Geology topics

Melvin V. Marcher

Publications and source records attributed to Melvin V. Marcher.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS1986

Geohydrology of the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer east-central Oklahoma with a section on chemical quality of water

The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer, which underlies an area of about 2,320 mi 2 , consists principally of the Vamoosa Formation and the overlying Ada Group of Pennsylvanian age. Rocks comprising the aquifer were deposited in a nearshore environment ranging from marine on the west to nonmarine on the east. Because of changes in depositional environments with time and from place to place, the aquifer is a complex sequence of fine- to very fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, shale, and conglomerate, with interbedded very thin limestone. The aggregate thickness of water-bearing sandstones is greatest south of the Cimarron River, where it reaches a maximum of 550 ft in the vicinity of Seminole. North of the Cimarron River, the average aggregate thickness of the sandstones is about 100 ft, but locally it may be as much as 200 ft. Transmissivity values derived from seven aquifer tests made for this study range from 70 to 490 ft 2 per day; values decrease from south to north with decreasing sandstone thickness. Hydraulic-conductivity values range from 2 to 4 ft per day. Storage coefficients for the confined part of the aquifer, as determined from four aquifer tests made during 1944, have an average value of 0.0002. The average storage coefficient for the unconfined part of the aquifer is estimated at 0.12, based on an analysis of geophysical logs and grain-size data. The specific capacity of wells tested is generally less than 1 gallon per minute per foot of drawdown. An approximate hydrologic budget for the aquifer for 1975 gives values, in acre-feet per year, of 93,000 for recharge, 233,000 for runoff, and 2,003,000 for evapotranspiration. The total of these values is almost equal to the average annual precipitation of 2,330,000 acre-ft per year. The estimated amount of water containing a maximum of 1,500 milligrams per liter of dissolved solids stored in the aquifer is estimated at 60 million acre-ft. Of this amount, an estimated 36 million acre-ft is available for use. The quality of water in the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer generally is suitable for municipal, domestic, and stock use. Of 55 water samples analyzed in the laboratory, about 75 percent were of the sodium bicarbonate or sodium calcium bicarbonate type; the remainder were of the sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, sodium chloride, or indeterminate types. Laboratory and on-site chemical-quality data indicate that mineralization of both ground and surface waters is greater than normal in some areas. Water samples from 7 wells and 12 stream sites had concentrations of bromide exceeding 1 milligram per liter; the only known source of bromide in the area is brine associated with petroleum production.

Oklahoma↗

USGS1981

Preliminary appraisal of the hydrology of the Blocker area, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma

Bedrock in the Blocker area of southeastern Oklahoma consists principally of shale, siltstone, and sandstone of the Boggy and Savanna Formations of Pennsylvanian age. These rocks have been folded to form the Panther Mountain syncline on the south and the Kinta anticline on the north. Alluvium along streams is less than 15 feet thick and consists mainly of sandy silt. Water in bedrock is under artesian conditions. Well depths range from 11 to 213 feet and average 75 feet. In 86% of the wells measured, the water level was less than 30 feet below the land surface. Because the rocks have minimal permeability, well yields probably are less than 5 gallons per minute. Ground water is commonly a mixed cation bicarbonate type with dissolved solids ranging from about 300 to 2,000 milligrams per liter. No relationship between water chemistry and well depth or geographic distribution is apparent. Streams in the area are ephemeral and there are extended periods of no flow. Blue Creek was dry 30% of the time during 1976-80 and had flows of less than 0.1 cubic foot per second for at least 80 consecutive days. Stream water is generally a mixed cation sulfate type. The maximum dissolved-solids concentration determined in stream water was 3670 milligrams per liter. Maximum suspended sediment discharge, in tons per day, was about 235 for Blue Creek, 40 for Blue Creek tributary, and 630 for Mathuldy Creek. Silt-clay particles (diameters less than 0.062 millimeter) are the dominant sediment size. Surface mining for coal undoubtedly will have some effect on the environment. The most likely deleterious effects are increased sediment loads in streams and increased mineralization of stream waters. However, these effects should be of only limited extent and duration if appropriate mining and reclamation practices are followed. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

USGS1981

Geohydrology of the Vamoosa-Ada aquifer, east-central Oklahoma

The Vamoosa-Ada aquifer, which underlies an area of about 2,320 square miles, consists principally of the Vamoosa Formation and the overlying Ada Group of Pennsylvanian age. Rocks comprising the aquifer were deposited in a near-shore environment ranging from marine on the west to nonmarine to the east. Because of changes in depositional environments with time and from place to place, the aquifer is a complex sequence of fine to very fine grained sandstone, siltstone, shale, and conglomerate, with interbedded very thin limestone. Aggregate thicknesses of water-bearing sandstones are greatest south of the Cimarron River where they reach a maximum of 550 feet in the vicinity of Seminole. North of the Cimarron River, the average aggregate thickness of the sandstones is about 100 feet but locally it may be as much as 200 feet.

