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Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Washington.

At least 1,405 records · Page 78Linked to original sources
USGS1985

Seismotectonic map of the Puget Sound region, Washington

The Puget Sound region is a seismically active area with hundreds of earthquakes occurring each year (Crosson, 1974, 1975, Crosson and Millard, 1975, Crosson and Noson, 1978a, 1978b, 1979). Most of the earthquakes are so small that they can be detected only by sensitive seismographs such as those operated by the University of Washington. Not all of the earthquakes have been small, however, for several damaging ones have occurred in historic time. Little is known about the geologic structures responsible for generating these earthquakes, and knowledge of the causative structures is fundamental to an adequate evaluation of the earthquake risks for the Puget Sound region. The purpose of this map is to summarize the current knowledge about tectonic deformation, seismicity, and the tectonic framework of the Puget Sound region in order to provide a basis for detailed geologic and geophysical studies that will lead to better understanding of the structures and forces responsible for generating earthquakes in the area. This map is a compilation of all known and inferred faults, including what is known about their age of movement. Also shown are some deformed deposits of Quaternary age and earthquake epicenters. Few of the faults have been studied in sufficient detail to establish whether or not they have been active or inactive during late Tertiary or Quaternary time, but most of the faults are the result of tectonic forces that were active during early and middle Tertiary time. These faults may or may not be related to the tectonic forces responsible for the current seismicity. Approximately 5 percent of the earthquakes recorded in the Puget Sound region originated at depths of 40 Km or more (Crosson, 1972, fig. 11), and these are probably not directly related to exposed or near-surface structures. Most of the earthquakes occur at shallower depths and may be associated with near-surface structures, but no earthquakes have been definitely identified with mapped faults.

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USGS1985

Mines and prospects map of the Glacier Peak Roadless Area, Snohomish County, Washington

The Glacier Peak Roadless Area (fig. 1), covering 57,320 acres in the Cascade Range, is 50 mi northeast of Seattle, Wash. Over 4,000 claims have been located in or near the roadless area. One hundred ninety-six patented claims are in or within 1 mi of the area. Ore production from the roadless area is estimated to be about 280,000 tons, mainly gold-silver ore from seven mines in the Monte Cristo mining district. Of the 57,320 acres, about 2,100 acres are patented mining claims. The roadless area is bounded on the south and west by county roads and on the northeast by U.S. Forest Service roads. It is adjoined by the Glacier Peak Wilderness on the east.

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USGS1985

Aeromagnetic map of the Glacier Peak Wilderness and adjacent areas, Chelan, Skagit, and Snohomish counties, Washington

The Glacier Peak Wilderness encompasses 464,741 acres, including 483 acres of patented mining and millsite claims. Also included in the present study are nine areas adjoining the wilderness (see fig. 1), totaling 90,034 acres of recommended wilderness additions. All these lands are here collectively called the “study area.” Access to the study area is provided by generally well maintained trails from gravel or dirt roads along major valleys above Darrington, Marblemount, Stehekin, Holden, Trinity, and Lake Wnatchee. Other than the main access trails across a few passes (Cloudy Pass, Buck Creek Pass, White Pass, and Indian Pass), trails are rough, infrequently maintained, or nonexistent.

