Hydrogeologic Aquifer Test dataset, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, December 2021

Since the 1940's, commercial, academic and government hydrologists have used aquifer tests to estimate the hydrogeologic properties of an aquifer near test wells. Results from these tests are recorded in various files, databases, reports, and scientific publications. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center (LMG) is aggregating all aquifer test results from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee into a single dataset that is publicly available in a machine-readable format.

The LMG-Hydrogeologic Aquifer Test Dataset – December 2021 contains information and results from 690 hydrogeologic aquifer tests. Additionally, this dataset contains 7 attribute tables (.txt files) with information for various fields, a zip file containing the geospatial data, a companion attribute table as a .txt file and a readme text file with definitions and descriptions of the attributes and attribute tables.

The LMG-Hydrogeologic Aquifer Test dataset – Dec2021 is available in two formats:
1) a tab delimited text (.txt) UTF-8 file and
2) an ESRI GIS point shapefile.

FIELDS INCLUDED IN THE LMG-HYDROGEOLOGIC AQUIFER TEST DATASET – Dec2021:
[a complete list of field names, their definitions and units are listed in the Readme.txt file]
Location data: USGS site identification number, local identification name, Public Land Survey System number, latitude, longitude, State and county.
Well construction data: Construction date, well depth, Diameter of well, diameter of casing, depth to top of opening (screen) interval, depth to bottom of opening interval and length of the open interval.
Aquifer data: Local aquifer name and code, national aquifer name and code, top of aquifer, bottom of aquifer, and thickness of aquifer.
Groundwater test data: Test date, yield/discharge, length of time associated with yield, static water-level in feet below land surface, production water-level in feet below land surface associated with yield, drawdown associated with yield.
Hydrogeologic data: Specific capacity, transmissivity, horizontal conductivity, vertical conductivity, permeability and storage coefficient.
Ancillary data: Method of test analysis, data source reference, and notes.

DESCRIPTIONS OF ATTACHED FILES:
Readme.txt: a text file with names, definitions and units for the aquifer test dataset and the associated attribute tables.
LMG_HydrogeologicAqfrTestDataset_Dec2021.txt: a tab-delimited, UTF-8 text file of the attribute table associated with the LMG-HydrogeologicTestData_Dec2021 geospatial dataset.
AtbtTbl_AqfrCd_Readme.txt: an UTF-8 text file containing information from the National Water Information System: Help System web page about USGS groundwater codes. (accessed December 4, 2019 at https://help.waterdata.usgs.gov/codes-and-parameters)
AtbtTbl_FipsGeographyCodes.txt: a tab-delimited, UTF-8 text file of FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) codes, uniquely identifying States, counties, and county equivalents in the United States. Note: to reduce the size of this file, city codes were removed. (accessed January 8, 2020 at https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2017/demo/popest/201…).
AtbtTbl_LocalAqfrCodes.txt: a tab-delimited, UTF-8 text file of eight-character string identifying an aquifer. Codes are defined by the "Catalog of Aquifer Names and Geologic Unit Codes used by the USGS. (accessed December 4, 2019 at https://help.waterdata.usgs.gov/aqfr_cd)
AtbtTbl_NatAqfrCodes.txt: a tab-delimited, UTF-8 text file of ten-character strings identifying a National aquifer, or principal aquifer of the United States, that are defined as regionally extensive aquifers or aquifer systems that have the potential to be used as a source of potable water. (accessed December 4, 2019 at https://water.usgs.gov/ogw/NatlAqCode-reflist.html)
AtbtTbl_TstMthdCodes.txt: a tab-delimited, UTF-8 text file of codes identifying the aquifer test analysis method when reported in the associated reference.
AtbtTbl_DataRefNo.txt: a tab-delimited, UTF-8 text file of references for the source of the associated aquifer test result.
LMG_HydrogeologicTestDataset_Dec2021.zip: Esri vector data storage format (shapefile) files for geographic information system software with well locations attributed with location data, well construction data, aquifer data, groundwater test data, hydrogeologic data, and ancillary data.

NOTE ON DATA SOURCES:
Non-USGS hydrogeologic test results reported in this data set have not been through the USGS review and approval process. Only hydrogeologic test results from USGS publications should be considered to have USGS Director’s approval. All other test results should be considered provisional. Provisional data are released on the condition that neither the USGS nor the United States Government may be held liable for any damages resulting from its use.

NOTE:
If you have aquifer test data estimating the hydrogeologic properties of an aquifer, you would like added to this dataset or have found an error, please contact the USGS so we may incorporate the information into the next version of the LMG hydrogeologic test dataset.

This dataset was developed as part of the U.S. Geological Survey, Mississippi Alluvial Plain Regional Water-Availability Study.