Geology topics

Research about Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2019

Simulation of groundwater flow and chloride transport in the “1,500-foot” sand, “2,400-foot” sand, and “2,800-foot” sand of the Baton Rouge area, Louisiana

Groundwater withdrawals since the 1940s have lowered water levels, altered groundwater-flow directions, and caused saltwater to intrude within some freshwater-containing sands of the fluvial-deltaic Southern Hills regional aquifer system beneath Baton Rouge, Louisiana. New interpretations of stratigraphic correlations amongst geophysical well logs were utilized to revise a hydrogeologic framework that delineates the depth and thickness variations of aquifers and confining units in the Southern Hills regional aquifer system. A groundwater-flow and chloride-transport model incorporating the revised framework was constructed to assess the effects of groundwater withdrawals on the rate and pathways of saltwater migration in the “1,500-foot” sand, “2,400-foot” sand, and the “2,800-foot” sand. Groundwater withdrawals reported since 1940 were compiled to specify annual average withdrawal rates through 2016 for 722 wells. Regional groundwater flow throughout the Southern Hills regional aquifer system was first simulated with MODFLOW, and flow-model parameters were calibrated to 8,810 water levels observed through 2016 by using the parameter-estimation code PEST++. Saltwater transport was subsequently simulated for the “1,500-foot” sand, “2,400-foot” sand, and the “2,800-foot” sand by using the variable-density code, SEAWAT. Chloride-concentration measurements were used as a proxy for saltwater to formulate the concentration initial conditions and calibrate the transport-model parameters. Three groundwater-management scenarios were simulated to evaluate the effects of different groundwater withdrawals on future groundwater levels and saltwater concentrations in the “1,500-foot” sand, “2,400-foot” sand, and “2,800-foot” sand. All three scenarios simulated the period from 2017 through 2112 (96 years), and the water levels and concentrations simulated for 2047 and 2112 were compared among the scenarios. The first scenario simulated a continuation of groundwater withdrawals at 2016 rates and represents the “status quo” of groundwater withdrawals. The second scenario simulated the effects of discontinuing 10,620 gallons per minute (gal/min) of withdrawals from the “2,800-foot” sand, and the third scenario simulated reallocating 2,000 gal/min of withdrawals from the “1,500-foot” sand to the “2,800-foot” sand. Continuation of the “status quo” withdrawals results in lower water levels by 2047 around groundwater-withdrawal locations in the “1,500-foot” sand, “2,400-foot” sand, and “2,800-foot” sand. By 2112, water levels recover to higher levels as flow in the aquifer approaches equilibrium. Saltwater within the “1,500-foot” sand would continue migrating toward public-supply wells located 2.4 miles (mi) north of the Baton Rouge Fault, but a “scavenger well” that removes relatively concentrated water from the base of the “1,500-foot” sand attenuates chloride concentrations at the public-supply wells. Saltwater within the “2,400-foot” sand would continue to encroach on a well with large withdrawals and farther east within an area about 1 mi north of the Baton Rouge Fault. Saltwater within the “2,800-foot” sand would migrate northward toward withdrawal wells located about 3 mi north of the industrial district. Cessation of 10,620 gal/min of industrial withdrawals from the “2,800-foot” sand about 12 mi northwest of the industrial district (scenario 2) would cause a substantial water-level recovery in the “2,800-foot” sand in the area of discontinued withdrawals. Groundwater levels 3 mi north of the industrial district would be 25–30 feet higher in 2047 than predicted for the “status quo” withdrawals. Saltwater encroachment toward wells north of the industrial district would be slowed because of the decreased hydraulic gradient. Reallocating 2,000 gal/min of withdrawals from the “1,500-foot” sand to the “2,800-foot” sand 12 mi northwest of the industrial district (scenario 3) would have a negligible effect on water levels and chloride concentrations in the “1,500-foot” sand 15 mi to the south-southeast where saltwater is encroaching toward wells in the “1,500-foot” sand. Within the “2,800-foot” sand, the area of saltwater encroachment is only 3 mi from increased withdrawals in the “2,800-foot” sand, and water levels would be about 5 feet lower in 2047 than for the “status quo” scenario. A larger hydraulic gradient would cause slightly faster saltwater transport and higher chloride concentrations within this area of the “2,800-foot” sand.

