53E Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology 55E 56E Montana Ground-Water Assessment Atlas No. 1, Part B, Map 7 A Department of Montana Tech of The University of Montana October 1998 M i s Revision 1 - Dec. 17, 1998 52E 54E s o 105 1989 o 1993 1959 u Poplar 2000 r H i a Dome r 51E d s c 57E r Ch a ar b 2057 l b R i i 27N e l v e RICHLAND C e re r e k 58E 59E 2025 C Ground-Water Characterization Study Areas r 2049 e 2019 e k o o 48 48 2015

NORTH DAKOTA 26N 2100 2066 2142 M 26N

ONTANA DAWSON

2083 PRAIRIE

2124 25N WIBAUX 25N a E st Red wa te r C reek

FALLON F ir st H a 24N 24N y C re 2046 ek 2056 SOUTH 50E Lower Yellowstone River Study Area DAKOTA

23N 23N 1948 2064 2047 2062 Sidney 2000

2056 k

e

e N r or C th F 2020 22N 22N r or te F k a o w x C F ed re ox Creek R 2107 e k 2051 Explanation

No Water-level altitude in well completed in the Fox Hills–lower Hell Creek aquifer rt 2058 h F 2100 ork Bur 2074 Water-level altitude in flowing well completed in the Fox Hills–lower Hell Creek ns C r e 21N aquifer 21N e k

2200 Potentiometric surface contour for the Fox Hills–lower Hell Creek aquifer (dashed where inferred) 2113

B Area of flowing artesian conditions urn N s Cr e T ek h ir te County boundary en m 2101 20N 20N il e Township boundary 2143 2153 2135

County seat C re e k Major road Scale 1:250,000 Principal stream 0 5 10 15 miles 2128 19N 19N Sm ith Outcrop and subcrop of the Pierre Shale 2140 Cr Transverse Mercator Projection 2137 eek Central Meridian -105 Degrees Outcrop of the Fox Hills Formation 1927 Horizontal Datum 2112 Contour interval = 100 feet Altitude datum is mean sea level

2148 18N 18N

2200 U p 2091 p er S ev C en ottonw mil oo e Cree d k Creek 2121 2099 2208 2125 17N 17N 2095 2212

106o 2300 2088 45E 47E 48E 49E 50E 2100

2200

16N Cl 16N ea r

46E Glendive C reek 2118 K reek

2400 rug C G

l e n 15N d 15N i ve Creek

o B 47 ra 47o c k 2300

C e

e t

d t

ar Wibaux

C 2314 r 2339

14N C e 14N

r e

ee k

k 2358 2339

2248

2139 2372 2400

C ed 2457

ar 2427 2304 C re

ek 2496 2503 herr 2471 C y C

reek 2500 2470

13N 13N 2300 2534 2281

2300 2408

45E 2212 2280

46E 2322

o 106 2306

2188 2400

2310

47E 48E 2289 2287 2291 2556

C 2572 v ab

Ri e r in 2333 C 2273 re

2273 ek

12N 2251 Terry 2358 12N 2615 2595 2302 2448 2600 2283 2334 2429 2614 e 2300 2437 2521 2398 2371 n O 2398 2632 2635 2592 2354 ’Fa Cedar o llo 2442 n C t re 2601 s2247 ek w 2282 o 11N l 2329 11N l 2722 2288 P 2558 2700 e o 2500 w d 2495 2713 Y 2321 e 2428 r 2548 2335 R 2436 2500

2344 i 2550 v 2400 e

49E r 2701

2363

2379 2613

2789

2422 10N 10N 2806

2747

55E 2795 B 2349 2434 2 e 2362 2884 800 av

10N er 2740 2845 C

re 2600 ek

50E 2841 51E 2418 54E Potentiometric Surface Map of the Fox Hills–Lower Hell Creek Aquifer, 2642

