Clinker is formed when rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red and brown clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Tongue River Formation sandstones and forms caps of many plateaus and buttes. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
Williston and Powder River Basins Groundwater Availability Study Completed
By Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
April 30, 2018
Oil well pad in the Bakken Formation of North Dakota
Crew Camp in North Dakota
Oil field facility in the Bakken Formation of North Dakota
Drilling an oil well in the Bakken Formation of North Dakota
The development of two nationally important energy-producing areas, the Williston structural basin (containing the Bakken Formation) and Powder River structural basin, provide a critical opportunity to study the water-energy nexus within a groundwater context. Large volumes of water are needed for energy development in these basins. The hydraulically connected aquifers in the regional glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems are the shallowest, most accessible, and in some cases, the only potable aquifers within the Northern Great Plains.
This study area is supported by the USGS Water Availability and Use Science Program (previously the Groundwater Resources Program) to assess and quantify the availability of the Nation’s groundwater resources.
The purpose of the Williston and Powder River Basins groundwater availability study is to quantify the current groundwater resource, as part of a USGS National assessment.
The overall objective of this study is to assess the groundwater resource, particularly as energy resources are developed. This objective will advance tools, information, and conceptual understanding of this very extensive regional transboundary aquifer system.
The scope includes:
- Williston structural basin. Develop a hydrogeologic framework, estimate hydrologic budget components, refine the conceptual model of groundwater flow, and numerically simulate the regional groundwater flow for the glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems.
- Powder River structural basin. Develop a hydrogeologic framework, estimate hydrologic budget components, and refine the conceptual model for the lower Tertiary and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems.
The MODFLOW-NWT model of predictive simulations of groundwater response to selected scenarios in the Williston Basin, United States and Canada can be found online.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Science Team about Energy and Plains and Potholes Environments (STEPPE)
Brine Contamination to Plains and Potholes Environments from Energy Development in the Williston Basin
Delineation of Brine Contamination in and near the East Poplar Oil Field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Northeastern Montana
Brine is a byproduct of crude oil production. Handling and disposal of brine during the last 50 years in the East Poplar oil field has resulted in contamination of not only the shallow Quaternary aquifers, but also the Poplar River. Previous investigations have documented and partially delineated the extent of brine contamination in the East Poplar oil field during the early 1990s. In the 10 years...
Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Project Period: 2016-ongoing Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program Project Chiefs: Ryan McShane and Jeremy McDowell
Restoring Montana Pothole Wetlands - Demonstration Sites and Adaptive Management
Geologic processes from the last ice age have generated extensive areas of pothole wetlands in several Montana landscapes. The Laurentide ice sheet, originating in the Northwest Territories, provided the dominant force in eastern Montana. Similar landscapes developed in the broad valleys of western Montana through the actions of the Cordilleran ice sheet, originating in the mountains of British...
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Clinker capped Tongue River Formation near Lame Deer, Montana
Clinker is formed when rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red and brown clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Tongue River Formation sandstones and forms caps of many plateaus and buttes. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
Clinker outcrop along Highway 212 west of Ashland, Montana
Clinker outcrop along Highway 212 west of Ashland, Montana
Clinker outcrop along Highway 212 west of Ashland, Montana
The white stone outcrop is the Tongue River Formation
The white stone outcrop is the Tongue River Formation. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
The white stone outcrop is the Tongue River Formation. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
Clinker formation near Medora, North Dakota
Clinker is formed whn rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Fort Union Formation sandstone and forms the caps of many plateaus and buttes.
Clinker is formed whn rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Fort Union Formation sandstone and forms the caps of many plateaus and buttes.
Watford water depot near the center of the Williston structural basin
Watford water depot. Water depots supply water for hydraulically-fractured oil and gas wells. The Watford City water depot is located near the center of the Williston structural basin
Watford water depot. Water depots supply water for hydraulically-fractured oil and gas wells. The Watford City water depot is located near the center of the Williston structural basin
Landscape near the northern Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Landscape near the northern Theodore Roosevelt National Park is characterized by the eroded Fort Union Formation.Photo is taken along Highway 85.
Landscape near the northern Theodore Roosevelt National Park is characterized by the eroded Fort Union Formation.Photo is taken along Highway 85.
Wetland water depot south of Watford City, North Dakota
Wetland water depot. Some North Dakota ranchers have converted their wetland water rights for industrial use as water depots. Photo taken south of Watford City, North Dakota
Wetland water depot. Some North Dakota ranchers have converted their wetland water rights for industrial use as water depots. Photo taken south of Watford City, North Dakota
Upper Lebo Member of the Fort Union Formation near Gillette, Wyoming
Upper Lebo Member of the Fort Union Formation. Photo taken fro the top of Cow Creek Buttes in the Burnt Hollow BLM recreation area about 20 miles northeast of Gillette, Wyoming.
Upper Lebo Member of the Fort Union Formation. Photo taken fro the top of Cow Creek Buttes in the Burnt Hollow BLM recreation area about 20 miles northeast of Gillette, Wyoming.