Louisiana↗

USGS2014

Mississippi River nitrate loads from high frequency sensor measurements and regression-based load estimation

Accurately quantifying nitrate (NO 3 – ) loading from the Mississippi River is important for predicting summer hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and targeting nutrient reduction within the basin. Loads have historically been modeled with regression-based techniques, but recent advances with high frequency NO 3 – sensors allowed us to evaluate model performance relative to measured loads in the lower Mississippi River. Patterns in NO 3 – concentrations and loads were observed at daily to annual time steps, with considerable variability in concentration-discharge relationships over the two year study. Differences were particularly accentuated during the 2012 drought and 2013 flood, which resulted in anomalously high NO 3 – concentrations consistent with a large flush of stored NO 3 – from soil. The comparison between measured loads and modeled loads (LOADEST, Composite Method, WRTDS) showed underestimates of only 3.5% across the entire study period, but much larger differences at shorter time steps. Absolute differences in loads were typically greatest in the spring and early summer critical to Gulf hypoxia formation, with the largest differences (underestimates) for all models during the flood period of 2013. In additional to improving the accuracy and precision of monthly loads, high frequency NO 3 – measurements offer additional benefits not available with regression-based or other load estimation techniques.

Louisiana↗

USGS2014

Simulation of groundwater flow in the "1,500-foot" sand and "2,000-foot" sand, with scenarios to mitigate saltwater migration in the "2,000-foot" sand of the Baton Rouge area, Louisiana

Groundwater withdrawals have caused saltwater to encroach into freshwater-bearing aquifers beneath Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Groundwater investigations in the 1960s identified a freshwater-saltwater interface located at the Baton Rouge Fault, across which abrupt changes in water levels occur. Aquifers south of the fault generally contain saltwater, and aquifers north of the fault contain freshwater, though limited saltwater encroachment has been detected within 7 of the 10 aquifers north of the fault. The 10 aquifers beneath the Baton Rouge area, which includes East and West Baton Rouge Parishes, Pointe Coupee Parish, and East and West Feliciana Parishes, provided about 167 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) for public supply and industrial use in 2010. Groundwater withdrawals from the “2,000-foot” sand in East Baton Rouge Parish have caused water-level drawdown as great as 356 feet (ft) and induced saltwater movement northward across the fault. Saltwater encroachment threatens industrial wells that are located about 3 miles north of the fault. Constant and variable-density groundwater models were developed with the MODFLOW and SEAWAT groundwater modeling codes to evaluate strategies to control saltwater migration, including changes in the distribution of groundwater withdrawals and installation of “scavenger” wells to intercept saltwater before it reaches existing production wells. Six hypothetical scenarios simulated the effects of different groundwater withdrawal options on groundwater levels within the “1,500-foot” sand and the “2,000-foot” sand and the transport of saltwater within the “2,000-foot” sand during 2008–47. Scenario 1 is considered a base case for comparison to the other five scenarios and simulates continuation of 2007 reported groundwater withdrawals. Scenario 2 simulates discontinuation of withdrawals from seven selected industrial wells located in the northwest corner of East Baton Rouge Parish and predicts that water levels within the “1,500-foot” sand will be about 10 to 12 ft higher with this withdrawal reduction than under scenario 1. Scenario 3 simulates the effects of a scavenger well on water levels and chloride concentrations within the “2,000-foot” sand. The scavenger well, which withdraws water from the base of the “2,000-foot” sand at a rate of 2.0 Mgal/d, is simulated at two possible locations. In comparison to the concentrations simulated in scenario 1, operation of the scavenger well at the locations specified in scenario 3 reduces the chloride concentrations at all existing chloride-observation well locations. Scenario 4 simulates a 3.6 Mgal/d reduction in total groundwater withdrawals from selected wells screened in the “2,000-foot” sand that are located in the Baton Rouge industrial district. Under scenario 4, chloride concentrations decrease in the leading portion of the plume south of the industrial district but increase in areas farther east. Scenario 5 simulates the effects of total cessation of withdrawals from the “2,000-foot” sand in the industrial district, which causes a change in the groundwater-flow direction toward municipal supply wells and increased chloride concentrations in the area where municipal supply wells are located. Scenario 6 simulates the combined effect of withdrawal reductions from the “2,000-foot” sand and operation of a scavenger well and was most effective at decreasing the size of the plume area and median and mean chloride concentrations within the “2000-foot” sand in the Baton Rouge area.

Louisiana↗