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USGS1985

Map showing depth to bedrock in the Seattle 30' by 60' Quadrangle, Washington

Maps depicting thicknesses of sedimentary units (isopach maps) are standard tools for interpretation of processes and patterns of sedimentation within basins (Potter and Pettijohn, 1977, p. 283-287). Isopach maps showing the thickness of unconsolidated sedimentary deposits overlying bedrock may help locate sources of aggregate and potential ground-water aquifers. These maps also aid in the prediction of ground response resulting from earthquakes (Hays, 1980). In the Puget Lowland this latter use is of particular importance. Strong ground motions were highly variable throughout the Puget Sound area during the 1965 Seattle earthquake (M s = 6.5); complex topography of the bedrock surface plus thick sections of young unconsolidated and semiconsolidated sediment were responsible for this variability (Langston, 1981; Shakel and Toksoz, 1980). Hall and Othberg (1974) outlined the major patterns of unconsolidated sediment accumulation in Puget Sound, including the unusually thick Sedimentary deposits beneath the city of Seattle. Since Hall and Othberg's 1971, study, new geotechnical drilling and marine seismic reflection profiling information have become available and were used to prepare this map, which shows the depth to bedrock in the Seattle 30' by 60' quadrangle (scale 1:100,000). The map shows bedrock depth, in meters, beneath the land surface or the sediment-sea water interface. Bedrock throughout the Seattle quadrangle is presumed to be volcanic rock, conglomerate, Sandstone, or Shale and is Tertiary in age. With the exception of a few reports of age or lithology collected from oil wells (Livingston, 1958), the subsurface information used for this map sheds little light on the nature and distribution of the various Tertiary rocks in the subsurface. It is assumed, on the basis of pronounced lithologic differences in drill holes and widespread unconformable relationships with underlying bedrock units seen in marine seismic reflection profiles, that the deposits overlying bedrock are Quaternary in age, but no direct dating of materials has been done to confirm this assumption.

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USGS1985

Acoustic-televiewer and acoustic-waveform logs used to characterize deeply buried basalt flows, Hanford site, Benton County, Washington

Acoustic-waveform and acoustic-televiewer logs were obtained for a 400-meter interval of deeply buried basalt flows in three boreholes, and over shorter intervals in two additional boreholes located on the U.S. Department of Energy 's Hanford site in Benton County, Washington. Borehole-wall breakouts were observed in the unaltered interiors of a large part of individual basalt flows; however, several of the flows in one of the five boreholes had almost no breakouts. The distribution of breakouts observed on the televiewer logs correlated closely with the incidence of core disking in some intervals, but the correlation was not always perfect, perhaps because of the differences in the specific fracture mechanisms involved. Borehole-wall breakouts were consistently located on the east and west sides of the boreholes. The orientation is consistent with previous estimates of the principal horizontal-stress field in south-central Washington, if breakouts are assumed to form along the azimuth of the least principal stress. The distribution of breakouts repeatedly indicated an interval of breakout-free rock at the top and bottom of flows. Because breakouts frequently terminate at major low-angle fractures, the data indicate that fracturing may have relieved some of the horizontal stresses near flow tops and bottoms. Unaltered and unfractured basalt appeared to have a uniform compressional velocity of 6.0 + or - 0.1 km/sec and a uniform shear velocity of 3.35 + or - 0.1 km/sec throughout flow interiors. Acoustics-waveform logs also indicated that borehole-wall breakouts did not affect acoustic propagation along the borehole; so fracturing associated with the formation of breakouts appeared to be confined to a thin annulus of stress concentration around the borehole. Televiewer logs obtained before and after hydraulic fracturing in these boreholes indicated the extent of induced fractures, and also indicated minor changes to pre-existing fractures that may have been inflated during fracture generation.

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USGS1985

The effects of ground water, slope stability, and seismic hazard on the stability of the South Fork Castle Creek blockage in the Mount St. Helens area, Washington

A slope stability analysis on the South Fork Castle Creek debris avalanche blockage, near Mount St. Helens, Washington, was conducted to determine the likelihood of mass failure of the blockage and resultant breakout of South Fork Castle Creek Lake. On the basis of material properties, groundwater levels, and seismic history of the blockage, slope stability with and without earthquake-induced forces was determined. Results indicated that the blockage will not fail from gravitational forces at September 1983 groundwater levels. An increase of 25 feet or more in water levels could cause local failures, but massive failure of the blockage is improbable. Blockage slopes are potentially unstable for present and higher water levels if an earthquake with magnitude greater than 6.0 should occur. Retrogressive slope failures are possible, but lowering of the blockage crest below lake level and consequent lake breakout are considered remote. Significant earthquake shaking could cause cracks in the blockage that might facilitate piping.

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USGS1985

Water resources data, Washington, water year 1982: Vol. 1 - Western Washington

Water resources data for the 1982 water year for Washington consist of records of stage discharge, and water quality of streams; stage. contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of wells and springs. This report, in two volumes contains discharge records for 253 gaging stations; stage only records for 8 gaging stations; stage and contents for 37 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 81 gaging stations; and water levels for 57 observation wells. Also included are data for 33 crest-stage partial-record stations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 4, 5, and 22. Additional water data were collected at various sites, not part of 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 Washington.

