Ground-Water Resources of 

The Pascagoula River Basin 

Mississippi and Alabama

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1839-K

Prepared in cooperation with the Mobile 

District, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army
Ground-Water Resources of 

The Pascagoula River Basin 

Mississippi and Alabama

By ROY NEWCOME, JR.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1839-K

Prepared in cooperation with the Mobile 

District, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army

A general description of ground-water 

availability, quantity, and quality in a 

major river basin of the Gulf Coast region

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1967
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

William T. Pecora, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 20 cents (paper cover)
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract_______________________________________________________ Kl

Objective of report_____________-___-__-_-______----_--___-___--___ 2

Description of area.___________-_-___-_-________-_--__-____-_-_____ 2

Previous investigations and current activity in the region._____________ 4

Summary of geology_--__-___-__----__-___---_-_-------_---__--___- 4

Availability of ground-water supplies_______________________________ 9

Fresh-water-bearing section.____________________________________ 9

Location and extent of aquifers___________________-----_________ 9

Depth of wells_______________________________-_-_--___________ 11

Water levels and recharge____________________---_______________ 15

Aquifer characteristics_________________________________________ 19

Yields of wells__________________________________ 23

Pumpage..___________________________________________________ 24

Present._______________________________________________ 24

Potential.__________________________________ 25

Effects. ________-_---_-_______________________ 25

Artificial recharge______-___--_---_____________--___--_----____ 25

Saline-water resources___-_--__--__________-___--___--________ 26

Quality of the water_________---___-________________________-______ 26

Chemical character____________________________________________ 26

Salt-water encroachment- ______________________________________ 29

Water temperature._____--___-_-_-_____--_----__-__-__________ 29

Conclusions.______________________________________________________ 35

Selected references_________________________________________________ 35

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page 

FIGURE 1. Map showing location and major drainage_____________ K3

2. Fence diagram______________________________________ 5

3-6. Map showing 

3. Configuration of the top of Moodys Branch Formation or equivalent.._____-______--_--______- 8

4. Configuration of the base of freshwater. ___________ 12

5. Distribution of fresh-water aquifers____________ 13

6. Location of oil tests____________________________ 14

7. Sections A'-A' and B'-B' based on electric logs__________ 17

8. Hydrographs showing water-level trends in selected

observation wells_____________________________ 18

9. Graph of transmissibility-drawdown-yield relation-________ 22

10. Graph of time-drawdown relations______________________ 23

11. Map showing configuration of the top of the saline-waterresource zone_____________________________________ 27

12. Map showing location of water-sampling sites.___________ 28

m
IV CONTENTS

TABLES

Page 

TABLE 1. Stratigraphic units in the Pascagoula River basin £,nd their

water-bearing character_____________________________ K6

2. Fresh-water sand intervals in the Pascagoula River basin____ 10

3. Aquifer characteristics determined from pumping tests in

and near the Pascagoula River basin.___________________ 20

4. Chemical analyses of water from wells in the Prscagoula

River basin-_________________________________________ 30
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

GROUND-WATER RESOURCES OF THE PASCAGOULA 

RIVER BASIN, MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA

By ROY NEWOOME, JR.

ABSTRACT

Abundant ground-water resources underlie the Pascagoula River basin. These 

resources have been developed intensively in only a few places namely, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Meridian, and Pascagoula. Seepage from the ground water 

reservoirs sustains the base flows of the Leaf, Chickasawhay, Pascagoula, and 

Escatawpa Rivers and their tributaries.

The fresh-water-bearing section is 300 to 3,500 feet thick and is composed 

chiefly of sand and clay of Eocene to Recent age. Major rock units represented 

are the Wilcox, Claiborne, Jackson, and Vicksburg Groups and formations of 

Miocene and Pliocene ages.

Aquifers in the Claiborne Group provide water for all purposes in the northern 

third of the basin. The Claiborne is underlain by the potentially important but 

virtually untapped Wilcox Group. Miocene aquifers are the main sorrce of 

water supplies in the southern half of the basin, but Pliocene aquifers furnish 

most supplies in the Jackson County area at the basin's southern extremity.

Much of the fresh-water section has undergone no water-supply development 

because of the great depth of many aquifers and the availability, at shallow 

depths, of supplies adequate for present needs. However, a large part of any 

substantial increase in ground-water withdrawal will probably come from wells 

deeper than those commonly drilled in the region.

Ground-water levels are within 50 feet of the surface in most places, and 

flowing wells are common in the valleys and near the coast. Water-leTrel declines due to pumping have become serious problems only in a few localities of 

heavy withdrawal. In most of these places redistribution of pumpage would 

alleviate the problem of excessive drawdown.

Although few wells in the basin yield more than 500 gallons per minute, yields 

of 2,000 gallons per minute or more could be reasonably expected from e£6°iently 

constructed wells almost anywhere in the region.

Total ground-water pumpage is estimated to be about 60 million gallons per 

day. Potential pumpage is many times that figure. Well fields capable of 

yielding several million gallons of water per day would be feasible in most places.

The ground water is of good to excellent quality. Most of it is a sodium 

bicarbonate type of water. It usually is soft and has a low to moderate dissolved-solids content. Excessive iron is a problem in places, particularly where

Kl
K2 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

water supplies are obtained from shallow aquifers, but at least a part of the 

excess iron comes from corrosion of well and distribution-line fittings by slightly 

acidic water.

