Hydrology of the unconfined aquifer system, Mullica River basin, New Jersey, 1991-92

The Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system, an unconfined aquifer system, is a major source of water in the Mullica River Basin in southern New Jersey. A water-level map was constructed from water levels measured in 197 wells and at 156 stream sites in the basin. Water levels in six observation wells were evaluated for seasonal fluctuations. The horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the unconfined aquifer ranges from 20 to 130 feet per day. Mean annual discharge at three streamflow-gaging stations in the Mullica River Basin during 1928-91 was 106 cubic feet per second; annual base flow at these three stations during 1928-91 ranged from 34 to 149 cubic feet per second. Mean discharge and base flow at 17 low-flow partial-record sites were determined by means of low-flow-correlation analyses. Mean annual precipitation in the study area, measured at 3 weather stations, was 45 inches during 1927-91. Annual potential evapotranspiration is estimated to be 28 inches. Twenty-five ground- and 14 surface-water-sampling sites were selected for water-quality analysis. The predominant cation in the ground and surface water is sodium; the predominant anion in the surface water is chloride and the predominant anions in the ground water are chloride and sulfate. Total consumptive water use in the study area is estimated to be more than 3,300 million gallons per year: 526 million gallons for public and private domestic water supply, 2,768 million gallons for for irrigation, and 18 million gallons for industry and mining. A water budget calculated for the Mullicat River Basin indicates that ground-water recharge is about 19 inches per year.