Hydrologic Data for the 

Oak Ridge Area 

Tennessee

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1839-N

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Hydrologic Data for the 

Oak Ridge Area 

Tennessee

By WILLIAM M. McMASTER

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1839-N

Prepared in cooperation with the 

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

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 25 cents
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract_ _______________________________________________________ N1

Introduction. ___-___-___-_-_-_-----_-_-----_--____-.-__-__-___.-__ 2

Purpose and scope.____________________________________________ 2

General description of the area. __.-.._____.._...-.-___.._.--...__-_.._ 2

Method of analysis, surface-water data___________________________ 4

Continuous-record sites..___________________________________ 4

Partial-record sites.________________________________________ 5

Streams receiving waste-water effluents.______________________ 5

Acknowledgments. ____________________________________________ 5

The areal hydrology.______________________________________________ 6

Precipitation._________________________________________________ 6

Average annual precipitation._._____________________________ 6

Seasonal and monthly precipitation._________________________ 6

Maximum volume and intensity.____________________________ 6

Minimum precipitation.____________________________________ 8

Runoff from the area._________________________________________ 9

Average annual runoff..____________________________________ 9

Seasonal and monthly variations._ __________________________ 9

Flow-duration characteristics._______________________________ 11

Ground water.________________________________________________ 12

Aquifers and ground-water characteristics.___________________ 12

Relation of ground-water characteristics to streamflow.________ 14

Water loss,___________________________________________________ 14

The Clinch River____-______________-______---_.-._-_._------------ 15

Hydrology of the tributary drainage basins.__________________________ 16

Continuously gaged tributary basins.____________________________ 16

Whiteoak Creek basin._____________________________________ 16

Poplar Creek basin._______________________________________ 20

East Fork Poplar Creek basin.._____________________________ 22

Bear Creek basin._________________________________________ 25

Partially gaged tributary basins.________________________________ 27

Quality of surface water and geochemical relationships, by R. J. Pickering. 29

Quality of water........_____________________._______---_--__-- 29

Geochemistry.__-_____-_-_____________-____--_____--------_--- 30

Water uses in the Oak Ridge area________________________----___-_-- 35

In place uses.._______________________________--_---_---__--_-_ 35

Recreation..___________________________-__-___-_---_-----_ 35

Waste disposal-___________________________________________ 35

Navigation and hydropower generation..________________-_--- 36

Withdrawal uses__.___--_-_________________----_____-----_----- 36

Municipal supply.____.__._._______________-___-----._----- 36

Industrial uses.___________________________________________ 36

Steampower generation.________________________.-__.__----- 37

Rural domestic use. ______-_________.__---_-_-_--__----_--_ 37

Irrigation._--__--_--______________.__--_-_---_--_-__-_--- 37

in
IV CONTENTS

Page 

Summary... ______________________________________________________ N37

References. ____-_______._-_-__---_-____-_-__-____-__-_____________ 38

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page 

FIGURE 1. Map of Oak Ridge area showing locations of streams

and gaging sites-----.------------.---.----------- N3

2. Map of Oak Ridge area showing mean annual precipitation in inches for the 1936-60 period.-____----_-____ 7

3-9. Graphs:

3. Frequency of maximum precipitation of selected

durations _________________________________ 8

4. Frequency of occurrence of different volumes of

24-hour rainfall at the Oak Ridge station. _ _ _ _ 9

5. Relative duration of periods of no precipitation. _ 10

6. Estimated mean quarterly distribution of precipitation, water loss, and runoff. ____._.__.__ 11

7. Water-level variations in two wells in th^ Knox

Dolomite in Whiteoak Creek basin. ____._..__ 12

8. Comparison of flow-duration curves in carbonate

areas and in sandstone and shale areas.-______ 13

9. Estimated daily releases from Melton Hill Dam. 16

10. Map showing location of data-collection sites in Whiteoak Creek basin.._-___-_---_---________________ _ 17

11. Duration curve of daily flow for Whiteoak C-eek at

Whiteoak Dam_. _ ...-._.___.-_..___.___._______ 19

12. Duration curve of daily flow for Melton Branch_---_- ._ 20

13. Map showing location of data-collection sites in Poplar

Creek basin_______ _________________.__._,..____.._. 21

14. Duration curve of daily flow for Poplar Greek.._.___. 23

15. Map showing location of data-collection sites in Ea,s-..

Fork Poplar Creek basin.__ _______________________ 24

16. Duration curve of daily flow for East Fork Poplar Creek. 26

17. Map showing location of data-collection sites in Bear

Creek basin._____________________________________ 27

18. Duration curve of daily flow for Bear Creek ___________ 28

19-21. Graphs:

19. Dissolved chemical constituents in water from

basins underlain by a single rock type------- 32

20. Dissolved chemical constituents in water at 

time of lowest and highest measured base 

flow.---__.___-____-___-_______-_.__-___- 33

21. Relationship of discharge to dissolve-i-solids

content._--__-_--___-_-___-_-__-________- 35
CONTENTS

TABLES

Page 

TABLE 1. Monthly and annual precipitation for the period of record

at the Oak Ridge station._________________________ N42

2. Monthly and annual normal precipitation at 11 stations

in or near the Oak Ridge area____ _ -__-_._________._ 42

3. Maximum 24-hour rainfalls by months for the years

1951-64 at the Oak Ridge station. _________________ 43

4. Maximum duration of periods of no precipitation at the

Oak Ridge station, 1949-64________________________ 43

.">. Discharge measurements made at partial-record stations

in the Oak Ridge area, 1961-64-.- _________________ 44

6. Peak stages at partial-record sites equipped with creststage gages in the Oak Ridge area, 1961-64__________ 46

7. Duration of daily flow at partial-record sites, adjusted to

reference period- _._._.__-.-._.________- _________ 47

8. Magnitude and frequency of annual minimum flow at 

stream-gaging sites (exclusive of Whiteoak Creek 

basin), adjusted to the reference period_____.._._._._ 47

9. Estimated quarterly runoff and mean annual runoff at

gaging sites during the reference period_____-_----___ 48

10. Geologic composition of small basins in Oak Ridge area. 49

11. Chemical composition of small streams in Oak Ridge

area. ______________________________ ._._____.__. 50

12. Trace element content of small streams in Oak Ridge

area ____________-______-__-___-__-_____.___--_._ 59

13. Maximum, minimum, and mean water temperatures, by 

months, for East Fork Poplar Creek. Poplar Creek, 

and Bear Creek, 1965.___-___......__-__-___ ._.___ 60
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATS

HYDROLOGIG DATA FOR THE OAK RIDGE 

TENNESSEE

By WILLIAM M. MCMASTER

ABSTKACT

The Oak Ridge, Tenn., area is abundantly supplied with water. Annual rainfall ranges from 46 inches in the northeastern part of the area to more than 58 

inches in the northwestern part; areal mean rainfall is 51.2 inches.

The results of streamflow measurements at 6 continuous-record stations and 

at 19 partial-record sites on small streams in the area demonstrate the variability 

of flow with geologic characteristics of the basins. Flows equaled or exceeded 

90 percent of the time range from 0.04 cfsm (cubic feet per second per square 

mile) for streams draining areas underlain entirely by sandstone and si ale to 

0.58 cfsm for streams draining areas underlain mostly by dolomite and limestone.

Low-flow discharges also generally reflect geologic conditions. Lowest mean 

annual discharges of 1-day duration and a recurrence interval of 2 years ranged 

from 0.01 cfsm for a basin underlain mostly by shale and sandstone to 0.5 A cfsm 

for a basin underlain mostly by dolomite.

The Knox Dolomite is the principal aquifer of the area; several large fnrings 

flow from the Knox, the largest of which is Bacon Spring, which has a mean 

discharge of about 3.8 cubic feet per second.

Ground water is not adequate as a source of large supply. It is estimated that 

the average well in the area would yield not more than 10 gpm (gallons per 

minute) and that very few wells would yield more than 50 gpm.

In general, the water in streams in the Oak Ridge area is moderately 1 ard to 

very hard and has a low content of sodium, potassium, and chloride. Four 

streams receive industrial or municipal wastes which alter their chemical Quality.

Several of the small streams in the Oak Ridge area are used for waste disposal, 

and one is used as a part of an arboretum. Ground-water development is small: 

at present, several springs are used for community or utility district snplies.

Very large supplies of surface water from the Clinch River are presently developed in the area. Most of this supply is used by U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 

and Tennessee Valley Authority facilities.

Nl
N2 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

INTRODUCTION 

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Between 1956 and 1965 the U.S. Geological Survey cooperated with 

the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC) in hydrologic and 

geologic studies in and near the Oak Ridge reservation in Tennessee. 

During the period of cooperation and especially between June 1960 

and July 1964, when studies were being made of the distribution and 

movement of radionuclides in the Clinch Eiver and Whiteoak Creek, 

a considerable amount of hydrologic data was collected in many of 

the small basins in the reservation and adjacent areas.

During the period of cooperation many requests for hydrologic and 

geologic information were received from other groups rnd agencies 

in the area as well as from USAEC installations. THs report is 

meant to provide a reference of available hydrologic data for the 

Oak Ridge area. Most of such data consist of precipitation records, 

continuous and partial records of steamflow, and analyses of surfacewater quality. Data obtained on ground water were almost entirely 

limited to Whiteoak Creek and Bear Creek basins.

As a complement to the hydrologic information, a geologic map 

of the Oak Ridge area (McMaster, 1964) was published by the 

Commission.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA

The area of this report, herein referred to as the Oak Ridge area, 

includes small drainage basins in and near the Oak Ridge reservation in which the Geological Survey has collected data. The area 

and the streams within it for which data were obtained are shown in 

figure 1. For ease of reference to figures and tables in this report, 

gaging stations are numbered from 1 to 6 and partial-record sites are 

numbered from 7 to 25, in downstream order.

Most of the area is in the Valley and Ridge province, but about 

75 square miles of the western part is in the Cumberland Mountains 

section of the Appalachian Plateaus province.

The Oak Ridge reservation was established in 1942 by the U.S. 

Army's Manhattan Engineering District and the Stone and Webster 

Engineering Corp. It includes 58,800 acres in the west-central part 

of eastern Tennessee; it is bounded on the northeast, southeast, and 

southwest by the Clinch River, and on the northwest by Blackoak 

Ridge. Facilities in the area include the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a research and development center; Y-12, a research, 

development, and production center; the K-25 Gaseous Diffusion
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N3

EXPLANATION

A5

Gaging station and 

identification number

AlO

Partial-record site and 

identification number

I I I

5 MILES 

J

FIGURE 1. Continuous records of streamflow were obtained at 6 sites and partial 

records of flow at 19 sites during 1961-64.

Plant, a production facility; the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear 

Studies; the Experimental Gas-Cooled Reactor (EGCR); Melton 

Hill Dam; and Bullrun Steam Plant.

In the Valley and Ridge part of the area the ridge crests are gen-
N4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

erally at altitudes of 1,000-1,200 feet, and the valley floors: at altitudes 

of 750-850 feet. Most of the ridges are underlain by sandstone and 

shale of the Rome Formation or by the Knox Dolomite. The valleys 

are mostly underlain by the Conasauga Shale or by the Chickamauga 

Limestone.

Altitudes in the Cumberlain Mountains in the area rise to more than 

3,200 feet. These mountains are underlain by sandstone, shale, and 

coal of Pottsville age.

Drainage of the area is to the Clinch River, which is tributary to 

the Tennessee River.

METHODS OF ANALYSIS, SURFACE-WATER D^TA

Streamflow data for small streams in the Oak Ridge are^. (see fig. 1) 

consist basically of 4 years of concurrent record at 6 continuous-record 

stations and at 19 partial-record sites. At most of the prrtial-record 

sites, 7-12 discharge measurements were made.

In order to make the streamflow data more representative of the 

probable long-term flow characteristics at the gaging sites, the period 

of water years 1936-60 was adopted as a reference period to which the 

data would be adjusted for comparability. Techniques of adjustment are described in the following sections and numbered tables 

follow the text.

CONTINUOUS-RECORD SITES

Adjustment of the 1961-64 flow-duration curves to th°* reference 

period was made by use of adjustment factors obtained f~om records 

of Sewee Creek near Decatur, Tenn. The factors were ratios of discharges for the 1961-64 and the 1936-60 curves at several durationpercentage points.

In this report, estimates of low-flow frequency are given in table 

8 (p. N47), for 2- and 10-year recurrence intervals and for durations of 

1-90 days. The estimates were computed through regression analysis. 

Concurrent flows at the short-term station ( Y) and a nearby long-term 

station (X] and the regression equation of the form log Y=a+b 

(log X} were used for the conversion of short-term to long-term 

estimates. It was found that randomly selected concurrent days of 

low flow could not be used in the analyses, but that selection of days 

on the basis of at least 10 preceding days of continous recession at 

each station resulted in good relationship; these computations resulted 

in coefficients of correlation of 0.90 or better.

The 1961-64 quarterly runoff values at the short-term stations were 

compared to concurrent values at a nearby long-term station through 

the regression equation of the form log Y=a+b (log X}. The long-
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N5

term station's quarterly runoff values during the years 1936-60 were 

then converted by the equation, and averaged by quarter for estimates 

of mean runoff at the short-term station. These data are given in 

table 9.

PARTIA:L-R:ECORI> SITES

Results of several base-flow discharge measurements at each partialrecord site and concurrent mean daily discharge at Sewee Creek near 

Decatur were used to establish a relationship by the regression equation of the form log Y--=a+b (log X}. The resulting relationship 

was used to convert the 1936-60 flow duration values at the long-term 

station to estimates of corresponding values at the short-term, station 

for discharges equaled or exceeded 40-90 percent of the time. Fesults 

are listed in table 7.

Low-flow frequency at each partial-record site was estimated by 

use of the equation in the preceding paragraph relating concurrentday discharges at the site to a long-term site. Values for recurrence 

intervals of 2 and 10 years and for durations of 1 and 7 days at the longterm site were converted by the equation to estimates for the p^rtialrecord site. Results are contained in table 8.

Mean annual rainfall on the partial-record basins and average 

quarterly values of the quarterly runoff to annual rainfall ratio at the 

continuous-record sites were used to obtain estimates of quarterly runoff, as listed in table 9.

STREAMS RECEIVING WASTE-WATER EFFXiUENTS

Industrial and municipal wastes constitute a substantial part of 

flow in two of the local streams. East Fork Poplar Creek receives 

12-24 cfs (cubic feet per second) of waste water from the Y-12 plant, 

and 3-10 cfs from the west sewage-disposal plant for the city of Oak 

Ridge. The daily mean discharges of East Fork Poplar Creek during 

the 1961-64 water years were adjusted to remove the effects of waste 

water released from these facilities. Whiteoak Creek receives an 

average of about 3.5 cfs from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, but 

because of uncertainty of quantity of waste water released, discharge 

records of this basin were not adjusted for waste-water discharges nor 

to the reference period.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author expresses his appreciation for the cooperation of officials 

of Management Services, Inc., operators of the Oak Ridge pumping 

station, who made their records available; to personnel of the city of 

Oak Ridge Department of Public Works, who provided daily records 

of discharge from the west end sewage-treatment plant; and to the
N6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

staff of the U.S. Weather Bureau Eesearch station at Oak Ridge, who 

made available their records for the Oak Ridge area.

