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USGS2002

Simulation of ground-water flow in the Intermediate and Floridan aquifer systems in Peninsular Florida

A numerical model of the intermediate and Floridan aquifer systems in peninsular Florida was used to (1) test and refine the conceptual understanding of the regional ground-water flow system; (2) develop a data base to support subregional ground-water flow modeling; and (3) evaluate effects of projected 2020 ground-water withdrawals on ground-water levels. The four-layer model was based on the computer code MODFLOW-96, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The top layer consists of specified-head cells simulating the surficial aquifer system as a source-sink layer. The second layer simulates the intermediate aquifer system in southwest Florida and the intermediate confining unit where it is present. The third and fourth layers simulate the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers, respectively. Steady-state ground-water flow conditions were approximated for time-averaged hydrologic conditions from August 1993 through July 1994 (1993-94). This period was selected based on data from Upper Floridan a quifer wells equipped with continuous water-level recorders. The grid used for the ground-water flow model was uniform and composed of square 5,000-foot cells, with 210 columns and 300 rows.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1996

Hydrogeology and steady-state simulation of ground-water flow in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah

As part of a multidisciplinary regional aquifer-system analysis, a three-dimensional steady-state ground-water-flow model was constructed for the San Juan Basin in parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. The model simulated ground- water flow in 12 hydrostratigraphic units representing all of the major sources of ground water from aquifers of Jurassic and younger age. Ten map reports in the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas 720 series were prepared in conjunction with this investigation. The units that were described in the atlases were the San Jose, Nacimiento, and Animas Formations; Ojo Alamo Sandstone; Kirtland Shale and Fruitland Formation; Pictured Cliffs Sandstone; Cliff House Sandstone; Menefee Formation; Point Lookout Sandstone; Gallup Sandstone; Dakota Sandstone; and Morrison Formation. Additional descriptions of the alluvial and landslide deposits, Chuska and Crevasse Canyon Sandstones, Lewis and Mancos Shales, Wanakah Formation, and Entrada Sandstone are included in this report. Much of the information in the HA-720 series was generated from digital computer data bases that were directly usable by the computer for compilation of input data for the model. In essence, the major components of the ground-water- flow model were described and documented in the series of hydrologic atlases. The primary finding resulting from the ground-water-flow simulation was that boundary conditions and internal geometry of the aquifers are the major controls of steady-state ground-water flow and hydraulic heads in the San Juan Basin. Another significant finding was that the computed steady-state ground- water flux is a very minor component (about 1 percent) of the total water budget of the basin.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1952

Reconnaissance of the geology and ground-water hydrology of the Belle Fourche irrigation project, South Dakota

The Belle Fourche irrigation project is in western South Dakota on the plains adjacent to the northeastern edge of the Black Hills. The project is drained by the Belle Fourche River and is characterized generally by broad shallow valleys that lie between hills with gentle slopes. The climate is semiarid. Most of the area is mantled by residual clay, terrace deposits, and alluvium. The terrace deposits contain much water and are the most permeable deposits in the project area. The alluvial deposits of the Belle Fourche River and of the creeks south of the river contain much sand and gravel and are relatively permeable. The alluvium of the creeks north of the river is predominantly clay and is only slightly permeable; it greatly resembles the residual clay of the weathered bedrock formations, which are mostly shale in this area. Although relatively abundant ground water is found in the unconsolidated materials above the bedrock formations, the ground water from the clayey deposits generally contains too great a concentration of objectionable salts to be fit for human or livestock consumption. The ground water in the more coarse materials is of better quality and in some small areas is satisfactory for domestic use. Most of the water for domestic use is hauled from deep artesian wells within the area. The chief source of ground water is seepage from irrigation canals in the terrace and alluvial deposits. When this water moves to areas of lower permeability a correspondingly greater rise of the water table compensates for the lower permeability and results in the waterlogging of many areas. Open drainage ditches have been constructed in all large areas that are affected by high ground-water levels. Except in those areas that are underlain predominantly by clayey materials, these ditches usually have proven to be satisfactory for the control of ground-water levels. However, lining the canals seems to be a more satisfactory method of preventing the seepage that causes high ground-water levels. A detailed investigation should be made of ground-water conditions in the Belle Fourche project area. Additional observation wells should be installed so that the effectiveness of the ground-water control measures can be determined.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1975

