MD–IW–10

MD–IW–8

MD–IW–7

MD–IW–6

MD–IW–5

MD–IW–4

MD–IW–3

MD–IW–2

MD–IW–1

MD–IW–17

MD–IW–16

MD–IW–15

MD–IW–14

MD–IW–13

MD–IW–12

MD–IW–11

MD–IW–9

C-8 Canal

C-9 Canal

Oleta

Maule

Lake

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Intracoastal Waterway

River

Biscayne Bay

C-1 Canal

Levee 31E

FLORIDA’S TURNPIKE

CHI–1

AB

BCS1

BCS2

DE2

AB

C1

C1

SP–6 SP–4 SP–2

SP–5 SP–3

C1

C1

Map of location of seismic-reflection profiles, injection wells, and selected 

surficial aquifer wells near Miami-Dade North District “Boulder Zone” Well Field

A

A'

C C'

B'

B

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0

800

600

400

200

1,200

1,400

1,000

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

3,200

3,600

3,400

0 0

800

600

400

200

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.1

1,200

1,400

1,000 1,000

1,500

500

1,600

1,800

2,000 2,000

2,500

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000 3,000

1,000

2,000

3,000

Top of

SIF

Top of

TF?

Two-way traveltime, in seconds

Two-way traveltime, in seconds

Depth, in feet below land surface

Depth, in feet below canal stage

Synthetic

seismogram,

normal polarity

Sonic 

velocity, 

in kft/s

0

0

0.1 0.1

0

0.2

0.3

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

500

0

1,500

2,500

500

0.3

0.4 0.4

0.5 0.5

0.6 0.6

0.7

0.8

0.7

0.8

Two-way traveltime, in seconds

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0 0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0

0.1

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.2

0.2

25 50 0 5 10 15 20 25

4 8 12 16 20 24

150 300

MD–IW–3N

(Well logs and synthetic seismogram)

A A'

Top of

SS4

Top of

SS3

Top of

SS2

Top of 

UAF

Top of

UAF

Top of Avon

Park Formation

and SS1

4.6 MILES

MD–IW–3N

Line NDQR Line NDABC

No data

No data

No dataNo data

Line NDDETWO

WEST EAST EAST

Line NDBCP2 Line NDBC Line NDCD

Floridan aquifer system

Oldsmar Formation

Seismic sequence 4 Seismic sequence 3 Seismic sequence 2 Seismic sequence 1

Avon Park Formation Stock Island Formation UAF

UACSS Stock Island seismic sequence

Upper Floridan

aquifer MC1

Lower

AF

Lower

AF SS

APPZ

LF1Middle confining unit 2 Lower Floridan confining unit Boulder Zone

Intermediate confining unit

Tamiami Formation

Tamiami seismic sequence

FTF

ML

Surficial aquifer Hydrogeologic unit

Seismic sequence

Lithostratigraphic unit

Floridan aquifer system

Oldsmar Formation

Seismic sequence 4 Seismic sequence 3 Seismic sequence 2 Seismic sequence 1

Avon Park Formation

Upper Arcadia composite

seismic sequence

Upper Arcadia Formation

Peace River

Seismic sequence

Peace River

Formation

Upper Floridan

aquifer

Middle confining 

unit 1

Lower

AF

Lower

AF SS

APPZ

LF1Middle confining unit 2 Lower Floridan confining unit Boulder Zone Intermediate confining unit

Tamiami 

Formation

not defined

not defined

not defined

FTF

ML

Surficial 

aquifer Hydrogeologic unit

Seismic sequence

Lithostratigraphic unit

Floridan aquifer system

Oldsmar Formation

Seismic sequence 4 Seismic sequence 3 Seismic sequence 2 Seismic sequence 1

Avon Park Formation

Upper Arcadia composite

seismic sequence

Upper Arcadia Formation

Peace River

Seismic sequence

Peace River

Formation

Upper Floridan

aquifer

Middle confining 

unit 1

Lower

AF

Lower

AF SS

APPZ

LF1Middle confining unit 2 Lower Floridan confining unit Boulder Zone Intermediate confining unit

Tamiami 

Formation

FTF

ML

Surficial 

aquifer

Hydrogeologic 

unit

Seismic sequence

Lithostratigraphic unit

Base of

USDW

B B'

C

WEST EAST

C'

MD–IW–12S

(Well logs and synthetic seismogram)

MD–IW–12SMD–IW–11SMD–IW–10SMD–IW–9SMD–IW–1SMD–IW–2S

Top of 

SS4

Top of 

SS2

Top of 

UAF

Top of Avon

Park Formation

and SS1

Top of 

SS3

Top of 

SS4

Top of 

SS2

Top of 

UAF

Top of Avon

Park Formation

and SS1

Two-way traveltime, in secondsTwo-way traveltime, in seconds

Two-way traveltime, in secondsTwo-way traveltime, in seconds

Depth, in feet below land surface

Depth below canal stage, in feet

Top of 

SS3

0 0

800

600

400

200

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.1

1,200

1,400

1,000

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

Two-way traveltime, in seconds

Depth, in feet below land surface

Two-way traveltime, in secondsTwo-way traveltime, in seconds

Depth below land surface, in feet

5.4 MILE

Strike-slip

fault (see map

above)

0.5 MILE

Projection of strike-slip fault beneath 

Biscayne Bay (see map titled “Map of 

location of seismic-reflection profiles, 

injection wells, and selected surficial 

aquifer wells near Miami-Dade North 

District “Boulder Zone” Well Field this 

plate).