THE AREAL HYDROLOGY

PRECIPITATION 

AVERAGE ANNUAX, PRECIPITATION

An isohyetal map of the Oak Ridge area (fig. 2), was prepared on 

the basis of precipation data for 11 stations in and near tho area (Tennessee Valley Authority, 1964; see also table 1, p. N42). Contour areas 

were measured on the map to determine mean annual precipitation on 

the area for the water years 1936-60. As determined by this method 

the Oak Ridge area had a mean annual precipitation of 51.2 inches, 

ranging from 46 inches in the northeast to more than 58 inches in the 

northwest.

SEASONAL, AN3> MONTHLY PRECIPITATION

Normal monthly values for the 11 stations in and near the 

Oak Ridge area were used in preparing mean quarterly isohyetal 

maps of the area for the water years 1936-60. Measurement of the contour areas gave the following values, in inches: January-March, 16.5; 

April-June, 11.4; July-September, 11.8; and October-December, 11.5.

Although precipitation is fairly well distributed throughout the 

year, well-defined seasonal and areal variations exist. At 7 of the 11 

stations used in the analysis, January was the month of greatest precipitation; at the remainder of the stations, February, I-farch, and 

July were the months of greatest precipitation (see table 1). Monthly 

precipitation may vary greatly from year to year. At the U.S. 

Weather Bureau's Oak Ridge station during the 1948-64 period, precipitation in October has ranged from a trace to 6.11 inches, and in 

January has ranged from 1.86 to 10.47 inches.

MAXIMUM VOLUME AND INTENSITY

The greatest rainstorm to occur during the period of record in the 

town of Oak Ridge was that of the afternoon of August 10,1960, when, 

in a period of 3.3 hours 7.43 inches of rain fell at the Weather Bureau 

gage site (Tennessee Valley Authority, 1960). At the storm center, 

about 0.75 mile north of this recording gage, as much as 9 inches fell, 

according to measurements of supplemental catches by TVA personnel. At the recording gage the maximum intensity was £ .43 in. per 

hr. (inches per hour). The cloudburst had a very limited areal extent ; rainfall of 4 inches or more fell in an area of about 3.5 by 7 miles.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N7

EXPLANATION 

B45.39

Precipitation gage 

Number indicates mean 

annual precipitation, 

in inches

46-

Isohyet

Shows mean annual 

precipitation, interval 

1 inch

5 MILES

FIGURE 2. Mean annual precipitation for the 1936-60 period ranges from more 

than 58 inches in the northwest to about 46 inches in the northeast.

At the recording gage at the Gaseous Diffusion Plant, 12 mile? away, 

only 0.03 inch was recorded. According to the U.S. Weatl ^r Bureau (1961) the recurrence interval of a rainfall of the magnitude of
N8

3.4 in. per hr. is greater than 100 years. A very similar storm occurred 

at the ORNL weather station on September 29, 1944, when a total of 

7.75 inches fell in less than 6 hours.

Frequencies of maximum rainfalls of durations from O.f to 24 hours 

for the Oak Ridge area, as interpolated from U.S. Weather Bureau 

data (1961), are shown in figure 3.

1.1 1.5 2 345 10 20 

RECURRENCE INTERVAL, IN YEARS

30 40 50 100

FIGURE 3. Frequency of maximum precipitation of selected durations (adapted 

from U.S. Weather Bureau, 1961).

MINIMUM PRECIPITATION

The lowest annual precipitation to occur at the Oak Ridge USWB 

station since record began in 1948 was 37.43 inches, in 1958. Lowest 

monthly precipitation of record was in October 1963, when only a 

trace was recorded. At this station, June, August, September, and 

October are the only months to have had precipitation of less than 1 

inch.

Mean frequencies of three volumes of 24-hour precipitation at the 

Oak Ridge Weather Bureau station for the period 1948-1964 are 

shown in figure 4, to illustrate the similarity of seasonal distribution 

of different volumes of precipitation.

The average annual number of occurrences of consecutive rainless 

days for periods of as much as 30 days for 12 years of record at the 

Oak Ridge station was computed by Hilsmeier (1963). Hilsmeier's 

data were used to formulate a relative duration curve of rrinless periods, as shown in figure 5 (see table 3). The analysis indicates that 

half the dry periods exceeded 3 days, 10 percent exceeded 8 days, and 

1 percent exceeded 17 days.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N9

10 

0.1 inch or more

0.5 inch or more

1.0 inch or more

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept

FIGURE 4. Frequencies of occurrence of different volumes of 24-hour rainfall at the Oak Ridge station tend to follow similar seasonal patterns of 

distribution.

BUNOFF FBOM THE ABEA 

AVERAGE ANNUAL. RUNOFF

Results of analyses in which runoff values were adjusted to the water 

years 1936-60 indicate that the average annual runoff, exclusive of 

the Clinch River, is about 22.3 inches. Depending on areal distribution of mean annual rainfall, computed annual runoff ranged from 

19.7 inches for Bullrun Creek, in the northeastern part of the area, 

to 25.2 inches for Poplar Creek, in the western part of the area.

SEASONAL AND MONTHLY VARIATIONS

Variations in annual runoff occur as the result of variations in rainfall and rates of water loss. In the Oak Ridge area the quarter of 

greatest runoff is that of January through March; the quarter of least 

runoff is that of July through September. The average quarterly
N10 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

40

Z 30

O

<

|E 20 

o

UJ

a: Q. 15 10

iI 10 iO 3 

o

S

X

s

0.01 0.1 125 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 

PERCENTAGE OF TIME THAT INDICATED PERIOD OF NO 

PRECIPITATION WAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED

80 90

FIGURE 5. Less than 20 percent of the periods of no precipitation exceed 

1 week (modified from Hilsmeier, 1963).

runoff from the area, as a percentage of annual runoff based on records 

obtained during the 1961-64 water years at the continuous-record stations and adjusted to the 1936-60 water years, is shown in th°- following 

table.

Percentage of

Quarter annual runoff 

October-December _ 17 

January-March ___ 49

Percentage of 

annual runoff

23

11

Quarter

April-June ____. 

July-September _.

Estimates of mean quarterly runoff during the years 1936-60 at each 

gaging site in the area are listed in table 9.

Maximum monthly runoff is likely to occur in January, February, 

or March, when rainfall is normally high and soil moisture and 

ground-water storage are at a maximum. Minimum runoff is likely 

to occur in September or October when rainfall is normally low and 

soil moisture and ground-water storage are at a minimum. Estimated mean seasonal distribution of rainfall and runoff for the area 

are shown in figure 6.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE Nil

20-1

Precipitation

Runoff

Oct 1 Jan 1 Apr 1 

MONTH

July 1 Sept 30

FIGURE 6. The quarter year beginning January 1 averages a high rainfall 

and runoff; that beginning July 1 is second highest in rainfall but lowest 

in runoff (adjusted to the 1936-60 period).

A large part of runoff is derived from discharge of stored ground 

water. The variations in quantity of ground water stored are reflected 

by changes in level of the water table. Ground-water levels generally 

begin to rise in November and continue to rise until -a peak is reached, 

most frequently in March. Following the peak, water levels decline 

as discharge exceeds recharge. The annual cycle of water levels in 

the area is illustrated by figure 7, which shows changes in water level 

in two wells in the Knox Dolomite in Whiteoak Creek basin during the 

period June 1962-June 1963. Surface altitudes of the wells are about 

835 feet and 950 feet. The greater variation in water level in the 

higher well is the result of movement of ground water from areas of 

higher altitude toward points of discharge at lower altitude.

FLOW-DURATION CHARACTERISTICS

The shape and slope of a flow-duration curve is an indication of the 

variability of the flow in the stream for which it is drawn and of the 

dependability of supply. The flow-duration curve is a cumulative 

frequency curve showing the percentage of time that a given discharge

258-179 0 67 2
N12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

Land-surface altitude about 835 feet

20

40

50

60

70

Lane

June

i-surfa

"%

July

Well 

:e altit

*-- . .

Aug

CR-2 

jde abc

 -V

Sept

>ut 950

Oct

feet

 

Nov

\^

Dec

./

^

Jan

A

Feb

A

Mar

.^*->

Apr May June

FIGURE 7. Water levels in wells at higher altitudes commonl" are farther 

below land surface and have a wider range of seasonal variation than those 

in wells at lower altitudes. (Wells in Knox Dolomite of WMteoak Creek 

basin, 1962-63.)

was equaled or exceeded as represented by the history of measurement 

of flow at a gaging site. It implies nothing as to sequence or chronology of flows.

A comparison of flow-duration curves computed for several of the 

Oak Ridge area streams (fig. 8) shows the variation in yield on a persquare-mile basis for durations of as much as 30 percent of the time. 

As the figure illustrates, the differences in yield are greatest in the 

lower discharge range. Many factors affect the shape and slope of 

a flow-duration curve. The basic factors are climate and basin characteristics, such as size, shape, and geology. In the Oak Eidge area, 

for example, basins underlain predominantly by carbonate rocks tend 

to have a smaller range in flow than those underlain predominantly 

by sandstone and shale.

GROUND WATER 

AQUIFERS ANI> GROUND^ WATER CHjARLA-CTERIST^CS

The volume of ground-water storage and discharge varies widely 

from aquifer to aquifer, according to rock type. In the Oak Eidge 

area the Knox Dolomite is the major aquifer (water-bearing formation) and the shale and sandstone rocks of Pottsville age and the Eome 

Formation are the poorest aquifers.

The occurrence of water in the Knox Dolomite and in the Chickamauga Limestone is similar, although solution openings in the Chicka-
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N13

cr

< 1.0

O

o

CD => 

O

? 0.10

0.02

\

Scarboro Creek 

dolomite

Caney Creek 

dolomite

Beaver Creek 

dolomite and 

limestone

Melton Branch 

shale

Indian Creek 

sandstone 

and shale

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 99

PERCENTAGE OF TIME INDICATED DISCHARGE 

WAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED

FIGURE 8. Streamflows from basins underlain mostly by carbonate 

rocks tend to have higher base flow and less variation in rang« 

of flows than those from basins underlain mostly by sandston« 

and shale (curves are adjusted to 1936-60 period).

mauga are generally smaller than those in the Knox; The difference 

in the character of solution openings of the Chickamauga and the 

Knox is largely due to the thin-bedded shaly nature of the Chickamauga compared to the thicker bedded less shaly dolomite anc? limestone of the Knox.

In the sandstone and shale rocks of the area, that is, primarily those 

of the Eome Formation, of the Conasauga Group, and of Pottsville 

age, water occurs in small openings along joints and bedding planes. 

Because the rocks are nearly insoluble, the openings are not substantially enlarged, and the storage and transmissibility of these rocks are 

low.
N14 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

The thickness and characteristics of residual materiel overlying 

bedrock affect the occurrence of ground water in the area. The Knox 

Dolomite is overlain by a mantle of cherty clay ranging in thickness, 

in most places, from about 25 feet to more than 100 feet. This material 

functions as a reservoir of ground water, feeding the underlying 

solution cavities. The residual material overlying the Conasauga is 

very similar in appearance to the unweathered bedrock, but is less 

compact and the water-bearing openings are larger; consequently, the 

residuum bears most of the ground water in Conasauga cntcrop belt. 

Because the thickness of resicmum in these belts is in most places less 

than 30 feet, the volume of ground-water storage is small and is virtually depleted by September or October. Residuum in the Chickamauga Limestone outcrop belts is generally heavy yellow or orange 

clay less than 10 feet thick; its low infiltration capacity limits recharge.

It is estimated that the average well in the Oak Ridge area would 

yield less than 10 gpm (gallons per minute). Even in the Knox 

Dolomite, it is unlikely that a well will penetrate a solution opening 

capable of yielding more than 50 gpm, except in certain locations. 

For example, wells have been developed in eastern Tennessee in the 

Knox Dolomite in locations adjacent to streams, but most of the 

pumped water moves laterally underground from the stream. The 

yield of a well adjacent to a spring, probably will not exceed that of 

the spring.

RELATION OF GROUND-WATER CHARACTERISTICS TO STHBAMFLOW

Flow characteristics of a stream are affected to a large extent by 

water-bearing properties of the rocks of the stream basin. The effects 

of geology and ground water are particularly evident in low-flow 

characteristics of a stream. To illustrate this feature, the following 

table lists low-flow concurrent-day discharges in cubic feet per second 

per square mile for three gaging sites in Poplar Creek basin. Drainage 

basins of two of these sites, Indian Creek and Poplar Creek at Batley 

Road, are underlain by shale and sandstone; the other, Brushy Fork, 

is partly underlain by Knox Dolomite. The presence of the Knox 

Dolomite in the basin is reflected in its consistently greater low-flow 

discharge. More complete information on geologic compositions of 

basins in the area is given in table 10.

WATER LOSS

Annual water loss by evaporation and transpiration amounts to 

about 30 inches, or about 55 percent, of the annual rainfall. Water 

loss is most pronounced during the July-September quarter, when at 

least 80 percent of the quarter's rainfall is returned to the atmosphere.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N15

Date

9-18-61-. ______-___-___--___.____ 9-10-63

10-13-63

6-23-64.. ________________________

Discharge, in cubic feet per second 

per square mile

Brushy 

Fork

0.20 

.16 

.14 

.21

Indian 

Creek

0.05 

.07 

.02 

.05

Poplar 

Creek at 

Batley Road

0.04 

.03 

.01 

.03

During this quarter, rainfall averages 11.5 inches and runoff (partly 

originating from ground-water storage) averages only 2.3 inches.

THE CLINCH RIVER

The Clinch Eiver, which has a drainage area of 4,413 square miles 

at its mouth, is the source of most water used in the Oak Kidge area. 

From it are drawn supplies for Clinton, Oak Kidge, and USAEC 

facilities. Water pumped by the Oak Kidge pumping station is 

delivered to ORNL, Y-12, and the city of Oak Ridge. Waste water 

from ORNL is returned to the Clinch River via Whiteoak Creek, from 

Y-12 via East Fork Poplar Creek, and from the city of Oak Ridge 

via East Fork Poplar Creek and via a tributary to the Clinch River 

at river mile 51.1. The Gaseous Diffusion Plant has its own pumping 

station at river mile 14.5. Waste water from this plant is returned 

directly to the Clinch River.

A gaging station, Clinch River at Melton Hill Dam, (previously 

published as Clinch River near Scarboro, and Clinch River near 

Wheat) was operated between September 1936 and September 1964. 

Average flow during this 28-year period was 4,561 cfs. Marimum 

recorded discharge was 42,900 cfs in February 1937. No flow occurred 

on many days.

Records of flow in the Clinch River above the Oak Ridge are^ have 

been obtained since 1903 at a gaging station first published as Clinch 

River at Clinton, then as Clinch River near Coal Creek, and sinc^ 1936, 

as Clinch River below Norris Dam.

Flow in the Clinch River is regulated at Norris Dam and at Melton 

Hill Dam. Stages below Melton Hill Dam are further affected by 

operation of Watts Bar Lake. Power generation at Melton Hill Dam 

began in the summer of 1964. Estimated typical daily power release 

patterns for summer and winter operating conditions (Morton, 1965, 

p. 114; 1966, p. 44) are shown in figure 9. These release patterns gen-
N16 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

erally will prevail each day except Saturday and Sunday when no 

releases are scheduled.

