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Research about Indiana

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Indiana.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
USGS1959

Paper coal in Indiana

The foliated, papery texture of the upper third of an 18-inch coal seam in a strip mine near Rockville, Indiana, is attributable to matted plant cuticle. The cuticles of pinnules, pinnae, and rachides resemble Sphenopteris bradfordii Arnold and thus differ from the lycopsid stem cuticles of the Russian paper coal.

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USGS1956

Hydrology of Indiana lakes

Indiana's lakes are a valuable resource for both recreational use and their industrial potential. Some lakes are used for water supply. The natural lakes are glacial in origin and are most concentrated in northeastern Indiana. Many of the lakes were drained by the early settlers. The natural processes of sedimentation ad accumulation of organic deposits tend also to reduce the number and size of lakes. The trend toward fewer lakes has been reversed in recent years by the construction of artificial lakes; the number of lakes has increased from a little over 500 in 1800 to 1,000 at the present time. The recreational value of the lakes and the desirability of maintaining constant lake level led to legislation relative to the establishment of legal lake levels and to a program of lake-level observations, supplemented by the collection of hydrologic data affecting lake levels. Observations of both surface temperature and temperature profile were made by investigates as early as 1875. The earlier data and data collected since 1946 have been analyzed to show the fluctuation of temperature with season, depth of water, size of lake, and other influencing factors. Surface temperature, which may vary several degrees within a 24-hour period, fluctuate with air temperature and reach highs of about 85°F in August. The bottom temperature of lakes more than 100 feet deep seldom rise above 45°F. Subsurface water temperatures below ice cover reach a uniform value of about 39°F except that just below the ice which remains closely 32°F. During summer, temperature stratification is established as the lake warms. Shallow lakes reach temperature extremes about 5°F above and below those of deep lakes. Size of the contributing drainage area, surface area of the lake, and flow through the lake have little effect on water temperatures below a depth of about 20 feet. Little aquatic life exists below depths of 30 feet from mid April to mid September owing to a lack of oxygen in the water. Large amounts of cool water, 50 to 10 degrees cooler than groundwater which averages 50°F to 55°F in northern Indiana, are available in the lower portions of the deep lakes. Evapotranspiration accounts for the disposal of about 70 percent of the precipitation in Indiana. During a year's time evaporation from the lake surface about equals the precipitation falling on the lake. During dry periods evaporation from a lake may exceed the inflow from small drainage areas and cause a lowering of lake levels. For the period April through October, evaporation as measure in a class A land pan of the U. S. Weather Bureau has averaged 44 inches at Evansville, 34 inches at Indianapolis, and 31 inches at Valpariso. A coefficient of about 0.7 is usually applied to yearly evaporation data from Class A land pans to obtain equivalent evaporation from lake surfaces. Ice cover on the lakes extends from about December 15 to March 15 and reaches thickness of 24 to 30 inches during colder winters. Ice can be damaging to the lakeside installations by thrust action of by the wind action on ice cakes. The stabilization of lake levels often requires the construction of outlet control structures. A detailed study of past lake-level elevations and other hydologic date is necessary to establish a level that can be maintained and to determine the means necessary for maintaining the established level. Detailed lake-level records for 28 lakes are included in the report, and records for over 100 other lakes data are available in the U.S. Geological Survey Office, Indianapolis, Ind. Evaporation data from the four Class A evaporation station of the U. S. Weather Bureau have been compiled in this report. A table showing the established legal lake level and related data is included.

