Geology topics

Research about Tennessee

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Tennessee.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

USGS1989

Channel evolution of the Hatchie River near the U.S. Highway 51 crossing in Lauderdale and Tipton counties, West Tennessee

An investigation was conducted at the Hatchie River near the U.S. Highway 51 crossing in West Tennessee to (1) describe the channel cross-section evolution near the bridge crossing, (2) describe the evolution of velocity and discharge distributions near the bridge crossing, and (3) define streamflow duration and flood frequencies at the bridge site and compare these statistics with flows prior to the bridge collapse. The project was designed to document the collapse on April 1, 1989, of three spans of the bridge. Discharge measurements at the site available from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicate that the channel was widening at a rate of 0.8 foot per year from 1931 through about 1975. The channel bed was stable at an average elevation of about 235 feet above sea level by 1975. Construction of a southbound bridge in 1974 and 1975 reduced the effective flow width of the channel from about 4,000 to about 1,000 feet. A flood during March 1975 scoured the channel bed lowering its elevation about 6 feet. Data collected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1975 to 1981 indicate that the channel bed degraded to an elevation of about 230 feet and the widening rate increased to about 4.5 feet per year. The channel bed returned to approximately the pre-construction level of 235 feet as channel width increased. The widening rate decreased to about 1.8 feet per year based on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data collected from 1981 through 1989. Channel geometry data indicates that recent channel morphology changes have occurred at the toe of the right bank, and have resulted in continued bank undercutting and ban failure. Cross-section geometry and flow-velocity distributions determined from U.S. Geological Survey discharge measurements made between April 6 and 10, 1989, indicate that there is a high-flow meander pattern through this river reach. The bridges are located at or near the apparent meander inflection.

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USGS1989

Construction data and retrieval procedures for selected wells drilled from 1985 through 1987 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee

Twenty-eight wells were constructed by the U. S. Geological Survey for use in describing the groundwater flow system in Melton Valley, at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in eastern Tennessee. The wells were installed at 18 locations in Melton Valley and along the Clinch River during the period 1985 through 1987. During the same period, 19 wells were constructed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory at 7 locations in or near radioactive-waste burial grounds in Melton Valley. Construction data for all 47 wells are in the U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Site Inventory data system, where information is also stored for 450 wells that were completed at the laboratory in earlier years. The data can be electronically retrieved by personnel who have access to the U.S. Geological Survey Prime computer located in Nashville, Tennessee, and retrieval procedures are given in the report. (USGS)

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USGS1989

Water resources data, Tennessee, water year 1988

Water resources data for the 1988 water year for Tennessee consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams and springs; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; water levels and water quality of wells; and quantity and quality of precipitation. This report contains discharge records for 103 gaging stations; stage only records for 6 gaging stations; elevation and contents for 27 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 41 stations and 32 wells; water levels for 32 observation wells; and 1 precipitation station. Also included are 92 crest-stage partial-record stations and 207 low-flow partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various stream and spring sites not involved in the systematic data collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements and analyses. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Tennessee.

