Water Resources of the Neuse River Basin North Carolina
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Water Resources of the Neuse River Basin North Carolina GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1414 Prepared in cooperation with Division of tf^ater Resources, Inlets and Coastal fFaterways, North Carolina Depart ment of Conservation and Development Water Resources of the Neuse River Basin North Carolina By G. A. BILLINGSLEY, R. E. FISH, and R. G. SCHIPF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1414 Prepared in cooperation with Division of fFater Resources, Inlets and Coastal Waterways, North Carolina Depart ment of Conservation and Development UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1957 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRED A. S EATON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. 8. Oovernment Printing Office Washington 26, D. C. - Price 35 cents (Paper cover) PREFACE The report on the resources of the Neuse River basin is one of a series of reports describing the water resources of North Car olina. .When the contemplated series of reports is completed, information for the entire State will be available to assist in the orderly planning and development of the water facilities required for municipal and industrial expansion, and for the expansion of the uses of water in agriculture. This report was prepared by the U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Division of Water Resources, Inlets, and Coastal Waterways of the North Carolina Department of Conser vation and Development. Many individuals in the Water Resources Division contributed to the preparation of this report. Most of the data summarized in this report have been collected over a period of many years by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development, the State Board of Health, and the Corps of en gineers, U. S. Army, Wilmington, N. C. Other data and information presented in this report are based on data collected by, in cooperation with, or are from technical reports, or publications, of the U. S. Weather Bureau, North Car olina State Stream Sanitation Committee, and the North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission. Ill CONTENTS Page Abstract...................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................ 2 Purpose................................................................................................................................. 2 Geography.............................................................................................................................. 2 Topography and drainage................................................................................................ 3 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 4 Natural resources.............................................................................................................. 6 Agricultural and industrial development........................................................................ 8 Definition of terms. ............................................................................................................. 9 Occurrence and quality of water............................................................................................ 10 The hydrologic cycle........................................................................................................... 10 Sources of water.................................................................................................................. 11 Significance of quality of water......................................................................................... 12 Surface water............................................................................................................................. 15 Flow characteristics........................................................................................................... 19 Duration of flow................................................................................................................ 20 Low-flow frequency.......................................................................................................... 25 Maximum period of deficient discharge ..................'........................................................ 32 Storage requirements....................................................................................................... 36 Flood frequencies............................................................................................................. 43 Quality of surface water...................................................................................................... 46 Ground water............................................................................................................................ 52 Occurrence of ground water................................................................................................. 52 Geology.................................................................................................................................. 54 Rocks of the Piedmont..................................................................................................... 55 Rocks of the Coastal Plain ............................................................................................ 56 Ground-water provinces....................................................................................................... 57 Crystalline-rock province............................................................................................... 57 Slate province.................................................................................................................. 62 Cretaceous sand province.............................................................................................. 63 Tertiary limestone province........................................................................................... 64 Composite limestone-sand province............................................................................... 64 Water levels........................................................................................................................... 65 Public water-supply systems .................................................................................................. 67 Present water use..................................................................................................................... 79 Private industrial supplies................................................................................................. 79 Public supplies..................................................................................................................... 80 Rural domestic supplies ...................................................................................................... 80 Agricultural use.................................................................................................................... 80 Other uses ............................................................................................................................. 81 Potential supply....................................................................................................................... 81 Surface water......................................................................................................................... 81 Ground water......................................................................................................................... 82 Water laws................................................................................................................................. 83 Selected bibliography.............................................................................................................. 84 Index.......................................................................................................................................... 87 VI CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS [All plates in pocket] Page Plate 1. Map of Neuse River basin showing stream-gaging stations and quality of water sampling sites. 2. Map of Neuse River basin showing ground-water provinces. 3. Hardness and dissolved-solids content of water from public supplies in the Neuse River basin. Figure 1. Precipitation and air temperature at Raleigh ..................................................... 5 2. Precipitation and air temperature at Goldsboro................................................. 6 3. Precipitation and air temperature at Goldsboro................................................. 7 4. Duration of records at gaging stations in the Neuse River basin................... 18 5. Duration curve of daily flow, Flat River at Bahama and Neuse...................... 21 6. River near Clayton............................................................................................. 21 6. Duration curve of daily flow, Middle Creek near Clayton................................. 22 7. Duration curve of daily flow, Little River near Princeton................................. 22 8. Magnitude and frequency of annual low flows, Flat River at Bahama, based on period 1928-53.................................................................................. 31 9. Magnitude and frequency of annual low