feet below the water table were recharged more than 50 years ago. Dissolved oxygen was present throughout the aquifer, with concentrations ranging from 1.7 to 8.4 mg/L. Water in the central High Plains aquifer was predominantly a calcium-bicarbonate type that exhibited little variability in concentrations of dissolved solids with depth (290 to 642 mg/L). Exceptions occurred in some areas where there had been upward movement of mineralized water from underlying sediments of Permian age and areas where there had been downward movement of mineralized Arkansas River water to the aquifer. Calcium-sulfate and sodium-chloride waters dominated and concentrations of dissolved solids were elevated (862 to 4,030 mg/L) near the base of the aquifer in the areas of upward leakage. Dissolution of gypsum or anhydrite and halite

  17. Monitoring induced denitrification in an artificial aquifer recharge system.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grau-Martinez, Alba; Torrentó, Clara; Folch, Albert; Domènech, Cristina; Otero, Neus; Soler, Albert

    2014-05-01

    As demands on groundwater increase, artificial recharge is becoming a common method for enhancing groundwater supply. The Llobregat River is a strategic water supply resource to the Barcelona metropolitan area (Catalonia, NE Spain). Aquifer overexploitation has leaded to both a decrease of groundwater level and seawater intrusion, with the consequent deterioration of water quality. In the middle section of the aquifer, in Sant Vicenç del Horts, decantation and infiltration ponds recharged by water from the Llobregat River (highly affected from wastewater treatment plant effluents), were installed in 2007, in the framework of the ENSAT Life+ project. At the bottom of the infiltration pond, a vegetal compost layer was installed to promote the growth of bacteria, to induce denitrification and to create favourable conditions for contaminant biodegradation. This layer consists on a mixture of compost, aquifer material, clay and iron oxide. Understanding the fate of contaminants, such as nitrate, during artificial aquifer recharge is required to evaluate the impact of artificial recharge in groundwater quality. In order to distinguish the source of nitrate and to evaluate the capability of the organic reactive layer to induce denitrification, a multi-isotopic approach coupled with hydrogeochemical data was performed. Groundwater samples, as well as river samples, were sampled during artificial and natural recharge periods. The isotopic analysis included: δ15N and δ18O of dissolved nitrate, δ34S and δ18O of dissolved sulphate, δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon, and δ2H and δ18O of water. Dissolved nitrate isotopic composition (δ15NNO3 from +9 to +21 o and δ18ONO3 from +3 to +16 ) demonstrated that heterotrophic denitrification induced by the reactive layer was taking place during the artificial recharge periods. An approximation to the extent of nitrate attenuation was calculated, showing a range between 95 and 99% or between 35 and 45%, by using the extreme

  18. Video Games as a Training Tool to Prepare the Next Generation of Cyber Warriors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-10-01

    2. REPORT TYPE N/A 3. DATES COVERED - 4 . TITLE AND SUBTITLE Video Games as a Training Tool to Prepare the Next Generation of Cyber Warriors...CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE SHORTAGE .......................................................................... 3 4 1.1 GREATER CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION IS... 4 6 2.1 HOW VIDEO GAMES CAN BE EFFECTIVE LEARNING TOOLS

  19. Spatial data for Eurycea salamander habitats associated With three aquifers in south-central Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heitmuller, Franklin T.; Reece, Brian D.

    2006-01-01

    Eurycea salamander taxa comprise 12 known species that inhabit springs and caves in south-central Texas. Many of these are threatened or endangered species, and some are found only at one location. A number of the neotenic salamanders might be at risk from habitat loss associated with declines in ground-water levels. Eurycea salamander habitats are associated with three aquifers in south-central Texas: (1) the Edwards-Trinity (Plateau) aquifer, (2) the Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) aquifer, and (3) the Trinity aquifer. The Edwards (Balcones fault zone) aquifer is commonly separated into three segments: from southwest to northeast, the San Antonio segment, the Barton Springs segment, and the northern segment. The Trinity aquifer south of the Colorado River can be divided into three permeable zones, the upper, middle, and lower zone. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, developed this report (geodatabase) to aggregate the spatial data necessary to assess the potential effects of ground-water declines on known Eurycea habitat locations in south-central Texas. The geodatabase provides information about spring habitats, spring flow, cave habitats, aquifers, and projected water levels.

  20. Interactions between deep bedrock aquifers and surface water in function of recharge and topography: a numerical study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goderniaux, P.; Davy, P.; Le Borgne, T.; Bresciani, E.; Jimenez-Martinez, J.

    2011-12-01

    In crystalline rock regions, such as Brittany (France), important reserves of groundwater into deep fractured aquifers are increasingly used and provide high quality water compared to shallow aquifers which can be subject to agricultural contamination. However, recharge processes of these deep aquifers and interactions with surface water are not yet fully understood. In some areas, intensive pumping is carried out without guarantee of the resource quantity and quality. Understanding these processes is crucial for sustainable management of the resource. In this study, we study how deep groundwater fluxes, pathways, ages, and river-aquifer interactions vary according to recharge. We assume that water flowing from the ground surface is distributed between shallow more permeable layers and deep layers. This repartition mostly depends on recharge rates. With high recharge, groundwater levels are high and subsurface streamlines are relatively short between recharge areas and existing draining rivers, which constitutes a very dense network. Therefore, most of the groundwater fluxes occur through the more permeable shallow layers. With low recharge, groundwater levels are lower, and river and shallow permeable levels are partly disconnected from each other. This induces a general increase of the groundwater streamlines length from the recharge areas to more sporadic discharge areas, and more fluxes occur through the deep layers. Recharge conditions and river-aquifer interactions have changed over the last thousands of years, due to change in precipitation, temperatures, existence of permafrost, etc. They have strongly influenced deep groundwater fluxes and can explain current groundwater age and flux distribution. To study these interactions, a regional-scale finite difference flow model was implemented. The model covers an area of 1400 km 2 , a depth of 1 km, and the topography is characteristic of Brittany. As rivers are mainly fed by groundwater drainage, seepages faces

  1. Appraisal of water in bedrock aquifers, northern Cascade County, Montana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wilke, K.R.

    1982-01-01

    Suburban residential expansion of the city of Great Falls has resulted in an increased demand on water supplies from bedrock aquifers in northern Cascade County. The unconsolidated deposits aquifer of Quaternary age, including alluvium and glacial lake deposits, also is an important source of water in the area. Water levels in the Madison-Swift aquifer and all overlying aquifers, including the Quaternary deposits aquifer, reflect unconfined (water-table) conditions in the Great Falls vicinity. This interconnected hydrologic system is the result of breaching of the major anticlinal structure, by ancestral and present day erosion of drainage channels by the Missouri River and its tributaries. Significant vertical inter-aquifer mixing of water, as well as surface water/groundwater interchange, probably occurs in the central part of the study area. Characterization of the chemical composition of water in individual aquifers based on samples from wells in this area probably is unreliable because of this mixing. Quality of water from two wells in the Madison-Swift aquifer near Giant Springs is similar to water from the springs. Water from these three samples is less mineralized than most groundwater in the study area; dissolved solids concentrations for the three samples range from 516 to 550 mg/L. The quality of water varies among aquifers and throughout the study area. The ranges of dissolved solids concentrations determined by chemical analysis are Madison-Swift aquifer, about 520 to 1,570 mg/L; Morrison Formation, 908 to 1 ,480 mg/L; Kootenai Formation, 558 to 1,550 mg/L; Colorado Group , 2,690 and 2,740 mg/L (two samples); and unconsolidated Quaternary deposits, 383 to 2,060 mg/L. The chemical quality of water from the Colorado Group in the western one-third of the area generally is more mineralized than water from aquifers in the rest of the area. Specific conductance of water from eight wells completed in the Colorado Group averages 4,440 micromhos at 25 C

  2. More wells will expand knowledge of Knox group, Black Warrior basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Raymond, Dorothy E.

