Wade Kress
Wade Kress is Assistant Director, Hydrologic Decision Science in the Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center.
Science and Products
Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP): Water Availability Study
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the Nation and depends on groundwater for irrigation. The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes parts of the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The U.S...
Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System
The current characterization of the MAP groundwater system relies on information gained through various methods at individual well locations. To complete a full picture of the system, the information between these points are assumed to continue over large areas. As a result, a detailed characterization of the MAP groundwater system suitable to evaluate water sustainability at the scales now...
Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP): Water Use and Availability Program
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the Nation and depends on groundwater for irrigation. The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes parts of the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The U.S...
Filter Total Items: 18
Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface and depth to water, spring 2022, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface and depth to water, spring 2022, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
Potentiometric-surface and depth-to-water maps for spring 2022 were created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) using most of the available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. The potentiometric surface was referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), This data release contains (1) the location...
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric surveys of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Chicot Aquifer System, March 2018 and May - August 2021 Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric surveys of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Chicot Aquifer System, March 2018 and May - August 2021
Airborne geophysical surveys were acquired in March 2018 and May 25 through August 7, 2021 using a helicopter-based platform. These surveys were collected along 10,706 line-kilometers (line-km) within selected areas of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) and the Chicot Aquifer System in the southeastern United States. The airborne geophysical surveys include electromagnetic, magnetic...
Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the US and extracts more than 11 km3/year for irrigation activities. The heavy drivers of groundwater use are aquaculture and crops, which include rice, cotton, corn, and soybeans (Wilson, 2021). Consequently, groundwater-level declines in the MAP region (Clark and others, 2011) pose a substantial...
Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model (AIWUM) 2.0 input and output datasets Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model (AIWUM) 2.0 input and output datasets
Datasets are inputs and outputs of Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model (AIWUM) 2.0. AIWUM 2.0 employs remote sensing data sets and machine learning utilizing Distributed Random Forests, an ensemble machine learning algorithm to estimate annual and monthly groundwater use for irrigation and aquaculture (2014–20) throughout this region at 1 km resolution, using annual pumping data...
Datasets of depth to water, spring 2016, 2018, and 2020, and spring-to-spring water-level change 2016-18, 2018-20, and 2016-20, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Datasets of depth to water, spring 2016, 2018, and 2020, and spring-to-spring water-level change 2016-18, 2018-20, and 2016-20, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
This data release consists of 4 data sets--rasters of generalized depth to water in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) in spring 2016, 2018, and 2020 and a point file of the wells with water-level measurements used to create the depth to water rasters and, for each well with applicable data, the values of water-level change from spring 2016 to spring 2018, spring 2018...
Floating and Towed Transient Electromagnetic Surveys used to Characterize Hydrogeology underlying Rivers and Estuaries: March - December 2018 Floating and Towed Transient Electromagnetic Surveys used to Characterize Hydrogeology underlying Rivers and Estuaries: March - December 2018
Surface and water-borne geophysical methods can provide information for the characterization of the subsurface structure of the earth for aquifer investigations. Floating and towed transient electromagnetic (FloaTEM and tTEM) surveys provide resistivity soundings of the subsurface, which can be related to lithology and hydrogeology. In the TEM method, a primary electrical current is...
Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys conducted near campgrounds on the Buffalo National River, Arkansas Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys conducted near campgrounds on the Buffalo National River, Arkansas
Karst environments present many challenges to agencies and engineers attempting to work in these landscapes, particularly towards building infrastructure. The interconnectivity of karst hydrologic systems means that activities occurring on the surface of a karst landscape can have an impact on water quality and quantity. Additionally, soil thickness in karst landscape is often highly...
Thickness of the Chicot aquifer system of southwestern Louisiana's surficial confining unit and shallow sand lenses Thickness of the Chicot aquifer system of southwestern Louisiana's surficial confining unit and shallow sand lenses
The Chicot aquifer system is a vital water resource for Southwestern Louisiana, providing nearly half of the fresh groundwater the region consumes (Sargent, 2011). The aquifer’s surficial confining unit consists of a wedge-shaped thickening sequence of south to southeastern dipping, interbedded clays and coarser material (primarily sand and gravel). In collaboration with the Louisiana...
