Summary of hydrology of the regional aquifer systems, Gulf Coastal Plain, south-central United States

Grubb, Hayes F.

doi:10.3133/pp1416a

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Third, there is sufficient geologic information in the literature to infer any potential geologic control. Fourth, the general direction of groundwater flow (Figure 9b) is southeast and toward the Gulf of Mexico [ Barker et al , 1994; Barker and Ardis , 1996; Grubb , 1998, 2001; Williamson and Grubb , 2001; Ryder and Ardis , 2002], largely parallel to the surface drainage and minimizing the complexity due to incongruity between surface and subsurface drainage systems. Several small coastal basins further to the east are included to augment the data set at the receiving end of the drainage.…”

Section: Results and Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This upward groundwater flow leads to an abundance of small streams. Surface water exits these small basins through channels flowing over the Texas coastal uplands aquifer system, characterized by southeastward dipping and progressively thickening siliciclastic sand and silt beds [ Grubb , 1998], which are once again groundwater exporters (dark red‐tan basins below, Figure 9a). In this case, the combined climate and elevation gradient from west to the east is punctuated by a geological singularity, which significantly alters groundwater flow paths.…”

Section: Results and Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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River basins as groundwater exporters and importers: Implications for water cycle and climate modeling

2009

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[1] The groundwater reservoir and its interaction with surface water facilitate lateral transport of continental water and energy. Current climate models do not account for long-distance groundwater flow between model cells but route the atmospheric surplus (precipitation (P) minus evapotranspiration (ET)) directly to stream discharge within a model grid cell. We ask how much water exits a river basin without ever passing through its surface outlet? What are the climatologic and geologic factors influencing this flux? To answer these questions, a separation of groundwater flow from river flow is necessary. We use the ratio of stream discharge (Qr) to basin recharge (R = P À ET) for this purpose; where Qr:R < 1, a basin is considered a groundwater exporter; and where Qr:R > 1, a basin is considered a groundwater importer. Here Qr is obtained from 39 years of U.S. Geological Survey Hydro-Climatic Data Network observed stream discharge from 1555 basins across the continental United States, and R (P À ET) is derived from 50 years of hydrologic simulation by the Variable Infiltration Capacity model. It was found that the Qr:R ratio deviates significantly from 1 across the continent. Detailed investigations of individual basins suggest that the deviations are primarily a function of geology, while climate and basin scale influence the magnitude of these deviations. Further, a marked incongruity between the surface and groundwater flow directions is apparent, suggesting that surface drainage is only partially indicative of subsurface flow regimes. The apparent significance of this long-distance groundwater flow component reinforces the need for inclusion of the groundwater reservoir in current water cycle and climate modeling efforts.

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Section: Results and Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Results and Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

River basins as groundwater exporters and importers: Implications for water cycle and climate modeling

2009

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“…As groundwater usage increased in the Memphis area and urban growth extended east and southeast from the center of Memphis, evidence for vertical leakage (recharge) through the upper Claiborne confining unit arose from numerous studies (Criner and Armstrong ; Criner et al ; Nyman ; Criner and Parks ; Parks ). Groundwater flow modeling of the Memphis aquifer in the Memphis area (Brahana and Broshears ) and regionally (Grubb ) suggest that substantial vertical leakage is required to accommodate the groundwater withdrawals in southwestern Tennessee. Water‐table maps in Shelby County in 1988 (Parks ), 2005 (Waldron et al in press), and 2015 (unpublished data), all show multiple anomalous depressions in the water‐level contours, suggesting that leakage, in part, originates from cross‐formational flow from the Shallow aquifer.…”

Section: Hydrogeologic Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Environmental Tracers in the Memphis Aquifer and Implication for Sustainability of Groundwater Resources in the Memphis Metropolitan Area, Tennessee

Larsen

Waldron

Schoefernacker

et al. 2016

Contemporary Water Research

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Fourteen years of results from environmental tracer sampling for 3H, He isotopes, noble gases, and SF6 in production wells screened in the Memphis aquifer in Memphis, Tennessee, are presented and used to determine the age and mass proportion of modern water (<60 years old) pumped from this regionally important public supply aquifer. The results indicate persistent presence of modern water in water pumped from one or more production wells in most of the well fields sampled. The percentage of modern water is quantified by three methods: tritium‐loading history, inverse geochemical modeling, and lumped parameter modeling. The mixing percentages and ages determined from each technique are generally in agreement, but also emphasize the unique information provided by each tracer and associated modeling approaches. The implications of the tracer data for sustainability and vulnerability are also considered, especially in regard to potential water quality threats to the water supply in the Memphis, Tennessee, metropolitan area.

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“…Renken (1996) reported a transmissivity of 13,000 ft 2 /d for the water-bearing units within the Miocene sediments in Mississippi. From a regional study by Grubb (1998) that included the coastal lowlands aquifer system, estimates of hydraulic conductivity ranged from 20 to 50 ft/d in the general area of Converse Lake. If an effective aquifer thickness of 100 ft is assumed, a corresponding estimated range of transmissivity would be from 2,000 ft 2 /d to 5,000 ft 2 /d.…”

Section: Aquifer Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrologic conditions and a firm-yield assessment for J.B. Converse Lake, Mobile County, Alabama, 1991-2006

Carlson¹,

Archfield²

2009

Scientific Investigations Report

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Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29).Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).Elevation, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum. *Transmissivity: The standard unit for transmissivity is cubic foot per day per square foot times foot of aquifer thickness [(ft 3 /d)/ft 2 ]ft. In this report, the mathematically reduced form, foot squared per day (ft 2 /d), is used for convenience. Abbreviationsa Average distance from reservoir shoreline to aquifer boundary FYE Firm-yield estimator GIS Geographic Information System L Length of reservoir shoreline in contact with the aquifer MassDEP Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection MAWSS Mobile Area Water and Sewer System Mgal Million gallons NWIS National Water Information System S Aquifer storage value T Aquifer transmissivity value USGS U.S. Geological Survey properties required by the FYE were estimated by model calibration to observed water levels that occurred during the drought of 2000. When ground-water exchange between the reservoir and adjacent aquifer is included, the average daily firm yield increased to 83 million gallons per day.The estimate of 83 million gallons per day incorporates both total surface-water flow and ground-water exchange components. This analysis indicated that direct ground-water interaction contributes about 5 percent of the firm yield of Converse Lake. However, the average daily firm yield of 83 million gallons per day, based in part on calibrated values for aquifer transmissivity and storage, can be used only as a guideline until these aquifer properties can be defined better by field investigation in the Converse Lake watershed.

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Summary of hydrology of the regional aquifer systems, Gulf Coastal Plain, south-central United States

Cited by 10 publications

References 27 publications

River basins as groundwater exporters and importers: Implications for water cycle and climate modeling

River basins as groundwater exporters and importers: Implications for water cycle and climate modeling

Application of Environmental Tracers in the Memphis Aquifer and Implication for Sustainability of Groundwater Resources in the Memphis Metropolitan Area, Tennessee

Hydrologic conditions and a firm-yield assessment for J.B. Converse Lake, Mobile County, Alabama, 1991-2006

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