Salt-water encroachment is a potential problem in the coastal area, but little 

increase in salinity has been observed in monitor wells in the period 1960-65. 

Saline-water resources are available for development at considerable depth in 

most of the region.

OBJECTIVE OF REPORT

This report, describing the geology and ground-wat^r resources 

of the Pascagoula River basin, was prepared at the request of the 

Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, as part of a comprehensive program to appraise the resources of selected river basins The ultimate purpose of the program is to present facts that will lead to 

optimum development of the natural and cultural resources of large 

areas constituting the river basins. Other basin studie^ underway 

in Mississippi are for the Big Black and Pearl Rivers.

In scope this report deals with the major aspects of ground-water 

occurrence and development and their interrelation with the geology 

of the selected region. No attempt is made to give detailed descriptions of specific localities or even of counties; that effort is reserved 

for future investigations.

DESCRIPTION OF AREA

Most of southeastern Mississippi and a small part of southwestern 

Alabama are included in the Pascagoula River basin (fig1 . 1). The 

basin contains all or parts of 22 counties in Mississippi and parts of 

3 counties in Alabama; the total area is about 9,700 scuare miles.

Landforms in the basin consist of low rounded hills, stream flood 

plains, and coastal flats. Elevations range from sea level to about 

700 feet. Local topography is rugged in the northeast corner of 

the basin, but gently rolling to flat in the remainder of tits area.

Major streams, in addition to the Pascagoula River, are the Leaf, 

Chickashawhay, and Escatawpa Rivers. The subbasins drained by 

these streams are shown on the location map (fig. 1). Average discharge of the Pascagoula River at Merrill is 9,587 cfs (cubic feet per 

second). Minimum flow is 696 cfs and maximum is 178,000 cfs. 

Average flows of the larger tributary streams are Leaf River at 

Hattiesburg, 2,608 cfs; Chickasawhay River at Leakerville, 3,711 

cfs; and Escatawpa River near Wilmer, Ala., 1,003 cfs (U.S. Geological Survey, 1964). Base flows of the streams are sustained by 

ground-water discharge.

Average annual precipitation in the Pascagoula F.iver basin 

ranges from 50 to 64 inches, depending on geographic location. 

Average annual precipitation for the basin is 57 inches.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K3

D Decatur X

NEWTON ! LAUDERDALE^X

SIMPSON i i^ L^rn "i v -^ ^ "* .i _f-L I'TISUBBASIN ' \

J I COVINGTON TV I T n M ,/Ucre ' Wavnesborol°

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PEARL 

RIVER

EXPLANATION

 ^ASCAGOULA Riv'ERrMe??ni a(

^L>^ |_ _ ___ J_ _ __r j ^/'Lucedale \

STONE 

sU 

SUBBASIN

GEORGE\ < \ ! «

U.S. Geological

gaging station on major 

stream

Basin boundary 

Subbasin boundary

\ OUDD/-VOIIN I X-T<%, I > IWilmeri

L ..L__4-_\5J \\

Survey stream ^ p. \^\ ' J. / 

ion on major ^ .3^ |«-J(j \ ii^ j

\

'.JACKSONi Y elf, ,

N fvA tc i I

I Escata\vpa ;

'DlPascag'bula

FIGURE 1. Location and major drainage of the Pascagoula River barfn.
K4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

The average annual temperature is 66 °F, about the fame as the 

temperature of ground water in shallow aquifers. Temperature 

extremes are +110° and 10°F. The growing season averages 222 

days between late March and early November, except in the immediate vicinity of the coast where the time between killing frosts may 

be as much as 290 days.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS AND CURRENT A CTIVITY

IN THE REGION

The geology and water resources of all or parts of the Pascagoula 

Kiver basin are described, in varying degree of detail, in the publications listed in the references at the end of the report.

Current water-resources investigations by the U.S. Geological 

Survey are under way in the Forrest-Perry-Greene-Jones-Wayne 

Counties area, in Lamar County (special study related to AEC testing at Tatum dome), and in the Jackson-George Counties area.

SUMMARY OF GEOLOGY

The Pascagoula Eiver basin is in the Coastal Plain physiographic 

province. The basin is a topographic feature only and not a geologic entity. Exposed rock formations are sedimentary in origin 

and range in age from early Eocene to Recent (table 1). Sand and 

clay in various proportions constitute most of the formations; a few 

thin units consist of marl or limestone. Sand beds are irregular in 

thickness and few can be traced with certainty more than a few 

miles; however, sandy zones, as differentiated from clayey zones, 

are readily correlated over substantial areas some throughout the 

basin.

The beds dip south-southwestward at 25 to 80 feet per mile. Dip 

is steepest across the southern half of Jackson County (fig. 2) where 

the weight of deltaic sediments that accumulated during the late 

part of the Tertiary Period caused the greatest downwarping. This 

downwarping becomes even more pronounced farther westward 

along the Gulf Coast toward the axis of the Mississippi Eiver 

trough. The dip approaches 100 feet per mile in Hancock County.

