(

A, Economic Geology, 97 

B, Descriptive Geology 119 

M, General Hydrograpmc investigations, 26 

0, Underground Waters, 72

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

CHARLES I>. WALOOTT, DIKECTOR

GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES

OF THE

REPUBLICAN RIVER VALLEY

AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA

G. E. CONDRA

-FERTY OF

-LOGICAL Sl'».

WASHINGTON

(GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1907

CONTENTS.

Page.

Introduction __'___________________________________ 7

Geography _____________________________________ 8

Topography______________________.._ 8

Drainage _____________________________.____ 8

Climate "_________________________ _ _________ ._..__ 9

Temperature_______l_____________________ 9

Rainfall _____________________________________ 9

Winds_____________________________________ 10

Descriptive geology ________________________________ 10

General relations _____ _________ ___ ________ 10

Structure____________________________ 11

Description of the rocks____ ______________________ 11

Carboniferous system_______________________ 11

Cretaceous system.__________________________ 12

Dakota formation_________________________ 12

Character and thickness______________ 12

Distribution_________________ 13

Benton group________________________ 13

Members represented________________ 13

Graneros shale_ ________________________ 14

Character and thickness_________________ 14

Exposures,_________ _______ _-_________ 14

Greenhorn limestone_____________________ 14

Character and thickness___________________ 14

Fossils_________________________ 16

Carlile shale______.___________________ 16

Character and thickness ____________ ___ 16

Exposures ______________________ 16

Niobrara formation.__________________________ 17

Character and thickness__ ____________ 17

Fossils ________________'_____________ 18

Distribution ________________________ 18

Pierre shale______________________________ 18

Character and thickness___________ ____ 18

Distribution ________^______________ 19

Tertiary system________________ ______ ___________ 19

Character and thickness_______________ 19

Distribution _________________________. 20

Quaternary system _______________________ 20

Drift ___:_________________________________ 20

Loess _ ____________ _ __ ________________ 23

Terrace deposits _________________________,__. 23

Alluvium __________________________________ 24

Dune sands______ _________________ 25
4 CONTENTS.

Page.

Economic geology. ________. ______________________ 25

Mineral resources_______________________________ 25

Coal ____________________________________ 25

Petroleum and natural gas_________________________ 26

Building stone_________________________________ 26

Cement ______________________________._____ 28

Clay ____________________________________________ 28

Sand and gravel__________________________ 28

Volcanic ash_____ ______________________ 30

Ocher________________________________________ 30

Water resources_____ ____________________________ 31

Surface waters._____________________ ___. _________ 31

General character.___ ____^____ _____________ 31

Republican River_______________________ ___ 31

Frenchman River____________________________ 34

Redwillow and Medicine creeks_________________ 35

Beaver and Sappa creeks.---- __ _____________________ 35

Prairiedog Creek_______________________________ 35

Little Blue River___ .________. ___ ______________ 36

Springs __________________________________ 36

Lakes _______________ _______________________ 37

Underground waters___________ ____________________ 37

Source of ground waters,__________________ _________ 37

Quality ________-_______________ _____________ 38 

Depletion of supply____________________________...__ 38

Shallow wells_________________________________ 39

Weak and dry wells___________________________ 39

Blowing wells________________________________ 41

Pollution of shallow wells__________________________ 42

Windmill pumping____________________________ 43

Irrigation from wells_________________________ 43

Artesian wells__________________________________ 43

Water supply, by counties __________________________ 45

Dundy County ___________________________________ 45

Hitchcock County________ _______^___________________ 46

Redwillow County._________________________________ 48

Furnas County_______________________________ 50

Harlan County_________________ ___________ 51

Franklin County________________________ 52

Webster County__________________-______ 54

Nuckolls County________________________________ 55

Thayer County-_________________ _ _ _ ____ 55

Jefferson County_______________________________ 57

Water power_________.._________________________ 58

General statement______________________________ 58

Power sites in the Republican Valley--________________ 59

Power sites in the Little Blue River basin_______________ 60

Irrigation_____________________________ _ 60

Agricultural resources ___________________!__________ 61

General 'statement________________________ 61

Soils ____________________________________________ 61

Crops _____________ _______________________________ 62

Native grasses and their utilization--_ ____ 62
CONTENTS. 5

Page. 

Agricultural resources Continued.

Crops Continued.

Cultivated forage crops_____________________ _ 63

Grain crops___________________________ 63

Fruit raising________________________________- 64

Sugar beets_________________________ ___ 64

Stock raising and dairying____________________________ 65

Timber __________________________________ __ 66

Index _________________________________________ .__ 67

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

PLATE I. Map of Nebraska, showing area treated in this report.___ 7 

II. Geologic map of the Republican and Little Blue valleys___ 10

III. Sections across southern Nebraska along'vertical lines shown

in PI. II__-_____________________-______ 12

IV. A, Dakota sandstone east of Endicott; B, Niobrara limestone near Norton, Kans., showing small fault_______ 14 

V. A, Lookout Mountain southeast of Franklin, showing bluffs 

capped by Tertiary sandy lime rock; B, Tertiary " mortalbeds " on Pierre shale east of Haigler; C, Tertiary gravel 

near head of Trail Canyon, Dundy County_________ 20

VI. A, Quartzite bowlder northeast of Fairbury; B, Glacial

bowlders southeast of Endicott________________ 22

VII. A, Terraces near mouth of Trail Creek, Dundy County; B,

Wind erosion in high terrace'west of Beukelman____ 24

VIII. A, Niobrara limestone quarry northeast of Cambridge; B,

Typical sand hills northeast of Haigler__________ 26

IX. A, Republican River south of Bostwick; B, Sandhill Lake,

Dundy County_____________________ ______ 32

X. A, Falls of Frenchman River at Wauneta; B, Spring in

Dundy County__________________________ 34

XI. A, McAlee irrigation plant at Benkelman; B, Windmill in

sand hills of western Nebraska_______________ 44

XII. A, Artesian well and reservoir at Alexandria; B, Dam in

Republican River at Superior__________________ 46 

XIII. A, Irrigated alfalfa field northwest of Haigler; B, Bur-oak

grove near Endicott____________________ 60

FIG. 1. Diagram of rainfall in southern Nebraska__________ ___^_ 0

2. Section to illustrate ground-water relations___- _____ 40

3. Section showing blowing-well conditions_______________ 41

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

MAP OF NEBRASKA, SHOWING AREA TREATED IN THI

GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF REPUBLICAN 

RIVER YALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS NEBRASKA.

By G. E. CONDRA.

INTRODUCTION.

The region described in this report is the portion of southern Nebraska lying between latitude 40° and 40° 20' and longitude 97° and 

102°. It is 22f miles wide and 272^ miles long, and comprises an 

area of about 6,199 square miles. As shown in PI. I, it includes the 

greater part of 10 counties, which are, from east to west, Jefferson, 

Thayer, Nuckolls, Webster, Franklin, Harlan, Furnas, Eedwillow, 

Hitchcock, and Dundy. They lie along the Kansas border, extending from the vicinity of Fairbury westward to the Colorado State 

line.

This report is the result of general observations made during several 

consecutive seasons and of special field studies made by the writer 

under the direction of N. H. Darton during the summer of 1904. 

Considerable information concerning this region, collected by the 

Nebraska geological survey, has been furnished by Prof. E. H. 

Barbour. Numerous well records have been given by well drillers, 

business men, county superintendents, and teachers. The writer is 

also indebted to Messrs. U. G. Cornell, George A. Loveland, J. C. 

Stevens, E. N. Averill, X. J. Alien, and F. A. Carmony for valuable 

information.

Topographic maps are available for a portion of this area, the following sheets having been published by the United States Geological 

Survey: Hebron, Superior, Red Cloud, Holdrege, and Arapahoe. 

The topography for the remainder of the area has been compiled from 

barometer readings and railroad data.

7
8 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

GEOGRAPHY.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The area covered by this report is part of the Great Plains. It 

extends over portions of three fairly distinct physiographic regions 

the high plains or table-lands, the loess plains or prairies, and the 

sand hills, each region possessing characteristic topography and 

drainage.

The general slope of the higher plains or upland surface is eastward 

from an altitude of about 3,600 feet in the western part of Dundy 

County to about 1400 feet in the eastern part of Jefferson County, at 

an average rate of about 8 feet to the mile. The lowest altitudes are 

along the valleys in Jefferson County, being less than 1,250 feet south 

of Steele City. In most of the area, except in the sand hills, the 

topography has been developed by the action of running water, but 

in Jefferson County the great ice sheet of the Glacial epoch was an 

important factor in shaping the surface and developing its drainage.

The loess plains are relatively, smooth and in greater part have 

practically no surface drainage, but where they are cut into by water 

courses there are deep canyons bordered by precipitous walls. Some 

of these canyons are long and deep, notably Trail Canyon, 4 miles 

east of Haigler, where there is a fall of 300 feet in a distance of less 

than 2 miles.

The sand hills, which are an outlying ar^a of the great sand-hill 

region of Nebraska, extend from the north-central part of the State to 

its southwestern corner. The largest district treated in this report is 

in Dundy County north of Republican River and west of Rock 

Creek. The characteristic topographic forms are rounded sand dunes, 

sand ridges, blow-outs, dry valleys, and basins, with no run-off water 

except at the edge of the hills. Water often collects in some of the 

basins during the rainy season, forming small lakes.

DRAINAGE.

The principal streams in the area are Republican and Little Blue 

rivers. The course of the former corresponds in direction with the 

general eastward slope of the country. Its bed lies 200 to 400 feet 

below the bordering uplands, and its valley slopes, though generally 

rough, vary somewhat in character from place to place, according to 

the varying nature of the geologic formations which the stream 

traverses. The valley itself and the valleys of the tributaries are 

generally wide and bordered by a definite system of terraces.

The valley of Little Blue River is nearly as wide as that of the 

Republican, but is somewhat shallower, and its direction is diagonal
CLIMATE. 9

to the general eastward slope of the surface. Near Powell it turns 

southward at right angles to its first course, a change possibly due to 

the former presence of the glacier in this vicinity.

CLIMATE. 

TEMPERATURE.

The mean annual temperature in Jefferson County and in most of 

the region as far west as Hitchcock County is about 51°, but farther 

west it decreases to an average of 50°. The warmest month is July 

and the coldest January. East of Furnas County the number of 

days without frost during the year varies from 155 to 165. The 

latest frost of spring occurs between April 25 and May 1, and the 

first frost of autumn about October 1. In Furnas County and the 

remaining area to the west the average number of days without frost 

varies from 145 to 150. The latest frosts of spring occur between 

May 1 and May 5, and the earliest of autumn between September 25 

and October 1.

RAINFALL.

The average annual rainfall at eight stations is shown in fig. 1. 

The stations are located at regular intervals from east to west across 

the area, but the time during which records have been kept at the 

different stations varies in length from eleven to twenty-eight years. 

The heaviest rainfall is in May, June, and July, with light precipiFIG. 1. Diagram showing the decrease of mean annual rainfall from east to west in

southern Nebraska.

tation during the winter months. The snowfall is slight, especially 

in Dundy County, but farther east it increases somewhat in amount. 

In the summer occasional hailstorms occur throughout the region, 

but are most frequent in the western portion, where they often do 

considerable damage to crops. Cloudiness is greatest in the east, 

giving way in the west to increasing sunshine and a lower degree of 

humidity.
10 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA. 

Normal precipitation, in inches, at eight stations in southern Nebraska.

Place.

Hebron ..........

Red Cloud.......

Culbertson ......

1

33 1-5

0.75

.77

.57

.33

.42

.25

.37

.19

^

a

Xi

EN

0.74

.68

.59

.63

.62

.63

.39

fj

"

1.46

1.06

.77

.89

1.05

.81

^

^

2.75

2.62

o 98

2.27

2.36

"

4.74

4.69

4.00

3.32

2.76

2 99

OJ

FS

Pt-s

4.61

4.74

4.75

3.53

3.90

3.56

**?

a1-5

4.80

4.38 4 9'7

4.30

3.34

3.60

2.94

2 91

beP

** 

3.13

3.48

2.82

2.73

2.28

2.74

2.73

OJ 

X!

8

o

o>

02

2.45

2.37

2.36

2.77

2.03

1.52

1.21

o> &

^

^

2.33

2.14

1.81

1.90

1.14

1. 05

X!

£

o

o

^

0.79

.96

.72

.59

.42

.54

.36

.43

0)

§%^

0.63

.66

.57

.51

.45

.41

.36

.26

^

29.40

28. 95

27.33

24.74

23.61

21.20

19.72

17.48

WINDS.

No reliable data are available as to wind velocity, but the wind is 

generally stronger in the western counties than in those farther east.

DESCRIPTIVE GEOLOGY.

GENERAL RELATIONS.

Southern Nebraska is underlain by various formations of Cretaceous age lying imconformably on Carboniferous formations and 

extensively overlain by Tertiary and Quaternary deposits; originally the latter covered the entire surface, but they have now been 

removed in the deeper valleys.

The relations underground of the Cretaceous formations have 

been revealed by deep well borings. They are of sedimentary 

origin, consisting of shale, sandstone, limestone, and chalk, and lie 

nearly level in a succession of widespread sheets. In the western 

part of the region they reach a thickness of 4,000 feet or more, 'but 

owing to erosion they thin out to the east. The Tertiary and 

Quaternary deposits consist of sands, loams, clays, bowlders, calcareous grit, and sandstone.