Historical (1940–2006) and recent (2019–20) aquifer slug test datasets used to model transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer from recent (2018–20) airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey d Historical (1940–2006) and recent (2019–20) aquifer slug test datasets used to model transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer from recent (2018–20) airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey d
The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (“alluvial aquifer”) is one of the most extensively developed aquifers in the United States. The alluvial aquifer is present at the land surface in parts of southeastern Missouri, northeastern Louisiana, western Mississippi, western Tennessee and Kentucky near the Mississippi River, and throughout eastern Arkansas. Historical (1940–2006) and...
Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020 Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020
A potentiometric-surface map for spring 2020 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA), which was referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), using most of the available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. The location and water-level altitude in feet for these wells and streamgages in...
Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018 Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018
A potentiometric-surface map for spring 2018 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial (MRVA) aquifer, which was referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), using most of the available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. Most of the wells were measured annually or one time, after installation, but some...
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2018 - February 2019 Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2018 - February 2019
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired November 2018 to February 2019 along 16,816 line-kilometers (line-km) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). Data were acquired by CGG Canada Services, Ltd. with three different helicopter-borne sensors: the CGG Canada Services, Ltd. Resolve frequency-domain AEM instrument that is used to map subsurface...
Altitude of the potentiometric surface and depth to water in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2022 Altitude of the potentiometric surface and depth to water in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2022
Potentiometric-surface and depth-to-water maps for spring 2022 were created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) using groundwater-altitude data from 1,136 wells completed in the MRVA and from the altitude of the top of the water surface in area rivers from 160 streamgages. The potentiometric-surface and depth-to-water maps for 2022 were created to support...
Estimating streambed hydraulic conductivity for selected streams in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain using continuous resistivity profiling methods—Delta region Estimating streambed hydraulic conductivity for selected streams in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain using continuous resistivity profiling methods—Delta region
Introduction The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is one of the most important agricultural regions in the United States, and crop productivity relies on groundwater irrigation from an aquifer system whose full capacity is unknown. Groundwater withdrawals from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer have resulted in substantial groundwater-level declines and reductions in base flow in...
Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020 Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020
The purpose of this report is to present a potentiometric-surface map for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA). The source data for the map were groundwater-altitude data from wells measured manually or continuously generally in spring 2020 and from the altitude of the top of the water surface measured generally on April 9, 2020, in rivers in the area.
Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018 Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018
A potentiometric-surface map for spring 2018 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial (MRVA) aquifer using available groundwater-altitude data from 1,126 wells completed in the MRVA aquifer and from the altitude of the top of the water surface in area rivers from 66 streamgages. Personnel from Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas...
High-resolution airborne geophysical survey of the Shellmound, Mississippi area High-resolution airborne geophysical survey of the Shellmound, Mississippi area
In late February to early March 2018, the U.S. Geological Survey acquired 2,364 line-kilometers (km) of airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric data in the Shellmound, Mississippi study area. The purpose of this survey is to contribute high-resolution information about subsurface geologic structure to inform groundwater models, water resource infrastructure studies, and local...
Potentiometric surface of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2016 Potentiometric surface of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2016
A potentiometric surface map for spring 2016 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial (MRVA) aquifer using selected available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. Most of the wells were measured annually or one time after installation, but some wells were measured more than one time or continually; streamgages are typically...
...
Filter Total Items: 31
Airborne geophysical analysis to decipher salinization for coastal Louisiana Airborne geophysical analysis to decipher salinization for coastal Louisiana
Coastal Louisiana is known for saltwater intrusion that threatens wetlands, aquifers, and rivers. However, the extent of saltwater intrusion is not well understood. This study develops an innovative framework with airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data to map chloride concentration distributions for wetlands in the Mississippi River deltaic plain and Chenier plain as well as for the...
Authors
Michael Attia, Frank Tsai, Shuo Yang, Burke Minsley, Wade Kress
Improving crop-specific groundwater use estimation in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain: Implications for integrated remote sensing and machine learning approaches in data-scarce regions Improving crop-specific groundwater use estimation in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain: Implications for integrated remote sensing and machine learning approaches in data-scarce regions
Study regionThe Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) in the United States (US).Study focusUnderstanding local-scale groundwater use, a critical component of the water budget, is necessary for implementing sustainable water management practices. The MAP is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the US and extracts more than 11 km3/year for irrigation activities. Consequently...
Authors
Sayantan Majumdar, Ryan Smith, Fahim Hasan, Jordan Wilson, Vincent White, Emilia L. Bristow, James Rigby, Wade Kress, Jaime Painter
Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using random forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018 Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using random forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018
Improved simulations of streamflow and base flow for selected sites within and adjacent to the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain area are important for modeling groundwater flow because surface-water flows have a substantial effect on groundwater levels. One method for simulating streamflow and base flow, random forest (RF) models, was developed from the data at gaged sites and, in turn...
