Regional Transect Study - central High Plains region

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Ariel view of the Cimarron transect site near the Cimarron River in Kansas

Developing the Cimarron transect well using air

Drilling rig used for drilling transect wells; site near Liberal Kansas

Close-up of transect-site drill rig; Cimarron site

Core from the Permian red beds that underlie the High Plains aquifer in southwestern Kansas and the Oklahoma panhandle

Objectives:
• Characterize vertical gradients in water quality in parts of the Ogallala aquifer where there have been large water-level declines and/or water-quality has been affected by underlying bedrock.
  
• Identify major geochemical processes controlling water quality in the aquifer.
  
• Estimate vertical gradients in ground-water age and ground-water residence times in the aquifer.

Approach:
• Install monitoring wells at multiple depths at four locations along the transect of the Ogallala aquifer for a total of 12 wells (see map).
  
• Each of the 4 nested-well locations will have from 2 to 4 wells screened at the top, middle, and bottom of the aquifer.
  
• Sample each well once.

Timing:
• April through September 1999

Targeted Constituents:
• Physical parameters, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, radon, pesticides, VOC's, DOC, and selected chemical and isotopic constituents needed to address the above objectives.

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maintained by: slqi@usgs.gov
URL: http://co.water.usgs.gov/nawqa/hpgw/activities/TRANSECT1.html