20-, SUMMER 20-, WINTER

1 I T T 

6 12PM 6 12AM 

HOUR

FIGUBE 9. Estimated daily releases from Melton Hill Dam for summer and 

winter operating conditions (Morton, 1965, 1966).

HYDROLOGY OF THE TRIBUTARY DRAINAGE BASINS 

CONTINUOUSLY GAGED TRIBUTARY BASINS

In the following sections brief descriptions are given of the physical 

characteristics and ground-water conditions in the four ba?ms in which 

continuous records of stream discharge were obtained. Discharge 

measurements at partial-record sites in these basins are listed in table 5. 

For stations other than those in Whiteoak Creek basin, estimates of 

magnitude and frequency of minimum flow are listed in table 8, and 

estimates of quarterly runoff are listed in table 9. Because data for 

Whiteoak Creek basin stations were not adjusted for waste-water discharges or to the reference period, low-flow data are contained in a 

table in the section on Whiteoak Creek basin.

Results of chemical analyses of water from all gaged streams in the 

area are listed in table 11; results of spectrographic analyses are listed 

in table 12. Water temperatures at three of the continuous-record stations during the 1964 water year are shown in table 13.

WHITEOAK CREEK BASIN

Whiteoak Creek basin (fig. 10) has an area of 6.53 square miles at 

its mouth, at Clinch Eiver mile 22.8. Altitudes in the basir range from 

741 feet at the mouth to 1,356 feet at the crest of Copper Ridge on the 

southeastern drainage divide.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N17

Partial-record site and number

FIGURE 10. Location of data-collection sites in Whiteoak Creek basin.
N18 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is in Whiteoak Creel" basin; the 

principal part of the laboratory is in the northwestern valley (Bethel 

Valley) but some facilities, including the laboratory's solid and liquid 

radioactive waste-disposal areas, are in the southeastern valley (Melton 

Valley).

A substantial part of the flow in Whiteoak Creek is waste water from 

the laboratory, which contains low-level concentrations of radionuclides and chemical wastes. No attempt was made to adjust the Whiteoak Creek records to the reference period because of uncertainty as to 

quantities of waste water released to the stream. Four cortinuous record stations have been operated in the basin: Whiteoak Creek at 

OENL (not shown in fig. 10) from 1950 to 1955; Whiteor.k Creek below ORNL (site 1, fig. 10) during 1950-52 and 1955-64; Melton 

Branch near Oak Ridge (site 2, fig. 10) during 1955-64; and Whiteoak 

Creek at Whiteoak Dam (site 3, fig. 10), during 1953-55 p.nd 1960-64.

Whiteoak Creek is impounded by Whiteoak Dam, a smp.ll highwayfill dam 0.6 mile above the stream mouth. The impoundment, known as 

Whiteoak Lake, presently covers about 20 acres.

The flow-duration curve for the gaging station Whitec ak Creek at 

Whiteoak Dam, unadjusted, is shown in figure 11.

Lowest mean discharges for periods of as much as 60 consecutive 

days for the three gaging stations in Whiteoak Creek basin are shown 

in the table below.

Melton branch (see fig. 10) drains 1.48 square miles cf Whiteoak 

Creek basin. Some of the Oak Ridge National Laiboratory facilities, 

including a solid-waste burial ground, are located in the basin.

Magnitude of annual minimum flows at three stream-gaging sites in Whiteoak Creek

basin

Station

No. 

(fig. 1)

!......_.

2. _______

3_______.

Name

Whiteoak Creek below ORNL 

near Oak Ridge.

Melton Branch near Oak Ridge_ _ _

Whiteoak Creek at Whiteoak Dam 

near Oak Ridge."

Year

1962 

1963 

1964 

1956 

1957 

1958 

1959 

1960 

1961 

1962 

1962 

1963 

1964

Lowest mean discharge (in cfs) for the number 

of consecutive days shown, in year beginning 

April 1

1

3.2 

4.0 

4.0 

.1 

.1 

.4 

.3 

.2 

.1 

.0 

4.7 

4.1 

4.8

3

3.5 

4.1 

4.1 

.1 

.1 

.4 

.4 

_ 2

!i

.0

4.8 

5.2 

4.8

7

3.7 

4.4 

4.3 

.1 

.1 

.4 

.4 

.2 

.1 

.0 

5.0 

5.4 

5.0

14

4.1 

4.5 

4.5 

.1 

.1 

.4 

.4 

.2 

.1 

.1 

5.2 

5.5 

5.1

30

4.4

5.0 

4.7 

.1 

.2 

.5 

.5 

.3 

.3 

.1 

5.7 

5.9 

5.2

60

4.5 

5.1 

5.0 

.1 

. '.5 2 

.5 

.4 

.3 

.3 

5.8 

6.5 

5.5

Days when gates were closed or being reset (April 7-9, May 2-3,1963) not considered.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N19

400

300

200

100

50

40

30

20

- 10

uI

o

cc

<

I

Q

\

\

\

*\

1

0.01 0.1 125 10 203040506070 80 90 95 99 99.9 99.99 

PERCENTAGE OF TIME INDICATED DISCHARGE WAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED

FIGURE 11. Duration curve of daily flow for Whiteoak Creek at Whiteoak Dam, 

1953-55and 1960-63 (unadjusted).

Because most of the basin is underlain by the Eome Formation and 

the Conasauga Group, the base-flow discharge of the stream is low, and 

at times in the late fall periods of no flow have occurred. The 1956- 

63 flow duration curve, shown in figure 12, indicates that for 90 

percent of the time discharge was 0.21 cf s or more; for 50 percent of 

the time, 0.90 cf s or more, and for 10 percent of the time, 5 cf s or more.

The belt of Knox Dolomite underlying Chestnut Ridge, which forms 

the northwestern drainage divide of the basin, is the principal waterbearing formation. Several springs along the base or in the reentrant 

valleys of the ridge are tributary to Whiteoak Creek. Low-flow 

measurements show that about 90 percent of Whiteoak Creek dryweather discharge originates as ground-water discharge from the 

Knox Dolomite of Chestnut Eidge, the Chickamauga Limestone of 

Bethel Valley and from OENL plant effluent.
N20 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

100

Po

ro

\

X

0.01 0.1 125 10 20304050607080 90 95 99 99.9 99.99 

PERCENTAGE OF TIME INDICATED DISCHARGE WAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED

FIGURE 12. Duration curve of daily flow for Melton Branch, 1956 63 (unadjusted).

Detailed reports on Whiteoak Creek basin hydrology, geology, soils, 

and their effects on radioactive waste disposal are given by McMaster 

and Waller (1965) and McMaster (1964).

POPIiAB, CREEK BASIN

Poplar Creek basin (fig. 13), on the northwestern side of the Oak 

Kidge area, has a drainage area of 136 square miles at its mouth at 

Clinch Kiver mile 12.0. The western half of the basin is in the Cumberland Mountain section of the Appalachian Plateau province; the 

eastern half is in the Valley and Ridge province. Topographic relief 

is by far the greatest of all basins in the Oak Ridge are?1,; altitudes
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N21

EXPLANATION

Gaging station and number

A18 

Partial-record site and number

Spring

Drainage basin boundary

2 MILES

FIGURE 13. Location of data-collection sites in Poplar Creek basin.

range from 735 feet at the mouth of Poplar Creek to more than 3,200 

feet along the western drainage divide.

About 65 percent of the basin is wooded, and the remainder is largely 

farmland. Coal mining, generally by the stripping method, is extensive in the Cumberland Mountains part of the basin. The largest of
N22 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

the several small communities in the basin is Oliver Springs, population about 1,200.

A continuous-record station has been maintained on Poplar Creek 

about 13.3 miles above the mouth (site 4, fig. 13) since August 1960. 

From August 1960 until September 1964, partial-record sites were 

operated on Indian Creek at State Highway 61 bridge (site 20, fig. 13), 

on Poplar Creek at State Highway 61 bridge (site 19, fig. 13), on 

Poplar Creek at Batley Koad (site 17, fig. 13), and on Brushy Fork 

(site 18, fig. 13).

Records of stream flow and of discharge measuremerts made in 

Poplar Creek basin are listed in table 5; estimated mean quarterly runoff, adjusted to the reference period, is given in table 9. Magnitude 

and frequency of minimum flows for all gaging sites are given in table 

8, and flow-duration values for the partial-record stations are given in 

table 7. The flow-duration curve for Poplar Creek at the continuousrecord site is shown in figure 14.

Most of Poplar Creek basin is underlain by shale and sandstone of 

low water-bearing capacity. The Knox Dolomite, which crops out 

mostly in the southeastern part of the basin, occupies only about five 

percent of the basin surface area, but is the source of all large springs 

in the basin. Three of these springs, Bacon Spring, Sirith Spring, 

and Burress Spring, are tributary to Brushy Fork (fig. 13). Another 

large spring, Blue Spring, flows from a thin fault block of Knox in 

the central part of the basin. These four springs were measured on a 

monthly basis for at least 1 year beginning in June 1950. Bacon 

Spring was measured monthly from July 1951 to June 1954 (Sun and 

others, 1963, p. 26). For this series of measurements Bacon Spring, 

the largest spring in the Oak Ridge area, had a mean discharge of 3.83 

cfs; Smith Spring, a mean discharge of 1.85 cfs; Burress Spring, a 

mean discharge of 2.22 cfs; and Blue Spring, a mean discharge of 1.18 

cfs.

EAST FORK POPLAR CREEK BASIN

East Fork Poplar Creek has a drainage area of 29.8 square miles 

at its mouth at Poplar Creek mile 4.8; the basin is shown in figure 15. 

Altitudes in the basin range from 741 feet at the mouth of the basin 

to about 1,280 feet on Pine Ridge, on the southeastern drainage divide. 

About 40 percent of the basin area is woodland.

The Y-12 plant is at the headwaters of East Fork Ponlar Creek. 

The stream also drains a large part of the residential and commercial 

area of Oak Ridge; it receives a large amount of waste water from 

the Y-12 plant and a smaller amount from the west sewage-disposal 

plant for the city of Oak Ridge.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N23

1000

5: 100

10

\X

\

\

k

\-

A

0.01 0.1 1 2 5 10 20 3040 5060 70 80 90 95 

PERCENTAGE OF TIME INDICATED DISCHARGE WAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED

99

FIGURE 14. Duration curve of daily flow for Poplar Creek (adjusted to 1(V3(M>0).
N24 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

EXPLANATION

*5 

Gaging station and number

A22 

Partial-record site and number

A 5b 

Crest-stage gage and number

J> 

Spring

Drainage basin boundary

1 MILE

FIGURE 15. Location of data-collection sites in East Fork Poplar Creek basin.

A continuous-record gaging station (site 5, fig. 15) has be^n operated 

on East Fork Poplar Creek about 3.1 miles above the mouth since 

August 1960, and four partial-record sites were maintained from 

August 1960 until September 1964 (see fig. 15); in addition, partialrecord sites were operated on Gum Hollow Branch (site 23), Mill 

Branch (site 22), and an unnamed tributary to East Fork Poplar 

Creek (site 21; see table 5).
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N25

East Fork Poplar Creek receives 12-24 cfs of waste water from the 

Y-12 plant and 3-10 cfs from the west sewage-treatment plant for 

the city of Oak Ridge. Records of the Oak Ridge pumping station's 

daily water delivery to Y-12 during the 1961-64 water years and records of daily discharge from the sewage-treatment plant wer?. used 

to adjust discharge records. The resulting daily discharge figures 

were used in constructing the flow-duration curve (fig. 16) and in 

computing minimum-flow frequency (table 8) and quarterly runoff 

at the gaging station (table 9).

The outcrop belt of the Knox Dolomite occupies about 25 percent of 

the East Fork Poplar Creek basin surface area, and is, as elsewhere 

in the Oak Ridge area, the major ground-water-bearing belt. One of 

the largest springs in the area, Crystal Spring (see fig. 5), is at the 

contact between the Knox and the Chickamauga Limestone. The 

spring discharge was measured monthly from July 1951 to Jun«, 1953. 

During that period, measured minimum discharge was 1.0 cfs, mean 

discharge was 1.7 cfs, and maximum discharge was 3.2 cfs. Several 

smaller springs occur along the Knox-Chickamauga contact in the 

basin.

Most ground-water discharge in Gum Hollow basin and Mill Pranch 

basin probably is from the Fort Payne Chert, a formation of Early 

Mississippian age composed mostly of siliceous dolomite somewhat 

similar to that of the Knox Dolomite.

BEAR CREEK BASIN

Bear Creek basin (fig. 17), in the southwestern part of tlx 3 Oak 

Ridge reservation, has a drainage area of 7.4 square miles at its mouth 

on East Fork Poplar Creek. Altitudes range from about 755 feet 

at the mouth to 1,220 feet on the crest of Chestnut Ridge. About 65 

percent of Bear Creek basin is wooded; the open land is mostly old 

fields. Part of the upper basin is used by the Y-12 plant for waste 

disposal and refuse burning; otherwise, the area is unused.

A continuous-record gaging station was operated on Bear Creek 

0.9 mile above the mouth (site 6, fig. 17) from August 1960 through 

September 1964. During this period, partial-record sites were maintained at the State Highway 95 bridge on Bear Creek (site 25) and 

at the Roane-Anderson County line (site 24; see table 5).

The adjusted flow-duration curve is shown in figure 18.

Several small perennial springs flow from the limestone beds in 

the upper part of the Conasauga and from the Knox Dolomite in Bear 

Creek Valley. Large solution cavities are known to exist in the limestone beds in the upper part of the Conasauga in Bear Creek Valley,
N26 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

1000

100

5 10

V

M

\

\

0.01 0.1 125 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 99 

PERCENTAGE OF TIME INDICATED DISCHARGE WAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED

FIGURE 16. Duration curve of daily flow for Bast Fork Poplar Creek (adjusted 

to 1936-60period and for waste-water discharges).

from records of foundation drilling for the Y-12 plant, and from 

records of a series of exploratory wells drilled in Bear Oeek Basin. 

Most of these openings are at depths of less than 50 feet and are partially or entirely mud filled. The absence of sustained high discharge 

from these cavities is probably due to the lack of storage capacity in
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N27

\

EXPLANATION

A6

Gaging station and number

A 24

Partial-record site and number

Spring

Drainage basin boundary

1 V2 

I I I

1 MILE

FIGURE 17. Location of data-collection sites in Bear Creek basin,

the overlying material. The occurrence of ground water in the Rome 

and Conasauga in the basin is similar to that elsewhere in the area.

PAETIALLY GAGED TEIBUTAEY BASINS

The following paragraphs describe very briefly the nine basins in 

which only partial records of discharge were obtained. Locations of 

streams and gaging sites are shown in figure 1. Records of discharge 

measurements made at these sites are contained in table 5, ar d a list 

of peak stages recorded at partial-record and crest-stage gage sites 

is given in table 6. Estimates of duration of daily flow are given in 

table 7, and estimates of magnitude and frequency of minimum flows

258-179 O 67 3
N28 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

100

m 10

ID 

O

0.01 0.1 125 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 99 

PERCENTAGE OF TIME INDICATED DISCHARGE WAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED

FIGUKE 18. Duration curve of daily flow for Bear Creek (adjusted to 1936-60).

for 1- and 7-day duration and 2- and 10-year recurrence irterval are 

given in table 8. Estimated mean quarterly runoff is listed for each 

station in table 9.

