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Research about Illinois, Indiana

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Illinois, Indiana.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1997

Geomorphic response to tectonically-induced ground deformation in the Wabash Valley

Numerous low- to moderate-intensity earthquakes have been recorded in a zone of diffuse modern seismicity in southwest Indiana, southeast Illinois, and northernmost Kentucky. Structural elements within the zone include the Wabash Valley Fault System, the LaSalle Anticlinal Belt in western Illinois, and the Rough Creek-Shawneetown Fault System in northern Kentucky. The presence of seismically-induced liquefaction features in the near-surface alluvial sediments in the region indicates that strong ground motion has occurred in the recent geological past, but because the glacial and alluvial sediments in the Wabash Valley appear to be otherwise undisturbed, post-Paleozoic ground deformation resulting from movement on these structural elements has not yet been documented. Morphometric analysis of the land surface, detailed mapping of geomorphic elements in the valley, reconnaissance drilling of the Holocene and Pleistocene alluvium, and structural analysis of the bedrock underlying the valley were used to determine whether the geomorphology of the valley and the patterns of alluviation of the Wabash River were affected by surface deformation associated with the seismic zone during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Among the observed features in the valley that can be attributed to deformation are: (1) tilting of the modern land surface to the west, (2) preferred channel migration toward the west side of the valley, with concomitant impact on patterns of soil development and sedimentation rate, (3) a convex longitudinal profile of the Wabash River where it crosses the LaSalle Anticlinal Belt, and (4) increased incision of the river into its floodplain downstream from the anticlinal belt.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1997

Suspended-sediment budget for the Kankakee River Basin, 1993-95

A suspended-sediment budget was constructed for the Kankakee River Basin using suspended-sediment data collected from January 1993 through December 1995 at six existing U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations. The Iroquois River delivered almost twice as much suspended-sediment load to the Kankakee River main stem as did the Kankakee River above its junction with the Iroquois River. For the Iroquois River, the portion of the drainage area in Illinois contributed 86 percent of the total suspended-sediment load measured during the study. In contrast, for the Kankakee River upstream from the junction with the Iroquois, the portion of the drainage area in Illinois contributed only 17 percent of the total suspended-sediment load measured during the study. A net increase in total suspended-sediment load of 659,000 tons was measured in the main stem Kankakee River from the mouth of the Iroquois River to the streamflow-gaging station at Wilmington, Ill. This portion of the Kankakee River drainage had the highest suspended-sediment yield at 861 tons per day per square mile.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1997

Characterization of fill deposits in the Calumet region of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois

In October 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, began a study of the fill deposits in the Calumet region of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois. Fill in this area is a mixture of steel-industry wastes, other industrial waste, municipal solid waste, dredging spoil, construction debris, ash, cinders, natural materials, and biological sludge. Fill deposits are concentrated along Lake Michigan; from the Lake Calumet area to the east of the Indiana Harbor Canal; along the Calumet, Little Calumet, and Grand Calumet Rivers; and along the Calumet Sag Channel. Industrial wastes and municipal solid wastes are used as fill near Lake Calumet. Steel-industry wastes, primarily slag, are used as fill along Lake Michigan, Wolf Lake, Lake George, parts of Lake Calumet, and parts of the Calumet and Little Calumet Rivers. Dredging spoil is located along the rivers, and in abandoned river channels, landfills, and tailing ponds. Cinders, ash, construction debris, and natural materials are scattered throughout the area. Currently (1996), fill covers about 60.2 square miles of the study area. A total volume of about 2.1 x 1010 cubic feet of fill was calculated to be present in the Calumet region. Most of this fill is steel-industry waste. Fill deposition in the study area has been essentially continuous from about 1870 to the present (1996). Fill deposited before 1964 was used as foundation for streets and railroad tracks, to create land for industrial expansion, and to dispose of waste material. Much of the fill deposited after 1964 was disposed of in landfills designed to minimize environmental effects. Industrial wastes, municipal solid wastes, steel-industry wastes, and, perhaps, dredging spoil can be associated with increased concentrations of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, pesticides, cyanide, metals, or major ions in ground water in this area. Construction debris, ash, cinders, and natural fill may be associated with increased concentrations of major ions in ground water.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1996

Geohydrology, water levels and directions of flow, and occurrence of light-nonaqueous-phase liquids on ground water in northwestern Indiana and the Lake Calumet area of northeastern Illinois