The Moodys Branch Formation of late Eocene age is a thin but 

easily recognized marker bed underlying most of the Pascagoula 

River basin. A contour map (fig. 3) on this formation illustrates the 

general attitude of the formations in the region.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASEST K5

FIGURE 2. Fence diagram of the Pascagoula River basin, Mississippi and

Alabama.

246-916 67 2
K6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

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GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K7

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K8 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

'"T

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RIVER V- I______i

s L- _ i

WASHINGTON

Outcrop of older formations

 -1000 

Structure contour

Shows top of Moodys Branch Formation 

or equivalent. Contour interval, 500feet. 

Datum is mean sea level

Basin boundary

FIGURE 3. Configuration of the top of the Moodys Branch Formation or

equivalent.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K9 

AVAILABILITY OF GROUND-WATER SUPPLIES? 

FRESH-WATER-BEARING SECTION

Fresh ground water 1 is available in the Pascalouga River basin to 

depths ranging from near sea level elevation on the northeast margin 

to more than 3,000 feet below sea level in the west-central part (£ g. 4).

All the exposed formations of the basin are fresh-water bearing. 

The fresh-water section ranges in thickness from 300 to 3,50C feet. 

It is thinnest in the northeast and thickens southward into the SmithJasper-Wayne Counties area where fresh water extends farthest south 

in the basal part of the Wilcox Group. From this area southward the 

fresh-water section ranges between 1,900 and 700 feet in thickness. 

Greene and Perry Counties and southern Wayne County have r, relatively thin fresh-water section restricted to rocks of Miocene age and 

younger.

LOCATION AND EXTENT OF AQUIFERS

A map of the general distribution of fresh ground water according 

to geologic units (fig. 5) shows that beds of Miocene age are sources 

of ground-water supplies throughout the southern two-thirds of the 

basin and are the only significant sources in about half of the baein.

The Claiborne Group furnishes practically all existing groundwater supplies in the northern third of the region. Although the 

underlying Wilcox Group occupies about 1,000 feet of the fresh-water 

section in that area, the Wilcox is virtually untapped for water 

supplies.

The Miocene and Wilcox beds generally do not contain fresh water 

in the same locality. Miocene and Claiborne aquifers, however, are 

both present in a band underlying the northern halves of Covington, 

Jones, and Wayne Counties. In this area nearly all water supplies 

are obtained from the shallower Miocene beds.

In Jackson County, Miss., and the southwestern part of Mobile 

County, Ala., fresh water can be obtained from geologic units of 

Pleistocene, Pliocene, and Miocene ages. The Pleistocene deposits are 

comparatively thin; most ground-water-supply development is in the 

underlying Pliocene beds, although the Miocene aquifers supply some 

municipal users.

Table 2 contains representative data obtained from electric logs of 

selected oil tests and water wells (fig. 6). These examples of freshwater sand intervals at various localities throughout the Pascagoula 

basin emphasize availability of the untapped ground-water resources. 

The relation of fresh-water sand zones across the basin is illustrated by 

electric-log sections A-A' and B-B' (fig. 7).

1 Fresh water Is defined as water containing less than 1,000 ppm (parts per million) of 

dissolved solids.
K10 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE TOTTED STATES

TABLE 2. Fresh-water sand intervals in the Pascaffoula River basin

[Data, in feet, from electric logs of oil test wells]

County

Clarke _______

Perry

No. 

shown 

on fig. 6

20

11

15

4

13

27

1

20

71

3

26

16

8

3

32

64

31

34

Location

Mississippi

DeKalb, 10 miles southwest _________

Norris, 3}4 miles southeast _____

Elevation

265

415

360

190

290

140

110

350

285

555

385

475

495

485

215

165

550

535

TV") of 

log

400

441

50

100

104

100

148

100

89

153

75

270

261

295

94

422

118

161

Sand 

intervals

590-670

725-745 

780-S20 

860-900 

1410-1450 

1520-1605 

1870-1900

560-585 

610-695 

760-820 

895-955 

1790-1900 

350-580

710-910 

950-1270 

1450-1580 

670-730

990-1020 

1050-1075 

1100-1140 

1170-1230 

360-380

490-615 

665-710 

805-830 

85-210

275-465 

540-630

695-790 

1110-1155 

1470-1600 

240-385

610-750 

1115-1175 

2515-2650 

2680-2780 

170-250

365-465 

965-990 

285-345

370-550

800-940 

1130-1490 

1580-1640 

1680-1800 

415-425

590-620 

750-825 

355-365

740-900 

1000-1065

1745-1855

410-520 

650-750 

490-640

905-960 

260-425

620-820 

1195-1380 

1645-1700 

2450-2760 

161-470

570-620 

680-720 

1120-1320 

1570-1980
GKOUND-WATEK EESOUKCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN Kll

TABLE 2. Fresh-water sand intervals in the Pascagoula River basin Continued 

[Data, in feet, from electric logs of oil test wells]

County

No.

shown

on fig. 6

Location Elevation

Top of

log

Sand

i-tervals

Mississippi Continued

Smith ________ 57

28

27

127

435

195

285

250

50

56

78

335

140-160

515-650 

845-900 

1020-1200 

1970-2020 

3350-3385 

3420-3490 

56-140

180-250 

600-640 

760-1130 

1240-1600 

1750-1810 

1830-1860 

110-170

300-440 

540-640 

490-530

875-975 

1460-1490 

1810-2120

Alabama

o 295 53 53-275

390-450 

685-720

DEPTH OF WELLS

Drilled water wells in the Pascagoula basin range in deptl- from 

about 50 feet to more than 1,000 feet. At least 60 percent of th°s wells 

are less than 300 feet deep; however, the average depth of wells near 

the coast is greater than in the northern and central parts of the basin. 

