WATER RESOURCES OF PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL LAKESHORE, MICHIGAN By A. H. Handy and F. R. Twenter U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 85-4103 Prepared in cooperation with the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Lansing, Michigan 1985 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can write to: be purchased from: District Chief Open-File Services Section U.S. Geological Survey Western Distribution Branch 6520 Mercantile Way, Suite 5 U.S. Geological Survey Lansing, Michigan 48910 Box 25425, Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225 Telephone: (303) 236-7476 CONTENTS Page Abstract 1 Introduct ion 2 Purpose and scope 6 Methods of investigation 6 Acknowledgments 6 Hydrogeologic setting 8 Bedrock 9 Glacial deposits 10 Recent alluvium and dune sand 10 Surface Water 11 Lakes 11 Streams 14 Qual it y 16 Ground Water 19 Potentiometric surface 19 Availability 20 Qual it y 21 Water use and sources of supply 22 Park 22 Park Headquarters 23 Summary and conclusions 25 References cited 26 Definition of terms 27 Well-location system 28 Tables 29 FIGURES Page Figure 1. Map showing location of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshpre 2 2. Map showing physical and cultural features 3 3. Map showing topographic features along Pictured Rocks 4 4. Map showing topographic features around 12-Mile Beach 5 5. Map showing topographic features along Grand Sable Banks 5 6. Map showing areal distribution of bedrock unit 9 7. Map showing areal distribution of glacial deposits 10 8. Hydrographs showing water-level fluctuations at selected lakes 12 9. Map showing location of surface- and ground-water data- collection and water-quality sampling sites 13 10. Map showing configuration of potentiometric surface 19 11. Hydrographs showing water levels in wells G6 and G7 and well 47N 16W 30BBBB1 20 12. Lithologic columns for well G4 at Sand Point and well Gl in the City of Munising 23 13. Geologic section showing glacial-scoured bedrock valley at Sand Point 24 ill TABLES Page Table 1. Information for wells in and near Pictured Rocks National Lake shore - 7 2. Rocks and their hydrologic characteristics 8 3. Lake characteristics - 11 4. Drainage area and discharge of streams 14 5. Streamflow characteristics - 15 6. Chemical and physical characteristics of lakes 30 7. Drinking-water standards of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - 17 8. Chemical and physical characteristics of streams - 32 9. Suspended-sediment concentrations in streams 17 10. Discharge and specific conductance of Miners River upstream and downstream from Miners Lake 18 11. Water quality of Miners River upstream and downstream from Miners Lake 18 12. Chemical and physical characteristics of ground water - 37 13. Comparison of several major constituents in ground water, by formation 21 CONVERSION FACTORS AND ABBREVIATIONS For the convenience of readers who may prefer to use metric (Inter­ national System) units rather than the inch-pound units used in this report, values may be converted by using the following factors: Multiply inch-pound unit By. To obtain metric unit inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm) foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) square mile (mi ) 2.590 square kilometer -5 (km2 ) gallon per minute 6.309 x 10 cubic meter per (gal/min) second (nr/s) cubic foot per second 0.0283 cubic meter per (ft3 /s) second (nr/s) acre 0.4047 hectare degree Fahrenheit (°F) (°F-32)/1.8 degree Celsius (°C) IV WATER RESOURCES OF PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL LAKESHORE, MICHIGAN By A. H. Handy and F. R. Twenter ABSTRACT Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has abundant picturesque and useful water resources. These resources include 12 inland lakes that range in size from 6 to 765 acres, 10 small streams that flow to Lake Superior, 40 miles of Lake Superior lakeshore, and aquifers capable of yielding water to wells in most places. The Jacobsville Sandstone, Munising Sandstone, and glacial deposits are the sources for domestic water supplies. The Jacobsville Sandstone is the principal source of water from Miners Castle to Au Sable Point, the Munising Sandstone is the source of water in the vicinity of Grand Sable Lake, and glacial deposits provide water for Park Headquarters at Sand Point. Specific capacities range from 0.1 to 1 (gal/min)/ft (gallons per minute per foot) of drawdown for the Jacobsville Sandstone and from 1 to 14 (gal/min)/ft for the glacial deposits. Specific capacity for the Munising Sandstone is about 1 (gal/min)/ft of drawdown. Water from both surface- and ground-water sources generally is suitable for human consumption. Concentrations of dissolved solids range from 43 to 112 mg/L (milligrams per liter) in water from lakes, from 53 to 155 mg/L in water from streams, and from 68 to 313 mg/L in ground water. The amount of suspended-sediment particles in streams is generally less than 17 mg/L. PICTURED ROCKS Grand Morois NATIONAL LAKESHORE Figure 1. Location of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. INTRODUCTION Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is