The station Clinch Eiver tributary at CRM (Clinch River mile) 

51.1 (site 7, fig. 1) has a drainage area of 2.53 square miles, part of 

which is in the residential section of Oak Ridge. The sewage effluent 

for the east part of the city of Oak Ridge is discharged at a point just 

below the station.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N29

Emory Valley Creek has a drainage area of 0.85 square mil0, at the 

gaging site (site 8). The basin drains part of a growing res; dential 

area.

A partial-record site (site 9) was maintained on Bullrun C~eek at 

the U.S. Highway 25-W bridge, a short distance above Melton Hill 

backwater, where the stream has a drainage area of 93.3 square miles. 

A gaging station has been operated on Bullrun Creek about 8 miles 

upstream since 1957.

Scarboro Creek Basin is the site of Tennessee's first arboretum, presently being developed by the University of Tennessee's Forestry Department. A series of dams has been constructed to provide pooled 

water for certain species of trees. At the partial-record si^e (site 

10), operated before establishment of the arboretum, the stream has a 

drainage area of 1.13 square miles.

Beaver Creek at the partial-record site (site 11) has an area of 86.8 

square miles. The basin contains several small communities, the 

largest of which is Powell.

Hickory Creek has a drainage area of 4.36 square miles at the gaging site (site 12); its basin is mostly used for agriculture.

Clinch River tributary No. 2 (site 14) lies within the Oal' Ridge 

reservation, has a drainage area of 0.94 square mile, and is presently 

unused. The basin is mostly former farmland reverting to woodland.

Caney Creek has a drainage area of 3.32 square miles at the partialrecord site (site 15). The basin is mixed woodland and farmland.

Grassy Creek Basin, which has a drainage area of 1.00 square mile 

at the partial-record site (site 16), is unused and is mixed woodland 

and former farmland.

QUALITY OF SURFACE WATER AND 

GEOCHEMICAL RELATIONSHIPS

BY R. J. PlCKERING

QUALITY OF WATEB

Samples for determination of base-flow water quality were taken 

from 29 streams in the Oak Ridge area during the period September 

1961 to June 1964. Sampling dates selected included periods of high, 

medium, and low base flow. Occasional samples were collected at three 

additional sites. Two of the streams sampled regularly drain areas 

in the Cumberland Mountains in which coal has been mined by 

stripping.

Results of chemical analyses of the samples for major and minor 

constituents are reported in table 11. Results of spectrographic an-
N30 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITFD STATES

alyses of the trace-element content of samples collected September 

18-19, 1961, are shown in table 12.

In general, water in small streams in the Oak Ridge area is of the 

calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate type, except for water in Indian and 

Poplar Creeks, which drain the Cumberland Mountains area. These 

latter two streams contain substantial amounts of sulfate ior, probably 

as a result of oxidation and dissolution of iron sulfide minerr,1s exposed 

through strip-mining of coal. They also contain a somewhat higher 

content of sodium and chloride than do the streams with water of the 

calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate type. The water in uncontaminated 

natural streams in the Oak Ridge area is moderately hard tc very hard 

and has a low content of sodium, potassium, and chloride.

Generally, a content of more than 0.2 ppm of lithium, fluoride, phosphate, or detergents in streams in the Oak Ridge area is indicative of 

contamination. Analyses of water from East Fork Poplar Creek, 

Bear Creek, Whiteoak Creek, Melton Branch, and Indian Creek 

(tables 11 and 12) show that the content of one or more of the constituents listed above is higher than normal, and thus these streams 

may be considered contaminated. Occasional increases in sodium, 

chloride, and nitrate content of the tributary to East Fcrk Poplar 

Creek indicate some contamination of that stream also. Irtermittent 

increases in nitrate content of Beaver Creek resulted from use of 

fertilizer on farmland drained by the creek.

The water in East Fork Poplar Creek has a higher content of nitrate, sodium, and chloride than other streams in the area, owing to 

industrial effluent from the Y-12 plant. Since 1963, increased control 

over effluent from Y-12 has been achieved through construction of a 

lagoon settling basin, which has reduced suspended solid load and 

fluctuation in pH.

GEOCHEMISTRY

The chemical constituents of surface water in a natural stream 

reflect the mineral composition of the soil and bedrock of the stream 

basin because base flow of the stream originates as ground water. 

During periods of low base flow, ground water moves rather slowly 

through the soil and bedrock, and the dissolved-solids content of 

stream water will most strongly reflect the influence of soil and bedrock 

in these periods. The limiting condition for dissolution of minerals 

by ground water is saturation of the water with the minerals being 

disolved.

Streams which derive their base flow primarily from limestone, 

CaCO3 , will contain calcium and bicarbonate as the most abundant 

ions. Streams whose base flow is derived from dolomite, CaMg(CO3 ) 2 ,
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N31

will contain the same two primary ions and substantial amc^ints of 

magnesium.

Streams whose base flow is derived from shale, siltstone, and sandstone usually contain lesser concentrations of dissolved solids than 

do streams from carbonate rocks. The low dissolved-solids contents 

are a result of the lesser solubility of silica and silicate minerals which 

comprise shale, siltstone, and sandstone, in comparison to carbonate 

minerals. Differences in dissolved-solids content between the two 

stream types are greatest during periods of high base flow when the 

water is in contact with soil and rock for a relatively short period of 

time. On the other hand, water from shale, siltstone, and sandstone 

commonly contains higher concentrations of sodium, sulfate, and 

chloride than does water from carbonate rocks, because many carbonate 

rocks do not contain these constituents in significant amounts.

In general, the chemical composition of the natural streams in the 

Oak Ridge area strongly reflects the mineralogical composition of the 

bedrock underlying their individual drainage basins. This relationship is shown by the grouping of chemical constituents shown in figure 

19. Constituents plotted on the diagrams represent averages of the 

two or three lowest base-flow samplings of streams having more than 

75 percent of their drainage basin underlain by a single rock type, or 

group of rock types. They represent one stream in a limestone environment, three streams in dolomite environments, and three streams 

in shale-siltstone-sandstone environments (see table 10). Values 

plotted on the diagrams represent percentages, not absolute values, and 

are independent of differences between samples in concentration of 

individual constituents.

Points in the cation triangle, lower left of figure 19, show a distinct 

difference between the composition of the stream flowing in a limestone 

environment and the streams flowing in dolomite environments. The 

calcium: magnesium ratios in the latter streams are close to the expected ratios calculated on the basis of mineral composition $ nd distribution of rock types. Both environments contribute very little 

sodium and potassium to the water. The streams flowing in shalesiltstone-sandstone environments are much more variable in 

calcium: magnesium ratios, and also contain more sodium and potassium than the streams flowing over carbonate rocks.

In the anion triangle, plots of the streams flowing in the two carbonate environments (limestone and dolomite) are grouped in the carbonate-bicarbonate corner. As in the cation triangle, the streams from 

shale-siltstone-sandstone environments are more variable in composition than are the streams draining carbonate rocks. In Poplar Creek 

 and Indian Creek, which receives coal-mine drainage from Pennsyl-
N32 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

PROPERTIES

f\

PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL EQUIVALENTS PER MILLION

EXPLANATION 

ROCK TYPE

Limestone

Dolomite

Shale, siltstone, sandstone

STREAM

1. Emory Valley Creek

2. Caney Creek

3. Clinch River tributary 2

4. Whiteoak Creek above 

Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory

5. Melton Branch

6. Poplar Creek at Batley Ro?d

7. Indian Creek

FIGURE 19. Dissolved chemical constituents in water from basins underlain by a single rock type.

vanian rocks of the Cumberland Mountains, sulf ate is a much more 

important constituent than in Melton Branch, which receives no 

coal-mine drainage.

In the total-composition diamond, plots for streams flowing in exclusively carbonate environments are clustered in the Ca-Mg-CO3- 

HCO3 corner. Plots for the streams from shale-siltstone-sandstone en-
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N33

vironments are distributed over a much larger area of the diamond as 

a result of rather large variations in contributions of sodium and sulf ate to the dissolved-solids content of the streams.

The influence of bedrock composition on the chemical composition of 

streams during base flow is further illustrated in figure 20. During

r500

-400

Emory Valley

Creek

(sandstone, shale 

dolomite, 

limestone)

Mill Branch

(sandstone, shale,

limestone)

Feb. 15,1962 

Discharge 24.2 cfs

Oct. 31,1963 

Discharge 0.22 cfs

Apr. 17,1964 

Discharge 3.50 cfs

EXPLANATION

Calcium

Magnesium

Sodium plus 

potassium

Bicarbonate

Sulfate

Chloride plus 

nitrate

Oct. 31,1963 

Discharge 0.17 cfs

Dissolved 

solids

Silica

FIGUEE 20. The geologic composition of a basin as well as flow conditions affect

chemical quality of water.
N34 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

high base flow, Mill Branch, whose drainage basin is underlain predominantly by shale, had the lowest content of dissolved so1 ids of the 

four streams graphed. During low base flow, Indian Cre^k had the 

highest content of dissolved solids. Its high content of dissolved 

solids, and of sulfate in particular, was derived from acid solutions 

draining from coal-mining areas in the Cumberland Mountains. 

The high contents of iron, manganese, aluminum, cobalt, and nickel in 

Indian Creek water probably were derived from the same source 

(table 12).

The stream in the Oak Ridge area that had the lowest average content of silica in base-flow samples was Clinch River tributary at CRM 

51.1, which is underlain almost exclusively by Chickamauga Limestone 

and Knox Dolomite, both essentially carbonate rocks. The next lowest 

in silica content was Emory Valley Creek, which above the sampling 

site is underlain entirely by Chickamauga Limestone. A low silica 

content is characteristic of streams draining areas underlain by carbonate rocks.

In the Oak Ridge area, the highest silica contents are in streams 

whose drainage basins are largely underlain by shale, siltstone, and 

sandstone Mill Branch, Indian Creek, Grassy Creek, and Gum Hollow Branch. Thus it appears that a high silica content is characteristic 

of streams draining areas underlain by these three rock types. The 

high silica content is probably due to dissolution of fine-grained silicate 

minerals which occur abundantly in the shale and siltstone. The Fort 

Payne Chert may have contributed to the silica content of Mill and 

Gum Hollow Branches. The high silica content of Indian Creek is 

largely the result of rapid dissolution of quartz and silicate minerals by 

acid water draining from coal mines.

The two streams having the highest hardness contents were Emory 

Valley Creek and Clinch River tributary at CRM 51.1. Drainage 

basins of both streams are underlain by carbonate rocks only. In general, streams draining basins underlain predominantly by shale, siltstone, or sandstone, had the lowest hardness contents.

The relationship between volume of base flow and content of dissolved solids is shown in figure 21 for several streams in the Oak 

Ridge area. In general, water in a stream at low base flow can be assumed to have been in contact with soil and bedrock for a longer period 

of time than water in the stream during periods of high base flow, and 

can therefore be expected to have a higher content of dissolved solids. 

Four of the five streams illustrated in figure 21 show this relationship. 

Emory Valley Creek does not. The absence of a well-defined relationship between the discharge and the dissolved solids content of 

Emory Valley Creek and also the high calcium and bicarbonate con-
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N35

280

240

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 

PERCENTAGE OF MEAN ANNUAL DISCHARGE

160 180

FIGURE 21. Dissolved-solids content tend to decrease as flow increases.

tents of the stream suggest that Emory Valley Creek may be saturated 

with respect to calcium carbonate during some periods of the yea r. The 

base flow of a stream during periods of saturation is composed of 

ground water which has reached the limit of its capacity to dissolve 

limestone, and the calcium and bicarbonate content of the stream would 

not be expected to vary with discharge during such periods.

WATER USES IN THE OAK RIDGE AREA 

IN PLACE USES

Recreation. Since the filling of Melton Hill Lake the recreational 

use of water in the Oak Ridge area has greatly increased. T' e lake 

now has three commercial docks and a marina; several acces^ areas 

and parks have been built and more are planned. Sport fishing is 

popular both in the reservoir and in Melton Hill Dam tailwater.

Wa^te disposal. Wastes in the Oak Ridge area released to streams 

include organic wastes, chemical wastes, drainage from coal mines, 

gravel-washing wastes, and radioactive wastes. The largest volumes 

of waste water, which contain chemical, organic, and radioactive 

wastes in very dilute quantities, are discharged by the AEC plants.
N36 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

The combined estimated mean effluent from the three plart installations is 470 cfs, about 450 cfs of which is cooling water from the 

Gaseous Diffusion Plant that is returned directly to the Clinch River.

The city of Oak Ridge discharges waste water from a secondary 

treatment plant at the east end of the city, which serves an estimated 

14,000 people, to a small Clinch River tributary at river mil0, 51.1, and 

to East Fork Poplar Creek from a primary treatment plant at the west 

end of town, which serves an estimated 16,500 people. Clinton has a 

primary sewage-treatment plant serving 4,800 people, ard releases 

waste water to the Clinch River. Oliver Springs and Powell have 

no sewage-treatment facilities. Two industries in Clinton discharge 

their waste water through the municipal waste-treatment system. A 

meat-packing firm near Powell releases untreated wastes to Beaver 

Creek (Tennessee Valley Authority, 1963a).

Navigation and hydrop&iver generation. Navigability of Clinch 

River has been extended by creation of Melton Hill Lake to a total of 

60 miles from the mouth of the river upstream to Clinton. Most of the 

Clinch River flow will be used for power generation at Melton Hill 

Dam. At Norris Dam, 80-100 percent of the streamflow is used for 

power generation, water being spilled only to maintain flood-storage 

reservation (Tennessee Valley Authority, 1963a).

WITHDRAWAL USES

Municipal supply. The Oak Ridge city pumping station on Melton 

Hill Lake serves ORNL, the Y-12 facility, and the city of Oak Ridge. 

The 1962 Oak Ridge report of pumpage for the State of Tennessee 

showed an average of 2.7 cfs delivered for domestic use and 1.3 cfs for 

commercial use, An estimated 80 percent of this is returnee1 to Clinch 

River via the previously mentioned tributaries.

Clinton obtains its supply from Clinch River, pumping about 0.6 

cfs. Oliver Springs pumps 0.3 cfs from Bacon Spring. The West 

Knox Utility District serves about 8,000 people and listed its average 

1962 pumpage at about 0.6 cfs, obtained from Melton Hill Lake and a 

large spring. The First Utility District of Anderson County, serving 

4,000 people, pumps water from two springs, and listed its 1962 average pumpage rate at about 0.3 cfs.

Industrial uses. Other than water used by the Federal Government 

installations, industrial use of water in the area is small. The totally 

or partially self-supplied industries listed in the Clinch-Powell Valley 

Report (Tennessee Valley Authority, 1963a) used a total of only 0.3 

cfs in 1962, obtained from wells and springs, in addition to 0.3 cfs 

f rom municipal sources.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N37

Steampower generation. The operation of Bullrun Steam Plant 

will require an estimated 928 cfs from Melton Hill Lake. The discharge water, having been used for condenser cooling, a nonconsumptive use, will have been raised in temperature by about 18°F (Carrigan and others, 1967).

