USGS Science⌕ Search

Geology topics

Research about New Jersey

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including New Jersey.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
USGS1968

Ground-water resources of Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County includes an area of 538 square miles in east-central New Jersey. The climate is characterized by moderate temperature, moderate humidity, and moderate precipitation. The exposed rocks in the area are chiefly sands and clays, which range in age from Late Cretaceous through Recent. The formations strike northeast-southwest and dip gently to the southeast. These rocks range in total thickness from about 500 to 1,200 feet or more and are underlain by basement rocks of late Precambrian (?) age. The principal aquifers underlying Monmouth County occur in the Raritan and Magothy Formations, the Englishtown Formation, the Wenonah Formation and Mount Laurel Sand, the Vincentown Formation, and the Kirkwood Formation. Ground water constituted about 50 percent of the total water use in 1958. The daily withdrawal of ground water was at an average rate of 21.6 mgd (million gallons per day) in 1958 and about 32 mgd in 1965 (N. J. Division of Water Policy and Supply). The water demand is expected to increase to about 133 mgd by the year 2000. An analysis of streamflow records for the period 1932 to 1950 suggests that, excluding the Raritan and Magothy Formations, the major aquifers that occur under water-table conditions in the county discharge an average of about 178 mgd to streams. The aquifers in the Raritan and Magothy Formations contribute little or no water directly to streams in Monmouth County. These aquifers have been the most productive in the county. However, because salt water has been found in the lower parts of these formations in Ocean County, further development should proceed watchfully to assure that salt water does not threaten existing supplies. Aquifers in the Raritan and Magothy Formations and the Englishtown Formation supplied 76 percent of the ground water used in 1958. These aquifers, in conjunction with the Wenonah Formation and Mount Laurel Sand of Late Cretaceous age, are capable of providing relatively large yields to wells. The average yield of 63 large-diameter wells tapping these aquifers is 580 gpm, at depths randing from 100 to 1,140 feet. In general, the concentrations of chemical constituents in water from the aquifers would not restrict the use of the water for most purposes. High concentrations of iron do occur and require treatment. The concentrations of dissolved solids in 39 to 41 samples were 160 ppm (parts per million) or less.

New Jersey↗
USGS1968

Geology and ground-water resources of Burlington County, New Jersey

Burlington County, which lies between Trenton, Atlantic City and Camden, has an area of 827 square miles. The county is in the Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic province, has moderate temperatures and a dependable rainfall of 44 inches per year. The area is attracting new industries and additional population. Water usage is increasing with this economic growth; 26 mgd (million gallons per day) of ground water were used in 1960. The Raritan and Magothy Formations are the most prolific producers, but the Cohansey Sand and Kirkwood Formation have a great and, as yet, untapped potential. Small to moderately large supplies have been obtained from other aquifers. The maximum average potential recharge to the ground-water reservoirs is estimated to be about 790 mgd. Presently, most of it is rejected because the aquifers are essentially full. On this basis, it is believed that ground-water supplies in Burlington County are sufficient for the foreseeable future. However, well spacing must be planned to avoid local overdevelopment.

New Jersey↗
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↗
USGS1966

Extent and frequency of floods on Delaware River in vicinity of Belvidere, New Jersey

A stream overflowing its banks is a natural phenomenon. This natural phenomenon of flooding has occurred on the Delaware River in the past and will occur in the future. T' o resulting inundation of large areas can cause property damage, business losses and possible loss of life, and may result in emergency costs for protection, rescue, and salvage work. For optimum development of the river valley consistent with the flood risk, an evaluation of flood conditions is necessary. Basic data and the interpretation of the data on the regimen of the streams, particularly the magnitude of floods to be expected, the frequency of their occurrence, and the areas inundated, are essential for planning and development of flood-prone areas. This report presents information relative to the extent, depth, and frequency of floods on the Delaware River and its tributaries in the vicinity of Belvidere, N.J. Flooding on the tributaries detailed in the report pertains only to the effect of backwater from the Delaware River. Data are presented for several past floods with emphasis given to the floods of August 19, 1955 and May 24, 1942. In addition, information is given for a hypothetical flood based on the flood of August 19, 1955 modified by completed (since 1955) and planned flood-control works. By use of relations presented in this report the extent, depth, and frequency of flooding can be estimated for any site along the reach of the Delaware River under study. Flood data and the evaluation of the data are presented so that local and regional agencies, organizations, and individuals may have a technical basis for making decisions on the use of flood-prone areas. The Delaware River Basin Commission and the U.S. Geological Survey regard this program of flood-plain inundation studies as a positive step toward flood-damage prevention. Flood-plain inundation studies, when followed by appropriate land-use regulations, are a valuable and economical supplement to physical works for flood control, such as dams and levees. Both physical works and flood-plain regulations are included in the comprehensive plans for development of the Delaware River basin. Recommendations for land use, or suggestions for limitations of land use, are not made herein. Other reports on recommended general use and regulation of land in flood-prone areas are available (Dola, 1961; White, 1961; American Society of Civil Engineers Task Force on Flood Plain Regulations, 1962; and Goddard, 1963). The primary responsibility for planning for the optimum land use in the flood plain and the implementation of flood-plain zoning or other regulations to achieve such optimum use rest with the state and local interests. The preparation of this report was undertaken after consultation with representatives of the Lehigh-Northampton Counties, Pennsylvania, Joint Planning Commission and the Warren County, New Jersey, Regional Planning Board and after both had demonstrated their need for flood-plain information and their willingness to consider flood-plain regulations.

New Jersey↗
USGS1966

Flow probability of New Jersey streams

This report is one of a series published by the Division of Water Policy and Supply of the New Jersey Department of Conservation and Economic Development to make basic water data available in a form that can be readily used by all interested persons. The objective of the present report is to present flow-duration information based on past records so that estimates of future flows of New Jersey's streams may be made. It is an extension of the flow-duration portions of Water Resources Circular 6 (Miller and McCall, 1961).

New Jersey↗
USGS1965

Variations in chemical character of water in the Englishtown Formation, New Jersey

This investigation describes the variations in the chemical character of the water in the Englishtown Formation of Late Cretaceous age in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of New Jersey, and demonstrates the application of the concept of hydrochemical mapping to the study and evaluation of water-bearing materials. The chemistry of ground water is responsive to the physical environment and lends support to available geologic and hydrologic data. A study of the ground-water chemistry may even suggest concepts for which additional geologic or hydrologic data may not be obtainable by conventional methods of study. Hydrochemical mapping is particularly important in evaluating an aquifer satisfactorily, but it could be equally useful in regional geologic studies concerned with continuity of units or mineralogic differences and similarities.

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↗