University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Publications of the US Geological Survey US Geological Survey 1957 Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Lower South Platte River Valley Between Hardin, Colorado, and Paxton, Nebraska L. J. Bjorklund R. F. Brown Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgspubs Bjorklund, L. J. and Brown, R. F., "Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Lower South Platte River Valley Between Hardin, Colorado, and Paxton, Nebraska" (1957). Publications of the US Geological Survey. 98. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgspubs/98 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the US Geological Survey at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Publications of the US Geological Survey by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Geology and Ground- Water Resources of the Lower South Platte River Valley Between Hardin Colorado, and Paxton Nebraska GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1378 Prepared as part of the program of the Interior Department for development of the Missouri River basin Geology and Ground- Water Resources of the Lower South Platte River Valley Between Hardin Colorado, and Paxton Nebraska By L. J. BJORKLUND and R. F. BROWN With a section on CHEMICAL QUALITY OF THE GROUND WATEB By H. A. SWENSON GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 137? Prepared as part of the program of the Interior Department for development of the Missouri River basin UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1957 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRED A. SEATON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. G. CONTENTS Page Abstract................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 3 Purpose and scope of the investigation.......................................................................... 3 Location and extent of the area....................................................................................... 3 Previous investigations..................................................................................................... 3 Methods of study................................................................................................................. 6 Well-numbering system....................................................................................................... 8 Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 10 Geography.. ....................................................................................................................... 11 Topography and drainage.................................................................................................. 11 Climate................................................................................................................................. 12 Agriculture and population................................................................................................ 14 Industry............................................................................................................................... 15 Transportation.................................................................................................................... 15 Geology................................................................................................................................... 15 Geologic history................................................................................................................. 17 Paleozoic era................................................................................................................. 17 Mesozoic era.................................................................................................................. 17 Cenozoic era................................................................................................................... 18 Geologic formations and their water-bearing properties .............................................. 19 Cretaceous system......................................................................................................... 19 Pierre shale .............................................................................................................. 19 Fox Hills sandstone................................................................................................... 21 Laramie formation...................................................................................................... 23 Tertiary system............................................................................................................... 25 Oligocene series White River group..................................................................... 25 Chadron formation.................................................................................................. 25 Brule formation....................................................................................................... 27 Pliocene series Ogajlala formation..................................................................... 28 Quaternary system Pleistocene and Recent series............................................... 30 Alluvium...................................................................................................................... 30 Dune sand.................................................................................................................... 32 Loess........................................................................................................................... 33 Ground water........................................................................................................................... 34 Occurrence.......................................................................................................................... 34 Hydrologic properties of water-bearing materials......................................................... 35 Pumping tests.................................................................................................................. 36 Behavior of ground water in the vicinity of discharging wells............................... 39 The water table.................................................................................................................. 40 Shape and slope of the water table............................................................................. 40 Fluctuations of the water table................................................................................... 43 Prospect Valley area, Colorado............................................................................... 46 Hardin to Weldona, Colo........................................................................................... 46 Valleys of Bijou and Kiowa Creeks, Colorado...................................................... 49 Fort Morgan area, Colorado...................................................................................... 50 Beaver Creek valley, Colorado................................................................................ 50 Brash to Sterling, Colo............................................................................................. 51 Sterling, Colo., to Colorado-Nebraska State line.................................................. 51 Colorado-Nebraska State line to Paxton, Nebr...................................................... 52 Ground-water recharge...................................................................................................... 52 Seepage from canals, reservoirs, and irrigation........................................................ 52 Precipitation.................................................................................................................. 54 Streams.......... .............................................................................................................. 54 Subsurface inflow.......................................................................................................... 57 Quantity of water in storage............................................................................................ 58 Ground-water discharge.................................................................................................... 59 Transpiration and evaporation........*............................................................................ 60 Streams, springs, and seeps........................................................................................ 60 Wells................................................................................................................................ 62 Drilling methods........................................................................................................ 63 Irrigation wells........... ............................................................................................. 64 Construction methods............................................................................................ 64 Methods of lift.......................................................................................................