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USGS1989

An investigation of shallow ground-water quality near East Fork Poplar Creek, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Alluvial soils and fill materials in and near the floodplain of East Fork Poplar Creek in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, are contaminated with various trace metals (primarily mercury), organic compounds, and radionuclides that were lost to the stream as a result of past operations at the Y-12 Plant, a nuclear-processing facility located within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Reservation. Observation wells were installed in the shallow (above bedrock) aquifer in and near the floodplain of East Fork Poplar Creek and water-quality samples were collected to determine if contaminants found in the soils and fill are also present in the shallow ground water. The shallow aquifer in the East Fork Poplar Creek flood plain consists primarily of alluvial silt and clay with lesser amounts of sand and gravel. Thickness of the shallow aquifer ranges from essentially zero to as much as 20 feet. A silty-clay glei horizon is present between the base of the alluvium and the top of bedrock at most flood-plain locations and, where present, likely impedes downward ground-water movement. Water in the shallow aquifer near East Fork Poplar Creek occurs under water-table conditions. Recharge to the shallow aquifer is principally from precipitation, and discharge is through springs and seeps to East Fork Poplar Creek and its tributaries. During spring, summer; and fall, evapotranspiration also accounts for the removal of water in storage in the shallow aquifer. Water levels in the shallow aquifer fluctuate seasonally in response to variations in recharge and evapotranspiration. Generally, the depth to water in the observation wells ranged from about 1 to 4 feet below land surface in late winter, and from about 2 to 7 feet below land surface in late fall. During extremely dry periods, the water table recedes below the top of bedrock in some flood-plain areas, possibly causing East Fork Poplar Creek to lose water to the shallow aquifer along some reaches. Contaminants found in water samples collected from several of the observation wells in concentrations (total and (or) total-recoverable) which equaled or exceeded drinking-water standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are antimony, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, total phenols, and strontium-90. Total and dissolved uranium concentrations exceeded 1.0 microgram per liter in samples from nearly 70 percent of the wells in the East Fork Poplar Creek flood plain. Organic compounds that were identified in low concentrations in samples from a few wells in the flood plain are: Arochlor 1260, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, chrysene, 3,3-dichlorobenzidine, di-n-butylphthalate, N-nitrosodiphenylamine, and pyrene. Water from one well in the East Fork Poplar Creek flood plain at a contaminated fill site contained 37and 8 micrograms per liter of trichloroethene and trans-1,2-dichloroethene, respectively. Comparison of the results of total and (or) total-recoverable trace-metal determinations with those from dissolved determinations demonstrates that elevated concentrations of these substances in water collected from several of the wells in the East Fork Poplar Creek flood plain resulted from sorption of trace metals (and possibly organic compounds and radionuclides) by fine sediment suspended in the samples. The occurrence of contaminated sediment in these samples is suspected to be the result of borehole contamination during well installation.

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USGS1989

Statistical and simulation analysis of hydraulic-conductivity data for Bear Creek and Melton Valleys, Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee

A total of 338 single-well aquifer tests from Bear Creek and Melton Valley, Tennessee were statistically grouped to estimate hydraulic conductivities for the geologic formations in the valleys. A cross-sectional simulation model linked to a regression model was used to further refine the statistical estimates for each of the formations and to improve understanding of ground-water flow in Bear Creek Valley. Median hydraulic-conductivity values were used as initial values in the model. Model-calculated estimates of hydraulic conductivity were generally lower than the statistical estimates. Simulations indicate that (1) the Pumpkin Valley Shale controls groundwater flow between Pine Ridge and Bear Creek; (2) all the recharge on Chestnut Ridge discharges to the Maynardville Limestone; (3) the formations having smaller hydraulic gradients may have a greater tendency for flow along strike; (4) local hydraulic conditions in the Maynardville Limestone cause inaccurate model-calculated estimates of hydraulic conductivity; and (5) the conductivity of deep bedrock neither affects the results of the model nor does it add information on the flow system. Improved model performance would require: (1) more water level data for the Copper Ridge Dolomite; (2) improved estimates of hydraulic conductivity in the Copper Ridge Dolomite and Maynardville Limestone; and (3) more water level data and aquifer tests in deep bedrock.

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USGS1989

Techniques for simulating flood hydrographs and estimating flood volumes for ungaged basins in east and west Tennessee

A dimensionless hydrograph developed for a variety of basin conditions in Georgia was tested for its applicability to streams in East and West Tennessee by comparing it to a similar dimensionless hydrograph developed for streams in East and West Tennessee. Hydrographs of observed discharge at 83 streams in East Tennessee and 38 in West Tennessee were used in the study. Statistical analyses were performed by comparing simulated (or computed) hydrographs, derived by application of the Georgia dimensionless hydrograph, and dimensionless hydrographs developed from Tennessee data, with the observed hydrographs at 50 and 75% of their peak-flow widths. Results of the tests indicate that the Georgia dimensionless hydrography is virtually the same as the one developed for streams in East Tennessee, but that it is different from the dimensionless hydrograph developed for streams in West Tennessee. Because of the extensive testing of the Georgia dimensionless hydrograph, it was determined to be applicable for East Tennessee, whereas the dimensionless hydrograph developed from data on streams in West Tennessee was determined to be applicable in West Tennessee. As part of the dimensionless hydrograph development, an average lagtime in hours for each study basin, and the volume in inches of flood runoff for each flood event were computed. By use of multiple-regression analysis, equations were developed that relate basin lagtime to drainage area size, basin length, and percent impervious area. Similarly, flood volumes were related to drainage area size, peak discharge, and basin lagtime. These equations, along with the appropriate dimensionless hydrograph, can be used to estimate a typical (average) flood hydrograph and volume for recurrence-intervals up to 100 years at any ungaged site draining less than 50 sq mi in East and West Tennessee.

