By JB Gillespie and GD Hargadine
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GEOHYDROLOGY AND SALINE GROUND-WATER DISCHARGE TO THE SOUTH FORK NINNESCAH RIVER IN PRATT AND KINGMAN COUNTIES, SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS By J.B. Gillespie and G.D. Hargadine U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 93-4177 Prepared in cooperation with the CITY OF WICHITA, SEDGWICK COUNTY, and the KANSAS WATER OFFICE Lawrence, Kansas 1994 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Robert M. Hirsch, Acting Director For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from: U.S. Geological Survey District Chief Earth Science Information Center U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Reports Section Water Resources Division Box 25286, MS 517 4821 Quail Crest Place Denver Federal Center Lawrence, Kansas 66049-3839 Denver, Colorado 80225 CONTENTS Page Definition of terms.......................................................................................................................... vii Abstract............................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and scope................................................................................................................2 Previous studies................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................4 Well and sampling-site numbering system ........................................................................ 4 Geologic setting.................................................................................................................................4 Permian System...................................................................................................................8 Wellington Formation ............................................................................................8 Ninnescah Shale...................................................................................................... 8 Stone Corral Formation.......................................................................................... 8 Harper Sandstone................................................................................................... 8 Salt Plain Formation .............................................................................................. 8 Quaternary System.............................................................................................................. 9 Hydrologic system........................................................................................................................... 12 Surface water ................................................................................................................... 12 Streamflow............................................................................................................ 13 Salinity-seepage surveys ...................................................................................... 16 Chloride distribution............................................................................................. 16 Ground water ................................................................................................................... 19 Alluvial aquifer .....................................................................................................23 Aquifer characteristics.............................................................................23 Chloride distribution in the alluvial aquifer .......................................... 23 Permian rocks........................................................................................................ 23 Aquifer characteristics............................................................................. 23 Chloride distribution in Permian rocks .................................................. 26 Areas of saline ground water identified by electromagnetic terrain survey .................. 27 Flow and mixing of fresh and saline water ................................................................................... 30 Alternatives for potential alleviation or control of saline ground-water discharge .................... 37 Summary .........................................................................................................................................39 Selected references.......................................................................................................................... 40 Supplemental information.............................................................................................................. 42 CONTENTS iii ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Maps showing location of study area...................................................................2 2. Map showing location of observation or monitoring wells and oil-or-gas wells and test holes from which data were collected or used ............ 3 3. Diagram illustrating well and sampling-site numbering system...................... 5 4. Upper part of gamma-ray log of oil-and-gas test hole at 27S-12W-25DBBD showing stratigraphic relation of geologic units discussed in this report ........................................................................................6 5. Map showing configuration and altitude of top of Stone Corral Formation and location of geologic structures and pre-Permian faults in western part of study area....................................................................? 6. Map showing thickness of "Ninnescah salt" bed in Ninnescah Shale in western part of study area.............................................................................. 9 7. Geologic section showing upper part of Ninnescah Shale, Stone Corral Formation, and lower part of Harper Sandstone.............................................. 10 8. Graph showing plot of interval thickness between Stone Corral Formation and Hutchinson Salt Member compared to thickness of "Ninnescah salt"................................................................................................ 12 9. Map showing configuration and altitude of top of Permian bedrock in western part of study area............................................................................. 13 10. Geohydrologic sections showing lithology of alluvium and Permian bedrock................................................................................................................ 14 11. Map showing salinity- and seepage-measurement sites on South Fork Ninnescah River from Pratt to near Murdock streamflow- gaging stations.................................................................................................... 17 12. Graph showing chloride concentrations, chloride discharges, and stream discharges for South Fork Ninnescah River from Pratt to Pratt-Kingman County line, November 2, 1988........................................... 18 13. Graph showing chloride concentrations, chloride discharges, and stream discharges for South Fork Ninnescah River from Pratt to near Murdock, January 18 and November 1-2, 1989................................... 18 14. Graphs showing chloride concentrations and chloride discharges for South Fork Ninnescah River near Calista, 1963-88................................... 19 Figures 15-20. Maps showing: 15. Chloride concentrations from water samples collected from small tributaries, ponds, marshes, springs, river, and beneath streambed in South Fork Ninnescah Valley, 1988-89...................................... 20 ILLUSTRATIONS-Continued Page Figure 16. Altitude of fluid-potential levels in Permian rocks in western part of study area, winter 1990 .........................................................................22 17. Altitude of fluid-potential levels in lower alluvial aquifer in western part of study area, winter 1990...........................................................24 18. Altitude of fluid-potential surface in upper alluvial aquifer in western part of study area, winter 1990...........................................................25 19. Saturated thickness of alluvial aquifer determined at selected wells in western part of study area, winter 1990 ............................................. 26 20. Chloride concentrations in water samples collected from wells completed in upper alluvial aquifer, near base of lower alluvial aquifer, and in top of Permian rocks in western part of study area............... 28 21. Geohydrologic section showing lines of equal fluid potential and chloride concentrations in alluvial aquifer and in top of Permian rocks, winter 1990 .............................................................................................. 31 22. Map showing location of traverses and graph showing apparent terrain conductivity for South Fork Ninnescah River electro magnetic survey traverse, 1989 ........................................................................ 32 23. Graphs showing apparent terrain conductivity along electromagnetic survey traverses perpendicular to South Fork Ninnescah River, 1989 .......... 33 24. Schematic diagrams illustrating hypotheses for the discharge of saline ground water to South Fork Ninnescah River....................................... 34 25. Hydrographs of fluid-potential levels