DEPAETMENT OF THE INTEEIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIKECTOE WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE BY FREDERICK G. CLAPP WITH RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS BY W. S. BAYLEY WASHINGTON GOVEBNME'NT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (JEOHGK OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 223 UNDERGROUND WATERS OF SOUTHERN MAINE BY FREDERICK G. CLAPrWater Resources Branch, Geological Survey, WITH boxT) RECORDS OF DEEP WELLS BY W. S. BAYLEY WASHINGTON G O V E R N M E N T PRINTING O F F I C K 1909 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................. 13 Location and area..................................................... 13 Character of report.................................................... 13 Need of investigation.................................................. 15 Sources of information.................................................. 15 Previous literature................................................ 15 Correspondence.................................................... 15 Field work......................................................... 16 Acknowledgments...................................................... 16 Results of investigation................................................ 17 Settlement and development as related to water utilization.................... 17 Surface features............................................................ 18 General statement...................................................... 18 Principal surface features of southern Maine................................ 19 Drainage.................................................................. 19 General description..................................................... 19 Detailed descriptions................................................... 19 Saco River system.................................................. 20 Presumpscot River system.......................................... 20 Androscoggin River system........................................ '20 Kennebec River system........................................... 20 Penobscot River system........................................... 20 St. Croix River system............................................. 21 Coastal streams.................................................... 21 Relation of climate to underground-water conditions......................... 21 Underground waters....................................................... 23 Source of underground waters.......................................... 23 Rainfall........................................................... 23 Evaporation...................................................... 23 Run-off........................................................... 23 Absorption......................................................... 23 Mode of occurrence..................................................... 24 Amount of ground water................................................ 24 General statement.................................................. 24 Amount of absorption............................................... 24 Upper and lower limits............................................ 25 Total amount of ground water....................................... 25 Ultimate disposition of ground water..................................... 26 Temperature of underground waters.................................... 26 Quality of underground waters.......................................... 27 General statement.................................................. 27 Source of mineral matter........................................... 27 Normal chlorine lines.............................................. 27 3 CONTENTS. Water-bearing rocks of Maine..................... Principal types ............................. General statement....................... Relation to underground wat ers.......... Detailed descriptions........................ Granite and gneiss ...................... Description......................... Distribution....................... Relation to other rocks.............. Joint cracks........................ Structural relations of granite....... Water supplies....................... Quality of water..................... Slate and schist........................ Description......................... Distribution....................... Relation to other rocks.............. Stratification, cleavage, and fissility. Joint cracks........................ Water supplies...................... Quality of water..................... Limestone............................. Character and distribution.......... Solution cavities and channels...... Water supplies...................... Volcanic and other igneous rocks........ Character and distribution.......... Water supplies...................... Quality of water..................... Unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks.... Areas of complex........................ Character and distribution.......... Water supplies....................... Surface deposits of southern Maine............... Principal types............................. Detailed descriptions........................ Bowlder clay, or till.. .................. Character and distribution.......... Water supplies...................... Sand and gravel........................ Character and distribution.......... Relation to other deposits........... Water supplies...................... Clay.................................... Character and distribution.......... Relation to other deposits........... Water supplies...................... Outline of geologic history....................... Recovery of underground water................. General statement........................... Springs.................................... Classification and emergence........... Number and importance in Maine....... CONTENTS. 5 Recovery of underground water Continued. Page. Springs Continued. Information previously published.................................. 45 Commercial springs................................................ 45 Origin of spring waters............................................. 47 Curative properties of spring waters................................. 47 Collecting galleries and tunnels.......................................... 48 Wells................................................................. 48 General types..................................................... 48 Open wells.................................................... 48 Tubular wells................................................. 48 Connected wells............................................... 48 Combination wells.............................................. 49 Methods of obtaining well water.................................... 49 Pumping...................................................... 49 Artesian wells................................................. 49 Location of wells................................................... 51 Factors to be considered....................................... 51 Position of the water table..................................... 51 Accessibility and convenience.................................. 51 Points of most abundant water.................................. 51 Direction of movement of ground water.......................... 52 Sources of possible pollution................................... 52 Location of deep wells......................................... 53 Choice of a type of well............................................. 53 Factors to be considered....................................... 53 Amount of water obtained by different types.................... 53 Safety of different types........................................ 54 Types in use in Maine.......................................... 54 Depth of well...................................................... 55 Object of deep wells............................................ 55 Relation of adequate supplies to depth of well.'.................. 55 Erroneous beliefs........................................... 55 Limiting depth of abundant water........................... 55 Conditions of greater abundance at depths................... 56 Conditions of greater abundance near surface................. 56 Relation of head to depth of well............................... 56 Relation of purity of water to depth of well....................... 57 Depth of wells in southern Maine............................... 57 Depth to principal water supply................................. 57 Diameter of well................................................... 59 Uncertainty of results.............................................. 59 Proportion of successful wells....................................... 60 Capacity of wells.................................................. ' 62 Increase in yield................................................. 62 Decrease in yield................................................. 62 Intereff ect of wells............................................... 63 Uses of underground water................................................. 63 Cost of well drilling. ................................................... 64 Notes on well drilling in Maine............................................. 65 General statement.................................................... 65 Relation to kind of rock............................................... 65 Speed of drilling. ................................................ 65 Effect of joint cracks.............................................. 65 6 CONTENTS. Notes