Ground water in the Verdigris River basin, Kansas and Oklahoma

Ground water in the Verdigris River basin occurs in consolidated rocks and unconsolidated deposits ranging in age from Mississippian to Quaternary. Water for municipal, industrial, and irrigation supplies generally can be obtained in limited quantities from the alluvial deposits in the stream valleys. Except for water in the alluvial deposits in the stream valleys and in the outcrop areas of the bedrock aquifers, the groundwater is generally of poor chemical quality. Owing to the generally poor chemical quality of water and low yields to wells, an increase in the use of ground water from the consolidated rocks is improbable. The unconsolidated rocks in the Verdigris River basin receive about 166,000 acre-feet of recharge annually, and about 1 million acre-fee of water is in temporary storage in the deposits. In 1968 about 4,200 acre-feet of ground was withdrawn for all uses. About 800 acre-feet of ground and 5,000 acre-feet of surface water were pumped for irrigation of 5,300 acres of cropland. The total annual withdrawal of ground water for irrigation may be 2,000 acre-feet by the year 2000.

Kansas, Oklahoma↗
USGS2006

Ground water beneath coastal bays of the Delmarva Peninsula: Ages and nutrients

To complement a large-scale geophysical investigation of occurrence and discharge of fresh water beneath Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (Delmarva) coastal bays, we measured (1) salinity and nutrient concentrations in ground water samples from several offshore coring sites and (2) a suite of chemical and isotopic parameters, including age tracers, in ground water samples from a Delaware site. Samples were collected in a variety of Holocene and Plio-Pleistocene sediments in nearshore and offshore areas of the bays. Ground waters that were significantly fresher than overlying waters were found in plumes up to at least 15 m thick extending to more than 500 m offshore in some areas. Steep salinity and nutrient gradients occur within a few meters of the sediment surface in most locations studied. The zone of transition from deeper fresher waters to shallower brackish waters is generally thin near shore, but thickens and becomes more gradual offshore. Ground water ages at the Delaware site were mostly < 50 yr in both fresh waters and brackish waters up to 22 m below the bay bottom. Water chemistry and age data indicate that fresh water plumes beneath the estuary are active extensions of the surficial aquifer carrying nitrate from recharge areas on land, whereas brackish ground water surrounding the fresh water plumes is recharged beneath the estuary and contains ammonium and phosphate released by diagenesis of shallow estuarine sediments. Denitrification affects some of the fresh water nitrate before it mixes with brackish ground water or discharges to surface water.

Delaware, Maryland, Virginia↗
USGS1995

Ground-Water Availability from the Hawi Aquifer in the Kohala Area, Hawaii

A ground-water study consisting of test-well drilling, aquifer tests, and numerical simulation was done to investigate ground-water availability in the basal part of the Hawi aquifer between the western drainage divide of Pololu Valley and Upolu Point in Kohala, Hawaii. The test-well drilling provided information on geology, water levels, water quality, vertical extent of the freshwater, and the thickness of the freshwater-saltwater transition zone in that aquifer. A total of 12 test wells were drilled at eight locations. Aquifer tests were done at five locations to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer. Using information on the distribution of recharge, vertical extent of freshwater, hydraulic conductivity, and geometry of the basal aquifer, a numerical model was used to simulate the movement of water into, through, and out of the basal aquifer, and the effect of additional pumping on the water levels in the aquifer. Results of the modeling indicate that ground-water withdrawal of 20 million gallons per day above the existing withdrawal of 0.6 million gallons per day from the basal aquifer is hydrologically feasible, but that spacing, depth, and pumping rates of individual wells are important. If pumping is concentrated, the likelihood of saltwater intrusion is increased. The additional withdrawal of 20 million gallons per day would result in a reduction of ground-water discharge to the ocean by an amount equal to pumpage. Although model-calculated declines in water-level outside the area of pumping are small, pumping could cause some reduction of streamflow near the mouth of Pololu Stream.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2005

