|
Alluvium (Qa)
Topography
Alluvium underlies floodplains and terraces of all streams.
Hydrology
The alluvium may yield as much as 100 gallons per minute from sands
and gravel along the Green and Pond Rivers. The alluvium yields enough
water for a modern domestic supply (more than 500 gallons per day) to
wells in valleys of the Green and Pond Rivers and their larger tributaries.
It yields practically no water to wells in small valleys where it is
thin and fine grained. Water is hard or very hard, and may contain objectionable
amounts of iron.
Terrace Gravel Deposits (Qt)
Topography
These deposits underlie tops and flanks of hills between elevations
of 420 and 500 feet along the Pond and Green Rivers.
Hydrology
In places, the deposits yield enough water for a domestic supply to
dug wells. Water generally is soft and low in dissolved solids, but
may contain objectionable amounts of iron.
McLeansboro Group (Mattoon, Bond, Patoka, and Shelburn Formations),
formerly the Sturgis Formation (Ps)
Topography
These rocks form dissected uplands and ridgetops in isolated areas.
Hydrology
This group yields practically no water, except to wells penetrating
sandstone. Water from shallow wells near outcrop areas is hard, and
water from deep wells farther from the outcrop areas is generally soft
and contains sodium bicarbonate (in some places in objectionable amounts).
Iron may be present in objectionable amounts. The Anvil Rock Sandstone,
sometimes found at the base of the unit, may yield up to 125 gallons
per minute, as in the city well in Drakesboro. In areas where the Kentucky
No. 11 coal has been mined, the sandstone may be dry, or it may yield
water containing iron sulfate.
Carbondale Formation (Pc)
Topography
The Carbondale underlies much of the county and forms dissected uplands
and ridgetops.
Hydrology
The Carbondale yields enough water for a modern domestic supply to wells
penetrating sandstone. It yields practically no water to wells penetrating
only shale. Wells are known to produce as much as 30 gallons per minute.
Water is hard or very hard, but otherwise of good quality. It yields
either no water or water containing iron sulfate in areas where the
Kentucky No. 9 coal has been mined.
Tradewater Formation (Pt)
Topography
The Tradewater underlies most of the county. Resistant sandstone beds
in the Tradewater form cliffs.
Hydrology
The Tradewater generally yields only small quantities of water to wells.
It may yield enough water for a modern domestic supply to wells penetrating
a sufficient thickness of sandstone. Many wells yield more than 10 gallons
per minute from the Curlew Sandstone; water is fresh east of Greenville
and contains common salt along the Muhlenberg-McLean County line. Water
is fresh near outcrop areas, but becomes increasingly mineralized with
depth. Some wells in the Aberdeen Sandstone around Greenville produce
enough water for a domestic supply.
Caseyville Formation (Pca)
Topography
The Caseyville underlies dissected and rolling uplands. Thick sandstone
beds in the Caseyville form cliffs and a major escarpment.
Hydrology
The Caseyville will yield enough water for a modern domestic supply
to most wells penetrating sandstone. Yields of 100 gallons per minute have been
obtained from wells penetrating thick sections of sandstone. At depth,
the water becomes salty or may have a high sodium bicarbonate content.
Water is hard to very hard and low in dissolved solids. Wells in small
upland areas generally are inadequate.
Chesterian Formations (Kinkaid Limestone, Degonia Sandstone, Clore
Limestone, Palestine Sandstone, Menard Limestone, Waltersburg Sandstone,
Vienna Limestone, Tar Springs Sandstone, Glen Dean Limestone, Golconda
Formation, Cypress Sandstone, Paint Creek
Shale, Bethel Sandstone)
Hydrology
These formations yield small amounts to wells and springs in outcrop
areas. Water from Mississippian rocks underlying younger rocks contains
salt in objectionable amounts, if any water is found. Flows of as much
as 20 gallons per minute are obtained from fractures along fault zones and adjacent
beds. Most flowing wells are in sandstone. Water is usually obtained
from the hanging walls or gouge zones of faults. Most shallow wells
in broad uplands are dug and usually yield more than 100 gallons per day, but
yields are not dependable in dry years. Most drilled wells produce enough
water for residential use. Minor spring horizons occur near the base
of the sandstone on discontinuous shale beds. Very few of the springs
are adequate for a domestic supply, and many go dry in late fall or
winter.
Limestone formations yield small to adequate supplies from solution
openings. In lowland areas bordering streams, some wells furnish enough
for a domestic supply. Most wells in upland areas are inadequate for
a domestic supply. On uplands, deep wells that penetrate solution openings
in limestone may produce more than 5 gallons per minute, but most deep
wells on uplands are inadequate for a domestic supply. Close to outcrop
areas, particularly near major escarpments, yields from perched water
bodies generally are inadequate during dry periods. Springs occur at
the base of many limestone formations where they crop out on escarpments
and hillsides. Adjacent to large upland areas, springs yield as much
as 100 gallons per minute, and low flows are more than 5 gallons per
minute from some springs.
Kinkaid Limestone, Degonia Sandstone, Clore Limestone (Mcu)
Topography
These formations underlie most of the county and crop out in a few fault
blocks along the southern edge of the county.
Palestine Sandstone (Mcu)
Topography
The Palestine forms a minor bench on hillsides and underlies gently
rolling uplands.
Menard Limestone, Waltersburg Sandstone, Vienna Limestone (Mcu)
Topography
These formations underlie flat uplands and form gentle slopes on hillsides.
Generalized areas of underground mining have been compiled for several
important coal beds as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National
Coal Assessment Program. Using this data, a map was created showing
mined-out
areas of selected seams in Muhlenberg County.
The U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic
Atlas Series, published cooperatively with the Kentucky Geological
Survey, provides hydrologic information for the entire state.
Previous--Next--Back
to "Groundwater Resources in Kentucky"
|