Rural domestic use. According to the Tennessee Valley Authority 

(1963a), the estimated total rural domestic water use in Anderson, 

Knox, and Roane Counties in the Clinch-Powell Valley was about 

3.3 cfs in 1962, based on an estimated per-capita daily use of 60 gallons in homes with piped water and 10 gallons in homes without piped 

water.

Irrigation. Agricultural use of water for irrigation in the area 

was estimated to be about 207 acre-feet per year in 1962, of which an 

estimated 187 acre-feet was consumptive use (Tennessee Valley Authority, 1963a). Water used for irrigation for other purposes includes that of the Oak Ridge Golf and Country Club, which is installing a dam and pumping system on Crystal Spring; expected use 

will be about 0.7 acre-feet per day in dry weather. The Melton Hill 

Golf and Country Club uses supplemental irrigation, pumping from 

Melton Hill Lake. The University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station also pumps supplemental water from Melton Hill 

Reservoir.

SUMMARY

Annual precipitation in the Oak Ridge area ranges from more than 

58 inches in the northwestern part of the area to about 46 inches in 

the northeastern part. Analysis of storm rainfall by the U.S. Weather 

Bureau indicates that the 100-year 24-hour rainfall is about 7.5 inches. 

The most intense measured rainfall at Oak Ridge occurred on August 

10, 1960, when 7.43 inches fell in a period of 3.3 hours. Analysis of 

duration of periods of no rainfall indicates that half the dry periods 

are of 3 days or more duration. Annual water loss amounts to about 

55 percent of annual rainfall; the quarter of greatest loss is that of 

July-September, when an average of 80 percent of the season's rainfall is returned to the atmosphere.

Flow characteristics of streams in the Oak Ridge area vrry considerably from stream to stream. The variations are primarily caused 

by differences in areal distribution of rainfall and the geologic characteristics of the basins. Those basins underlain by a greater percentage of limestone and dolomite generally have higher unit-area low-flow 

discharges than those underlain by greater percentages of sandstone 

and shale. Basins underlain by greater proportions of sandstone and 

shale tend to have a wider range of discharge than those underlain 

mostly by dolomite and limestone.
N38 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

The Knox Dolomite is the principal aquifer in the area and all 

the large springs, of which Bacon Spring is largest, issue from this 

formation. The sandstone and shale, of the Rome Formation, the 

Conasauga Group, and Pottsville Age, are the poorest aquifers. It 

is estimated that the yield of the average well in the area would not 

exceed 10 gpm.

Water in small streams in the Oak Ridge area is of the cal~ium-magnesium-bicarbonate type, except water in streams whose drainage is 

derived from the Cumberland Mountains area. These latter streams 

contain substantial amounts of sulfate ions, probably as a result of 

oxidation and dissolution of iron sulfide minerals exposed through 

strip mining coal; they also contain a somewhat higher content of 

sodium and chloride than do the streams with water of the calciummagnesium-bicarbonate type. In general, the water in natural streams 

in the Oak Ridge area is moderately hard to very hard and has a 

low content of sodium, potassium, and chloride. Three streams East 

Fork Poplar Creek, "WTiiteoak Creek, and Bear Creek revive some 

industrial effluent.

REFERENCES

Carrigan, P. H., Jr., Pickering, R. J., Tamura, Tsuneo, and Forbes, Robert, 1967.

Radioactive materials in bottom sediments of Clinch and Tennessee Rivers,

pt. A of Investigations of radionuclides in upper portion of sediment: Oak

Ridge Natl. Lab. rept. ORNL-3721, Suppl. 2A. 

Conrad, V., and Pollak, L. W., 1950, Methods in climatology: Cambridge, Mass.,

Harvard Univ. Press, 459 p. 

DeBuchananne, G. D., and Richardson, R. M., 1956, Ground-water resources of

east Tennessee: Tenn. Div. Geology, Bull. 58, pt. 1, 393 p. 

Goddard, G. C., Jr., 1963, Water-supply characteristics of North Carolina streams :

U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1761, 223 p. 

Hem, J. D., 1959, Study and interpretation of chemical characteristics of natural

water: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1473, 269 p. 

Hilsmeier, W. F., 1963, Supplementary meteorological data for Oak Ridge: U.S.

Atomic Energy Comm. Div. Tech. Inf. ORO-199, 57 p. 

Jenkins, C. T., 1960, Floods in Tennessee, magnitude and frequency: Tenn. State

Highway Dept., 68 p. 

McMaster, W. M., 1964, Geologic map of the Oak Ridge Reservation. Tennessee:

Oak Ridge Natl. Lab. ORNL-TM 713, 23 p. 

McMaster, W. M., and Waller, H. D., 1965, Geology and soils of Whiteoak Creek

basin, Tennessee: Oak Ridge Natl. Lab. ORNL-TM-1108, 35 p. 

Morton, R. J., ed., 1961, Status report No. 1 on Clinch River Study: Oak Ridge

Natl. Lab. ORNL-3119.

 1962a, Status report No. 2 on Clinch River Study: Oak Ridg-> Natl. Lab. 

ORNL-3202.

 1962b, Status report No. 3 on Clinch River Study: Oak Ridg<> Natl. Lab. 

ORNL-3370.

 1963, Status report No. 4 on Clinch River Study: Oak Rive- Natl. Lab.

ORNL-3409.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N39

Morion, R. J., ed., 1965, Status report No. 5 on Clinch River Study: Oak Ridge 

Natl. Lab. ORNL-3721.

 1966, Status report No. 6 on Clinch River Study: Oak River N?tl. Lab.

ORNL-3941. 

Newcombe, Roy, Jr., and Smith, Ollie L., Jr., 1958, Ground-water resources of

the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee: Tenn. Div. Water Resources, 72 p. 

Rogers, John, 1953, Geologic map of east Tennessee: Tenn. Div. Geology Bull.

58 pt. 2, 168 p. 

Speer, P. R., and Gamble, C. R., 1964, Magnitude and frequency of flood's in the

United States, Part 3-B, Cumberland and Tennessee River basins: U.S.

Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1676, 340 p. 

Sun, Pao-chang P., Criner, J. H., and Poole, J. L., 1963, Large springs of east

Tennessee: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1755, 52 p. 

Tennessee Valley Authority, 1937-64, Precipitation in Tennessee Rivev basin:

T.V.A. Rept. Ser. 0-243 [issued monthly and annually].

 1958, The occurrence of drought in the Tennessee Valley: T.V.A. Rept. 

T58-2 AE, 58 p.

 1959a, Mean precipitation in Tennessee River basin: T.V.A. Pept. D243A, suppl. to Precipitation in Tennessee River basin annual 1959, 12 p., 

15 pi.

 1959b, Floods on Clinch River and East Fork Popular Creek: T.V.A. 

Rept. 0-5922, 67 p. 16 pis.

 1960, Precipitation in Tennessee River basin, August, 1960: T.V.A. Rept. 

0-243-305, August, 1960.

 1961, Evaporation in Tennessee River basin: T.V.A. Rept. 0-243-310-A, 

49 p.

 1962, Drainage areas for streams in Tennessee and Cumberlard River 

basins: T.V.A. Rept. 0-5829-R-l, 109 p.

 1963a, Clinch-Powell Valley, its water supply: T.V.A. Tributary Area 

Devel. [unnumbered report], 21 p.

 1963b, Mineral quality of surface waters in the Tennessee River basin: 

T.V.A. Rept. 0-6392, 161 p.

 1964, Precipitation in Tennessee River basin: T.V.A. Rept. Ser. 0-0243

[annual].

U.S. Geological Survey, 1951-60, Surface Waters of the United States, pt. 3-B. 

Cumberland and Tennessee River basins: Water Supply Papers 1206, 1236, 

1276, 1336, 1386, 1436, 1506, 1556, 1626, 1706.

 1958, Compilation of records of surface waters of the United States through 

September 1950, pt. 3-B. Cumberland and Tennessee River basins: WaterSupply Paper 1306.

 1961-64, Surface water records of Tennessee [issued annually].

 1964, Compilation of records of surface water of the United States, October 1950 to September 1960, pt. 3-B. Cumberland and Tennessee River 

basins: Water-Supply Paper 1726.

U.S. Weather Bureau, 1948-1964, Local climatological data [issued monthly and 

annually].

 1955, Rainfall intensity-duration-frequency curves: U.S. Weatl -?r Bur. 

Tech. Paper 25, 53 p.

 1961, Rainfall frequency atlas of the United States: U.S. Weather Bur.

Tech. Paper 40, 61 p.
TABLES 1-13
N42 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

TABLE 1. Monthly and annual precipitation, in inches, for the period of record at

the Oak Ridge station

[Maximum and minimum values are in italic. Based on data collected by the U.S. Weather Bar.]

Year

1Q4Q

1949 -____-----

1QCA

1QC1

1QCO

1953 -

1954... _. ------ ---

1956 ....--

1957 

1QKQ

iQfin

IQfil

1962 - 

1963 

1964 

Jan.

3.70

8.60

13.10

7.10

4.90

4.45

IS. 87

2.44

4.57

10.08

2.52

5.81

3.75

1.86

5.93

2.83

4.81

5.87

Feb.

10.04

2.52

6.33

6.35

1.90

7.18

4.64

7.38

10.47

8.60

2.57

4.39

3.59

7.88

9.01

2.86

4.33

5.88

Mar.

6.82

4.33

4.98

8.09

7.09

4.94

6.24

7.92

6.44

2.13

3.66

4.28

5.23

7.33

5.88

9.05

6.32

5.93

Apr.

2.26

4.39

1.39

4.86

1.65

3.35

1.80

4.45

9.71

4.55

6.62

4.35

2.09

3.61

3.94

3.70

7.13

4.15

May

2.97

3.10

7.05

1.23

3.43

5.83

3.09

4.58

4.44

2.45

3.17

3.24

1.97

4.39

2.64

3.24

2.84

3.51

June

2.23

2.76

3.21

4.83

1.18

2.91

2.29

4.42

2.28

4.80

1.91

3.85

7.00

7.16

8.09

3.62

.86

3.73

July

6.34

S.S1

7.52

3.74

4.13

4.25

5.06

3.53

7.90

0.72

4.46

3.23

3.76

7.06

4.28

7.51

3.41

5.14

Aug.

2.17

4.96

5.94

1.38

4.48

.54

2.73

4.54

2.08

1.82

3.46

5.63

10.46

4.02

2.87

3.17

5.05

3.84

Sept.

1.14

1.40

3.12

4.95

1.46

4.03

3.73

4.60

2.91

9.10

3.00

.56

4.64

.41

6.42

1.43

3.14

3.30

Oct.

1.36

6.11

1.41

2.96

.94

.58

1.97

2.07

3.80

4.16

.41

4.05

4.55

2.91

3.28

Trace

2.61

2.54

Ncv.

li.it

1.37

3.67

6.70

4.48

1.62

2.49

4.67

2.23

10.07

3.22

5.78

2.72

4.41

5.44

4.30

3.82

4.66

Dec.

6.89

4.49

3.83

8.01

3.77

6.66

9.39

5.49

10.31

7.40

t.4S

5.37

4.56

9.86

3.31

2.99

5.62

5.90

Annual

58.14

52.54

61.55

60.20

39.41

46.34

56.70

56.09

67.14

67.88

37.43

50.54

54.32

60.90

61.09

44.70

49.94

54.45

TABLE 2. Monthly and annual normal precipitation at 11 stations in or near the

Oak Ridge area

[Precipitation at TVA stations is adjusted to the period 1935-59: precipitation at USWB stations is adjusted

to the period 1931-60]

Station owner and 

station name

USWB, KingstonTV A, Petros ..-

TVA, near 

Concord... ----- 

TVA, Paillette 

UCNC,1 Wheat 

(K-25).. 

UCNC.inear Oak 

Ridge (ORNL)- 

USWB, Oak Ridge. 

TVA, Clinton 

TVA nursery __ 

TVA, Vasper .

TVA, Norris DamMean monthly precipitation, in inches, for the 1931-60 or 1935-59 period

Jan.

5.27 

6.74

5.02 

5.20

6.08

5.24 

5.94

5.82 

5.53 

5.51 

5.58

Feb.

5.35 

6.09

4.98 

5.08

6.39

5.39 

5.80

5.57 

5.30 

5.15 

5.05

Mar.

5.21 

5.86

4.75 

4.94

6.52

5.44 

5.59

5.41 

5.22 

5.31 

4.91

Apr.

4.12 

4.71

3.87 

3.89

4.77

4.14 

4.20

4.38 

3.98 

3.82 

3.57

May

3.58 

4.46

3.31 

3.83

4.48

3.48 

3.73

4.21 

3.70 

4.01 

4.76

June

3.45 

4.45

2.94 

3.74

4.20

3.38 

3.24

3.56 

'3.69 

3.53 

4.92

July

4.49 

5.31

4.63 

3.97

5.62

5.31 

5.95

5.12 

4.65 

4.13 

4.52

Aug.

4.03 

4.59

2.70 

3.17

4.05

4.02 

4.62

3.41 

3.38 

3.69 

4.34

Sept.

2.88 

3.58

2.82 

3.08

3.01

3.59 

3.30

3.43 

3.15 

3.13 

3.21

Oct.

2.59 

3.06

2.27 

2.27

3.18

2.82 

2.67

2.66 

2.21 

2.36 

2.45

Nov.

.84 

.88

.77 

.88

.97

.49

.77

4.40 

4.32 

4.03 

f.93

Dec.

4.95 

6.12

4.33 

4.36

5.58

5.22 

5.90

5.16 

5.09

4.77 

4.54

Annual 

normal

49.76 

59.85

45.39 

47.41

57.85

51.52 

54.71

53.13 

50.22 

49.44 

51.78

Owned by Union Carbide Nuclear Corp., operated by USWB.
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N43

TABLE 3. Maximum 24-hour rainfalls, in inches, by months for the years 1951-64

at the Oak Ridge station

[Based on data collected by the U.S. Weather Bur.]

Year

1951-- 

1952.- 

1953-- 

1954-- ----------

1955 

1956. 

1957-- 

1958- -

1959 

I960--. . ---------.----

1961... 

1962-- -

1963. ------------------

1964- 

Jan.

1.10

.72

2.77

2.35

3.21

.75

.61

1.16

.67

1.26

Feb.

.31

2.45

2.38

2.71

1.68

.73

1.25

.84

2.55

2.51

1.22

1.53

Mar.

1.27

1.77

1.62

1.59

.99

.78

1.90

1.60

3.02

1.78

3.89

2.51

Apr.

.90

1.23

1.57

3.74

1.89

1.06

.57

1.33

1.68

2.32

1.84

May

1.22

2.20

1.11

2.04

1.68

1.13

.78

1.19

.82

1.44

1.33

1.15

.74

June

0.77

.40

.72

1.83

1.44

1.11

2.01

.65

1.48

1.86

2.42

2.02

.67

1.03

July

1.92

2.50

1.67

3.48

1.11

1.63

1.42

1.02

1.02

2.92

1.57

1.26

2.37

1.18

Aug.

0.42

1.33

.14

.92

2.20

.75

.94

1.49

2.77

7.48

.95

1.26

.79

2.38

Sept.

1.80

.63

1.77

1.92

2.36

1.59

2.61

1.82

.22

2.26

.16

3.43

.58

2.03

Oct.

