Water-quality along selected flowpaths in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer, southeastern Minnesota
- Geological Survey, Mounds View, MN (United States)
The Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer in southeastern Minnesota is comprised of the dolomitic Prairie du Chien Group and the underlying Jordan Sandstone. Differences in water quality between the Prairie du Chien and the Jordan parts of the aquifer were investigated by sampling 139 wells in six study areas within Hennepin, Dakota, and Olmsted Counties. The study areas, which represent paths of groundwater flow through the aquifer, averaged 13 miles long and 3 miles wide. The wells were screened in the Jordan, Prairie du Chien, and overlying aquifers. Concentrations of tritium, nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, and chloride were useful indicators of the actual and potential extent of human-related contamination of the aquifer. Differences in water quality were related to land use, aquifer permeability, thickness and lithology of overlying units, presence of confining units, flow path length, and well construction. Water samples from wells completed in the Jordan aquifer have lower tritium, nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, and chloride concentrations than samples from wells completed in the overlying Prairie du Chien, St. Peter, and glacial drift aquifers. The distribution of these indicators on vertical sections of the aquifer, geochemical analysis of saturation indices (WATEQF), piper diagrams, and statistical analyses were used to analyze the hydrogeology and sensitivity to contamination of the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer.
- OSTI ID:
- 6837869
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9404217--
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Vol. 26:5; ISSN GAAPBC; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540210 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
AQUIFERS
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MINERALOGY
MINNESOTA
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLOGY
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
USA
WATER
WATER QUALITY