Authors
Benjamin Dietsch, William Asquith, Brian Breaker, Stephen Westenbroek, Wade Kress
A model of transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity from electrical resistivity distribution derived from airborne electromagnetic surveys of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, Midwest USA A model of transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity from electrical resistivity distribution derived from airborne electromagnetic surveys of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, Midwest USA
Groundwater-flow models require the spatial distribution of the hydraulic conductivity parameter. One approach to defining this spatial distribution in groundwater-flow model grids is to map the electrical resistivity distribution by airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey and establish a petrophysical relation between mean resistivity calculated as a nonlinear function of the resistivity...
Authors
Scott Ikard, Burke Minsley, James Rigby, Wade Kress
Evaluation of electrical and electromagnetic geophysical techniques to inspect earthen dam and levee structures in Arkansas Evaluation of electrical and electromagnetic geophysical techniques to inspect earthen dam and levee structures in Arkansas
Within the state of Arkansas there is an increasing number of aging dams and levees that have little to no documentation concerning their construction or composition. Surface geophysical surveys offer a non-intrusive method for investigating these structures: To describe their lithologic makeup, to evaluate the materials that they were constructed upon, and to identify potential flow...
Authors
Ryan Adams, Benjamin Miller, Wade Kress, Scott Ikard, Jason Payne, Walter Killion
Airborne geophysical surveys of the lower Mississippi Valley demonstrate system-scale mapping of subsurface architecture Airborne geophysical surveys of the lower Mississippi Valley demonstrate system-scale mapping of subsurface architecture
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain hosts one of the most prolific shallow aquifer systems in the United States but is experiencing chronic groundwater decline. The Reelfoot rift and New Madrid seismic zone underlie the region and represent an important and poorly understood seismic hazard. Despite its societal and economic importance, the shallow subsurface architecture has not been mapped...
Authors
Burke Minsley, James Rigby, Stephanie James, Bethany Burton, Katherine Knierim, Michael Pace, Paul Bedrosian, Wade Kress
Methods to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information—Examples for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Methods to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information—Examples for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
Large-scale computational investigations of groundwater levels are proposed to accelerate science delivery through a workflow spanning database assembly, statistics, and information synthesis and packaging. A water-availability study of the Mississippi River alluvial plain, and particularly the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA), is ongoing. Software (visGWDBmrva) has been...
Authors
William Asquith, Ronald Seanor, Virginia McGuire, Wade Kress
Characterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology Characterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology
The hydrogeology below large surface water features such as rivers and estuaries is universally under-informed at the long reach to basin scales (tens of km+). This challenge inhibits the accurate modeling of fresh/saline groundwater interfaces and groundwater/surface water exchange patterns at management-relevant spatial extents. Here we introduce a towed, floating transient...
Authors
John Lane, Martin A. Briggs, PK Maurya, Eric White, JB Pedersen, Esben Auken, Neil Terry, Burke Minsley, Wade Kress, Denis LeBlanc, Ryan Adams, Carole D. Johnson
Hydrogeologic framework and simulation of predevelopment groundwater flow, eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates Hydrogeologic framework and simulation of predevelopment groundwater flow, eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Groundwater in eastern Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is an important resource that is widely used for irrigation and domestic supplies in rural areas. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Environment Agency—Abu Dhabi cooperated on an investigation to integrate existing hydrogeologic information and to answer questions about regional groundwater resources in Abu Dhabi by developing...
Authors
Jack R. Eggleston, Thomas J. Mack, Jeffrey Imes, Wade Kress, Dennis Woodward, Daniel Bright
Use of a towed electromagnetic induction (tTem) system for shallow aquifer characterization – An example from the Mississippi Alluvial Plain Use of a towed electromagnetic induction (tTem) system for shallow aquifer characterization – An example from the Mississippi Alluvial Plain
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) aquifer system is a vital resource that supports agriculture in one of the most productive regions of the country. The U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program (WAUSP) is conducting a multi-discipline investigation of the MAP aquifer system. The investigation is utilizing borehole, surface, and airborne geophysical methods to...
