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Geology topics

A. H. Welch

Publications and source records attributed to A. H. Welch.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2008

In situ arsenic removal in an alkaline clastic aquifer

In situ removal of As from ground water used for water supply has been accomplished elsewhere in circum-neutral ground water containing high dissolved Fe(II) concentrations. The objective of this study was to evaluate in situ As ground-water treatment approaches in alkaline ground-water (pH > 8) that contains low dissolved Fe (<a few tens of μg/L). The low dissolved Fe content limits development of significant Fe-oxide and the high-pH limits As adsorption onto Fe-oxide. The chemistries of ground water in the two aquifers studied are similar except for the inorganic As species. Although total inorganic As concentrations were similar, one aquifer has dominantly aqueous As(III) and the other has mostly As(V). Dissolved O 2 , Fe(II), and HCl were added to water and injected into the two aquifers to form Fe-oxide and lower the pH to remove As. Cycles of injection and withdrawal involved varying Fe(II) concentrations in the injectate. The As concentrations in water withdrawn from the two aquifers were as low as 1 and 6 μg/L, with greater As removal from the aquifer containing As(V). However, Fe and Mn concentrations increased to levels greater than US drinking water standards during some of the withdrawal periods. A balance between As removal and maintenance of low Fe and Mn concentrations may be a design consideration if this approach is used for public-supply systems. The ability to lower As concentrations in situ in high-pH ground water should have broad applicability because similar high-As ground water is present in many parts of the world.

Applied Geochemistry↗
USGS2003

Arsenic in ground water: Geochemistry and occurrence

Interest in arsenic in ground water has greatly increased in the past decade because of the increased awareness of human health effects and the costs of avoidance or treatment of ground water supplies used for consumption. The goal of this book is to provide a description of the basic processes that affect arsenic occurrence and transport by providing sufficient background information on arsenic geochemistry and descriptions of hi- arsenic ground water, both affected and unaffected by human activity. An understanding of thermodynamics, adsorption, and the speciation of arsenic in solid phases, which are described in first three chapters, is needed to predict the fate of arsenic in ground water systems. Large-scale and deep movement of ground water can and has redistributed arsenic in the near surface environment, as described in the next two chapters. These large-scale systems can affect large volumes of both ground water and surface water, such as in the Yellowstone system, and can produce mineralised zones that subsequently release arsenic to ground water supplies. Regional identification of high-arsenic ground water and its consumption as described in the next three chapters clearly demonstrates a need for increased wat- quality monitoring, particularly in south and southeast Asia. Chapters 9-11 provide examples of high arsenic ground water associated with sulfide mineral oxidation and alkaline conditions. Finally, smaller scale studies of the effects of human activities that have produced high-arsenic ground water and methods for attenuation of ground water are presented

Book↗
USGS1998

Factors controlling As and U in shallow ground water, southern Carson Desert, Nevada

Unusually high As and U concentrations (> 100 ??g/L) are widespread in shallow ground water beneath the southern Carson Desert. The high concentrations, which locally exceed 1000 ??g/L, are of concern from a human health standpoint because the shallow ground water is used for domestic supply. Possible affects on wildlife are also of concern because the ground water flows into shallow lakes and marshes within wildlife refuges. Arsenic and U concentrations in ground water of the southern Carson Desert appear to be affected by evaporative concentration, redox reactions, and adsorption. The relation of these elements with Cl suggest that most of the high concentrations can be attributed to evaporative concentration of Carson River water, the primary source of recharge. Some ground water contains higher As and U concentrations that cannot be explained by evaporative concentration alone. Oxidation-reduction reactions, involving metal oxides and sedimentary-organic matter, appear to contribute As, U, inorganic C, Fe and Mn to the ground water. Arsenic in Fe-oxide was confirmed by chemical extraction and is consistent with laboratory adsorption studies. Uranium in both sedimentary-organic C and Fe-oxide coatings has been confirmed by fission tracks and petrographic examination. Arsenic concentrations in the ground water and chemical extracts of aquifer sediments are broadly consistent with adsorption as a control on some dissolved As concentrations. An apparent loss of As from some ground water as evaporative concentration proceeds is consistent with adsorption as a control on As. However, evidence for adsorption should be viewed with caution, because the adsorption model used values for the adsorbent that have not been shown to be valid for the aquifer sediments throughout the southern Carson Desert. Hydrologic and geochemical conditions in the Carson Desert are similar to other areas with high As and U concentrations in ground water, including the Salton Sea basin and southern San Joaquin Valley of California. Hydrologic and geochemical conditions that produced some sandstone-tyPe U-ore deposits, including those in the non-marine, closed-basin sediments of the Morrison Formation near Grants, New Mexico, suggest that the Carson Desert may be a modern analog for those systems.

