SYNOPSIS of GROUND-WATER and SURFACE-WATER RESOURCES of NORTH DAKOTA by Thomas C
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SYNOPSIS OF GROUND-WATER AND SURFACE-WATER RESOURCES OF NORTH DAKOTA by Thomas C. Winter, Rick D. Benson, Richard A. Engberg, Gregg J. Wiche, Douglas G. Emerson, Orlo A. Crosby, and Jeffrey E. Miller U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 84 732 1984 Prepared at the request of the Garrison Diversion Unit Commission UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILLIAM P. CLARK, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of the report can be write to: purchased from: Chief Hydrologist U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Services Section Water Resources Division Western Distribution Branch 409 National Center Box 25425, Federal Center Reston, Virginia 22092 Denver, Colorado 80225 FOREWARD The Garrison Diversion Unit Commission, created "to examine the water needs of North Dakota and propose development alternatives which will lead to the early resolution of the problems identified," was implemented by P.L. 98-360, signed by President Reagan on July 16, 1984. The authorizing statutory language cites the economic, environmental and international issues and concerns which have been raised regarding completion of the Garrison Diversion Unit Project. Mf. James C. Wiley, Director of the Garrison Diversion Unit Commission staff, requested the U.S. Geological Survey to provide expertise in hydrology to the Commission members. Based on available information, this report describes the ground waters and surface waters of North Dakota and, importantly, the limitations of existing data. This report is aimed at providing a technical understanding of the water resources of North Dakota as a basis for decisionmaking with regard to the Garrison Diversion Unit Project and alternatives to the Project. The discussions of uncertainties with regard to existing knowledge highlight the complex hydrologic setting of North Dakota and the lack of reliable information on certain aspects of water resources, particularly on ground water. Comments regarding the content of this report are welcome and may be addressed to the Chief Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 409 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092. Director, U.S. Geological Survey 111 CONTENTS Page Forward........................................................... iii Executive summary................................................. 1 Introduction...................................................... 7 Physiography and climate..................................... 7 Water-quality standards and criteria......................... 12 Ground-water resources............................................ 14 Location and extent of aquifers.............................. 14 Bedrock................................................. 14 Glacial drift........................................... 15 Buried glacial-drift aquifers...................... 18 Surficial glacial-drift aquifers................... 18 Water movement............................................... 25 Ground-water quality......................................... 28 . Water yield of aquifers...................................... 32 Artificial recharge.......................................... 34 Surface-water resources........................................... 35 Missouri River mainstem basin................................ 39 General description of major tributaries................ 42 Yellowstone River.................................. 42 Little Missouri River.............................. 42 Knife River........................................ 42 Heart River........................................ 42 Cannonball River................................... 43 General description of minor tributaries................ 43 Streamflow statistics................................... 43 Flooding................................................ 44 Quality of water........................................ 46 Chemical composition and variation................. 46 Suitability for use................................ 51 Sediment................................................ 58 James River basin............................................ 60 Streamflow statistics................................... 60 Flooding................................................ 61 Quality of water........................................ 63 Chemical composition and variation................. 63 Suitability for use................................ 67 Sediment................................................ 67 Red River of the North basin................................. 67 General description of major tributaries................ 70 Wild Rice River.................................... 70 Sheyenne River..................................... 70 Goose River........................................ 70 Pembina River...................................... 70 Streamflow statistics................................... 71 Flooding................................................ 72 CONTENTS Page Quality of water........................................ 74 Chemical composition and variation................. 74 Suitability for use................................ 81 Sediment................................................ 85 Souris River basin........................................... 85 Streamf low statistics................................... 87 Flooding................................................ 89 Quality of water........................................ 90 Chemical composition and variation................. 90 Suitability for use................................. 92 Sediment................................................ 95 Devils Lake basin............................................ 95 Streamflow statistics................................... 98 Water-level fluctuations and flooding................... 99 Quality of water........................................ 101 Chemical composition and variation................. 101 Suitability for use................................ 106 Sediment................................................ 106 Interrelationship of ground water and surface water............... 106 Implications for ground-water recharge and movement.......... 112 Implications for water quality............................... 113 Implications for water development........................... 113 Water use......................................................... 116 Limitations of data and understanding of hydrologic systems....... 118 Ground water................................................. 118 Hydraulic parameters of aquifers........................ 118 Ground-water recharge and movement...................... 118 Geochemical processes................................... 119 Surface water................................................ 119 Complexities of hydraulic systems....................... 120 Complexities of hydrologic systems...................... 120 Limited drainage-area determinations.................... 120 Limited data for small streams.......................... 121 Predictive capabilities of effects of development............ 121 Summary and Conclusions........................................... 122 References cited.................................................. 124 VI Illustrations Page Figures 1-3- Maps showing: 1. Physiographic divisions............................ 8 2. Average annual precipitation, 1931-60, in inches... 10 3- Average annual free-water-surface evaporation (shallow lake), in inches........................ 11 4. Generalized geohydrologic section showing bedrock aquifers and direction of ground-water flow......... 16 5. Map showing location of major glacial-drift aquifers.. 17 6-11. Generalized geologic sections showing configuration of geologic units in: 6. Buried (Spiritwood (A)) and surficial (Galesburg (K)) aquifers in Griggs and Steele Counties...... 19 7. Spiritwood (A) and Sheyenne delta (J) aquifers in Ransom and Sargent Counties...................... 20 8. Spiritwood (A) aquifer and LaMoure (M) aquifer in LaMoure County............................... 21 9. Spiritwood (A) aquifer in Benson and Pierce Counties......................................... 22 10. New Rockford (B) aquifer in McHenry County......... 23 11. Lake Nettie (C) aquifer in McLean County........... 24 12. Hydrologic section showing numerical simulation of ground-water flow in the Coteau du Missouri in parts of Stutsman and Kidder Counties..................... 27 13. Maps showing distribution of dissolved-solids concentration and physical limits of bedrock aquifers............................................ 30 14. Diagrammatic geochemical section showing distribution of brine in bedrock aquifers........................ 31 15-19. Maps showing: 15. Location of major drainage basins..................... 36 16. Average annual runoff, in inches...................... 37 17. Average discharge of the principal rivers............. 38 18. Locations of lake, crest-stage, and stream-gaging stations............................................ 40 19 Locations of surface-water-quality stations........... 41 20-41. Graphs showing: 20. Monthly discharge for period of record at selected gaging stations, Missouri River basin............... 45 21. Period-of-record mean dissolved-solids concentrations for high flows (March-April) and low flows (August- September) at selected stations, Missouri River basin............................................... 50 22. Statistical comparisons of concentrations of principal cations and anions at selected main stem stations, Missouri River basin................................ 52 23- Statistical comparisons