Northern High Plains Aquifer Studies (2002-2005)

1. Major-Aquifer Studies

• Stanton, J.S., and Qi, S.L., (2006), Ground-water quality of the northern High Plains aquifer, 1997, 2002–04: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5138, 59 p.

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2. Land-Use Study

• Stanton, J.S., and Fahlquist, Lynne, (2006), Ground-water quality beneath irrigated cropland of the northern and southern High Plains aquifer, Nebraska and Texas, 2003-04: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5196, 39 p., appendixes on compact disk.

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3. Unsaturated-Zone Study

• McMahon, P.B., Dennehy, K.F., Bruce, B.W., Böhlke, J.K., Michel, R.L., Gurdak, J.J., and Hurlbut, D.A., 2006, Storage and transit time of chemicals in thick unsaturated zones under rangeland and irrigated cropland, High Plains, USA: Water Resources Research, 42, W03413, doi:10.1029/2005WR004417.

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4. Regional Transect Study

• McMahon, P.B., J.K. Böhlke, and C.P. Carney, (2007), Vertical gradients in water chemistry and age in the northern High Plains aquifer, Nebraska, 2003: U.S. Geological Survery Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5294, 35 p.

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Southern High Plains Aquifer Studies (2001 - 2003)

1. Major-Aquifer Studies

• Fahlquist, Lynne, 2003, Ground-water quality of the southern High Plains aquifer, Texas and New Mexico, 2001: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 03-345, 59 p.

  PDF (36 MB)

2. Land-Use Study

• Stanton, J.S., and Fahlquist, Lynne, (2006), Ground-water quality beneath irrigated cropland of the northern and southern High Plains aquifer, Nebraska and Texas, 2003-04: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5196, 39 p., appendixes on compact disk.

  PDF

3. Unsaturated-Zone Study

• McMahon, P.B., Dennehy, K.F., Bruce, B.W., Böhlke, J.K., Michel, R.L., Gurdak, J.J., and Hurlbut, D.A., 2006, Storage and transit time of chemicals in thick unsaturated zones under rangeland and irrigated cropland, High Plains, USA: Water Resources Research, 42, W03413, doi:10.1029/2005WR004417.

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• Scanlon, B.R., R.C. Reedy, D.A. Stonestrom, D.E. Prudic, and K.F. Dennehy, 2005, Impact of land use and land cover change on groundwater recharge and quality in the southwestern US: Global Change Biology, v. 11, p. 1577-1593.

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4. Regional Transect Study

• P.B. McMahon, J.K. Böhlke, and T.M. Lehman, 2004, Vertical gradients in water chemistry and age in the southern High Plains aquifer, Texas, 2002 : USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5053, 53 p., 13 figs.

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Central High Plains Aquifer Studies (1999 - 2000)

1. Major-Aquifer Studies

• Becker, Mark F., Bruce, Breton W., Pope, Larry M., and Andrews, William J., 2002, Ground-Water Quality in the Central High Plains Aquifer, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, 1999: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 02-4112, 64 pp.

  PDF (2.5 MB)

• Pope, L.M., Bruce, B.W., and Hansen, C.V., 2001, Ground-water quality in quaternary deposits of the central High Plains aquifer, south-central Kansas, 1999: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 00-4259, 44 pp.

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2. Land-Use Study

• Bruce, Breton W., Becker, Mark F., Pope, Larry M., and Gurdak, Jason J., 2003, Ground-Water Quality Beneath Irrigated Agriculture in the Central High Plains Aquifer, 1999–2000: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4219, 39 p.

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• Pope, Larry M., Bruce, Breton W., Rasmussen, Patrick P., and Milligan, Chad R., 2002, Quality of shallow ground water in areas of recent residential and commercial development, Wichita, Kansas, 2000: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 02-4228, 75 pp.

  PDF (17.1 MB) | HTML

3. Unsaturated-Zone Study

• McMahon, P.B., Dennehy, K.F., Bruce, B.W., Böhlke, J.K., Michel, R.L., Gurdak, J.J., and Hurlbut, D.A., 2006, Storage and transit time of chemicals in thick unsaturated zones under rangeland and irrigated cropland, High Plains, USA: Water Resources Research, 42, W03413, doi:10.1029/2005WR004417.

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• McMahon, P.B., Dennehy, K.F., Michel, R.L., Sophocleous, M.A., Ellett, K.M., and Hurlbut, D.B., 2003, Water movement through thick unsaturated zones overlying the Central High Plains aquifer, southwestern Kansas, 2000–2001: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 03-4171, 35 pp.

