THE ALASKA EARTHQUAKE, MARCH 27, 1964: EFFECTS ON THE HYDROLOGIC REGIMEN Hydrologic Effects of the Earthquake Of March 27,1964 Outside Alaska By ROBERT C. VORHIS With Sections on HYDROSEISMOGRAMS FROM THE NUNN-BUSH SHOE CO. WELL WISCONSIN By ELMER E. REXIN and ROBERT C. VORHIS and ALASKA EARTHQUAKE EFFECTS ON GROUND WATER IN IOWA By R. W. COBLE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 544-C UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY William T. Pecora, Director UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1967 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - 45 cents (paper cover) THE ALASKA EARTHQUAKE SERIES The U.S. Geological Survey is publishing the re- sults of investigation~of tho Alaska earthquake of March 27, 1964, in a series of six Professional Papers. Professional Paper 544 describes the effects of the earthquake on the hydrologic regimen. Other Professional Papers describe the history of the field investigations and reconstruction effort; the effect of the earthquake on communities; the regional effects of the earthquake; and the effects on transpor- tation, communications, and utilities. CONTENTS Page Page Page Geographic distribution of hydro- Geographic distribution of hydro- logic effects-Continued logic effects-Continued Canada---------------------- C15 United States-Continued Alberta--------------------- 15 Mississippi ----- ---------- C28 British Columbia--__-------- 15 Missouri -----_-_-____--------28 Manitoba------------------- 16 Montana-____-------------- 29 Northwest Territories -------- 16 Nebraska -----------__-----29 Ontario-------__-_----__-_ 16 Nevada------------------- 29 Saskatchewan--------------- 16 New Hampshire ------------- 29 United States--------_---_---- 16 New Jersey --_------_-__----29 and charts---------------- New Mexico---------------- 29 Recordable hydroseismic data--- New York -----------_--_--- 30 Hydroseisms in wells --------- North Carolina- ------------ 30 Hydroseisms from surface- North Dakota ------___---_-30 water gages-------_----- Ohio ..................... 30 Hydroseismograms from the Nunn- Oklahoma ------------------ 30 Bush Shoe Co. well, Wis- Oregon....................... 31 consin, by Elmer E. Rexin Pennsylvania -----_--------- 31 and Robert C. Vorhis ------ -- Puerto Rico- - - - - - -- - - - ---__ 31 Geographic distribution of hydro- Rhode Island--- ------------ 31 logic effects-- - -- - -- _ - - - -- - - - Hawaii- - - - - - - - - - - - - - __- - - - - - - South Carolina--__--_-__---- 32 Africa-----__--_-_------------ Idaho----_-_--------------- South Dakota..-- ----_-_----- 32 Libya---_-_-_---__-____--_- Illinois- - - - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - Tennessee------------------ 32 Republic of South Africa- - - - - Indiana-------------------- Texas...................... 32 South-West Africa--- _ - - - - - - - Iowa-Alaska earthquake ef- Utah ...................... 33 United Arab Republic fects 'on ground water, by Vermont---__------_------- 33 (Egypt)---------------- R. W. Coble-------------- Virginia .................... 33 Asia------------------------- Virgin Islands --------------- 33 Israel- - - - - - - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - Kentucky_---_______-----.- Washington ---------------- 33 Republic of the Philippines- - - Louisiana - - _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ West Virginla --------------- 33 Australia.. - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ -,- _ _ _ Maine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ _ - Wisconsin --_---_----------- 33 Europe------------_---------- Maryland- - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ _ _ - Wyoming------_-___------- 34 Belgium-- - _ - _ _ _ - - _ - - - - - - - - - Massachusetts- - - - _ - - - _ _ _ - _ _ Hydroseisms from aftershocks--- - - 34 Denmark------_---_-_----_- Michigan-- _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - .- Conclusion ..................... 36 United Kingdom --______-___ References cited -__________ ___ -- 36 ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURES Page 1. Hydroseismic chart of a well in Mitchell County, Ga ................................................. C7 2. Typical records of hydroseisms caused by the,Alaska earthquake- - - ---- -- - - - --- - - - - --- - - - --- -- - - - - -- - - 8 3. Record of a hydroseism at the National Reactor Testing Station, Idaho ........................... 9 4. Record of seismically induced decline in stage- -------_-_-__ - _--------- - --- ------ - -- - --- - -.- - -- - --- --- 5. Bubbler-gage record at Tendal, La-__-_..-----_------------___--------------------..------------------ 6. Bubbler-gage records at three Kansas gages -----__----------------------------.