.. -._-, @round ~esolDrc~s • 'Valer Of Woodward CounlY,· '\ Oklahoma Bu11edQ No. 21. PIIblloh.d by Oklahoma Waler Refourees Board • State of Oklahoma HENRY L. BELLMON, GOVERNOR " Oklahoma Water Resources Board Members DR. LLOYD E. CHURCH, Wilburton GUY H. JAMES, Oklahoma City Chairman L. L. MALES, Cheyenne GLADE R. KIRKPATRICK, Tulsa Vice Chairman MILTON C. CRAIG, Chandler GEO. R. BENZ, Bartlesville ROBERT C. LANG, Ardmore Secretary FRANK RAAB Director This report describes the geology of Woodward County as it pertains to the occurrence of ground water; it describes and interprets the geologic and hydrologic features that determine the source, movement, quantity, and quality of ground water; and it assembles basic ground- water data that will be useful in planning and developing the ground-water resources of the county. Oklahoma Water Resources Board GEOLOGY AND GROUND-WATER RESOURCES OF WOODWARD COUNTY, OKLAHOMA By P. R. Wood and B. L. Stacy U.S. Geological Survey Prepared by the United States Geological Survey in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board Bulletin 21 Oklahoma City, Okla. 1965 Climate The climate of Woodward County is controlled by the interaction of tropical and polar airmasses, and is characterized by wide deviations from average precipitation and wide ranges in temperature. Precipitation, resulting from both cyclonic (frontal) and thunderstorm activities, occurs throughout the year but is greatest during the spring and summer. (See tables 1 and 2.) Records of precipitation from eight stations~/ of the U.S. Weather Bureau in or near the county are summarized in table 1. The monthly precipitation during the period 1956-57 for all stations (fig. 2) is given in table 2. The annual precipitation for the period of record, the cumulative departure from the average annual precipitation, and the average monthly precipitation at the Woodward station are shown graphi­ cally on figure 4. The records (tables 1 and 2) and the graphs (fig. 4) show the monthly distribution and intensity of the rainfall in different parts of the county, and the graph of the annual precipitation at Woodward illustrates how the annual precipitation deviates from the long-term average. The precipitation trends during the period 1895-1962 are indicated by the graph showing the cumulative departure from average; upward trends on this graph represent periods of greater than average precipitation. The alternating wet and dry periods at Woodward correlate generally with similar periods at other stations in the Great Plains region (Thomas, 1962, fig. 11, p. 25), and suggest that prevailing dry periods, each lasting about 8 years, alternate with wet periods of 5 to 15 years' duration. Tahle 3 shows the monthly temperatures at four stations in the area. Midsummer temperatures often exceed 100°F, and extremes as high as 115°F have been recorded at Woodward and Mutual. In the Winter, temperatures often drop below freezing and lows of 10° to 20°F are common. The data given in table 3 show that during July, the hottest month, temperatures average about 82°, and during January, the coldest month, temperatures average about 35°. The mean annual temperature is about 59°. The length of the average growing season, or frost-free period, is about 200 days. Because of the clearness of the air, low humidity, and rapid radiation, differences between day and night temperatures may be great. The average annual evaporation from free-water surfaces, such as lakes or ponds, in the county area has been shown to be about 64 inches (Kohler and others, 1959). Lake evaporation averages about 7.5 inches 2Por information on station locations, altitudes, exposures, instrumenta­ tions, records, and observers from date stations established through 1955, the reader is referred to a publication of the U.S. Weather Bureau (1956). 16 The North Canadian River valley has been referred to the Western Sand-Dune Belt (fig. 3) because it is largely covered by sand that has been blown by the prevailing southerly winds into hummocky dunes or sandhills. In most places the dunes or sandhilIs are more or less stabilized by vegetation, and randomly oriented sand dunes 10 to 30 feet in height are separated by relatively flat sand-covered basins or depressions of various sizes. These depressions trap and hold the local precipitation until the water can be absorbed by the highly permeable deposits. Hence, surface drainage is absent or poorly developed. The High Plains geomorphic unit of southwestern Woodward County (fig. 3) is part of an extensive fluvial plain that stretches northward from western Texas and southeastern New Mexico, across northwestern Oklahoma, western Kansas and Nebraska, and in~o southwestern South Dakota. This