    1991-01-01

    The Cambrian-Ordovician Knox group of the Black Warrior basin in Alabama and Mississippi has attracted the interest of the oil industry because of recent significant discoveries of oil and gas in the age-equivalent Arbuckle group carbonates of the Arkoma, Ardmore, and Anadarko basins of Oklahoma. The geologic setting of these areas is described. Oil and gas potential is assessed and the Knox production history is given. Source rock potential is outlined.

  3. Water resources of the Minnesota River-Hawk Creek watershed, southwestern Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Van Voast, Wayne A.; Broussard, W.L.; Wheat, D.E.

    1972-01-01

    The Minnesota River – Hawk Creek watershed is located in southwestern Minnesota. The watershed has an area of 1,479 square miles and is drained along its southwestern edge by the Minnesota River (Minnesota Division of Waters, 1959). The major watercourse within the watershed is Hawk Creek, having a drainage area of 510 square miles. Other, shorter streams drain into the Minnesota River but are mostly ephemeral. The watershed has a gently undulating land surface formed on glacial deposits. Directly underlying the glacial deposits in most of the area are Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. Paleozoic and Precambrian rocks are also locally in contact with overlying glacial deposits. Beds of sand and gravel buried at various depths within the glacial deposits are generally thin and discomtinuous but are the most accessible and widely used aquifers in the watershed. Beds of poorly consolidated sandstone in the Cretaceous rocks are locally good aquifers, generally yielding softer water, but in lesser quantities, than aquifers in the overlying glacial deposits. In the eastern part of the watershed, aquifers in Paleozoic and Precambrian sedimentary rocks are capable of high yields to wells and contain water of similar quality to water in the overlying Cretaceous and glacial deposits.

  4. Geologic map and profiles of the north wall of the Snake River Canyon, Bliss, Hagerman, and Tuttle quadrangles, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Covington, H.R.; Weaver, Jean N.

    1990-01-01

    The Snake River Plain is a broad, arcuate region of low relief that extends more than 300 mi across southern Idaho. The Snake River enters the plain near Idaho Falls and flows westward along the southern margin of the eastern Snake River Plain (fig. 1), a position mainly determined by the basaltic lava flows that erupted near the axis of the plain. The highly productive Snake River Plain aquifer north of the Snake River underlies most of the eastern plain. The aquifer is composed of basaltic rocks that are interbedded with fluvial and lacustrine sedimentary rocks. The top of the aquifer (water table) is typically less than 500 ft below the land surface, but is deeper than 1,000 ft in a few areas. The Snake River has excavated a canyon into the nearly flat-lying basaltic and sedimentary rocks of the eastern Snake River Plain between Milner Dam and King Hill (fig. 2), a distance of almost 90 mi. For much of its length the canyon wall as springs of variable size, spacing, and altitude. Geologic controls on springs are of importance because nearly 60 percent of the aquifer's discharge occurs as spring flow along this reach of the canyon. This report is one of several that describes the geologic occurrence of springs along the northern wall of the Snake River canyon from Milner Dam to King Hill (fig. 1). To understand the local geologic controls on springs, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a geologic mapping project as part of their Snake River Plain Regional Aquifer System-Analysis Program. Objectives of the project were (1) to prepare a geologic map of a strip of land immediately north of the Snake River canyon, (2) to map the geology of the north canyon wall in profile, (3) to locate spring occurrences along the north side of the Snake River between Milner Dam and King Hill, and (4) to estimate spring discharge from the north wall of the canyon.

  5. Characterization of meter-scale spatial variability of riverbed hydraulic conductivity in a lowland river (Aa River, Belgium)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghysels, Gert; Benoit, Sien; Awol, Henock; Jensen, Evan Patrick; Debele Tolche, Abebe; Anibas, Christian; Huysmans, Marijke

    2018-04-01

    An improved general understanding of riverbed heterogeneity is of importance for all groundwater modeling studies that include river-aquifer interaction processes. Riverbed hydraulic conductivity (K) is one of the main factors controlling river-aquifer exchange fluxes. However, the meter-scale spatial variability of riverbed K has not been adequately mapped as of yet. This study aims to fill this void by combining an extensive field measurement campaign focusing on both horizontal and vertical riverbed K with a detailed geostatistical analysis of the meter-scale spatial variability of riverbed K . In total, 220 slug tests and 45 standpipe tests were performed at two test sites along the Belgian Aa River. Omnidirectional and directional variograms (along and across the river) were calculated. Both horizontal and vertical riverbed K vary over several orders of magnitude and show significant meter-scale spatial variation. Horizontal K shows a bimodal distribution. Elongated zones of high horizontal K along the river course are observed at both sections, indicating a link between riverbed structures, depositional environment and flow regime. Vertical K is lognormally distributed and its spatial variability is mainly governed by the presence and thickness of a low permeable organic layer at the top of the riverbed. The absence of this layer in the center of the river leads to high vertical K and is related to scouring of the riverbed by high discharge events. Variograms of both horizontal and vertical K show a clear directional anisotropy with ranges along the river being twice as large as those across the river.

  6. Water-quality characteristics of quaternary unconsolidated-deposit aquifers and lower tertiary aquifers of the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana, 1999-2001

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartos, Timothy T.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Norris, Jody R.; Gamper, Merry E.; Hallberg, Laura L.

    2004-01-01

    As part of the Yellowstone River Basin National Water Quality Assessment study, ground-water samples were collected from Quaternary unconsolidated-deposit and lower Tertiary aquifers in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming and Montana from 1999 to 2001. Samples from 54 wells were analyzed for physical characteristics, major ions, trace elements, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, radionuclides, pesticide compounds, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to evaluate current water-quality conditions in both aquifers. Water-quality samples indicated that waters generally were suitable for most uses, and that natural conditions, rather than the effects of human activities, were more likely to limit uses of the waters. Waters in both types of aquifers generally were highly mineralized, and total dissolved-solids concentrations frequently exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 500 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Because of generally high mineralization, waters from nearly one-half of the samples from Quaternary aquifers and more than one-half of the samples from lower Tertiary aquifers were not classified as fresh (dissolved-solids concentration were not less than 1,000 mg/L). The anions sulfate, fluoride, and chloride were measured in some ground-water samples at concentrations greater than SMCLs. Most waters from the Quaternary aquifers were classified as very hard (hardness greater than 180 mg/L), but hardness varied much more in waters from the lower Tertiary aquifers and ranged from soft (less than 60 mg/L) to very hard (greater than 180 mg/L). Major-ion chemistry varied with dissolved-solids concentrations. In both types of aquifers, the predominant anion changes from bicarbonate to sulfate with increasing dissolved-solids concentrations. Samples from Quaternary aquifers with fresh waters generally were calcium-bicarbonate, calcium-sodium-bicarbonate, and calcium-sodium-sulfate-bicarbonate type waters, whereas

  7. Hydrogeologic framework and geochemistry of the intermediate aquifer system in parts of Charlotte, De Soto, and Sarasota counties, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Torres, A.E.; Sacks, L.A.; Yobbi, D.K.; Knochenmus, L.A.; Katz, B.G.