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USGS1989

Geology and ground-water resources of the Fort Pillow Sand in western Tennessee

This report was prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the Gulf Coast Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (GC RASA) program. The GC RASA study area covers about 230,000 mi 2 onshore in Louisiana and parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. About 60,000 mi 2 offshore on the continental shelf also are included because the aquifers extend beyond the coast line beneath the Gulf of Mexico. The study is limited to the Coastal Plain sediments of Tertiary and younger age, except for an area in the Mississippi embayment where Upper Cretaceous sediments supply ground water in parts of several States. The objectives of the GC RASA study are to define the geohydrologic framework, to describe the chemistry of the ground water, and to analyze the regional ground-water flow system (Grubb, 1984).

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USGS1988

Use and availability of continuous streamflow records in Tennessee

This report documents the results of the data uses and funding part of a study of the cost-effectiveness of the streamflow information program in Tennessee. Presently, 88 continuous surface water gaging stations are operated in Tennessee on a budget of $490,800. Data uses and funding sources are identified for each of the 88 stations. Data from most stations have multiple uses.

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USGS1988

Water resources publications of the U.S. Geological Survey for Tennessee, 1906-1987

A bibliography was compiled of the water-resources investigations published by the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, in Tennessee. The bibliography includes an alphabetical listing by author, as well as listings by general and specific areas in Tennessee. The publications are classified also by discipline and type of report: open- file reports, water-supply papers, water-resources investigations, professional papers, circulars, hydrologic investigations atlases, miscellaneous investigations maps, journal and symposium articles, water-resources bulletin articles, and water-resources data reports.

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USGS1988

Hydrology of the Melton Valley radioactive-waste burial grounds at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee

Burial grounds 4, 5, and 6 were used sequentially from 195 1 to the present for the disposal of solid, low-level radioactive waste by burial in shallow trenches and auger holes. Abundant rainfall, a generally thin unsaturated zone, geologic media of inherently low permeability, and the operational practices employed have contributed to partial saturation of the buried waste, leaching of radionuclides, and transport of dissolved matter from the burial areas. Two primary methods of transport from these sites are by dissolution in circulating ground water, and the overflow of fluids in trenches and subsequent flow across land surface. The waste-disposal areas are underlain by the Conasauga Group (Cambrian age), a complex sequence of mudstone, siltstone, and limestone interbeds grading from one lithotype to the other, both laterally and vertically. Compressional forces that caused regional thrust faulting also caused much internal deformation of the beds. Folds, bedding-plane faults, and joints are widespread. Small solution openings have developed in some areas where the structurally-related openings have provided ingress to ground water. Both the regolith and bedrock sections of the aquifer are anisotropic, but anisotropy is more pronounced in the bedrock. The lower practical limit of ground-water circulation probably occurs at about 200 to 250 feet depth. A conceptual model of flow is described wherein the primary control on direction of ground-water flow changes from the water-table gradient in the regolith to the hydraulic head distribution within the secondary openings of the bedrock and the three-dimensional geometry of those openings. Locally, the direction of flow in the regolith also is controlled by gradients within openings in certain relatively resistant beds and structurally-related features. Hydraulic conductivities as measured by slug tests of wells range from 2.9 x 10m3 to 6.7 feet per day in the regolith, and 1.5 x 10s4 to 1.9x 10-l feet per day in bedrock at depths of 100 to 200 feet. Whiteoak Creek and its tributaries receive all overland flow from trench spillage, surface runoff from each site, and discharge of ground water from the regolith of each site. Potentiometric data indicate that this drainage system also receives ground water discharged from the bedrock of burial ground 5. By projection of the bedrock flow patterns characteristic of this site to other areas of Melton Valley, it is inferred that discharge from the bedrock underlying burial grounds 4 and 6 also is to the same drainage system. The differences in potentiometric heads and a comparatively thin saturated zone in bedrock do not favor the development of deep flow through bedrock from one river system to another. Hydraulic potentials, hydraulic conductivities, and hydrochemical data indicate that most ground water in the aquifer flows through the regolith. A smaller amount of water flows through the bedrock, where the flow paths are longer in distance and the time of travel is considerably greater. In burial ground 5 the regolith section of the aquifer has widespread contamination, principally by iron, tritium, and strontium-90. Contamination decreases substantially with increasing depth in bedrock, particularly below 100 feet. The sites have received little monitoring because they have not been considered a hazard. As improvements in plant facilities have reduced the discharge of radionuclides to the Whiteoak Creek system, the discharge of contaminants from the burial grounds has become relatively more significant. The burial grounds are now a principal source of 3H and a major contributor of 90 Sr in the discharge of Whiteoak Creek to the Clinch River.