The following table provides a statistical comparison of well depths 

for three counties representing the northern, central, and southern 

parts of the basin.

Percentage of wells

Well depth (ft)

Less than 100 __ ___-_____--__-__ _______

100-199.______________-_-___ ___________

200-299_____________________________-___

300-399 ___ ___ _____ __ ____ _ __

400-499____________-__-___-_-_-_.--_---_

500-599 ___ -._ __ _ __ _ __ ......

600-799 ____-_________-___.___-_---_---_

800-999 _ __ ___ ._ _ __ __ ._..._.

1,000 and more.. ______ _______________ _

Lauderdale 

County

7

26

37

18

4

0

5

2

1

271

Jones 

County

27

26

25

6

7

5

1

0

3

161

Jackson 

County

26

12

15

13

5

6

8

10

5

687
K12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

xA. iKEMPER 

NESHOBA

WASHINGTON

EXPLANATION 

 -2500 

Water zone contour

Shoivs the base of fresh water zone. Contour 

interval, 500 feet. Datum is mean sea 

level

Line of abrupt change in base of 

fresh water

Basin boundary

FIGURE 4. Configuration of the base of fresh water.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K13

NESHOBA | KEMPEJ u.s. NAVAL BASE ,^ \ \

CLAIBORNIE

AND 

WILCOX GROIUP

JASPER

JEF\FE£SON

DAVISV 

MARION/J

D Wiggins I 

STONE

PLE1S

fLIOCE 

Boundary of fresh-water f/IKDCE

aquifers

Basin boundary

FIGURE 5. Distribution of fresh-water aquifers.

246-916 67-
K14 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

JEFFElfSON i 

DAVISV

MARION/J

'. LAMAR

TATUM SALT 'O 26 '* 5

r»/-»Mc- -- . * 

Oil test and number 

Basin boundary

WASHINGTON

FIGURE 6. Location of oil tests used to determine thickness of fresh-water 

sands and to construct cross sections. See table 2 for thickness of sand 

intervals. Sections A-A' and B-B' are shown in figure 7.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K15

There is little doubt that a large part of any substantial increase 

in ground-water withdrawal will come from wells deeper than those 

commonly drilled in the region. The great thickness of the fresh-water 

section and the massiveness of many of the deep-lying beds of sand 

invite exploration and development of these untapped sources of 

supply.

WATER LEVELS AND RECHARGE

Practically all drilled wells in the basin are artesian that, is, the 

water is under natural pressure and rises above the top of the aquifer 

when the aquifer is penetrated by a well. Nonpumping water levels are 

within 50 feet of the land surface in more than half the wells and 

within 200 feet of the surface in nearly all of them. A large percentage of the wells flow owing to a combination of hydrostatic pressure 

and low topographic position. The greater proportion of flowing wells 

is in the southern counties where the land is low and where the deeper 

wells tapping aquifers having greater artesian head are more abundant.

The same counties used to illustrate well-depth distribution are 

analyzed for water-level distribution.

Water level (ft) below land surface

Flowing. _

0-49 _-

50-99.

100-199

200-299

300 and moreNumber of wells used in computation..

Percentage of wells

Lauderdale 

County

8 

41 

23 

24 

3 

1

224

Jones 

County

8 

40 

29 

23 

0 

0

113

Jackson 

County

33 

62 

4 

1 

0 

0

639

Ground-water levels are declining in many places in the basin. Declines take place at a slow rate (usually less than 1 ft per yr) where 

they result only from land-use changes and low-rainful phases of the 

climatic cycle but at higher rates in areas of large withdrawal through 

wells. Hydrographs ( fig. 8) show water-level trends and the effect of 

changes in pumping on water levels.

In a few places, where substantial withdrawals are made, watersupply problems have arisen as a result of lowered water levels. 

Where feasible, the problems can be alleviated by redistribution of 

pumpage, either geographically or stratigraphically or a combination 

of the two.
Section A'-A' from near Collins to nea
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K17

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K18 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

1955 I960 1960 1960 1965

FIGURE 8. Water-level trends in selected observation wells.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K19

Recharge to the ground-water reservoirs in the basin takes place in 

upland areas where the aquifers crop out or are covered by a thin 

mantle of permeable sediments of Pliocene and Pleistocene ages. Although the younger formations crop out in the basin and receive recharge there, most recharge to the basal beds of the Wilcox Gronp occurs outside the basin in the uplands of Kemper and Neshoba Counties 

on the north.

Artesian head is imparted to the water as it moves down the gradient 

in the aquifers and becomes confined between beds of low permeability. 

Part of the head is lost owing to friction, but that remaining commonly 

is sufficient to force the water many feet above the land surface where 

the aquifers are penetrated by wells. This is particularly true of deep 

aquifers that have undergone little or no development and which contain water under sufficient pressure to cause its rise to 100 feet or more 

above sea level.