1.23

.65

.53

.89

1.46

1.25

2.04

.29

1.13

1.45

1.59

1.22

Trace

1.24

Nov.

1.95

1.38

1.04

.65

1.35

1.10

2 97

1.33

2.29

1.05

1.85

1.93

1.62

1.48

Dec.

2.75

1.05

2.65

4.73

3.45

3.42

3.20

1.59

1.69

1.80

2.36

.94

1.29

1.96

TABLE 4. Maximum duration, in days, of periods of no precipitation at the 

Oak Ridge station, 1949-64

[Based on data collected by the U.S. Weather Bur.l

Year

1949.. 

1950

1951

1952

1953 

1954 . 

1955 . 

1956 . 

1957 . 

1958.. 

1959 

I960. 

1961--.--

1962.- 

1963 . 

1964---

Jan.

11

2

4

5

5

4

10

9

4

12

5

9

12

4

4

6

Feb.

7

5

5

7

4

12

4

3

6

7

4

4

9

6

7

4

Mar.

6

6

3

6

7

9

6

5

5

6

4

8

4

7

5

3

Apr.

4

7

3

9

6

5

6

6

8

4

6

12

5

19

11

9

May

5

0

o

11

8

8

9

7

8

7

10

12

6

12

12

9

June

9

8

3

9

5

13

5

11

4

7

10

7

4

6

5

11

July

10

4

6

6

8

9

5

2

8

4

6

10

3

15

4

6

Aug.

8

7

6

5

13

5

7

7

9

7

7

8

5

9

7

4

Sept.

11

8

7

11

13

9

12

10

4

9

18

9

6

7

14

18

Oct.

5

10

13

21

26

10

9

12

9

14

8

7

15

13

31

10

Nov.

10

6

7

8

19

11

5

9

4

6

7

5

5

5

11

6

Dec.

6

15

3

9

6

7

10

10

6

8

8

5

4

9

7

5

Annual

11

15

13

29

31

14

14

19

10

14

18

18

15

19

32

21

Beginning date

Jan. 6;

Sept. 7.

Sept. 23;

Dec. 13.

Oct. 8.

Oct. 11.

Sept. 26.

June 18;

Aug. 27.

Apr. 26.

Nov. 22.

June 29.

Oct. 4.

Sept. 11.

Aug. 24.

Oct. 4.

Apr. 15.

Sept. 30.

Aug. 29.
N44 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

TABLE 5. Discharge measurements made at partial-record stations in the Oak Ridge

area, 1961-64

Station

No. 

(fig- 1)

7.......

8-... ...

9.. _-

10-.---

11.-.- 

12....---

13. ......

14....

Name

Clinch River tributary 

at CBM51.1 at Oak 

Ridge.

Emory Valley Creek at 

Oak Ridge.

Bullrun Creek near 

Powell.

Scarboro Creek near 

Oak Ridge.

Beaver Creek at Solway.

Hickory Creek near 

Farragut.

Whiteoak Creek above 

ORNL near Oak 

Ridge.

Clinch River tributary 

No. 2 atC RM 19.1 

near Oak Ridge.

Location

Lat 36°02'21", long 848 12'34", at sewage-treatment plant, 3.9 miles east ol 

intersection of State Highways 62 

and 95 in Oak Ridge.

Lat 36801'27", long 84°13'00", at tree on 

left bank, 20 ft below gravel road, 

250 ft southwest of intersection of 

Emory Valley Road and Carnegie 

Drive in Oak Ridge.

Lat 36801'56", long 84805'50", at U.S. 

Highway 25W bridge, 1.5 miles below Big Spring Branch, 3.8 miles 

west of Powell. 

Lat 35857'13', long 848 12'58', at 3- 

barrel pipe culvert on Bethel Valley 

Road, 75 ft west of intersection of 

State Highway 62 and Bethel Valley 

Road, 3.4 miles southeast of intersection of State Highways 95 and 62 

in Oak Ridge.

Lat 35857'51', long 848 10'4l", at bridge 

on Solway Road, 1.1 miles southwest of Solway, 5.9 miles southeast 

of the intersection of State Highways 

95 and 62 in Oak Ridge.

Lat 35853'28", long 848 12'23", at wooden 

bridge on Yarnell Road, 1.3 miles 

above Grable Branch, 4 miles west of 

Farragut.

Lat 35°56'28", long 84818'05', along patrol road 0.3 mile north of Bethel 

Valley Road, 5 miles southwest of 

intersection of State Highways 95 

and 62 in Oak Ridge.

Lat 35864'16', long 84821'29', on gravel 

AEC patrol road, 1.3 miles southeast 

of State Highway 95 and Bethel 

Valley Road, 0.35 mile above mouth.

Drain 

age 

area 

(sq ml

2.53 

.85

93.3 

1.13

86.8

4.36 

.80

.94

Measurements

Date

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-16-64 

6-23-64 

9-18-61 

12-17-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-18-61 

2-16-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-18-61 

12-12-61 

12-17-61 

2-15-62 

2-23-62 

2-29-62 

5-29-62 

12-3-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

6-24-64 

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

2-23-62 

4-12-62 

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 

3-12-63 

7-10-63 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64 

8- 2-61 

9-18-61 

12-12-61 

2-15-62 

2-23-62 

2-28-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64

Discharge 

(cfs)

0.03 

.99 

.24 

.28 

.02 

.06 

2.52 

.14 

.08 

21.3 

.71 

.10 

.49 

.07 

.02 

.90 

.50 

16.4 

142 

34.5 

35.1 

0.73 

1.72 

2.78 

2.39 

46.0 

26.6 

1.31 

1.19 

.71 

.56 

4.09 

.78 

19.4 

123 

1,670 

901 

35.9 

35.0 

2,300 

28.0 

14.2 

9.43 

208 

21.8 

1.26 

6.99 

2.04 

2.08 

1.45 

1.05 

10.4 

1.78 

.40 

.24 

10.5 

1.10 

49.9 

19.5 

.28 

.18 

.20 

2.04 

.10 

.92 

.34 

.06 

.09 

1.98 

.07
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N45

TABLE 5. Discharge measurements made at partial-record stations in the Oak Ridge 

area, 1961-64 Continued

No. 

(fig. 1)

15...- 

16. 

17-. 

18. ------

20. -.___.

21. ------

22. 

23----.-

Station

Name

Kingston.

Oak Kidge.

Koad near Oliver 

Springs.

Springs.

Tributary at Oak 

Kidge.

Kidge.

at Oak Ridge.

Location

Lat 35°51'53", long 84°23'07", on left

bank at county road, 1.5 miles 

above mouth, 2.4 miles northeast 

from intersection on U.S. Highway 

70 and Buttermilk Eoad, 7.5 miles 

east of Kingston.

Lat 35°55'00", long 84°22'13", at AEC

Patrol rifle range on gravel road 0.2 

mile southwest of Bear Creek Valley 

Koad, 1.2 miles above mouth and 2 

miles west of intersection of State 

Highway 95 and Bear Creek Valley 

Koad.

Lat 36°01'57", long 84°18'16", at bridge

on Batley Road, 0.8 mile east of 

intersection of Batley Road and 

State Highway 61, 2.2 miles east of 

Oliver Springs.

Lat 36°04'11", long 84°13'40", at bridge

on county road, 1.7 miles northwest 

of intersection of State Highways 61 

and 95, 0.5 mile northeast of Dossett.

Lat 36°02'45", long 84°20'48", at bridge

on State Highway 61, 200 ft west of 

intersection of State Highways 61 

and 62 at Oliver Springs.

Lat 36°00'47", long 84°15'50", at bridge

150 ft above State Highway 95 at 

Oak Ridge High School and 0.4 mile 

east of intersection of State Highways 62 and 95.

Lat 35°59'46", long 84°18'10", at mouth

at East Fork of Poplar Creek, 2.1 

miles west of intersection of State 

Highways 62 and 95, at extension of 

Bermuda Road at Oak Ridge.

Lat 35°58'31", long 84°20'08", at pipe

culvert at llth hole of Oak Ridge 

Golf Course, 4.4 miles west of intersection of State Highways 62 and 95 

in Oak Ridge.

Drainage

area 

(sq mi)

3.32

1.00

30.3

in 9

18.4

1.14

1 7fi

9 An

Measu*

Date

9-18-61

12-17-61 2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 3-12-63 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-18-61

2-15-61 

5-29-62 

12-4-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-18-61

2-16-62 

5-21-62 

5-29-62 

12-3-62 

9-10-63 

10-28-63 4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-18-61

2-15-62 

2-23-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 9-10-63 

10-28-63 6-23-64 

9-18-61

2-15-62 

2-23-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 9-10-63 

10-28-63 6-23-64 

9-18-61

2-15-62 

2-23-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 9-12-63 

10-28-63 4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-17-64 

9-18-61

2-15-62 

6- 1-62 

12- 3-62 9-12-63 

10-28-63 4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-17-64 

9-18-61

2-15-62 

6- 1-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

10-28-63 4-17-64 

6-23-64 

9-17-64

<?ments

Discharge 

(cfs)

1.96

119 

9.23 

2.31 

5.11 

326 

1.25 

.94 

17.4 

1.73 

.05

.45 

.04 

.08 

.02 

i.Ol 

.98 

.16 

1.57

58.8 

3.56 

4.28 

19.5 

1.99 

.68 

80.0 

1.44 

2.03

14.7 

649 

2.88 

6.61 

1.66 

1.39 

2.30 

.81

24.2 

1,110 

2.50 

12.4 

.56 

.22 

.58

QO

1.50 

34.7 

.61 

.53 

.34 

.32 

1.86 

1.11 

.29

fl ^lO

2.08 

.38 

.64 

.34 

.17 

3.50 

.32 

.16

00

2.61 

.48 

.82 

.21 

.15 

4.06 

.56 

.13

See footnote at end of table.
N46 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

TABLE 5. Discharge measurements made at partial-record stations in the Oak Ridge 

area, 1961-64 Continued

Station

No. 

(fig. 1)

24_______

25. ______

Name

Bear Creek at county 

line near Oak Ridge.

Bear Creek at Highway 

95 near Oak Ridge.

Location

Lat 35°57'26", long 84°18'03", at double 

box culvert on Bear Creek Valley 

Road, at the Anderson County line, 

4 miles southwest of intersection of 

State Highways 62 and 95 in Oak 

Ridge.

Lat 35°56'17", long 84°20'29", at bridge 

on State Highway 95, in triangle 

formed by intersection of Highway 

95 and Bear Creek Valley Road near 

Oak Ridge.

Drainage 

area 

"(sq mi)

1.57 

4.26

Measurements

Date

9-18-61 

12-21-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

3-12-63 

0-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

&-24-64 

0-18-61 

2-15-62 

4-11-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

F-12-63 

f-12-63 

10-28-63 

4-17-64 

6-24-64

Discharge

(cfs)

.13 

17.9 

1.08 

.09 

.34 

85.8 

.11 

.04 

2.57 

.20 

.96 

5.58 

162 

1.17 

1.83 

233 

.62 

.53 

9.51 

1.12

i Est. 

TABLE 6. Peak s at partial-record sites equipped with crest-stage gages in the

Oak Ridge area, 1961-64 

[Elevation of zero of gage is 0.00 ft arbitrary datum]

No. (fig. 1)

5b

5c________. ______

5d.-__-________.

8 ._

10.. __________

11 .-..-......

13- __________

15

18

19______. ________

20-__. . ....

21 ____________

24___ ____

25

Station

Name

Whiteoak Creek above ORNL-. _______ _ __________ _ _ ___

Caney Creek

Brushy Fork

Peak stage

(feet)

9.46

8.15

6.99

3.94

4.99

10.78

4.06

6.56

11.68

16.31

13.06

3.64

5.29

4.88

Probable

date

8-23-61

3-12-63

6-12-62

3-12-63

3-12-63

6-27-62

3-12-63

3-12-63

3-12-63

3-12-63

3-12-63

3-12-63

3-12-63
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N47 

TABLE 7. Duration of daily flow at partial-record sites, adjusted to reference period

Station

No. 

(fig. 1)

17 

18 _____

20- 

21 

22 

23 ._.__

24 . 

25 

7

8... .._

10 

11 

12.. ..

14. 

15 

16 

Name

Poplar Creek at Batley Road near Oliver 

Springs.

Mill Branch.---------- .........

Bear Creek at county line near Oak Ridge. 

Bear Creek at State Highway 95 near Oak 

Ridge. 

Clinch River tributary at CRM 51.1 at 

Oak Ridge 

Emory Valley Creek at Oak Ridge.. . __ .

Clinch River tributary No. 2 at CRM 

19.1 near Oak Ridge.. ______ . __

Dally flow (in cfs) for indicated duration, in 

percentage of time

90

1.10

1.60 

.64 

.37 

.27 

.23 

.07 

.45

.06 

.04 

.68 

13.0 

1.20

.06 

1.20 

.03

80

1.70

2.00 

1.05 

.44 

.34 

.29 

.09 

.70

.09 

.06 

.78 

17.0 

1.50

.10 

1.60 

.05

70

2.50

2.80 

1.80 

.52 

.45 

.40 

.14 

1.10

.14 

.09 

.92 

23.0 

1.90

.16 

2.10 

.08

60

4.10

3.90 

3.00 

.64 

.60 

.55 

.21 

1.65

.22 

.14 

1.10 

32.0 

2.35

.25 

2.80 

.12

50

8.10

5.60 

5.20 

.78 

.84 

.79 

.33 

2.50

.35 

.22 

1.30 

45.0 

3.10

.39

4.00 

.17

40

12.0

8.40 

9.00 

.96 

1.20 

1.15 

.54 

3.75

.58 

.36 

1.55 

66.0 

4.10

.60 

5.60 

.26

TABLE 8. Magnitude and frequency of annual minimum flow at stream-gaging 

sites (exclusive of Whiteoak Creek basin), adjusted to the reference period

Station

No. 

(fig. 1)

4. . .. .

17.. _.

18-. 

20. .......

5 » .

21........

22- 

23-. 

6-. 

24..--..

25. _______

7- 

8-_ 

10_-___.__

11_______.

12. ._____.

14. .......

15-. ___

16.-___ 

Name

Poplar Creek near Oak Ridge. .. ...

Poplar Creek at Batley Road 

near Oliver Springs.

Indian Creek at Oliver Springs. . .

Tributary to East Fork Poplar 

Creek at Oak Ridge.

Gum Hollow Branch at Oak 

Ridge.

Bear Creek at county line near 

Oak Ridge. 

Bear Creek at State Highway 95 

near Oak Ridge. 

Clinch River tributary at CRM 

51.1 at Oak Ridge. 

Emory Valley Creek at Oak 

Ridge. 

Scarboro Creek near Oak RidgeHickory Creek near Farragut. ..

Clinch River tributary No. 2 at 

CRM 19.1 Oak Ridge.

Grassy Creek near Oak Ridge.. . .