The formations outcropping in this area are as follows:

sands.

Alluvium. 

Quaternary ___ ___ - Loegg

Drift.

Tertiary. _ _ _

CretaceousJ Ogalalla. 

{ Arikaree.

Pierre. 

Niobrara. 

Benton:

Carlile.

Greenhorn.

Graneros. 

Dakota.
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL.

scale 

3000 3000 tnooo feet

l_.._.._^^

QUATERNARY TERTI ARY CRETACEOUS

r

l

LOPSS aud d.rni'1 AiTlcaroc) Ea storii maj?j>iii of 

Tertia.rv uu.d pr J oc? ss 

(Appjx

Cai'lile

». .-»

>U1 OT

Carlile 

(Approximate)

Gi-eeixkoTTi limestoxie East pm niMfriiin o£" 

GrppixbLor-n

imate)

Grancros sliale Dakota saoid_stone

Base compiled -From U.S.Geological Survey 

atlas sheets and -from -field sketches MC JN1AI 1 UP REPU IiJVICJLN Aj^T> I/LTT'LE BLUE VAL.I.ET S LI^

.£.C 

Scale

CO. Lirn V,f 5H LI i
STRUCTURE. 11

The distribution and general structural relations of these formations are shown in Pis. II -and III. The oldest is the Dakota sandstone, which underlies all of the region discussed, and is in turn underlain unconformably by Permian limestones and shales which outcrop extensively farther east in Nebraska and southeast in Kansas. 

The overlying formations occur in regular order, .but do not extend 

over the entire area.

STRUCTURE.

In southern Nebraska the rocks lie nearly horizontal, but, as 

shown in the section on PL II, with a general westerly inclination, 

interrupted near Cambridge by a low uplift or arch discovered by 

Mr. Darton several years ago. This arch develops in northwestern 

Kansas and extends northwestward across Nebraska. Its configuration is defined by the relations of the Niobrara formation, 

which is uplifted 200 feet or more near the crest of the arch in the 

vicinity of Cambridge. From the crest the Pierre shale and 100 

feet or more of the Niobrara have been eroded in the central and 

western portions of Furnas County. On the west side of the anticline the strata dip westward at an unknown but moderately rapid 

rate, so that in the extreme southwestern corner of Nebraska the 

top of the Niobrara formation is at a depth of about 2,000 feet, 

judging by the structure in adjoining portions of Colorado. East 

of the anticline there is a shallow syncline which holds Pierre shale 

from Arapahoe east to Naponee; thence eastward the strata rise 

gradually, and formations from Niobrara to Dakota outcrop in 

regular succession in the counties from Franklin to Jefferson. In 

general the rate of inclination is regular and averages 3 feet in a 

mile. Locally, however, the rate is very much increased, especially 

in portions of Jefferson County. A local flexure is presented by 

the Greenhorn limestone in the southern portion of Jefferson County, 

and steep local dips of 10° or more occur to the southwest, in the 

exposure of Dakota sandstone south of Thompson, Nebr. The 

Dakota formation presents also a low anticline in the vicinity of 

Thompson and Gladstone, with the upper part of the arch removed 

by erosion. Faults, showing a few inches of displacement, occur 

in the Niobrara chalk in a number of places, one of the best defined 

examples being at Norton in beds dipping gently westward. This 

fault is shown in PL IV, B.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ROCKS. 

CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM.

A short distance east of Jefferson County Permian limestones and 

shales the upper series of the Carboniferous system rise from
12 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS. NEBRASKA.

beneath the Dakota formation and appear in many outcrops. They 

undoubtedly underlie the area treated in the report but at increasing 

depth to the west, and it is possible that they immediately underlie 

the alluvium in the vicinity of Diller and along the Little Blue Eiver 

Valley below Steele, where they are known to come close to the surface. The following is a typical section of the Permian beds which 

pass under the Dakota sandstone in southeastern Nebraska:

Section at the J. P. McAllister quarry, 1 mtte southeast of Odell.

Feet. 

Limestone, fossiliferous, weathered___________________ f

Clay, light buff_____________________________________ 4

Limestone, grayish, but rusty at places, massive, even grained, with few 

fossils; used for building stone_________ __________ li

Clay, buff colored_____________^____._________________ 4

Clay, ocherous, reddish to brownish.________________ 12

Limestone, clayey, decayed____________________________ o

Limestone, flinty _________________________________ 1£

Clay and decayed limestone, exposed in ravine_________ __ __ _ _ ?

In eastern Nebraska the upper surface of the Permian rocks was a 

land surface in early Mesozoic time, while in the Rocky Mountain 

region west there was deposition of early Cretaceous, Jurassic, and 

Triassic sediments. Possibly some of these reach the western portion 

of the area treated in this report, but of this there is no evidence.

CRETACEOUS SYSTEM. 

DAKOTA FORMATION.

Character and thickness. The Dakota formation in this region 

consists of sandstone and clay, with the former generally predominating. While the formation as a whole shows considerable variation 

in stratigraphy, in most localities it is possible to recognize three 

members a basal sandstone member, a medial clay member, and an 

upper sandstone and shale member. The lower sandstone is a 

medium to coarse grained variety, occurring in beds which are 

usually massive and cross-bedded, although in places thin bedded. 

Its color is gray or pale buff, but on exposed surfaces it is generally 

rusty brown, and portions of it are often stained to a deep brown. 

The clays are variegated, with red and green predominating. In 

some places they are more or less sandy, and thin bids of relatively 

pure sandstone are not infrequent. The clay is overl dn by a massive, 

cross-bedded, dark-brown sandstone, which constitutes the upper 

member of the formation. This sandstone sometimes contains concretionary masses which are lighter colored and more compact than 

the remainder of the rock. Associated with the sandstones of the 

upper part of the formation are thin beds of impure lignite coal.

The Dakota formation south of Kesterson is about 275 to 300 feet 

thick, but the beds may thicken somewhat to the west. It is overlain
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. Ill

^ii^::^"~-^-7^^-^^^ 1200

 I 500 

I400

-2100

-2000

- 1900

- 1800

- 1700 

1600 

1500

SECTION 7

Tertiary

-3500

- 3400

-3300

-saoo

3100

3000

SECTION 8

SECTIONS ACROSS SOUTHERN NEBRASKA ALONG VERTICAL LINES SHOWN ON PL.

CEETACEOTJS HOCKS. 13

conformably by the Graneros shale and unconformably by Quaternary deposits. It rests upon the eroded surface- of the underlying 

Permian, as is indicated by the differences in altitude of the base of 

the formation. Many species of well-preserved fossil leaves of 

Upper Cretaceous age have been found in the Dakota sandstone, 

especially in Jefferson County. A section near Steele is as follows:

Section of Dakota formation in slopes west of ftteele.

Feet. 

Sandstone, brownish, usually massive.______^__________ ___ 40-60

Clay, light buff to ocher yellow___ _____________________ 80-110

Sandstone, rusty, massive-________________ __________ 40-55

Distribution. The Dakota formation is extensively exposed in 

Jefferson County, in the eastern part of the region, where it outcrops 

in an area of varying width, extending across the southern townships 

of the county westward to a pcint about 6 miles west of Reynolds, 

where, with low westerly dip, it passes beneath the overlying formations. It is also exposed along the Little Blue River Valley from 

Fairbury to a point due north of Gilead, and it extends up Big Sandy 

Creek to Alexandria. It outer aps in the vicinity of Diller, and a 

small area of it is exposed along the valley of a small stream about 3 

miles southeast of Plymouth. The distribution of the- formation is 

shown on the geologic map (PL II, p. 10) and some of its features 

are shown in PL IV, A.

BENTON GROUP.

MEMBERS! REPRESENTED.

It has been shown by Mr. N. H. Darton that in southern Nebraska 

the formation formerly called Benton consists of three distinct members, which represent the Graneros shale, Greenhorn limestone, and 

Carlile shale of the Rocky Mountain region. Their combined thickness here is about 270 feet to the east arid 650 feet or more to the west.

Generalised section of Benton group in southern Nebraska.

Formation.

Benton:

Greenhorn .... 

Graneros ....:.

Character of materials.

(Bluish, plastic clays containing a horizon of concretions near middle; 

I iron pyrite and selenite crystals occur throughout the clay.

( containing large numbe*6 of Ostrea congesla. 

Limestone layers, cream colored and fine grained; they contain fish 

remains and are intertedded with light-colored, plastic clay. 

Limestone layers interbeMed with clay in strata of xmiform thickness, 

containing Inoceramm lahiatus in great abundance. 

Limestone layers, fine grained, light colored, interbedded with clay; 

darker, more impure, und porous below. 

Clay and shale, mostly dark gray, containing carbonaceous and sandy 

beds near middle.

Thickness.

Feet.

75

75

10 

16 

70
14 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

GRANEROS SHALE.

Character and thickness. The Graneros shale, or lowest division 

of the Benton group, consists in this region of dark-colored, plastic 

clays and shales. Near the middle of the formation occur beds of 

dark carbonaceous shale which closely resemble an impure variety of 

coal. Just below this shale and at the base of the formation the 

shales are usually sandy. Large sandstone concretions abound, some 

of which are fossiliferous. The shales contain a large amount of iron 

pyrite which, by weathering, changes to melanterite, a compound 

which readily dissolves in water.

In its outcrop area the thickness of the Graneros varies from 40 to 

TO feet, but this amount probably increases to the north and west, for 

the formation has a thickness of 900 feet in the Black Hills region 

and over 200 feet in central Colorado. It lies conformably upon 

Dakota sandstone and is overlain in turn by harder beds of Greenhorn 

limestone. It is often difficult to sharply define the lower limits of 

the formation, owing to the similarity between the sandy shales at the 

base of the Graneros and those in the upper part of the underlying 

Dakota. The upper limit of the formation is clearly indicated by an 

abrupt change in the character of the sediments.

The following section indicates the character and succession of 

the beds near Fairbury:

Section of Graneros shale and associated formations 5 miles northwest of

Fairbiiri/.

Formation.

Greenhorn ........

Graneros ..........

Dakota ............

Character of materials.

Limestone alternating with beds of clay. The limestone contains

Inoceramus labiatus in great abundance. 

Dark-colored shale and clay, containing thin beds of limestone .........

Sandstone, medium grained, rust colored, with white and variegated

clays below.

Thickness.

Exposures. The Graneros shale is exposed in the eastern part of 

the district, mainly in Jefferson County, although exposures are 

found in Thayer County along Rose and Big Sandy creeks and 

Republican and Little Blue rivers. The most extensive exposures 

are in the bluffs south of Hubbell; in a small ravine on the north 

side of Little Blue River, southwest of Alexandria; and beneath the 

limestone capping slopes 4 or 5 miles northwest of Fairbury.

GREENHORN LIMESTONE.

Character and thickness. The Greenhorn limestone, or middle 

formation of the Benton group, consists of limestones and clays in 

alternating succession. The limestones, which predominate, are soft,
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. IV

A. DAKOTA SANDSTONE EAST OF ENDICOTT. NEBR.

r^w

S' £'->

B. NIOBRARA LIMESTONE NEAR NORTON, KANS., SHOWING SMALL FAULT.

CRETACEOUS KOCKS. 15

light colored, and fine grained, and occur in beds ranging in thickness from 3 to 10 inches, the average being about 6 inches. They 

are usually fossiliferous, containing layers with many remains of 

Inoceramus labiatus, which is characteristic of the formation. The 

clays are light colored, plastic, and are in beds rarely exceeding a few 

inches in thickness.

The formation ranges from 25 to 30 feet thick and generally exhibits four limestone and clay members, which in regions to the south, 

owing to their distinctive characters, have been given local names by 

the Kansas geologists. The lowermost member, which in northern 

Kansas is a hard, dark-grayish limestone, is locally known there as the 

Lincoln marble. The individual beds of this member are about 8 

inches thick and the total thickness is approximately 15 feet. Above 

the Lincoln marble there are several thin layers of white limestone 

interbedded with clay and having a total thickness of 10 feet, which 

are known as the Flagstone member. The next member consists of 

somewhat darker colored limestones containing many Inocerami, 

and for this reason it has been designated the Inoceramus member. 

It is 4 to 5 feet thick. The top member consists of one limestone layer 

about 9 inches thick, which has been called the Fencepost limestone 

owing to its extensive use for fence posts throughout the region.

These members of the Greenhorn formation are not so distinct in 

the region to which this report relates as they are in areas farther 

south, but they are all recognizable. In the excellent section south 

of Hubbell the lowermost division includes the equivalents of both 

the Lincoln marble and the Flagstone member, the middle division 

the Inoceramus member, 'and the uppermost division the Fencepost 

member. The Inoceramus member appears to be somewhat thicker 

in Nebraska than in Kansas. The Lincoln marble is well exposed in 

a cut bank along Little Blue River northwest of Gilead, where its 

thickness is about 15 feet.

The part of the Greenhorn limestone which is quarried appears 

as a light-colored streak high in the slopes in Jefferson County 

and in the lower parts of valleys in the eastern part of Thayer 

County. At a quarry 4 or 5 miles northwest of Fairbury the exposures are at an altitude of slightly less than 1,500 feet. Along the 

river north of Gilead the altitude of the- formation is from 1,460 

to 1,490 feet. Southwest of Endicott the base of the formation has 

an altitude of about 1,525 feet. The beds quarried south of Kesterson have an altitude of 1,535 feet, while at Hubbell they are at 

about 1,505 or 1,510 feet. Westward along Rose Creek Valley the 

beds gradually sink from high in the slope and reach the level of 

the valley bottom between Hubbell and Chester. These facts indicate that the formation dips gently to the northwest except for a
16 BEPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AEEAS, NEBRASKA.

small local flexure in the southern part of Jefferson County. Where 

present at the surface the limestones form a ridge or escarpment in 

the valley slopes, below which the underlying Graneros shale is 

marked by a clay slope.

