Groundwater Conditions in the Brunswick– Glynn County Area, Georgia, 2009
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Prepared in cooperation with the Brunswick–Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission Groundwater Conditions in the Brunswick– Glynn County Area, Georgia, 2009 Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5087 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover photograph. U.S. Highway 17, Sidney Lanier Bridge, from north side of Brunswick River, Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia (by Alan M. Cressler, USGS). Groundwater Conditions in the Brunswick– Glynn County Area, Georgia, 2009 By Gregory S. Cherry, Michael F. Peck, Jaime A. Painter, and Welby L. Stayton Prepared in cooperation with the Brunswick–Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5087 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2011 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Cherry, G.S., Peck, M.F., Painter, J.A., and Stayton, W.L., 2011, Groundwater conditions in the Brunswick–Glynn County area, Georgia, 2009: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011– 5087, 58 p. iii Contents Georgia Well-Identification System ........................................................................................................viii Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................................viii Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................2 Methods...........................................................................................................................................................6 Hydrogeology..................................................................................................................................................7 Groundwater Conditions ...............................................................................................................................8 Groundwater Levels .............................................................................................................................8 Factors Influencing Groundwater Levels ................................................................................8 Precipitation ........................................................................................................................8 Groundwater Withdrawals ..............................................................................................10 Surficial Aquifer System ...........................................................................................................11 Brunswick Aquifer System .......................................................................................................14 Floridan Aquifer System ...........................................................................................................18 Chloride Concentrations ....................................................................................................................28 Upper Floridan Aquifer ..............................................................................................................32 Long-Term Records at Industrial Well Fields ........................................................................32 Pinova Well Field ...............................................................................................................36 Georgia–Pacific Cellulose Well Field ............................................................................42 Real-Time Monitoring of Specific Conductance and Water Levels ..................................49 Surficial Aquifer System ...........................................................................................................53 Summary........................................................................................................................................................54 Selected References ..................................................................................................................................55 Appendix. Regression Statistics ..............................................................................................................57 iv Figures 1–2. Maps showing— 1. Location of study area, Brunswick–Glynn County, Georgia, and major structural features in coastal Georgia and South Carolina ..........................................3 2. Location of continuous groundwater-level monitoring networks for the Brunswick–Glynn County area, Georgia ..........................................................................4 3. Generalized correlation of geologic and hydrogeologic units in the Coastal Plain of Georgia .......................................................................................................................................5 4. Schematic block diagram showing hydrogeologic units and influence of structural features on their occurrence ...................................................................................6 5–6. Graphs showing— 5. Cumulative departure from normal precipitation and total daily precipitation at real-time climatic monitoring site, College of Coastal Georgia, Georgia, January 2000–December 2009. ........................................................................................10 6. Major groundwater pumpage from the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Brunswick–Glynn County area, Georgia, 1940–2009 ...................................................11 7. Map showing groundwater-level monitoring network in the surficial aquifer system, Glynn County, Georgia, and water-level change for period of record and 2008–2009. ...12 8. Graphs showing monthly mean water levels and period-of-record trend line in wells in the surficial aquifer system, Glynn County, Georgia ..............................................13 9. Map showing groundwater-level monitoring network in the Brunswick aquifer system, Glynn County, Georgia, and water-level change for period of record and 2008–2009. ...15 10–12. Graphs showing— 10. Monthly mean water levels and period-of-record trend line in wells in the upper Brunswick aquifer, Glynn County, Georgia .............................................16 11. Monthly mean water levels and period-of-record trend line in wells in the lower Brunswick aquifer, Glynn County, Georgia ..............................................17 12. Periodic water-level measurements in wells in the Brunswick aquifer system, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, Georgia ..............................................................................17 13. Map showing groundwater-level monitoring network in the Upper Floridan aquifer in Glynn County, Georgia, and water-level change for period of record and for 2008–2009 .......................................................................................................................19 14–15. Graphs showing— 14. Monthly mean water levels and period-of-record trend line in wells in the Upper Floridan aquifer, Glynn County, Georgia .............................................................20 15. Periodic water-level measurements in well 34G029, Upper Floridan aquifer, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, Georgia ..............................................................................22 16. Map showing groundwater-level monitoring network in the Lower Floridan aquifer, Glynn County, Georgia, and water-level change for period of record and 2008–2009 ....23 17. Graphs showing monthly mean water levels and period-of-record trend line in wells in the Lower Floridan aquifer, Glynn County, Georgia ............................................24 18–21. Maps showing— 18. Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer, Brunswick–Glynn County, Georgia, August 17–21, 2009 .............................................................................26 19. Chloride-monitoring network for the Brunswick–Glynn County area, Georgia, location and enlarged area. .............................................................................................28 20. Chloride concentration in the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Brunswick area, Georgia, August 2009 ........................................................................................................33 21. Change in