Western Washington University Western CEDAR WWU Graduate School Collection WWU Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarship Winter 1990 Hydrostratigraphy and Groundwater Flow in the Sumas Area, Whatcom County, Washington Sue Culton Kahle Western Washington University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet Part of the Geology Commons Recommended Citation Kahle, Sue Culton, "Hydrostratigraphy and Groundwater Flow in the Sumas Area, Whatcom County, Washington" (1990). WWU Graduate School Collection. 662. https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet/662 This Masters Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the WWU Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarship at Western CEDAR. It has been accepted for inclusion in WWU Graduate School Collection by an authorized administrator of Western CEDAR. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HYDROSTE^TIGRAPHY AND GROUNDWATER FLOW ,IN THE SUMAS AREA, WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON • by Sue Culton Kahle accepted*'in partial ccmpletion of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Advisory Committee WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Bellingham, Washington 98225 • [2Q6] 676-3000 MASTER'S THESIS In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree at Western Washington University, I agree that the Library shall make its copies freely available for inspection. I further agree that extensive copying of this thesis is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without my written permission. Date ;2j MASTER’S THESIS In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree at Western Washington University, I grant to Western Washington University the non-exclusive royalty-free right to archive, reproduce, distribute, and display the thesis in any and all forms, including electronic format, via any digital library mechanisms maintained by WWU. I represent and warrant this is my original work, and does not infringe or violate any rights of others. I warrant that I have obtained written permissions from the owner of any third party copyrighted material included in these files. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of this work, including but not limited to the right to use all or part of this work in future works, such as articles or books. Library users are granted permission for individual, research and non-commercial reproduction of this work for educational purposes only. Any further digital posting of this document requires specific permission from the author. Any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, is not allowed without my written permission. Sue C. Kahle February 21, 2018 EJYDROSTRATIGRAPHY AND GROUNDWATER FLOW IN THE SUMAS AREA, WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON A thesis presented to the faculty of Western Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science by Sue Culton Kahle March, 1990 ABSTRACT Three types of groundwater systems occur within glacial sediments in a 10 mi^ (25 km^) area near Sumas, Washington: an unconfined sand and gravel aquifer, a confined sand and gravel aquifer, and a generally unproductive clay aquitard. Water levels in the area were mapped frcm measurements of wells and points along stream courses in October 1988 and March 1989. The water-level configurations for the two aquifers roughly parallel surface topography. Water level maps were used to estimate direction of groundwater flow, >^ich is generally to the southeast in the unconfined aquifer and to the northeast in the confined aquifer. Water level measurements made within the clay aquitard indicate that most water horizons are perched and water level is controlled by the surface topography of the clay. The highest water levels throughout the study area occur during the spring, following high precipitation during winter months. Whter levels vary seasonally in response to changing recharge and discharge conditions. Recharge is principally by direct precipitation onto surficial units. Discharge is to streams, drainage ditches and springs and by purtping. Hydrostratigraphic cross-sections were made using data from well drillers' lithologic logs, existing geologic maps, and field exposures. Five hydrostratigraphic units were delineated based on porosity, permeability, geographic location, and lateral extent of the hydrostratigraphic horizons. By using hydrologic properties associated with water-bearing units and hydraulic gradients measured from water-level maps, average linear velocities within the aquifers were estimated at 4.0 gal day~lft"2 in the confined aquifer and 7.4 to 120 gal day^ff^ in the unconfined aquifer. 1 L ACKN(>aLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the nany landowners and tenants in the field area v^o supplied information and allowed access to wells and property. Thanks also goes to Lawrence Silvas of the City of Sumas and Terry Kliitpel of the City of Lynden for their input during the design stages of the field project. I wish to thank all of the Geology Department faculty for their instruction and help during an undergraduate and graduate career at Western. Thanks to Vicki Critchlow, Patty Combs, and George Mustoe for answering numerous questions and helping with the technical aspects of graduate school. Special thanks goes to my ccximittee chairman Harvey Kelsey and camiittee members Don Easterbrook and Jim Talbot, all of whose advice and expertise were most appreciated. This study could not have been completed without the aid of field assistants. Harriet Beale, Julie Benkovich, Verlen Culton (Dad), Tan DeBoer, Jerry Eide, Tom Gibbons, Christopher Grannis, Ron Kahle, Chuck and Patty Lindsay, Shannon Marris, Ray Nall, Niki Nbrkoski, Alice Shilhanek, Czesia Smith, Lloyd Stevens, and Leslie Uhlig were involved with water level measurements and/or surveying. Special thanks to Dad, Harriet, Leslie, and Ron for their help in the final days of surveying. Lithologic data was provided by Dean Hayes, Sr. and Dean Hayes, Jr. of Hayes Well Drilling and Puirps. Their insights into local subsurface stratigraphy was invaluable, as were the many well logs vdiich they provided for cross-section use. Additional bore hole data was provided by Grant Richardson of Anvil Corporation. Special thanks to Mark Zubel and the Groundwater Section of the Canadian Ministry of Environment and Parks for well log data sent pronptly and free of charge. 11 Financial support of this endeavor came in part fran the Geology Department Field Research Award and the David Rahm Geomorphology Scholarship. Thanks to the many family and friends who were in one way or another involved with this project. Affectionate thanks goes to office-mates Alice Shilhanek, Galan Mclnelly, Harriet Beale, and Kathleen Duggan for their moral support, interest in the project, and conic relief. Special thanks to parents Sarah and Verlen Culton for their lifelong positive influence. My most heartfelt thanks and gratitude go to my husband Ron for his constant encouragement and friendship, as well as for his involvement in the planning stages of the project, fieldwork, and drafting. Ill TABLE OF COOTENTS ABSTRACT................................................................. i ACKNCWLEDGEMENTS........................................................ ii LIST OF FIGURES......................................................... LIST OF TABLES..........................................................vi INTRODUCTION............................................................. 1 FIELD METHODS............................................................7 QUATERNARY GEOLOGY OF THE SUMAS AREA.................................... 11 HYDROSTRATIGRAPHY....................................................... 15 GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS.....................................................26 Upland unconfined aquifer..........................................26 Sumas Valley confined aquifer......................................34 Clay aquitard......................................................40 DISCUSSION.............................................................. 40 Geologic correlations and gecmorphic developnent.................. 40 Recharge and discharge of acjuifers.................................46 Potential source of untapped groundwater.......................... 47 CONCLUSIONS............................................................. 48 REFERENCES............................................ 52 APPENDIX 1............................................................. APPENDIX 2.................................................... 59 APPENDIX 3..................... 66 APPENDIX 4..............................................................82 APPENDIX 5.............................................................. 84 APPENDIX 6..............................................................86 APPENDIX 7..............................................................87 IV LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Sinplified geologic map of western 2 Whatccxn County Figxare 2 Topographic map of field area 4 showing physiograjAiic regions Figure 3 Well and stream point location map 8 Figure 4 Geologic map with cross-section 13 locations Figure 5 Hydrostratigraphic cross-sections 16 A-A' and B-B' Figure 6 Hydrostratigraphic cross-sections 18 C-C'-C" and D-D'-D” Figure 7 Hydrostratigraphic cross-sections 20 E-E'