AQUIFER CHARACTERISTICS

The artesian aquifers of the Pascagoula basin differ greatly in their 

capacity for transmitting water. Coefficients of transmissibility computed from pumping tests range from 2,800 to 200,000 gpd per ft (gallons per day per foot), and coefficients of storage do not vary much 

from 0.0001 (table 3). Because the coefficient of transmissibility is the 

product of the two variables aquifer thickness and coefficient of permeability it must be obtained either directly by pumping test or indirectly by multiplying the aquifer thickness by a known or assumed 

coefficient of permeability.

Permeabilities of 110 to 2,250 gpd per sq ft have been determined in 

the basin; it is probable that these values span the range of permeability 

for the significant aquifers of the region and most permeability values 

fall within a range of 300 to 1,000 gpd per sq ft. The limited number 

of pumping tests available does not permit conclusions on the relative 

permeability of the water-bearing units. However, the great thickness of many Miocene sand beds implies generally higher transmissibility for that part of the geologic section, and it is transmissibility 

and available drawdown that determine how much water a well can be 

expected to yield.

The practical application of measured or assumed aquifer characteristics is in predicting the yields of wells and the effects of ground-water 

withdrawal. A graph (fig. 9) relating transmissibility to drawdown 

and well yield is useful in estimating well yields and pump setting. Many of the sand beds listed in table 2 are capable of maintaining well yields in excess of the 2,500-gpin (gallons per minute) limit of 

the graph; however, not many wells are constructed to supply more 

than that amount.
K20 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

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GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K21

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K22 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 

WELL YIELD. IN GALLONS PER MINUTE

FIGURE 9. Transmissibility-drawdown-yield relation. Where aquifer transmissibility is known or estimated, the chart will provide the drawdowns caused by 

various pumping rates or the well yields for various amounts of drawdown. 

Values are based on artesian conditions and on a 100-percent-efficient 12-inch 

well; for well efficiencies less than 100 percent, the yield will be decreased or 

the drawdown increased proportionately. Drawdown computations are based 

on 1 day of pumping; at 10 days the drawdown would be about 10 percent 

greater.

An example of the graph's use follows:

An electric log of a test hole showed a 40-ft thickness of sand at a depth 

of 500 ft. From other wells tapping that aquifer the static water level is known 

to be 50 ft below land surface. How deep should a pump be set to supply 1,000 

gpm from a 12-in. well?

If the permeability of the aquifer is conservatively figured as 500 gpd per 

sq ft, the transmissibility would be 20,000 gpd per ft (40X500). On the 

graph the T=20,000 line crosses the 1,000 gpm line at the 115-ft drawdown 

line. As the static level is 50 ft, a drawdown of 115 ft would place the pumping 

level at 165 ft. This assumes a well with a 100-percent efficiency one in which 

no head is lost in movement of water from the aquifer into the well. A fully 

efficient well is atypical; 75-percent efficiency is more realistic. Therefore 

it is likely that a pumping level of nearly 200 ft would be requ'red in this 

example. Of course, any deviation from the assumed permeabil !fy or well 

efficiency will affect the drawdown value.

The effect that pumping the above well would have on tl ^ artesian 

pressure surface for the aquifer can also be predicted. A second graph 

(fig. 10) relates transmissibility and drawdown effect at various times 

and distances for a selected rate of pumping. This grapl is useful 

in guiding decisions on well spacing and withdrawal rates.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOFLA RIVER BASIN K23

140

100 

TIME, IN DAYS

FIGURE 10. Time-drawdown relations for selected aquifer characteristics. 

Pumping rate is 1,000 gpm. For other rates the drawdown will be proportional. 

Solid line represents drawdown at a distance of 500 feet; dashec1 line, at 

1,000 feet from pumped well. T is coefficient of transmissibility in gallons 

per day per foot. Coefficient of storage is assumed to be 0.0001.

YIELDS OF WELLS

Only a few wells in the Pascagoula basin yield more than 500 gpm. 

However, well-yield measurements are ordinarily of little value in 

appraising an aquifer's capacity to supply water. Wells usually are 

constructed to provide only the amount of water needed at, the time; 

seldom is the full potential of an aquifer utilized in the wells.

Nearly all the aquifers shown on the sections (fig. 7) are capable 

of yielding 2,000 gpm or more from properly constructed and fully 

developed wells. This holds true for most parts of the basin. Figure 

7 shows that any aquifer having a coefficient of transmissibility as 

great as 25,000 gpd per ft could supply 2,000 gpm to a well in which 

there is as much as 200 feet of available drawdown. With higher 

transmissibility, less drawdown is required.

Well yields must be tailored not only to water-use requirem ents but 

to potential effect on the source of supply. Distribution of withdrawal, as to both time and space, must be considered, or even the
K24 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

most abundant resource will eventually prove inadequate. Well locations and pumping schedules should be arranged, consistent with 

economic considerations, so that interference of pumping influence 

remains at a minimum.

An excellent means of pumpage distribution is available in many 

places in the Pascagoula basin where more than one aquifer underlies a site. Batteries of wells can be located in a small area and thereby 

make use of two or more aquifers, provided quality of the water poses 

no insurmountable problem. In addition, single wells are sometimes 

screened in two or more separate aquifers; this practice is not always 

satisfactory, as differences in water level and in aquifer transmissibility favor interchange of water between aquifers to the detriment 

of well performance.

