Geology topics

Edwin Allen Bell

Publications and source records attributed to Edwin Allen Bell.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS1974

Water availability in central Wisconsin — An area of near-surface crystalline rock

Available ground water in much of central Wisconsin is limited to discharge through wells of low yield. Aquifers that yield small amounts of water to wells include fractured crystalline rock at or near surface in the eastern part of the area, sandstone overlying crystalline rock in the southern and western parts, and glacial till that covers the area north and west of the Marshfield moraine. Many wells in crystalline rock yield less than 2 gpm (gallons per minute). About 90 percent of the wells in sandstone and most wells in glacial till yield 5-9.0 gpm. Outwash sand and gravel in segments of some bedrock channels, however, yield large supplies of water to wells. Wells in surficial sand and gravel in the lower valleys of major tributaries to the Wisconsin River yield as much as 450 gpm. Sand and gravel in segments of bedrock channels, many of which were delineated during this project, are covered by till or alluvium; wells in these sand and gravel deposits yield 100-400 gpm. Induced recharge to buried aquifers by infiltration of water through the beds of overlying streams is feasible at six sites within 8 miles of Marshfield. Infiltration through the streambed of Little Eau Pleine River about 7 miles northeast of Marshfield was about 200 gpm when the ground-water level was lowered temporarily. Additional recharge through ponding is possible at other sites. Streamflows in the area generally are not dependable sources of municipal or industrial supplies without storage. Nearly one-third of the flows measured in August 1969 were less than 0.01 cubic foot per second per square mile. Annual flows, however, would provide adequate within-year storage. Chemical quality of water in the area is suitable for most uses. Ground water is hard, contains objectionable concentrations of iron, and locally is high in nitrate content. Surface water has an average dissolved-solids content of about 100 milligrams per liter.

Wisconsin↗

USGS1968

Flow pattern and related chemical quality of ground water in the "500-foot" sand in the Memphis area, Tennessee

The '500-foot' sand is the major source of water supply for the Memphis area. Thick layers of impervious clay above and below the sand confine the water in the aquifer under artesian pressure and also protect the aquifer from contamination. Recharge from rainfall enters the '500-foot' sand in the outcrop, or intake area south and east of Memphis. Recharge from other aquifers enters the sand wherever the confining beds are breached or absent. Some of the recharge that enters the '500-foot' sand in eastern Arkansas moves down the gradients created by pumping in the Memphis area. All discharge from the '500-foot' sand in the Memphis area results from well pumping. Since 1886 continuous withdrawals at gradually increasing rates of pumping have lowered water levels and altered hydraulic gradients in the area. These withdrawals have resulted in changes in direction and velocity of movement of water through the '500-foot' sand. Water in the sand in the southeaster n part of the Memphis area normally moves from the (outcrop area east and south of Memphis northwestward toward points of withdrawal. In the northwestern part of the area, water moves southeastward toward points of withdrawal. A flow-net analysis of the aquifer shows that the rate of water movement through the '500-foot' sand in 1964, toward the major cones of depression in the Memphis area, was about 350 feet per year, or 1 mile in 15 years. A flow-net analysis projected for the year 1975 indicates the rate will increase by about 20 percent in the 12-year period 1964-75. Water in the '500-foot' sand in the Memphis area is generally a calcium magnesium sodium bicarbonate type. It is soft, low in dissolved solids, high in concentrations of iron and carbon dioxide, and slightly to moderately corrosive. The softest and least mineralized water occurs in the southeastern part of the area, and the water becomes slightly harder and more mineralized as it moves downdip toward Memphis. The hardest and most mineralized water occurs in the northwestern part of the area. The variations in chemical quality of water en route through the '500-foot' sand are virtually proportional to increases or decreases of the major chemical constituents. The variations are chiefly attributed to the mixing or blending of water from different directions or sources of recharge as wells are pumped. As water levels are lowered by continuous pumping in the future, increasing rates of recharge from the outcrop areas and from shallow aquifers will probably cause little, if any, change in chemical quality of the water. Certainly, the effects on quality are not expected to be detrimental. Although future changes in chemical quality of water in the '500-foot' sand in the Memphis area will probably be neither intense nor extensive, some changes can be anticipated as a result of man's activities associated with the continued growth and development of the area. Increased pumping at existing pumping centers will deepen existing cones of depression and thereby increase gradients. These increases will not necessarily cause a change in chemical quality unless the increases in pumping are unevenly distributed. If a major well field were developed in the '500-foot' sand in the southwestern part of the Memphis area, little change in quality would result because water would be caused to move toward the well field from both the northwest and southeast. This movement would not affect the blending of updip and downdip water at other well fields If water were impounded in the Wolf River a few miles upstream from Memphis, the impoundment could furnish recharge, at least temporarily, to the '500-foot' sand. It is improbable that any detrimental effects on the chemical quality of the water supply of Memphis would result, because the water in the impoundment would probably be softer ,and less mineralized than the water in the '500-foot' sand in that area.

Water Supply Paper↗

USGS1966

Summary of hydrologic conditions of the Louisville area, Kentucky

Water problems and their solutions have been associated with the growth and development of the Louisville area for more than a century. Many hydrologic data that aided water users in the past can be applied to present water problems and will be helpful for solving many similar problems in the future. Most of the water problems of Louisville, a water-rich area, concern management and are associated with the distribution of supplies, the quality of water, drainage, and waste disposal. The local hydrologic system at Louisville is dominated by the Ohio River and the glacial-outwash deposits beneath its flood plain. The water-bearing limestones in the uplands are ,secondary sources of water. The average flow of the Ohio River at Louisville, 73 billion gallons per day, and the potential availability of 370 million gallons per day of ground water suitable for industrial cooling purposes minimize the chance of acute water shortage in the area. Under current development, use of water averages about 211 million gallons per day, excluding about 392 million gallons of Ohio River water circulated daily through steampower plants and returned directly to the river. Optimum use and control of the water resources will be dependent on solving several water problems. The principal sources of water are in the Ohio River bottom land, whereas the new and potential centers of use are in the uplands. Either water must be piped to these new centers from the present sources or new supplies must be developed. Available data on streamflow and ground water are adequate to plan for the development of small local supplies. Since the completion of floodwalls and levees in 1953, widespread damage from flooding is a thing of the past in the Louisville area. Some local flooding of unprotected areas and of lowlands along tributary streams still takes place. The analyses of streamflow data are useful in planning for protection of these areas, but additional streamflow records and flood-area mapping are needed to best solve the problem. Droughts are a problem only to users of small water supplies in the uplands, where additional water either can be imported or developed locally. Pollution and undesirable chemical quality of water for some uses are the most serious drawbacks to the optimum development of the water resources in Louisville and Jefferson County. Available chemical analyses of ground water are useful for determining its suitability for various uses, but additional data are needed to guide management decisions. Sources of contamination should be inventoried and water samples analyzed periodically to monitor changes in quality.

Kentucky↗