Oklahoma↗

USGS1977

A preliminary appraisal of the Garber-Wellington Aquifer, southern Logan and northern Oklahoma counties, Oklahoma

The Garber-Wellington aquifer, which dips westward at 30 to 40 feet per mile, consists of about 900 feet of interbedded sandstone, shale, and siltstone. Sandstone comprises 35 to 75 percent of the aquifer and averages about 50 percent. Water-table conditions generally exist in the upper 200 feet in the outcrop area of the aquifer; semi-artesian or artesian conditions exist below a depth of 200 feet and beneath rocks of the Hennessey Group (predominantly shale) where the aquifer is fully saturated. Water containing more than 1,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids occurs at various depths through the area. The altitude of the base of fresh water ranges from 250 feet above sea level in the south-central part of the area to 950 feet in the northwestern part. The thickness of the fresh-water zone ranges from less than 150 feet in the northern part of the area to about 850 feet in the southern part. The total amount of water stored in the fresh-water zone is estimated to be 21 million acre-feet based on specific yield of 0.20. Minimum recharge to the aquifer in 1975 is estimated to be 190 acre-feet per square mile or about 10 percent of the annual precipitation. Total minimum recharge to the aquifer in the study area in 1975 is estimated to be 129,000 acre-feet. Streams in the area are the principal means of ground-water discharge; the amount of discharge is essentially the same as recharge. The amount of groundwater used for municipal and rural water supply in 1975 is estimated to have been 5,000 acre-feet; a similar amount may have been used for industrial purposes. As a result of pumping, the potentiometric surface in 1975 had been lowered about 200 feet in the vicinity of Edmond and about 100 feet in the vicinity of Nichols Hills. Chemical analyses of water from the aquifer indicates that hardness is greater in the upper part of the aquifer than in the lower part, and that sulfate, chloride, and dissolved solids increase with depth. Reported yields of wells more than 250 feet deep range from 70 to 475 gallons per minute and average 240 gallons per minute. Potential well yields range from 225 gallons per minute when the fresh-water zone is 350 feet thick to about 550 gallons per minute where the fresh water zone is 850 feet thick. These estimates of potential yield are based on an available drawdown of half the thickness of the fresh-water zone and a specific capacity of 1.3 gallons per minute per foot. Intrusion of saline water into the fresh-water zone is a potential threat to water quality in the aquifer if the pressure head in the fresh-water zone is reduced sufficiently to allow upconing of saline water. One way to avoid the problem of upconing is by steady pumping at low rates from widely spaced wells; however, information required to determine pumping rates and well spacing is not available. For proper aquifer management the distribution of wells and rates of withdrawals should be designed to capture maximum recharge to the ground-water system. This may be accomplished by developing regional ground-water gradients that are sufficiently large to move water to pumpage centers but not so steep as to cause upconing of saline water or excessive water-level declines.