Using the graphs of figures 9 and 10, one may predict the amount of 

water that can be obtained in an area of specified size and shape and 

with a specified maximum drawdown. An example of this prediction 

is given in the following problem:

Situation: A. square plot 1,000 ft on a side (23 acres) is available for installation of a well field needed to supply about 13 mgd (million gallors per day). 

Maximum pumping depth should be no lower than 300 ft below lend surface. 

An aquifer available at a depth of 500 ft has a coefficient of transonissibility of 

50,000 gpd per ft and a coefficient of storage of 0.0001. The static water level 

is 20 ft below average land surface.

Information desired: How many wells are needed, what should be their 

pumping rate, and how should they be spaced ?

Answer: Eight fully efficient wells pumped at 1,125 gpm each arrl arranged 

around a 1,000-ft square on 500-ft centers. The greatest drawdown at the end 

of 1 year would be 274 ft (294 below land surface). This well field would 

supply 12.95 mgd. Water levels will be drawn down substantially in the area 

adjacent to the well field; however, the effects will decrease as distance from 

the well field increases.

PUMPAGE

PRESENT

Total ground-water pumpage in the Pascagoula Eiver basin is estimated to be 60 mgd in 1965. Centers of heaviest withdrawal are Hattiesburg (8 mgd), Laurel (9 mgd), Meridian (5 mgd), and Pascagoula (11 mgd). Practically all domestic and municipal water supplies and most industrial supplies are obtained from the ground-water 

reservoir. A notable exception is the water supply of the International Paper Co. at Escatawpa where 45 mgd of water from the 

Escatawpa Eiver is delivered by a pipeline 13 miles long. The city 

of Mobile, although outside the Pascagoula Eiver basin, uses about 

100 mgd from the Big Creek Eeservoir, which is in the Escatawpa 

Eiver subbasin.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K25 

POTENTIAX.

It is probable that nowhere in the Pascagoula basin has pumpage 

reached the point that no further development can be wisely undertaken in the general vicinity. Even in places where substantial drawdown of the water level has occurred, areal redistribution of pumpage 

or tapping of deeper aquifers offers remedies for local overdevelopment.

On the basis of known aquifer thicknesses and assumed hydraulic 

characteristics, ground-water supplies as large as 25 mgd can be obtained in 1-square-mile areas at several localities in the region. Of 

course, recovery of such quantities through wells may not be economically feasible everywhere because of limitations on size and, therefore, 

discharge of individual wells and pumps.

EFFECTS

The effect of pumpage on water levels has been covered in preceding 

sections, and the effect of pumpage on quality of the water is erplained 

in the following section. However, one effect of pumpage that receives little attention, possibly because it is of a positive nature, is the 

diversion toward the center of withdrawal of ground water that 

would normally flow through and around the area of pumping influence. In effect, the deeper the pumping water level is lowered, the 

farther out the cone of influence that funnels water toward tlx °. center 

of withdrawal is extended. As the cone of influence approaches an 

area of recharge to the aquifer, surface water that would have been 

rejected by a full aquifer is received instead, enters the aquifer, and 

replaces the water pumped out.

Water cannot be pumped without lowering the water level. The 

ideal situation is one in which the lowering of pumping water levels 

does not result in excessive pumping costs and is at the same time great 

enough to induce inflow from an area of substantial size one which 

will insure the longevity of the well field.

ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE

Artificial recharging of aquifers for raising water levels, preventing 

salt-water encroachment, and disposing of waste water is feasible in 

the Pascagoula basin. In addition, water spreading to flush saline 

water from coastal terrace aquifers and for storage has received some 

consideration in recent years. The objectives of most artificial-recharge operations are to maintain or reestablish water level 0 and to 

maintain or improve water quality. Therefore, disposal of cle?vn waste 

water into aquifers and storage of water in one season for u?e in another season are to be encouraged in most circumstances.
K26 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES 

SALINE-WATER RESOURCES

Saline-water aquifers are used only as disposal receptacles for oilfield brine at present. Saline water in the ground should be considered 

as a resource. Industrial processes that can tolerate saline water are 

far from unknown. Advances in desalination imply a definite potential for the resource. An obvious question of the inland water 

planner is: "Why desalt and transport sea water, which contains about 

35,000 ppm dissolved solids, when water of lower salinity is available 

beneath our feet?" In addition, the byproducts that might be made 

available in desalination of ground water are potentially of value.

The contour map (fig. 11) was constructed to show the approximate 

elevation of the uppermost significant saline-water aquifers. Comparing this map with figure 4 shows that the saline aquifers are in 

general 2,000 to 4,000 feet deeper than the base of fresh water. Intervening beds consist chiefly of clay, silt, and consolidated rock. There 

are, sand beds in the interval, but they are mostly thin and not considered to represent substantial sources of water.

Artesian pressure in the saline-water aquifers probably is sufficient 

to force the water to elevations at least 200 feet above sea level.