Fossils. Inoceramus lab'iatus, which characterizes this formation, 

occurs in large numbers in most of the beds. The formation has 

also yielded several specimens of fossil fish, and Dr. G. A. Birdsall, 

of Alexandria, has collected vertebrae and bones of various kinds 

from quarries north of Gilead. Mr. C. A. Carmony obtained, south 

of Kesterson, a large ammonite, which is now on exhibition in the 

State Museum of the University of Nebraska. Tlie best specimens 

of fish remains are found in the fine-grained limestone layers near 

the top of the formation.

CABLILE SHALE.

Character and thickness. The Carlile shale, the uppermost formation of the Benton group, consists of dark-colored clays and shales, 

which, in Kansas, have been separated into two members. The 

lower, which is the more calcareous, carrying thin beds of fossiliferous 

limestones, has in that State been designated the Ostrea horizon, on 

account of the presence of large numbers of Ostrea congesta, while 

the upper, which is composed of bluish, plastic clays, with fewer 

fossils, has there been designated the " Septarian zone " or Blue Hill 

beds. Near the middle of this upper member is a horizon of biscuitshaped concretions, which is well exposed in the vicinity of Lovewell. 

Kans. These concretions are often traversed by cracks filled with 

calcite, selenite, and occasional crystals of barite. They are generally 

large, some exceeding 6 feet in diameter. Throughout the formation 

and especially in its upper part there are large quantities of iron 

pyrite, which decomposes to sulphate of iron, or melanterite, a mineral which appears on the surface as a light-colored powder of acrid 

taste. By chemical reaction the decomposing pyrite in the clay banks 

also forms calcium sulphate, which crystallizes as selenite, and 

crystals of this mineral are usually scattered over the surface in great 

abundance.

The exact thickness of the formation is believed to be over 200 feet 

in Nuckolls County and westward, but owing to erosion of its upper 

surface it thins out in Jefferson County along an eastern margin 

shown on the map (PI. II).

Exposures. The Carlile shale is not extensively exposed in the area 

included in this report, but it outcrops at intervals along the valleys 

of Eepublican and Little Blue rivers and Eose Creek. It usually 

appears on the slopes as a narrow band overlain by loess and resting 

upon greenhorn limestone. Along the south margin of the district
CRETACEOUS ROCKS.- 17

it is exposed as an area of irregular width capping the higher land 

from a point nearly due south of Kesterson to near where Republican 

River crosses the State line.

NIOBRARA FORMATION.

Character and thickness. The Niobrara formation in southern 

Nebraska consists principally of a chalky limestone known as chalk 

rock, with interbedded layers of calcareous clay and local deposits of 

flint. The prevailing colors of the rock are lead gray, light gray, 

and yellowish, depending on the degree of weathering. Much of the 

weathered rock is straw yellow, and in certain localities is ocherous 

in color; in the bluffs south of Guide Rock, where the weathered 

portions of the rock are rapidly removed by erosion, it is lead gray 

with a decided bluish tint. The chalk rock has a porous texture and 

gives a hollow sound when struck with a hammer. It has an uneven 

fracture and a tendency to break into splinter-like forms. It varies 

considerably in composition from place to place, the principal 

impurities being clay, silica, and gypsum. Where clay is present in 

large amounts the beds are usually shaly.

In previous descriptions of the geology of this portion of Nebraska, 

no subdivisions were made of the Niobrara formation, which was described as consisting mainly of soft limestone chalk rock, or limy 

clays, presenting considerable variation from place to place. It has 

been found, however, that it comprises two distinct members, a lower 

and an upper, which are probably equivalent, respectively, to the Fort 

Hays beds and the Smoky Hill chalk of Kansas. The total thickness 

is about 400 feet. Some features of the formation are shown in Pis. 

IV, B, and VIII, A.

The basal member of the Niobrara consists of massive soft chalky 

limestones, bluish to light gray on freshly broken surfaces, but 

weathering to yellowish. The thickness of this member varies from 

40 to 50 feet and the outcrops are usually marked by more or less 

prominent ledges capping the softer shales of the underlying Carlile 

formation. Extensive exposures of these beds occur on the south 

side of Republican River between Superior and Bostwick, and along 

Whiterock Creek in Kansas.

In southern Nebraska the upper member of the Niobrara formation 

is about 300 feet thick. It consists of a bluish-gray chalk, generally 

massive and irregularly jointed, with layers of light-colored limestone and calcareous clays distributed throughout. The beds in the 

upper part vary considerably in .character in different localities. 

Wherever the formation is overlain by Pierre shale the chalky beds 

continue to the top of the formation, but in a wide area in the vicinity 

of Cambridge, and in the southern part of Nuckolls County, where 

3692 IRR 216 07 2
18 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

the Pierre is absent, the upper beds of the Niobrara are ocherous and 

more or less flinty. The flint is brownish, reddish,'or greenish in 

color; it occurs in continuous beds in the top of the formation, but 

lower down in scattered nodules; the beds vary in thickness from 

a few inches to 10 feet, and it is believed that they have accumulated 

in the chalk subsequent to its deposition, probably during late 

Tertiary or Quaternary times.

Fossils. Fossils are very abundant in the Niobrara formation. 

Ostrea congesta and a large flat Inoceramus are the most common 

forms, the former often attached to fragments of the latter. Wellpreserved fish remains are not infrequent, and turtles have been 

collected in the vicinity of Cambridge. The chalk rock, when examined closely, is found to be composed largely of minute shells 

which grade in size from those plainly visible to the unaided eye 

to microscopic forms.

Distribution. The Niobrara formation has a relatively wide outcrop area in central-southern Nebraska. It first appears under the 

loess in isolated areas in the valley of Little Blue River and its 

tributaries above Angus, at Nelson in the central part of Nuckolls 

County, and farther south on either side of Smyrna and near Bostwick. The formation outcrops most extensively along Republican 

River and its tributaries, rising high on the slopes south of Guide 

Rock. Westward it gradually falls to lower levels on the slopes, 

until, in the vicinity of Republican, its exposures are principally 

limited to the lowlands of the valley. At Edison the Niobrara outcrops narrow somewhat, and the Pierre shale occupies a portion of 

the bottom lands on either side, but to the west it widens again, 

retaining a nearly uniform width to the point where it passes beneath 

the Pierre shale south of Indianola. In the low valley land along 

Republican River the Niobrara formation is generally covered by 

Quaternary deposits. At Riverton, Republican, and south of Orleans 

the alluvial deposits have been removed, exposing the chalk rock in 

the banks of the river. The Niobrara occupies the lowlands of 

Beaver Creek Valley from its mouth westward to near Danbury, and 

along Sappa Creek, its main tributary, to beyond the NebraskaKansas State line, but it is nearly always covered by a thin deposit 

of alluvium. The eastern margin of the formation under the loess 

is near the east line of Nuckolls County. The details of the distribution of this formation are shown on the geologic map, PL II.

PIERRE SHALE.

Character and thickness. The Pierre shale, as exposed along the 

Republican Valley in southern Nebraska, consists mainly of plastic, 

loose-textured, carbonaceous clays which become shaly on weathered
TERTIARY ROCKS. 19

surfaces. The clays are unctuous when moist and hence are popularly known as soapstone. The common colors are dark bluish to 

black, with many rust-colored spots. Gypsum crystals are distributed throughout the shales, weathering out in great abundance on the 

barren slopes, and iron pyrites are found in thin layers at many 

horizons. The pyrite decomposes readily, and much of the resulting 

product is scattered over the surface as irregular fragments of iron 

oxide. The maximum thickness which the formation reaches in the 

western part of Dundy County is not known, but apparently it is 

more than 1,000 feet. No reliable well records could be obtained to 

show the thickness underground, but the formation is known to 

thicken rapidly to the west and north, reaching 7,700 feet west of 

Denver. In the syncline between Arapahoe and Naponee it has a 

thickness of 50 feet or .more and thins out to the east and the west. A 

well-defined layer in the Pierre shale in this region consists of a carbonaceous shale resembling an impure coal in some respects. This 

layer has a thickness of about 25 feet, and is well exhibited along the 

Eepublican from near the Alma bridge to beyond Orleans. The 

shales of this member are least plastic near the top and erosion often 

develops buttresses and recesses in them. The bedding and jointing 

are fairly distinct, and many layers and joint seams contain gypsum 

as a yellowish powder. Overlying this carbonaceous member are 

dark-bluish clays, with well-defined bedding, but fewer joints. In 

Dundy County the upper part of the exposed Pierre for 10 to 12 feet 

are of yellowish color. The Pierre shale contains a few fossils, such 

as Baculites compressus and small ammonites.

Distribution. The Pierre shale rests conformably on the Niobrara 

and is overlain unconformably by Tertiary deposits (see PI. V, B}. 

It is exposed along the Eepublican and its tributaries from the 

western part of Franklin County to the vicinity of Arapahoe, and 

from near Indianola to the west line of the State. It also extends 

for some distance up Prairiedog Creek to beyond the NebraskaKansas line, and up Sappa and Beaver creeks into the eastern margin of Furnas County. It reappears in the valley of Sappa Creek 

a short distance above Lebanon and continues to beyond the State 

line.

TERTIARY SYSTEM.

The Tertiary deposits of southwestern Nebraska appear to belong 

entirely to the later epoch of that system but they have not as yet been 

definitely classified. Apparently the principal formation corresponds 

to the Ogalalla of Darton, but possibly to some of the Arikaree as 

well.

Character and thickness. The Tertiary deposits consist mainly of 

sand, gravel, and clay, in places bound together by calcareous cement
20 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

into beds of variable hardness. Their character varies greatly from 

place to place. The sands are mostly medium to fine grained, often 

grading into a coarse cross-bedded sand and gravel. The gravel is 

waterworn and varies in size from sniall pebbles to bowlders 4 to 6 

inches in diameter. (See Pis. V, 6", and VI, B.} The materials comprise quartz, feldspar, granite, andesite, and porphyry, apparently 

derived from the Rocky Mountins. The clays are usually sandy, 

sometimes becoming so fine grained as to be a silt or loam. Deposits 

of this character occur north of. Max, where there is much clay or 

 loess-like silt, but in general the greater part of the sediment consists 

of sand and gravel irregularly mixed and often imperfectly stratified. 

Volcanic ash is generally associated with the sand beds and it occurs 

in lens-shaped deposits or beds in a number of places. The usual color 

of the ash is light gray and it is medium to fine grained. Opalized 

wood is scattered over the surface at various places in the Tertiary 

outcrop, notable localities being southeast of Laird and at the head of 

Rock Creek. At a fewT places in the western counties the calcareous 

cement occurs in sufficient amount for use as a natural plaster. A 

partial section of the Tertiary beds, as exhibited southeast of Franklin (see PL V, A) , is given below:

Section at Lookout Mountain southeast of Franklin, Nebr.

Feet. 

Limy sand rock, texture varying; color gray to white_________ 10

Sand, light colored on surface, fine grained, at places lithifled________ 10 

Quartzite, light to olive-green color; texture variable, but usually medium 

grained; siliceous cement_______________________________ 1£

Sand of various colors and medium grained________________ 30

Chalk rock (Niobrara) ; colors, yellowish at top, whitish and bluish gray 

below ___________________________________________ 200

251J

Distribution. The Tertiary deposits are exposed along the south 

side of Republican Valley from a point south of Red Cloud to Edison, 

and thence westward to the Nebraska-Colorado line along both sides 

of the valleys of the Republican and its principal tributaries. They 

are also exposed along Beaver and Sappa creeks and their numerous 

small branches throughout their entire extent within the area. The 

formation lies on the uneven surface of the Pierre (see PI. V, B) 

and Niobrara formations, and is in turn extensively overlain by loess 

and other Quaternary deposits.

QUATERNARY SYSTEM. 

DRIFT.

The greater part of Nebraska is covered by a thin but widespread 

sheet of sands and gravels, transported to the region by glaciers 

from the north and by streams from the west during Pleistocene
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. V

A. LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, SOUTHEAST OF FRANKLIN, NEBR., SHOWING BLUFFS CAPPED 

BY TERTIARY SANDY LIME ROCK.

B. TERTIARY "MORTAR BEDS" ON PIERRE SHALE EAST OF HAIGLER, NEBR.

C TERTIARY GRAVEL NEAR HEAD OF TRAIL CANYON, DUNDY COUNTY, NEBR.

QUATERNARY DEPOSITS. 21

time. The glacial deposits have been called northern or glacial 

drift, and the stream deposits western drift. The glacial drift 

occurs only in the eastern part of the region treated in this report 

that is, in Jefferson County and the eastern part of Thayer County 

but it extends north across eastern Nebraska. The greater part of 

the material is till with scattered deposits of bowlders, and it is more 

or less overlain by loess, especially to the west, where its margin is 

hidden by the loess. The sands and gravels of western origin 

extend westward under the loess, and in Jefferson County, especially 

along the Little Blue, appear to merge into the glacial drift, but 

the contact relations are not clearly exposed.