Locating VOC contamination in a fractured-rock aquifer at the ground-water/surface-water interface using passive vapor collectors

Chlorinated organic solvents introduced to unlined lagoons at an industrial waste-water treatment plant in the Inner Piedmont of South Carolina resulted in ground-water contamination of a fractured-rock aquifer. Part of the ground-water contamination discharges to Little Rocky Creek, downgradient from the waste-water treatment plant. Passive vapor collectors were buried in the bottom sediment of the creek to locate areas where ground water contaminated with volatile organic compounds was discharging to the creek. High concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in passive vapor collectors in an area where VOCs were known to be discharging from ground water to surface water. This area was also a site where very low frequency electromagnetic anomalies (interpreted as fracture zones) intersected the creek or converged near the creek. The data show that passive vapor collectors in bottom sediment of Little Rocky Creek provided information on the location of fractures that were discharging contaminated ground water to surface water.

Groundwater↗
USGS1995

Hydrology and simulation of ground-water flow in the Aguadilla to Rio Camuy area, Puerto Rico

The aquifers of the Aguadilla to Rio Camuy area, in the northwestern part of Puerto Rico, are the least developed of those on the north coast, and relatively little information is available concerning the ground-water system. The present study, which was part of a comprehensive appraisal of the ground-water resources of the North Coast Province, attempts to interpret the hydrology of the area within the constraints of available data. The study area consists of an uplifted rolling plain that is 200 to 400 feet above sea level and a heavily forested, karst upland. The only major streams in the area are the Rfo Camuy and the Rio Guajataca. Most water used in the area is obtained from Lago de Guajataca, just south of the study area, and ground-water use is minimal (less than 5 million gallons per day). Sedimentary rocks of Tertiary age, mainly limestone and calcareous clays, comprise the aquifers of the Aguadilla to Rio Camuy area. The rocks generally dip from 4 to 7 degrees to the north, and the total sedimentary rock sequence may be as much as 6,000 feet thick near the Atlantic coast. Baseflows for the Rio Camuy are 58 cubic feet per second near Bayaney and 72 cubic feet per second near Hatillo. The ground-water discharge to the Rio Camuy between these stations is estimated to be 15 cubic feet per second, or 2.6 cubic feet per second per linear mile. The flow of the Rio Guajataca is regulated by the Guajataca Dam at Lago de Guajataca. Ground-water discharge to the Rio Guajataca between the dam and the coast is estimated to be about 17 cubic feet per.second, based on the average ground-water discharge per linear mile estimated for the Rio Camuy. Both water-table and artesian aquifers are present in the Aguadilla to Rio Camuy area; how-ever, most ground water occurs within the watertable aquifer, which was the primary focus of this study. The top of the confining unit, below the water-table aquifer, generally is within the unnamed upper member of the Cibao Formation; however, it is within the Los Puertos Formation in the eastern part of the study area. The water-table aquifer primarily is composed of rocks of the Aymam6n Limestone and the Los Puertos Formation. The estimated saturated thickness of the water-table aquifer ranges from zero at the southern limit of the aquifer to more than 600 feet south of Isabela. Hydraulic conductivity of the Aymam6n Limestone, based on specific-capacity test data for seven wells, ranges from about 1 to about 25 feet per day and averages 7.5 feet per day. Hydraulic conductivity of the Los Puertos Formation, based on specific-capacity test data for four wells, generally was less than 7 feet. per day. The average hydraulic-conductivity value for both the Aymam6n Limestone and the Los Puertos Formation, based on specific-capacity test data, is estimated to be about 6.0 feet per day. These hydraulic-conductivity values are much less than average values for the water-table aquifer reported for other parts of the North Coast Province. Transmissivity values, based on the average hydraulic-conductivity value for the aquifer derived from specific-capacity tests, range from zero to about 4,000 feet squared per day; however, these values were adjusted upward during model calibration. Ground water generally moves from the highlands in the south toward the sea to the north and west, and locally, to streams. A major groundwater divide extends from the southeastern corner of the study area to the northwest, and separates flow north and east into the study area from flow to the southwest toward the Rio Culebrinas. Nearly all recharge to the aquifer is from infiltration of rainfall into the karst uplands. Discharge from the aquifer primarily occurs as leakage to streams and to the sea, and to a lesser degree as flow to wells. A two-layer, three-dimensional, steady-state, numerical model was constructed to simulateground-water flow in the water-table aquifer between Aguadilla and the R/o Camuy area. A basic a