QUALITY OF THE WATER

CHEMICAL CHARACTER

Ground water of good to excellent quality is available throughout 

the basin. In places the near-surface aquifers contain somewhat corrosive water, which results in excessive concentrations cf iron in 

the water; but deeper zones in the same localities provide satisfactory 

supplies. The water is chiefly a sodium bicarbonate type. It is generally soft and low to moderate in dissolved-solids concentration. The 

chemical analyses in table 4 represent ground water from all parts of 

the Pascagoula basin (fig. 12).

The water is suitable for practically all uses, although w?,ter in the 

deeper aquifers usually has a percent sodium exceeding the desirable 

limits for irrigation water. Little treatment is applied ordinarily 

for municipal and industrial uses. Aeration facilities to permit the 

escape of carbon dioxide, and thus raise the pH, is the treatment most 

commonly applied. Iron removal often accompanies aeration.

Estimates of the dissolved-solids concentration in water in the deep 

untapped aquifers can be made where electrical resistivity of the water 

in the formations is recorded by electric logs. Predicted values obtained from this source are given opposite the aquifer intervals on 

the sections (fig. 7). The deepest extent of fresh water (fig. 4) is 

also determined in this manner.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K27

SIMPSON

JEFFERSON 

DAVISV v "/_!

MARION'*1.

Water zone contour

Shows top of saline-water zone. 

Contour interval 500 feet. Datum 

is mean sea level

Basin boundary

Line of abrupt change in top of the 

saline-water zone

Note: This map shows the position and 

configuration of the upper surface of a 

zone which contains saline-water sands 

capable of supplying substantial quantities of water to wells. It is based on 

the author's interpretation of electric 

logs of oil tests, and it is not intended 

to imply that no saline water occurs 

above this zone

FIQTJBE 11. Configuration of the top of the saline-water-resource zone.
K28 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

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EXPLANATION

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Sampling site and identification 

Basin boundary

30 MILES

FIGURE 12. Location of water-sampling sites. Chemical analyses in

table 4.
GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K29

Typically, the ground water of the basin is more highly mineralized 

than water in the surface streams; however, it is constant in quality 

and temperature, and turbidity is not a problem. Depending upon the 

needs of the user, ground water or surface water or a combination of 

the two would satisfy almost any chemical-quality requirements.

SALT-WATEE ENCEOACHMENT

All the artesian aquifers contain salty water at depth. Heavy 

pumping that reduces artesian pressure permits the gradual updip 

movement of the interface between fresh water and salt water. Similarly, in the tidal area near the coast, heavy pumping from water-table 

aquifers in the surface deposits would induce inflow of brackish water 

from the estuarine streams.

Other causes of salt-water contamination of aquifers are disposal of 

industrial wastes by injection into fresh-water zones and incomplete 

plugging of wells that enter the salt-water zone and permit the upward 

flow of salt water from that zone.

Salt-water encroachment has become noticeable in a few places along 

the Gulf Coast (Lang and Newcome, 1964). The Pascagoula Formation now yields water of marginal quality to some wells in Pascagoula. 

Chloride concentrations in water from wells screened in the Graham 

Ferry Formation in the Pascagoula area generally exceed 100 ppm 

(Newcome and Golden, 1964); but the rate of encroachment is very 

slow and, in some monitor wells, no increase in chloride content has 

been observed in the 5 years preceding this report.

WATEE TEMPEEATUEE

Ground water in shallow aquifers (50- to 150-ft depths) in the 

Pascagoula basin has a temperature of about 66°F. From tHs, the 

temperature rises 1°F for every 55- to 60-foot increase in depth. The 

measured temperature of the discharge from a 1,200-foot well at Gulfport was 86°. Farther west, in Hancock County, the temperature of 

water from a depth of 1,875 feet was 100°.

Accurate aquifer-temperature measurements are difficult to obtain. 

It has been found that the temperature of water from deep wellr can be 

measured reliably at the surface only if the flow or pump yield is sufficient to overcome the cooling effect of lower temperatures at shallow 

depth outside the wells. Discharges of 100 gpm or more are desirable 

to insure representative aquifer-temperature data.

Ground-water temperature is constant the year around. r^he resource thus can be used for either cooling or heating, as well as for 

constant-temperature processes.
K30 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

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GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K31

jooo 

PPP

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TABLE 4. Chemical analyses of water from wells m the Pasca

Well no.

in fig. 12

Depth

(ft)

Date of

analysis

Dissolved

solids PH

Silica

(SiOa)

Total

iron

(Fe)

Hardness

asCaCOs

Sodium

(Na)

Jasper County

Dl _

El . 

J101 - 

Kl -_-_

Ql.__. ... ... -

09

265 

404 

652 

341 

864 

360

Dec. 1962 

Aug. 1961... 

May 1955-.-- 

Dec. 1962 

Apr. 1952__- 

Apr. 1955 

187 

528 

420 

366 

355 

418

7.0 

8.0 

7.4 

7.1 

8.7 

8.5

4.0 

14 

12 

4.4

11

1.0 

.1 

.26 

.1 

0 

.08

147 

168 

14 

177 

0 

9

*15 

*128 

142 

*70 

*154 

152

Jones County

Al .... --

Bll. 

C2 

C27... . -

C7 

D3_ --

D4 - --

D5 --

D6 ...

D7 .....

D28 .- __ -

Gl _.

