Gray Limestone Aquifer in Southern Florida
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Hydrogeology of the Gray Limestone Aquifer in Southern Florida By RONALD S. REESE and KEVIN J. CUNNINGHAM U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4213 Prepared in cooperation with the SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT Tallahassee, Florida 2000 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director The use of firm, trade, and brand names in this report is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey. For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services Suite 3015 Box 25286 227 N. Bronough Street Denver, CO 80225-0286 Tallahassee, FL 32301 888-ASK-USGS Additional information about water resources in Florida is available on the World Wide Web at http://fl.water.usgs.gov CONTENTS Abstract.................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and Scope....................................................................................................................................................... 5 Description of Study Area ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Previous Studies........................................................................................................................................................... 7 Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Methods of Investigation....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Well Drilling, Coring, and Inventory of Wells ............................................................................................................ 7 Borehole Geophysical Logging ................................................................................................................................... 9 Core Description and Core Sample Analysis .............................................................................................................. 10 Aquifer Testing ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 Water-Level Data Collection ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Water-Quality Data Collection .................................................................................................................................... 11 Geologic Framework of Southern Florida............................................................................................................................. 11 Stratigraphy.................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Peace River Formation....................................................................................................................................... 12 Unnamed Formation .......................................................................................................................................... 16 Tamiami Formation ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Ochopee Limestone Member................................................................................................................... 18 Pinecrest Sand Member ........................................................................................................................... 22 Post-Pliocene Formations .................................................................................................................................. 22 Structure....................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Hydrogeologic Framework of Southern Florida ................................................................................................................... 38 Surficial Aquifer System ............................................................................................................................................. 38 Intermediate Aquifer System and Intermediate Confining Unit.................................................................................. 40 Hydrogeology of the Gray Limestone Aquifer...................................................................................................................... 40 Configuration, Thickness, and Extent of the Aquifer and Its Confining Units ........................................................... 43 Controls on Porosity and Permeability........................................................................................................................ 44 Hydraulic Properties and Porosity Estimates............................................................................................................... 47 Historical Hydraulic Test Data .......................................................................................................................... 47 Aquifer Tests Conducted During this Study...................................................................................................... 47 Core Analysis Data ............................................................................................................................................ 54 Distribution of Transmissivity, Hydraulic Conductivity, and Degree of Confinement ...............................................54 Water Levels and Hydraulic Gradient.......................................................................................................................... 59 Water Quality............................................................................................................................................................... 67 Summary and Conclusions .................................................................................................................................................... 73 References Cited.................................................................................................................................................................... 75 APPENDIXES I. Inventory of Wells Used in this Report .............................................................................................................. 81 II. Lithologic Descriptions of Selected Cores as Determined for this Study ..........................................................91 III. Thin-Section Descriptions of Rock Samples from Selected Cores as Determined for this Study ..................... 227 Contents iii FIGURES 1. Map showing location of study area and test wells used in the study................................................................ 3 2. Hydrogeologic section in central Miami-Dade County along Tamiami Trail.................................................... 4 3. Map showing physiographic units, water-conservation areas, and Indian Reservation Lands in the study area ................................................................................................................................................. 6 4. Lithostratigraphic units recognized in the study area, their generalized geology, and relationship with hydrogeologic units............................................................................................................................................ 13 5. Thin-section photomicrographs showing lithofacies identified for the Peace River Formation ....................... 15 6. Thin-section photomicrographs showing lithofacies identified for the unnamed formation............................. 16 7. Core photographs and thin-section photomicrographs of the pelecypod lime rudstone facies of the Ochopee Limestone Member of the Tamiami Formation .................................................................................. 21 8. Thin-section photomicrographs showing lithofacies identified for the Pinecrest Sand Member of the Tamiami Formation............................................................................................................................................ 24 9. Map showing traces of hydrogeologic sections A-A′, A′-A′′, B-B′, and C-C′ in the study area....................... 26 10. Hydrogeologic section A-A′ .............................................................................................................................. 27 11. Hydrogeologic section A′-A′′ ............................................................................................................................ 28 12. Hydrogeologic section B-B′............................................................................................................................... 29 13.