USGS Science⌕ Search

Geology topics

Horace Sutcliffe

Publications and source records attributed to Horace Sutcliffe.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2006

Packer testing in water wells near Sarasota, Florida

During February and March 1964, the U. S. Geological Survey ran caliper, conductance, and temperature logs on several wells in the Sarasota area. The Florida Geological Survey had previously run gamma ray and electric logs on the same wells . Two flowing wells were selected for packer testing . The two wells are about the same depth, penetrate essentially the same geologic horizons, and are about 16 miles apart. The packers were set in the wells between the producing horizons of the formations penetrated and each of the horizons was tested for head, amount of production, and quality of water . One of the tests produced excellent results, indicating that the various producing zones were effectively isolated by the packers and that different quality of water , quantity of water , and a different head was available from each zone. The other test did not show sharp differences but did indicate the extent of contamination of the producing horizons in a flowing well which had been capped for approximately two years. These tests indicate that packer testing can measurably add to knowledge of the separation of permeable zones.

Florida↗
USGS1985

Occurrence of natural radium-226 radioactivity in ground water of Sarasota County, Florida

Water that contains radium-226 radioactivity in excess of the 5.0-picocurie-per-liter limit set in the National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations was found in the majority of wells sampled throughout Sarasota County. Highest levels were found areally near the coast or near rivers and vertically in the Tamiami-upper Hawthorn aquifer where semiconsolidated phosphate pebbles occur. Analysis of data suggests that part of the radium-226 in ground water of Sarasota County is dissolved by alpha particle recoil. In slightly mineralized water, radium-226 concentrations are decreased by ion exchange or sorption. In more mineralized water, other ions compete with radium-226 for ion exchange or sorption sites. Dissolution of minerals containing radium-226 by mineralized water probably contributes a significant fraction of the dissolved radium-226. Two types of mineralized water were present in Sarasota County. One type is a marine-like water, presumably associated with saltwater encroachment in coastal areas; the other is a calcium magnesium strontium surfate bicarbonate type. In general, water that contains high radium-226 radioactivities also contains too much water hardness or dissolved solids to be used for public supply without treatment that would also reduce radium-226 radioactivities. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1982

Water-quality and hydrogeologic data for three phosphate industry waste-disposal sites in central Florida, 1979-80

This report is a complilation of geologic, hydrologic, and water-quality data and information on test holes collected in the vicinity of gypsum stack complexes at two phosphate chemical plants and one phosphatic clayey waste disposal pond at a phosphate mine and beneficiation plant in central Florida. The data were collected from September 1979 to October 1980 at thee AMAX Phosphate, Inc., chemical plant, Piney Point; the USS AgriChemicals chemical plant, Bartow; and the International Minerals and Chemical Corporation Clear Springs mine, Bartow. Approximmmtely 5,400 field and laboratory water-quality determinations on water samples were collected from about 78 test holes and 31 surface-water, rainfall, and other sampling sites at phosphate industry beneficiation and chemical plant waste-disposal operations. Maps show locations of sampling sites. (USGS)

Florida↗
USGS1981

Data on ground-water quality with emphasis on radionuclides, Sarasota County, Florida

A compilation of analytical results are presented for selected radiochemical and chemical characteristics for 200 groundwater samples collected from 92 wells in Sarasota County, Fla. Radium-226 analysis was made on 160 of the water samples and 80 samples equaled or exceeded the 5 picocuries per liter maximum contaminant level established by the National Interim Primary Drinking Regulations. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1981

Hydrogeologic data from test drilling near Verna, Florida, 1978

Four test wells were drilled in the vicinity of the city of Sarasota well field near Verna, Fla., to provide hydrologic and geologic information. An expedient and economical method of air lifting water samples from isolated water-producing zones while drilling was utilized. Lithologic logs of drill cuttings and geophysical logs, including point resistance and spontaneous potential electric logs, gamma-ray logs, and caliper logs, were made. Chemical quality of water was determined for principal producing zones at each well. Dissolved solids from composite water samples ranged from 313 milligrams per liter in test well 0-1 north of the well field to 728 milligrams per liter in test well 0-3 within the well field. Each test well was pumped to determine maximum discharge, water-level drawdown, and recovery time. A leaking pump column on test well 0-1 prevented accurate measurement of drawdown on the well. Test well 0-2, located east of the well field, had a pumping rate of 376 gallons per minute and 13.11 feet of drawdown after 3 hours and 50 minutes; test well 0-3 had a maximum yield of 320 gallons per minute, a drawdown of 31.91 feet after 2 hours and 35 minutes of pumping, had a recovery time of 20 minutes; and test well 0-4, south of the well field, had a pumping rate of 200 gallons per minute with 63.34 feet of drawdown after 2 hours and 35 minutes. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