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WATER RESOURCES of the NEW ORLEANS AREA LOUISIANA UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR Fred A

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WATER RESOURCES of the NEW ORLEANS AREA LOUISIANA UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR Fred A GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 374 WATER RESOURCES OF THE NEW ORLEANS AREA LOUISIANA UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fred A. Seaton, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 374 WATER RESOURCES OF THE NEW ORLEANS AREA, LOUISIANA By M. L. Eddards, L. R. Kister, and Glenn Scarcia Washington, D. C., 1956 Free on application to the Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C. PREFACE This report is one of a series concerning water re­ Many of the data summarized herein have been col­ sources and present water use in selected industrial lected over a period of many years by the U. S. Geo­ areas of national importance, which has been prepared logical Survey in cooperation with the Department of at the request of and in consultation with the Water and Conservation, Department of Public Works, Depart­ Sewerage Industry and Utilities Division of the Business ment of Highways, and Louisiana University, and and Defense Administration of the U. S. Department of Agricultural and Medical College. Data on the Mis­ Commerce. This series is designed to serve the dual sissippi River at New Orleans and chloride content of purpose of providing information for national defense the water of Lake Pontchartrain were furnished by the planning and at the same time render a service to Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army. Chemical-quality business and industry, as well as to municipalities, in data on the Mississippi River at New Orleans were their development of water resources for present and furnished by the Sewerage and Water Board of New future use. This report was prepared with the assist­ Orleans. Bacterial analyses were furnished by the ance of the Water Utilization Section, Technical Coor­ City Board of Health. dination Branch. It was prepared under the direct supervision of F. N. Hansen, district engineer (Sur­ Additional information pertaining to the use of water face Water Branch); Rex R. Meyer, district geologist was obtained from industries in the area and from the (Ground Water Branch); and Burdge Ireland, district Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. chemist (Quality of Water Branch). E. L. Hendricks (Technical Coordination Branch) assisted in planning and writing it. II CONTENTS Page Page Abstract............................ .......................... 1 Surface water Continued Introduction.................................................. 1 Pearl River and lakes .................................. 25 Purpose and scope of investigation.. .............. 1 Pearl River............................................ 25 Description of area................ .................... 2 Lakes.................................................... 25 Topography and drainage.... ................. .... 2 Ground water................................................ 25 Climate....................... .......................... 3 Geology.......................... .......................... 25 Natural resources......... ...................... ... 3 Water-bearing units.................................... 26 Population........... .. ............................... 3 General features. .............................. 26 Transportation.................................. ..... 3 "200-foot" sand.. ............................... 26 Industrial development....... ...................... 5 "400-foot" sand.., ............................... 28 Definition of terms........................................ 5 "700-foot" sand.., ............................... 32 Principles of occurrence of water.. .................. 5 "1,200-foot" sand.......... .......................... 34 Sources of water.............. .......................... 5 Depth to salt water.......... ...................... 36 Significance of the quality of water.. .............. 7 Public water-supply system. ....................:. 36 Surface water..................... ..... .................... 8 New Orleans.................. ...................... 36 Records available....................................... 8 Other public water supplies.......................... 37 Mississippi River....................................... 8 Use of water................................................. 37 Floods and flood protection..... .................. 8 Public supplies................ .......................... 38 Discharge........................ ...................... 12 Surface water............... .......................... 38 Port facilities and navigation..................... 14 Ground water.......................................... 38 Quality of the water....... .......................... 16 Potential water resources............................... 39 Temperature................ .......................... 16 Surface water.................. ................... ..... 39 Sediment................................................ 18 Ground water............................................. 40 Pollution and its control..... ...................... 18 Water laws.................................................... 40 Lake Pontchartrain drainage basin.. .............. 19 Federal law................................................ 40 Lake Pontchartrain.... ............................ 19 Louisiana law.................. .......................... 40 Tributaries to Lake Pontchartrain.............. 19 Selected references....................................... 41 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Plate 1. Map and geologic sections showing fresh-water salt-water interface in major aquifers underlying the New Orleans area........................................................ Inside back cover Figure 1. Map of New Orleans area showing location of streams, lakes, and wells sampled for chemical analysis .................................................................................................................. 2 2. Climatological data, New Orleans, La................................................... .............................. 4 3. Map of New Orleans area and vicinity showing river systems, lakes, and gaging stations.............. 6 4. Maximum annual stages of the Mississippi River at New Orleans (Carrollton gage), 1872 1953....... 10 5. Distribution graph showing frequency of annual floods by months, Mississippi River at New Orleans, 1872-1953..... ...................................................................;.............................. 11 6. Water-surface profiles for selected floods oh the Mississippi River, New Orleans and vicinity...... 12 7. Stage hydrographs of the Mississippi River near New Orleans (Huey P. Long Bridge)................... 13 8. Maximum, minimum, and average mean monthly discharge of the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, 1931-53.............................. ................. ............................................................. 14 9. Relationship between streamflow and chemical composition of Mississippi River water at Carrollton plant, New Orleans, 1953............................................................................ ..... 15 10. Monthly average chloride content of Mississippi River water at Algiers and Carrollton treatment plants, New Orleans, 1953............................................................................................... 16 11. Mean monthly air and Mississippi River water temperatures at New Orleans, 1921 50.................. 16 12. Cumulative frequency graph of water temperature of Mississippi River at New Orleans................. 18 13. Sediment concentration of the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, water year 1953........................ 18 14. Cumulative monthly suspended sediment load of Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, water year 1953......................................................................... ............................................ 19 15. Cumulative frequency graph of sediment concentration, Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, water year 1953...................................................................................................................... 20 III CONTENTS Page Figure 16. Duration curve of daily flows, Amite River near Denham Springs, water years, 1939 54............... 21 17. Maximum period of deficient discharge, Amite River near Denham Springs, water years 1939 52... 22 18. Mean daily discharge of the Amite River near Denham Springs, 1946......................................... 22 19. Graph showing chemical characteristics of water from wells in the New Orleans area.................. 27 20. Graph showing the general decline in artesian head, in feet, with reference to land-surface datum in the principal aquifers in the New Orleans area................................................................. 31 21. Graph showing the relationship of pumping to water levels in wells screened in the "400-foot" sand in northern St. Charles Parish......................................................................................... 32 22. Graph showing water-level fluctuations in wells screened in the "700-foot" sand in New Orleans area............................................................................................................................ 33 23. Graph showing the relationship of pumping to water levels screened in the "700-foot" sand in northern St. Charles Parish............................................................................................. 34 24. Isochloride map of the "700-foot" sand in New Orleans............................................................. 35 25. Average daily pumpage of treated Mississippi River water from the Carrollton treatment plant at New
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