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1992

Hydrogeology, ground-water quality, and potential for water-supply contamination near the Shelby County landfill in Memphis, Tennessee

An investigation was conducted from 1989 to 1991 to collect and interpret hydrogeologic and ground-water-quality data specific to the Shelby County landfill in east Memphis, Tennessee. Eighteen wells were installed in the alluvial and Memphis aquifers at the landfill. Hydrogeologic data collected showed that the confining unit separating the alluvial aquifer from the Memphis aquifer was thin or absent just north of the landfill and elsewhere consists predominantly of fine sand and silt with lenses of clay. A water-table map of the landfill vicinity confirms the existence of a depression in the water table north and northeast of the landfill and indicates that ground water flows northeast from the Wolf River passing beneath the landfill toward the depression in the water table. A map of the potentiometric surface of the Memphis aquifer shows that water levels were anomalously high just north of the landfill, indicating downward leakage of water from the alluvial aquifer to the Memphis aquifer. An analysis of water-quality data for major and trace inorganic constituents and nutrients confirms that leachate from the landfill has migrated northeastward in the alluvial aquifer toward the depression in the water table and that contaminants in the alluvial aquifer have migrated downward into the Memphis aquifer. The leachate plume can be characterized by concentrations of certain major and trace inorganic constituents that are 2 to 20 times higher than samples from upgradient and background alluvial aquifer wells. The major and trace constituents that best characterize the leachate plume are total organic carbon, chloride, dissolved solids, iron, ammonia nitrogen, calcium, sodium, iodide, barium, strontium, boron, and cadmium. Several of these constituents (specifically dissolved solids, calcium, sodium, and possibly ammonia nitrogen, chloride, barium, and strontium) were detected in elevated concentrations in samples from certain Memphis aquifer wells. Elevated concentrations were detected in samples from the Memphis aquifer beneath the leachate plume where the confining unit is thin or absent. The distribution of halogenated alkanes (specifically dichlorodifluoromethane and trichlorofluoromethane) and halogenated alkenes (specifically 1,2-trans-dichloroethene and vinyl chloride) in samples from wells screened in both the alluvial and Memphis aquifers is similar to the distribution of major and trace inorganic constituents that characterize the leachate plume. The ground-water supply most susceptible to contamination from the Shelby County landfill is the Sheahan well field of the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division. This well field is about 5 miles downgradient from the landfill in the direction of ground-water flow. Based on an estimated velocity of 0.5 to 1.5 feet per day, ground water would require about 50 to 150 years to travel from the Shelby County landfill to the Sheahan wellfield. Given the time and distance of transport, any contaminants in the ground water would not likely persistto reach this well field because of the effects of various physical, chemical, and biological processes, including dilution and adsorption.

Tennessee↗
USGS1973

Use of finite-difference arrays of observation wells to estimate evapotranspiration from ground water in the Arkansas River Valley, Colorado

A method to determine evapotranspiration from ground water was tested at four sites in the flood plain of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Approximate ground-water budgets were obtained by analyzing water-level data from observation wells installed in five-point arrays. The analyses were based on finite difference approximations of the differential equation describing ground-water flow. Data from the sites were divided into two groups by season. It was assumed that water levels during the dormant season were unaffected by evapotranspiration of ground water or by recharge, collectively termed 'accretion.' Regression analyses of these data were made to provide an equation for separating the effects of changes in aquifer storage and of aquifer heterogeneity from those due to accretion during the growing season. The data collected during the growing season were thus analyzed to determine accretion.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1984

A ground-water-quality monitoring network for the Lower Mojave River Valley, California