  PDF (1.5 MB)

• Walvoord, M. A., F. M. Phillips, D. A. Stonestrom, R. D. Evans, P. C. Hartsough, B. D. Newman, and R. G. Striegl, 2003, A reservoir of nitrate beneath desert soils: Science, v. 302, p. 1021-1024.

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4. Regional Transect Study

• McMahon, P.B., 2001, Vertical gradients in water chemistry in the central High Plains aquifer, southwestern Kansas and Oklahoma Panhandle, 1999: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 01-4028, 35 pp.

  PDF (.75 MB)

• McMahon, P.B., J.K. Böhlke, and S.C. Christenson, 2004, Geochemistry, radiocarbon ages, and paleorecharge conditions along a transect in the central High Plains aquifer, southwestern Kansas, USA : Applied Geochemistry, vol. 19(11), 1655-1686.

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5. Special Studies

• Bruce, B.W. and Oelsner, G.P., 2001, Contrasting water quality from paired domestic/public supply wells, central High Plains: Journal of the American Water Resources Association, v. 37, No. 5, pp. 1389-1403.

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• McMahon, P.B., B.W. Bruce, M.F. Becker, L.M. Pope, and K.F. Dennehy, 2000, Occurrence of Nitrous Oxide in the Central High Plains Aquifer, 1999: Environmental Science & Technology, v. 34, pp. 4873-4875.

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High Plains Aquifer Studies (entire aquifer area)

• Dennehy, K.F., 2000, High Plains regional ground-water study: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-091-00, 6 p.

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• Dennehy, K.F., Litke, D.W., and McMahon, P.B., 2002, The High Plains aquifer, USA: groundwater development and sustainability : In Hiscock, K.M., Rivett, M.O., and Davison, R.M. (eds.), Sustainable Groundwater Development, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 193, p. 99-119.

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• Gurdak, J.J., and Qi, S.L., 2006, Vulnerability of Recently Recharged Ground Water in the High Plains Aquifer to Nitrate Contamination: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5050, 39 p.

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• Gurdak, J.J., Hanson, R.T., McMahon, P.B., Bruce, B.W., McCray, J.E., Thyne, G.D., and Reedy, R.C., (In Press), Climate variability controls on unsaturated water and chemical movement, High Plains aquifer, United States, Vadose Zone Journal

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• Gurdak, J.J., McCray, J.E., Thyne, G.D., and Qi, S.L., (In Press), Latin-hypercube approach to estimate uncertainty in ground-water vulnerability, Ground Water

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• Litke, D.W., 2001, Historical water-quality data for the High Plains Regional Ground-Water study area in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, 1930-98: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 00-4254, 65 pp.

  PDF (6.2 MB)

• McMahon, P.B., and Böhlke, 2006, Regional patterns in the isotopic composition of natural and anthropogenic nitrate in ground water, High Plains, USA: Environmental Science & Technology, v. 40, no. 9, pp 2965 - 2970.

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• McMahon, P.B., Dennehy, K.F., Bruce, B.W., Böhlke, J.K., Michel, R.L., Gurdak, J.J., and Hurlbut, D.A., 2006, Storage and transit time of chemicals in thick unsaturated zones under rangeland and irrigated cropland, High Plains, USA: Water Resources Research, 42, W03413, doi:10.1029/2005WR004417.

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• Qi, S.L., and Gurdak, J.J., 2006, Percentage of probability of nonpoint-source nitrate contamination of recently recharged ground water in the High Plains aquifer: USGS Data Series DS-192 (GIS dataset).

• Qi, Sharon L., Konduris, Alexandria, Litke, David W., and Dupree, Jean, 2002, Classification of irrigated land using satellite imagery, the High Plains aquifer, nominal date 1992: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 02-4236, 35 pp.

  PDF (7.7 MB)

• Qi, Sharon L., Konduris, Alexandria, Litke, David W., and Dupree, Jean, 2002, HPIRRLND_92--Location of irrigated land classified from satellite imagery-High Plains area, nominal date 1992: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02_441 (GIS dataset).

• Torres, J.M., Litke, D.W., and Qi, S.L., 1999, HPBEDROCK--bedrock formations underlying the High Plains aquifer: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-214 (GIS dataset).

• Walvoord, M. A., F. M. Phillips, D. A. Stonestrom, R. D. Evans, P. C. Hartsough, B. D. Newman, and R. G. Striegl, 2003, A reservoir of nitrate beneath desert soils: Science, v. 302, p. 1021-1024.

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