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 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.
- 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
Below are data associated with this project.
Water Use Data for Hydraulic Fracturing Treatments in and near the Williston Basin, United States, 2000-2015
Water used for hydraulic fracturing treatments in and near the Williston Basin during 2000-2015, was estimated using data reported in IHS Markit (TM) (2016). Hydraulic fracturing treatment data from IHS Markit (TM) (2016) may include volumes in a variety of measurement units, and they may include multiple treatments per well. All listed treatments within the study area were converted to gallons an - Multimedia
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Williston Basin groundwater availability, United States and Canada
The Williston Basin contains important oil and gas resources for the Nation. Freshwater supplies are limited in this semiarid area, and oil and gas development can require large volumes of freshwater. Groundwater is the primary source of water for many water users in the Williston Basin, so to better understand these resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed the groundwater availabilitAuthorsJoanna N. Thamke, Andrew J. Long, Kyle W. DavisGroundwater availability of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada
Executive SummaryThe Williston Basin of the Northern Great Plains is a sedimentary basin—a geologic bowl-like structure filled with layered sedimentary rocks dating as far back as the Paleozoic age. The basin, which is nationally important for the production of energy resources, spans Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States, and Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada. The three uAuthorsAndrew J. Long, Joanna N. Thamke, Kyle W. Davis, Timothy T. BartosConstruction 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
The U.S. Geological Survey developed a groundwater-flow model for the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston Basin in parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States and parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada as part of a detailed assessment of the groundwater availability in the area. The assessment was done because of the potential for increased demandsAuthorsKyle W. Davis, Andrew J. LongConceptual model of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada
The three uppermost principal aquifer systems of the Northern Great Plains—the glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems—are described in this report and provide water for irrigation, mining, public and domestic supply, livestock, and industrial uses. These aquifer systems primarily are present in two nationally important fossil-fuelproducing areas: the Williston and Powder RivAuthorsAndrew J. Long, Katherine R. Aurand, Jennifer M. Bednar, Kyle W. Davis, Jonathan D.R.G. McKaskey, Joanna N. ThamkeHydrogeologic framework of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada
The glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins within the United States and Canada are the uppermost principal aquifer systems and most accessible sources of groundwater for these energy-producing basins. The glacial aquifer system covers the northeastern part of the Williston structural basin. The lower Tertiary and Upper CretAuthorsJoanna N. Thamke, Gary D. LeCain, Derek W. Ryter, Roy Sando, Andrew J. LongSelected geologic data from the Northern Great Plains area of Montana
AuthorsR.D. Feltis, B. D. Lewis, R.L. Frasure, R.P. Rioux, C.A. Jauhola, W. R. Hotchkiss - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.