DOCSLIB.ORG

Water Resources of the Dakota Aquifer in Kansas

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Water Resources of the Dakota Aquifer in Kansas Water Resources of the Dakota Aquifer in Kansas Donald O. Whittemore, P. Allen Macfarlane, and Blake B. Wilson Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin 260 2014 Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin 260 Water Resources of the Dakota Aquifer in Kansas Donald O. Whittemore1, P. Allen Macfarlane2, and Blake B. Wilson1 1 Kansas Geological Survey, The University of Kansas, Lawrence Kansas 66047 2 Kansas Geological Survey (retired), The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047 Lawrence, Kansas 66047 2014 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are grateful for the help of several individuals at the Kansas Geological Survey in producing this document. Rogheyeh Eskrootchi assisted in the development of a data base for Dakota water chemistry. John Woods and Rogheyeh Eskrootchi helped in the development of the regional water-quality maps of the aquifer. Others who participated in mapping and data activities included student assistants Elizabeth Greive, Xiaodong -LDQDQG%ULDQ:DUGORZ0DUN6FKRQHZHLVSURYLGHGJUDSKLFVIRUVRPHRIWKH¿JXUHV Tyan-ming Chu conducted his Ph.D. dissertation on hydrogeochemical processes in the Dakota aquifer, including numerical modeling of the evolution of groundwater geochemistry, especially as affected by cation exchange. He also participated in the collection of samples from water-supply wells in the Dakota aquifer. Roger Boeken determined resistivities from geophysical logs in northwest Kansas for estimating total dissolved solids concentration in the Dakota aquifer where there are no or very little sample data and used the study for his M.S. thesis. Lawrence Hathaway, Karmie Galle, Truman Waugh, and Masato Ueshima analyzed water samples collected by or sent to WKH.*6-XOLH7ROOHIVRQHGLWHGDQGSURGXFHGWKH¿QDOSXEOLFDWLRQ-LP%XWOHUUHYLHZHG and commented on a draft of this document. The authors appreciate the comments and edits of Scott Ross, retired, Division of Water Resources, Kansas Department of $JULFXOWXUH6XVDQ6WRYHU.DQVDV:DWHU2I¿FHDQG0DUN5XGH6RXWKZHVW.DQVDV Groundwater Management District No. 3, who reviewed the current document, and also those of Robert Cullers, retired, Kansas State University, and Daniel Schurr, GeoSchurr Resources LLC, Ellsworth, Minnesota, who reviewed an earlier, expanded version of the geochemistry section. The Kansas Geological Survey does not guarantee this document Editor: Julie Tollefson to be free from errors or inaccuracies and disclaims any Printed on recycled paper. responsibility or liability for interpretations based on data used in ISBN: 978-1-58806-334-8 the production of this document or decisions based thereon. ii Kansas Geological Survey—Bulletin 260 Contents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii ABSTRACT 1 INTRODUCTION 3 DAKOTA AQUIFER SYSTEM 3 LOCATION AND AMOUNT OF WATER USE 4 Wells with Water-Right Permits 6 Determination of Well Location and Water Use 6 Distribution of Wells 7 Estimated Water Use 10 Wells without Water-Right Permits 22 Determination of Well Location 22 Estimated Water Use 23 GROUNDWATER GEOCHEMISTRY 24 Chemical Data for Groundwaters 24 Data for Water Samples 24 Water Quality from Geophysical Logs 25 Factors that Control Groundwater Chemistry 25 Major Dissolved Constituents and Chemical Water Types 26 Relationships among Conductance and Major Dissolved Constituents 29 Minor and Trace Dissolved Constituents 30 Uranium and Radionuclides 32 Characteristics of Contaminated Groundwater 32 Regional Groundwater Geochemistry 33 Areal Geochemical Patterns 33 .LVJOLTPJHS7YVÄSLZHJYVZZHU(X\PMLY-SV^7H[O Vertical Geochemical Changes 40 DEVELOPMENT OF THE AQUIFER 43 Water-Supply Suitability Areas 43 Suitability Area I 43 Suitability Area II 45 Suitability Area III 45 Suitability Area IV 45 