    2001-01-01

    The hydrogeologic framework underlying the 600-square-mile study area in Charlotte, De Soto, and Sarasota Counties, Florida, consists of the surficial aquifer system, the intermediate aquifer system, and the Upper Floridan aquifer. The hydrogeologic framework and the geochemical processes controlling ground-water composition were evaluated for the study area. Particular emphasis was given to the analysis of hydrogeologic and geochemical data for the intermediate aquifer system. Flow regimes are not well understood in the intermediate aquifer system; therefore, hydrogeologic and geochemical information were used to evaluate connections between permeable zones within the intermediate aquifer system and between overlying and underlying aquifer systems. Knowledge of these connections will ultimately help to protect ground-water quality in the intermediate aquifer system. The hydrogeology was interpreted from lithologic and geophysical logs, water levels, hydraulic properties, and water quality from six separate well sites. Water-quality samples were collected from wells located along six ground-water flow paths and finished at different depth intervals. The selection of flow paths was based on current potentiometric-surface maps. Ground-water samples were analyzed for major ions; field parameters (temperature, pH, specific conductance, and alkalinity); stable isotopes (deuterium, oxygen-18, and carbon-13); and radioactive isotopes (tritium and carbon-14). The surficial aquifer system is the uppermost aquifer, is unconfined, relatively thin, and consists of unconsolidated sand, shell, and limestone. The intermediate aquifer system underlies the surficial aquifer system and is composed of clastic sediments interbedded with carbonate rocks. The intermediate aquifer system is divided into three permeable zones, the Tamiami/Peace River zone (PZ1), the Upper Arcadia zone (PZ2), and the Lower Arcadia zone (PZ3). The Tamiami/Peace River zone (PZ1) is the uppermost zone and is

  8. Regional Risk Assessment for climate change impacts on coastal aquifers.

    PubMed

    Iyalomhe, F; Rizzi, J; Pasini, S; Torresan, S; Critto, A; Marcomini, A

    2015-12-15

    Coastal aquifers have been identified as particularly vulnerable to impacts on water quantity and quality due to the high density of socio-economic activities and human assets in coastal regions and to the projected rising sea levels, contributing to the process of saltwater intrusion. This paper proposes a Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) methodology integrated with a chain of numerical models to evaluate potential climate change-related impacts on coastal aquifers and linked natural and human systems (i.e., wells, river, agricultural areas, lakes, forests and semi-natural environments). The RRA methodology employs Multi Criteria Decision Analysis methods and Geographic Information Systems functionalities to integrate heterogeneous spatial data on hazard, susceptibility and risk for saltwater intrusion and groundwater level variation. The proposed approach was applied on the Esino River basin (Italy) using future climate hazard scenarios based on a chain of climate, hydrological, hydraulic and groundwater system models running at different spatial scales. Models were forced with the IPCC SRES A1B emission scenario for the period 2071-2100 over four seasons (i.e., winter, spring, summer and autumn). Results indicate that in future seasons, climate change will cause few impacts on the lower Esino River valley. Groundwater level decrease will have limited effects: agricultural areas, forests and semi-natural environments will be at risk only in a region close to the coastline which covers less than 5% of the total surface of the considered receptors; less than 3.5% of the wells will be exposed in the worst scenario. Saltwater intrusion impact in future scenarios will be restricted to a narrow region close to the coastline (only few hundred meters), and thus it is expected to have very limited effects on the Esino coastal aquifer with no consequences on the considered natural and human systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Effect of activities at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory on the water quality of the Snake River Plain aquifer in the Magic Valley study

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartholomay, Roy C.

    1998-01-01

    Radiochemical and chemical constituents in wastewater generated at facilities of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) (figure 1) have been discharged to waste-disposal ponds and wells since the early 1950 s. Public concern has been expressed that some of these constituents could migrate through the Snake River Plain aquifer to the Snake River in the Twin Falls-Hagerman area Because of these concerns the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conduct three studies to gain a greater understanding of the chemical quality of water in the aquifer. One study described a one-time sampling effort for radionuclides, trace elements, and organic compounds in the eastern part of the A&B Irrigation District in Minidoka County (Mann and Knobel, 1990). Another ongoing study involves sampling for tritium from 19 springs on the north side of the Snake River in the Twin Falls-Hagerman area (Mann, 1989; Mann and Low, 1994). A third study an ongoing annual sampling effort in the area between the southern boundary of the INEEL and Hagerman (figure 1) (hereafter referred to as the Magic Valley study area), is being conducted with the Idaho Department of Water Resources in cooperation with the DOE. Data for a variety of radiochemical and chemical constituents from this study have been published by Wegner and Campbell (1991); Bartholomay, Edwards, and Campbell (1992, 1993, 1994a, 1994b); and Bartholomay, Williams, and Campbell (1995, 1996, 1997b). Data discussed in this fact sheet were taken from these reports. An evaluation of data collected during the first four years of this study (Bartholomay Williams, and Campbell, 1997a) showed no pattern of water-quality change for radionuclide data as concentrations randomly increased or decreased. The inorganic constituent data showed no statistical change between sample rounds.

  10. Simulated effects of water-level changes in the Mississippi River and Pokegama Reservoir on ground-water levels, Grand Rapids area, Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jones, Perry M.

    2005-01-01

    The extent of aquifer water-level changes resulting from these river, wetland, and lake water-level changes varied because of the complex hydrogeology of the study area. A 1.00-foot decline in reservoir/river water levels caused a maximum simulated ground-water-level decline in the middle aquifer near Jay Gould and Little Jay Gould Lakes of 1.09 feet and a maximum simulated ground-water-level decline of 1.00 foot in the lower aquifer near Cut-off and Blackwater Lakes. The amount and extent of ground-water-level changes in the middle and lower aquifers can be explained by the thickness, extent, and connectivity of the aquifers. Surface-water/ground-water interactions near wetlands and lakes with water levels unchanged from the calibrated model resulted in small water-table altitude differences among the simulations. Results of the ground-water modeling indicate that lowering of the reservoir and river water levels by 1.00 foot likely will not substantially affect water levels in the middle and lower aquifers.

  11. Influence of geology on groundwater-sediment interactions in arsenic enriched tectono-morphic aquifers of the Himalayan Brahmaputra river basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Verma, Swati; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Mahanta, Chandan; Choudhury, Runti; Mitra, Kaushik

    2016-09-01

    The present study interprets the groundwater solute chemistry, hydrogeochemical evolution, arsenic (As) enrichment and aquifer characterization in Brahmaputra River Basin (BRB) involving three geologically and tectono-morphically distinct regions located in northeastern India. These study regions consist of the northwestern (NW) and the northern (N) region, both located along the western and eastern parts of Eastern Himalayas and the southern (S) region (near Indo-Burmese Range and Naga hills) of the Brahmaputra basin which show distinct tectonic settings and sediment provenances in the Himalayan orogenic belt. Stable isotopic composition (δ2H and δ18O) in groundwater suggests that some evaporation may have taken place through recharging of ground water in the study areas. The major-ion composition shows that groundwater composition of the NW and N parts are between Casbnd HCO3 and Casbnd Nasbnd HCO3 while the S-region is dominated by Nasbnd Casbnd HCO3 hydrochemical facies. The major mineralogical composition of aquifer sediments indicates the dominant presence of iron(Fe)-oxide and oxyhydroxides, mica (muscovite and biotite), feldspar, pyroxene, amphibole, abundance of quartz and clay minerals whereas clay is predominantly present in sediments of S-aquifers. These mafic minerals, aluminosilicates and clay minerals might offer available reactive surface for As-adsorption and co-precipitatation with amorphous Fe. These associated adsorbed and co-precipitated As might be released due to reductive dissolution of Fe-oxide and oxyhydroxides in groundwater. These minerals are assumed to be possible sources of As in groundwater. The stability diagrams of groundwater data suggest that solute might have been introduced into groundwater from weathering of K-feldspar, plagioclase, pyroxene of Himalayan rocks, the Siwalik Group and Eastern Syntaxes in NW and N-regions. However, basic cations might be derived from weathering of K-feldspar, plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine

  12. Hydrogeology and water quality of the shallow aquifer system at the Explosive Experimental Area, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Site, Dahlgren, Virginia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bell, C.F.