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USGS1985

Water resources data, Washington, water year 1982: Vol. 2. Eastern Washington

Water resources data for the 1982 water year for Washington consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of wells and springs. This report, in two volumes, contains discharge records for 253 gaging stations; stage only records for 8 gaging stations; stage and contents for 37 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 81 gaging stations; and water levels for 57 observation wells. Also included are data for 33 crest-stage partial-record stations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 4, 5, and 19. Additional water data were collected at various sites, not part of 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 Washington.

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USGS1985

Water resources data, Washington, water year 1983

Water resources data for the 1983 water year for Washington consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of wells and springs. This report contains discharge records for 200 gaging stations; stage only records for 22 gaging stations; stage and contents for 22 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 43 gaging stations; and water levels for 124 observation wells. Also included are data for 79 crest-stage partial-record stations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 4, 5, 6, and 34. Additional water data were collected at various sites, not part of 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 Washington.

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USGS1985

Test wells in central Washington, 1977 to 1979: Description and results

During the period October 1977-March 1979, four wells were added to a network of wells in central Washington State to provide information on potential sources of ground-water supplies from aquifers in the Columbia River Basalt Group and supplemental ground-water data for water-management purposes where they cannot be obtained by other means. Two were drilled in the Yakima River canyon between Ellensburg and Yakima--one to 602 feet in the Burbank Creek valley and the other to 1,019 feet near the mouth of Umtanum Creek. A third well was drilled to 725 feet in the Badger Pocket area of the Ellensburg-Kittitas valley. A test well near George, Washington, was deepened from 975 to 1,610 feet and three piezometers were installed in this interval. The Burbank Creek, Umtanum Creek, and George test wells are completed in basalts and associated interflow zones of the Yakima Basalt Subgroup of the Columbia River Basalt Group. The Badger Pocket well penetrated more than 725 feet of unconsolidated materials without reaching the basalt. Specific capacities of the Umtanum Creek and George wells after 20 hours of pumping were 190 and 160 to 190 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown, respectively. Specific capacity of the Burbank Creek well after flowing for 24 hours was 32.5 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown. The Badger Pocket well was not tested for water yield. (USGS)

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USGS1985

The quality of water in the principal aquifers of southwestern Washington

The quality of water in major aquifers in southwestern Washington was addressed in terms of inorganic-constituent, trace-metal, and fecal-coliform concentrations. Results of this assessment indicate that the groundwater in southwestern Washington can be characterized as soft to moderately hard with a low concentration of dissolved solids. Nitrate was the only constituent found at concentrations above maximum contaminant levels specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency primary drinking water regulations. The most prevalent detriment to the otherwise good quality of groundwater in the region was concentrations of iron and manganese that exceeds limits recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary standards. Although these limits were exceeded in less than one half of the samples, high concentrations of iron and manganese were common throughout the entire region.

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USGS1985

A preliminary evaluation of hydrology and water quality near the Tacoma landfill, Pierce County, Washington

The Tacoma landfill, located in western Pierce County, Washington, has been used for the disposal of waste since about 1960. Disposal operations are planned to continue at this site until at least 1990. Data were compiled and interpreted to help understand the possible effects of the landfill on water quality in the surrounding area. Data were collected from published and unpublished reports of the U.S. Geological Survey, and from predominantly unpublished data in the files of other government agencies. The Tacoma landfill is underlain by unconsolidated, glacially derived deposits that consist of a wide variety of mixtures of clay to boulder-sized materials. Ground water is mostly the result of rainfall on the land surface, and moves through artesian aquifers (under the landfill) that are tapped for both domestic and municipal use. Hazardous liquid and dissolved wastes are probably present in the landfill, and potential flow paths for waste migration exist. An undetermined number of single-family domestic wells and 18 public-supply wells are within 3 miles of the landfill, three as close as 0.2 miles. There is only limited evidence indicating ground- and surface-water contamination. Further investigations of the geology, hydrology and water quality are needed to characterize the impact the landfill has on ground- and surface-water of the surrounding area.

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