Authors
Eric White, Carole D. Johnson, Pradip Maurya, Wade Kress, David Kelly, John Lane
Characterizing groundwater/surface-water interaction using hydrograph-separation techniques and groundwater-level data throughout the Mississippi Delta, USA Characterizing groundwater/surface-water interaction using hydrograph-separation techniques and groundwater-level data throughout the Mississippi Delta, USA
The Mississippi Delta, located in northwest Mississippi, is an area dense with industrial-level agriculture sustained by groundwater-dependent irrigation supplied by the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial aquifer (alluvial aquifer). The Delta provides agricultural commodities across the United States and around the world. Observed declines in groundwater altitudes and streamflow...
Authors
Courtney Killian, William Asquith, Jeannie Barlow, Gardner C. Bent, Wade Kress, Paul Barlow, Darrel Schmitz
The use of national datasets to produce an average annual water budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, 2000–13 The use of national datasets to produce an average annual water budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, 2000–13
OverviewWater is a critically important resource for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) region, supporting a multibillion-dollar agricultural industry. There are concerns that continued withdrawals of groundwater for irrigation may decrease future water supplies. The U.S. Geological Survey has a history of conducting research in the MAP region and recently began an effort to integrate...
Authors
Meredith Reitz, Wade Kress
Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) Regional Water Availability Study Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) Regional Water Availability Study
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) has become one of the most important agricultural regions in the US, and it relies heavily on a groundwater system that is poorly understood and shows signs of substantial change.
Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the US and extracts more than 11 km3/year for irrigation activities. The heavy drivers of groundwater use are aquaculture and crops, which include rice, cotton, corn, and soybeans (Wilson, 2021). Consequently, groundwater-level declines in the MAP region (Clark and others, 2011) pose a substantial...
Source code in R to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information, visGWDB---Groundwater-level informatics with demonstration for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Source code in R to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information, visGWDB---Groundwater-level informatics with demonstration for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
This page contains extensive source code in the R language supporting groundwater level informatics, and the entry point is the script visGWDB.R. The approximately 4,000 lines of aggregate code requires also extensive external dependencies. The code provides for near arbitrary-scale information processing of observations or recordings of water levels associated groundwater resources. The...
Science and Products
Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP): Water Availability Study
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the Nation and depends on groundwater for irrigation. The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes parts of the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The U.S...
Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System
The current characterization of the MAP groundwater system relies on information gained through various methods at individual well locations. To complete a full picture of the system, the information between these points are assumed to continue over large areas. As a result, a detailed characterization of the MAP groundwater system suitable to evaluate water sustainability at the scales now...
Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP): Water Use and Availability Program
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the Nation and depends on groundwater for irrigation. The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes parts of the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The U.S...
Filter Total Items: 18
Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface and depth to water, spring 2022, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface and depth to water, spring 2022, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
Potentiometric-surface and depth-to-water maps for spring 2022 were created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) using most of the available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. The potentiometric surface was referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), This data release contains (1) the location...
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric surveys of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Chicot Aquifer System, March 2018 and May - August 2021 Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric surveys of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Chicot Aquifer System, March 2018 and May - August 2021
Airborne geophysical surveys were acquired in March 2018 and May 25 through August 7, 2021 using a helicopter-based platform. These surveys were collected along 10,706 line-kilometers (line-km) within selected areas of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) and the Chicot Aquifer System in the southeastern United States. The airborne geophysical surveys include electromagnetic, magnetic...
Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the US and extracts more than 11 km3/year for irrigation activities. The heavy drivers of groundwater use are aquaculture and crops, which include rice, cotton, corn, and soybeans (Wilson, 2021). Consequently, groundwater-level declines in the MAP region (Clark and others, 2011) pose a substantial...
Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model (AIWUM) 2.0 input and output datasets Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model (AIWUM) 2.0 input and output datasets
Datasets are inputs and outputs of Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model (AIWUM) 2.0. AIWUM 2.0 employs remote sensing data sets and machine learning utilizing Distributed Random Forests, an ensemble machine learning algorithm to estimate annual and monthly groundwater use for irrigation and aquaculture (2014–20) throughout this region at 1 km resolution, using annual pumping data...
Datasets of depth to water, spring 2016, 2018, and 2020, and spring-to-spring water-level change 2016-18, 2018-20, and 2016-20, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Datasets of depth to water, spring 2016, 2018, and 2020, and spring-to-spring water-level change 2016-18, 2018-20, and 2016-20, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
This data release consists of 4 data sets--rasters of generalized depth to water in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) in spring 2016, 2018, and 2020 and a point file of the wells with water-level measurements used to create the depth to water rasters and, for each well with applicable data, the values of water-level change from spring 2016 to spring 2018, spring 2018...