    1996-01-01

    In October 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey began a study to characterize the hydrogeology of the shallow aquifer system at the Explosive Experimental Area, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Site, Dahlgren, Virginia, which is located on the Potomac River in the Coastal Plain Physiographic Province. The study provides a description of the hydrogeologic units, directions of ground-water flow, and back-ground water quality in the study area to a depth of about 100 feet. Lithologic, geophysical, and hydrologic data were collected from 28 wells drilled for this study, from 3 existing wells, and from outcrops. The shallow aquifer system at the Explosive Experimental Area consists of two fining-upward sequences of Pleistocene fluvial-estuarine deposits that overlie Paleocene-Eocene marine deposits of the Nanjemoy-Marlboro confining unit. The surficial hydrogeologic unit is the Columbia aquifer. Horizontal linear flow of water in this aquifer generally responds to the surface topography, discharging to tidal creeks, marshes, and the Potomac River, and rates of flow in this aquifer range from 0.003 to 0.70 foot per day. The Columbia aquifer unconformably overlies the upper confining unit 12-an organic-rich clay that is 0 to 55 feet thick. The upper confining unit conformably overlies the upper confined aquifer, a 0- to 35-feet thick unit that consists of interbedded fine-grained to medium-grained sands and clay. The upper confined aquifer probably receives most of its recharge from the adjacent and underlying Nanjemoy-Marlboro confining unit. Water in the upper confined aquifer generally flows eastward, northward, and northeastward at about 0.03 foot per day toward the Potomac River and Machodoc Creek. The Nanjemoy-Marlboro confining unit consists of glauconitic, fossiliferous silty fine-grained sands of the Nanjemoy Formation. Where the upper confined system is absent, the Nanjemoy-Marlboro confining unit is directly overlain by the Columbia aquifer. In some parts of

  13. Students of Sinte Gleska University Reflect on What It Means to Be a Warrior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rykaczewski Carriere, Lauren Grace

    2011-01-01

    This study developed after hearing Gerard Baker, the first Native American to serve as a National Park Superintendent, state that he "was not a warrior" when he was unsuccessful in college the first time (G. Baker, International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership [IPSL] conference presentation, October 18, 2005). The purpose…

  14. Tracking groundwater discharge to a large river using tracers and geophysics.

    PubMed

    Harrington, Glenn A; Gardner, W Payton; Munday, Tim J

    2014-01-01

    Few studies have investigated large reaches of rivers in which multiple sources of groundwater are responsible for maintaining baseflow. This paper builds upon previous work undertaken along the Fitzroy River, one of the largest perennial river systems in north-western Australia. Synoptic regional-scale sampling of both river water and groundwater for a suite of environmental tracers ((4) He, (87) Sr/(86) Sr, (222) Rn and major ions), and subsequent modeling of tracer behavior in the river, has enabled definition and quantification of groundwater input from at least three different sources. We show unambiguous evidence of both shallow "local" groundwater, possibly recharged to alluvial aquifers beneath the adjacent floodplain during recent high-flow events, and old "regional" groundwater introduced via artesian flow from deep confined aquifers. We also invoke hyporheic exchange and either bank return flow or parafluvial flow to account for background (222) Rn activities and anomalous chloride trends along river reaches where there is no evidence of the local or regional groundwater inputs. Vertical conductivity sections acquired through an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey provide insights to the architecture of the aquifers associated with these sources and general groundwater quality characteristics. These data indicate fresh groundwater from about 300 m below ground preferentially discharging to the river, at locations consistent with those inferred from tracer data. The results demonstrate how sampling rivers for multiple environmental tracers of different types-including stable and radioactive isotopes, dissolved gases and major ions-can significantly improve conceptualization of groundwater-surface water interaction processes, particularly when coupled with geophysical techniques in complex hydrogeological settings. © 2013, National Ground Water Association.

  15. Water resources of the Yellow Medicine River Watershed, Southwestern Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Novitzki, R.P.; Van Voast, Wayne A.; Jerabek, L.A.

    1969-01-01

    The Yellow Medicine and Minnesota Rivers are the major sources of surface water. For physiographic regions – Upland Plain, Slope, Lowland Plain, and Minnesota River Flood Plain – influence surface drainage, and the flow of ground water through the aquifers. The watershed comprises 1070 square miles, including the drainage basin of the Yellow Medicine River (665 square miles) and 405 square miles drained by small streams tributary to the Minnesota River.

  16. Geochemical and statistical evidence of recharge, mixing, and controls on spring discharge in an eogenetic karst aquifer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moore, Paul J.; Martin, Jonathan B.; Screaton, Elizabeth J.

    2009-10-01

    SummaryInformation about sources of recharge, distributions of flow paths, and the extent of water-rock reactions in karst aquifers commonly result from monitoring spring chemistry and discharge. To investigate the relationship between spring characteristics and the complexities of karst aquifers, we couple variations in surface- and groundwater chemistry to physical conditions including river stage, precipitation, and evapotranspiration (ET) within a sink-rise system through a 6-km portion of the Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA) in north-central Florida. Principal component analysis (PCA) of time series major-element compositions suggests that at least three sources of water affect spring discharge, including allogenic recharge into a swallet, diffuse recharge through a thin vadose zone, and water upwelling from deep within the aquifer. The deep-water source exerts the strongest influence on water chemistry by providing a majority of Na +, Mg 2+, K +, Cl -, and SO42- to the system. Anomalously high temperature at one of several monitoring wells reflects vertical flow of about 1 m/year. Mass-balance calculations suggest diffuse recharge and deep-water upwelling can provide up to 50% of the spring discharge; however, their contributions depend on head gradients between the conduit and surrounding aquifer matrix, which are influenced by variations in precipitation, ET, and river stage. Our results indicate that upwelling from deep flow paths may provide significant contributions of water to spring discharge, and that monitoring only springs limits interpretations of karst systems by masking critical components of the aquifer, such as water sources and flow paths. These results also suggest the matrix in eogenetic aquifers is a major pathway for flow even in a system dominated by conduits.

  17. Artificial sweeteners as waste water markers in a shallow unconfined aquifer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bichler, Andrea; Muellegger, Christian; Hofmann, Thilo

    2013-04-01

    One key factor in groundwater quality management is the knowledge of flow paths and recharge. In coupled ground- and surface water systems the understanding of infiltration processes is therefore of paramount importance. Recent studies show that artificial sweeteners - which are used as sugar substitutes in food and beverages - are suitable tracers for domestic wastewater in the aquatic environment. As most rivers receive sewage discharges, artificial sweeteners might be used for tracking surface waters in groundwater. In this study artificial sweeteners are used in combination with conventional tracers (inert anions Cl-, SO42-, stable water isotopes δ18O, δ2H) to identify river water infiltration and the influence of waste water on a shallow unconfined aquifer used for drinking water production. The investigation area is situated in a mesoscale alpine head water catchment. The alluvial aquifer consists of quaternary gravel deposits and is characterized by high hydraulic permeability (kfmax 5 x 10-2 ms-1), high flow velocities (vmax 250 md-1) and a considerable productivity (2,5 m3s-1). A losing stream follows the aquifer in close proximity and is susceptible to infiltrate substantial volumes of water into the alluvial sediments. Water sampling campaigns in March and July 2012 confirmed the occurrence of artificial sweeteners (Acesulfam ACE, Sucralose SUC, Saccharin SAC and Cyclamat CYC) at the investigated site. The local sewage treatment plant was identified as point source of artificial sweeteners in the river water, with ACE concentrations up to 0,6 μgL-1. ACE concentrations in groundwater where approximately of one order of magnitude lower: ACE was present in 33 out of 40 sampled groundwater wells with concentrations up to 0,07 μgL-1, thus indicating considerable influence of sewage water loaded surface water throughout the aquifer. Elevated concentrations of ACE and SAC in single observation wells denote other sources of locally limited contamination

  18. Geochemical Effects of Induced Stream-Water and Artificial Recharge on the Equus Beds Aquifer, South-Central Kansas, 1995-2004

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schmidt, Heather C. Ross; Ziegler, Andrew C.; Parkhurst, David L.