Recurrence 

interval, 

in years

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10 

2 

10

Lowest mean discharge (in cfs) for cor secutive 

days indicated, in year beginning April 1

1

9.0 

7.0 

.75 

.30 

1.25 

.80 

.42 

.17 

2.3 

1.6 

.33 

.25 

.23 

.15 

.18 

.12 

0.7 

.6 

.05 

.02 

.3 

.05 

.14 

.01 

.02 

.0 

.61 

.49 

11.0 

7.0 

1.0 

.68 

.15 

.0 

1.0 

.68 

.01 

.0

3

9.0 

7.0

2.3 

1.6

0.7 

.6

7

10.0 

7.0 

.75

.40

1.25

.88

.42

.21

2.3 

1.7 

.33

.26

.23

.16

.18

.13

0.7 

.6 

.05

.03

.3

.10

.04

.02

.01

.01

.61

.51

11.0

7.6

1.0

.74

.15

.0

1.0

.73

.01

.05

14

10.0 

8.0

2.4 

1.8

0.7 

.6

30

13.0 

9.0

2.6 

1.8

0.7 

.6

60

15.0 

10.0

3.0 

3.2

6.8

.7

90

18.0 

12.0

3.4 

3.4

0.9

.7

1 Adjusted for waste-water discharges.
TABLE 9. Estimated quarterly runoff and mean annual runoff at gag

Station

No. (fig. 1)

7.... ........

8-. .__._._--.

10---.. ------

11---...-....

12--.-.......

14-. 

15.-- 

16-.- 

17...........

18..-- .-.

20. -------

4 - ...

21. - 

22 

23 . ...... .

5 .. .......

24... . ........

26. 

6 ------

Name

Clinch River tributary at CRM 51.1 at Oak Ridge--

Clinch River tributary No. 2 at CRM 19.1 near Oak 

Ridge.

Poplar Creek at Batley Road near Oliver Springs.... _

Tributary to East Fork Poplar Creek at Oak Ridge _

Estimated quarterly runo

Oct.-Dec.

Inches

4.1 

4.1 

4.0 

3.7 

3.7 

4.1

3.9 

4.2 

4.2 

4.2 

4.4 

3.7 

4.2 

4.1 

4.0 

4.0 

4.0 

4.0 

3.5

Cubic 

feet per 

second

3.1 

1.0 

1.3 

95 

4.8 

1.1

3.8 

1.2 

38 

13 

24 

90 

1.4 

2.2 

2.8 

23 

1.9 

5.0 

7.4

Jan. -Mar.

Inches

11.9 

11.8 

11.6 

10.6 

10.6 

11.7

11.1 

12.2 

12.2 

12.0 

12.7 

12.9 

12.0 

11.8 

11.6 

10.0 

10.6 

10.6 

10.4

Cubic 

feet pe

second

9.

3.

3.9 

276 

14 

3.

11 

3.7 

111 

37 

70 

319 

4.

6.3 

8.4 

59 

5.0 

14 

22
HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR OAK RIDGE AREA, TENNESSEE N49

TABLE 10. Geologic composition, as percentage of surface area, of small basins in

Oak Ridge area

Basin

Clinch River tributary at CRM 51.1 ....

Emory Valley Creek.. __ , _ . ...........

Whiteoak Creek. -------..---------._-----.

Whiteoak Creek above ORNL... ..........

Bear Creek at Highway 95 .. ___

Rome Formation and 

Conasauga 

Group

44

38

21

60

44

95

76

35

7

49

26

41

44

74

78

66

Knox 

Dolomite

50

25

62

41

15

30

5

100

04

100

24

5

18

OC

7ft

26

22

34

Chickamauga 

Limestone

50

100

31

38

25

26

6

5

31

32

22

9

20

Late Ordovician to 

Mississippian age

16

50

36

Fottsville 

age

55

93

100
TABLE 11. Chemical composition of small 

[Concentrations in parts per million; specific conductance in micromhos at 25° C. Leaders indicate const

Date of

collection

Discharge

SiO2 Al Fe Mn Ca Mg Na K Li HCOs C03 S04 Cl F 

9. Bullrun Creek near Powell

9-18-61

2-16-62

5-29-62

12- 3-62

16.4

142

34.5

35.1

7.4

6.6

7.2

6.1

0.1

.1

.1

0.21

.01

.00

.01

0.04

.00

.00

.01

45

41

44

45

16

9.4

12

14

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.3

1.4

1.3

1.8

1.3

0.1

.1

_2

207

157

188

196

0

0

0

0

4.8

7.0

5.8

8.4

1.7

1.4

1.7

2.6

0.

.

.

.

11. Beaver Creek at Solway

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

10-31-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64

19.4 

123 

35.9 

35.0 

14.2 

9.43 

208 

21.8

6.8 

6.8 

7.0 

5.8 

7.0 

5.0 

5.7 

6.7

0.1 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.1 

.0 

.1

0.07 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.01 

.03 

.00 

.00

0.02 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00

43 

36 

39 

44 

34 

41 

31 

34

13

8.2 

11 

10 

18 

15 

7.0 

15

5.0 

2.2 

2.4 

2.6 

5.5 

3.7 

2.0 

2.8

2.1 

1.3 

2.1 

1.3

2.2 

2.2 

1.2 

1.5

0.0 

.0 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0

170 

134 

152 

175 

185 

193 

121 

176

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

14 

8.4 

12 

8.4 

3.6 

6.0 

7.4 

5.0

8.0 

3.6 

3.2 

5.2 

6.2 

4.1 

2.5 

2.4

0.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

12. Hickory Creek near Farragut

9-18-61

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

10-31-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64

1.26 

6. "9 

2.04 

2.08 

1.45 

1.05 

10.4 

1.78

8.1 

7. w 

7.1 

6.5 

7.8 

8.1 

6.8 

8.3

0.0

.1 

.1

.0 

.0 

.0

.1

0.04 

.01 

.08 

.01 

.00 

.02 

.01 

.00

0.02 

.00 

.01 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

46 

33 

37 

48 

30 

45 

34 

35

14

12 

17 

11 

24 

15 

9.0 

17

1.7 

1.3 

1.4 

1.5 

1.6 

1.7 

1.4 

1.2

1.7 

1.3 

1.3 

1.4 

1.8 

1.7 

1.4 

1.5

0.2 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0

198 

147 

181 

184 

196 

198 

140 

186

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

9.2

7.2 

13 

8.6 

11

7.8 

7.8

2.8

5.6 

2.9 

1.0 

1.5 

1.1 

1.4

0.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
15. Caney Creek near Kingston

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

10-31-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

2.0

9.23 

2.31 

5.11 

1.25 

0.94 

17.4

1.73

7.5

7.3

7.6 

6.2 

7.7 

5.3 

6.5

7.7

0.0 

.1 

.1 

.0

.1

.0

.1

0.04

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.01 

.01

.00

0.02

.00 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00

.00

37

28 

35 

30 

37 

48 

23

31

17

11 

16 

14 

19 

16 

9.7

19

1.0

1.0 

1.4 

1.0 

0.9 

3.6 

1.1

0.8

1.0

.9 

1.0 

.7 

.9 

3.3 

.8

1.1

0.1 

.0 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0

.0

189

128 

181 

150 

196 

218 

114

182

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

1.8

3.6

2.2 

7.8 

2.2 

6.8 

4.6

2.8

2.8

1.7 

1.0 

2.4 

0.8 

4.3 

.5

1.0

0.1

.0 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.1 

.0

.1

7. Clinch River tributary at CRM 51.1

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

0.03

1.00 

.240 

.285 

.02 

2.52

.142

3.3

3.5 

4.6 

3.1

2.8 

3.6

3.0

0.0 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.1

.1

0.02

.01 

.01 

.00 

.01 

.02

.00

0.05

.00 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00

.00

81

81 

70 

90 

62 

65

65

6.2

8.0 

6.3 

9.2 

17 

5.5

5.3

7.9

3.6 

4.7 

5.0 

7.6 

2.8

7.2

1.6

.8 

2.0 

.8 

2.3 

1.0

1.4

.2 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0

.0

242

247 

217 

284 

248 

204

200

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

25

24 

28 

30 

24

18

23

13

6.4 

6.0 

7.4 

6.6 

3.2

7.4

0.2

.2 

.1 

.1 

.1

.2

4.3

8. Emory Valley Creek at Oak Ridge

10. Scarboro Creek near Oak Ridge

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

10-31-63 

4-17-64

0.729

2.39 

1.31 

1.19 

.70 

.56

8.2

8.0 

6.7 

7.1 

8.2 

8.1 

7.0

0.1 

.0 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.1

0.02

.00 

.03 

.00 

.00 

.01 

.01

0.04

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

38

33 

34 

36 

42 

39 

28

17

13 

17

20 

18 

20 

12

0.5

.6 

1.2 

.4 

.9 

1.2 

.9

0.7

.9 

.9

.7 

.9 

.8 

.8

0.1 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0

1QQ

158 

186 

200 

208 

205 

140

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

2.8

4.0 

1.2 

4.2 

2.6 

5.6 

4.0

1.1

.9 

2.5 

2.9 

.8 

1.3 

1.4

0.1

.0 

.1 

.0 

.1 

.0 

.0

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-«2 

9-12-63 

10-31-63

4-17-64

6-23-64

0.1

.71 

.104 

.486 

.07 

.02

.90

5.4

5.8 

5.8 

5.2 

5.8 

6.9

5.1

6.3

0.1 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.1

.0

.1

0.03

.01 

.02 

.00 

.01 

.03

.00

.00

0.02

.00 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00

.00

.00

64

68 

66 

42 

58 

69

65

46

6.7

3.2 

7.5 

27 

9.6 

12

5.2

9.9

2.6

1.0 

4.8 

1.2 

2.1 

2.9

1.4

1.5

0.7

.6 

1.3 

.7 

1.2 

1.5

.8

.9

0.1 

.0 

.2 

.0 

.0

.0

.0

221

213

218 

248 

228 

252

207

187

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

0

10

12 

14 

14 

8.4 

10

12

5.4

3.0

2.2 

4.2 

3.1 

2.2 

3.2

2.0

1.6

0.3

.1

.2 

.1 

.1 

.1

.1

.1

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 11. Chemical composition of small streams 

Da^of 

collection

Discharge

SiOz Al Fe Mn Ca Mg Na K Li HCOs COs SOi Cl F 

14. Clinch River tributary No. 2 near Oak Ridge 

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

10-31-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64

0.1 

.92 

.340 

.06 

.09 

1.98 

.07

7.8 

6.6 

6.6 

7.3 

7.3 

6.1 

7.8

0.1 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0

.1

0.04 

.02 

.01 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00

0.02 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

31 

17 

21 

36 

32 

15 

32

14 

6.3 

9.5 

14 

15 

49 

13

0.5 

.4 

.4 

.9 

1.2 

.6 

.8

0.5 

.4 

.2 

.6 

.7 

.4 

.6

0.2 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0

158 

78 

105 

172 

168 

67 

163

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

3.4

2.6 

2.6 

1.8 

44 

4.4 

2.2

0.7 

1.3 

1.1 

.4 

.9 

.7 

.4

0.1 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0

16. Grassy Creek near Oak Ridge 

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 4-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64

0.05 

.45 

.04 

.079 

.02 

.891 

.16

12 

8.2 

13 

9.7 

9.5 

7.0 

10

0.0

.1 

.1

.0 

.0

.1

0.06 

.04 

.00 

.00 

.01 

.01 

.00

0.02 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

33 

19 

28 

29 

34 

17 

30

7.7 

5.6 

6.5 

6.4 

10 

3.6 

9.5

4.8 

2.1 

4.5 

4.0 

5.1 

1.7 

4.8

1.6 

1.2 

2.8 

1.3 

2.2 

1.2 

2.0

0.2 

.0 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0

139

78 

126 

118 

159 

68 

147

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

5.0 

6.8 

4.6 

8.8 

4.6 

7.8 

4.2

1.2 

1.9 

1.1 

1.7 

0.4 

.7 

.6

0.1 

.0 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.2

5a. East Fork Poplar Creek at Bear Creek Valley Roa

9-18-61

9-1 5-6"? 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

10-30-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

12.3

14.1 

16.8 

11.2 

12.7 

15.0

13.2

3.4

7 ^

47

as

4.2 

5.1

4.5

0.1 

.5 

.3 

.1 

.0

.3

0.00

.01 

.00 

.01 

.02 

.00

.06

0.00

.01 

.01 

.01 

.00 

.00

.04

22

34 

32 

38 

35 

36

33

1.8

7.0, 

8.8 

12 

8.9 

9.0

8.3

144

50 

40 

35 

10 

25

34

1.9

3.5 

1.7 

1.7 

3.5

2.0

0.7 

.6 

.6 

.0 

.1

.2

109 

148 

142 

123 

121

134

288

'o

0 

0 

0

0

21 

36 

25 

44

27

78

37 

23 

38 

6.3 

18

27

1.3 

3.0 

1.1 

0.8 

1.4

.8
5b. East Fork Poplar Creek at Tuskeegee Drive

9-18-61

2-15-61 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

6-23-64

16.0

18.2 

19.0 

16.1 

14.8 

15.5

5 ?

5.3 

5.0 

5.1 

6.6 

3.9

0.2 

.2 

.4 

.0 

.4

0.04

.03 

.00 

.02 

.00 

.03

0.00

.02 

.2 

.02 

.00 

.03

31

92 

31 

39 

31 

32

9.1

21 

8.5 

10 

8.4 

9.5

80

47 

31 

40 

33 

31

1.6

3.4 

2.4 

2.9 

2.4 

2.1

0.7 

.2 

.8 

.0 

.2

95

116 

161 

138 

135 

132

41

0 

0 

10 

0 

0

25

263 

21 

38 

26 

30

73

25 

18 

42 

29 

24

1.3

.8 

.8 

5.0 

.8 

.8

5c. East Fork Poplar Creek at East Vanderbilt Dri

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

14.4

18.2 

15.4 

13.2 

15.4 

18.9

18.1

6.4

6.1 

5.1 

4.5 

6.3 

5.1

4.2

0.6 

.2 

.3 

.0 

.0

.3

0.01

.22 

.05 

.01 

.00 

nn

.00

0.00

.04 

.03 

.00 

.00 

.00

.00

32

97 

35 

43 

33 

37

33

8.6

26 

9.0 

12 

8.3 

9.5

9.4

87

44 

41 

30 

33 

20

31

1.6

3.3

2.7 

2.0 

2.4 

3.3

2.2

0.6 

.5 

.5 

.0 

.1

.2

89

96 

149 

135 

136 

123

137

52

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

33

300 

24 

51 

24 

42

28

72

25 

27 

33 

29 

15

25

1.0

.6 

2.8 

1.0 

.8 

1.0

.7

21. East Fork Poplar Creek tributary at Oak Ridg

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

0.3

1.50 

.61 

.532 

.34 

1.86

1.11

7.0

6.9 

7.1 

7.5 

7.6 

7.6

7.4

0.0 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0

.1

0.06

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00

.00

0.01

.00 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00

.00

34

33 

37 

39 

38 

33

32

13

10 

11 

12 

13

8.8

15

1.4

1.4 

23 

1.5 

32 

1.6

38

0.7

.6 

1.1

.7 

1.1

.7

1.8

0.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0

.0

161

140 

174 

163 

164 

134

159

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

5.6

5.0 

6.4 

5.6 

4.8 

7.6

7.0

2.6

3.1

25 

3.2 

53

2.7

55

0.1

.1 

.2 

.0 

.0 

.1

.1

5d. East Fork Poplar Creek at Wiltshire Drive

9-18-61

12- 3-62 

10-30-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

14.7

15.8 

13.5 

26.4

15.6

3.6

4.6 

3.6 

5.3

4.2

0.2 

.1 

.0

.2

0.01

.02 

.03 

.00

.00

0.01

.01 

.00 

.00

.00

47

36 

36 

40

35

14

15 

9.8 

8.6

9.7

83

29 

10 

15

25

1.9

1.6

1.5 

2.8

2.3

0.6 

.0 

.1

.2

136

154 

131 

128

134

5

0 

0 

0

0

26

30 

29 

36

27

71

33 

6.9 

11

23

4.6

.9 

.6 

1.0

.8

See footnotes at end of table.
N54 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

3

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24. Bear Creek at County line near Oak Ridge

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12-3-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64

6-24-64

0.132

1.03 

.088 

.335 

.11

9 W

1.2

7.7

7.6 

6.3 

6.6 

6.0 

6 4

6.3

0.3 

.1 

.3 

.0 

.1

.1

0.01

.00 

.00 

.00 

.01 

00

.00

0.2

.02 

.00 

.4 

.00 

00

.00

89

55 

92 

103 

48 

41

50

16

12 

20 

20 

20 

9.3

20

7.4

5.3 

10 

11 

6.5 

6.9

6.8

2.5

2.0 

3.2 

3.0 

1.8 

4.4

2.0

0.3 

.4 

.7 

.0 

1.0

.5

202

110 

121 

161 

172 

92

176

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

38

41 

26 

66 

24 

31

31

7.1

5.1 

6.3

11 

4.0 

11

9.2

0.