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USGS1988

Hydrologic and suspended-sediment data for Reelfoot Lake, Obion and Lake Counties, northwestern Tennessee, May 1985-September 1986

Hydrologic data for Reelfoot Lake in Obion and Lake Counties, Tennessee, were collected at 4 surface-water inflow stations, 1 outflow station, 2 rainfall stations, 2 lake elevation stations, and 29 wells for the period May 1, 1985 through September 30, 1986. Additionally, suspended-sediment data were collected at three stations on two of the major tributaries to the lake. These data are presented herein.

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USGS1988

Quality of ground water in shallow wells in agricultural areas of Haywood, Shelby, Lake, and Obion Counties, Tennessee, January and February 1988

There are sparse data on the impact of agricultural chemicals on groundwater quality in the state of Tennessee were chosen for sampling groundwater for nitrogen species and pesticides. These sites, located in Haywood, Shelby, and Lake Counties, are all areas of high intensity agriculture. Because of the importance of the surficial alluvial aquifer to the domestic supply in West Tennessee, shallow wells at each site were sampled. Two sampling events were scheduled, in the winter and in the spring, to establish the difference between background and effected contaminant levels. Preliminary results from the first sampling event indicate a range of nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen concentrations from less than 0.1 to 7.8 milligrams per liter. The results from triazine analyses show concentrations below the detection limit.

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USGS1988

Water quality of runoff to the Clarksville Memorial Hospital drainage well and of Mobley Spring, Clarksville, Tennessee, February and March, 1988

A drainage well and a spring in Clarksville, Tennessee, have been instrumented to collect storm related data in order to define the types and concentrations of water quality characteristics in stormwater runoff and in the receiving groundwater basin. Water quality samples of storm runoff at the drainage well at Clarksville Memorial Hospital and of nearby Mobley Spring were collected during four storms and during normal flow conditions during February and March 1988. Samples were analyzed for major inorganic water quality constituents, selected trace metals, and organics. Several samples from the drainage well and the spring had trace-metals concentrations that exceeded maximum contaminant levels for State drinking-water standards. Organic compounds including phenols, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and other base-neutral extractable organic substance are present in samples from both the drainage well and spring.

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USGS1988

Streamflow and water-quality data for three major tributaries to Reelfoot Lake, west Tennessee, October 1987-March 1988

Streamflow and water quality data were collected for three major tributaries to Reelfoot Lake, in West Tennessee, for the period October 1987 through March 1988. The data are presented in graphs and tables. Mean daily discharge data were collected at one site each in the drainage basins of North Reelfoot Creek, South Reelfoot Creek, and Running Slough. Daily mean suspended-sediment concentration data were collected at a site in the North Reelfoot Creek basin. Water quality samples were collected during storm events at the same locations that daily mean streamflow data were collected. Water quality samples were analyzed for concentrations of nutrients and triazine herbicides. Water temperature and specific conductance were measured at the time that samples were collected.

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USGS1988

Water resources investigations in Tennessee: Programs and activities of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1987-1988

This report summarizes the principal programs and activities of the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in Tennessee during the last 12 months. It has been an exciting period of many varied activities, projects, and investigations. The variety of these activities is a reflection of the complexity of the water issues in Tennessee and points out the need for a strong ongoing water-resources research program. The USGS is in a position to meet this challenge with an outstanding staff, necessary resources, and pertinent programs in partnership with other county, state, and federal agencies that participate in the District cooperative programs. During the last year, we have witnessed a significant shift in the orientation of the projects and investigations we conduct. Ground water has emerged as one of the most important environmental issues in the Nation and the State. In Tennessee, ground water provides about 51 percent of the drinking-water supplies, and its use is increasing at a faster rate than surface-water supplies. Several communities, including Memphis and Jackson, depend entirely on ground water as their source of drinking water. There are significant concerns among the people and government officials about the quality, quantity, and occurrence of ground water in Tennessee. The USGS is meeting these concerns through assigning higher priorities and additional funds to investigations involving ground-water issues. In the years to come, this trend will continue. The mission of the USGS in Tennessee is to provide timely, accurate, and unbiased water-resources information to citizens and government officials, We intend to continue meeting the goals of this mission by maintaining excellence in our staff and programs. We feel proud of the accomplishments of the last year. I wish to share these successes with the cooperating agencies and organizations that have made these programs possible.

