Hydrogeologic Setting and Conceptual Hydrologic Model of the Spring Creek Basin, Centre County, Pennsylvania, June 2005 By John W. Fulton, Edward H. Koerkle, Steven D. McAuley, Scott A. Hoffman, and Linda F. Zarr In cooperation with the ClearWater Conservancy Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5091 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior Gale A. Norton, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2005 For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services Box 25286, Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 For more information about the USGS and its products: Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/ 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. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to repro- duce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Fulton, J.W., Koerkle, E.H., McAuley, S.D., Hoffman, S.A., and Zarr, L.F., 2005, Hydrogeologic setting and conceptual hydrologic model of the Spring Creek Basin, Centre County, Pennsylvania, June 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5091, 83 p. iii Contents Abstract. 1 Introduction . 1 Purpose and Scope . 1 Description of Study Area . 1 Physical Characteristics of Spring Creek Basin . 3 Climate . 7 Precipitation. 7 Air Temperature . 12 Humidity. 12 Solar Radiation . 12 Evaporation . 12 Physiography . 13 Topography . 13 Land Use. 15 Hydrogeologic Setting of Spring Creek Basin . 18 Soils . 18 Geology. 18 Surface Water . 28 Ground Water. 34 Aquifer Properties . 34 Water Levels. 38 Wells and Springs . 38 Water Quality. 44 Surface Water. 46 Ground Water . 46 Conceptual Hydrologic Model of Spring Creek Basin . 47 Precipitation, Runoff, Infiltration, and Streamflow . 49 Siliciclastic-Bedrock Uplands . 49 Hydrologic Boundaries . 49 Surface Water . 50 Ground Water . 50 Carbonate-Bedrock Valleys . 50 Hydrologic Boundaries . 50 Surface Water . 53 Ground Water . 53 Suggestions for Future Work . 57 Summary and Conclusions . 57 Acknowledgments . 58 References Cited. 58 iv Appendixes [On CD-ROM in pocket] 1. Spring Creek project Geographic Information System (GIS) data sets 2. Relational database Figures 1. Location of Spring Creek Basin, Centre County, Pennsylvania . 2 2. Location of meteorological data-collection stations in and within 15 miles of the Spring Creek Basin, Centre County, Pennsylvania . ..