    2007-01-01

    Artificial recharge of the Equus Beds aquifer is part of a strategy implemented by the city of Wichita, Kansas, to preserve future water supply and address declining water levels in the aquifer of as much as 30 feet caused by withdrawals for water supply and irrigation since the 1940s. Water-level declines represent a diminished water supply and also may accelerate migration of saltwater from the Burrton oil field to the northwest and the Arkansas River to the southwest into the freshwater of the Equus Beds aquifer. Artificial recharge, as a part of the Equus Beds Ground-Water Recharge Project, involves capturing flows larger than base flow from the Little Arkansas River and recharging the water to the Equus Beds aquifer by means of infiltration or injection. The geochemical effects on the Equus Beds aquifer of induced stream-water and artificial recharge at the Halstead and Sedgwick sites were determined through collection and analysis of hydrologic and water-quality data and the application of statistical, mixing, flow and solute-transport, and geochemical model simulations. Chloride and atrazine concentrations in the Little Arkansas River and arsenic concentrations in ground water at the Halstead recharge site frequently exceeded regulatory criteria. During 30 percent of the time from 1999 through 2004, continuous estimated chloride concentrations in the Little Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead exceeded the Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation of 250 milligrams per liter established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chloride concentrations in shallow monitoring wells located adjacent to the stream exceeded the drinking-water criterion five times from 1995 through 2004. Atrazine concentrations in water sampled from the Little Arkansas River had large variability and were at or near the drinking-water Maximum Contaminant Level of 3.0 micrograms per liter as an annual average established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Atrazine

  19. Seasonal Hydrologic Controls on Uranium and Iron Biogeochemistry in a Riparian Aquifer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilkins, M.; Williams, K. H.; Danczak, R. E.; Yabusaki, S.; Fang, Y.; Hobson, C.

    2015-12-01

    The maintenance of geochemically reducing conditions is generally optimal for the formation and preservation of reduced metals and mineral phases that can limit contaminant fate and transport. At a riparian aquifer near Rifle, CO, we tracked over six months the biogeochemical response within the aquifer to an annual pulse of dissolved oxygen (DO) that results from snowmelt-driven changes in Colorado River stage. In reduced portions of the aquifer (naturally reduced zones; NRZs) the re-oxidation of abundant iron sulfide minerals was the dominant oxygen-consuming process, and resulted in little DO intrusion into the deeper aquifer. In less reduced areas, DO intruded through the entire vertical profile of the aquifer. Across both regions, these perturbations resulted in changes to the microbial community structure, and aqueous metal pools. Two potentially different mechanisms of uranium mobilization were observed; (1) re-oxidation of reduced U(IV) phases in response to DO intrusion, and (2) mobilization of U(VI) from the vadose zone during water table rise. This high-resolution, long-term monitoring of aquifer biogeochemistry at the Rifle site has revealed dynamic microbial and geochemical responses to predictable, annual hydrologic perturbations, and offers an opportunity to further refine modeling approaches for such regions.

  20. Integrating borehole logs and aquifer tests in aquifer characterization

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Paillet, Frederick L.; Reese, R.S.

    2000-01-01

    Integration of lithologic logs, geophysical logs, and hydraulic tests is critical in characterizing heterogeneous aquifers. Typically only a limited number of aquifer tests can be performed, and these need to be designed to provide hydraulic properties for the principle aquifers in the system. This study describes the integration of logs and aquifer tests in the development of a hydrostratigraphic model for the surficial aquifer system in and around Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County, Florida. Borehole flowmeter tests provide qualitative permeability profiles in most of 26 boreholes drilled in the Study area. Flow logs indicate the depth of transmissive units, which are correlated across the study area. Comparison to published studies in adjacent areas indicates that the main limestone aquifer of the 000000Tamiami Formation in the study area corresponds with the gray limestone aquifer in western Dade County and the water table and lower Tamiami Aquifer in western Collier County. Four strategically located, multiwell aquifer tests are used to quantify the qualitative permeability profiles provided by the flowmeter log analysis. The hydrostratigraphic model based on these results defines the main aquifer in the central part of the study area as unconfined to semiconfined with a transmissivity as high as 30,000 m2/day. The aquifer decreases in transmissivity to less than 10,000 m2/day in some parts of western Collier County, and becomes confined to the east and northeast of the study area, where transmissivity decreases to below 5000 m2/day.Integration of lithologic logs, geophysical logs, and hydraulic tests is critical in characterizing heterogeneous aquifers. Typically only a limited number of aquifer tests can be performed, and these need to be designed to provide hydraulic properties for the principle aquifers in the system. This study describes the integration of logs and aquifer tests in the development of a hydrostratigraphic model for the

  1. Lessons learned from 350 virtual-reality sessions with warriors diagnosed with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Wood, Dennis Patrick; Wiederhold, Brenda K; Spira, James

    2010-02-01

    Virtual-reality (VR) therapy has been distinguished from other psychotherapy interventions through the use of computer-assisted interventions that rely on the concepts of "immersion," "presence," and "synchrony." In this work, these concepts are defined, and their uses, within the VR treatment architecture, are discussed. VR therapy's emphasis on the incorporation of biofeedback and meditation, as a component of the VR treatment architecture, is also reviewed. A growing body of research has documented VR therapy as a successful treatment for combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The VR treatment architecture, utilized to treat 30 warriors diagnosed with combat-related PTSD, is summarized. Lastly, case summaries of two warriors successfully treated with VR therapy are included to assist with the goal of better understanding a VR treatment architecture paradigm. Continued validation of the VR treatment model is encouraged.

  2. Residence times and mixing of water in river banks: implications for recharge and groundwater - surface water exchange

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Unland, N. P.; Cartwright, I.; Cendón, D. I.; Chisari, R.

    2014-02-01

    The residence time of groundwater within 50 m of the Tambo River, South East Australia, has been estimated through the combined use of 3H and 14C. Groundwater residence times increase towards the Tambo River which implies a gaining river system and not increasing bank storage with proximity to the Tambo River. Major ion concentrations and δ2H and δ18O values of bank water also indicate that bank infiltration does not significantly impact groundwater chemistry under baseflow and post-flood conditions, suggesting that the gaining nature of the river may be driving the return of bank storage water back into the Tambo River within days of peak flood conditions. The covariance between 3H and 14C indicates the leakage and mixing between old (~17 200 yr) groundwater from a semi-confined aquifer and younger groundwater (<100 yr) near the river where confining layers are less prevalent. The presence of this semi-confined aquifer has also been used to help explain the absence of bank storage, as rapid pressure propagation into the semi-confined aquifer during flooding will minimise bank infiltration. This study illustrates the complex nature of river groundwater interactions and the potential downfall in assuming simple or idealised conditions when conducting hydrogeological studies.

  3. Application of the precipitation-runoff model in the Warrior coal field, Alabama

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kidd, Robert E.; Bossong, C.R.

    1987-01-01

    A deterministic precipitation-runoff model, the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System, was applied in two small basins located in the Warrior coal field, Alabama. Each basin has distinct geologic, hydrologic, and land-use characteristics. Bear Creek basin (15.03 square miles) is undisturbed, is underlain almost entirely by consolidated coal-bearing rocks of Pennsylvanian age (Pottsville Formation), and is drained by an intermittent stream. Turkey Creek basin (6.08 square miles) contains a surface coal mine and is underlain by both the Pottsville Formation and unconsolidated clay, sand, and gravel deposits of Cretaceous age (Coker Formation). Aquifers in the Coker Formation sustain flow through extended rainless periods. Preliminary daily and storm calibrations were developed for each basin. Initial parameter and variable values were determined according to techniques recommended in the user's manual for the modeling system and through field reconnaissance. Parameters with meaningful sensitivity were identified and adjusted to match hydrograph shapes and to compute realistic water year budgets. When the developed calibrations were applied to data exclusive of the calibration period as a verification exercise, results were comparable to those for the calibration period. The model calibrations included preliminary parameter values for the various categories of geology and land use in each basin. The parameter values for areas underlain by the Pottsville Formation in the Bear Creek basin were transferred directly to similar areas in the Turkey Creek basin, and these parameter values were held constant throughout the model calibration. Parameter values for all geologic and land-use categories addressed in the two calibrations can probably be used in ungaged basins where similar conditions exist. The parameter transfer worked well, as a good calibration was obtained for Turkey Creek basin.