MD–IW–16S MD–IW–17S MD–IW–8S MD–IW–7S

Base

USDW

MD–IW–12S

(Well logs and synthetic seismogram)

Seismic-Reflection Sections A–A’, B–B’ and C–C’ with Correlations Between Synthetic Seismograms, Borehole Geophysical Data, and Seismic-Reflection Profiles from the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields, Miami-Dade County, Florida

By

Kevin J. Cunningham

2015

Caliper, 

in inches

Gamma ray, 

in API units

0 25 50 0 150 300

0.8

0 0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0

0.1

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.2

Sonic

velocity, 

in kft/s

4 8 12 16 20 24

Gamma ray, 

in API units

Synthetic

seismogram,

normal

polarity

0 150 300

0.8

Karst

Collapse

Area

of poor

data

migration

Area

of poor

data

migration

Line SP6

Line C1 Line C1

NORTHWEST SOUTHEAST

Line SP5 Line SP4 Line SP3 Line SP2

No data

No data

No dataNo dataNo data

Sonic

velocity, 

in kft/s

Synthetic

seismogram,

normal

polarity

Base of

USDW

Caliper, in 

inches

Gamma ray,

in API units

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Two-way traveltime, in seconds

Caliper, 

in inches

0 25 50

Uncertain strike-slip fault

Strike-slip fault

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not 

imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

This map was printed on an electronic plotter directly from digital files. Dimensional calibration may vary 

between electronic plotters and between X and Y directions on the same plotter, and paper may change 

size due to atmospheric conditions; therefore, scale and proportions may not be true on plots of this map.

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, 

1–888–ASK–USGS

Digital files available at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155013

Suggested Citation: Cunningham, K.J., 2015, Seismic-sequence stratigraphy and geologic structure 

of the Floridan aquifer system near “Boulder Zone” deep wells in Miami-Dade County, Florida: 

U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5013, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155013.

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)

Base from U.S. Census Bureau digital data, 1990,

State Plane Florida East feet, Datum NAD 1983

Prepared in cooperation with the 

Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5013

Plate 1 of 2

G–3949

G–3948

Biscayne 

Landing

Hydrologic features

Seismic Sequence Upper Boundaries

Top of Seismic Sequence 1 (SS1)

Top of Seismic Sequence 2 (SS2)

Top of Seismic Sequence 3 (SS3)

Top of Seismic Sequence 4 (SS4)–dashed where uncertain

Top of Arcadia Formation

Top lower Arcadia Formation

ML

FTF

AF

UAF

SS

UACSS

MC1

APPZ

LF1

USDW

Fort Thompson Formation

Miami Limestone

Lithostratigraphic, hydrogeologic and seismic 

 sequence features

Base of underground source of drinking water

Top of Tamiami Formation, dashed where uncertain

Top of Peace River Formation, dashed where uncertain

Correlation between synthetic seismogram 

 and seismic-reflections

Top of Stock Island Formation

Arcadia Formation

Upper Arcadia Formation 

Seismic sequence

Upper Arcadia composite seismic sequence 

Middle confining unit 1

Avon Park permeable zone

Fault

Uppermost major permeable zone of the Lower 

 Floridan aquifer

Underground source of drinking water

EXPLANATION

EXPLANATION

FLORIDA

Study 

area

EXPLANATION

CHI–1 Upper Floridan aquifer well location 

 and name

MD–IW–9

Miami-Dade South District “Boulder Zone” 

 Well Field

Lower Floridan aquifer “Boulder Zone” 

 deep well location and name

MDSD

Seismic-reflection synthetic construction 

 from geophysical logs

B B' Seismic-reflection profile and name

AB DE2

Estimated horizontal limit of karst collapse 

 structure

Map of location of seismic-reflection profiles, injection wells, and selected surficial 

aquifer wells near Miami-Dade South District “Boulder Zone” Well Field

Base from U.S. Census Bureau digital data, 1990,

State Plane Florida East feet, Datum NAD 1983

0 0.5 1 MILE

0 0.5 1 KILOMETER

FLORIDA

Study 

area

Seismic-reflection profile and name

Limit of seismic-reflection profile

NDBC NDCD A A'

G–3948 Surficial aquifer test well location and 

 name

Seismic-reflection synthetic construction 

 from geophysical logs

Miami-Dade North District “Boulder Zone” 

 Well Field

MDND

MD–IW–4 Lower Floridan aquifer “Boulder Zone” 

 deep well location and name

0 0.5 1 MILE

0 0.5 1 KILOMETER

1

441

95 A1A

N N

MDSD

BZ1

MD–IW–2

MD–IW–1

MD–IW–4

MD–IW–3

MD–IW–1

BROWARD COUNTY

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

NDBCP2

NDBC

NDCD

NDkl

NDfg

NDhj

NDde

NDQR

MDND

NDABC

NDDETWO