Lower Yellowstone River Area: Dawson, Fallon,

52E 53E 9N

105o 9N Prairie, Richland, and Wibaux Counties, Montana P enn

el C 2924 re

2602 2619 2700 ek

55E 3000 by 2742

2625 2695 2770 3009 2838 S 2900

a

n 2977 d John I. LaFave 2613 st 2728 2830 2622 on e Creek 8N C 8N r e e 2987 2680 k 3032 2985 Introduction 1965) the rate of ground-water flow is estimated to be on the Long-term declines occur when more water is removed Acknowledgements 2837 2637 2934 order of 2 to 10 feet/year in the study area. To put this flow from the aquifer than is recharged. At some point these 2672 2729 2779 2990 estimate into perspective, if the ground water is moving at a declines can create undesirable effects such as increased lift 2694 2783 The Fox Hills–lower Hell Creek (FHHC) aquifer consists rate of 5 feet/year it would take about 1,000 years for water Well owners who allowed collection of the data necessary Pi Baker 3027 3 costs, decreased yields, and flowing wells ceasing to flow. ne 000 of near-continuous sandstone deposits found in the lower part to travel one mile. for this map, and the people who collected the data are all Cr 2754 2994 7N eek 2800 of the Hell Creek Formation and most of the Fox Hills Water recharges the FHHC where it is exposed at or near gratefully acknowledged. Reviews of this report by Tom 2729 2773 7N Sandstone. the land surface. As shown on the map below the main Patton, Larry Smith, Wayne Van Voast, and Kate Miller a 2891 recharge areas are outside of the study area. improved its clarity. Geologic a a aThis report a Hydrologic 2955 3014 units: units: Map Use Anticline a aa a a a a a a a a a a Terrace a a Shallow hydrologic C A N A D A 2940 a a a Alluviuma unit 2891 aaa a a a a aaa Fort Union a a aa a a Formation aaa Montana North Dakota This potentiometric surface map is useful for estimating aaa a a a a a Deep hydrologic a a a a the general direction of ground-water flow in the aquifer, Data Sources 2995 aaa a a a 2900 a aa a a a a a unit aaa a a identifying areas where flowing artesian wells may occur, aaa a a a a a Confining bed a a a a a aa aaa a a a a Hell Creek a a Glasgow and estimating the water-level altitude in a non-flowing well. Formation aGeographic features: 6N Fox Hills– aaa a a Fox Hills and 6N a a a a aa a a a a a aaa a a a a a lower The inset diagram to the right shows how to determine direction Fox Hills Hell Creek Population center locations and roads are from 1:100,000- Formation aquifer Hell Creek of ground-water flow from the map. Areas of flowing artesian scale U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Digital Line Graph aa a a a a a a 2798 aaa a a outcrop StudyStudy conditions, where the water levels in wells completed in the files available from the Natural Resources Information System a a a a a a a aa a a Area Aquifers are saturated geologic materials that yield area FHHC will rise above the land surface, are shown in yellow (NRIS) at the Montana State Library, Helena, Montana. O ’F a a a aa a a aa a sufficient water to supply wells and springs. Non-aquifer a a a a a a a on the map. In areas where the water levels are below the Hydrography has been simplified from the 1:100,000 Digital l 2875 l o 2915 3057 materials (confining beds) also may be saturated but have land surface, the map can be used to estimate the level to Line Graph files. Township boundaries are from 1:250,000- n 3000 a a a a a C a a a a aa a

low permeability and do not produce usable amounts of water which water will rise in a well. If the approximate land-surface scale U.S. Geological Survey mapping and are available from 2840 r