  4. Groundwater salinization in the Saloum (Senegal) delta aquifer: minor elements and isotopic indicators.

    PubMed

    Faye, Serigne; Maloszewski, Piotr; Stichler, Willibald; Trimborn, Peter; Cissé Faye, Seynabou; Bécaye Gaye, Cheikh

    2005-05-01

    The hydrochemistry of minor elements bromide (Br), boron (B), strontium (Sr), environmental stable isotopes (18O and 2H) together with major-ion chemistry (chloride, sodium, calcium) has been used to constrain the source(s), relative age, and processes of salinization in the Continental Terminal (CT) aquifer in the Saloum (mid-west Senegal) region. Seventy-one groundwater wells which include 24 wells contaminated by saltwater and three sites along the hypersaline Saloum River were sampled to obtain additional information on the hydrochemical characteristics of the groundwater defined in previous studies. Use of Br against Cl confirms the Saloum River saline water intrusion up to a contribution of 7% into the aquifer. In addition to this recent intrusion, a relatively ancient intrusion of the Saloum River water which had reached at least as far as 20 km south from the source was evidenced. The high molar ratio values of Sr/Cl and Sr/Ca indicate an additional input of strontium presumably derived from carbonate precipitation/dissolution reactions and also via adsorption reactions. The variable B concentrations (7-650 microg/L) found in the groundwater samples were tested against the binary mixing model to evaluate the processes of salinization which are responsible for the investigated system. Sorption of B and depletion of Na occur as the Saloum river water intrudes the aquifer (salinization) in the northern part of the region, whereas B desorption and Na enrichment occur as the fresh groundwater flushing displaces the saline waters in the coastal strip (refreshening). In the central zone where ancient intrusion prevailed, the process of freshening of the saline groundwater is indicated by the changes in major-ion chemistry as well as B desorption and Na enrichment. In addition to these processes, stable isotopes reveal that mixing with recently infiltrating waters and evaporation contribute to the changes in isotopic signature.

  5. Tracer tests and the structure of permeability in the Corallian limestone aquifer of northern England, UK

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foley, Aidan; Cachandt, Gerd; Franklin, Janine; Willmore, Fergus; Atkinson, Tim

    2012-05-01

    The Corallian limestone of northern England (UK) is widely exploited for water supplies and exhibits the karstic phenomena of sinking rivers, conduit development and groundwater velocities of several kilometres per day. To test a number of model-derived source protection zones and elucidate contaminant transport mechanisms in the aquifer, three tracer tests were conducted from a set of swallow-holes draining the River Derwent toward public water supply wells in the eastern part of the aquifer. Tracers used included: Enterobacter cloacae (bacteriophage), Photine C (optical brightener), sodium fluorescein (fluorescent dye) and sulphur hexafluoride (dissolved gas), the varying properties of which make them suitable analogues for different types of potential contaminant. Observed tracer transport times and arrival patterns indicate that tracer transport occurs through karstic channels embedded in a network of primary fissures which exert control over tracer concentrations once initial tracer plumes have passed. A dipole flow system is observed between the swallow-holes and the closest abstraction well, whilst previously modelled source protection zones do not accurately reflect either groundwater velocity or those areas of the aquifer supplying the wells. These findings imply that managing such aquifers for potential contamination should rely upon empirical tracer evidence for source-protection zone modelling.

  6. Groundwaters of Florence (Italy): Trace element distribution and vulnerability of the aquifers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bencini, A.; Ercolanelli, R.; Sbaragli, A.; Verrucchi, C.

    1993-11-01

    Geochemical and hydrogeological research has been carried out on 109 wells in the alluvial plain of Florence, in order to evaluate conductivity and main chemistry of ground waters, the pattern of some possible pollutant chemical species (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, NO2, NO3), and the vulnerability of the aquifers. The plain is made up of Plio-Quaternary alluvial and lacustrine sediments for a maximum thickness of 600 m. Silts and clays, sometimes with lenses of sandy gravels, are dominant, while considerable deposits of sands, pebbles, and gravels occur along the course of the Arno river and its tributary streams, and represent the most important aquifer of the plain. The groundwaters analyzed belong to this aquifer or to the smaller ones, hosted in the gravel lenses. Most waters show conductivity values around 1000 1200 μS, and almost all of them have an alkaline-earth-bicarbonate chemical character; these features are consistent with the mainly calcareous lithology of the aquifers. In the western areas a higher salt content of the groundwaters is evident, probably related to the presence of industrial activities which use water desalinators. Heavy metal and NO2, NO3 analyses point out that no important pollution phenomena affect the groundwaters; all the mean values of the chemical considered species are below the maximum admissible concentration (MAC) fixed by the European Community for drinkable waters. Nevertheless, some anomalies of NO2, NO3, Fe, Mn, and Zn are present in the plain. Apart from Mn, which seems to be released by certain calcareous gravels, the other anomalies have a local influence, since they disappear even in the nearest wells. The most plausible causes can be recognized in losses of the sewage system (NO2=3 4 mg/t); use of nitrate compounds in agriculture (NO3=60 70 mg/l); oxidation of well pipes (Fe ≈ 20 mg/l; Zn ≈ 6 mg/l). As regards Cr, Cu, and Pb, all the observations are below the MAC; therefore, the median values of < 3, 3.9, and 1

  7. Identifying and quantifying geochemical and mixing processes in the Matanza-Riachuelo Aquifer System, Argentina.

    PubMed

    Armengol, S; Manzano, M; Bea, S A; Martínez, S

    2017-12-01

    The Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin, in the Northeast of the Buenos Aires Province, is one of the most industrialized and populated region in Argentina and it is worldwide known for its alarming environmental degradation. In order to prevent further damages, the aquifer system, which consists of two overlaid aquifers, is being monitored from 2008 by the river basin authority, Autoridad de la Cuenca Matanza-Riachuelo. The groundwater chemical baseline has been established in a previous paper (Zabala et al., 2016), and this one is devoted to the identification of the main physical and hydrogeochemical processes that control groundwater chemistry and its areal distribution. Thirty five representative groundwater samples from the Upper Aquifer and thirty four from the deep Puelche Aquifer have been studied with a multi-tool approach to understand the origin of their chemical and isotopic values. The resulting conceptual model has been validated though hydrogeochemical modeling. Most of the aquifer system has fresh groundwater, but some areas have brackish and salt groundwater. Water recharging the Upper Aquifer is of the Ca-HCO 3 type as a result of soil CO 2 and carbonate dissolution. Evapotranspiration plays a great role concentrating recharge water. After recharge, groundwater becomes Na-HCO 3 , mostly due to cation exchange with Na release and Ca uptake, which induces calcite dissolution. Saline groundwaters exist in the lower and upper sectors of the basin as a result of Na-HCO 3 water mixing with marine water of different origins. In the upper reaches, besides mixing with connate sea water other sources of SO 4 exist, most probably gypsum and/or sulfides. This work highlights the relevance of performing detailed studies to understand the processes controlling groundwater chemistry at regional scale. Moreover, it is a step forward in the knowledge of the aquifer system, and provides a sound scientific basis to design effective management programs and recovery plans

  8. Hydrology of the Ogallala aquifer in Ford County, southwestern Kansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Spinazola, J.M.; Dealy, M.T.

    1983-01-01

    The rapid increase of ground-water withdrawal has caused concern over the future use of the Ogallala aquifer, the principal source of water in Ford County, in southwestern Kansas. Saturated portions of deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age--excluding the Arkansas River alluvium--form the Ogallala aquifer. Saturated thickness of the Ogallala ranged from 0 to about 350 feet on the downthrown side of the Crooked Creek-Fowler fault and from 0 to about 120 feet on the upthrown side. Ground-water withdrawal was calculated by two methods. The time-discharge method computed withdrawal of about 81,000 acre-feet during 1980 and about 58,000 acre-feet during 1981. The irrigation-requirement method computed withdrawal of about 121,000 acre-feet during 1980 and about 131,000 acre-feet during 1981. Results from the irrigation-requirement method are probably closer to the actual amount of ground-water withdrawal because of problems encountered when applying the time-dischargemethod. Water-level declines between 1939 and 1981 ranged from about 10 to 50 feet. Water withdrawal from the Ogallala aquifer depleted the volume of water in storage by about 688,000 acre-feet (8 percent) during this same period. If withdrawals continue to the point where the water table drops below the top of the bedrock surface on the upthrown side of the Crooked Creek-Fowler fault, base flow in the Arkansas River could cease. (USGS)

  9. Characteristics of streams and aquifers and processes affecting the salinity of water in the upper Colorado River basin, Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Slade, R.M.; Buszka, P.M.

