USGS Science⌕ Search

Geology topics

John Vecchioli

Publications and source records attributed to John Vecchioli.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1973

Water resources of the New Jersey part of the Ramapo River basin

The Ramapo River, a major stream in the Passaic River basin, drains an area of 161 square miles, 70 percent of which is in Orange and Rockland Counties, N.Y., and 30 percent is in Bergen and Passaic Counties, N.J. This report describes the hydrology of the New Jersey part of the basin and evaluates the feasibility of developing large ground-water supplies from the stratified drift in the Ramapo River valley by inducing recharge to the aquifer from the river. The ground water and surface water of the basin are considered as a single resource because the development of either ground water or surface water affects the availability of the other. Precambrian gneiss, sparsely mantled with Pleistocene glacial drift, underlies the basin west of the Ramapo River in New Jersey. To the east, bedrock consists of the Watchung Basalt and of shale, sandstone, and conglomerate of the Brunswick Formation of Triassic age. Glacial drift occurs nearly everywhere in the eastern part of the basin, and deposits of stratified drift more than 100 feet thick occur in the Ramapo valley. Average annual runoff at Pompton Lakes accounts for 25 inches of the 45 inches of annual precipitation in the New Jersey part of the basin, and the remaining 20 inches is accounted for by evapotranspiration. Streamflow is highly variable--particularly in the area underlain by gneissic rocks-because of the low storage capacity of the rocks and the rough topography. Many of the small tributaries go dry during extended periods of no precipitation. Small domestic supplies of ground water can be obtained nearly everywhere, but the Brunswick Formation is the only consolidated-rock aquifer in the basin that can be depended upon to yield 100-200 gallons per minute to wells. Supplies of more than 1,000 gallons per minute are available from wells tapping the stratified drift in the Ramapo valley. The drift supplies 75 percent of the ground water pumped for public supply in the basin. Sustained ground-water yield in upland areas, based on stream base-flow recession, is estimated to be 200,000-300,000 gallons per day per square mile for the drift-covered Brunswick Formation and about 100,000-200,000 gallons per day per square mile for the gneiss and basalt. Potential sustained yield of the stratified drift in the valley depends on the availability of the streamflow and on the induced rate of infiltration. Pumping from the stratified drift results in a reduction in streamflow, which may be undesirable, mainly because of prior downstream water rights. On the basis of the storage available in the stratified drift and an analysis of daily flow during the drought period of October 1964 to September 1967 at Pompton Lakes, 20-25 million gallons per day of Ramapo River water are available for development after existing downstream water requirements are supplied. However, some low-flow augmentation will be. necessary to insure downstream rights. Rates of infiltration computed from seepage losses observed near Mahwah indicate that at least 11 million gallons per day, on an average basis, can be infiltrated from the river by the pumping of wells tapping the stratified drift. The use of recharge pits and spreading areas would increase the rate of infiltration. Losses from the Ramapo River could be minimized by returning treated sewage effluent directly to the river or, preferably, by recharging the stratified-drift aquifer with the treated effluent. Ground-water quality and surface-water quality at times of low-flow vary according to the type of rock from which the water is obtained. Water from the gneiss is low in dissolved solids--less than 127 mg/l (milligrams per liter)--and soft to moderately hard--less than 94 rag/l. Water from the Brunswick Formation is more mineralized--total dissolved-solids content is as much as 278 mg/1 and hardness as much as 188 mg/1. Water from the stratified drift is generally intermediate in quality--that is, total dissolved-solids content is as

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1973

Microbiological aspects of ground-water recharge injection of purified unchlorinated sewage effluent at Bay Park, Long Island, N. Y.

Unchlorinated, tertiary-treated sewage effluent was injected through a well at Bay Park, Long Island, N.Y., into a sand aquifer at a rate of 340 gpm for 10 days. Massive, biologically produced slime deposits formed in the filter pack immediately adjacent to the well screen. Observed head buildup in the recharge well was correlated with the formation of these deposits. Comparison of results from this test with results of earlier tests suggests that formation of these deposits may be avoided by addition of chlorine to the injectant.

New York↗
USGS1967

Results of the second phase of the drought-disaster test-drilling program near Morristown, N.J.

