Geology News - Earth Science Current Events

The Kansas Geological Survey has published Public Information Circular 23 - Drilling a Water Well on Your Land: What You Should Know. This circular explains some basic hydrology, beginning with the hydrologic cycle and some basic information about aquifers. However, the most useful part of the publication is a seven-step guide on "Evaluating the Potential for a Water Well". A brief summary of the seven steps is listed below, however, there is much more detail in the publication.

1. Determine the specific location of the property.
2. Determine what wells have been drilled in your area in the past and their results.
3. Consult available geologic, topographic and aquifer maps.
4. Talk to your neighbors to get information on their wells.
5. If more information on local water wells is needed, consult with the Kansas Geological Survey.
6. Select a reputable and responsible driller.
7. Check with local and state regulatory agencies about drilling permits needed.

Drilling a Residential Water Well - Image by USGS
The publication also compares the benefits, risks and costs between drilling a well and connecting to a public water supply.

See the full text of Drilling a Water Well on Your Land at the KGS website.

Labels: Books-Publications, Ground-Water

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Imagine you are buying a home in Arizona that has a private water supply. Wouldn't you like to get an unbiased and fact-filled report on that well from a reliable source? SAHRA, a multidisciplinary hydrology program of the University of Arizona, has a website that allows you to query multiple databases and retrieve a variety of types of water well information. The website uses a Google pushpin map to give the public easy access to water well information.


Screenshot of the Arizona Wells Website
The screen shot above shows the results of a query based upon the name of the well owner. I searched for wells with owners named "Johnson" and the satellite image map of Arizona on the website pictured above shows 839 push pins centered on wells meeting that criteria. I could have searched for wells by keyword, latitude/longitude, cadastral location, township-range system, or well ID.

Clicking on any of those pushpins - or on a tabular listing that was shown below the satellite image would open a window with a wealth of information about the well. Information on past and current well ownership, historic water levels, water quality information, well construction information and numerous other parameters are available. The website allows you to rapidly search through thousands of well records for free.


Water Level History Graph - Click Image for More Detail
The image above (click it for more detail) shows historic water levels for one of the Johnson wells. Many wells in the database have dozens of water level measurements over a several decade history of the well. Imagine what kinds of studies could be done with this easy access to water level information!


Well Completion Data
This is one of the best public information projects related to hydrology that I have seen. You can visit the Arizona Water website and try it out. Every state should have a website like this.

Labels: Ground-Water

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High concentrations of inorganic arsenic have been found in New England ground waters. In addition, higher than average mortality rates from bladder cancer in males and females have been experienced in the same areas. These have prompted USGS to conduct a detailed study and publish "Modeling the Probability of Arsenic in Groundwater in New England as a Tool for Exposure Assessment".

The map below shows locations of wells and concentrations of inorganic arsenic. The larger the circle the more arsenic in the water sample - note that many of these wells exceed the arsenic drinking water standard of ten micrograms per liter.


Image by USGS

The next map shows the probability of a ground water well having a dissolved arsenic content of greater than five micrograms per liter. This map was produced using the predictive model developed as part of the USGS study. USGS scientists concluded that specific rock types, high arsenic concentrations in stream sediments, proximity to intrusive granitic plutons, and hydrologic and landscape variables relating to groundwater residence time increase the probability of arsenic occurrence in groundwater. Before this study it was believed that high concentrations of inorganic arsenic in New England ground waters were caused by past arsenic pesticide use.


Image by USGS

Read the full Arsenic in New England Ground Water Report at the USGS Website (.pdf)

Labels: Ground-Water

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The United States Geological Survey has released a new publication: "Characteristics of Thermal Springs and the Shallow Ground-Water System at Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas". This report summarizes the geology, history and value of these thermal springs and is free to download from the USGS website.

The thermal springs emerge from a gap between Hot Spring Mountain and West Mountain in central Arkansas and are fed by deep thermal ground water flow along with a component of cold, shallow water. They yield over 500,000 gallons per day of water that is approximately 60 degrees Celsius. The water begins as surface recharge and descends to a depth of over one mile where it is heated before rising back to the surface through a deep fracture system.

The research undertaken to produce this report was done to understand the springs, monitor changes, and evaluate the ground water system that supports the springs. This information is important for protecting the springs and preserving them for future use.


Image by USGSRead or download Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5001 at the USGS Website.

Labels: Ground-Water

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They call it the "Great Man Made River Project" - a drilling and pipeline project to produce Libya's deep ground water and distribute it to many desert locations. So far they have spent $30 billion, mostly on 3000 miles (5000 km) of pipelines that distribute 6.5 million cubic meters of water per day.

The goal is to provide a water supply for Libya's people and produce crops in areas where farming has been marginally possible or impossible before. One downfall is that this water is an unrenewable resource which will certainly be gone before Libya's climate becomes more humid.

Read more about Libyan Ground Water at the BBC website.

Labels: Ground-Water

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About one billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the United States to control weeds, insects and other pests. This use has its benefits but it also raises some concerns about adverse effects on the environment - especially water quality. The National Water Quality Assessment provides the most comprehensive national-scale analysis to date of pesticide occurrence and concentrations in streams and ground water.

The report concludes that pesticides are typically present throughout the year in most streams in urban and agricultural areas of the nation, but are less common in ground water. The report also concludes that pesticides are seldom at concentrations likely to affect humans. However in many streams, particularly those draining urban and agricultural areas, pesticides were found at concentrations that may affect aquatic life or fish-eating wildlife.


Image by USGSDownload the Pesticides Report at the USGS website.

Labels: Ground-Water

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An interesting article in the International Hearld Tribune profiles research on ground water quality and its ties to human health.
Read more about Medical Geology at the IHT.com website.

Labels: Ground-Water

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USGS has published Circular 1279: "Estimated Withdrawals from Principal Aquifers in the United States, 2000" which provides details of ground-water withdrawals and use from principal aquifers in each state.

According to the report over 90 percent of ground-water withdrawals - 76.5 billion gallons per day - are used for irrigation, public supply and self-supplied industrial uses. Irrigation accounts for nearly three-quarters of this amount. California and Nebraska consume more ground water than any other states (8,910 million gallons per day in California and 7,050 million gallons per day in Nebraska).


Image by USGS
Over half of the combined ground-water withdrawals for irrigation, public supply and self-supplied industrial water uses are coming from four principal aquifers: the High Plains aquifer (CO, KS, NE, NM, OK, SD, TX, WY), the Central Valley aquifer (CA), the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer along the lower Mississippi River (AR, LA, MS, MO, TN), and the Basin and Range aquifers predominantly located in the desert Southwest (AZ, CA, ID, NV, NM, OR, UT).

Aquifers that produce the most water for public supply are the glacial sand and gravel aquifers in a large region that extends from Maine to Montana and southward toward Kentucky; the California Coastal Basin aquifers; and the Floridan aquifer system of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama.

The full report can be downloaded without charge at: http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/circ1279

Labels: Ground-Water

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