A ground-water-quality monitoring network was developed for the Lower Mojave River valley to define the ground-water quality of the valley. Basin geohydrology, geology, land use and water-level and water-quality data were factors considered in developing objectives for an ideal network. These objectives were used in selecting well locations for the conceptual ground-water-quality monitoring network. The conceptual network was used as a guide in the design of the ground-water-quality monitoring network. Active monitoring sites are wells that are currently being monitored by some agency and were selected whenever possible because of budgetary constraints. In areas where no wells are currently being monitored, new well locations were selected and are considered proposed monitoring sites. A sampling regimen is also included. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1957

Geology and ground-water resources of Galveston County, Texas

Galveston County, on the Texas gulf coast, is underlain by alternating beds of sand and clay. These sand and clay strata crop out in belts that roughly parallel the coastline and dip gently southeastward at an angle gre? +,er than the slope of the land, thereby creating artesian aquifers. The formations that yield potable water to wells are the Lissie formation, the "Alta Loma" sand and other sands of the Beaumont clay, and beach and dune sands of Recent aie. Most of the potable water is obtained on the mainland of Galveston County. The water from most wells on Galveston Island is highly mineralized. Before 1948, water for all public use and nearly all industrial use was derived from wells. Most ground water now used in the county is pumped from areas around Alta Loma and Texas City. The average daily pumpage in these areas increased from 6 million gallons in 1938 to 17.8 million gallons in 1940 and reached a peak of about 34 million gallons in 1945. Between 1945 and 1948 the rate of pumpage was nearly constant, but in 1948 surface water was diverted from the Brazos River to supply some of the Texas City industries and, as a result, the use of ground water was reduced about 30 percent. Water levels declined in county wells as the pumpage increased during the years prior to 1948. Since water from the Brazos River has been utilized the levels have risen in many wells and tended to become constant in others. Subsidence of the land in a large part of the county, particularly in the Texas City area, is attributed to the excessive withdrawal of ground water. Salt-water encroachment has been a problem in the county for many years. Salt water was present in the lower part of the "Alta Loma" sand in the Alta Loma and Texas City areas and throughout that sand on Galveston Island when the first wells were drilled. Encroachment from either below or downdip took place with the lowering of artesian pressure in the aquifer in the vicinity of Alta Loma and Texas City. Pumping tests reveal that the average coefficient of transmissibility of the "Alta Loma" sand is 102,000 at Alta Loma and 153,000 at Texas City. The coefficients- of transmissibility of sands in the upper part of the Beaumont clay around Texas City average 27,300. Surface water from the Brazos River, used for the irrigation of rice since 1942, was made available in 1948 to industries in Texas City as a substitute for ground water. The water from the Brazos River is variable in quality, but probably can be utilized on a somewhat larger scale than at present. Much additional ground water could be obtained from both the "Alta Loma" sand and the upper part of the Beaumont clay, especially in the northern and western parts of the county. Before large developments of supplies are planned, however, these areas should be explored by test drilling. The problems of well spacing and pumping rates should be thoroughly studied in order to determine the maximum development permitted by the ground-water supply. Current observations should be continued with special emphasis on the progress of salt-water encroachment.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1999

Impact of urban development on the chemical composition of ground water in a fen-wetland complex

A 15-month-long hydrogeologic investigation of a fen-wetland complex in northeastern Illinois, USA indicated the encroachment of ground-water-borne anthropogenic contaminants into two of three high quality fens. Ground-water flow directions and chemical evidence indicated that plumes of ground water with anomalously large concentrations of Na − and Cl − originated from a private septic system and from rock salt spread on an adjacent road. The contamination, in turn, had an adverse effect on fen vegetation; within the plumes, diverse vegetation was replaced by the more salt-tolerant narrow-leaf cattail ( Typha angustifolia ). Ground water of the third fen contained large concentrations of SO 4 2− as high as 516 mg/L. The SO 4 2− anomaly was observed on a transient and/or seasonal basis in the fen ground water and in an adjacent marsh and pond. Isotopically light δ 34 S values in these waters indicated that the addition of SO 4 2− resulted from the oxidation of pyrite within underlying peat and/or pyritic gravel. However, the large SO 4 2− concentrations had no discernible effect on fen vegetation. The results of this investigation indicate how easily construction of houses with private septic systems and deicing agents from roadway maintenance can contaminate fen ground water with relatively large concentrations of Na + and Cl − , resulting in a significant loss of biodiversity in fens.