Applied Geochemistry↗
USGS1996

Geochemistry and isotope hydrology of representative aquifers in the Great Basin region of Nevada, Utah, and adjacent states

This report briefly describes the general quality and chemical character of the ground water, discusses in detail the geochemical and hydrologic processes that produce the chemical and isotopic compositions of water in the two principal types of aquifers (basin fill and carbonate rock), delineates flow systems in carbonate-rock aquifers of southern Nevada, and discusses ground-water ages and flow velocities within the carbonate-rock systems.

Professional Paper↗
USGS1993

Radionuclides in ground water of the Carson River Basin, western Nevada and eastern California, U.S.A.

Ground water is the main source of domestic and public supply in the Carson River Basin. Ground water originates as precipitation primarily in the Sierra Nevada in the western part of Carson and Eagle Valleys, and flows down gradient in the direction of the Carson River through Dayton and Churchill Valleys to a terminal sink in the Carson Desert. Because radionuclides dissolved in ground water can pose a threat to human health, the distribution and sources of several naturally occurring radionuclides that contribute to gross-alpha and gross-beta activities in the study area were investigated. Generally, alpha and beta activities and U concentration increase from the up-gradient to down-gradient hydrographic areas of the Carson River Basin, whereas 222 Rn concentration decreases. Both 226 Ra and 228 Ra concentrations are similar throughout the study area. Alpha and beta activities and U concentration commonly exceed 100 pCi/l in the Carson Desert at the distal end of the flow system. Radon-222 commonly exceeds 2,000 pCi/l in the western part of Carson and Eagle Valleys adjacent to the Sierra Nevada. Radium-226 and 228 Ra concentrations are <5pCi/l. Four ground water samples were analyzed for 210 Po and one sample contained a high concentration of 21 pCi/l. Seven samples were analyzed for 210 Pb; six contained <3pCi/l and one contained 12 pCi/l. Thorium-230 was detected at concentrations of 0.15 and 0.20 pCi/l in two of four samples. Alpha-emitting radionuclides in the ground water originated from the dissolution of U-rich granitic rocks in the Sierra Nevada by CO 2 , oxygenated water. Dissolution of primary minerals, mainly titanite (sphene) in the granitic rocks, releases U to the water. Dissolved U is probably removed from the water by adsorption on Fe- and Mn-oxide coatings on fracture surfaces and fine-grained sediment, by adsorption on organic matter, and by coprecipitation with Fe and Mn oxides. These coated sediments are transported throughout the basin by fluvial processes. Thus, U is transported as dissolved and adsorbed species. A rise in the water table in the Carson Desert because of irrigation has resulted in the oxidation of U-rich organic matter and dissolution of U-bearing coatings on sediments, producing unusually high U concentration in the ground water. Alpha activity in the ground water is almost entirely from the decay of U dissolved in the water. Beta activity in ground water samples is primarily from the decay of 40 K dissolved in the water and ingrowth of 238 U progeny in the sample before analysis. Approximately one-half of the measured beta activity may not be present in ground water in the aquifer, but instead is produced in the sample after collection and before analysis. Potassium-40 is primarily from the dissolution of K-containing minerals, probably K-feldspar and biotite. Radon-222 is primarily from the decay of 226 Ra in the aquifer materials. Radium in the ground water is thought to be mainly from alpha recoil associated with the decay of Th in the aquifer material. Some Ra may be from dissolution (or desorption) or Ra-rich coatings on sediments.

California, Nevada↗
USGS1990

Geothermal resources of the western arm of the Black Rock Desert, northwestern Nevada: Part II, aqueous geochemistry and hydrology

The western arm of the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, includes several distinct hydrothermal systems, some of which exceed 150 C and may exceed 200 C at depth, determined on the basis of chemical geothermometry. The cation composition of the thermal water appears to be controlled by aluminosilicate minerals that are common in other active geothermal systems. Estimates of the equilibrium temperatures at which some mineral pairs are stable, when compared with the more commonly applied geothermometer estimates, indicate that thermodynamic data may be useful for estimating deep aquifer temperatures. Thermal water at Great Boiling and Mud Springs, which has a chloride concentration of about 2,000 mg/L and a total dissolved-solids concentration of 4 ,500 mg/L, appears to have been affected by shallow evapotranspiration in an adjacent playa prior to deep circulation. This model of recharge within the basin floor is distinctly different from models proposed for most other geothermal systems in the northern Great Basin.