Suitability Area V 46 Recent Development Trends 46 Current Guidelines for Development 49 Water-Level Declines Since Pre-development 50 Future Development 55 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 55 REFERENCES 59 Whittemore, Macfarlane, & Wilson—Dakota Aquifer iii Figures Figure 1. Nomenclature for aquifers of the Mesozoic era in Kansas 4 Figure 2. Extent of the Dakota aquifer system in Kansas 5 Figure 3. Distribution of wells producing partially or entirely from the Dakota aquifer according to percent of total yield that is from the Dakota system 8 Figure 4. Distribution of water-right-permitted wells that draw part or all of their yield from the Dakota aquifer according to use type 12 Figure 5. Density of estimated average annual use of groundwater from the Dakota aquifer in Kansas for 2006–2010 14 Figure 6. Estimated average annual use of groundwater from the Dakota aquifer by counties in Kansas for 2006–2010 15 Figure 7. Average percent of total annual use of groundwater from all aquifers for 2006–2010 estimated to be from the Dakota aquifer 16 Figure 8. Mean 2006–2010 percentage of water use from the Dakota aquifer for different types of water-right-permitted wells drawing part or all of their supply from the Dakota aquifer in different regions of Kansas 17 Figure 9. Estimated annual use of groundwater from the Dakota aquifer in Kansas and in different regions of Kansas from 1990 to 2010 18 Figure 10. Estimated annual use of groundwater from the Dakota aquifer in Kansas according to different use types from 1990 to 2010 19 Figure 11. Palmer drought severity index and estimated annual use of groundwater from the Dakota aquifer in north-central Kansas from 1990 to 2010 20 Figure 12. Palmer drought severity index and estimated annual use of groundwater from the Dakota aquifer in southwest Kansas from 1990 to 2010 20 Figure 13. Estimated annual use of groundwater from the Dakota aquifer in Finney, Ford, Gray, Hodgeman, and Kearny counties from 1990 to 2010 21 Figure 14. Distribution of water wells from which groundwater samples were collected from the Dakota aquifer 26 -PN\YL;V[HSKPZZVS]LKZVSPKZJVUJLU[YH[PVU]LYZ\ZZWLJPÄJJVUK\J[HUJLTLHZ\YLK in the laboratory for Dakota aquifer waters 29 -PN\YL*OSVYPKLJVUJLU[YH[PVU]LYZ\ZSHIVYH[VY`ZWLJPÄJJVUK\J[HUJLMVY+HRV[H aquifer waters 30 Figure 17. Distribution of total dissolved solids concentration in groundwaters in the upper Dakota aquifer 34 Figure 18. Distribution of chloride concentration in groundwaters in the upper Dakota aquifer 34 Figure 19. Distribution of sulfate concentration in groundwaters in the upper Dakota aquifer 36 -PN\YL+PZ[YPI\[PVUVMÅ\VYPKLJVUJLU[YH[PVUPUNYV\UK^H[LYZPU[OL\WWLY Dakota aquifer 37 Figure 21. Nitrate concentration in groundwaters at well locations in the upper Dakota aquifer 38 Figure 22. Elevation of the land surface and the middle of the screened interval for wells ZHTWSLKHSVUNHYLNPVUHSÅV^WH[OVM[OL+HRV[HHX\PMLYMYVTZV\[OLHZ[*VSVYHKV to central Kansas 39 Figure 23. Total dissolved solids and chloride concentrations for wells sampled along HYLNPVUHSÅV^WH[OVM[OL+HRV[HHX\PMLYMYVTZV\[OLHZ[*VSVYHKV[VJLU[YHS2HUZHZ -PN\YL:VKP\THUKJHSJP\TJVUJLU[YH[PVUZMVY^LSSZZHTWSLKHSVUNHYLNPVUHSÅV^ path of the Dakota aquifer from southeast Colorado to central Kansas 40 iv Kansas Geological Survey—Bulletin 260 Figure 25. Fluoride concentration and (calcium + magnesium)/sodium equivalent ratio MVY^LSSZZHTWSLKHSVUNHYLNPVUHSÅV^WH[OVM[OL+HRV[HHX\PMLYMYVTZV\[OLHZ[ Colorado to central Kansas 40 Figure 26. Increase in salinity over time pumped of a 200 ft (61 m) deep well in the Dakota aquifer in northwest Washington County 41 -PN\YL+LW[OWYVÄSLVM[V[HSKPZZVS]LKZVSPKZJVUJLU[YH[PVUPU[OL+HRV[HHX\PMLY for samples collected during drilling of a test hole in Ellis County, Kansas 43 -PN\YL+LW[OWYVÄSLVMKPZZVS]LKZVKP\TJOSVYPKLHUKZ\SMH[LJVUJLU[YH[PVUZPU [OL+HRV[HHX\PMLYMVY[OLZHTL[LZ[OVSLPU,SSPZ*V\U[`HZPUÄN -PN\YL +LW[OWYVÄSLVMKPZZVS]LKJHSJP\TTHNULZP\THUKÅ\VYPKLJVUJLU[YH[PVUZ PU[OL+HRV[HHX\PMLYMVY[OLZHTL[LZ[OVSLPU,SSPZ*V\U[`HZPUÄN -PN\YL4HWVM[OLÄ]L^H[LYZ\WWS`Z\P[HIPSP[`HYLHZVM[OL+HRV[HHX\PMLYPU2HUZHZ Figure 31. Trend in the number of new wells with active water rights and water use completed in north-central Kansas since 1975 47 Figure 32. Trend in the number of new or replacement wells each year with active water rights and water use completed partially or solely in the Dakota aquifer in southwest Kansas since 1975 47 Figure 33. Cumulative number of active points of diversion for all aquifers in southwest Kansas during 1945–2011 based on the priority date of the water right 48 Figure 34. Trend in the cumulative number of wells with active water rights and water use completed partially or solely in the Dakota aquifer in southwest Kansas since 1975 48 Figure 35. Annual winter water levels in observation wells in the Dakota and overlying aquifers in southwest Kansas 51 Figure 36. Annual winter water levels in wells in the Dakota and High Plains aquifers in northwest Grant County 53 Figure 37. Annual winter water levels in wells in the Dakota aquifer in southwest Stanton and northwest Morton counties with thinly saturated or no HPA 53 Figure 38. Annual winter water levels in irrigation wells in the Dakota aquifer in Hodgeman County 54 Whittemore, Macfarlane, & Wilson—Dakota Aquifer v Tables Table 1. Number of water-right-permitted wells that draw all or part of their yield from the Dakota aquifer and percent of total well yield from the Dakota aquifer 9 Table 2. Number of water-right-permitted wells that draw all or part of their yield from the Dakota aquifer by water-use type and comparison to total number of water- right-permitted wells completed in all aquifers 11 Table 3. Estimated mean annual water use during 2006–2010 from the Dakota aquifer by water-right-permitted wells for different use types, and total use from all aquifers 13 Table 4. Comparison of mean annual water use from water-right-permitted
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 2018-2004 Accomplishments
    Kansas Geological Survey Publications, Accomplishments, and Service 2018 Refereed Publications Core, E. E., and Franseen, E. K., 2018, Depositional and reservoir character of mixed heterozoan-large benthic foraminifera-siliciclastic sequences, Middle Miocene, Dominican Republic: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Search and Discovery Article #51506, 10 p. Flotron, A., Franseen, E. K., and Goldstein, R. H., 2018, Sedimentologic and stratigraphic controls on reservoir sweet spots in Wolfcamp ‘A,’ Howard County, Midland Basin: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Search and Discovery Article #11142, 6 p. Franseen, E. K., Sawin, R. S., Watney, W. L., West, R. L., Layzell, A. L., and Ludvigson, G. A., 2018, Mississippian stratigraphic nomenclature revisions in Kansas: Current Research in Earth Sciences, Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin 264, http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Current/2018/Franseen/index.html. Golab, J. A., Smith, J. J., and Hasiotis, S. T., 2018, Paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic implications of paleosols and ichnofossils in the Upper Pennsylvanian-Permian Halgaito Formation, Southeastern Utah: PALAIOS, v. 33, p. 296–311, doi: http:// dx.doi.org/10.2110/palo.2017.074. Peterie, S. L., Miller, R. D., Buchanan, R., and DeArmond, B., 2018, Fluid injection wells can have a wide seismic reach: EOS, v. 98, n. 7, p. 25–30, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EO096199. Peterie, S. L., Miller, R. D., Intfen, J. W., and Gonzales, J. B., 2018, Earthquakes in Kansas induced by extremely far-field pressure diffusion: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 45, p. 1,395–1,401, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076334. Richey, J. D., Upchurch, G. R., Montañez, I. P., Lomax, B. H., Suarez, M.