---------------------- 7. Record of stage of Paxton Creek, Pa., showing possible seismically induced discharge ----- - -._ -_-. - - - - -- --- 8. Hydroseismogram of Alaska earthquake from Nunn-Bush Shoe Co. well- ----_---___-------_____--------- 9-13. Records: 9. Hydroseismograms of aftershocks of the Alaska earthquake from the Nunn-Bush Shoe Co. well- - -- --- 10. Hydroseism at Heibaart, Belgium- -________----__-_____-__------..------..-------..-------------- 11. Two dissimilar hydroseisms from two aquifers tapped by adjacent piezometers ---- - - - - - -- -- - - - -.- --- 12. Two similar hydroseisms from two aquifers tapped by adjacent piezometers- - - -- - - ---------------- 13. Part of a '&foot decline in water level of a Clay County, Fla., well-- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -.- - - - -- - - - 14. Stage and deflection records of the Alaska earthquake---_-_ _ _---- _ - - - -.. - - - - - --- - - - - - - - --- - --- - - - - - ---- 15. Index map of Georgia showing locations of gaging stations and size of seiches recorded from the Alaska earth- quake----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. Index map of Iowa showing location of reported ground-water disturbances caused by the Alaska earthquake- _ 17-21. Water-level records from wells: 17. Redfield Dome, Iowa----------------------------------------------------------.--------.---- 18. Vincent Dome, Io~a---_____----------------------.--~--------------------------------------- 19. Dakota Sandstone in northwest Iowa --______-_------------_--------.----------.--------------- 20. Lohrville, Iowa--_--..-------------..-----------------.--------------------------------------- 21. Elkader and Clinton, Iowa______---------_..------.---------..--------------------..------------ 22. Water-level record showing effect of the Alaska earthquake on a surface-water pool- -------______---_-_-_- 23. Record of hydroseism from well in York County, Pa ----__--__.____----------..-------..---..----.------ 24. Record of seismic seiche and wind seiches at Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake at Grand Coulee Dam, Wash- _ _... _ TABLES Page 1. Gage-height ratio and time scales of 421 floabtype recorders that registered the Alaska earthquake-_---------------------------------------------------- 2. Chronological list of hydroseismic data from the Nunn-Bush Shoe Co. well at Milwaukee, Wis., March 28-30, 1964------- _ - _-____ - -- ---_- ---- ---------- 3. Number and maximum hydroseisms recorded in the United States from the Alaska earthquake of March 27, 1964- - - - - - - - _ - - _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4. Summary of ground-water disturbances in Iowa caused by the Alaska earthquake- 5. Earthquakes recorded in seismically sensitive observation wells, March 27- April 4, 1964__--__----___---------------------------------------------- 6. Seismic fluctuations in sensitive wells, March 28-April4, 1964- _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7. Hydroseisms in wells in the United States caused by the Alaska earthquake--- -- THE ALASKA EARTHQUAKE, MARCH 27,1964: EFFECTS ON THE HYDROLOGZC REGIMEN HYDROLOGIC EFFECTS OF THE EARTHQUAKE OF MARCH 27, 1964, OUTSIDE ALASKA By Robert C. Vorhis ABSTRACT The Alaska earthquake of March 27, The Alaska earthquake is the first for next largest was 1.45 feet on Lake 1964, had widespread hydrologic effects which widespread surface-water effects Ouachita in Arkansas. throughout practically all of the United are known. The effects were recorded The largest fluctuation in a well was States. More than 1,450 water-level at stations on flowing streams, rivers, 23 feet registered by a pressure re- recorders, scattered throughout all the reservoirs, lakes, and ponds. The 755 50 States except Connecticut, Delaware, surface-water stations recording effects corder near Belle Fourche, S. Dak. and Rhode Island, registered the earth- are spread through 38 States, but are Fluctuations of more than 10 feet were quake. Half of the water-level records most numerous in the south-central and reported from wells in Alabama, Flor- were obtained from ground-water ob- southeastern States, especially in Flor- ida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, and servation wells and half at surface- ida and Louisiana. Most of the fluctu- Pennsylvania. A 3.40-foot fluctuation water gaging stations. The earthquake ations recorded can be referred to more was recorded in a well in Puerto Rico. is also known to have registered on water-level recorders on wells in Can- precisely as seismic seiches; however, The Alaska earthquake was regis- ada, England, Denmark, Belgium, a few stations recorded the quake as tered by about seven times as many Egypt, Israel, Libya, Philippine Islands, a minor change in stage. The largest watei-level recorders as recorded the South-West Africa, South Africa, and recorded seiche outside Alaska was 1.83 Hebgen Lake, Mont., earthquake of Northern Territory of Australia. feet