- Overview
The development of two nationally important energy-producing areas, the Williston structural basin (containing the Bakken Formation) and Powder River structural basin, provide a critical opportunity to study the water-energy nexus within a groundwater context. Large volumes of water are needed for energy development in these basins. The hydraulically connected aquifers in the regional glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems are the shallowest, most accessible, and in some cases, the only potable aquifers within the Northern Great Plains.
This study area is supported by the USGS Water Availability and Use Science Program (previously the Groundwater Resources Program) to assess and quantify the availability of the Nation’s groundwater resources.
The purpose of the Williston and Powder River Basins groundwater availability study is to quantify the current groundwater resource, as part of a USGS National assessment.
The overall objective of this study is to assess the groundwater resource, particularly as energy resources are developed. This objective will advance tools, information, and conceptual understanding of this very extensive regional transboundary aquifer system.
The scope includes:- Williston structural basin. Develop a hydrogeologic framework, estimate hydrologic budget components, refine the conceptual model of groundwater flow, and numerically simulate the regional groundwater flow for the glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems.
- Powder River structural basin. Develop a hydrogeologic framework, estimate hydrologic budget components, and refine the conceptual model for the lower Tertiary and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems.
The MODFLOW-NWT model of predictive simulations of groundwater response to selected scenarios in the Williston Basin, United States and Canada can be found online.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Science Team about Energy and Plains and Potholes Environments (STEPPE)
Brine Contamination to Plains and Potholes Environments from Energy Development in the Williston BasinDelineation of Brine Contamination in and near the East Poplar Oil Field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Northeastern Montana
Brine is a byproduct of crude oil production. Handling and disposal of brine during the last 50 years in the East Poplar oil field has resulted in contamination of not only the shallow Quaternary aquifers, but also the Poplar River. Previous investigations have documented and partially delineated the extent of brine contamination in the East Poplar oil field during the early 1990s. In the 10 years...Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Project Period: 2016-ongoing Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program Project Chiefs: Ryan McShane and Jeremy McDowellRestoring Montana Pothole Wetlands - Demonstration Sites and Adaptive Management
Geologic processes from the last ice age have generated extensive areas of pothole wetlands in several Montana landscapes. The Laurentide ice sheet, originating in the Northwest Territories, provided the dominant force in eastern Montana. Similar landscapes developed in the broad valleys of western Montana through the actions of the Cordilleran ice sheet, originating in the mountains of British... - Data
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Clinker capped Tongue River Formation near Lame Deer, MontanaClinker is formed when rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red and brown clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Tongue River Formation sandstones and forms caps of many plateaus and buttes. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
Clinker is formed when rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red and brown clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Tongue River Formation sandstones and forms caps of many plateaus and buttes. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
Clinker outcrop along Highway 212 west of Ashland, MontanaClinker outcrop along Highway 212 west of Ashland, Montana
Clinker outcrop along Highway 212 west of Ashland, Montana
The white stone outcrop is the Tongue River FormationThe white stone outcrop is the Tongue River Formation. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
The white stone outcrop is the Tongue River Formation. Photo taken north of Lame Deer, Montana.
Clinker formation near Medora, North DakotaClinker is formed whn rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Fort Union Formation sandstone and forms the caps of many plateaus and buttes.
Clinker is formed whn rock units that overlie exposed burning coal seams are baked and fused. The red clinker is more resistant to erosion than non-baked adjacent Fort Union Formation sandstone and forms the caps of many plateaus and buttes.
Watford water depot near the center of the Williston structural basinWatford water depot. Water depots supply water for hydraulically-fractured oil and gas wells. The Watford City water depot is located near the center of the Williston structural basin
Watford water depot. Water depots supply water for hydraulically-fractured oil and gas wells. The Watford City water depot is located near the center of the Williston structural basin
Landscape near the northern Theodore Roosevelt National ParkLandscape near the northern Theodore Roosevelt National Park is characterized by the eroded Fort Union Formation.Photo is taken along Highway 85.
Landscape near the northern Theodore Roosevelt National Park is characterized by the eroded Fort Union Formation.Photo is taken along Highway 85.
Wetland water depot south of Watford City, North DakotaWetland water depot. Some North Dakota ranchers have converted their wetland water rights for industrial use as water depots. Photo taken south of Watford City, North Dakota
Wetland water depot. Some North Dakota ranchers have converted their wetland water rights for industrial use as water depots. Photo taken south of Watford City, North Dakota
Upper Lebo Member of the Fort Union Formation near Gillette, WyomingUpper Lebo Member of the Fort Union Formation. Photo taken fro the top of Cow Creek Buttes in the Burnt Hollow BLM recreation area about 20 miles northeast of Gillette, Wyoming.
Upper Lebo Member of the Fort Union Formation. Photo taken fro the top of Cow Creek Buttes in the Burnt Hollow BLM recreation area about 20 miles northeast of Gillette, Wyoming.
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