The Meridian-upper Wilcox aquifer in Mississippi

The Meridian-upper Wilcox aquifer contains freshwater in a 15 ,000 sq mi area in northwestern and central Mississippi. The aquifer comprises the Meridian Sand Member of the Tallahatta Formation and discontinuous hydraulically connected sand beds in the upper part of the Wilcox Group. The aggregate sand thickness of the aquifer ranges from less than 50 ft to about 500 ft. The withdrawal of fresh water from the aquifer in Mississippi in 1975 was about 32 Mgal/d. Long-term water-level trends indicate an average decline of about 1 ft per year. Thick, permeable sand beds yield as much as 2,800 gal/min to wells and fresh water extends to depths of more than 2,000 ft. The aquifer is used extensively in areas where the dissolved-solids content exceeds 500 mg/liter; however, the most common problems in water supplies are excessive iron and corrosiveness. (Woodard-USGS)