in the northern part of Alger County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (fig. 1). Lake Superior borders the park to the north, and the communities of Munis ing and Grand Marais lie at either end of the park (fig. 2). The park was established in 1966 to preserve the natural beauty of the area and provide recreational opportunities for the public. It has 40 mi of lakeshore along Lake Superior. From Munising north­ eastward for 15 mi, the lakeshore is dominated by multicolored sandstone cliffs Pictured Rocks (fig. 3) that rise 50 to 200 ft above the lake. The central section of the lakeshore, consists of 12-Mile Beach (fig. 4) which is a sandy beach bordered by white birch trees. Grand Sable Banks a sand-dune area near Grand Marais (fig. 5) rises 350 ft above Lake Superior. Commonly referred to only as "park" in this report . lin T.49 N. 46°37'30" I 86°00' Base from U.S. Geological Survey 1=62,500 and 1:24,000 quadrangles (Grand Island not part of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore) 0 234 MILES i i i 0123 4 KILOMETERS Munising ^Munising Falls Cr. Figure 2. Physical and cultural features The park consists of lakeshore, sand beaches, wind- and water-eroded cliffs and bluffs, morainal hills, outwash plains, active sand dunes, kettle lakes, swamps, and numerous small streams. Waterfalls cascade from cliffs and bluffs throughout the park. Stacks, caves, sea arches, and promontories border Pictured Rocks escarpment. Names such as Lovers Leap, Rainbow Cave, Grand Portal, Miners Castle, Chapel Rock, The Battleships, and Flower Vase have been applied to some features. Miners Castle is accessible by auto­ mobile; most other features can be reached only by hiking or by boat. At Munising, based on 84 years of record, average annual precipitation is 33.8 in. and average annual temperature is 41.7°F (National Oceanic and Atmos­ pheric Administration, 1980). About 32 percent of the precipitation occurs during the winter months in the form of snow. The bay at Munising is generally ice covered from December to April. Maximum ice cover is in February and March; the maximum thickness of ice during 1967-77 was 27 in. in March 1972 (Sleator, 1978). 46° 30' Base from U.S. Geological Survey 1:62,500 quadrangles ( Grand Island not port of Pictured Rocks Notional Lakeshore) 800-LINE OF EQUAL ALTITUDE OF LAND SURFACE--Interval 100 feet Datum is sea level PARK BOUNDARY--Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 2 KILOMETERS Munising Figure 3. Topographic features along Pictured Rocks 1 LAKE SUPERIOR Figure 4. Topographic features around 12-Mile Beach. ' Base from U S. Geological Survey 1:62,500 Section* and ' 24,000 quadrangles EXPLANATION 36 I -700-LINE OF EQUAL ALTITUDE OF -Lake . LAND SURFACE--Interval 100 feet Datum is sea level PARK BOUNDARY Pictured Racks National Lakeshore I 2 KILOMETERS LAKE SUPERIOR ,-., Grand 46-40 Marais Figure 5. Topographic features along Grand Sable Banks. 86°00' Base from US Geological Survey 1:62,500 r and 1:24,000 quadrangles Purpose and Scope This report describes the surface- and ground-water resources of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and the hydrogeologic conditions at the park. Water use and sources of supply are discussed; specific information on water quality also is presented. Methods of Investigation Study of the water resources of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was begun in 1979. Data were collected from lakes, streams, and wells at various times. Streamflow was measured three times each year in the spring, summer, and fall of 1979-81 near the mouths of each stream. Information on ground water was obtained from wells drilled for the park's water supplies and from drillers records of other wells in the area. Information for all wells in the park and a few wells near the park are shown in table 1. Water levels were measured periodically in several wells; continuous recorders were placed on two wells. Samples of surface and ground water were analyzed for numerous constituents including trace elements and some pesticides. Suspended sedi­ ment in each stream was measured. Specific conductance, pH, bicarbonate, carbonate, and dissolved oxygen were measured in the field. Acknowledgments Acknowledgment is made to personnel of the Pictured Rocks National Lake- shore National Park Service for their assistance and cooperation. Table 1. Information for wells in and near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore [Aquifer: QG, glacial deposits; M, Munising Sandstone; pGJ, Jacobsville Sandstone. Dash indicates data not available] Land- Approximate Well surface Depth Depth Pumping Casing Casing Screen ^^ Well , number altitude, of to static water Drawdown Locality Aquifer level, below rate diameter depth ^Sth installed location in this above sea well bedrock land surface (gal/min) (ft) (in.) (ft) report level (ft) (ft) (ft) (ft) Wells in park 47N 18W 3CCCA G6 Miners Castle 740 250 12 P&J 120 14 124 6 180 May 1974 18W 3CUAB1 Miners Castle 630 107 -- QG 30 55 4 6 67 May 1974 18W 3CDAB2 Miners Castle 610 1Q -- QG 10 .- -.