The" glacial drift in Jefferson and Thayer counties lies unconformably on the Dakota, Graneros, Greenhorn, and Carlile formations, and in places, especially on the uplands, is covered by 

loess. The glacial sands and gravels at Fairbury appear to be older 

than much of the clayey till in eastern Nebraska. They are separable at places into two members, an upper rusty-colored one and an 

underlying lighter colored and locally more regularly stratified 

member. These two show best in the sandpit of the Eock Island 

Railroad, about 4 or 5 miles northwest of Fairbury. Bowlders and 

pebbles occur in both divisions, but they are more noticeable in the 

upper one, perhaps because this is the more exposed and eroded.

A thin bed of brownish to yellowish clay till caps the glacial 

sands in the uplands about Fairbury, coming as low as 1,370 feet in 

altitude, but usually not much below the 1,380-foot level. It 

increases in thickness eastward in the direction of Jansen, Plymouth, and Lincoln. This clay contains pebbles and bowlders, usually 

of pinkish quartzite. It rises to an altitude of 1,430 feet 1 mile 

northeast of Jansen and to about 1,400 feet in the vicinity of 

the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad bridge across Cub Creek, at 

which place about 40 feet are exposed. In a railroad cut just west 

of this bridge the till is separable into two divisions. The lower, 

12 feet of which rise above the level of the track, is sandy and concretionary, with few pebbles and bowlders; of the upper, about 11 

feet of typical yellowish, pebbly, and bowldery clay are exposed in 

the cut, and it rises still higher in the hill slope. This member of 

the drift is distinct from the loess, by which it is covered to a depth 

of 30 to 45 feet at Plymouth.

Concretions often occurring in the till are composed of calcium 

carbonate. They range from 1 inch to more than 4 inches in 

diameter.

In general, there are two fairly distinct members of the glacial drift 

in Jefferson County, as shown by a section between Fairbury and 

Plymouth, both containing bowlders and both showing smaller local 

divisions. Small deposits of clay have been observed to occur in
22 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

the sand and gravel. Clay which may prove to be of glacial origin 

is found along the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad southwest of 

Thompson, and even as far west as Nelson.

The vertical range of glacial bowlders and till is from altitudes of 

1,250 to over 1,500 feet. The exposed bowlders are confined to Jefferson County, with a few in Thayer County. They occur for the 

most part east of Little Blue River, but extend 2 to 4 miles west of 

that river, between Powell and Steele, and to only a few miles south 

of Rose Creek. They come to the surface where the loess and finer 

parts of the till are eroded, and in some places they become abundant. 

The largest area of this kind is located just southeast of Endicott, 

where bowlders, mostly of Sioux quartzite, with a relatively small 

number of granite, cover nearly 2 square miles of the Dakota escarpment and adjoining slopes (see PI. VI, B}. These bowlders have 

been concentrated from till by the removal of the sand and loam by 

erosion. In the greater part of Jefferson County east of the river 

bowlders usually occur beneath the loess cap, and where the loess has 

been eroded the bowlders and other coarser glacial materials are 

brought to view. Other bowlder areas occur near Steele. Fairbury, 

and at a number of places in Cub Creek Valley. A large quartzite bowlder northeast of Fairbury, 4^ by 9 by 10 feet in size, is 

shown in PL VI, A. Another of coarse-grained granite, 4| by 6f by 

17 feet in size, is located in a gravel bench one-half mile away; its 

size has been reduced by blasting. The glacial bowlders comprise 

Sioux quartzite, granites, syenites, gneiss, hornblendic and mica 

schists, flinty limestone, Dakota sandstone, and Greenhorn limestone. 

Some of these were carried long distances by ice, while others came 

from ledges not distant. The granitoid rocks are rounded in part by 

weathering, but most of the quartzites are angular and little worn.

It appears that the presence of the ice sheet in Jefferson County 

affected the drainage over wide areas westward, causing the rivers 

to fill up their valleys and then to spread sediment over the general 

region along and to the west of the glaciers. The deposits of western drift are found as far west as Arapahoe-, Cambridge, and Trenton. That this deposit is of western origin is proved by the presence 

of a large amount of typical Rocky Mountain rock. Much of it, however, came from Tertiary formations which were derived from the 

Rocky Mountain region.

Remains of the primitive elephant have been found in the Fairbury 

gravels.

All of the glacial drift in the region treated in this report is generally known as the Kansan drift. A part of it may be of Aftoniaii 

age.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. VI

A. QUARTZITE BOWLDER NORTHEAST OF FAIRBURY, NEBR.

B. GLACIAL BOWLDERS SOUTHEAST OF ENDICOTT, NEBR.

QUATERNARY DEPOSITS. 23 

LOESS.

This formation constitutes the surface of the greater part of southeastern Nebraska and adjoining regions. Originally it covered the 

entire surface, but it has been cut through by the larger streams and 

now remains on the wide plateau areas between the valleys. The 

typical loess is characterized by its fine, even-grained, massive structure, porous texture, light-buff color, and the presence of a weak 

calcareous cement. It is often called the " bluff'" deposit where deep 

canyons and river bluffs are formed of it, because, owing to its massive structure, it weathers into steep slopes. The well drillers speak 

of it as " yellow clay/' The loess generally lies directly upon glacial drift or the western gravel deposits, but also overlaps on the 

older formations. Its thickness on the high loess plains is about 100 

feet. The formation has a strong tendency to vertical displacement 

in canyon walls and bluffs, so that on many slopes it settles or creeps 

over the edges of the underlying formations, concealing them from 

view. Where eroded by running water it stands in nearly vertical 

banks. On account of its massive structure and coherent nature, 

many wells bored in the loess region do not require casing in the part 

penetrating this formation. Ordinarily cellars in loess do not require 

to be walled.

The loess varies noticeably in color and somewhat in texture in 

different parts of the region, varying from light buff to brownish, a 

difference apparently related to the underlying beds, for the color is 

lightest where the loess overlies the light-colored Niobrara chalk rock 

and darkest when on or near the ocherous Niobrara and the Dakota 

formation.

The loess consists principally of silt and clay particles loosely 

cemented by carbonate of lime and stained by a small amount of iron 

oxide. The proportion of each of these ingredients varies from place 

to place. The silt grains increase in size and proportionate amount 

from east to west and apparently also with depth. The upper surface 

of the loess is darkened by humus and grades into the cultivable soil. 

. The mode of accumulation of the loess has been a subject of much 

discussion. According to the earlier view it is a wind-blown deposit, 

while according to a later view it was deposited over a wide extent 

of country by low-grade streams at the clo^e of the Pleistocene; probably both of these agencies have been factors in its origin.

It contains numerous fossil shells, mostly gasteropods, of freshwater nature.

TERRACE DEPOSITS.

Terraces are conspicuous along Republican River and Beaver, 

Sappa, and Prairiedog creeks. They are locally known as benches,
24 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

or as second and third bottom lands. Their heights in the Republican 

Valley are mostly 6 to 14, 25 to 40, and from 60 to 80 feet above the 

first bottom. Low benches are clearly denned in the vicinity of 

Haigler. At Oxford they are from 6 to 8 feet high. The terrace 

extending along the south side of Republican River from Amboy to 

a point southwest of Superior is 25 to 30 feet high. Four" miles west 

of Benkelman a high terrace rises about 75 feet above the river. At 

several places in Dundy County and in the western part of Hitchcock County the wind has eroded the terraces into dune-sand topography, as illustrated in PI. VII, B. Terraces on the south side of 

Republican River are less continuous than those on the north, owing 

mainly to the fact that the river crowds the right bank at places and 

has- entirely removed the benches.

The terraces are capped by an alluvial deposit resembling somewhat 

the loess in texture, but showing more definite stratification and 

greater variation in the size of the component parts. The material in 

the high terraces in Dundy and Hitchcock contains a large amount of 

silt and in many respects resembles the loess to the west. It contains 

remains of the primitive elephant and the mastodon. Bones of 

Elephas primigenhis were found by Mr. Max in the terrace deposits 

just north of the town of Max; other remains of this species have also 

been collected from these beds along DriftwT ood Creek 12 miles south 

of Trenton and at several other localities in the region.

ALLUVIUM.

A relatively thick deposit of alluvium occupies the floors of all the 

principal valleys and their tributaries throughout this portion of 

Nebraska. It generally consists of sand, gravel, and clay which 

shows considerable variation in character in different parts of the 

region.

The thickness of the deposit varies from 20 to 80 feet, the average 

being about 50 feet. The broader areas of alluvium are composed of 

fine sand near the surface, with medium to coarse gravel below, and 

in most localities beds of clay of variable thickness have been encountered by well drillers. Along the smaller tributaries the alluvium 

varies greatly in amount and character, according to the nature of 

the formations from which the material is supplied. The smaller 

streams traversing Tertiary, Dakota, or Pleistocene formations usually contain much alluvial sand and gravel, while those flowing over 

only Niobrara and Benton formations have but little alluvium along 

their course, for the materials, being fine-grained, are usually transported at flood times to the larger stream courses, leaving the bed 

rock uncovered. At Fairbury, along Little Blue River, the alluvial 

bottom land is from ^ to 2 miles in width. The depth of the deposit 

is not definitely known, but it has been penetrated to reported depths
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. VII

A. TERRACES NEAR MOUTH OF TRAIL CREEK, DUNDY COUNTY, NEBR.

B, WIND EROSION IN HIGH TERRACE WEST OF BENKELMAN, NEBR.

MINERAL RESOURCES. 25

of 60 to 80 feet. In this region it is composed of medium to coarse 

sand, gravel, and clay, with a small proportion of decomposed organic 

matter.

DTJNE SANDS.

In the western part of Dundy County, northeast of Haigler, the 

Tertiary sands have been blown by winds into hills and ridges, with 

intervening dry valleys and basins forming a typical sand-hill region, 

as shown in PI. VIII, B. In some places along the Republican, as 

far east as Trenton, the high, silty terrace has been more or less eroded 

by the wind, forming blow-outs and dunes. In places the dune sands 

are encroaching on the river. The veneer of sand is thin, and has 

been largely derived from the Tertiary materials and high-terrace 

deposits. Small terrace dunes are also found along the sandy bottoms 

of Little Blue River near Fairbury and at numerous places along the 

Republican.

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY.

MINERAL RESOURCES

The region to which this report relates possesses various mineral 

resources, some of which are sufficiently valuable to warrant development.

COAL.

Prospecting for coal has been in progress throughout the region 

since the time of earliest settlement. Three carbonaceous horizons, 

each in a different formation, have seemed promising to prospectors.

The first is in the upper part of the Dakota formation, where thin 

beds of impure lignite occur. During 1903 a small amount of this 

coal was mined three-quarters mile east of Powell, Jefferson County. 

The thickest bed at this place is about 7 inches and it outcrops in a 

ravine north of Little Blue River. Thin beds of lignite probably 

occur in many parts of the Dakota formation throughout the region, 

but there are few outcrops, and it is doubtful if the material ever 

reaches a workable thickness. Coal is mined to some extent from the 

Dakota formation at a few localities in Kansas, south of Thayer and 

Nuckolls counties, and the same amount and quality of coal that is 

worked in Jewel County, Kans., is believed to extend to the vicinity 

of Hardy and Superior, Nebr., but the'depth at which it would be 

reached then entirely precludes the possibility of working it successfully.

The second carbonaceous horizon lies above the Dakota in the 

Graneros shale, the lowest division of the Benton group. The rock of 

this horizon outcrops at several places in Jefferson County, where it 

has been prospected extensively, but without success.
26 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT ABEAS, NEBEASKA.

The third carbonaceous horizon referred to is in the lower part of 

the Pierre shale. It has been prospected more or less in the region 

between Republican and Arapahoe, also south and west of Orleans, 

but offers no encouragement whatever of affording true coal or lignite.

PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS.

While there are no grounds for believing that petroleum and gas 

may be obtained by borings in the Republican Valley region, these 

'materials may possibly occur, and the possibilities are such as to 

warrant more complete and detailed investigation. There are no surface indications of oil and the only gas reported is a small amount in 

a well 405 feet deep at McCook. This well yields a flow sufficient to 

afford a flame that flashes up from a cap on the casing and burns more 

strongly than an ordinary gas jet. The engineer at the pumping station where the well is located stated that enough gas collects in the 

cap to burn about one-half hour.

The presence, discovered by Mr. Darton several years ago, of an 

anticlinal arch in Furnas County, has excited much interest in its relation to the possible occurrence of oil or gas, and plans have been made 

fOF drilling for these products. The crest of this arch extends down 

Medicine Creek through Cambridge and southeastward across Furnas 

County, and if oil or gas are present underground'they might be 

expected along that line. There is, however, no evidence whatever 

that the region is underlain by rocks containing oil or gas. The 

Dakota sandstone, which lies about TOO feet below the river at Cambridge has never yielded oil, and probably at a depth of about 1,000 

feet it is underlain by red beds, which are nonproductive;-the thickness of the latter is unknown, but probably it is over 500 feet. The 

red beds are underlain by limestone and shale, which might possibly 

yield some products of value; the depth of these increases rapidly 

to the west and to the east of the arch.