Floating and Towed Transient Electromagnetic Surveys used to Characterize Hydrogeology underlying Rivers and Estuaries: March - December 2018 Floating and Towed Transient Electromagnetic Surveys used to Characterize Hydrogeology underlying Rivers and Estuaries: March - December 2018
Surface and water-borne geophysical methods can provide information for the characterization of the subsurface structure of the earth for aquifer investigations. Floating and towed transient electromagnetic (FloaTEM and tTEM) surveys provide resistivity soundings of the subsurface, which can be related to lithology and hydrogeology. In the TEM method, a primary electrical current is...
Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys conducted near campgrounds on the Buffalo National River, Arkansas Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys conducted near campgrounds on the Buffalo National River, Arkansas
Karst environments present many challenges to agencies and engineers attempting to work in these landscapes, particularly towards building infrastructure. The interconnectivity of karst hydrologic systems means that activities occurring on the surface of a karst landscape can have an impact on water quality and quantity. Additionally, soil thickness in karst landscape is often highly...
Thickness of the Chicot aquifer system of southwestern Louisiana's surficial confining unit and shallow sand lenses Thickness of the Chicot aquifer system of southwestern Louisiana's surficial confining unit and shallow sand lenses
The Chicot aquifer system is a vital water resource for Southwestern Louisiana, providing nearly half of the fresh groundwater the region consumes (Sargent, 2011). The aquifer’s surficial confining unit consists of a wedge-shaped thickening sequence of south to southeastern dipping, interbedded clays and coarser material (primarily sand and gravel). In collaboration with the Louisiana...
Historical (1940–2006) and recent (2019–20) aquifer slug test datasets used to model transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer from recent (2018–20) airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey d Historical (1940–2006) and recent (2019–20) aquifer slug test datasets used to model transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer from recent (2018–20) airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey d
The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (“alluvial aquifer”) is one of the most extensively developed aquifers in the United States. The alluvial aquifer is present at the land surface in parts of southeastern Missouri, northeastern Louisiana, western Mississippi, western Tennessee and Kentucky near the Mississippi River, and throughout eastern Arkansas. Historical (1940–2006) and...
Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020 Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020
A potentiometric-surface map for spring 2020 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA), which was referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), using most of the available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. The location and water-level altitude in feet for these wells and streamgages in...
Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018 Datasets used to map the potentiometric surface, Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018
A potentiometric-surface map for spring 2018 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial (MRVA) aquifer, which was referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), using most of the available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. Most of the wells were measured annually or one time, after installation, but some...
Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2018 - February 2019 Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, November 2018 - February 2019
Airborne electromagnetic (AEM), magnetic, and radiometric data were acquired November 2018 to February 2019 along 16,816 line-kilometers (line-km) over the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). Data were acquired by CGG Canada Services, Ltd. with three different helicopter-borne sensors: the CGG Canada Services, Ltd. Resolve frequency-domain AEM instrument that is used to map subsurface...
Altitude of the potentiometric surface and depth to water in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2022 Altitude of the potentiometric surface and depth to water in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2022
Potentiometric-surface and depth-to-water maps for spring 2022 were created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) using groundwater-altitude data from 1,136 wells completed in the MRVA and from the altitude of the top of the water surface in area rivers from 160 streamgages. The potentiometric-surface and depth-to-water maps for 2022 were created to support...
Estimating streambed hydraulic conductivity for selected streams in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain using continuous resistivity profiling methods—Delta region Estimating streambed hydraulic conductivity for selected streams in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain using continuous resistivity profiling methods—Delta region
Introduction The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is one of the most important agricultural regions in the United States, and crop productivity relies on groundwater irrigation from an aquifer system whose full capacity is unknown. Groundwater withdrawals from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer have resulted in substantial groundwater-level declines and reductions in base flow in...
Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020 Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2020
The purpose of this report is to present a potentiometric-surface map for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA). The source data for the map were groundwater-altitude data from wells measured manually or continuously generally in spring 2020 and from the altitude of the top of the water surface measured generally on April 9, 2020, in rivers in the area.
Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018 Altitude of the potentiometric surface in the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2018
A potentiometric-surface map for spring 2018 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial (MRVA) aquifer using available groundwater-altitude data from 1,126 wells completed in the MRVA aquifer and from the altitude of the top of the water surface in area rivers from 66 streamgages. Personnel from Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas...