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USGS1988

Concentrations of selected trace inorganic constituents and synthetic organic compounds in the water-table aquifers in the Memphis area, Tennessee

Water quality samples for analysis of selected trace inorganic constituents and synthetic organic compounds were collected from 29 private or observation wells in alluvium and fluvial deposits of Quaternary and Tertiary Age. The alluvium and fluvial deposits are the water table aquifers in the Memphis area. In addition, nine wells were installed in Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division well fields so that samples could be collected and analyzed to characterize the quality of water in the fluvial deposits at these well fields. Samples from seven of these wells (two were dry) were analyzed for major constituents and properties of water as well as for selected trace inorganic constituents and synthetic organic compounds. Analyses of the water from most of the 36 wells sampled indicated ranges in concentration values for the trace inorganic constituents that agreed with those previously known, although some new maximum values were established. The analysis of water from four wells indicated that the water is or may be contaminated. Concentrations of barium (1,400 micrograms/L -- μg/L), strontium (1,100 μg/L)), and arsenic (15 μg/L), along with specific conductance (1,420 microsiemens/centimeter--us/cm) were in water from one well in the alluvium. Low concentrations (0.02 to 0.04 μg/L) of the pesticides aldrin, DDT, endosulfan, and perthane were present in water from two wells in the fluvial deposits. Water from one of these wells also contained 1,1,1 trichloroethane (4.4 μg/L). Analysis of water from another well in the fluvial deposits indicated values for specific conductance (1,100 μS/cm), alkalinity (508 milligrams per liter -- mg/L -- as CaCO 3 ), hardness (550 mg/L as CaCO 3 ), chloride (65 mg/L), and barium (240 μg/L) that are high for water from the fluvial deposits.

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USGS1988

Construction, geologic, and ground-water data for observation wells near the Shelby County landfill, Memphis, Tennessee

Forty-one observation wells and two stratigraphic test holes were drilled near the Shelby County landfill in east Memphis. These wells were installed as part of an investigation on possible vertical leakage of groundwater from the alluvial aquifer into the Memphis Sand aquifer. The alluvial aquifer consists of about 45 to 55 ft of alluvial silt, sand, and gravel. This is separated from the underlying Memphis Sand aquifer by about 30 to 60 ft of silt, silty sand, and clay in the confining layer. Thirty wells completed in the alluvium were generally less than 50 ft deep. The depth to the water table ranged from about 15 to more than 45 ft below land surface. Four observation wells were completed in the upper part of the Memphis Sand aquifer. Water levels in the Memphis Sand aquifer were generally 35 to 40 ft below land surface.

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USGS1988

History of suspended-sediment data collection and inventory of available data for the Tennessee and Cumberland River basins

Since the early 1930’s, a considerable amount of suspended-sediment data has been collected in the Tennessee and Cumberland River basins, primarily by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Geological Survey. These data sets cover a wide range of drainage areas and sampling frequencies. The most valuable data sets are those where the frequency of sampling was sufficient to compute daily sediment records. In 1934 and 1935, the Tennessee Valley Authority established 5 1 daily record suspended-sediment stations on the Tennessee River and its major tributaries. Most of these stations were operated for 3 to 4 years, but nine of the stations were operated for 8 years. From 1962 to 1965, the Tennessee Valley Authority again collected daily sediment record at 10 of the original 5 1 stations. In addition to the data sets collected on the major rivers, the Tennessee Valley Authority has conducted several intensive studies of small watersheds throughout the Tennessee River Basin. In the Cumberland River basin, daily sediment records have been collected primarily by the Survey. Daily stations have been operate for various periods on 17 basins ranging in size from 0.67 to 1,977 square miles, with the earliest date of daily record being October 1953. All of these daily stations are located in the upper Cumberland River basin upstream of any major impoundments. Periodic sediment data have been collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at 194 stations in the Tennessee River basin and at 106 stations in the Cumberland River basin, however, the number of samples per station is quite low. Eighty-six percent of the periodic stations in the Tennessee River basin and 91 percent of the periodic stations in the Cumberland River basin have 30 samples or less.

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