    [Show full text]
  • Industrial Minerals-Mines, Quarries, and General Resources in Kansas 2008
    Industrial Minerals-Mines, Quarries, and General Resources in Kansas 2008 Lawrence L. Brady Kansas Geological Survey 1930 Constant Avenue Lawrence, Kansas 66047 Telephone (785) 864-2159 Fax (785) 864-5317 E-mail lbrady@ kgs.k u.edu Kansas Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016-24 ABSTRACT Industrial mineral production in Kansas based on tonnage mainly involves those commodities that are important to the construction industry. Among those commodities with large tonnage are sand and gravel and stone—both crushed and dimension, mainly limestone but also with a limited amount of sandstone. Sand and gravel are obtained primarily from pits in western Kansas and from pits and dredging in rivers and floodplains in the central and eastern part of the state. Crushed stone for aggregates and for use in cement production is mainly from limestone units of Pennsylvanian age in eastern Kansas, and the dimension stone is now cut from Lower Permian limestone units. Outstanding buildings in the past were also constructed from limestone rocks from Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian and Upper Cretaceous limestone units. Clay and shale from Pennsylvanian and Cretaceous units are used for manufacture of structural clay products, brick, and lightweight aggregate and in Portland and masonry cement manufacture. Salt is a major industrial mineral important to the state. It is produced from the thick Hutchinson Salt Member in the Lower Permian Wellington Formation that is present in the subsurface in a large part of central Kansas. The salt is mined by room-and-pillar methods at three locations, and salt is also produced by solution mining from four different brine fields.
    [Show full text]
  • Recognizing the Albian-Cenomanian (Oae1d) Sequence Boundary Using Plant Carbon Isotopes: Dakota Formation, Western Interior Basin, USA
    Recognizing the Albian-Cenomanian (OAE1d) sequence boundary using plant carbon isotopes: Dakota Formation, Western Interior Basin, USA Darren R. GroÈcke School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada Gregory A. Ludvigson Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047-3726, USA Brian L. Witzke Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Geological Survey, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1319, USA Stuart A. Robinson Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK R.M. Joeckel Conservation and Survey Division, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska±Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0517, USA David F. Ufnar Department of Geography and Geology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, USA Robert L. Ravn Aeon Biostratigraphic Services, 6501 Shale Circle, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA ABSTRACT To ascertain the effect of OAE1d (latest Albian) on the terrestrial Analysis of bulk sedimentary organic matter and charcoal carbon-isotope record, we collected bulk sediment and plant macro- from an Albian-Cenomanian ¯uvial-estuarine succession (Dakota fossils for organic carbon-isotope analysis from the Rose Creek Pit Formation) at Rose Creek Pit (RCP), Nebraska, reveals a negative (RCP) in the Dakota Formation, near Fairbury, Nebraska (Fig. 1). Pa- excursion of ;3½ in late Albian strata. Overlying Cenomanian lynostratigraphy places the section at RCP as late Albian to Cenoman- strata have d13C values of 224½ to 223½ that are similar to pre- ian in age (Brenner et al., 2000). A direct comparison between our d13 d13 excursion values. The absence of an intervening positive excursion terrestrial C records from RCP and the oceanic Cforam record at (as exists in marine records of the Albian-Cenomanian boundary) ODP Site 1052 (Wilson and Norris, 2001) provides better time reso- likely results from a depositional hiatus.
