Geohydrology of the lower Verdigris River valley between Muskogee and Catoosa, Oklahoma

Abstract

Alluvium is the principal aquifer along the Verdigris River between Muskogee and Catoosa, Okla. Yields of 1 to 10 gallons of water per minute, adequate for most domestic and stock uses, are available in almost all areas underlain by alluvium. In places where the proportion of gravel to fine material is high, yields ranging from 10 to 30 gallons per minute are possible from large-diameter wells. Terrace deposits yield small amounts of water (1 to 10 gallons per minute), adequate for most domestic and stock uses. Water-level fluctuations, in response to seasonal changes in recharge and discharge, range from 1 to 5 feet. Long-term fluctuations, measured as changes in seasonal high or low water levels during 8 years of record, are about 10 feet in the alluvium and less than 5 feet in the terrace deposits. Recharge to the alluvium is mainly by precipitation. Recharge maintains groundwater levels above the level of the Verdigris River, which, in turn, is the natural drain of the aquifer. Discharge from the alluvium is by seepage into the river and its tributaries and by evapotranspiration. Generally, the quality of the water in the alluvium and terrace deposits is suitable for domestic, stock, and irrigation uses.