The Carboniferous rocks which carry oil and gas in southeastern 

Kansas extend under south-central Nebraska, but several deep wells 

which have penetrated these rocks in northern Kansas found no 

oil. The Dakota formation under the Republican Valley carries 

artesian water under heavy pressure, a condition which would prevent the accumulation of oil or gas. The oil of eastern Colorado is 

obtained from sandy beds in the Pierre shale, and possibly such beds 

may be found in the formation in Hitchcock and Dundy counties.

BUILDING STONE.

Building stone is quarried at many points in the Republican Valley. 

The Dakota sandstone, though more or less friable and not of pleas-
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. VIII

., NIOBRARA LIMESTONE QUARRY NORTHEAST OF CAMBRIDGE, NEBR.

B. TYPICAL SAND HILLS NORTHEAST OF HAIGLER, NEBR.

MINEKAL EESOUKCES. 27

ing color, is quarried southeast of Endicott and southeast of Kesterson. This material is used mainly for foundations and culverts in 

Fairbury, Endicott, and Steele. A thin bed of compact sandstone is 

found in the Dakota formation about 2 miles northwest of Fairbury, 

which closely resembles quartzite, and a hard sandstone similar in 

character occurs near Junction, but neither of these is sufficiently 

extensive to be valuable. The Greenhorn limestone has been quarried 

for twenty years in the vicinity of Hubbell, and although the present 

output is only about 40 cars per year it formerly exceeded 200 cars. 

Most of this stone is now used in the northern part of Kansas. A line 

of small quarries extends along the hill slopes wherever the Greenhorn formation is exposed. The principal quarries of this rock within 

this region are located about 5 miles northwest of Fairbury, a few 

miles northeast of Gladstone, north of Gilead, south of Kesterson, 

and in the vicinity of Hubbell. Most of the stone is obtained from 

the so-called Fencepost member, and other beds are worked locally. 

The product is used principally in building foundations, culverts, 

and sidewalks. The Greenhorn limestone is used for structural purposes throughout Jefferson, Thayer, and Nuckolls counties. It has 

been burned successfully to lime northwest of Fairbury.

The Niobrara chalk rock, though soft, has been quarried for building purposes along the Republican, between Superior and Alma. It 

is easily dressed and its color is not objectionable. The lower member of the formation has been less extensively quarried in Nebraska 

than in Kansas, where it is crushed at Montrose and used for ballast 

along the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railway. At Alma the 

upper beds of the Niobrara have been used for street pavements. The 

chalk packs firmly, sheds water, and wears well. In the vicinity of 

Cambridge, flinty beds of the Niobrara are quarried for building 

purposes. The A. Brown quarry (PI. VIII, A), 2-J miles northeast 

of Cambridge, has been worked for twenty years. This flint extends 

over a wide area in the vicinity of the anticline both in Nebraska and 

in Kansas, and it might be used as a railroad ballast.

The Tertiary " mortar beds " afford stone suitable for foundation 

purposes in every county west of Harlan. The so-called " granite " 

at Woodruff is a compact sandstone, or quartzite occurring in the 

Tertiary. It is quarried and crushed for railroad ballast and concrete at the Atwood Company's quarry, about 2 miles west of Woodruff, Kans., and about one-fourth mile south of the State line. The 

stone is very hard, usually olive green in color and fine to medium 

grained, but the color and texture show some variation. The beds 

quarried range from 6 to 12 feet in thickness. Stone of this horizon 

occurs in the vicinity of Lookout Mountain southeast of Franklin, 

Nebr., where large blocks appear on the slopes of the hill. A ledge of

CF
28 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

rock of somewhat similar nature but of finer texture outcrops at 

places along Republican River in Furnas and Redwillow counties. 

It is 3 to 4 feet thick, and best exposed south of the river between 

Bartlett and Indianola.

CEMENT.

Portland cement is largely manufactured from limestone or chalk 

mixed with the proper proportion of clay or shale. These materials 

are ground, thoroughly mixed together and burned, and then 

reground. The Niobrara chalk rock and the Pierre shale are used 

in the manufacture of cement at Yankton, S. Dak., and these same 

formations outcrop along the Republican, where probably they could 

be utilized for that purpose. Unfortunately, in the area in which 

the chalk rock is most favorably exposed, it is not overlain by the 

clay, but large supplies of this ingredient could be obtained at no 

great distance. Other important factors to be considered in the 

production of cement, aside from the materials used, are fuel and 

water supply, but the conditions for these are as favorable in Republican Valley as in some other places where cement is profitably 

produced.

CLAY.

The Dakota formation contains extensive beds of high-class clays 

near Fairbury, Endicott, and Steele. Southeast of Steele the middle 

member of the formation is composed of light-colored to mottled 

clays, which Appear over an area of several square miles, in slopes 

rising from the level of the river to an altitude of 1,325 feet. 

Between Steele and Endicott there is a clay pit from which the 

product is shipped to Hastings and Beatrice for use in the manufacture of brick and tiling. An abandoned pit near Endicott, which 

was worked out by a Beatrice firm a few years ago, afforded over 

1,000 cars of clay for use in the manufacture of brick, pottery, and 

tiling. Clays of the Dakota formation produce very fine grades of 

brick and on that account will doubtless be more extensively used. 

Unfortunately there are no large towns near the outcrop areas, and 

the haulage to Lincoln and other principal cities of Nebraska is 

long and expensive. There are brickyards in most counties of the 

region manufacturing brick from either Dakota clay, loess, or 

alluvium. The principal yards are at Fairbury, Hebron, Deshler, 

Nelson, Alma, Beaver City, and Arapahoe.

SAND AND GRAVEL.

Some of the deposits of sand and gravel in the Republican Valley 

will eventually prove to be valuable. The sand is extensively distributed while the gravel is of less common occurrence. Most sandpits are operated for local use, yet a few ship to towns some distance 

away.
MINEKAL EESOURCES. 29

The sands and gravels worked come from the Dakota formation 

and from Tertiary, glacial, and alluvial deposits, the last two being 

the most important sources. The Dakota formation contains friable 

sandstone, which at places afford a small supply of sand. The Tertiary sands are mostly fine grained, but the gravels are locally coarse 

enough for use as railroad ballast. It is from the stratified deposits 

formed during the Pleistocene that most of the sand and gravel is 

obtained. The principal materials are of western origin and outcrop 

along Little Blue and Republican rivers. Along the former they 

are intermixed somewhat with materials of glacial origin and are 

coarser than the deposits farther west. The main center for sand 

and gravel is Fairbury, but the deposits extend far westward and are 

worked at or near Superior, Red Cloud, Beaver, Arapahoe, Cambridge, Trenton, and beyond. The sands usually lie in an accessible position just below the loess. There is an inexhaustible supply 

of coarse sand and fine gravel about Kesterson, Fairbury Junction, 

Helvey, Powell, and Hebron. The lower surface in Jefferson County 

is very irregular, resting on the eroded upper surface of older formations. In places the sand is not overlain by loess and at such places 

very little or no stripping is necessary. Where railroad facilities 

are favorable the expense of production is low.

The other principal source of sand is the alluvial deposits. The 

sand in the Republican bottom lands averages too fine for plaster, 

but might be used as a filler for concrete work and it may yet prove 

to be adapted to the production of sand-lime brick. Where the deposits along the streams have been derived from near-by glacial 

sands they have not changed greatly in character, but remain coarse 

enough for building purposes. This is the case in the deeper parts 

of the flood plain from Alexandria to Fairbury. The sands along 

the river at Fairbury are reported more than 80 feet thick at places. 

In the vicinity of Bostwick a small ravine contains much coarse sand 

derived from, a bed beneath the loess and this sand is used locally 

for plaster. In many localities there are sand deposits under the 

loess, but they are not often well exposed.

Sandpits are found in the vicinity of nearly all towns. The largest 

shipments are from the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway 

sandpit, located northwest of Fairbury on a switch of the Nelson 

Branch. An old pit on a switch of the Chicago, Burlington and 

Quincy Railroad just west of Kesterson has afforded thousands of 

tons during the many years in which it has been worked. The St. 

Joseph and Grand Island Railway ships from a pit about midway 

between Endicott and Steele.

The sand of the various pits is used principally for plaster, masonry construction, ballast, and in the manufacture of artificial stone. 

The demand for it is increasing for each purpose named, especially
30 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

the last. Artificial stone plants are operating now in most of the 

larger towns where a supply of sand can be had within a few miles, 

as at Fairbury, Hebron, Superior, Nelson, Red Cloud, Cambridge, 

and McCook. The product is becoming not only a rival of natural 

stone but of brick as well.

VOLCANIC ASH.

Volcanic ash is a light-colored powdery deposit of volcanic origin. 

It is thought to have.been thrown into the air by volcanoes in the 

mountains and carried far eastward by the wind, and in some cases 

to have been again taken up later and redeposited by water. It is 

composed of hard, angular fragments of volcanic glass resembling 

pulverized pumice, and occurs as thin beds and irregular pockets in 

the Tertiary formations. The thickest beds are in Furnas and Harlan 

counties.

Mr. S. C. Zike formerly hauled and shipped from a pit 5 miles 

south of Edison from an opening now 30 feet high and over 100 feet 

long. The ash was shipped-to some of the larger eastern cities. Mr. 

J. C. Gay of Orleans is shipping the ash from that town under the 

name of silica. The product goes principally to Europe and is used 

as an abrasive and in the manufacture of sapolio.

The following analysis of Harlan County ash by Mr. R. S. Hiltner 

gives the chemical composition:

Analysis of volcanic ash from Harlan Comity.

Per cent.

Silica (SiO2 )___-____________ ___________________ ________ 71: 50

Iron oxide and alumina (,Fe,Or; and ALO3 ) _____ ___-________ 15.04

Calcium oxide (CaO)___________ _~_____-_____ 1.19

Magnesium oxide (MgO)________ _________ ____ _ _ ____ .49

Sodium and potassium oxides (Na=O and K2O)_ _ _____________ 5.51

Sulphuric anhydride (SO3 ) __-___ - - - - ___ .73

Loss on ignition.-_____-_ _____ 5.48

100

OCHER.

Two formations carry ocher (hydrated oxide of iron), which is 

used to a limited extent for paints. The Dakota clays east of Endicott, and in sees. 19, 24, and 30, T. 1, R. 3 E., southeast of Kesterson, 

contain a large admixture of reddish and yellowish ocher. In the 

last-named locality the yellowish to reddish deposits extend onto a 

number of slopes in that vicinity.

Portions of the Niobrara formation are ocherous in much of 

Franklin and Webster counties, and also on the anticlinal fold farther 

west, where the Pierre clay has been removed by erosion. At Indianola paints are manufactured from the weathered upper surface of
SURFACE WATBES. 31

the Niobrara at a level of 30 feet below the town. The bed is 11 feet 

thick at a shaft in the western part of the town, and thins out southward. The ocher was mined about twelve years ago; the shaft'has 

been reopened recently by Adolph Smith and J. P. Reiter, who have 

installed a mill and are now placing several grades of the product 

on the market.

WATER RESOURCES.

On account of their economic importance and their close relation 

to public health the water resources, especially the underground 

water of this region have been given special consideration. The 

principal water supplies are obtained from wells, springs, streams, 

and lakes or ponds. These may be classified as surface and underground waters.

SURFACE WATERS. 

GENERAL CHARACTER.

The surface waters in this region are products of local rainfall in 

a catchment area but very slightly larger than the district to which 

this report relates. The amount of direct run-off in any region 

depends on the quantity and nature of the rainfall, the texture of the 

soil, and the drainage conditions, the maximum amount being where 

steep slopes prevail and the soil is fine textured. The run-off in this 

district is largest in the rougher parts of th£ central counties and eastward, where the rainfall is greater and the fine-grained loess soil 

covers most of the surface, the minimum amount being lost where the 

soil is open textured and the land not surface drained. In the sandhill region and in most of the Tertiary area the direct run-off is 

small and much water is absorbed; the rainfall is light and the soil is 

very porous.

In certain canyons heading high in the table-lands the run-off is 

large, especially after a hard, driving rain. Train Canyon, for example, has bare clay slopes, great declivity, no springs, and never carries water except after what is called a waterspout. At such times 

water fills the canyon and flows out into the Republican Valley with 

force sufficient to deflect the river temporarily across its flood plain. 

The railroad bridge across the lower course of the canyon has been 

damaged by this rush of water.

REPUBLICAN RIVER.

Republican River heads in the table-lands of eastern Colorado 

many miles east of the Rocky Mountains, and, entering Nebraska in 

the southwestern corner of Dundy County, flows east about 250 miles 

across that State before it turns south into Kansas, near Superior.
32 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

The principal affluents are South Fork, Frenchman River, and Medicine, Sappa, and Prairiedog creeks. In Colorado its valley is mostly 

in porous Quaternary and Tertiary deposits, but in Nebraska it is 

excavated in impervious Cretaceous rocks. Throughout its course the 

river flows over a deposit of alluvium of its own deposition. The 

depth of the valley bottom below the bordering table-lands and loess 

plains varies from 200 to about 400 feet.

The stream is mostly shallow and relatively wide and its sandy bed 

is bordered by low sandy banks, except in places where it cuts into 

bordering terraces, where the banks are higher and precipitous. The 

river scours its right bank much more than the left. A typical view 

of the river is given in PL IX, A.

