WATER RESOURCES OF THE SOUTHEAST LOWLANDS, MISSOURI By Richard R. Luckey, U.S. Geological Survey With a section on WATER QUALITY, by Dale L. Fuller, Missouri Division of Geology and Land Survey U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 84-4277 Prepared in cooperation with the MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND LAND SURVEY Rolla, Missouri 1985 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peek, Director For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief Open-File Services Section U.S. Geological Survey Western Distribution Branch 1400 Independence Road U.S. Geological Survey Mail Stop 200 Box 25425, Federal Center Rolla, Missouri 65401 Denver, Colorado 80225 Telephone: [(303) 236-7476] CONTENTS Page Abstract............................................................ 1 Introduction........................................................ 2 Description of the area........................................ 2 Purpose and scope of the study................................. 2 Acknowledgments................................................ 4 Physical and cultural environment................................... 4 Physiography................................................... 4 Climate........................................................ 7 History........................................................ 7 Population..................................................... 10 Economy........................................................ 10 Geologic environment................................................ 11 Geologic history............................................... 11 Stratigraphy................................................... 13 Ground-water system................................................. 13 Alluvium....................................................... 16 Water-level fluctuations.................................. 16 Potentiometric surface.................................... 24 Hydraulic characteristics................................. 26 Water use................................................. 39 Water budget.............................................. 42 Wilcox Group (undivided)....................................... 45 Midway Group................................................... 51 McNairy Formation.............................................. 51 Paleozoic aquifers............................................. 52 Water quality....................................................... 52 Surface water.................................................. 52 Ground water................................................... 53 Alluvium.................................................. 53 Wilcox Group (undivided).................................. 61 McNairy Formation......................................... 61 Paleozoic aquifers........................................ 62 Surface-water system................................................ 63 Floods magnitude and frequency................................ 63 Low-flow frequency and flow duration........................... 67 Future trends and possible concerns................................. 71 Suggestions for further work........................................ 74 Summary and conclusions............................................. 75 References.......................................................... 77 111 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Index map showing the part of southeastern Missouri lying within the Mississippi embayment................ 3 2. Physiographic map of southeastern Missouri................. 5 3. Map showing mean annual precipitation in southeastern Missouri, 1956-75........................ 8 4. Graph showing average monthly precipitation at Sikeston, 1930-75.................................. 9 5. Pre-Quaternary geologic map of southeastern Missouri.............................................. 12 6. Geologic section through southeastern Missouri............. 15 7. Map showing thickness of the alluvium in southeastern Missouri................................. 17 8. Hydrographs for the McGuire and Sikeston wells, 1957-77............................................... 18 9. Map showing water-level changes in the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri from spring to fall, 1976......................................... 19 10. Map showing water-level changes in the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri from spring to fall, 1977......................................... 20 11. Hydrograph for the Duck Creek well and precipitation at Advance, 1972-73................................... 22 12. Hydrograph for the Poplar Bluff well for selected periods during 1977................................... 23 13. Map showing generalized potentiometric surface of the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri during the spring of 1976.................... 25 14. Cross section through southern Stoddard County showing the potentiometric surface of the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri during May 1977.................................................. 27 Figures 15.-18. Maps showing: 15. Generalized potentiometric surface of the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri during the fall of 1976............................................... 28 IV ILLUSTRATIONS Continued Page 16. Generalized potentiometrie surface of the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri during the spring of 1956........................................ 29 17. Generalized potentiometric surface of the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri during the spring of 1965........................................ 30 18. Aquifer-test sites in southeastern Missouri................ 32 Figures 19.-23. Graphs showing: 19. Water-level changes versus time for aquifer test at site 5 near Pascola................................ 33 20. Water-level changes versus distance for aquifer test at site 5 near Pascola........................... 35 21. Data for an aquifer test at site 6 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Delta Center Experimental Farm near Portageville................................ 36 22. River stage at New Madrid and hydrograph for the Marston well, September 1976 through December 1977......................................... 37 23. River stage at Tiptonville, Tennessee, and hydrograph for the University of Missouri-Columbia Delta Center Experimental Farm well at Portageville, September 1976 through December 1977............................ 38 Figure 24. Histogram of water applied to 28 rice fields during 1977 in southeastern Missouri......................... 40 Figures 25.-28. Maps showing: 25. Areas where rice was grown during 1977 in southeastern Missouri.............................................. 43 26. Thickness of the Wilcox Group (undivided) in southeastern Missouri................................. 47 27. Potentiometric surface of the lower Wilcox aquifer in southeastern Missouri................................. 48 28. Altitude of the top of the McNairy Formation in southeastern Missouri................................. 49 ILLUSTRATIONS Continued Page Figures 29.-31. Maps showing: 29. Altitude of the base of the Cretaceous sediments in southeastern Missouri......................... 50 30. Water temperature in the McNairy aquifer in southeastern Missouri............................ 54 31. Geographic features and streamflow-gaging station locations in southeastern Missouri....... 64 Figure 32. Graph showing mean monthly runoff in Little River ditch 1 near Kennett, based on 1927-77 data..................................... 65 33. Map showing the area of southeastern Missouri downstream from the Ohio River flooded by the Mississippi River during 1973................ 66 Figures 34.-36. Graphs showing: 34. Flow-duration curve for the Black River near Corning, Arkansas........................... 68 35. Flow-duration curve for Little River ditch 251 near Kennett..................................... 69 36. Flow-duration curve for the Mississippi River at Memphi s, Tennes see............................ 70 VI TABLES Page Table 1. Generalized stratigraphic section for the Mississippi embayment of southeastern Missouri.................... 14 2. Summary of aquifer tests of the alluvial aquifer in southeastern Missouri.............................. 34 3. Depth of water used to irrigate various crops in southeastern Missouri................................. 41 4. Water budget showing major components of the interconnected alluvial ground-water system and the surface-water system.......................... 44 5. Pesticide analyses of water and bottom sediments from selected ditches and rivers draining southeastern Missouri................................. 55 6. Flood-frequency data for selected streamflow-gaging stations in southeastern Missouri..................... 72 7. Magnitude and frequency of annual low flows for selected streamflow-gaging stations in southeastern Missouri................................. 73 CONVERSION FACTORS For readers who prefer to use metric units, conversion factors for terms used in this report are listed below: Multiply inch -pound By To obtain unit metric unit foot 0.3048 meter mile 1.609 kilometer square mile 2.590 square kilometer inch 25.40 millimeter cubic foot per second 0.02832 cubic meter per second cubic foot per second 0.01093 cubic meter per second per square mile per square kilometer gallon per minute 0.06308 liter per second acre-foot 0.001233 cubic hectometer Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) can be converted