The continued drought in northeastern New Jersey through the summer of 1966 with its attendant water-supply problems resulted in an extension of the drought-disaster test-drilling program originally requested by the Office of Emergency Planning on August 30, 1965. Authorization to continue test drilling was fiven by the Office of Emergency Planning on September 26, 1966, with the stipulation that all field work be complete by January 31, 1977. Contractural costs were paid by the Office of Emergency Planning, whereas personnel costs were shared by the U.S. Geological Survey and the New Jersey Department of Conservation and Economic Development, Division of Water Policy and Supply. The work undertaken in 1965 by the Geological Survey was "...to preform the necessary drilling and testing of wells to identify the extent and nature of a reserve ground-water source in the vicinity of the Passaic River near the northern New Jersey metropolitan area." Results of this first phase were made available in the fall of 1966 in Water Resources Circular 16 of the New Jersey Department of Conservation and Economic Development. Three of the five areas tested (figure 1)--two in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township (areas 2 and 4) and one in East Hanover Township (area 1), Morris County--proved capable of providing an aggregate sustained yield of 7.5 million gallons daily (mgd) from wells constructed in sand and gravel deposits. Because significant supplies of ground water for emergency use were located in the first phase of the exploratory test-drilling program, it was though desirable to extend the originally planned studies so as to obtain maximum practicable information on emergency supplies. During this second phase of the investigation, drilling was conducted in 16 sites in Chatham, Madison, and Florham Park Boroughs and in Hanover and East Hanover Townships, Morris County. (See figure 2.) The drilling in Hanover and East Hanover Townships, and part of the drilling done in Florham Park was to explore the availability of large undeveloped ground-water supplies. Drilling in Chatham, Madison, and Florham Park Boroughs was done primarily to determine the extent and continuity of buried valley-fill aquifers, so that a full evaluation of the effects of pumpage from other areas on these already heavily pumped areas could be made. In addition, it was anticipated that the drilling could help in defining the feasibility of artificial recharge of the heavily pumped areas and in the determination of the prospective method of recharge and points of emplacement. Arrangements for easements with landowners, preparation of specifications for well drilling and seismic work, and supervision of well drilling and seismic contracts were all performed by the New Jersey District, Water Resources Division of the Geological Survey. Prior to the test drilling, seismic exploration under contract with Alpine Geophysical Associates of Norwood, N. J. was conducted at five locations in the Chatham-Madison-Florham Park area and at one place in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township. The seismic work was done to determine the most favorable location for a test well at several potential test-well sites and to help in the interpretation of subsurface geology between test sites. Contracts for the drilling of the test holes were awarded during November and drilling commences on November 30. Kaye Well drilling, Inc. of Jackson, N. J. was the recipient of a contract for eight of the test holes, and a second contract was awarded to Rinbrand Well Drilling Co., Inc. of Glen Rock, N. J.--also for eight test holes. Acknowledgment is due to the many public officials of Chatham, Madison, Florham Park, Morristown, and East Hanover Township as well as officials of the Braidburn Corporation and Esso Research and Engineering Co., who cooperated by making their lands available for exploration.

New Jersey↗
USGS1965

Directional hydraulic behavior of a fractured-shale aquifer in New Jersey

The principal source of ground water throughout a large part of central and northeastern New Jersey is the aquifer in the Brunswick Shale -- the youngest unity of the Newark Group of Triassic Age. Large-diameter public-supply and industrial wells tapping the Brunswick Shale commonly yield several hundred gallons per minute each. Virtually all ground water in this aquifer occurs in interconnecting fractures; the formation has practically no effective primary porosity. Numerous pumping tests have shown that the aquifer exhibits directional, rather than isotropic, hydraulic behavior. Water levels in wells alined along the strike of the formation show greater magnitude of interference than those in wells alined in transverse directions. Drawdown data evaluated by standard time-drawdown methods indicate computed coefficient of transmissibility in all cases is least in the direction of strike. Because of the distribution of observation wells available for the tests, distance-drawdown methods of evaluation could be used in only one instance -- for just one direction; the computed coefficient compared favorably with that calculated from the time-drawdown method. Computed values of transmissibility may be unreliable owing to the departure of the aquifer from the ideal model. It is even possible that the direction of minimum computed transmissiblity is actually indicative of the alinement of fractures with the greatest permeability. However, the relation of the directional behavior to the structure of the formation has practical significance when locating the new wells near existing wells. Well interference can be greatly minimized, generally, by alining wells perpendicular to the strike.

New Jersey↗