Lake Michigan Basin groundwater system
Science Center Objects
The study area for the Lake Michigan Basin groundwater-flow model encompasses the entire Michigan Structural Basin centered in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and extending into parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada.
Within the Michigan Structural Basin, Precambrian crystalline rocks and the Precambrian Jacobsville Sandstone are overlain by approximately 14,000 feet of younger Paleozoic and Mesozoic Era sedimentary rocks. The Paleozoic Era rocks are made up of Cambrian Period sandstones and dolomites, Ordovician Period sandstones and limestones overlain by shale, Silurian and Devonian Period limestones and dolomites, and Mississippian Period limestones and shales. The Mesozoic Era rocks are made up of Pennsylvanian Period sandstones and shales and Jurassic Period sandstones. These rocks are overlain by glacial deposits from Wisconsinan age and earlier glaciations and unconsolidated sediment of recent age. All of the glacial and unconsolidated sediments and sedimentary rocks located within the boundary of the study area are included within the Lake Michigan Basin model. The sedimentary rocks within the boundary of the simulation were divided into 15 hydrogeologic units. The 15 units were then subdivided into a total of 20 model layers (L1 through L20 below) for use within the simulation. The Silurian-Devonian and Mount Simon hydrogeologic units were subdivided into three and two model layers, respectively. Both the hydrogeologic units and model layers were identified by evaluating the major lithology of the geologic formation and its relative importance as a water-bearing formation within the simulation area.
The data below are supplemental to Hydrogeologic framework of bedrock units and initial salinity distribution for a simulation of groundwater flow for the Lake Michigan basin (USGS Scientific Investiations Report 2009-5060). The report includes a description of methods used to derive the data.
Click on the links below to download files for this aquifer. For information about the available file types, see Aquifer data: Explanation of spatial data formats.
Hydrogeologic Unit Surfaces: Metadata Shapefile Text File
- Land surface (LSD) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Quaternary unit (L1_3) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Jurassic unit (L4) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Upper Pennsylvanian unit (L5) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Lower Pennsylvanian unit (L6) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Michigan Formation unit (L7) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Marshall Formation unit (L8) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Devonian-Mississippian unit (L9) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Silurian-Devonian unit (L10_12) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Maquoketa Formation unit (L13) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Sinnipee Formation unit (L14) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- St. Peter Formation (L15) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Prairie du Chien-Franconia unit (L16) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Ironton-Galesville unit (L17) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Eau Claire unit (L18) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
- Mt. Simon Formaton unit (L19_20) ASCII grid (Model Resolution)
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Date published: March 8, 2021Status: ActivePrincipal Aquifers of the United States
This website compiles USGS resources and data related to principal aquifers including Aquifer Basics, principal aquifers maps and GIS data, and the National Aquifer Code Reference List.
Contacts: Ask USGSAttribution: Water Resources -
Date published: February 28, 2019Status: ActiveNational Water Census: Regional Groundwater Availability Studies
The National Water Census includes regional analysis of groundwater availability, enabling information to be integrated and consistent so the resource can be analyzed and understood on an aquifer–wide scale. The NWC also seeks to increase capacity to integrate groundwater and surface water into watershed-level assessments of water availability.
Attribution: Water Resources
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Year Published: 2009Hydrogeologic Framework of Bedrock Units and Initial Salinity Distribution for a Simulation of Groundwater Flow for the Lake Michigan Basin
The U.S. Geological Survey is assessing groundwater availability in the Lake Michigan Basin. As part of the assessment, a variable-density groundwater-flow model is being developed to simulate the effects of groundwater use on water availability throughout the basin. The hydrogeologic framework for the Lake Michigan Basin model was developed by...
Lampe, David C.Attribution: Water ResourcesView CitationHydrogeologic Framework of Bedrock Units and Initial Salinity Distribution for a Simulation of Groundwater Flow for the Lake Michigan Basin; 2009; SIR; 2009-5060; Lampe, David C.
Ground Water Atlas of the United States
PrefaceThe Ground Water Atlas of the United States presents a comprehensive summary of the Nation's ground-water resources and is a basic reference for the location, geography, geology, and hydrologic characteristics of the major aquifers in the Nation. The information was collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies during the...
Principal aquifers [of the United States]
No abstract available.
Miller, James A.