Throughout its course the stream is supplied by spring-fed tributaries. In the western counties, where the rainfall is small and direct run-off is rapid, the river bed often is dry in midsummer immediately above the mouths of Buffalo, Rock, and Frenchman creeks, 

while the flow from these streams revives the flow in the river below 

their mouths. This loss of water at the surface is due to evaporation, 

especially where the water is used for irrigation. Such alternating 

dry and running portions of the course of the river extend as far east 

as Superior during periods of drought. Only once in twelve years has 

the river ceased to flow at Red Cloud and Superior. The river water 

is useful mainly for stock, irrigation, and power. The following 

data were compiled by Mr. J. C. Stevens, of the United States Geological Survey:

Estimated monthly discharge of Republican River at Benkelman, Nebr.. 1895,

1'JOS, 19f>4.

Month.

1895.

July...................................................

1903. 

May (20-31 )...........................................

July.................................... .:............

November (1-20 )......................... ............

1904.

April ..................................................

July. .................................................

Maximum.

Sec.-ft. 

162

95

281

830

656

102

71

81

112

47

54

64

111

99

211

165

46

195

87

Minimum.

Sec.-ft. 

29

33

0

34

41

0

47

43

19

26

19

43

50

46

30

23

46

5

10

0

30

55

Mean.

Sec.-ft.

78

59

25

155

120

34

58

59

39

. 32

39

49

56

89

65

54

91

40

29

15

61

65

Total.

Acre-feet. 

4,640

3,520

1,540

9, 220

7,380

?,090

1,380

3,510

2,400

1,970

2, 320

3, 010

2,220

5,478

3,870

3,'310

5,430

2, 520

1,780

892

3,760

3,810
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. IX

A. REPUBLICAN RIVER SOUTH OF BOSTWICK, NEBR.

B. SAND-HILL LAKE, DUNDY COUNTY, NEBR.

SURFACE WATERS. 33

Estimated monthly discharge of South Fork of Republican River at Benkelman, 

Nebr., for the years 1903-1905.

Month.

1903. 

May (20-31)...........................................

July...................................................

1904.

April..................................................

May...................................................

July............................. .....................

1905. 

March (17-31).........................................

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

57 

65 

36 

79 

22 

50 

65

102 

66 

255 

397 

115 

89 

47 

115 

66

249 

300 

137 

283 

152 

96

Minimum.

36

7 

7 

7 

7 

22 

50

31 

6 

47 

47 

5 

11 

6 

31 

47

96 

52 

52 

21 

5 

21

Mean.

48 

37 

15 

25 

15 

39 

57

60 

21 

92 

132 

39 

24 

13 

57 

59

159 

141 

100 

68.6 

35.4 

47.7

Total.

Acre-feet. 

1,140 

2,200 

922 

1,'540 

655 

2,400 

2,260

3,690 

1,260 

5,680 

7,850 

2,420 

1,480 

774 

3,540 

3,530

4,730 

8,390 

6,150 

4,080 

2,180 

1,230

Estimated monthly discharge of Republican River at Superior, Nebr., 1897-1903. 

[Drainage area, 22,347 square miles.]

Month.

1897.

July..............................

1898. 

April.............................

July......................... ....

1899.

April .............................

July .............................

1900.

July .............................

« June 1-25. 

6 April 20-30.

3692 1KB 216 07 

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

650 

2,870 

1,130 

a750 

4,310 

1,460 

241

62,130 

1,870 

2,300 

1,340 

380 

470 

365 

c470

<*956 

842 

1,800 

4,040 

1,380 

868 

102 

101

1,670 

2, 940 

674 

349 

1,280 

2, 010 

148 

«-162

cNo

dMa

 3

Minimum.

385 

620 

180 

180 

119 

94 

0

490 

500 

500 

220 

100 

185 

145 

320

eOi 

375 

292 

141 

209 

136 

6 

24

565 

320 

250 

67 

24 

8 

25 

36

member 1-19 

rch 19-31.

Mean.

510 

1,244 

420 

359 

922 

259 

71

755 

1,053 

1,235 

479 

195 

289 

264 

382

706 

578 

511 

531 

458 

303 

50 

53

909 

735 

392 

159 

149 

156 

69 

87

Total in 

acre-feet.

31, 360 

74,020 

25,820 

21, 400 

56,690 

15,920 

4,220

44,930

64,750 

73. 490 

29, 450 

11,990 

17,200 

16,230 

22, 730

43,410 

34,390 

31,420 

31,600 

28, 160 

18, 630 

2,980 

3,260

54,090 

45,190 

23,330 

9,780 

9,160 

9,280 

4,240 

6,180

eNove

Run-off.

Sec.-ft. per 

sq. mile.

0.023 

.056 

.019 

.016 

.041 

.012 

.003

.03 

.05 

.06 

.02 

.01 

.01 

.01 

.02

.031

.026 

.023 

.021 

.020 

.014 

.002 

.002

.04 

.03 

.02 

.006 

.006 

.006 

.003 

.004

mber 1-24.

Depth in 

inches.

0.026 

.062 

.022 

.018 

.047 

.014 

.003

.03 

.06 

.07 

.02 

.01 

.01 

.01 

.02

.015 

.029 

.026 

.023 

.023 

.016 

.002 

.002

.04 

.03 

.02 

.007 

.007 

.007 

.003 

.004
34 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

Estimated monthly discharge of Republican Rirer at Superior, Nebr., 1897-1903 Cont'd.

Month.

1901.

July ......... ...................

1902. 

March ..................... ....

April.............................

May, .............................

June ....................

July..............................

August....... .................. .

November '.......................

1903.

July..............................

August. ....'......................

October .................. ......

Discharge in second-feet.

Maximum.

1,510 

622 

480 

154 

856 

4,990 

1,490 

1,030

«920 

740 

2,810 

3,240 

12, 490 

1,920 

10,880 

1,990 

970

c 7, 750 

1,260 

14, 100 

6,460 

7,820 

3,280 

700 

390 

690

Minimum.

637 

146 

117 

5 

5 

10 

285 

312

330 

390 

335 

320 

970 

330 

155 

520 

460

1, 260 

705 

845 

835 

465 

520 

270 

245 

130

Mean.

961 

364 

219 

44 

70 

1,246 

443 

419

675 

555 

1,269 

1,372 

^3,080 

674 

1, 175 

937 

622

2,692 

918 

4,491 

1,921 

1,948 

1,230 

389 

326 

417

Total in 

acre -feet.

57, 180 

22, 380 

13,030 

2, 6-20 

4,300 

74, 140 

27,240 

24, 930

29,450 

33, 020 

78, 020 

81,640 

b 189, 360 

41, 440 

69, 910 

57, 610 

37, 010

96,110 

54, 620 

276,140 

114,310 

119, 780 

75,630 

23, 150 

. 20, 040 

24, 810

Run-off.

Sec. -ft. per 

sq. mile.

.043 

.016 

.010 

.002 

.003 

.056 

.020 

.019

.03 

.02 

.06 

.06 

''.14 

.03 

.05 

.04 

.03

.120 

.041 

.201 

.086 

.087 

. 055 

.017 

.015 

.019

Depth in 

inches.

.048 

.018 

.011 

.002 

.003 

.062 

.020 

.021

.02 

.02 

.07 

.07 

b.16 

.03 

.06 

.05 

.03

.080 

.046 

.232 

.096 

.100 

.063 

.019 

.017 

.021

a March 9-31. 6 Exclusive of four days' flood discharge.

FRENCHMAN RIVER.

March 14-31.

Frenchman River is fed by several tributaries in Chase, Perkins, 

and Hayes counties and flows southeastward to join the Republican 

at Culbertson. Only a small part of its drainage basin is within the 

region to which this report relates. The upper tributary streams are 

in deep, steep-walled canyons and gather most of their water from 

springs issuing from the Tertiary. Farther downstream, where the 

slopes decrease in grade, the valley widens and is cut in'Pierre clay. 

Near its mouth the stream is shallow and from 75 to 100 feet wide. 

It flows over a sandy bed in which there are small sand bars and 

islands. At Wauneta, in Chase County, the river falls about 8 feet 

over a hard ledge of Tertiary rock, as shown in PI. X, A. A flour 

mill is run by power from this fall.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. X

A. FALLS OF FRENCHMAN RIVER AT WAUNETA, NEBR.

B. SPRING IN DUNDY COUNTY, NEBR.

SURFACE WATEES. 85

Estimated monthly discharge of Frenchman River at Palisade, Fe&r., for 1895

and 1896.

Month.

1895. 

March. ................................................

April.............................. ....................

July..... ..............................................

1896. 

May...................................................

June ..................................................

July...................................................

September .............................. . . .

Maximum.

Second-feet. 

118

156

158

600

437

98

200

800

145

92

89

89

Minimum.

Second-feet. 

98

107

111

w

54

64

68

92

50

80

63

77

76

Mean.

Second-feet. 

105

137

129

132

158

96

78

114

 104

94

76

82

82

Total.

Acre-feet. 

6,460

8,150

7, 930

7, 850

9,720

5,900

4,640

7,010

6,190

5,780

4,670

4,880

5,040

KEDWILLOW AND MEDICINE CREEKS.

Redwillow and Medicine creeks are similar to each other in origin 

and flow, and although they have a long course they carry but a small 

volume of water. They rise in canyons near Platte River, in Lincoln 

County, and flow to the Republican through deep narrow valleys in 

a nearly level upland. Each has sufficient power for the successful 

operation of flour mills.

BEAVER AND SAPPA CREEKS.

«»

Beaver and Sappa creeks are much alike in flow and drainage area, 

heading in the vicinity of the Colorado line and receiving the run-off 

of a considerable portion of northwestern Kansas. They flow northeastward parallel to the Republican, unite in the eastern part of 

Furnas County, and join the Republican near Orleans. Both creeks 

flow over a bed of alluvium lying on the Niobrara formation. The 

volume of water is small, but the flow is constant in the Nebraska part 

of their courses, where it is augmented by the run-off and by several 

tributaries fed by small springs. Only one gaging is on record." It 

was made on Beaver.Creek one-fourth of a mile below the mill at 

Stamford by J. A. Green, July 6, 1904. The surface width below the 

confluence of the creeks is 21 feet; the area of the cross section of the 

stream is 33 feet; the mean velocity 95 feet, and the discharge 36 

second-feet.

PRAIRIEDOG CREEK.

Prairiedog Creek rises in Kansas, but flows for a few miles through 

Harlan County, which it enters with volume about as great as that of 

Sappa Creek. Near its mouth, south of the town of Republican, the 

creek cuts into the Niobrara chalk, which causes small rapids in its 

bed. The stream is not now used in Nebraska either for power or 

irrigation.
3 EEPTJBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT ABEAS, NEBRASKA.

LITTLE BLUE RIVER.

Little Blue Kiver is next to the Kepublican in volume. Its tributaries rise in the loess plains, principally in the vicinity of Hastings, 

and gather water from the long slopes extending to tlie brink of the 

Platte Valley. The general slope of the drainage basin is southeastward, and the river flows into Kansas in the southeastern part of Jefferson County. The drainage area comprises approximately 13.000 

square miles, in Webster, Nuckolls, Thayer, and Jefferson counties; 

in this region the flow is constant, even during periods of dry weather. 

Much of the water is derived from springs issuing from Quaternary 

sands and from Dakota sandstone. The river rises considerably during freshets, and during these times has a strong tendency to shift its 

channel in the sandy bottom lands. During the past year the stream 

has straightened its course at several places, cutting across some valuable farm lands, notably between Endicott and Steele, south of Alexandria, and near the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway 

bridge between Hebron and Gilead. These changes in the channel 

cause much damage to land, crops, and roadways, and they are much 

more frequent on this stream than on the Republican.

SPRINGS.

Springs have their source in ground water wrhich issues at the surface under various conditions. The principal horizons at which 

springs occur in the region are (1) the contact zone between the 

Tertiary and the underlying Pierre and Niobrara formations, (2) the 

base of Quaternary materials of western origin where they overlie 

impervious Cretaceous beds, and (3) the Dakota sandstone, especially 

when this lies above clay beds.

Many small and a few large springs appear at the first-named 

horizon, which extends along the entire length of Republican River 

in Nebraska to its headwaters in Colorado. Most of these springs 

are located north of the river, the strongest being at or near the heads 

of tributaries. Among the best examples are those on the Moore 

ranch northeast of Haigler (PI. X, B) , and a spring near Trenton.

In the counties as far west as Hitchcock, and as far east as Franklin, 

both Tertiary and Quaternary sands yield spring water, but along 

the tributaries of Little Blue River in northern Thayer and Jefferson 

counties water comes entirely from the Pleistocene sands. Big Sandy 

Creek is a good example of a stream which derives its water from 

these sands.

Spring water from the Dakota sandstones appears to come from 

two sources. Part of it from distant sources is artesian water escaping along the outcropping area of the formation from eastern Thayer 

County to the Kansas line. Some of this water flows into the same
UNDERGROUND WATERS. 37

streams that receive water from the Quaternary sands. The Dakota 

sandstone outcrops south of Rose Creek, probably derive their spring 

water from the local rainfall, the water percolating down to clay beds 

and then outward to the surface.

LAKES.

In the undissected laess plains much of the rainfall is caught and 

retained in the soil and in numerous temporary ponds during wet 

weather. Some of these ponds are 8 to 10 feet deep after exceptionally heavy rains, and while a few contain water throughout the year 

most of them either remain marshy or dry up during the summer 

months. Such ponds occupy only a small part of the surface in the 

level uplands, and they are most frequent in counties lying just 

north of the eastern part of the region. Some of the wet-weather 

lakes have been drained and the land thus reclaimed for agricultural 

purposes.

