Prepared in cooperation with the MINNESOTA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Ground-Water Availability from Surficial Aquifers in the Red River of the North Basin, Minnesota Scientific Investigations Report 2005–5204 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Availability from Surficial Aquifers in the Red River of the North Basin, Minnesota By Thomas H.C. Reppe Prepared in cooperation with the Minnesota Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior Scientific Investigations Report 2005–5204 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 reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Reppe, T.H.C., 2005, Ground-water availability from surficial aquifers in the Red River of the North Basin, Minnesota: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005–5204, 54 p. Prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in Mounds View, Minnesota (http://mn.water.usgs.gov) iii Contents Acknowledgments . vii Abstract. 1 Introduction . 1 Purpose and Scope . 3 Methods of Study . 3 Description of Study Area . 7 Aquifer Extent and Hydrogeologic Characteristics . 8 Buffalo Aquifer. 8 Beach Ridge Aquifers. 8 Middle River Surficial Aquifer . 10 Two Rivers Surficial Aquifer . 10 Pelican River Sand-Plain Aquifer . 10 Otter Tail Surficial Aquifer . 10 Wadena Surficial Aquifer . 14 Pineland Sands Surficial Aquifer . 14 Bemidji-Bagley Surficial Aquifer. 18 Ground-Water Availability . 18 Water-Budget Estimates . 18 Buffalo Aquifer . 20 Sources of Water . 20 Losses of Water. 20 Beach Ridge Aquifers . 24 Middle River Surficial Aquifer. 24 Sources of Water . 24 Losses of Water. 24 Two Rivers Surficial Aquifer. 24 Sources of Water . 24 Losses of Water. 25 Pelican River Sand-Plain Aquifer . 25 Sources of Water . 25 Losses of Water. 25 Otter Tail Surficial Aquifer. 26 Sources of Water . 26 Losses of Water. 26 Wadena Surficial Aquifer. 26 Sources of Water . 27 Losses of Water. 27 Pineland Sands Surficial Aquifer. 27 Sources of Water . 27 Losses of Water. 27 Bemidji-Bagley Surficial Aquifer . 27 Sources of Water . 27 iv Losses of Water. ..