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
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)
Delineation of Brine Contamination in and near the East Poplar Oil Field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Northeastern Montana
Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Restoring Montana Pothole Wetlands - Demonstration Sites and Adaptive Management
Below are data associated with this project.
Water Use Data for Hydraulic Fracturing Treatments in and near the Williston Basin, United States, 2000-2015
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
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
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 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. 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 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. 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. 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.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Williston Basin groundwater availability, United States and Canada
Groundwater availability of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada
Construction and calibration of a groundwater-flow model to assess groundwater availability in the uppermost principal aquifer systems of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada
Conceptual model of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada
Hydrogeologic framework of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada
Selected geologic data from the Northern Great Plains area of Montana
Below are news stories associated with this project.
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)
Delineation of Brine Contamination in and near the East Poplar Oil Field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Northeastern Montana
Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Restoring Montana Pothole Wetlands - Demonstration Sites and Adaptive Management
Below are data associated with this project.
Water Use Data for Hydraulic Fracturing Treatments in and near the Williston Basin, United States, 2000-2015
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
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 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
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 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. 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 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. 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. 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.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Williston Basin groundwater availability, United States and Canada
Groundwater availability of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada
Construction and calibration of a groundwater-flow model to assess groundwater availability in the uppermost principal aquifer systems of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada
Conceptual model of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada
Hydrogeologic framework of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada
Selected geologic data from the Northern Great Plains area of Montana
Below are news stories associated with this project.