In the sand hills, where the drainage channels are poorly defined, 

the rainfall soaks into the sands and at the time of heavy rains water 

fills the basins sometimes to a depth of several feet. Humus and fine 

silt carried into the basins help to check the downward movement 

of the water, causing it to accumulate at the surface during rainy 

weather. There are several examples of such lakes in Dundy County, 

notably between the heads of Buffalo and Rock creeks (PL IX, B}.

Storage of surface water by means of artificial ponds has been 

practiced to some extent, especially near heads of spring-fed streams. 

Examples of this kind are found in Rock and Buffalo creeks of 

Dundy County. There are lakes also at various localities where the 

water is held by mill dams.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

SOURCE OF GROUND WATERS. .

The volume of water absorbed by the ground near the surface varies 

not only with the amount of precipitation but also somewhat with 

topographic conditions, which promote or retard surface drainage, 

and especially with the porosity of the soil. Some of the absorbed 

water is lost by evaporation and some percolates to lower levels. The 

loess is porous and the vertical structure of the formation is a favorable feature, but the fine texture of the material greatly diminishes 

its capacity for absorption. The rate of motion of water downward 

through the various formations varies with the texture and pressure, 

the motion being more rapid in coarse sands and gravels than in rocks 

of finer texture. The Cretaceous clays are of such fine grain that 

they check the downward motion of the ground water, thus often 

causing it to accumulate in the more porous overlying sands and
88 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

gravels. The thickness of the latter varies from 0 to 100 feet, and the 

amount of ground water which they hold is very great. The Tertiary 

and Quaternary sands and gravels, when completely saturated, contain from 25 to 30 per cent or more of water. Owing to underflow, 

however, the beds are usually not filled to the top but only up to a 

subsurface plane, which may be level or sloping, known as the " water 

table."

Water stored underground in this manner is often the accumulation 

of many years. The amount is increased and the water table raised 

by an increase in rainfall, and is lowered correspondingly during 

long periods of drought. This subsurface storage of water is the 

main supply for springs and wells and is a source of much of the 

moisture supplied to growing crops.

QUALITY OF UNDERGROUND WATER.

Underground water contained in the different geologic formations 

varies much in quality, quantity, and accessibility. Tertiary sands 

and gravels usually carry an abundance of soft to medium-hard 

water at moderate depths. The water of the other formations is 

slightly hard, " alkali " or saline, containing minerals dissolved from 

the rocks during the slow percolation of the water. Pollution by 

organic matter is also common, especially in surficial deposits. Most 

of the Cretaceous formations contain considerable soluble mineral 

matter, and as a result, their waters often are not of good quality. 

This is especially the case with the Pierre, Niobrara, Carlile, and 

Graneros formations, the supply from which is often unfit for 

domestic purposes. The porous sandstone of the Dakota formation 

usually yields good water in large supply, but it is hard and often 

heavily charged with iron. Not a few wells in this formation yield 

water too saline for drinking and house use. Alkali water is most 

common in regions where the Pierre shale outcrops or lies close to 

the surface.

The waters from Tertiary sands have wide distribution and are 

readily accessible. Often they contain but little mineral matter, 

although water from the alluvium sometimes contains much alkali, 

derived from the underlying Pierre shale.

DEPLETION OF SUPPLY.

The water supply near the surface is subject to considerable variation in amount, for there is constant evaporation and a natural 

drainage to lower levels.

The amount of underground water lost by seepage or springs is 

considerable. It would be much greater, however, were it not for 

the usual presence of a loesslike alluvium along the seepage horizon
UNDERGROUND WATERS. 39"

in the main valleys, which checks the rapid flow of water to the 

surface.

Considerable water near the surface also is lost by evaporation, a 

factor which increases in importance from east to west. From an 

open water surface the evaporation averages about twice the precipitation in the western counties of Nebraska. Water stored deep 

in the soil is not subject to much loss by evaporation. Water drawn 

from wells, though comparatively inconsiderable in relative amount, 

is a direct drain on the underground supply.

SHALLOW WELLS.

Water of good quality and in large amounts can be obtained by 

wells at moderate depths in most of the region treated in this report. 

The principal sources of supply are the Dakota sandstone, Quaternary sand, gravel, and alluvium, and the Tertiary deposits. Wells 

are bored, drilled, driven, or dug, and the casings most used are wood, 

galv.anized iron, stone, tile, and gas pipe. In. some instances no 

casing is required.

The shallowest wells are along valleys, and the deepest wells, which 

vary from 100 to 300 feet in depth, are on the uplands. The local 

conditions in each county are presented more specifically on later 

pages in this report.

WEAK AND DRY WELLS.

The volume of water which may be pumped from a well within a 

given time depends on several factors, the principal one of which is 

the rate at which water is delivered to the well from a water-bearing 

formation. This is controlled more by the size of the spaces between 

the grains of sediment than by the depth to which a well is sunk 

below the water table, a fact illustrated by a well at N. J. Alien's 

ranch, 12 miles northeast of Haigler. At first this well ended above 

the " magnesia " rock and the water was supplied from fine sand and 

all the water could be pumped out in thirty minutes. When the 

pump was stopped the water slowly rose again to the level of the 

water table. Later the well was deepened to reach a bed of coarse 

gravel, which yielded water in such volume that apparently it was 

not weakened by three hours pumping with a gasoline engine having 

an output of over 15,000 gallons. This type of well is duplicated 

at many other places on the uplands, for the conditions are similar 

over a wide area. The well on the ranch of Mr. J. McAlee, on the 

bottom below Benkelman, is one of the best examples of a strong 

valley well deriving its water from alluvium. This well is 1 foot 

in diameter and 27 feet deep, and when pumped at the rate of 150 

gallons a minute the water level is lowered only a short distance. It 

then remains stationary during vigorous pumping and as soon as the
40 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

engine is stopped the water rises to its normal level in a few seconds. 

The source of supply here is in coarse gravel lying on Pierre shale.

In some wells the water is supplied from fine sands, and, although 

the volume of water may be large, yet its movement to the well is so 

slow that the yield is small. One of the best ways to obviate this 

disadvantage is to increase the size of the well, which gives a larger 

reservoir in which the water may accumulate.

Weak wells also result when the water table is greatly lowered by 

dry seasons.

In the case of some weak wells the supply can be increased by 

sinking to greater depth, providing of course the Cretaceous shales 

or chalk rock are not entered.

In some districts wells fail to obtain any water, but these are almost 

invariably in localities where the surface of either the Niobrara or 

the Pierre formation rises above the water table. A narrow zone 

presenting these conditions borders each side of the Republican ValImpervious Cretaceous clays

FIG. 2. Section across a valley in southwestern Nebraska, illustrating the groundwater conditions.

ley throughout its course in Nebraska and extends for some distance 

up its tributaries. It is due to the fact that the Republican and its 

tributaries have eroded their valleys from 30 to over 100 feet in 

depth in the Cretaceous clays, permitting the ground water in the 

overlying formations to drain out on the slopes. The width of the"se 

zones varies considerably and is greatest where the tributary valleys 

are long and frequent and there are numerous deep ravines. As soon 

as the well driller strikes Pierre clay or the Niobrara formation he 

should discontinue the well and move to a point farther from the 

breaks at the edge of the valley, if an upland well is desired, or to 

some point on the valley bottom below. The ideal cross section of a 

valley shown in fig. 2 will serve further to illustrate the conditions 

described above. The escape of water is checked by loess and terrace 

materials on the right side of the section shown in this figure.

In T. 7, R. 25, northwest of Cambridge, much trouble has been experienced in obtaining water. A well there, 130 feet deep, reached 

the Niobrara and found no water, while another well 2 miles farther 

north tapped the water table and an abundance of ground water at
UNDERGROUND WATERS. 41

110 feet. In that region as elsewhere the depth to ground water 

increases while passing from the edge of the dry-well zone to the 

higher level upland. There are five dry wells on sec. 36, 12 miles 

south of Trenton. Near Deer Creek, 7 miles northeast of Cambridge, there are seven such wells on 1 acre of the Sullivan farm, 

each reaching the Niobrara formations at a depth of over 100 feet. 

After sinking the holes on the Sullivan farm the driller moved 20 

rods northward and obtained plenty of water in a well somewhat 

shallower.

BLOWING WELLS.

Blowing wells occur in most counties in southern Nebraska, the 

largest number being in Jefferson, Thayer, Dundy, and Hitchcock. 

They are present in the loess area where the water level is some disi' 1 V. ii

V ' i I' ' M i r I ,t', ,i i i ii ,1 il i i i

r-» oDrY

'MM i,» i'

imperme

II

rn °^°°° °VZSof0-°°o 0*°°o?o9oo

fi' 'o6^ ° S W '^ 0§ 30 ' r WoO.-d'So'b^ffo

FIG. 3. Section showing blowing-well conditions.

tance below the top of the underlying gravels, the upper beds of the 

latter being dry.

The cause of the motion of air in these wells appears to be changes 

in pressure of the atmosphere with which the periods of inhalation 

and exhalation closely correlate. Fig. 3 shows the conditions under 

which " blowing wells " occur.

During the time of high barometer or heavier air pressure air 

moves down the well into the dry gravel, and when the atmospheric 

pressure diminishes the air comes out of the well. At times of stationary pressure there is no movement. The well, then, is an artificial 

opening between the loess-covered gravel, with its spaces filled with 

air, and the surface, where pressure is frequently changing. The 

loess is so much less pervious to the air than the gravel is that the 

movement of air through it is very slow, while the well affords a 

ready channel for upward or downward movement. The velocity of 

the movement of course varies with the difference in pressure between 

air in the gravel and that at the surface, with the porosity of the 

gravel and of the overlying loess bed, and with the depth and diam-
42 EEPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AEEAS, NEBRASKA.

eter of the well. The strongest blowing is usually in wells of small 

diameter. Changes in the water level also increase or diminish the 

thickness of the dry gravel; a rise of the water table to top of the 

gravel would displace the air.

A well at the ranch of C. E. Weeks, 4 miles northeast of Fairbury, 

is a good example. It is 118 feet deep and a strong blower.

A well at Harbine, owned by George Wells, will blow the hat off of 

one's head. Numerous other similar examples occur on the uplands 

north of Alexandria, Stoddard, Hubbell, Indianola, and Benkelman. 

The blowing appears to bear little or no relation to the available 

water supply. During the coldest times of winter much trouble is 

experienced by the freezing of pipes, due to the inhalation of cold 

air, and in the well of C. E. Weeks, referred to above, the water pipe 

sometimes 'has frozen as far down as 100 feet.

Numerous pumps in the upland wells near Arapahoe have to be 

pulled during the coldest periods of winter on account of bursted 

pipes. A safety cock is now placed in most pipes about 30 feet below 

ground, and in very cold weather it is opened to serve as a drain. By 

this method and by the use of hot water freezing is often prevented. 

Blowing wells also are natural barometers and thus indicate 

approaching changes in the weather.

POLLUTION OF SHALLOW WELLS.

As well water is supplied from the surface of the ground by percolation it is subject to dangerous contamination from drainage from 

outhouses, barnyards, and pigpens. No part of the farm home 

should be guarded with more care than the well, for polluted waters 

are frequently the source of disease. Wells should be cleaned frequently, and curbing that has begun to give odor and taste to the 

water should be replaced. Often decaying casing will render good 

water unfit for use. The well should be so situated that surface 

drainage will be away from the well and never toward it.

In case there are two or more water-bearing formations from which 

a supply of water for domestic use may be obtained, the well should 

be located so as to secure the more suitable water. The problem is 

not so much the amount as the quality, when the supply is to be used 

for drinking purposes. It should be better understood that shallow 

poorly kept wells are a certain source of disease, and that their proper 

location and care is essential for the health of all those using the 

water.

Along the chalk bluffs in the Republican Valley there is a tendency to place the well below the house and lots, usually well on the 

valley bottoms, where there is plenty of water but increased possibilities of pollution. At many such places wells can not be sunk 

above the house because of the Niobrara or Pierre formations in
IRRIGATION AND ARTESIAN WELLS. 43

the valley slopes, which do not yield good water, but even under this 

circumstance they can be located out of the line of drainage from the 

barn and other unclean spots. If placed up-valley from the house, 

lots, and outhouses the chances of pollution are greatly lessened.

WINDMILL PUMPING.

Water is raised by windmills at many places in the valleys and on 

the uplands from wells of various depths. The primitive method of 

lifting water by bucket and windlass is now rarely seen, having been 

supplanted by windmills, there being usually enough wind to propel 

these for at least part of the day.

IRRIGATION FROM WELLS.

It has been hoped, that the wells of the uplands and valley bottoms 

of the southwestern counties of Nebraska would yield enough water 

for the irrigation of large areas, but the supply has been found inadequate at most localities. There is, however, sufficient water for 

use in gardens for raising fruit, vegetables, and flowers, and, to a 

limited extent, for certain crops. The best known irrigation plant 

using well water is on the valley bottom a short distance southeast 

of Benkelman (see PL XI, A), at the ranch of Mr. J. McAlee, where 

a 20-acre garden has been irrigated for two years from a single 

well 27 feet deep. The water is raised by a gasoline engine pumping 

150 gallons a minute into a reservoir covering three-fourths of an 

acre to a maximum depth of 6 feet. During the year 1903, the income from the garden was $960, after losing much by frost.

ARTESIAN WELLS.

