Delineation and description of the regional aquifers of Tennessee — The Knox Aquifer in central and west Tennessee

The Knox aquifer is composed of the Cambrian and Ordovician age carbonate rocks of the Knox Group. This aquifer occurs throughout Tennessee, west of the Valley and Ridge province. The Knox crops out in the Sequatchie Valley and in the Wells Creeks cryptoexplosive structure on the Northwestern Highland Rim. Groundwater in the upper Knox occurs primarily in solution openings. The aquifer may be recharged through fractures and faults in the overlying Ordovician limestones in Middle Tennessee. The underlying Conasauga Shale acts as the lower confining layer. Throughout parts of the Central Basin province, the Knox aquifer is an important source of water for rural domestic supplies. In these areas, groundwater from the Knox generally has less than 1,000 milligrams/L dissolved solids. Away from the Central Basin, the dissolved solids concentrations increases. It may approach brine concentrations under the Cumberland Plateau.