ANALYSIS OF REGIONAL AQUIFERS IN THE CENTRAL MIDWEST OF THE UNITED STATES IN KANSAS, NEBRASKA, AND PARTS OF ARKANSAS, COLORADO MISSOURI, NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH DAKOTA, TEXAS, AND WYOMING SUMMARY J SOUTH DAKOTA WVOM/NG NEW MEXICO ._.__} TEXAS \ U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 141,4-A AVAILABILITY OF BOOKS AND MAPS OF THE US. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Instructions on ordering publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, along with prices of the last offerings, are given in the current- year issues of the monthly catalog "New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey." Prices of available U.S. Geological Survey publica­ tions released prior to the current year are listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List." Publications that may be listed in various U.S. Geological Survey catalogs (see back inside cover) but not listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List" may be no longer available. 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RESTON, Virginia USGS National Center, Rm. 1C402, Subscriptions to Preliminary Determination of Epicenters can 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr. be obtained ONLY from the SALT LAKE CITY, Utah Federal Bldg., Rm. 8105, 125 Superintendent of Documents South State St. Government Printing Office SPOKANE, Washington U.S. Post Office Bldg., Rm. 135, Washington, DC 20402 West 904 Riverside Ave. WASHINGTON, D.C. Main Interior Bldg., Rm. 2650, 18th (Check or money order must be payable to Superintendent of Documents.) andCSts.,NW. Maps Only Maps Maps may be purchased over the counter at the following For maps, address mail orders to U.S. Geological Survey office: U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225 ROLLA, Missouri 1400 Independence Rd. Analysis of Regional Aquifers in the Central Midwest of the United States in Kansas, Nebraska, and Parts of Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming Summary By DONALD G. JORGENSEN, JOHN O. HELGESEN, DONALD C. SIGNOR, ROBERT B. LEONARD, JEFFREY L. IMES, and SCOTT C. CHRISTENSON REGIONAL AQUIFER-SYSTEM ANALYSIS CENTRAL MIDWEST U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1 4 1 4 A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Jorgensen, Donald G. Analysis of regional aquifers in the central Midwest of the United States in Kansas, Nebraska, and parts of Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming: summary/ by Donald G. Jorgensen...[et. al.]. 67 p. cm. (Regional aquifer-system analysis Central Midwest) (U.S. Geological Survey professional paper ; 1414-A) Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-67). Supt. of Docs. no. I 19.16:1414-A 1. Aquifers Middle West. I. Jorgensen, Donald G. II. Series. Ill Series: U.S. Geological Survey professional paper : 1414-A. GB1199.3.M54A63 1996. 553.7'9'0977-dc20 96-27549 CIP ISBN 0-607-87032-X For sale by the U.S. Geological Survey, Branch of Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225. FOREWORD THE REGIONAL AQUIFER-SYSTEM ANALYSIS PROGRAM The Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) Program was started in 1978 following a congressional mandate to develop quantitative apprais­ als of the major ground-water systems of the United States. The RASA Program represents a systematic effort to study a number of the Nation's most important aquifer systems, which in aggregate underlie much of the country and which represent an important component of the Nation's total water supply. In general, the boundaries of these studies are identified by the hydrologic extent of each system and accordingly transcend the political subdivisions to which investigations have often arbitrarily been limited in the past. The broad objective for each study is to assemble geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical information, to analyze and develop an under­ standing of the system, and to develop predictive capabilities that will contribute to the effective management of the system. The use of computer simulation is an important element of the RASA studies, both to develop an understanding of the natural, undisturbed hydrologic system and the changes brought about in it by human activities, and to provide a means of predicting the regional effects of future pumping or other stresses. The final interpretive results of the RASA Program are presented in a series of U.S. Geological Survey Professional Papers that describe the geology, hydrology, and geochemistry of each regional aquifer system. Each study within the RASA Program is assigned a single Professional Paper number, and where the volume of interpretive material warrants, separate topical chapters that consider the principal elements of the investigation may be published. The series of RASA interpretive reports begins with Professional Paper 1400 and thereafter will continue in numerical sequence as the interpretive products of subsequent studies become available. Gordon P. Eaton Director CONTENTS Page Pago Abstract..................................................................................... Al Use and Potential ................................................. A32 Introduction............................................................................... 2 Great Plains Aquifer System .......................................... 34 Purpose and Scope ............................................................... 2 Geohydrologic Units ............................................. 34 Physical Setting ................................................................... 2 Properties............................................................. 36 Study Approach ................................................................... 3 Model Analysis and Hydrologic Budget ................ 37 Acknowledgments................................................................. 5 Use and Potential ................................................. 40 Geology and Paleohydrology ...................................................... 8 Great Plains Confining System and Related Hydrologic Geohydrology............................................................................. 18 Units........................................................................ 46 Plains Subregion................................................................... 19 Ozark Subregion................................................................... 47 Western Interior Plains Aquifer System ......................... 19 Ozark Plateaus Aquifer System ...................................... 48 Geohydrologic Units ............................................. 19 Properties............................................................. 21 Geohydrologic Units ............................................. 49 Model Analysis and Hydrologic Budget ................ 24 Properties............................................................. 53 Use and Potential ................................................. 28 Model Analysis and Hydrologic Budget ................ 55 Western Interior Plains Confining System ..................... 28 Use and Potential ................................................. 56 Geologic Definition and Correlation ...................... 28 Geochemistry of Regional Aquifers ............................................ 62 Properties............................................................. 31 References Cited......................................................................... 65 ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURES 1-6. Maps showing: 1. Location and extent of study area ................................................................................................................................. A3 2. Regional aquifer-system analyses contiguous to the Central Midwest regional aquifer-system analysis ........................ 4 3. Physiographic subdivisions............................................................................................................................................ 5 4. Climatic characteristics of central United States, 1931-60 ............................................................................................ 6 5. Estimated annual recharge to exposed geohydrologic units of the Central Midwest RASA, 1951-80 ............................ 7 6. Regional geology of central United States ....................................................................................................................