Louisiana Geological SurveyGround Water Resources

ProgramPresentation to: Louisiana Ground Water Resources

Commission’s 2009 Workshop

By: Thomas Van Biersel and L. Riley Milner

Geological Characterization of the Carrizo-Wilcox, Red River Alluvial, Sparta, Cockfield, and Mississippi

River Alluvial Aquifer Systems

By: Mr. L. Riley Milner, P.G.

Source: Smoot, 1989

Northern Louisiana AquiferModeling Studies

By: Dr. Thomas Van Biersel

Sparta Models

• USGS-LA 1985 (Trudeau and Buono) – Ouachita Parish only

• USGS-AR 1990 (Fitzpatrick, Kilpatrick and McWreath)• USGS-AR/LTU 1991 (McWreath, Nelson and Fitzpatrick)• ULM 2001 (Gregory)• URS 2002• USGS-AR 2003 (McKee and Clark)

USGS 2003

Sparta Model

WRIR03-4132.pdf

2003 USGS Sparta Model Grid

2 layers1x1 mi58,206 cells

USGS-AR Models

URS 2002 Model

2 layers53 rows and 49 columns (190-mile by 218-mile area)5194 grid cells (active model cells = 3687 of 5194)Cell dimensions = 1 mile by 1 mile to 10 miles by 14 miles.

Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer (MRAA) Models

• USGS-MS 1990 (Sumner and Wasson) – MS only• USGS-AR 1993 (Mahon and Poynter) – AR only• USGS 1996 (Ackerman) – AR, LA, MO and MS• USGS-MS 2001 (Arthur) – MS only• USGS-AR 2003 (Reed) – AR only• USGS-AR 2009 (Gillip and Czarnecki) – AR only

MRAAModels

USGS-MS1 layer1x1 mi grid

USGS-AR1 layer1x1 mi grid

Other Models• USGS 2001 (Williamson and Grubb) – Gulf Coast Plain• USGS ? (MERAS) – Mississippi Embayment Aquifer

System (AL, AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO and TN)

Red River Alluvial Aquifer (RRAA) Models

• USGS 1980 (Ludwig ) – Shreveport to Black River only

Future Models

•Northcentral LA – Sparta, Cook, Cockfield and Upland aquifers

•Northeast LA – MRAA•Northwest Louisiana – Carrizo-Wilcox (incl. Narborton and Dolet Hills), Red River Alluvial, Sparta

Northcentral Model

Sparta Aquifer: 7 layersCarrizo-Wilcox: 4 layersCockfield: 1 layerSurface aquifers (RRAA, MRAA, and

Upland Terrace): 2 layersCook Mountain: 1 layer

Sparta Aquifer

Northwest Model

RRAA: 3 layersUpland Terrace/alluvial:1 layerCockfield: 1 layerCook Mountain: 1 layerSparta: 7 layersCane River: 1 layerCarrizo-Wilcox: 4 layers(incl: Dolet Hills and Naborton)

Northwest Model

Hartono, 2005

Discharge to RRAA (?):~15,350,000 m3/yr

Pumpage:16,500,000 m3/yr

storage: 56,000,000,000 m3

Wilcox Estimated Water Balance

Recharge:290,000,000 to

723,000,000 m3/yr

Northeast Model

RRAA Estimated Water Balance

Northeast Model

Layerssurface clay: 1MRAA: 4

USEPA, 2001

MRAA Thickness (ft)Confining Clay Thickness (ft)

MRAA Coarse sandThickness (ft)

MRAA Fine-medium sandThickness (ft)

Thank you