Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper Volume 1669 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ...downdip along the southern limits of the aquifer area. Too 1 ittle data are available about the hydrologic characteristics of the limestone and sand aquifers of early Tertiary age. Fiodb- 4.--Sketch of city well 15, Albany, Ga., showing development of several water-bearing zones. SUMMARY About 5.0 billion gpd probably could be developed from the aquifers of early Tertiary age in the study area. Development along the major river valleys could induce large amounts of recharge from the rivers. Data are not available to refine this prediction of the amount of water that is available nor of the effect of development on the aquifers, confining beds, the flow of rivers, and salt-water encroachment. PRINCIPAL ARTESIAN AQUIFER The principal artesian aquifer is the most extensively used aquifer system in the study area. In the study area, it underlies two-thirds of Georgia, all of Florida, and small parts of southwestern South Carolina and southeastern Alabama (fig. 5). It is predominantly a limestone aquifer, although it contains beds of dolomite, sand, silt, clay, and marl. It consists of several formations, and their terminology varies from one State to another. The Ocala Limestone of late Eocene age occurs in all four States, and it and the upper and lower contiguous formations, which are hydraulically connected, make up the aquifer system. Where the aquifer is a source of ground-water supplies, it ranges in thickness from about 50 to as much as 1,500 feet. It thins out along its edge exposed updip across Georgia and southeastern Alabama. It appears to have three important recharge areas: the main area exposed updip, which lies across Georgia; an area centered near Valdosta, Ga.; and an area in and to the south of the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia and...