Hydrogeology and Stratigraphy of the Dakota Formation in Northwest Iowa
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WATER SUPPLY HYDROGEOLOGY AND J.A. MUNTER BULLETIN G.A. LUDVIGSON NUMBER 13 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE B.J. BUNKER 1983 DAKOTA FORMATION IN NORTHWEST IOWA Iowa Geological Survey Donald L. Koch State Geologist and Director 123 North Capitol Street Iowa City, Iowa 52242 IOWA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY BULLETIN NO. 13 1983 HYDROGEOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY OF THE DAKOTA FORMATION IN NORTHWEST IOWA J. A. Munter G. A. Ludvigson B. J. Bunker Iowa Geological Survey Iowa Geological Survey Donald L. Koch Director and State Geologist 123 North Capitol Street Iowa City, Iowa 52242 Foreword An assessment of the quantity and quality of water available from the Dakota (Sandstone) Formation 1n northwest Iowa is presented in this report. The as sessment was undertaken to provide quantitative information on the hydrology of the Dakota aquifer system to the Iowa Natural Resources Council for alloca tion of water for irrigation, largely as a consequence of the 1976-77 drought. Most area wells for domestic, livestock, and irrigation purposes only partial ly penetrated the Dakota Formation. Consequently, the long-term effects of significant increases in water withdrawals could not be assessed on the basis of existing wells. Acquisition of new data was based upon a drilling program designed to penetrate the entire sequence of Dakota sediments at key loca tions, after a thorough inventory and analysis of existing data. Definition of the distribution, thickness, and lateral and vertical changes in composition of the Dakota Formation has permitted the recognition of two mem bers. Additionally, Identification of the rock units that underlie the Dakota Formation has contributed greatly to our knowledge of the regional geology of northwest Iowa and the upper midwest. As with nearly all special studies, many side benefits result from multiple applications and uses of new data. Comparatively little attention had been given to the geology of northwest Iowa since the turn of the century. Now, when the demands for water are growing, it is appropriate that the water resources of this part of the State receive special consideration. This report will serve as a guide to wise management of those water resources. Donald. L. Koch State Geologist and Director Iowa Geological Survey TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. LIST OF FIGURES 1v LIST OF TABLES v LIST OF PLATES vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi1 ABSTRACT l INTRODUCTION 3 Physiography : Methods of Study H PRE-CRETACEOUS STRATIGRAPHY 5 REVIEW OF CRETACEOUS STRATIGRAPHY 5 QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHY 10 DESCRIPTION OF CRETACEOUS ROCKS IN NORTHWEST IOWA 11 Dakota Formation }J Nlshnabotna Member J* Woodbury Member jjj Graneros Shale .. }[j Greenhorn Limestone J° Carlile Shale l/ STRUCTURE OF THE CRETACEOUS ROCKS IN IOWA 17 DESCRIPTION OF THE DAKOTA AQUIFER }9 Thickness and Extent of the Dakota Aquifer i* Thickness and Extent of Confining Units . 22 Ground-water Flow Systems 1n the Dakota Aquifer " POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE DAKOTA AQUIFER 26 Estimates of Aquifer Parameters 26 Transm1ss1vity Map 33 Water-Level Trends J4 GROUND-WATER QUALITY IN THE DAKOTA AQUIFER 34 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 38 REFERENCES CITED 40 APPENDIX: Summary of IGS/USGS Subsurface Data and Selected Private Well Data 44 m LIST OF FIGURES Page No. Figure 1. Location of the study area. Physiographic provinces adapted from Prior (1976). Sioux Quartzite outcrop belt after Bunker (1981) 3 Figure 2. Locations of IGS/USGS test holes 4 Figure 3. Distribution of Pre-Cretaceous rocks in northwest Iowa. 6 Figure 4. Measured stratigraphic sections of the Dakota, Graneros, and Greenhorn Formations (from Witzke and Ludvigson 1n Brenner, et al., 1981, p. 154-157) 9 Figure 5. Surficial geologic map of Quaternary deposits of northwest Iowa 12 Figure 6. Geologic cross section at the Hibbing irrigation site. .. 15 Figure 7. Elevation of the base of the Graneros Shale in northwest Iowa 1Q Figure 8. Elevation at the base of the Cretaceous system (or base of the Pleistocene where Cretaceous rocks are absent) in northwest Iowa 20 Figure 9. Sub-Pleistocene geologic map of northwest Iowa 21 Figure 10. Geologic cross section D-D'. Location of the line of sec tion is illustrated in Plate 5 23 Figure 11. Hydrogeologic cross section C-C. Location of the line of cross section is illustrated in Plate 5 26 Figure 12. Hydrogeologic cross section B-B'. The location of the line of cross section 1s Illustrated in Plate 5 28 Figure 13. Hydrogeologic cross section A-A'. The location of the line of cross section is illustrated in Plate 5 29 Figure 14. Drawdown data from the Hibbing pumping test. Locations of the wells are shown on Figure 6 31 Figure 15. Graph showing the relationship between hydraulic conduc tivity and the distance between the production well and the observation well at each site. Data points are in dexed to Table 3 32 Figure 16. Hydrograph of the Hanson observation well. Data points are water levels measured at non-pumping times (note over lap on time scale) 35 IV Page No. Figure 17. Piper diagram of selected water analyses from the Dakota and Paleozoic aquifers. Locations of data points are shown 1n Figure 18 36 Figure 18. Distribution of dissolved sulfate in ground-water in the Dakota aquifer 37 LIST OF TABLES Page No. Table 1. Hydrogeologic units in northwestern Iowa 7 Table 2. Strati graphic nomenclature of Cretaceous rocks in and near Iowa 8 Table 3. Pumping test data from the Dakota aquifer in Iowa 30 LIST OF PLATES (In Pocket at Back of Report) Plate 1. Elevation of the bedrock surface (base of the Pleistocene) in north west Iowa. Plate 2. Thickness of the Dakota Formation 1n northwest Iowa. Plate 3. Thickness of the Nishnabotna Member of the Dakota Formation in northwest Iowa. Plate 4. Thickness of the glacial drift in northwest Iowa. Plate 5. Potentiometric surface of the Dakota aquifer in northwest Iowa. Plate 6. Transmissivity of the Dakota aquifer in northwest Iowa. VI I "O i </> 4-P I C 0) 0 O l/> £ r— c o» t- T" o o >» c o t_ 0) 4-> t_ • a> i— <o i_ O C f 3 in i- o t_ <o o o ••- T3 0) O 3 3 «/> •C a. a. _i (/> in c x: O O VI t- 't- t_ HJ +-> C t- 1_ <0 SE a. 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X> > O) o e o a> C CO O {- <0 <- oi t- i- ex: t- c cm- o •<- c a £» o +J i— oi o. t- •M O) 3 M- .£> in •o o o oi IO O •r- -O 0<»- •i- «rt 3 «/> c oi o xj • en o 3:#— o c io *«-> o in m m .— >> Cn O +J +J C_ -r- IO ^~ 3 i- ±r c «/» «n • 3 «- > io ft O IOUJ c- clx: x: <o c <o in c a) •^ > o O. OI "O «rt Ol s x «/> _s» c . > c sz o o a» -o * aix ct- i- o •—i o i- o L. 4-> io <n io Hydrogeology and Stratigraphy of the Dakota Formation in Northwest Iowa James A.