e e

a a a a a k a a a aa to wells or springs. The sandstones that compose the FHHC a a Miles City altitude at a location is known, the corresponding point on NRIS. aquifer are from 125 to 400 feet thick and are sandwiched 5N a aa aa a a the potentiometric surface map can be found and the altitude aa a a a a a 5N between the Pierre Shale, which marks the basal confining aaof the potentiometric surface estimated. Subtraction of the Point data: 2843 2863 2933 a a a a a a a a a aa a a layer, and overlying mudstone of the upper Hell Creek a Well location and water-level altitude data were obtained 2840 3016 potentiometric surface altitude from the land surface altitude 3147 Formation. The aquifer occurs at depths from 600 to 1,600 Billings by Ground-Water Characterization Program personnel, altitude 2903 a aaa a a aa aa a a a a a a a yields the approximate depth below land surface at which feet below land surface throughout most of the study area, 3100 water will stand in the well. of the points was determined from U.S. Geological Survey 2890 aa a a a a a a a 2893 aaa a a a except along the Cedar Creek anticline and the Poplar Dome a a a 7.5-min. quadrangles. All point data used on this map are (Smith 1997). Typically the water level in wells completed a55E 56E 57E aaa aaa a a available from the Ground-Water Information Center (GWIC) in the aquifer will rise above the top of the aquifer due to the Wyoming at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Montana Tech 2997 artesian pressure, and in low areas—such as the Yellowstone of The University of Montana, Butte. 58E 59E 60E 61E ek 57E e 4N River Valley—flowing wells are common. Although within the study area, the aquifer is exposed at r Map Construction 3000 2838 4N 2695 2742 2770 3009 C The FHHC is the deepest and most dependable potable- land surface around the Cedar Creek anticline, these outcrops S 2900 er a av n 2977 e water aquifer in the five-county Lower Yellowstone Area. d B do not appear to be major sources of recharge. The wider st 2728 2830 e on Cedar l e t About 1,000 wells are completed in the aquifer (roughly 10 This map was constructed by hand-contouring 186 t exposures of the aquifer on the east side of the anticline result 8N C 8N i r L References e 2987 percent of the total wells). Ground water from the FHHC is measured water-level altitudes. The water levels were measured e in some recharge as indicated by the potentiometric surface, k 3032 used primarily for domestic and stock-water purposes; in wells between October 1993 and November 1995. Map 3000 2985 but there is little recharge along the west side of the anticline. 58E however, the cities of Baker, Lambert, and Richey rely on it Recharge also occurs by slow downward leakage from accuracy is affected by data distribution, field measurement Bergantino R. N. and Wilde, E. M. 1998a. The preliminary geologic map 2934 for municipal water supply. Water from the FHHC is a sodium- errors, accuracy of well locations, and errors in interpretation. of the Culbertson 30 x 60-min. quadrangle, Montana. Montana 2729 2837 overlying aquifers through the confining mudstones of the 2779 2990 bicarbonate type with dissolved-constituent concentrations Hell Creek Formation. This leakage can occur where the Points at which water levels have been measured are distributed Bureau of Mines and Geology 359. Scale 1:100,000. 2783 Baker Bergantino R. N. and Wilde, E. M. 1998b. The preliminary geologic map 3027 3N typically ranging from about 1,000 to 2,500 mg/L. Reported water pressure in the overlying aquifer is greater than the unevenly across the map and map accuracy is greater near 2754 2994 3N of the Wolf Point 30 x 60-min. quadrangle, Montana. 7N 7N o well yields average less than 15 gallons per minute (gpm), water pressure in the FHHC. Ground water discharges from points of measurement. For example, the accuracy of the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology 358. Scale 1:100,000. 2773 46o 46 but individual wells may yield as much as 100 gpm. Colton, R. B., Vuke-Foster, S. M., and Fullerton, D. S. 1994. Preliminary 2800 2955 2891 Creek the aquifer along the river valleys and to wells. Pumpage contours is greater along the Yellowstone River valley and 3014 from wells in the Yellowstone River valley has accentuated south of the river where most of the measurements were made. geologic map of the Glendive 30 x 60-min. quadrangle: Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Open-file Report 276. Scale 2940 the convergence of flow along the river by lowering water There is more uncertainty associated with the contours north 1:100,000. 