Prepared in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hydrogeology of the Stratified-Drift Aquifers in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek Valleys in Parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5127 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover. Upper left—U.S. Geological Survey long-term monitoring well TI 891 (site number 421213076313301) near Spencer, New York Lower Right—A typical field set up of a horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) ambient-noise seismic survey. Hydrogeology of the Stratified-Drift Aquifers in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek Valleys in Parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York By Todd S. Miller and Lacey M. Pitman Prepared in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5127 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 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Suggested citation: Miller, T.S., and Pitman, L.M., 2012, Hydrogeology of the stratified-drift aquifers in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek valleys in parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5127, 45 p., 3 pls., at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2012/5127. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Data Sources and Methods ................................................................................................................2 Wells and Well Locations .............................................................................................................................5 Surficial Deposits and Bedrock ..................................................................................................................5 Water Table and Conceptual Model of Groundwater Flow .................................................................19 Stratified-Drift Aquifers and Confining Units .................................................................................19 Recharge, Discharge, Water Table, and Direction of Groundwater Flow .................................20 Summary........................................................................................................................................................22 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................22 Appendix 1. Well data for Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek valleys in parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York .................................................................24 Figures 1. Map showing location of Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek stratified-drift aquifers in parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York .........................3 2. Map showing physiographic features of New York and location of the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek stratified-drift aquifer study areas, New York ..........................4 3. Map showing location of Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek stratified-drift aquifers and major lineaments that are faults and suspected faults in parts of Tompkins, Tioga, Schuyler, and Chemung Counties, New York ...............................................................6 4. Map showing types of stratified-drift aquifers in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek valleys in parts of Tompkins, Tioga, Schuyler, and Chemung Counties, New York ........................................................................................................................................8 5. Geohydrologic section A–A’ across the Pony Hollow valley, along Connecticut Hill Road, Tompkins County, New York ......................................................................................9 6. Geohydrologic section B–B’ across Pony Hollow valley, along Cayuta Road, Tompkins County, New York ......................................................................................................10 7. Geohydrologic section C–C’ across Cayuta Creek valley, 1.9 miles south of Cayuta, Schuyler County, New York .......................................................................................................11 8. Geohydrologic section D–D’ across Cayuta Creek valley at Van Etten, Chemung County, New York ........................................................................................................................12 9. Geohydrologic section E–E’ across Cayuta Creek valley at North Waverly, Tioga County, New York ........................................................................................................................13 10. Geohydrologic section F–F’ across Catatonk Creek valley near Spencer Lake, Tioga County, New York .............................................................................................................14 11. Geohydrologic section G–G’ across Catatonk Creek valley, 0.6 mile east of the border between Tioga and Chemung Counties, New York ..................................................15 12. Geohydrologic section H–H’ across Catatonk Creek valley, along West Candor Road, Town of Candor, Tioga County, New York ....................................................................16 13. Geohydrologic section I–I’ across Catatonk Creek, 1.5 miles south of Village of Candor, Tioga County, New York ..............................................................................................17 iv 14. Geohydrologic section J–J’ across the Catatonk Creek valley, 1.2 miles south of Catatonk, Tioga County, New York ...........................................................................................18 15. Graph showing groundwater levels from January 1, 2004, to September 30, 2010, in well TI 891 (site number 421213076313301) near Spencer, New York ............................21 Plates 1. Stratified-drift aquifers, basin boundaries, and location of wells, test borings, geohydrologic lines of sections, and horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) ambient-noise seismic surveys in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek valleys, in parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York 2. Surficial deposits and lines of geologic sections in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek valleys, in parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York 3. Water table in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk Creek valleys, in parts of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations Multiply By To obtain Length inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm) inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm) foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) Volume gallon (gal) 3.785 liter (L) gallon (gal) 0.003785 cubic meter (m3) Flow rate gallon per minute (gal/min) 0.06309 liter per second (L/s) inch per year (in/yr) 25.4 millimeter per year (mm/yr) Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: °F=(1.8×°C)+32 Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows: °C=(°F–32)/1.8 Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum. v List of Acronyms H/V horizontal-to-vertical LIDAR light detection and ranging NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation SSURGO Soil Survey Geographic Database USGS U.S. Geological Survey This page has been left blank intentionally. Hydrogeology of the Stratified-Drift Aquifers in the Cayuta Creek and 76°45' Catatonk Creek Valleys in Parts76°30' of Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, and Tioga Counties, New York Marcellus Shale NEW YORK Play area By Todd S. Miller and Lacey M. Pitman Utica Shale Play area SCHUYLER COUNTY TOMPKINS COUNTY Map area Hamlet of S Danby Willseyville t . Abstract L a w The surficial deposits, areal extentre of aquifers, and southern part of the Catatonk Creek valley. These unconfined n c Hamletthe water-table configurations of the stratified-drifte R aquifer and confined aquifers are the source of water for most ofsystems in the Cayuta Creek and Catatonk