28 D1. Environmental Geoscience (Posters)

Tuesday, 17 April 2018
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
First Floor Lobby

MAPS OF PROPERTIES OF QUATERNARY SEDIMENTS AND AQUIFERS IN THE GLACIATED CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES

Paper number: 28-10
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

  • Adel Haj Presenting Author
    Illinois Iowa Missouri Water Science Center, Iowa City, IA

Abstract

The glacial aquifer system, the collection of aquifers within Quaternary sediments in the glaciated conterminous United States, is a principal aquifer that supplies groundwater withdrawals accounting for about 25 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. A hydrogeologic framework is presented that divides the glaciated United States into seventeen hydrogeologic terranes using a geologically based approach. Each terrane contains Quaternary sediment that is generally derived from a common depositional history and characterized by similar texture and thickness. Characteristics of Quaternary sediments and aquifers within them are described using metrics computed from a lithologic database of more than 1.5 million well logs. Maps showing groundwater use in the glacial aquifer system are also included. The framework presents a nationwide picture of the glacial aquifer system, and provides generalizations concerning the nature of aquifers within it, for example, whether the aquifers are shallow or deep, and unconfined or confined. In this way insights can be gained from understanding the similarities and differences in distinct parts of the aquifer system, and how they relate to water use, quality and aquifer vulnerability.

Surficial mapping of Quaternary sediments is based on the USGS Quaternary Atlas Series (Fullerton and Richmond, 1983-2007) and the surficial materials map of Soller and others (2009). The lithologic database was compiled from State well records, with well logs standardized and using a consistent terminology (Bayless and others, 2017). Total groundwater usage was compiled by county in the glaciated United States in 2010 (Maupin and others, 2014). Characteristics of Quaternary sediment and aquifer materials penetrated by the wells were computed from the lithologic logs. System- wide maps of selected metrics were interpolated using a kriging- based approach and the median values of each metric within a 1-km geospatial grid cell. Sediment and aquifer-material metrics are presented through box plots and bar charts grouped by hydrogeologic terrane.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 50, No. 4

doi: 10.1130/abs/2018NC-311774

© Copyright 2018 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.