Illinois↗
USGS1995

Hydrogeology and ground-water flow, fractured Mesozoic structural-basin rocks, Stony Brook, Beden Brook, and Jacobs Creek drainage basins, west-central New Jersey

This study was undertaken to characterize ground- water flow in the Stony Brook, Beden Brook, and Jacobs Creek drainage basins in west-central New Jersey. The 89-square-mile study area is underlain by dipping beds of fractured siltstone, shale, and sandstone and by massive diabase sills. In all of the rocks, the density of interconnected fractures decreases with depth. A major fault extends through the study area, and rocks on both sides of the fault are extensively fractured. The average annual rates of precipitation and ground-water recharge in the study area are 45.07 inches and 8.58 inches, respectively. The rate of recharge to diabase rocks is about one-half the rate of recharge to other rocks. Part of the surface runoff from diabase rocks enters the ground-water system where it encounters more permeable rocks. Most ground water in the study area follows short, shallow flow paths. A three- dimensional finite-difference model of ground-water flow was developed to test hypotheses concerning geologic features that control ground-water flow in the study area. The decrease in the density of interconnected fractures with depth was represented by dividing the model into two layers with different hydraulic conductivity. The pinching out of water- bearing beds in the dip direction at land surface and at depth was simulated as a lower hydraulic conductivity in the dip direction than in the strike direction. This model can be used to analyze ground-water flow if the area of interest is more than about 0.5 square mile.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2001

Simulation of ground-water flow in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system near the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, and the Point Breeze Refinery, southern Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Ground-water flow in the Potomac-Raritan- Magothy aquifer system (PRM) in south Philadelphia and adjacent southwestern New Jersey was simulated by use of a three-dimensional, seven-layer finite-difference numerical flow model. The simulation was run from 1900, which was prior to groundwater development, through 1995 with 21 stress periods. The focus of the modeling was on a smaller area of concern in south Philadelphia in the vicinity of the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) and the Point Breeze Refinery (PBR). In order to adequately simulate the ground-water flow system in the area of concern, a much larger area was modeled that included parts of New Jersey where significant ground-water withdrawals, which affect water levels in southern Philadelphia, had occurred in the past. At issue in the area of concern is a hydrocarbon plume of unknown origin and time of release. The ground-water-flow system was simulated to estimate past water-level altitudes in and near the area of concern and to determine the effect of the Packer Avenue sewer, which lies south of the DSCP, on the ground-water-flow system. Simulated water-level altitudes for the lower sand unit of the PRM on the DSCP prior to 1945 ranged from pre-development, unstressed altitudes to 3 feet below sea level. Simulated water-level altitudes for the lower sand unit ranged from 3 to 7 feet below sea level from 1946 to 1954, from 6 to 10 feet below sea level from 1955 to 1968, and from 9 to 11 feet below sea level from 1969 to 1978. The lowest simulated water-level altitude on the DSCP was 10.69 feet below sea level near the end of 1974. Model simulations indicate ground water was infiltrating the Packer Avenue sewer prior to approximately 1947 or 1948. Subsequent to that time, simulated ground-water-level altitudes were lower than the bottom of the sewer.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2014

Some notes on the relation of ground‐water levels to pond levels in limestone sinks of southwestern Georgia

Records of water levels in limesink ponds in southwestern Georgia and of water ‐table levels in the vicinity of these ponds are used to demonstrate: (1) some ponds with highly impermeable beds are virtually unaffected by water ‐table levels , except when water ‐table levels are above the rim of the impervious materials; (2) interchange of water between pond and water table occurs when beds are relatively permeable. Three phases in the relation between pond level and water ‐table level are recognized: (1) water ‐table level higher than pond level causing ground ‐ water flow into the pond ; (2) ground ‐ water level below pond level but in direct contact with it and measurably controlling rate of seepage from the pond ; (3) ground ‐ water level below pond level but not in direct contact with it and not appreciably controlling rate of seepage from the pond . In phase (3) the water table has a perceptible mound at a point underneath the pond .