High-resolution airborne geophysical survey of the Shellmound, Mississippi area High-resolution airborne geophysical survey of the Shellmound, Mississippi area
In late February to early March 2018, the U.S. Geological Survey acquired 2,364 line-kilometers (km) of airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric data in the Shellmound, Mississippi study area. The purpose of this survey is to contribute high-resolution information about subsurface geologic structure to inform groundwater models, water resource infrastructure studies, and local...
Potentiometric surface of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2016 Potentiometric surface of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, spring 2016
A potentiometric surface map for spring 2016 was created for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial (MRVA) aquifer using selected available groundwater-altitude data from wells and surface-water-altitude data from streamgages. Most of the wells were measured annually or one time after installation, but some wells were measured more than one time or continually; streamgages are typically...
...
Filter Total Items: 31
Airborne geophysical analysis to decipher salinization for coastal Louisiana Airborne geophysical analysis to decipher salinization for coastal Louisiana
Coastal Louisiana is known for saltwater intrusion that threatens wetlands, aquifers, and rivers. However, the extent of saltwater intrusion is not well understood. This study develops an innovative framework with airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data to map chloride concentration distributions for wetlands in the Mississippi River deltaic plain and Chenier plain as well as for the...
Authors
Michael Attia, Frank Tsai, Shuo Yang, Burke Minsley, Wade Kress
Improving crop-specific groundwater use estimation in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain: Implications for integrated remote sensing and machine learning approaches in data-scarce regions Improving crop-specific groundwater use estimation in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain: Implications for integrated remote sensing and machine learning approaches in data-scarce regions
Study regionThe Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) in the United States (US).Study focusUnderstanding local-scale groundwater use, a critical component of the water budget, is necessary for implementing sustainable water management practices. The MAP is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the US and extracts more than 11 km3/year for irrigation activities. Consequently...
Authors
Sayantan Majumdar, Ryan Smith, Fahim Hasan, Jordan Wilson, Vincent White, Emilia L. Bristow, James Rigby, Wade Kress, Jaime Painter
Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using random forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018 Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using random forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018
Improved simulations of streamflow and base flow for selected sites within and adjacent to the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain area are important for modeling groundwater flow because surface-water flows have a substantial effect on groundwater levels. One method for simulating streamflow and base flow, random forest (RF) models, was developed from the data at gaged sites and, in turn...
Authors
Benjamin Dietsch, William Asquith, Brian Breaker, Stephen Westenbroek, Wade Kress
A model of transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity from electrical resistivity distribution derived from airborne electromagnetic surveys of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, Midwest USA A model of transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity from electrical resistivity distribution derived from airborne electromagnetic surveys of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, Midwest USA
Groundwater-flow models require the spatial distribution of the hydraulic conductivity parameter. One approach to defining this spatial distribution in groundwater-flow model grids is to map the electrical resistivity distribution by airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey and establish a petrophysical relation between mean resistivity calculated as a nonlinear function of the resistivity...
Authors
Scott Ikard, Burke Minsley, James Rigby, Wade Kress
Evaluation of electrical and electromagnetic geophysical techniques to inspect earthen dam and levee structures in Arkansas Evaluation of electrical and electromagnetic geophysical techniques to inspect earthen dam and levee structures in Arkansas
Within the state of Arkansas there is an increasing number of aging dams and levees that have little to no documentation concerning their construction or composition. Surface geophysical surveys offer a non-intrusive method for investigating these structures: To describe their lithologic makeup, to evaluate the materials that they were constructed upon, and to identify potential flow...
Authors
Ryan Adams, Benjamin Miller, Wade Kress, Scott Ikard, Jason Payne, Walter Killion
Airborne geophysical surveys of the lower Mississippi Valley demonstrate system-scale mapping of subsurface architecture Airborne geophysical surveys of the lower Mississippi Valley demonstrate system-scale mapping of subsurface architecture
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain hosts one of the most prolific shallow aquifer systems in the United States but is experiencing chronic groundwater decline. The Reelfoot rift and New Madrid seismic zone underlie the region and represent an important and poorly understood seismic hazard. Despite its societal and economic importance, the shallow subsurface architecture has not been mapped...