    [Show full text]
  • Fluvial-Estuarine Deposition in the Mid-Cretaceous Dakota Formation, Kansas and Nebraska
    41st Annual North-Central Meeting 41st Annual South-Central Meeting Geological Society of America FIELD TRIP 2: Fluvial-Estuarine Deposition in the Mid-Cretaceous Dakota Formation, Kansas and Nebraska Field Trip Leaders: R. M. Joeckel, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Greg A. Ludvigson, Kansas Geological Survey P. Allen Macfarlane, Kansas Geological Survey with a contribution by: Darren R. Gröcke, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario April 10, 2007 Kansas Geological Survey Open-fi le Report 2008–2 41st Annual North-Central Meeting 41st Annual South-Central Meeting Geological Society of America FIELD TRIP 2: Fluvial-Estuarine Deposition in the Mid-Cretaceous Dakota Formation, Kansas and Nebraska Field Trip Leaders: R. M. Joeckel, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Greg A. Ludvigson, Kansas Geological Survey P. Allen Macfarlane, Kansas Geological Survey with a contribution by: Darren R. Gröcke, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Cover photo—Field trip participants examining Cretaceous fluvial-estuarine mudrocks of the Kiowa-Skull Creek marine cycle exposed along cutbank exposures of the Solomon River near Salina, Kansas. Photo by Fred J. Anderson, North Dakota Geological Survey. April 10, 2007 Kansas Geological Survey Open-file Report 2008–2 Road Log Mileage Description 0.0 Depart Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence; proceed N on Iowa Street 3.0 Kansas Turnpike/I-70 entrance ramp; proceed W on KT/I-70 21.0 I-70 exit 197 36.0 I-70 exit 364B 45.0 I-70 exit 343 52.0 I-70 rest stop 91.0 Pass Junction City, Kansas 94.0 I-70 rest stop 121.0 I-70 exit 266 127.0 Low buttes underlain by Dakota Formation to SW 136.0 I-70 exit 252; turn R (N) on Road 143 and proceed N 137.0 Cross Saline River 142.0 North Pole Mound, a butte underlain by Dakota Formation to R (E) 143.0 Pass Aspen Road 145.0 Turn R on Coronado Road, proceed on Coronado Road 146.0 Turn L on N 180 th Road, proceed on N 180 th Road 147.0 Turn R on gravel drive to Romm–Quiver residence, 298 N 180th Road.
    [Show full text]
  • November - December 2020
    KANSAS GEOLOGICAL SOCIET Y BULLETIN Volume 95 Number 6 November - December 2020 Established 1925 IN THIS ISSUE Meet the Candidates for KGS Board of Directors KGS Board Minutes from August and September KGS Shooting Tourney Results KGS/KGF Beer Meet Dakota Sandstone Concretions At Mushroom Rock State Park Smallest State Park in Kansas Your 1/8 page ad here Use Your KGS Library For All Your Printing Needs Old photos? Old documents? We can scan them for you! We Invite You To join Kansas Day or Night You can get to the data as you need it Geological Foundation $50.00 membership is tax deductible Call 316-265-8676 Or send checks to: Kansas Geological Foundation 212 N. Market, Ste. 100 Wichita, KS 67202 2 Table of Contents Features: Meet The Candidates 12-14 KGS/KGF Beer Meet Pics 15 KGS Board Minutes for August and September 17-19 KGS Events: No Events in November/December Departments & Columns: KGS Tech Talks 4 President’s Letter 7 Advertiser’s Directory 8 In Memoriam 20 KGS Board Minutes 17-19 Professional Directory 22 Kansas Geological Foundation Cornerstone and KGF News 24-25 Kansas Geological Foundation Memorials 26-28 Exploration Highlights 30-31 ON THE COVER: Mushroom Rock State Park, located in the Smoky Hills region of north-central Kansas, is noted for its mushroom rock formations. These rocks are the remains of beach sands and sediments of the Cretaceous Period, the interval of geologic time from about 144 to 66 million years ago. Sandstone and sedimentary rock is held together by natural cement.
    [Show full text]
  • Paleoclimatic Applications and Modern Process Studies of Pedogenic Siderite
    PALEOCLIMATIC APPLICATIONS AND MODERN PROCESS STUDIES OF PEDOGENIC SIDERITE GREG A. LUDVIGSON Kansas Geological Survey, The University of Kansas, 1930 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66047-3724, USA e-mail: [email protected] LUIS A. GONZA´ LEZ, DAVID A. FOWLE, AND JENNIFER A. ROBERTS Department of Geology, The University of Kansas, 1475 Jayhawk Boulevard, Room 120, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7594, USA STEVEN G. DRIESE Department of Geology, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97354, Waco, Texas 76798-7354, USA MARK A. VILLARREAL AND JON J. SMITH Kansas Geological Survey, The University of Kansas, 1930 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66047-3724, USA AND MARINA B. SUAREZ Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA ABSTRACT: Pedogenic siderite is a carbonate mineral that forms in the reducing groundwaters of poorly drained soils and paleosols in zonal climatic belts with strongly positive precipitation–evaporation balances. Microcrystalline and spherulitic forms of siderite are commonly recognized in micromorphologic studies of hydromorphic paleosols. Ancient paleosol sphaerosiderites commonly occur with diameters in excess of 1 mm, while modern pedogenic siderite crystal dimensions in excess of 100 lm are rare. Pedogenic siderites have been widely reported from Late Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic paleosols. The carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of pedogenic siderites have been widely used as proxies for the oxygen isotopic composition of paleoprecipitation for their respective paleosols. Modern process studies of historic pedogenic siderites are yielding a more refined understanding of the stable isotopic systematics of low-temperature siderite. These works will lead to a future change in usage of published siderite–water 18O fractionation equations.
