Geology and Ground- Water Resources of the Prestonsburg Quadrangle Kentucky By WILLIAM E. PRICE, Jr. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1359 Prepared in cooperation with the Agricultural and Industrial Development Board of Kentucky UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1956 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Douglas McKay, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price $1.00 (paper cover) CONTENTS Page Abstract............................................-...-................................................-....-......-.......... - J Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 1 Scope and purpose of investigation,................................................................................. 1 Well-numbering system....................................................................................................... 3 Methods of study................................................................................................................. 5 Acknowledgments................................................................................................................ 5 Geography................................................................................................................................. 5 Location and extent of area............................................................................................. 5 Topography and drainage................................................................................................... 6 Climate................................................................................................................................. 6 Development........................................................................................................................ 7 Geology.................................................................................................................................... 8 Areal geology...................................................................................................................... 8 Geologic history.................................................................................................................. 8 Ground Water............................................................................................................................ 9 Source................................................................................................................................... 9 Occurrence........................................................................................................................... 11 Movement.............................................................................................................................. 13 Recharge............................................................................................................................... 13 Discharge............................................................................................................................. 14 Recovery............................................................................................................................... 15 Chemical character............................................................................................................. 18 Temperature......................................................................................................................... 21 Geologic formations and their water-bearing properties.................................................... 24 Silurian and Devonian systems......................................................................................... 24 Mississippian system.......................................................................................................... 25 Pennsylvanian system........................................................................................................ 26 Lee formation.................................................................................................................. 26 Stratigraphy.................................................................................................................. 26 Location and thickness.............................................................................................. 27 Character...................................................................................................................... 27 Structure....................................................................................................................... 28 Source and occurrence of water................................................................................. 28 Recharge....................................................................................................................... 29 Discharge...................................................................................................................... 29 Yield of wells.............................................................................................................. 29 Chemical character of the water................................................................................ 30 Breathitt formation.......................................................................................................... 30 Stratigraphy.................................................................................................................. 30 Location and thickness.............................................................................................. 30 Character...................................................................................................................... 31 Structure........................................................................................................................ 34 Occurrence of water.................................................................................................... 34 Relation to joints.................................................................................................... 35 Relation to intergranular pore spaces.................................................................. 36 Relation to the lithologic character of the rocks................................................ 36 Water-table and artesian conditions ..................................................................... 37 Recharge....................................................................................................................... 38 Discharge...................................................................................................................... 38 Water-level fluctuations.............................................................................................. 39 Yield of wells.............................................................................................................. 40 Measurements of yield,........................................................................................... 40 Factors governing yield...........................................................................:............. 43 III IV CONTENTS Page Geologic formations Continued Pennsylvanian system Continued Breathitt formation- Continued Chemical character of the water,.,..,.,.............J;^^^^......................................;i...... 45 Chemical constituents of|p^sS^Br............|L^^^S............................................. 45 Chemical properties of thw%aler........................................................................... 51 Classification of waters according to principal constituents............................ 52 Water temperature........................................................................................................ 56 Quaternary system.............................................................................................................. 57 Alluvium............................................................................................................................ 57 Location and thickness............................................................................................... 57 Character....................................................................................................................... 57 Occurrence of water..................................................................................................... 60 Recharge........................................................................................................................ 60 Discharge...................................................................................................................... 61 Water-level fluctuations.............................................................................................. 61 Yield of wells..................................................................^.......................................... 61 Chemical character of the walei1.......,.............,,..,,,,.^,,^........................................... 62 Temperature of the water.....*;?.'.. ...". ..................................................................... 63 Records of water wells, springs, and coal mines yielding water...................................... 64 Records of gas, oil, and test wells, of core and auger holes, and of bridge-pier excavations..........................................................................................................