The Application of Geophysical Logging to Hydrogeological Investigations

Geophysical data are recorded for water wells and test holes, but interpretation is subject to significant uncertainties. The data are used in ground-water models to evaluate potential waste disposal sites and the effects of ground-water contamination and to guide development of aquifers, including geothermal reservoirs. The development of quantitative log-interpretation techniques to derive more accurate data and to evaluate the statistical uncertainty in the data will reduce costs in ground-water investigations. Project objectives are to (1) evaluate presently available logging equipment and log-interpretation packages and develop improved instrumentation and analytical techniques for specific ground-water problems such as site selection and monitoring for disposal of radioactive, municipal , and industrial wasters; improve log derived estimates of physical properties, such as porosity values; (3) relate the log character of fractures to their hydraulic conductivities; (4) develop the capability of making quantitative interpretation of borehole gamma spectra; and (5) perform statistical analyses of the magnitude and sources of errors in log-derived data.

REPORTS PUBLISHED 2001-2009

Naish, T., Powell, R., Levy, R., Wilson, G., Scherer, R., Talarico, F., Krissek, L., Niessen, F.,. Pompilio, M, Wilson, T., Carter, L., DeConto, R., Huybers, P., McKay, R., Pollard, D., Ross, J., Winter, D., Barret, P., Browne, G., Cody, R., Cowan, E., Crampton, J., Dunbar, G., Dumbar, N., Florindo, F., Gebhardt, C., Graham, I., Hannah, M., Morin, R., Ohneiser, C., T. Paulsen, T., Persico, D., Raine, I., Reed, J., Riesselman, C., Sagnotti, L., Schmitt, D., Sjunneskog, C., Strong, P., Taviani, M., Vogel, S. Wilch, T., and Williams, T., 2009, Obliquity-paced Pliocene West Antarctic ice sheet oscillations: Nature, v. 458, 322-328, doi: 10.1038/nature07867. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Nastev, M., Morin, R., Godin, R., and Rouleau, A., 2008, Developing a conceptual hydrogeological model for Potsdam sandstones in southwestern Quebec, Canada: Hydrogeology Journal, v. 16, p. 373-388. DOI:10.1007/s10040-007-0267-9. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Morin, R., Godin, R., Nastev, M., and Rouleau , A., 2007, Hydrogeologic controls imposed by mechanical stratigraphy in layered rocks of the Chateauguay River Basin, a U.S.-Canada transborder aquifer: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 112, B04403, doi:10.1029/2006JB004485. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Morin, R., Williams, T., Henrys, S. Crosby, T., Hansarj, D., and the ANDRILL-MIS Science Team, 2007, Downhole Measurements in the AND-1B Borehole, ANDRILL McMurdo Ice Shelf Project, Antarctica: Terra Antarctica, v. 14, no. 3, p. 167-174.

Matter, J.M., Goldberg, D.S., Morin, R.H., and Stute, M., 2006, Contact zone permeability at intrusion boundaries: new results from hydraulic testing and geophysical logging in the Newark Rift Basin, New York, USA: Hydrogeology Journal, v. 14, p. 689-699, doi 10.1007/S10040-005-0456-3. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Morin, R.H., 2006, Negative correlation between porosity and hydraulic conductivity in sand-and-gravel aquifers at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA: Journal of Hydrology, v. 316, p. 43-52. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Morin, R.H., Savage, W.Z., and Rivard, C., 2006, Hydrologic Consequences of gravity-induced stresses along a ridge - example from Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia: Proceedings, 41st U.S. Symposium on Rock Mechanics, June 17-21, Golden, CO, American Rock Mechanics Association, paper no. 1054. (on-line abstract of paper)

Morin, R.H., 2005, Hydrologic properties of coal beds in the Powder River Basin, Montana -- I. Geophysical log analysis: Journal of Hydrology, v. 308, p. 227-241. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Morin, R.H. and Wilkens, R.H., 2005, Structure and stress state of Hawaiian island basalts penetrated by the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project deep core hole: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 110, no. B7, doi:10.1029/2004JB003410. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Naus, C.A., McCleskey, R.B., Nordstrom, D.K., Donohoe, L.C., Hunt, A. G., Morin, R.H., Paillet, F., and Verplanck, P.L., 2005, Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 5. Well installation, water-level data, and surface- and ground-water chemistry in the Straight Creek drainage basin, Red River Valley, New Mexico, 2001-03: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5088, 220 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 29.6 MB)

Morin, R.H., 2004, Contaminant transport behavior in sand-and-gravel aquifers based upon the interplay between porosity and hydraulic conductivity: Proceedings, 5th International Association of Hydrogeologists Conference, p. 32-35, Quebec City, Canada.

Rosenberry, D.O., and Morin, R.H., 2004, Use of an electromagnetic seepage meter to investigate temporal variability in lake seepage: Ground Water, v. 42, no. 1, p. 68-77. (on-line abstract)

Sanford W.E., Gohn, G.S., Powars, D.S., Horton, J.W., Jr., Edwards, L.E., Self-Trail, J.M., and Morin, R.H., 2004, Drilling the central crater of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure: A first look: EOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union, v. 85, p. 369, 377.

Morin, R.H., and Savage, W.Z., 2003, Effects of crustal stresses on fluid transport in frac-tured rock: case studies from northeastern and southwestern USA: Hydrogeology Journal, v. 11, no. 1. (on-line abstract or complete article)

Morin, R.H., and Savage, W.Z., 2002, Topographic stress perturbations in southern Davis Mountains, west Texas -- 2. Hydrogeologic implications: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 107, no. B12, p. 6-1 to 6-10. (on-line abstract)

Morin, R., Theriault, T., Therrien, R., and Michaud, Y., 2002, Generalized hydrogeologic properties of the Maritimes Carboniferous Basin, eastern Canada, from downhole measurements: Proceedings, 3rd Int. Association Hydrogeologists-CNC Conference, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, p. 247-254.

Savage, W.Z., and R.H. Morin, 2002, Topographic stress perturbations in southern Davis Mountains, west Texas -- 1. Polarity reversal of principal stresses: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 107, no. B12, p. 5-1 to 5-15. (on-line abstract)

Etienne, M.J., Fortier, R., Morin, R.H., and Kirkwood, D., 2001, Characterizing the geologic structure of the St. Lawrence lowlands, southwestern Quebec, using geophysical logs--Proceedings, Fractured Rock 2001 International Conference, Toronto, Canada, March 26-28, 2001, p. 220-223.

Savage, W.Z., and Morin, R.H., 2001, Effects of Valley Topography on Principal Stress Orientations: Proceedings of the 38th US Rock Mechanics Symposium p. 1397-1400

Zhang, M., Takahashi, M., Morin, R.H., Endo, H., and Esaki, T., 2001, Determining the hydraulic properties of saturated, low-permeability geological materials in the laboratory: advances in theory and practice--Proceedings, ATSM Symposium on Evaluation and Remediation of Low-Permeability and Dual-Porosity Environments, Reno, Nevada, January 25-26, 2001, p. 40-55.

For bibliographic information prior to 2001, see the project, Borehole Geophysics as Applied to Geohydrology

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT, CONTACT:
Roger H. Morin
U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 25046, ms403, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO
Email: rhmorin@usgs.gov
Telephone: 303-236-5915

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