    [Show full text]
  • Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey INVESTIGATION
    Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 93-576 INVESTIGATION OF THE COAL PROPERTIES AND THE POTENTIAL FOR COAL-BED METHANE IN THE FOREST CITY BASIN by Joy Bostic Missouri Department of Natural Resources Division of Geology and Land Survey Lawrence Brady Kansas Geological Survey University of Kansas » Mary Howes Iowa Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey Bureau Raymond Burchett Nebraska Geological Survey Conservation and Survey Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska - Lincoln Brenda S. Pierce U.S. Geological Survey Department of the Interior This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards and stratigraphic nomenclature. ABSTRACT The Forest City basin in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, contains substantial coal resources in numerous beds too deep and thin to be mined by conventional methods. However, these coal beds have the potential to produce commercial quantities of coalbed methane. The four State geological surveys of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a preliminary assessment of existing geologic data to determine the thickness and areal extent of deep coals in parts of the Forest City basin. In addition, coal quality, thermal maturity (rank), and coalbed methane composition analyses were performed on some of the coal beds where good-quality coal samples could be obtained. Methane desorption and composition analyses performed on 11 coal beds from Kansas and Missouri confirm that coalbed methane is indeed present in coal beds of the Forest City basin. Although the volume of that coalbed methane is still unknown, the amount of methane in those areas tested during the current study is sufficient to warrant additional investigations.
    [Show full text]
  • 2008 Mandel.Pdf
    Geomorphology 101 (2008) 342–361 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Geomorphology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/geomorph Buried paleoindian-age landscapes in stream valleys of the central plains, USA ☆ Rolfe D. Mandel Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, United States ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: A systematic study of late-Quaternary landscape evolution in the Central Plains documented widespread, Received 23 October 2007 deeply buried paleosols that represent Paleoindian-age landscapes in terrace fills of large streams (N5th Received in revised form 12 March 2008 order), in alluvial fans, and in draws in areas of western Kansas with a thick loess mantle. Alluvial Accepted 12 March 2008 stratigraphic sections were investigated along a steep bio-climatic gradient extending from the moist- Available online 29 May 2008 subhumid forest-prairie border of the east-central Plains to the dry-subhumid and semi-arid shortgrass prairie of the west-central Plains. Radiocarbon ages indicate that most large streams were characterized by Keywords: slow aggradation accompanied by cumulic soil development from ca. 11,500 to 10,000 14C yr B.P. In the Paleosols Alluvium valleys of some large streams, such as the Ninnescah and Saline rivers, these processes continued into the Terraces early Holocene. The soil-stratigraphic record in the draws of western Kansas indicates slow aggradation Alluvial fans punctuated by episodes of landscape stability and pedogenesis beginning as early as ca. 13,300 14C yr B.P. and Paleoindian spanning the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary. The development record of alluvial fans in western Kansas is Central Great Plains similar to the record in the draws; slow aggradation was punctuated by multiple episodes of soil development between ca.
