Hydrologic behavior of Cretaceous Shales

The nature of groundwater flow in low permeability settings is poorly understood due to (1) historic inattention to non- aquifer/reservoir rock units and (2) inherent difficulties, related to time and size scales, of observing the phenomena of interest. Nonetheless, low-permeability units are of great importance because they mediate aquifer/reservoir behavior, have important roles in the evolution of hydrologic systems and geologic processes over geologic time and can confine toxic materials for long periods. Cretaceous shales in the midcontinent offer the opportunity of studying, at relatively accessible depths, thick and extensive bodies of low-permeability media. Objectives of this project are to develop, through theoretical studies coupled with study of the flow systems in midcontinental Cretaceous shales, a better understanding of the significant flow processes in low-permeability environments. This information can then be exploited to extract information about flow history retained in the current conditions because of long response times and also will permit long-term prediction of flow behavior.

REPORTS PUBLISHED 2000-2009

Scholl, M.A., Eugster, W., and Burkard, R., in press, Understanding the role of fog in forest hydrology - Stable isotopes as tools for determining input and partitionaing of cloud water in montane forests, in Bruijnzeel, L.A., Scatena, F.N., and Hamilton, L.S., Science for Conserving and Managing Tropical Montane Cloud Forests, Cambridge University Press.

Scholl, M.A., Shanley, J.B., Zegarra, J.P., and Coplen, T.B., in press, The stable isotope amount effect: New insights from NEXRAD echo tops: Water Resources Research, doi. 10.1029/2008WR007515.

Burruss, R.C., Brennan, S.T., Freeman, P.A., Merrill, M.D., Ruppert, L.F., Becker, M.F., Herkelrath, W.N., Kharaka, Y.K., Neuzil, C.E., Swanson, S.M., Cook, T.A., Klett, T.R., Nelson, P.H., and Schenk, C.J., 2009, Development of a probabilistic assessment methodology for evaluation of carbon dioxide storage: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009–1035, 81 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 2156 KB)

Neuzil, C.E., and A.M. Provost, 2009, Recent experimental data may point to a greater role for osmotic pressures in the subsurface:Water Resources Research, v. 45, W03410, doi:10.1029/2007WR006450 (on-line abstract or on-line paper in pdf format, 587 KB, published by the American Geophysical Union, not subject to U.S. copyright.)

Neuzil, C. E., and L. F. Konikow, 2008, Reply to comment by T. N. Narasimhan on “A method to estimate groundwater depletion from confining layers”: Water Resources Research, v. 44, W06421, doi:10.1029/2008WR007084. (on-line article in pdf format, 45 KB, published by the American Geophysical Union, not subject to U.S. copyright)

Konikow, L.F., and Neuzil, C.E., 2007, A method to estimate groundwater depletion from confining layers: Water Resources Research, v. 43, W07417, doi:10.1029/2006WR005597. (on-line abstract or on-line journal article in pdf format, 533 kb, published 2007 by American Geophysical Union, not subject to U.S. copyright)

Scholl, M.A., Giambelluca, T.W., Gingerich, S.B., Nullet, M.A., and Loope, L.L., 2007, Cloud Water in Windward and Leeward Mountain Forests: The Stable Isotope Signature of Orographic Cloud Water: Water Resources Research, v. 43, 13 p., W12411, doi:10.1029/2007WR006011. (on-line abstract or on-line journal article in pdf format, 1648 KB, published 2007 by American Geophysical Union, not subject to U.S. copyright)

Garavito, A.M., Kooi, H., and Neuzil, C.E., 2006, Numerical modeling of a long-term in-situ chemical osmosis experiment in the Pierre Shale, South Dakota: Advances in Water Resources, v. 29, no. 3, p. 481-492. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Ingebritsen, S.E., Sanford, W.E., and Neuzil, C.E., 2006, Groundwater in Geologic Processes , 2nd edition: Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 536 p. (on-line book information)

Scholl, M., Cozzarelli, I., and Christenson, S., 2006, Recharge processes drive sulfate reduction in an alluvial aquifer contaminated with landfill leachate: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, v. 86, p. 239-261. doi 10.1016/j.conhyd.2006.03.005 (on-line abstract of journal article)

Scholl, M.A., Christenson, S.C., Cozzarelli, I.M., Ferree, D.M., and Jaeschke, J.B., 2005, Recharge Processes in an Alluvial Aquifer Riparian Zone, Norman Landfill, Norman, Oklahoma, 1998-2000: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5238, 60 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 3.1MB)

Neuzil, C.E., 2004, Nothing Older Than Three Years: Ground Water, v. 42, no. 6, p. 797.

Neuzil, C.E., 2003, Hydromechanical coupling in geologic processes: Hydrogeology Journal, v. 11, no. 1, p. 41-83. (on-line abstract or full text)

Scholl, M.A., Gingerich, S.B. and Tribble, G.W., 2002, The influence of microclimates and fog on stable isotope signatures used in interpretation of regional hydrology: East Maui, Hawaii: Journal of Hydrology, v. 264, p.170-184. (on-line abstract)

Eganhouse, R.P., Cozzarelli, I.M., Scholl, M.A., and Matthews, L.L., 2001, Natural attenuation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the leachate plume of a municipal landfill: Using alkylbenzenes as process probes: Ground Water, v. 39, no. 2, p. 192-202. (on-line abstract or on-line pdf file. This pdf file is reprinted with permission from Ground Water)

Cozzarelli, I.M., Suflita, J.M., Ulrich, G.A., Harris, S.H., Scholl, M.A., Schlottmann, J.L., and Christenson, S., 2000, Geochemical and microbiological methods for evaluating anaerobic processes in an aquifer contaminated by landfill Leachate: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 34, no. 18, p. 4025-4033. (on-line abstract; An electronic PDF file is available through the American Chemical Society at: http://pubs.acs.org/reprint-request?es991342b/N7uR )

Neuzil, C.E., 2000, Osmotic generation of "anomalous" fluid pressures in geologic environments: Nature, v. 403, p. 182-184. (on-line abstract)

Scholl, M.A., 2000, Effects of heterogeneity in aquifer permeability and biomass on biodegradation rate calculations and results from numerical simulations.: Ground Water, v. 38, no. 5 p. 702-712. (on-line abstract)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROJECT, CONTACT:
Christopher E. Neuzil
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 431 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192
Email: ceneuzil@usgs.gov
Telephone: 703-648-5880

Martha A. Scholl
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 431 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192
Email: mascholl@usgs.gov
Telephone: 703-648-5890

For information on additional projects in the National Research Program, see Indexes to NRP projects and bibliographies.