2891 levels in the aquifer. The closed 2,100-foot contour near 2995 of the river were there are few wells, and therefore almost no Groenewold, G. H., Hemish, L. A., Cherry, J. A., Rehm, B. W., Meyer, Anticline 59E 60E 61E Ground-Water Flow Glendive represents a depression of the potentiometric surface measurements. Well locations are accurate to the 2.5-acre G. N., and Winczewski, L. M. 1979. Geology and geohydrology of the Knife River basin and adjacent areas of west-central North 6N 2900 6N because of ground-water withdrawals in that area. level. Land-surface altitudes at well locations were interpreted Ground-water withdrawals have resulted in declines in Dakota, North Dakota Geological Survey Report of Investigation from U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 topographic maps and No. 64. 402 p. Ground water generally moves down the slope of the the potentiometric surface in other areas also. The hydrograph 2N 2N potentiometric surface, from higher altitude to lower altitude, are generally accurate to ± 5 to 10 feet (based on 10- and 20- Henderson, T. 1985. Geochemistry of ground-water in two sandstone from an observation well near Terry shows a steady decline aquifer systems in the northern Great Plains in parts of Montana foot contour intervals). Land-surface altitudes used in 2875 3057 perpendicular to the contours. This map shows the k in water levels there—about 1 foot/year for the last 18 years. and Wyoming, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1402-C. 2915 3000 ee potentiometric surface of the FHHC aquifer based on water- contouring were obtained from U.S. Geological Survey Cr 84 p. er 2325 v a level measurements performed between 1993 and 1995. The 1:250,000 topographic maps with land-surface contour intervals Smith, L. N. 1997. Depth to the upper Cretaceous Fox Hills–lower Hell e 5N B 5N 3021 e Creek aquifer, Lower Yellowstone River Area, Montana, l t potentiometric surface represents the altitude to which water of 100 feet. The contoured potentiometric surface is expected 2933 t 2320 i will rise in wells penetrating the aquifer. The shaded zone on to be accurate to ± 50 feet at any given point, or ± 100 feet Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Ground-Water Assessment 3016 L 61E 62E Atlas No. 1, Part B, Map 3. Scale 1:250,000. 3147 the map shows areas where the potentiometric surface is where the contours are dashed. Taylor, J. O. 1965. Ground-water resources along the Cedar Creek anticline 3100 higher than the land surface. In these areas, which coincide 2315 The flowing artesian zone was determined by subtracting in eastern Montana, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology 57E 58E 59E 60E 61E with the Yellowstone and Missouri River valleys and their the potentiometric surface from the land surface. The land Memoir 40. 99 p. 2310 Vuke-Foster, S. M., Colton, R. B., Stickney, M. C., Wilde, E. M., Robocker, major tributaries, flowing wells occur (red circles). surface topography was derived from the U.S. Geological Generalized direction of ground-water flow Across most of the study area ground water in the FHHC J. E., and Christensen, K. C. 1986. Geology of the Baker and Wibaux is flowing toward the Yellowstone River parallel to the trend 2305 Survey 1:250,000 digital elevation model (DEM) for the study 30 x 60-min. quadrangles, eastern Montana and adjacent North Dakota: Author’s Note: This map is part of the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) Ground-Water Assessment Atlas for area. Areas where the potentiometric surface is higher than Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Geologic Map No. 41. Scale The area near Baker provides an example of how the potentiometric-surface map Altitude above Sea level (feet) the Lower Yellowstone River Area ground-water characterization. It is intended to stand alone and describe a single hydrogeologic of the Cedar Creek anticline. In the northern part of the study 1:100,000. 2300 the land surface show where flowing artesian conditions can be used to estimate general directions of ground-water flow. Flow arrows aspect of the study area, although many of the area’s hydrogeologic features are interrelated. For an integrated view of the area flow is toward the Missouri River. The ground water Wilde, E. M., and Vuke-Foster, S. M. 1994. Preliminary geologic map drawn perpendicular to the contours show that ground water in the Fox Hills–lower moves slowly. Based on the hydraulic gradient and published 1-Jan-79 1-Jan-83 1-Jan-87 1-Jan-91 1-Jan-95 1-Jan-99 occur. of the Glendive 1 x 2-degree quadrangle: Montana Bureau of hydrogeology of the Lower Yellowstone River Area the reader is referred to Part A (descriptive overview) and Part B (maps) Date Mines and Geology Open-file Report 295. Scale 1:250,000. Hell Creek aquifer flows northeast, east of the Cedar Creek Anticline and northwest, of the Montana Ground-Water Assessment Atlas No. 1. aquifer transmissivities for the Fox Hills–lower Hell Creek west of the anticline. aquifer (Henderson 1985; Groenewold et al. 1979; Taylor Geographic information system production by Joel Hall and Larry Smith. Digital cartography by Don Mason.