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USGS1955

Water resources of the Indianapolis area, Indiana

Water used in the Indianapolis area comes from two sources: the White River and tributary streams and the underground reservoirs formed by the underlying glacial drift and limestone. Surface-water sources provide about 60 mgd (million gallons per day) for public supply and an additional 300 mgd is used by private industries and is returned directly to the streams. About 60 mgd is taken from ground-water sources by public water supplies and industries. The total use of water, therefore, is about 420 mgd. The city of Indianapolis and several adjacent urban communities are supplied through the surface-water sources by a private water company, the Indianapolis Water Co. Water is impounded in the Geist Reservoir on Fall Creek. At Broad Ripple, on White River, a low dam is used to divert river water into a feeder canal to a treatment plant. Expansion of the present facilities of this company is in progress. A new reservoir with a capacity about equal to that of Geist Reservoir is being constructed on Cicero Creek, a tributary of the White River. These combined river sources will provide an abundant supply of good water in excess of present demands. This will permit expansion of surface-water use for public, commercial, and industrial supply in the service area of this water company. Industry is the heaviest user of ground water in the area. Of the 56 mgd of ground water pumped in 1952 about 70 percent was used by industry. Agriculture was next with a pumpage of about 15 percent and the remainder or 15· percent was for public and private water supply. The ground water is of relatively uniform composition and temperature. Difficulties in supplying water have occurred and will continue to occur from time to time when demands on ground-water sources are excessively heavy for long periods of time and locally where pumped wells are too closely spaced. Under such conditions ground-water levels decline rapidly and remain depressed for some time. Such a condition may constitute what could be called a water shortage. As the demand for water increases there is need for conservation and wise use of available surface and ground-water supplies.

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USGS1954

Geology and coal deposits of the Dugger quadrangle, Sullivan County, Indiana

The accompanying maps and related material describing the geology and coal deposits of the Dugger quadrangle were prepared as part of a cooperative program to appraise the coal resources of Indiana initiated by the Division of Geology, Indiana Department of Conservation, and the Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. The field work on which the maps were based was done by the writer, assisted by E. D. McKay, between June 15 and August 31, 1949. The Dugger quadrangle covers nearly 58 square miles in east-central Sullivan County, Indiana, between latitude 39° and 39°07'30" N. and longitude 87°15' and 87°22'30" W. Dugger, the largest town in the quadrangle and the main shipping point, is 30 miles south of Terre Haute. The mines in the quadrangle are served by the Illinois Central, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific, and the Pennsylvania Railroads.

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USGS1954

Geology and coal deposits of the Hymera quadrangle, Sullivan County, Indiana

The Hymera quadrangle is the fourth of a series of quadrangles that are being mapped by the Geological Survey, Indiana Department of Conservation, in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey, as part of a program of study and reappraisal of Indiana coal resources. The field work was done by the writer, assisted by Harold Hutchinson and Frank E. Kottlowski, during the summer of 1948. Corrections to the map were mad in the field in the summer of 1950. The purpose of the mapping is to show in detail the areal geology, the stratigraphy of the Pennsylvanian rocks, the extent and structure of the principal coal beds, the location and extent of mined-out areas, and the coal reserves. Outcrops were located on aerial photographs and on the topographic quadrangle map, which was enlarged to a scale of 1:16,000. Mined areas were plotted from mine maps and strip mine areas. Information on mines and drill holes was obtained from various published sources, from mine operators, and from records of the Indiana Bureau of Mines and Mining.

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USGS1954

Geology and coal deposits of the Shelburn quadrangle, Sullivan County, Indiana

The Shelburn quadrangle is the fifth in a series of quadrangle maps prepared as a part of a program by the Geological Survey, Indiana Department of Conservation, and the U.S. Geological Survey to appraise the coal resources of Indiana. The field work was done by the writer, assisted by Dick S. Horton and Robert E. Hurley, during the summer of 1949 and for a short period during the summer of 1950. Data on mines, records of past production, and records of exploratory drilling for coal and oil were provided by the operators in the quadrangle, whose help and advice has been most helpful in the preparation of this report. The Indiana Bureau of Mines and Mining provided much valuable information on abandoned mines in the quadrangle.

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USGS1951

Geology and coal deposits of the Linton quadrangle, Greene and Sullivan Counties, Indiana

The Linton quadrangle is the second of a series of quadrangles being mapped by the Division of Geology, Indiana Department of Conservation in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey, as part of a program of study and reappraisal of Indiana coal resources. The field work was done by the writer, assisted by Harold Hutchison, during the summer of 1948; final corrections to the map were made in the field January 1950. The purpose of the mapping is to show in detail areal geology, the stratigraphy of the Pennsylvanian rocks, the extent and structure of the principal coal beds, the locations of mined-out areas and the coal reserves.

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