Georgia↗
USGS2005

Determining the mean hydraulic gradient of ground water affected by tidal fluctuations

Tidal fluctuations in surface-water bodies produce progressive pressure waves in adjacent aquifers. As these pressure waves propagate inland, ground-water levels and hydraulic gradients continuously fluctuate, creating a situation where a single set of water-level measurements cannot be used to accurately characterize ground-water flow. For example, a time series of water levels measured in a confined aquifer in Atlantic City, New Jersey, showed that the hydraulic gradient ranged from. 01 to. 001 with a 22-degree change in direction during a tidal day of approximately 25 hours. At any point where ground water tidally fluctuates, the magnitude and direction of the hydraulic gradient fluctuates about the mean or regional hydraulic gradient. The net effect of these fluctuations on ground-water flow can be determined using the mean hydraulic gradient, which can be calculated by comparing mean ground- and surface-water elevations. Filtering methods traditionally used to determine daily mean sea level can be similarly applied to ground water to determine mean levels. Method (1) uses 71 consecutive hourly water-level observations to accurately determine the mean level. Method (2) approximates the mean level using only 25 consecutive hourly observations; however, there is a small error associated with this method. The exact magnitude of this error is usually unknown, and therefore the accuracy of the mean level is also unknown. Method (1) should be used if a higher degree of accuracy is required.

Ground Water↗
USGS2003

Simulated ground-water flow in the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers, Rosebud Indian Reservation area, South Dakota

The Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers are important water resources in the Rosebud Indian Reservation area and are used extensively for irrigation, municipal, and domestic water supplies. Continued or increased withdrawals from the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers in the Rosebud Indian Reservation area have the potential to affect water levels in these aquifers. This report describes a conceptual model of ground-water flow in these aquifers and documents the development and calibration of a numerical model to simulate ground-water flow. Data for a twenty-year period (water years 1979 through 1998) were analyzed for the conceptual model and included in steady-state and transient numerical simulations of ground-water flow for the same 20-year period. A three-dimensional ground-water flow model, with two layers, was used to simulate ground-water flow in the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers. The upper layer represented the Ogallala aquifer, and the lower layer represented the Arikaree aquifer. The study area was divided into grid blocks 1,640 feet (500 meters) on a side, with 153 rows and 180 columns. Areal recharge to the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers occurs from precipitation on the outcrop areas. The recharge rate for the steady-state simulation was 3.3 inches per year for the Ogallala aquifer and 1.7 inches per year for the Arikaree aquifer for a total recharge rate of 266 cubic feet per second. Discharge from the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers occurs through evapotranspiration, discharge to streams, and well withdrawals. Discharge rates in cubic feet per second for the steady-state simulation were 184 for evapotranspiration, 46.8 and 19.7 for base flow to the Little White and Keya Paha Rivers, respectively, and 11.6 for well withdrawals from irrigation use. Estimated horizontal hydraulic conductivity used for the numerical model ranged from 0.2 to 120 feet per day in the Ogallala aquifer and 0.1 to 5.4 feet per day in the Arikaree aquifer. A uniform vertical hydraulic conductivity value of 6.6x10 -4 feet per day was applied to the Ogallala aquifer. Vertical hydraulic conductivity was estimated for five zones in the Arikaree aquifer and ranged from 8.6x10 -6 to 7.2x10 -1 feet per day. Average rates of recharge, maximum evapotranspiration, and well withdrawals were included in the steady-state simulation, whereas the time-varying rates were included in the transient simulation. Model calibration was accomplished by varying parameters within plausible ranges to produce the best fit between simulated and observed hydraulic heads and base-flow discharges from the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers. For the steady-state simulation, the root mean square error for simulated hydraulic heads for all wells was 26.8 feet. Simulated hydraulic heads were within ±50 feet of observed values for 95 percent of the wells. For the transient simulation, the difference between the simulated and observed means for hydrographs was within ±40 feet for all observation wells. The potentiometric surfaces of the two aquifers calculated by the steady-state simulation established initial conditions for the transient simulation. A sensitivity analysis was used to examine the response of the calibrated steady-state model to changes in model parameters including horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity, evapotranspiration, recharge, and riverbed conductance. The model was most sensitive to recharge and horizontal hydraulic conductivity.

South Dakota↗