    1994-01-01

    The chemical characteristics of the saline water in streams and shallow aquifers in the study area were compared to characteristics of water that would result from the probable processes affecting the salinity of water, such as evapotranspiration, mineral dissolution, and mixing of water from streams and shallow-aquifer water with brines from deep aquifers. Dissolution of halite or mixing with deep-aquifer water was the most common cause of increased salinity in 48.0 percent of 77 water samples from shallow aquifers, as classified using salt-norm analysis; the second most common cause was the weathering and dissolution of sulfur-bearing minerals. Mixing with water from soil-mineral dissolution was classified as the principal source of chloride in 28.4 percent of 67 water samples from shallow aquifers with nitrate determinations. Trace-species/chloride ratios indicated that mixing with water from deep aquifers in rocks of the Pennsylvanian System was the principal source of chloride in 24.4 percent of 45 shallow-aquifer samples lacking nitrate determinations.

  10. Herbicides and herbicide degradates in shallow groundwater and the Cedar River near a municipal well field, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Boyd, R.A.

    2000-01-01

    Water samples were collected near a Cedar Rapids, Iowa municipal well field from June 1998 to August 1998 and analyzed for selected triazine and acetanilide herbicides and degradates. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of herbicides and herbicide degradates in the well field during a period following springtime application of herbicides to upstream cropland. The well field is in an alluvial aquifer adjacent to the Cedar River. Parent herbicide concentrations generally were greatest in June, and decreased in July and August. Atrazine was most frequently detected and occurred at the greatest concentrations; acetochlor, cyanazine and metolachlor also were detected, but at lesser concentrations than atrazine. Triazine degradate concentrations were relatively small (<0.50 ??g/l) and generally decreased from June to August. Although the rate of groundwater movement is relatively fast (approx. 1 m per day) in the alluvial aquifer near the Cedar River, deethylatrazine (DEA) to atrazine ratios in groundwater samples collected near the Cedar River indicate that atrazine and DEA probably are gradually transported into the alluvial aquifer from the Cedar River. Deisopropylatrazine (DIA) to DEA ratios in water samples indicate most DIA in the Cedar River and alluvial aquifer is produced by atrazine degradation, although some could be from cyanazine degradation. Acetanilide degradates were detected more frequently and at greater concentrations than their corresponding parent herbicides. Ethanesulfonic-acid (ESA) degradates comprised at least 80% of the total acetanilide-degradate concentrations in samples collected from the Cedar River and alluvial aquifer in June, July and August; oxanilic acid degradates comprised less than 20% of the total concentrations. ESA-degradate concentrations generally were smallest in June and greater in July and August. Acetanilide degradate concentrations in groundwater adjacent to the Cedar River indicate acetanilide

  11. Hydrogeologic framework and groundwater/surface-water interactions of the South Fork Nooksack River Basin, northwestern Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gendaszek, Andrew S.

    2014-01-01

    A hydrogeologic framework of the South Fork (SF) Nooksack River Basin in northwestern Washington was developed and hydrologic data were collected to characterize the groundwater-flow system and its interaction with surface‑water features. In addition to domestic, agricultural, and commercial uses of groundwater within the SF Nooksack River Basin, groundwater has the potential to provide ecological benefits by maintaining late-summer streamflows and buffering stream temperatures. Cold-water refugia, created and maintained in part by groundwater, have been identified by water-resource managers as key elements to restore the health and viability of threatened salmonids in the SF Nooksack River. The SF Nooksack River drains a 183-square mile area of the North Cascades and the Puget Lowland underlain by unconsolidated glacial and alluvial sediments deposited over older sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous bedrock. The primary aquifer that interacts with the SF Nooksack River was mapped within unconsolidated glacial outwash and alluvial sediment. The lower extent of this unit is bounded by bedrock and fine-grained, poorly sorted unconsolidated glaciomarine and glaciolacustrine sediments. In places, these deposits overlie and confine an aquifer within older glacial sediments. The extent and thickness of the hydrogeologic units were assembled from mapped geologic units and lithostratigraphic logs of field-inventoried wells. Generalized groundwater-flow directions within the surficial aquifer were interpreted from groundwater levels measured in August 2012; and groundwater seepage gains and losses to the SF Nooksack River were calculated from synoptic streamflow measurements made in the SF Nooksack River and its tributaries in September 2012. A subset of the field-inventoried wells was measured at a monthly interval to determine seasonal fluctuations in groundwater levels during water year 2013. Taken together, these data provide the foundation for a future groundwater

  12. Streambed peat lenses as redox-reactivity hotspots in lowland river hyporheic zones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naden, Emma; Krause, Stefan; Cassidy, Nigel

    2010-05-01

    Hyporheic zones, as the direct interfaces between aquifers and rivers, are often characterised by increased redox reactivity and chemical transformation capacity. Depending on redox conditions and reaction types, hyporheic mixing of groundwater and surface water can lead to either attenuation or enrichment of pollutants or nutrients with diametrical implications for in-stream and aquifer hydro-ecological status. This study combines geophysical methods with distributed temperature sensor networks and nested multi-level sampling and analysis of hyporheic redox conditions and nutrient concentrations to investigate the reactive transport of nitrate at the aquifer-river interface of a UK lowland river. In stream Electric Resistivity Tomography and Ground Penetrating Radar (including core based ground truthing) have been applied to map the complex spatial patterns of highly conductive sandy and gravely sediments in contrast to semi-confining, low conductivity peat lenses which have been found to be characteristic for most lowland rivers. Reach scale (1km) spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of aquifer-river exchange have been identified by heat tracer experiments based on fibre-optical Distributed Temperature Sensing techniques combined with vertical thermocouple-arrays for tracing hyporheic flow paths. Spatial patterns of hyporheic redox conditions, dissolved oxygen (DO) and organic carbon (DOC) content as well as concentrations of major anions have been monitored in 48 nested multi-level mini-piezometers. Our investigations indicate that streambed temperature patterns were dominantly controlled by groundwater up-welling, causing cold spots in sandy and gravely sediments with high up-welling rates and low hyporheic residence times and warmer areas at the streambed surface where groundwater - surface water exchange was inhibited by streambed peat lenses. The flow-inhibiting peat structures have been found to cause semi-confined conditions in the up-welling groundwater

  13. An overview of the transboundary aquifers in East Africa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abiye, Tamiru Alemayehu

    2010-11-01

    A transboundary aquifer is a body of groundwater intersected by two or more countries with the potential threat of dispute over a shared groundwater resource. A large portion of the population in East Africa relies on surface water resources for day-to-day activities; in turn, this is dependent on episodic rainfall. Surface water in the region is vulnerable to pollution and potential climate change. Consequently, frequent conflict over the water use is a regular event in the region. This paper examines the transboundary aquifers and their significance for water supply in the six adjacent Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) countries (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti). Analysis of available literature and short field visits to accessible areas were undertaken in order to examine the geology, hydrogeological dynamics, and water use. The geology of the transboundary aquifers is mainly represented by Precambrian basement, Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, Cenozoic volcanics and recent alluvial deposits. Taking into consideration the topographic setting and water circulation, the Ethiopian highlands are the major sources of recharge to the transboundary aquifers of the adjacent countries. The surface runoff drains through 11 major rivers into the neighbouring countries. The groundwater contained in the transboundary aquifers is yet to receive attention by the various countries, but the future trend is towards exploiting the resources to alleviate water shortages in the region. It is hoped that the systematic development of these groundwater resources would strengthen cooperation in this conflict-dominated region.