Open-File Report↗

USGS1965

Water resources appraisal of the Anchorage area, Alaska

At the present, water use in the Anchorage area amounts to about 21 mgd (million gallons per day); of this amount ground water accounts for about 10 mgd. By 1980, 60 mgd may be required to meet the demand. The greatest potential problem is overpumping the ground-water reservoir resulting in excessive declines in water levels, which, in turn, might lead to salt-water intrusion. A well-laid plan for conjunctive use of surface and ground water seems to be the most promising means of supplying the expected need of 60 mgd, and of preventing saltwater intrusion of the aquifers. Total inflow into the Anchorage hydrologic system amounts to about 180 mgd. Of this amount Ship and South Fork Campbell Creeks contribute about 130 mgd, North Fork Campbell Creek and other streams contribute an estimated 24 mgd, and precipitation and ground-water inflow contribute an estimated 26 mgd. Of the total outflow, which must be equivalent to the inflow, Ship and Chester Creeks contribute about 94 mgd, Campbell Creek about 25 mgd, and ground-water pumpage contributes an assumed amount of approximately 10 mgd. The difference of 50 mgd between inflow and outflow presumably is accounted for; by submarine discharge beneath Cook Inlet and evapotranspiration. Surface and subsurface storage of excess stream discharge during periods of high flow can overcome the problem of water shortages during periods of greatest demand. Surface storage can be accomplished by construction of an additional dam on Ship Creek. Natural ground-water storage can be supplemented by spreading techniques to increase the amount of ground-water recharge. Additional recharge can be provided by returning air-conditioning water to the aquifer through recharge wells. Recharge along the coastline would be a means of maintaining a fresh-water barrier against salt-water intrusion. The area with the greatest potential for ground-water development is along Ship Creek east and north of Mountain View. The alluvial fan east of Mountain View seems favorable for installation of deep wells; and withdrawal of ground water in this area is not likely to result in salt-water intrusion. Similar favorable conditions exist in the alluvial fan areas of North and South Forks Campbell Creek. Infiltration galleries in alluvial deposits along Ship Creek are a relatively inexpensive and convenient means of withdrawing water. To plan for orderly and economical development of the Anchorage area's water resources, geologic and hydrologic studies are needed. An expanded network of stream-gaging stations and observation wells is needed. Deep wells near the coastline are needed to monitor any changes in chemical quality of ground water that would indicate impending salt-water intrusion. Borehole geophysical studies and pumping tests are needed to define the boundaries and hydraulic characteristics of the aquifers. The primary goal of these and other supplementing studies would be to provide the information needed to construct an electric-analog model of the Anchorage hydrologic system. Such a model would provide a means of assessing quantitatively alternative methods of water development.

Alaska↗

USGS1964

Ground-water geology of the Dickson, Lawrenceburg, and Waverly areas in the western Highland Rim, Tennessee

Ground-water supplies in the Dickson, Lawrenceburg, and Waverly areas are obtained from wells and springs in limestone and chert formations of Missisippian age. In the Dickson area most of the wells and springs are in Warsaw Limestone. In the Lawrenceburg and Waverly areas, ground-water supplies are obtained from Fort Payne Chert and from residuum. In all three areas a few wells obtain small amounts of water from gravel stringers in the residuum. Yields of well range from a few to 300 gpm (gallons per minute). Wells having the largest yields obtain water from residual material (colluvium) in the valley of Trace Creek in the Waverly area. Fewer than 10 percent of all wells inventoried yield more than 25 gpm. Springs are common in all the areas studied and yield as much as 1,000 gpm. The quality of water from wells and springs iv the areas studied generally is good. The water is of the calcium bicarbonate type, and most of it is moderately hard to hard. The constituents in water from springs and from wells are about the same, although water from springs tends to be softer and slightly lower in dissolved-solids content. Springs constitute the largest potential source of water in the three areas. Twenty-one of the large springs discharge approximately 12 million gallons per day, or about 8,000 gpm. Another potential source of water is residuum underlying the valley of Trace Creek in the Waverly area. Wells yielding as much as 500 gpm probably could be developed in this aquifer.

Tennessee↗

USGS1962

Late cretaceous and subsequent structural development of the northern Mississippi Embayment area

During early Late Cretaceous the area of the northern Mississippi Embayment was occupied by a structural and topographic dome standing nearly 1000 feet above sea level. Rocks as old as Cambrian were exposed on its crest. Downwarping of the dome, which commenced in Late Cretaceous time, resulted in the development of the Mississippi Embayment syncline, now filled with sediments of Cretaceous , Paleocene, and Eocene age. The flanks of the Mississippi Embayment syncline slope uniformly about 30 feet per mile. Most of the bending occurred near the synclinal axis, which generally follows the present course of the Mississippi River. Faults cutting the Paleozoic basement and, in some areas, extending upward into the overlying younger rocks resulted from superposition of the narrow synclinal bend across the now-buried structural high. Adjustment also probably occurred by faulting of Paleozoic rocks along the Tennessee River, where the eastern flank of the syncline was bent downward. As a result of structural movements during the Cretaceous and later periods, the old dome has been depressed beneath the Mississippi Embayment and now forms the Pascola arch connecting the Ozark and Nashville domes.

MIssissippi↗