K2 . _

Ql - 

4G 

120 

235 

78 

158 

640 

70 

126 

76 

210 

226 

326 

549 

190

May 1955..- 

July 1955..- 

May 1955.... 

July 1955..- 

May 1955. ... 

Apr. 1955 

May 1955..-

Mar. 1955 

 do ......

.--do 

Feb. 1964 

- doJuly 1943..-

50 

35 

112 

47 

46 

556 

134 

236 

86 

296 

141 

183 

174 

120

6.8 

5.9 

6.9 

6.0 

6.4 

8.6 

7.0 

8.4 

7.9 

8.5 

7.0 

7.7 

7.6 

7.3

17

27

35 

39 

59 

17

1.2 

2.1 

.67 

12 

2.4 

.32 

4.0 

.32 

.41 

.17 

.25 

.04 

.07 

.65

19

12 

37 

18 

28 

1 

15 

43 

46 

14 

34 

2 

9 

57

2.1 

2.8 

12 

4.3 

2.0 

218 

22 

64 

6.2 

110 

18 

59 

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GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K33

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GROUND-WATER RESOURCES, PASCAGOULA RIVER BASIN K35 

CONCLUSIONS

Abundant ground-water resources underlie the Pascagoula River 

basin. Present water-supply developments tap only a small fraction 

of the quantity available to wells. Efficient use of the resource requires (1) tapping of thick aquifers deeper than present wells, (2) construction of efficient large-capacity wells, and (3) proper spacing of 

wells to avoid excessive interference.

With careful programs of exploration and development, it should be 

possible to obtain water supplies as great as 25 mgd in many localities. 

Individual well yields of 2,000 gpm. could become commonplace, and 

yields of 5,000 gpm are not unreasonable to expect in some pk.ces.

Quality of the ground water is adequate for practically all uses, 

although suitable supplies for irrigation will not be as readily obtainable as those for other purposes because of the natural predominance 

of water of a sodium bicarbonate type.

In the interest of optimum development of the ground-water resources, as well as their conservation, it is desirable that the potential 

effects of engineering works on the ground-water reservoirs b^ evaluated. The extent of manmade effects ordinarily can be determined 

only by detailed studies of the hydrologic environment in the localities 

concerned.

SELECTED REFERENCES

Brown, G. F., 1944, Geology and ground-water resources of the Camp Shelby 

area: Mississippi State Geol. Survey Bull. 58, 72 p.

Brown, G. F., and other's, 1944, Geology and ground-water resources of the 

coastal area in Mississippi: Mississippi State Geol. Survey Bull. 60, 229 p.

Golden, H. G., 1959, Temperature observation's of Mississippi streams: Mississippi Board Water Commissioners Bull. 59-1, 67 p.

Harvey, E. J., 1963, Compilation of aquifer test data for Mississippi: Mississippi 

Board Water Commissioners Bull. 63-4, 10 p.

Harvey, E. J., and Shows, T. N., 1963, Well records, logs, and water rnalyses, 

George and Jackson Counties, Mississippi: Mississippi Board Water Commissioners Bull. 63-1, 43 p.

Harvey, E. J., Golden, H. G., and Jeffery, H. G., 1965, Water resources of the 

Pascagoula area, Mississippi: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1763, 

135 p.

Humphreys, C. P., Jr., 1963, Floods of 1959 in Mississippi: Mississipp Board 

Water Commissioners Bull. 63-8, 19 p.

Kapustka, S. F., Harvey, E. J., and Hudson, J. W., 1963, Water resources investigations during fiscal year 1963, Jackson County, Mississippi: Mississippi 

Board Water Commissioners Bull. 63-7, 11 p.

Lang, J. W., and Robinson, W. H., 1958, Summary of the water resources of the 

Hattiesburg, Laurel, and Pascagoula areas, Mississippi: Mississippi Board 

Water Commissioners Bull. 58-2, 16 p.

Lang, J. W., and Newcome, R., Jr., 1964, Status of salt-water encroacl ment in 

aquifers along the Mississippi Gulf Coast 1964: Mississippi Board Water 

Commissioners Bull. 64-5, 17 p.
K36 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

Newcome, R. Jr., and Golden, H. G., 1964, Status of water resources in Jackson 

County, Mississippi fiscal year 1964: Mississippi Board Water Commissioners Bull. 63-4, 17 p.

Robinson, W. H., and Skelton, J., 1960, Minimum flows at Stream-gaging stations 

in Mississippi: Mississippi Board Water Commissioners Bull. 60-1, 91 p.

Shows, T. N., and Golden, H. G., 1964, Water resources studies in southeast Mississippi : U.S. Geol. Survey open-file rept., 9 p.

Skelton, J., 1961, Low-flow measurements at selected sites on streams in Missis- 

'sippi: Mississippi Board Water Commissioners Bull. 61-1, 13f p.

Stephenson, L. W., Logan, W. N., and Waring, G. A., 1928, Ground-water resources of Mississippi, with discussions of the chemical character of the 

waters, by C. S. Howard: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paj^r 576, 515 p.

U.S. Geological Survey, 1964, Surface water records of Mississippi 1963: 

Water Resources Division, 107 p.

Wilson, K. V., 1963, Floods of 1960 in Mississippi: Mississippi Board Water Commissioners Bull. 63-9, 9 p.

o