Authors
Burke Minsley, James Rigby, Stephanie James, Bethany Burton, Katherine Knierim, Michael Pace, Paul Bedrosian, Wade Kress
Methods to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information—Examples for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Methods to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information—Examples for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
Large-scale computational investigations of groundwater levels are proposed to accelerate science delivery through a workflow spanning database assembly, statistics, and information synthesis and packaging. A water-availability study of the Mississippi River alluvial plain, and particularly the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA), is ongoing. Software (visGWDBmrva) has been...
Authors
William Asquith, Ronald Seanor, Virginia McGuire, Wade Kress
Characterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology Characterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology
The hydrogeology below large surface water features such as rivers and estuaries is universally under-informed at the long reach to basin scales (tens of km+). This challenge inhibits the accurate modeling of fresh/saline groundwater interfaces and groundwater/surface water exchange patterns at management-relevant spatial extents. Here we introduce a towed, floating transient...
Authors
John Lane, Martin A. Briggs, PK Maurya, Eric White, JB Pedersen, Esben Auken, Neil Terry, Burke Minsley, Wade Kress, Denis LeBlanc, Ryan Adams, Carole D. Johnson
Hydrogeologic framework and simulation of predevelopment groundwater flow, eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates Hydrogeologic framework and simulation of predevelopment groundwater flow, eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Groundwater in eastern Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is an important resource that is widely used for irrigation and domestic supplies in rural areas. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Environment Agency—Abu Dhabi cooperated on an investigation to integrate existing hydrogeologic information and to answer questions about regional groundwater resources in Abu Dhabi by developing...
Authors
Jack R. Eggleston, Thomas J. Mack, Jeffrey Imes, Wade Kress, Dennis Woodward, Daniel Bright
Use of a towed electromagnetic induction (tTem) system for shallow aquifer characterization – An example from the Mississippi Alluvial Plain Use of a towed electromagnetic induction (tTem) system for shallow aquifer characterization – An example from the Mississippi Alluvial Plain
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) aquifer system is a vital resource that supports agriculture in one of the most productive regions of the country. The U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program (WAUSP) is conducting a multi-discipline investigation of the MAP aquifer system. The investigation is utilizing borehole, surface, and airborne geophysical methods to...
Authors
Eric White, Carole D. Johnson, Pradip Maurya, Wade Kress, David Kelly, John Lane
Characterizing groundwater/surface-water interaction using hydrograph-separation techniques and groundwater-level data throughout the Mississippi Delta, USA Characterizing groundwater/surface-water interaction using hydrograph-separation techniques and groundwater-level data throughout the Mississippi Delta, USA
The Mississippi Delta, located in northwest Mississippi, is an area dense with industrial-level agriculture sustained by groundwater-dependent irrigation supplied by the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial aquifer (alluvial aquifer). The Delta provides agricultural commodities across the United States and around the world. Observed declines in groundwater altitudes and streamflow...
Authors
Courtney Killian, William Asquith, Jeannie Barlow, Gardner C. Bent, Wade Kress, Paul Barlow, Darrel Schmitz
The use of national datasets to produce an average annual water budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, 2000–13 The use of national datasets to produce an average annual water budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, 2000–13
OverviewWater is a critically important resource for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) region, supporting a multibillion-dollar agricultural industry. There are concerns that continued withdrawals of groundwater for irrigation may decrease future water supplies. The U.S. Geological Survey has a history of conducting research in the MAP region and recently began an effort to integrate...
Authors
Meredith Reitz, Wade Kress
Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) Regional Water Availability Study Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) Regional Water Availability Study
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) has become one of the most important agricultural regions in the US, and it relies heavily on a groundwater system that is poorly understood and shows signs of substantial change.
Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software Aquaculture and Irrigation Water Use Model 2.0 Software
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the US and extracts more than 11 km3/year for irrigation activities. The heavy drivers of groundwater use are aquaculture and crops, which include rice, cotton, corn, and soybeans (Wilson, 2021). Consequently, groundwater-level declines in the MAP region (Clark and others, 2011) pose a substantial...
Source code in R to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information, visGWDB---Groundwater-level informatics with demonstration for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer Source code in R to quality assure, plot, summarize, interpolate, and extend groundwater-level information, visGWDB---Groundwater-level informatics with demonstration for the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
This page contains extensive source code in the R language supporting groundwater level informatics, and the entry point is the script visGWDB.R. The approximately 4,000 lines of aggregate code requires also extensive external dependencies. The code provides for near arbitrary-scale information processing of observations or recordings of water levels associated groundwater resources. The...