  14. Interactions of diffuse and focused allogenic recharge in an eogenetic karst aquifer (Florida, USA)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Langston, Abigail L.; Screaton, Elizabeth J.; Martin, Jonathan B.; Bailly-Comte, Vincent

    2012-06-01

    The karstic upper Floridan aquifer in north-central Florida (USA) is recharged by both diffuse and allogenic recharge. To understand how recharged water moves within the aquifer, water levels and specific conductivities were monitored and slug tests were conducted in wells installed in the aquifer surrounding the Santa Fe River Sink and Rise. Results indicate that diffuse recharge does not mix rapidly within the aquifer but instead flows horizontally. Stratification may be aided by the high matrix porosity of the eogenetic karst aquifer. Purging wells for sample collection perturbed conductivity for several days, reflecting mixing of the stratified water and rendering collection of representative samples difficult. Interpretive numerical simulations suggest that diffuse recharge impacts the intrusion of allogenic water from the conduit by increasing hydraulic head in the surrounding aquifer and thereby reducing influx to the aquifer from the conduit. In turn, the increase of head within the conduits affects flow paths of diffuse recharge by moving newly recharged water vertically as the water table rises and falls. This movement may result in a broad vertical zone of dissolution at the water table above the conduit system, with thinner and more focused water-table dissolution at greater distance from the conduit.

  15. Balancing the Warrior and the Empathic Activist: The Role of the Transgressive Researcher in Environmental Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Macintyre, Thomas; Chaves, Martha

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores the complex relationship between environmental education and researcher activism from the perspective of transgressive learning. With increasing interest within academia for more radical learning-based transformations for confronting sustainability challenges, come calls for more instrumental warrior stances in methodologies…

  16. Delaware River Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fischer, Jeffrey M.

    1999-01-01

    Assessing the quality of water in every location of the Nation would not be practical. Therefore, NAWQA investigations are conducted within 59 selected areas called study units (fig. 1). These study units encompass important river and aquifer systems in the United States and represent the diverse geographic, waterresource, land-use, and water-use characteristics of the Nation. The Delaware River Basin is one of 15 study units in which work began in 1996. Water-quality sampling in the study unit will begin in 1999. This fact sheet provides a brief overview of the NAWQA program, describes the Delaware River Basin study unit, identifies the major water-quality issues in the basin, and documents the plan of study that will be followed during the study-unit investigation.

  17. Assessment of the quality of groundwater and the Little Wind River in the area of a former uranium processing facility on the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming, 1987 through 2010

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ranalli, Anthony J.; Naftz, David L.

    2014-01-01

    In 2010, the U.S Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Wind River Environmental Quality Commission (WREQC), began an assessment of the effectiveness of the existing monitoring network at the Riverton, Wyoming, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) site. The USGS used existing data supplied by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The study was to determine (1) seasonal variations in the direction of groundwater flow in the area of the former uranium processing facility toward the Little Wind River, (2) the extent of contaminated groundwater among the aquifers and between the aquifers and the Little Wind River, (3) whether current monitoring is adequate to establish the effectiveness of natural attenuation for the contaminants of concern, and (4) the influence of groundwater discharged from the sulfuric-acid plant on water quality in the Little Wind River.

  18. Methods and applications of electrical simulation in ground-water studies in the lower Arkansas and Verdigris River Valleys, Arkansas and Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bedinger, M.S.; Reed, J.E.; Wells, C.J.; Swafford, B.F.

    1970-01-01

    The Arkansas River Multiple-Purpose Plan will provide year-round navigation on the Arkansas River from near its mouth to Muskogee, Okla., and on the Verdigris River from Muskogee to Catoosa, Okla. The altered regimen in the Arkansas and Verdigris Rivers will affect ground-water conditions in the adjacent alluvial aquifers. In 1957 the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered into a cooperative agreement for a comprehensive ground-water study of the lower Arkansas and Verdigris River valleys. At the request of the Corps of Engineers, the Geological Survey agreed to provide (1) basic ground-water data before, during, and after construction of the Multiple-Purpose Plan and (2) interpretation and projections of postconstruction ground-water conditions. The data collected were used by the Corps of Engineers in preliminary foundation and excavation estimates and by the Geological Survey as the basis for defining the hydrologic properties of, and the ground-water conditions in, the aquifer. The projections of postconstruction ground-water conditions were used by the Corps of Engineers in the planning, design, construction, and operation of the Multiple-Purpose Plan. Analysis and projections of ground-water conditions were made by use of electrical analog models. These models use the analogy between the flow of electricity in a resistance-capacitance circuit and the flow of a liquid in a porous and permeable medium. Verification provides a test of the validity of the analog to perform as the aquifer would, within the range of historic forces. The verification process consists of simulating the action of historic forces which have acted upon the aquifer and of duplicating the aquifer response with the analog. The areal distribution of accretion can be treated as an unknown and can be determined by analog simulation of the piezometric surface in an aquifer. Comparison of accretion with depth to piezometric surface below land surface shows that

  19. Arsenic control during aquifer storage recovery cycle tests in the Floridan Aquifer.

    PubMed

    Mirecki, June E; Bennett, Michael W; López-Baláez, Marie C

    2013-01-01

    Implementation of aquifer storage recovery (ASR) for water resource management in Florida is impeded by arsenic mobilization. Arsenic, released by pyrite oxidation during the recharge phase, sometimes results in groundwater concentrations that exceed the 10 µg/L criterion defined in the Safe Drinking Water Act. ASR was proposed as a major storage component for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), in which excess surface water is stored during the wet season, and then distributed during the dry season for ecosystem restoration. To evaluate ASR system performance for CERP goals, three cycle tests were conducted, with extensive water-quality monitoring in the Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA) at the Kissimmee River ASR (KRASR) pilot system. During each cycle test, redox evolution from sub-oxic to sulfate-reducing conditions occurs in the UFA storage zone, as indicated by decreasing Fe(2+) /H2 S mass ratios. Arsenic, released by pyrite oxidation during recharge, is sequestered during storage and recovery by co-precipitation with iron sulfide. Mineral saturation indices indicate that amorphous iron oxide (a sorption surface for arsenic) is stable only during oxic and sub-oxic conditions of the recharge phase, but iron sulfide (which co-precipitates arsenic) is stable during the sulfate-reducing conditions of the storage and recovery phases. Resultant arsenic concentrations in recovered water are below the 10 µg/L regulatory criterion during cycle tests 2 and 3. The arsenic sequestration process is appropriate for other ASR systems that recharge treated surface water into a sulfate-reducing aquifer. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  20. Water resources of the Myakka River basin area, southwest Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Joyner, Boyd F.; Sutcliffe, Horace

    1976-01-01

    Ground water in the Myakka River basin area of southwest Floria is obtained from a water-table aquifer and from five zones in an artesian aquifer. Wells in the water-table aquifer yield generally less than 50 gpm and dissolved solids concentration is less than 500 mg/liter except in coastal areas and the peninsula southwest of the Myakka River estuary. Wells in the Venice area that tap zone 1 usually yield less than 30 gmp. The quality of water is good except in the peninsula area. Zone 2 is the most highly developed aquifer in the heavily populated coastal areas. Wells yield as much as 200 gpm. In most areas, water is of acceptable quality. Wells that tap zone 3 yield as much as 500 gmp. Fluoride concentration ranges from 1 to 3.5 mg/liter. Zone 4 yields as much as 1,500 gpm to large diameter wells. Except in the extreme northeastern part of the area water from zone 4 usually contains high concentrations of fluoride and sulfate. Zone 5 is the most productive aquifer in the area, but dissolved solids concentrations usually are too high for public supply except in the extreme northeast. Surface water derived from natural drainage is of good quality except for occasional high color in summer. Most of the streams in the Myakka River basin area have small drainage basins, are of short channel length, and do not yield high volumes of flow. During the dry season, streamflow is maintained by groundwater discharge, and, as a result, chloride, sulfate, and dissolved solids concentrations and the hardness of the water are above drinking water standards for some streams. (Woodard-USGS)