vast plain is often described as monotonously flat because, from a distance, minor features resulting from the erosive actions of wind and water are not apparent. When viewed more closely, as in southwestern Woodward County, the plains' surface is seen to be composed of flat uplands; broad, low hills; gentle erosional slopes; wide, shallow valleys; low escarpments outlining resistant caliche-cemented beds;' and sand dunes formed by the prevailing southerly winds, all these features have resulted from the removal of mechanically and chemically disintegrated rock materials by runoff during local rains. The North Canadian River (fig. 2) drains the southern two-thirds of the county and is the principal drainageway for the county, even though the streambed is dry for part of the year. The few tributaries from the north are short and mostly intermittent, whereas some of those from the south, namely Wolf, Indian, Persimmon, and Bent Creeks, are 10 to more than 20 miles long and are commonly perennial in their lower reaches. The sand-filled river channel is bordered in places by a low flood plain that is covered by brush, small trees, and phreatophytes (plants that use large quantities of ground water). The river's average rate of flow past the gaging station at Woodward during the 24-year period 193.8-62 was 257 cfs (cubic feet per second). The mean monthly discharge during the same period ranged from 0 to 2,263 cfs. The river gradient is about 4 feet per mile southeastward, and its altitude drops from about 2,020 to about 1,720 feet within the county. The Cimarron River (fig. 2) forms the northeastern boundary of the county and its numerous tributaries drain the northern and northeastern parts of the county. The river, though perennial, has a wide sandy channel containing braided watercourses that shift frequently. In the reach where it forms the north boundary of Woodward County, the river has a gradient of about 4 feet per mile southeastward, and its altitude drops from about 1,640 to 1,440 feet. Its average discharge for the 25-year period 1937-62 was 420 cfs. Its mean monthly discharge during the same period ranged from 0.03 to 5,674 cfs. 15 CONTENTS Page Abstract. .•.••••••••.••••••••.•..•...•.••••••.•..••••...•.....••.•. 1 Introduction.. .••••••••.•••••••. .•.••.••• .. •• . .•.•••. ••••.••.••. •• 3 Scope, purpose, and history of this investigation 3 Methods of investigation...................................... 5 Acknowledgments ...•.••••••.•..•.....••..•.••..••...••••.•..... 6 Well-numbering system......................................... 7 Previous investigations................. .. .. .. ..... .. .. ... .. 7 Records ......;................................................ 9 Geography. .....••••...••.•.•••...•..••...•...•...•.•.•.••.....•.• •. 10 Location and general features of the area...•••.•.•...•....... 10 Topography and drainage....................................... 12 Climate....••...•.•.•.•..•......•.......•...•......•.•.......• 16 Geologic formations and their water-bearing properties.....••••.•.. 21 Permian System.....•••••.••••••...•..•..................•..••. 23 El Reno Group............................................ 23 Flowerpot Shale..................................... 23 Blaine Gypsum ..••.••••.•••.••..••..•....•.••••••..•• 26 Dog Creek Shale..................................... 28 Water-bearing properties of the ElReno Group .•......••.• 28 Whitehorse Group......................................... 29 Marlow Formafion 32 Rush Springs Sandstone. •...••••••••.••.•••.••.•••• .. 34 Water-bearing properties of the Whitehorse Group •...•.••• 35 Cloud Chief Formation~ " 36 Tertiary System••..•.•••.••..••••.•••••.•..•.....•.•..•••.••.. 36 Ogallala Formation 36 Water-bearing properties of the Ogallala Formation•..•••. 38 Quaternary System......•••••....•••••..•..••••..•.•.••.••..•.• 39 High-terrace deposits ...••...•..•••...•..••.•.•.•.....••• 40 Low-terrace deposits..•.•...•.•.•..••....•..•.•.•.•••...• 42 Alluvium•••..••.••••••••.•.••..••...•.•......•..••...•••. 44 Loess.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 46 Dune sand................................................ 47 Ground water 4:8 Occurrence•.•.•.• ; .•.••.•.••......................•..•....•••• 48 Hydrologic properties of water-bearing materials ........••..•. 50 Aquifer tests...•...••.•....••............•••.••.••••.•.• 51 Behavior of ground water in the vicinity of discharging wells.......•..•..........••.•.•.....•..,. 53 Source, movement, and natural discharge••••••.•..•.••••....... 54 Wa ter use and pumpage.. .••.•••..•.••...•.•••.•••.•.•.•...•.. .• 58 Water-level fluctuations ••..••..•..•..•...............••.•••.. 62 Recharge, inflow, and storage ...•..•.••..••.•..••...••..•....