GEOLOGY AND GROUND-WATER RESOURCES OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY By George M. Farlekas, Bronius Nemickas, and Harold E. Gill U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Prepared in cooperation with NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES June 1976 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Thomas S. Kleppe, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Vincent E. McKelvey, Director For additional information w^ite to: U.S. Geological Survey Rm. 420 Federal Bldg. P.O. Box 1238 Trenton, N.J. 08607 CONTENTS Page Glossary................................................... XI Conversion factors ......................................... XIV Abstract................................................... 1 Introduction............................................... 3 Purpose and scope....................................... 3 Location and extent..................................... 3 Personnel and supervision............................... 3 Previous investigations ................................. 5 Well-numbering and location system...................... 6 Acknowledgments......................................... 6 Geography.................................................. 6 Topography and drainage................................. 6 Climate................................................. 6 Population and economy.................................. 9 Geology.................................................... 9 Stratigraphy and structure.............................. 9 Geologic history........................................ 11 Ground-water quality....................................... 12 Geologic formations and their hydrologic characteristics... 13 Pre-Cretaceous crystalline rocks........................ 13 Geology.............................................. 13 Hydrology............................................ 14 Mesozoic Erathem........................................ 14 Cretaceous System.................................... 16 Potomac Group and the Raritan and Magothy Formations....................................... 16 Regional setting and stratigraphic framework... 16 Depositional environment....................... 20 Hydrology...................................... 22 Patterns of ground-water movement........... 26 Pattern before development............... 26 Pattern after development................ 26 Recharge and movement of ground water....... 36 Aquifer characteris tics ..................... 38 Quality of water............................... 39 Ground-water contamination..................... 46 Salt-water encroachment........................ 51 Merchantville Formation and Woodbury Clay......... 53 Geology........................................ 53 Hydrology...................................... 53 Quality of water............................... 59 Englishtown Formation............................. 59 Geology........................................ 59 Hydrology...................................... 61 Quality of water............................... 63 III CONTENTS Continued Page Geologic Formations and their hydrologic characteristics-­ continued Mesozoic Erathem--continued Cretaceous System--continued Marshalltown Formation................... 65 Geology.............................. .. 65 Hydrology......................o.......o....... 65 Wenonah Formation and Mount Laurel Sand........... 65 Geology........................................ 65 Hydrology...................................... 66 Quality of water............................... 72 Navesink Formation................................ 75 Geology........................................ 75 Hydrology...................................... 75 Cenozoic Erathem........................................ 76 Tertiary System, Paleocene-Eocene Series............. 76 Hornerstown Sand.................................. 76 Geology........................................ 76 Hydrology...................................... 78 Vincentown and Manasquan Formations............... 78 Vincentown Formation........................... 78 Geology..................................... 78 Manasquan Formation............................ 80 Geology..................................... 80 Vincentown and Manasquan Formations undifferentiated.............................. 81 Hydrology................................... 81 Piney Point (?) Formation.......................... 81 Tertiary System, Miocene Series...................... 82 Kirkwood Formation................................ 82 Geology........................................ 82 Hydrology...................................... 84 Quality of water............................... 87 Tertiary System, MioceneC?) and PlioceneC?) Series... 87 Cohansey Sand and younger sediments............... 87 Geology........................................ 87 Hydrology...................................... 88 Quality of water............................... 93 Quaternary System, Pleistocene Series................ 93 Bridgeton Formation............................... 94 Pensauken Formation............................... 94 Cape May Formation................................ 94 Quaternary System, Holocene Series.........;......... 95 Eolian deposits ................................... 95 Alluvium.......................................... 95 Summary and conclusions.................................... 95 Selected references ........................................ 97 IV ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Map of New Jersey showing location of Camden County........................................ 4 2. Location of wells in Camden County and vicinity.................................. in pocket 3. Generalized topographic and drainage basin map of Camden County................. 8 4. Pre-Quaternary geologic map of Camden County.... 10 5. Geologic sections A-A 1 , B-B 1 , and C-C 1 of the Coastal Plain in Camden County............ in pocket 6. Geologic section D-D 1 and E-E 1 of the Coastal Plain in Camden County.................... in pocket 7. Configuration of the bedrock surface beneath the Coastal Plain in Camden County................ 15 8. Structure contour map of the top of the Magothy Formation in Camden County.................... 17 9. Thickness map of the Potomac Group and the Raritan and Magothy Formations in Camden County........................................ 18 10. Idealized sand-dispersal system in various depositional systems, Wilcox Group, Texas..... 21 11. Thickness map of the upper aquifer in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County ................................. 23 12. Thickness map of the middle aquifer in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County. ................................. 24 13. Thickness map of the lower aquifer in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County................................. 25 14. Potentiometric map for the Potomac-Raritan- Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1900. 27 ILLUSTRATIONS Continued Page Figure 15. Pumpage from the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1897-1967............ 28 16. Map showing the distribution of public and industrial pumpage in Camden County, 1966..... 30 17. Potentiometric map for the Potomac-Raritan- Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1956. 31 18. Potentiometric map for the Potomac-Raritan- Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, October 17-19, 1968........................... 32 19. Potentiometric decline map for the Potomac- Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1900-56............................... 33 20. Potentiometric decline map for the Potomac- Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1956-68............................... 34 21. Potentiometric decline map for the Potomac- Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1900-68............................... 35 22. Distribution of specific capacities of large diameter wells (12 inches or greater) tapping the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County................................. 40 23. Map showing generalized total iron concentra­ tions in water of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1965......... 44 24. Map showing generalized ferrous iron concentra­ tions in water of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Camden County, 1965......... 45 25. Map showing configuration of the bedrock surface beneath the Coastal Plain sediments in Philadelphia, Pa. ........................ in pocket 26. Geologic cross section, Philadelphia, Pa. - Westville, N. J. ............................. 47 VI ILLUSTRATIONS Continued Page Figure 27. Map of the Philadelphia, Pa. and nearby New Jersey area showing sulfate concentrations in the lower aquifer in the Potomac-Raritan- Magothy aquifer system, 1966-71........... in pocket 28. Potentiometric map for the middle and lower aquifers in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system in Philadelphia, Pa. and nearby New Jersey, October 17-19, 1968....in pocket 29. Thickness map of the sand unit in the Merchantville Formation in Camden County...... 54 30. Structure contour map of the top of the sand unit in the Merchantville Formation in Camden County........................................ 55 31. Geologic sections of the Coastal Plain in the northeastern part of Camden County............ 56 32. Structure contour map of the top of the Woodbury Clay in Camden County......................... 57 33. Thickness map of the Merchantville Formation- Woodbury Clay in Camden County................ 58 34. Structure contour map of the top of the Englishtown Formation