.

1.

.

.

.7

.6

25. Bear Creek at State Highway 95 near Oak Rid

9-18-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64 

6-24-64

1.0 

5.58 

1.17 

1.83 

.62 

9.51 

1.12

7.5 

6.8 

6.7 

6.7 

7.0 

6.5 

6.7

0.0 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.2 

.1

0.04 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

0.02 

.01 

.00 

.02 

.00 

.00 

.00

53 

35 

44

56 

41 

28 

42

16 

10 

18 

12 

23 

8.3 

18

2.2 

1.7 

2.0 

3.4 

2.5 

2.0 

2.4

1.2 

1.0 

1.1 

1.2 

1.3 

1.1 

1.1

0.1 

.0 

.1 

.0 

1.1 

.0

202 

122 

177 

166 

206 

103 

188

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

13

14 

10 

20 

9.2 

12 

11

2.7 

1.8 

2.2 

3.5 

2.4 

2.5 

2.8

0.

.

.

.3 

.1 

.2 

.2

6. Bear Creek near Oak Ridge (at gage)

9-19-61 

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64 

6-23-64

1.6 

7.66

2.77 

1.08 

7 

1.1

9.5 

7.7 

8.8 

8.0 

9.3 

6.7 

9.4

0.1 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.1

0.03 

.01 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

0.01 

.00 

.00 

.01 

.01 

.00 

.00

52 

32 

47 

47 

31 

25 

43

16 

9.7 

16 

15 

29 

7.7 

20

2.9 

1.8 

2.2 

2.7 

3.0 

1.9 

2.8

1.4 

1.2 

1.5 

1.3 

1.7 

1.2 

1.5

0.1 

.0

.1

.0

.1

.0

185 

111 

167 

157 

186 

92 

177

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

33 

18 

30 

31 

38 

14 

37

2.6 

1.5 

1.0 

2.9 

1.0 

1.9 

2.4

0.

.

.

.

.

.

.

17. Poplar Creek at Batley Road near Oliver Sprin

9-18-61

2-16-62 

5-29-62 

12-3 -62 

9-10-63 

10-31-63

4-17-64

8-23 «4

1.6

58.8 

4.28 

19.5 

1.99 

.68

80.0

1.44

7.1

5.9 

5.9 

6.1 

7.3

8.2

6.2

8.4

0.0 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0

.0

.1

0.43

.01 

.00 

.01 

.00 

.02

.00

.fX)

0.00

.23 

.00 

.3 

.00 

.00

.00

.fX)

29

11 

27 

15 

36 

33

11

9.1

4.5

5.7 

5.8 

7.4 

9.5

3.5

7.8

4.1

2.6 

3.7 

3.1 

4.4 

3.5

2.8

10

1.9

1.0 

2.0 

.8 

6.9 

2.1

.9

1.4

0.2 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0

.0

.0

76

10 

46 

11 

68 

103

12

82

0

0 

0 

0 

0

0

48

40 

58 

59 

66 

37

36

49

3.0

2.6 

.8 

1.7 

1.8 

2.8

1.3

1 t]

0.1

.

.

.

.

.

.

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 11. Chemical composition of small stream

Date of 

collection

Discharge

SiO2 Al Fe Mn Ca Mg Na K Li IIC03 CO3 S04 Cl F 

18. Brushy Fork at Dossett

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12-3 -62 

9-10-63 

10-31-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

2.03

14.7 

2.88 

6.61 

1.68 

1.39 

25.3

2.30

7.1

6.8 

6.3 

6.6 

7.0 

7.0 

6.5

7.2

0.1 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0 

.0.1

0.04

.01 

.00 

.02 

.00 

.02 

.02

.00

0.02

.00 

.00 

.00 

.03 

.00 

.00

.00

43

30 

38 

38 

46 

45 

27

40

11

6.7 

9.3 

9.0 

9.7 

13 

5.2

9.5

1.0

1.1 

1.2 

.8 

1.6 

2.0 

1.3

1.4

0.9

.9 

1.2 

.8 

1.3 

1.0 

.9

1.1

0.2 

.0 

.2 

.0 

.0 

.0

.0

176

115 

152 

151 

182 

188 

102

164

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

5.6

6.0 

5.4 

7.6 

5.8 

9.4 

7.6

7.0

1.0

2.8 

1.0 

1.5 

.8 

1.7 

1.3

1.8

0.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

19. Poplar Creek near Oliver Springs (Highway 

9-18-61

2-16-61 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

4-17-64

6-23-64

9.65

U30 

15.7 

40.2 

165

9.49

7.3

6.6 

6.5 

6.3 

6.4

7.1

0.1 

.0 

.2 

.0

.1

0.28

.02 

.00 

.03 

.00

.00

0.2

.01 

.00 

.01 

.00

.00

37

21 

32 

26 

18

32

12

5.2 

9.7 

7.1 

4.9

13

1.6

1.8 

1.6 

2.0 

2.4

1.6

1.0

1.1 

1.2 

.8 

1.0

1.0

0.0 

.0 

.0 

.0

.0

152

66 

126 

78 

56

152

0

0 

0 

0 

0

9

14

19 

16 

31

22

12

1.7

1.5 

1.3 

2.9 

2.0

1.4

0

20. Indian Creek at Oliver Springs

9-18-61

2-15-62 

5-29-62 

12- 3-62 

9-10-63 

10-31-63

6-23-64

0.8

24.2 

2.50 

12.4 

.56 

.22

.58

11

8.7 

8.6 

8.8 

9.6 

12

12

0.2 

.0 

.1 

.0 

.1

.1

1.2

.01 

.05 

.01 

.15 

.02

.06

2.1

1.2 

.00 

1.6 

.02 

.00

.00

28

12 

20 

15 

29 

41

26

14

9.4 

11 

11 

11 

16

14

22

7.2 

17 

8.7 

20 

30

20

2.5

1.2 

2.5 

1.3 

2.6 

4.9

2.6

n.2 

.1 

.1 

.0 

.0

.0

51

K 

32 

10

77 

148

56

0

n 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

112

74

89 

90 

70 

66

102

12

7.7 

3.3

16

28

11

ft 
4. Poplar Creek near Oak Ridge (at gage)

9-18-61

2-16-62 

5-29-62

12- 3-62 

9-10-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

12.5

144

60.8 

14 

210

11.9

7.4

7.0 

6.6

69 

7.0 

7.1

8.1

0.1 

.1

.1 

.0 

.1

.1

0.23

.01 

.00

.04 

.00 

.07

.00

0.04

.00 

.00

.05 

.00 

.00

.00

37

20 

32

24 

40 

17

31

11

5.9 

8.8

7.7 

10 

5.0

13

3.1

3.1 

3.2

4.0 

3.9

2.7

2.8

1.3

1.1 

1.5

.9 

1.7 

1.0

1.3

0.0 

.0

.1 

.0 

.0

.0

143

54 

117

68 

145 

45

144

0

0 

0

0 

0 

0

0

19

30

25

41 

23 

30

16

1.8

1.5 

2.1

2.5 

2.0 

.9

2.6

0.

.

.

.

.

.

.

13. Whiteoak Creek above ORNL near Oak Rid

9-18-61

2-15-62 

12-4-62 

9-12-63 

4-17-64

6-23-64

0.239

1.10 

.281 

.18 

2.04

10.2

7.6

7.0 

6.8 

7.4 

5.7

6.7

0.1 

.1 

.0 

.0

.1

0.03

.01 

.00 

.00 

.01

.00

0.02

.00 

.01 

.01 

.00

.00

29

17 

26 

33 

13

28

16

8.4 

13 

17 

6.3

15

0.5

.2 

.6 

.8 

.5

1.1

0.6

.5 

.5 

.7 

.6

.9

0.0 

.1 

.0 

.0

.0

159

90 

139 

177 

71

158

0

0 

0 

0 

0

0

2.0

4.2 

2.0 

1.4

2.8

3.6

1.3

.3 

.6 

.2 

1.1

2.0

0.

.

.

.

.

.

1. Whiteoak Creek below ORNL

9 1Q fil

2-15-62 

5-22-62...

12-3-62 

9-12-63... 

4-17-64 

6-24-64...

0.3

1.50

.60 

.30 

1.89

1.0

5.2

6.7 

4.1

6.1 

4.3 

5.6

4.3

0

.0 

.0

.1 

.0 

.0

.1

0.01

.01 

.00

.01 

.00 

.01

.00

0.02

.00 

.01

.01 

.00 

.00

.00

38

38 

37

45 

34 

41

37

7.4

6.7 

6.0

14 

7.9 

5.1

9.9

4.7

3.4

5.5

1.3 

7.2 

3.3

10

1.2

1.2 

1.3

1.3 

1.4 

1.4

1.7

0.2 

.1

.2 

.0 

.0

.0

132

135 

125

196 

131 

135

144

0

0 

0

0 

0 

0

0

18

14

16

8.4 

15 

19

21

4.6

2.2 

6.8

2.6 

3.4 

2.4

7.4

0.

.2 

.

.

.

.

.

2-15-62... 

5-22-62... 

12-3-62 

4-17-64...

6-24-64...

3.6

7.22 

5.0 

5.54 

11.7

5.0

6.6 

5.1 

4.7 

6.3

5.0

0.0 

.1 

.1 

.1

.1

0.03

.00 

.04 

.00 

.00

.00

0.04

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

.00

35

35 

20 

34 

32

36

9.2

7.5 

3.9 

9.1 

6.6

7.7

25

14 

88 

23 

16

20

1.4

1.5 

2.2 

1.8 

1.9

1.7

9

0.0 

.3 

.3 

.1

.1

159

137 

179 

150 

124

138

n~.

0

0 

28 

0 

0

0

29

18 

30 

29

25

34

n«b- i

6.3

5.2 

11 

6.7 

10

7.0

atA*^

1.

.

.

.

.

.

See footnotes at end of table.
N58 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

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TABLE 12. Trace element content of small streams in 

[Samples collected Sept. 18-19,1961; concentrations in parts per billion. The following elements were sought but no

sought but not detected]

Station

No. 

(fig. 1)

9 __

ll.________

12 

15 

7.... ......

8

10. -..-.

14 

16 

5a . ---

5b_ ..-__-.

5c 

21 

5d__- 

22 -__-

23. -------

5.- 

24-- .

25.. 

6-. .

17- ------

18.. 

19--- -

Name

Hickory Creek near Farragut. - _-_

Clinch River tributary at CRM 

51.1. 

Emory Valley Creek at Oak Ridge. 

Scarboro Creek near Oak Ridge ... 

Clinch River tributary at CRM 

37.4. 

Clinch River tributary No. 2 near 

Oak Ridge. 

Grassy Creek near Oak Ridge __ 

East Fork Poplar Creek at Bear 

Creek Valley Road. 

East Fork Poplar Creek at 

Tuskeegee Drive. 

East Fork Poplar at East 

Vanderbilt Drive. 

East Fork Poplar Creek tributary 

at Oak Ridge. 

East Fork Poplar Creek at 

Wilshire Drive. 

Mill Branch at Oak Ridge 

Gum Hollow Branch at Oak 

Ridge. 

East Fork Poplar Creek near 

Oak Ridge. 

Bear Creek at county line near 

Oak Ridge. 

Bear Creek at State Highway 95 

near Oak Ridge.

Poplar Creek at Batley Road 

near Oliver Springs.

Poolar Creek near Oliver Sorir"0

Al

140 

78 

91 

72 

55

130 

82 

110

50

45 

240

550 

600 

100 

1,400

43 

91

330 

160 

53

160

98

66

85

B

21 

23 

26 

20

72

22 

26 

280

14

21 

34

28 

31 

15 

41

49

22

110 

91 

36

34

25

22

27

Ba

54 

29 

71 

75 

36

31 

63

72

110

75 

68

100 

120 

56 

340

59

48

140 

190 

100

120 

55

82 

98

Cr

<0.32 

<0.30 

<0.30 

<0.28 

0.76

0.39 

0.44 

0.41

<0.24

0.34 

3.0

9.0 

9.9 

0.73 

12

<0.31 

0.30

2.4 

<0.51 

<0.36

<0.34 

<0.19

0.32 

0.34

Co

ND 

ND 

ND 

ND 

ND

ND 

<3.1 

ND

ND

ND 

ND

ND 

ND 

ND 

ND

ND 

ND

ND 

5.1 

ND

ND

1.9

ND 

<2.4

Cu

5.1 

5.4 

2.1 

2.6

7.2

2.9 

4.1 

6.5

2.9

17 

5.4

13

17 

5.9 

29

7.1 

9.3

51 

6.6

2.7

2.8 

7.9

9.3 

9.5

Fe

200 

220 

100 

220 

51

130 

94 

75

83

82 

68

170 

180 

240 

200

190 

120

260 

56 

130

200 

550

150 

340

Pb

3.8 

4.5 

3.0 

3.6 

9.7

7.8 

9.1 

7.5

7.1

9.5 

<5.7

8.5 

8.4 

3.9 

11

3.4

6.7

12 

<5. 1 

3.6

4.0 

4.0

9.8 

9.3

Li

0.38 

<0.30 

0.59 

0.33 

<0.42

0.35 

0.47

7.7

0.24

1.1 

130

150 

130 

0.32 

240

2.4 

1.3

130 

61 

13

10 

0.96

0.58 

0.39

Mn

35 

33 

16 

44 

110

53 

35 

39

50

73

6.8

13

21 

22 

17

31 

56

190 

240 

50

16 

150

120 

130

Mo

ND 

ND 

ND 

ND 

ND

ND 

ND 

23

ND

ND

<1.7

2.0 

1.9 

ND 

7.5

ND 

ND

4.3

ND 

ND

ND 

ND

ND 

ND
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Springs- Oliver Indian Creekat _. Oak Ridge Creek Poplar near 

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Ridge. Oak near

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