Nevada↗
USGS1989

Ground-water-quality assessment of the Carson River basin, Nevada and California: Analysis of available water-quality data through 1987

Data on groundwater quality, hydrogeology, and land and water use for the Carson River basin, Nevada and California were analyzed as part of the U. S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program. The basin consists of six hydrographic areas--a mountainous headwaters area and five downstream areas interconnected by the Carson River. Each valley contains one or more basin-fill aquifers. The data on groundwater quality came from several agencies and were screened to verify site location and to avoid analyses of treated water. The screened data are stored in the U. S. Geological Survey National Water Information System data base. Differences in sample-collection and preservation procedures among some of the data-collection agencies restrict use of the data to a descriptive analysis. Drinking water standards were employed as the basis for evaluating reported concentrations. Frequencies with which primary or secondary standards are exceeded increase from upstream parts of the basin to downstream parts. Primary standards commonly exceeded are fluoride in upstream areas and arsenic and fluoride in downstream areas. Secondary standards commonly exceeded are iron and manganese in upstream areas and chloride, dissolved solids, iron, manganese, and sulfate in downstream areas. The poorer-quality groundwater generally is a result of natural geochemical reactions, rather than the introduction of chemicals by man. Limited data indicate, however , that manmade organic compounds are present, mostly at or near urban land.

California, Nevada↗
USGS1987

Water-quality assessment of the Carson River ground-water basin, Nevada and California; project description

In April 1986, the U.S. Geological Survey began a pilot program to assess the quality of the nation 's surface water and groundwater resources. This program, called the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program, is designed to acquire and interpret information about a wide range of water quality issues. The program is in its early stages and consists of four surface water and three groundwater pilot projects. The objectives of the Carson River basin NAWQA project are described in the context of the national program, the study area and its associated water quality issues, and a proposed study approach. The objectives of the Carson River basin NAWQA project are to: (1) investigate regional groundwater quality; (2) describe relations of groundwater quality to land use, geohydrology, and other pertinent factors; (3) provide a general description of the location, nature and possible causes of selected widespread water quality problems in the project area; and (4) develop new techniques for characterizing regional groundwater quality, especially in arid alluvial basins. There are to be three major phases of the Carson River basin project. The first will consist of compilation and analysis of existing data. The second phase will consist of a regional water quality survey that will produce a consistent set of data that can be used to: (1) define regional quality of groundwater within the Carson River basin; and (2) compare that water quality with other aquifers in the Nation. The third phase will include topical studies that will define groundwater quality in the Carson River basin with respect to certain constituents, either basin wide or within specific areas of concern. (Lantz-PTT)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1986

Shallow subsurface temperature surveys in the Basin and Range province, U.S.A.-I. Review and evaluation

Temperature surveys at depths of 1–2 m have had varying success in geothermal exploration in the Basin and Range province. The most successful surveys have identified patterns of near-surface thermal-fluid flow within areas of less than 2 km 2 . Results have been less consistent in larger areas where zones of hydrothermal upflow are less well known, nongeothermal perturbing factors are significant and lateral variations in shallow subsurface temperature are small. Nongeothermal perturbations can be minimized by use of mean annual temperatures instead of synoptic temperatures, by physically based simulation of ground temperatures or by statistical modeling.

Geothermics↗
USGS1986

Hydrologic, lithologic, and chemical data for sediment in the shallow alluvial aquifer at two sites near Fallon, Churchill County, Nevada, 1984-85

The U.S. Geological Survey collected an extensive amount of hydrogeologic data from the shallow alluvial aquifer at two study sites near Fallon, Nevada, from 1984 though 1985. These data were collected as part of a study to determine the geochemical controls on the mobility of arsenic and other trace elements in shallow groundwater systems. The main study area is approximately 7 miles south of Fallon. A subsidiary study area is about 8 miles east of Fallon. The data collected include lithologic logs and water level altitudes for the augered sampling wells and piezometers, and determinations of arsenic and selenium content, grain size, porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and mineralogy for sediment samples from cores. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1984

Geohydrology, aqueous geochemistry, and thermal regime of the Soda Lakes and Upsal Hogback geothermal systems, Churchill County, Nevada

A flow-routing model of the upper Schoharie Creek basin, New York, was developed and used to simulate high flows at the inlet of the Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir. The flows from Schoharie Creek at Prattsville, the primary source of flow data in the basin, and tributary flows from the six minor basins downstream, are combined and routed along the 9.7 mile reach of the Schoharie Creek between Prattsville and the reservoir inlet. Data from five historic floods were used for model calibration and four for verification. The accuracy of the model as measured by the difference between simulated and observed total flow volumes, is within 14 percent. Results indicate that inflows to the Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir can be predicted approximately 2 hours in advance. One of the historical floods was chosen for additional model testing to assess a hypothetical real-time model application. Total flow-volume errors ranged from 30.2 percent to -9.2 percent. Alternative methods of obtaining hydrologic data for model input are presented for use in the event that standard forms of hydrologic data are unavailable. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