    [Show full text]
  • Smoky Hills: Rocks and Minerals
    from the Kansas Geological Survey Smoky Hills: Rocks and Minerals The region known as the Smoky Hills occupies the north-central part of the state. It is delineated by outcrops of Cretaceous-age rocks and takes its name from the early morning haze that often gathers in the valleys. During the Cretaceous Period (that interval of geologic time from about 144 to 66 million years ago), Kansas was once again under water. Unlike the relatively shallow seas of the Pennsylvanian and Permian, the seas that advanced and retreated during the Cretaceous were deeper and more widespread. Three principal rock outcrops characterize the Smoky Hills—the sandstones of the Dakota Formation, the limestones of the Greenhorn Limestone Formation, and the thick chalks of the Niobrara Chalk. The Dakota Formation sandstones crop out in a wide Outcrop of the Dakota Formation at Wilson Lake, Russell belt from Rice and McPherson counties, in the south, to County. Washington County, in the north. They are the remains of beach sands and sediments dumped by rivers draining into stones—such as the giant concretions at Rock City in the early Cretaceous seas. The hills and buttes in this part Ottawa County and Mushroom Rock State Park in of the Smoky Hills, such as Coronado Heights in Saline Ellsworth County are cemented by calcium carbonate. County, are capped by this sandstone and rise sharply Concretions.—Concretions are formed when minerals above the surrounding plains. in water are deposited about a nucleus (such as a leaf or The next outcrop belt to the west is the Greenhorn shell or other particle), creating a rounded mass whose Limestone, which is made up of thin (usually less than 6 composition or cement is usually different from the inches) chalky limestones beds alternating with thicker surrounding rock.
    [Show full text]
  • Rolfe Mandel CV 2
    CURRICULUM VITAE Rolfe David Mandel TABLE OF CONTENTS PERSONAL DATA .......................................................................................................................2 CURRENT POSITION .................................................................................................................2 EDUCATION .................................................................................................................................2 ACADEMIC AWARDS ................................................................................................................2 HONORS ........................................................................................................................................3 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS ...........................................................................................3 TEACHING AND RESEARCH INTERESTS ...........................................................................3 SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN FIELDS OF INTEREST ........................................................4 TEACHING EXPERIENCE ........................................................................................................4 GRADUATE THESIS/DISSERTATION COMMITTEES .......................................................5 SUPERVISOR FOR POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES .................................7 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: GRANTS AND RESEARCH PROJECTS .....................7 EDITORSHIPS ...........................................................................................................................19
    [Show full text]
  • The Permian System in Kansas
    Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin 257 The Permian System in Kansas by R. R. West1, K. B. Miller2, and W. L. Watney3 1Emeritus Professor, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506 2Department of Geology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506 3Kansas Geological Survey, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047 Lawrence, Kansas 66047 2010 West et al.—The Permian System in Kansas i COVER—The broad, fl at surface in the center of the photo is the top of the Glenrock Limestone Member of the Red Eagle Limestone and the Carboniferous–Permian boundary at Tuttle Creek Lake Spillway in Pottawatomie County, Kansas. The Kansas Geological Survey does not guarantee this docu- Editor: Marla D. Adkins–Heljeson ment to be free from errors or inaccuracies and disclaims any Graphics: Jennifer Sims responsibility or liability for interpretations based on data used Cover: P. Acker in the production of this document or decisions based thereon. ISBN: 978-1-58806-333-X ii Kansas Geological Survey—Bulletin 257 Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Historical Aspects .......................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • M048 “Systematic Approach to Identifying Deeply Buried Archeological Deposits” February 2018
    Nebraska Department of Transportation Project SRP- P1(16) M048 “Systematic Approach to Identifying Deeply Buried Archeological Deposits” February 2018 Part I: Final Report Dr. Anthony L. Layzell and Dr. Rolfe D. Mandel Kansas Geological Survey University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Courtney L. Ziska and John R. Bozell State Archeology Office Nebraska State Historical Society Lincoln, Nebraska Nebraska Buried Sites GIS Final Report 1. Introduction 1.1 Scope and Background This project is designed to assist cultural resource specialists involved in Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) project planning and development. The goal was to develop Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers that spatially delineate different landform-sediment assemblages (LSAs) and depict the associated geologic potential for buried cultural deposits in select watersheds in Nebraska. The Nebraska Buried Sites GIS resource will allow planners and cultural resource specialists to determine whether future project areas are likely to be free of deeply buried sites or whether subsurface exploration is necessary. Prior to the early 1980s, most archeologists working in Nebraska and other areas of the Midwest relied on traditional methods of surface surveys to locate prehistoric cultural deposits. Those methods, such as pedestrian surveys and shallow shovel testing, rarely detect buried cultural materials, especially in stream valleys. Bettis and Littke (1987:3) pointed out that inadequate subsurface sampling in
    [Show full text]