A study was performed by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to describe the geohydrology and distribution of light-nonaqueousphase liquids in an industrialized area of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois. The geologic units of concern underlying this area are the carbonates of the Niagaran Series, the Detroit River and Traverse Formations; the Antrim Shale; and sands, silts, and clays of Quaternary age. The hydrologic units of concern are surface water, the Calumet aquifer, the confining unit, and the Silurian-Devonian aquifer. Water levels collected in June 1992 indicate that the water-table configuration generally is a subdued reflection of topography. Recharge from landfill leachate and ponded water, discharge to sewers, and pumping also affect the water-table configuration. A depression in the potentiometric surface of the Silurian-Devonian aquifer results from pumping. Light-nonaqueous-phase liquids were detected near petroleum handling, industrial and waste-disposal facilities. Horizontal ground-water velocity at the water table in the confining unit ranged from 4.4x10 -4 to 1.0x10 -3 feet per day. Horizontal ground-water velocity in the Calumet and Silurian-Devonian aquifers ranged from 1.0x10 -2 to 3.4x10 -1 and from 1.4x10 -2 to 2.9x10 -2 feet per day, respectively. Vertical hydraulic gradients indicate generally downward flow from the Calumet aquifer into the confining unit, then into the Silurian-Devonian aquifer. Calculated vertical groundwater velocity through the weathered and unweathered parts of the confining unit are 3.8x10 -2 and 1.5x10 -3 feet per day, respectively.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1992

Beach-ridge development and lake-level variation in southern Lake Michigan

The most accurate source of information on lake-level fluctuations in the Great Lakes is the historical record from lake-level gauges. Although it can be semiquantitatively extended back into the late 1700's, the historical record is too short to recognize long-term patterns of lake-level behavior. To extend the historical record, information must be obtained from the Great Lakes geologic record. Such information includes the elevation and age of geomorphic features and stratigraphic sequences. One of the longest geologic records of late Holocene lake-level variation is preserved in a beach-ridge complex along the southern shore of Lake Michigan called the Toleston Beach. This strandplain contains over 150 beach ridges that arc across northwestern Indiana and fan out into northeastern Illinois. Each ridge was formed during the fall from a high lake level, and the elevation of the foreshore deposits in each ridge provides information on the upper physical limit of lake level over the past 4000 years. Three scales of quasi-periodic lake-level variation were determined by radiocarbon-dating basal peats of wetlands between the ridges and by measuring the elevation of foreshore (swash) deposits within ridges. These three scales are: (1) a short-term and small-scale fluctuation of 25 to 35 years with a range of about 0.5 to 0.6 m; (2) an intermediate-term and meso-scale fluctuation of 140 to 160 years and a range of about 0.8 to 0.9 m; and (3) a long-term and large-scale fluctuation of 500 to 600 years and a range of 1.8 to 3.7 m. The short-term and intermediate-term fluctuations are reflected in the historical record. An increase in the rate of shoreline progradation from east to west across Indiana's shoreline causes differential preservation of the lake-level fluctuations. That is, groups of four to six ridges in the western part of the strandplain that formed in response to the small-scale fluctuations combine eastward into single ridges and groups of ridges representing the meso-scale fluctuations. The large-scale fluctuations produced the most dramatic response in the western part of the Toleston Beach. Here, following each high stand, individual spits prograded southward off of a bedrock headland. The successive spit extensions created several small lakes landward of the spits and started the 20 km eastward stream-mouth deflection of the Grand Calumet River across Indiana's western lakeshore.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1991

Evidence of strong earthquake shaking in the lower Wabash Valley from prehistoric liquefaction features

Earthquake-induced liquefaction features in Holocene sediments provide evidence of strong prehistoric shaking, magnitude m b 6.2 to 6.7, in the Wabash Valley bordering Indiana and Illinois. The source of the one or more earthquakes responsible was almost certainly in or near the Wabash Valley. The largest event is interpreted to have occurred between 7500 and 1500 years ago on the basis of archeological, pedological, and stratigraphic relations.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1991

Surface water quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin: Geochemical data for fine-fraction streambed sediment from high- and low-order streams, 1987

Geochemical data are presented from a synoptic survey of 46 elements in fine-fraction streambed sediments of the Upper Illinois River Basin during the fall of 1987. The survey was a component study of the Illinois pilot project of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Most of the sampling sites were randomly chosen--135 on main stems of rivers and 238 on first- and second-order streams. In addition, 196 samples were collected for quality-assurance and special-study purposes. The report includes element concentration data and summary-statistics tables of percentiles, nested analysis of variance, and correlation coefficients. All concentration data are included in tabular form and can be selected by map reference number, latitude and longitude, or remark code indicating purpose for collecting sample.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1981

River basins of the United States: the Wabash

This leaflet, one of a series on the river basins of the United States, contains information on the Wabash River Basin, including a brief early history, a description of the physical characteristics, and other statistical data. At present, other river basins included in the series are The Colorado, The Columbia, The Delaware,The Hudson, and The Potomac.

Illinois, Indiana↗
USGS1980

Flood magnitude and frequency of small streams in Indiana: Preliminary estimating equations

This interim report presents preliminary estimating equations developed for the ongoing study, "Flood Frequency of Small Streams in Indiana." The equations were developed by the multiple-regression technique from data collected at 57 crest-stage-gage and 15 rainfall-runoff sites in the study and from 133 streamflow stations in Indiana and 11 in eastern Illinois. Peak discharge was used as the dependent variable, and basin characteristics were used as the independent variables in the analysis. Drainage area and precipitation were the most significant basin characteristics.

Illinois, Indiana↗