One purpose of this investigation was to ascertain the prospects 

of securing flowing wells, but the results were not altogether conclusive. The Dakota formation, containing a thick mass of waterbearing sandstones, underlies most of the region described and should 

be expected to yield artesian flows along at least a part of the Republican Valley. It is overlain by impervious clays and shales in the 

counties from Thayer westward, and while these beds are not of 

great thickness apparently, no boring thus far drilled in the Republican Valley has reached the Dakota sandstone. Unsuccessful. attempts have been made at or near Arapahoe, Indianola, McCook, 

and 5 miles east of Haigler. The boring at Arapahoe was discontinued at about 912 feet when the drill must have been very near 

the Dakota sandstone. A weak flow, which continued for a short 

time, was found at a depth of about 550 feet. A well at McCook, 

about 405 feet deep, flowed a few gallons a day. The water in both 

wells appears to come from the Niobrara formation.
44 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

There are several unfavorable conditions for satisfactory flows in 

southern Nebraska. In the first place the outcrop of the Dakota 

formation extends across Jefferson County and southwestward across 

Kansas, and the leakage by springs and seeps is so complete that the 

artesian pressure is finally all lost. To the west there is a gradual 

rise of pressure toward the intake zone along the mountains, but the 

rate is low, perhaps not as much as the general rise at the bottom of 

the Republican Valley, especially from Furnas County eastward. 

The margin is small either way, and the true condition can be determined only by a boring in the valley sufficiently deep to penetrate 

the Dakota formation. A second factor is found in the structure 

of the Dakota formation: The sandstone or water-bearing beds, 

where exposed in Jefferson County, appear to be interrupted by 

clay beds which are usually near the middle of the formation, but 

which may possibly cut off or displace the sandstones locally. If such 

a condition exists under the western counties the continuous underground motion of the water might be greatly hampered. In general 

the beds outcropping appear to show a less favorable structure for 

an artesian supply under heavy pressure than is found along Missouri River in South Dakota and northeastern Nebraska. Wells 

reaching the Dakota sandstones in Jefferson and Thayer counties often 

obtain saline water, which is usually under some pressure, but with 

one exception, not under enough to lift it to the surface.

The Permian beds have been reached by at least two wells in Jefferson County. In one of them 3 miles south of Fairbury and 336 feet 

deep, saline water rose 200 feet. Near Steele a weak saline flow was 

obtained at 195 feet. These examples indicate that there is sufficient 

pressure in the Permian beds to force water to the level of the bottom 

lands along the river in the southern part of Jefferson County. The 

quality, however, is unfavorable for domestic and stock purposes.

A few wells in Tertiary deposits find water under slight pressure. 

A well of this kind, located on the place of Mr. J. W. Kinsley, 10 

miles north and 2 miles east of Beiikelman, has the water level so near 

the surface that it could be piped out.

There is a small area of flowing wells about Alexandria on the 

valley bottom adjoining Big Sandy Creek. It extends some 4 or 5 

miles east and west and about the width of the flood plain north and 

south. The flow was discovered and developed by Mr. E. N. Averill, 

who has four or five wells. The first well, which was put down in 1899. 

did not flow at first, but now there are about twenty flowing wells. 

They vary from 40 to 60 feet in depth; passing through soil, 2 to 4 

feet; sands, with first water, 30 to 35 feet; blue clay, about 5 feet; 

and peaty clay or old soil to water in coarse alluvial sand or fine 

gravel. Most of the wells are bored 11 inches in diameter and cased 

with wood, though in some the casing is galvanized iron. One of the
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY NO. 216 PL. XI

A. McALEE IRRIGATION PLANT AT BENKELMAN, NEBR.

B. WINDMILLS IN SAND HILLS OF WESTERN NEBRASKA.

WATEK SUPPLY, DUNDY COUNTY. 45

Averill wells, only 2 inches in diameter, flows 50 gallons per minute, 

has a head of 4 feet, and temperature of 49° F. The water is forced 

by a ram to a 500-gallon tank 600 feet distant and 24 feet above the 

well, from which it is piped through Mr. Averill's residence.

The other wells flow into a pond used as a source of ice, for boating, and for fish culture. This pond is 250 by 350 feet across and 5 

to 6 feet deep. The first well completed at the pond (see PL XII, A), 

flowed 110 gallons per minute.

The source of water appears to be in the Dakota sandstone which 

immediately underlies the alluvial valley filling. The basin, as has 

been shown, is small and local, and the pressure is sustained by a 

clay bed which overlies the water-bearing sand.

WATER SUPPLY, BY COUNTIES. 

DTJNDY COUNTY.

All Dundy County is underlain by the Pierre shale, the surface of 

which rises 25 or 30 feet above the river at Max and Benkelman and 

about 100 feet in the vicinity of Buffalo Creek and Haigler. Next 

above is the Tertiary, which in the northwestern part of the county 

has been worked over into dune sands and in other sections is overlain by loess. The alluvium along the Republican averages between 

one-half and three-fourths mile wide, exclusive of the higher terraces.

South of the river the water supply varies considerably as to 

amount and quality and wells often fail to obtain a sufficient supply, 

while in the southeast wells ending in the Pierre shale afford bad 

water. Along the bottom lands water is obtained at depths ranging 

from 15 to 60 feet, the deeper wells being located on benches, Some 

of the water varies in quality from hard to alkaline. At Benkelman 

a good supply of water is reached at depths varying from 20 to 112 

feet, the deeper wells being high on the valley slope. The well at 

Mr. J. M. McAlee's irrigation plant at Benkelman has been described 

on page 43. An equally strong well, also sunk in the alluvial gravels, 

affords water for the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad. It is 

reported to have supplied 50,000 gallons of water in four hours.

Farther up the Republican Valley the best supplies of well water 

are secured from the alluvium on the north side. At Haigler, located 

on a bench on the south side, the wells are deeper than usual, being 

from 45 to 60 feet deep. They afford water of poor quality, owing to 

the underlying Pierre shale. A town well is used as a public watering 

place, but the water now used for domestic purposes and drinking is 

hauled from a shallow well near the river.

In the uplands north of the river the ground-water table varies 

considerably in depth. In the sand-hill region it is reached by shallow wells varying from 10 to 80 feet in depth, while on the highest 

part of the divide, between the Frenchman and the Republican, the
46 KEPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

depth is from 200 to 308 feet, the amount decreasing to the south 

and the west. In all this part of the county the water table is not 

easily lowered by the hardest pumping. The water is usually soft 

or medium hard. At most places it occurs in two horizons in the 

Tertiary, one above and the other below a fairly definite zone of 

" magnesia " rock, parts of which are extremely hard and difficult to 

dig or drill through. Some wells derive their water from the rock. 

Most of the recent deeper upland wells are tubular, but during the 

early occupation of the country dug wells were most common. In one 

dug well three and one-half days were required for penetrating a 

hard bed 3 feet thick.

Tributaries of the Republican from the north are fed by some of 

the strongest springs in Nebraska, but while most of the strong, 

heavy springs are located in the north-side valleys there are also a 

few on the south. A notably strong spring occurs on the Drummond 

place, 6 miles northwest of Haigler, from which the water is piped 

one-fourth mile to the stock yards and house.

Representative wells of Dundy County, ~Ne~br.

Owner.

McAlee, J.M........

Aria Cattle Co.......

Alien, N.J.... .......

Larned, William. .... 

Brady, James .......

Alien, N.J..........

Lewis, F. B.........

Johnson, M. M ...... 

Nesmith, M. W......

Ough, William ......

Location.

Sec. 20, T. 1, R. 40, near bottom.

Sec. 33, T. 1, R. 41, near bottom. 

Sec. 25, T. 1, R. 42, on bottom. . . 

See. 31, T. 2, R. 36, on bottom . .

See. 1, T. 3, R. 37, low slope ....

See. 29, T. 4, R. 36, highland . . . 

Sec. 17, T. 4, R. 36, highland. . . .

See. 17, T. 4, R. 37, highland. . . . 

Sec. 24, T. 4, R. 37, highland. . . .

Depth 

of 

well.

Feet. 

27

28

30

40 

42 

30 

80

63

209

48

225

245 

238

200 

262

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet. 

24

12

10

20 

8 

10

30

11

13

15

14 

15

Materials penetrated.

water in gravel.

sand to water in gravel. 

Soil, loam, and sand. 

Soil, gravel, and Pierre shale. 

Soil and sand.

nesia" rock to water.

feet; gravelly sand 2 feet; 

quicksand 18 feet; "magnesia ' ' rock 7 feet to gravel.

8 feet; sand 5 feet; clay 20 

feet; rock 58 feet; clay, rock, 

sand, and gravel to water.

Soil, loess, and "magnesia " 

rock.

sia" rock to water. 

Black soil 5 feet; clay 140 feet; 

sand 12 feet; "magnesia" 30 

feet; rock 5 feet; gravel 8 

feet.

rock.

HITCHCOCK COTTNTY.

The principal streams in Hitchcock County are Republican and 

Frenchman. rivers and Driftwood Creek, the valley slopes of which 

are formed by Pierre clay, Tertiary deposits, and loess. Frenchman 

River is a valuable source of irrigation water, while the Republican 

varies greatly in volume.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A. ARTESIAN WELL AND RESERVOIR AT ALEXANDRIA, NEBR.

S. DAM IN REPUBLICAN RIVER AT SUPERIOR, NEBR.

WATER SUPPLY, HITCHCOCK COUNTY. 47

Springs are numerous, and they supply much water for domestic 

purposes and stock. Most of them are located north of the Republican and issue at scattered localities from the Pierre-Tertiary contact. The explanation of their irregular distribution is the varying 

height to which the impervious shales and clays rise above the river, 

and, the presence in places of a covering of either loess or alluvium, 

which often prevents the surface escape of water. In the vicinity of 

Trenton the Pierre-Tertiary contact extends along the valley slopes 

at or near the surface at a level about 20 feet above the bottom land, 

and springs often appear along it. A few miles east and west the 

water horizon is more deeply covered on the slopes, and springs 

cease. About midway between Trenton and Culbertson the Tertiary contact extends down nearly to the level of the river, and the 

spring horizon is lowered correspondingly. Springs south of the 

river lie principally on the north branch of the Driftwood, only one 

of good size being found on the south branch.

Most of the uplands are covered by loess underlain by Tertiary 

water-bearing sands and gravels with occasional beds of the socalled " magnesia " rock. Impervious Pierre shale underlies all of 

the county below the Tertiary and prevents water from sinking

 below the base of the Tertiary deposits.

Bottom lands along the Republican in Hitchcock are broader than 

in Dundy County. Those of the Frenchman vary from ^ to 1 mile 

in width. It is stated that the average depth of wells in the bottom 

lands in the county is from 25 to 35 feet. An abundance of good 

cool water is usually obtained in coarse alluvial sand or gravel just 

above the Pierre shale, and while wells often reach this shale, they 

do not penetrate it. The water table in the alluvial beds rises and 

falls with the river near the channel, but the influence is local. The

 quality of the water at places along the outer edge of the flood plain 

near the Pierre shale slopes is often unsatisfactory. This condition 

is found at Stratton, where the supply varies from good to bad from 

wells averaging 30 feet deep. Most wells in Trenton are driven. 

Several years ago a well was sunk near the depot of the Burlington 

and Missouri River Railroad in that town to a depth of 300 feet. No 

accurate record was kept, but doubtless the drill penetrated the Pierre 

shale and may have extended a short distance into the Niobrara 

formation.

Wells on the upland in this county resemble those in the eastern 

part of Dundy County. On the higher lands near the Frenchman 

they are often deeper, one being 347 feet. It passed through soil, 

loess, and Tertiary rock, sand, and clay, to water-bearing gravel. 

The depths on the uplands between the Republican and the Frenchman vary from 100 to over 300 feet, and the first water is always 

found below thick beds of " magnesia " rock, and usually above a bed
48 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

of clay. The second water lies in coarse sands and gravel. Blowing 

wells are not uncommon where there is a bed of dry gravel above the 

water-bearing horizon. Water in the deep wells on the upland is 

said to be warmer-and softer than that obtained along the Republican 

bottom. It is claimed that there is a notable difference between the 

waters of the upland wells and those in Trenton.

The deepest wells on the uplands in the southern part of the county 

are 220 to 240 feet, and in some of them 85 feet of " magnesia " rock 

have been encountered above water. On the school section, 12 miles 

south of Trenton, 5 dry wells were put down, all ending in Pierre 

shale.

Representative wells of Hitchcock County, Nebr.

Owner.

Frey, J. W..........

Miller, C. J..........

Morgan, T. D....... 

Powers, C. R........

Williams, J. M.......

Location.

Sec. 14, T. 2, R. 33, upland .....

Sec. 5, T. 3, R. 33, upland ......

Sec. 34, T. 3, R. 33, upland ..... 

Sec. 35, T. 3, R. 33, upland .....

Sec. 12, T. 4, R. 32, lowland.....

Depth 

of 

well.

Feet. 

96

90

127 

13

196

100 

108

42

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet. 

12

8

10 

6

12

7

Materials penetrated.

within 1 foot of water-bearing sand, and gravel at bottom.

Bo. 

Do.

Black loam, 50 feet; soft rock, 

80 feet; dry sand *2 feet; sand 

64 feet; water in sand above 

rock. 

Black soil, 4 feet; loess, 86 

feet; sand and gravel, 16 feet 

Black soil, 3 feet; loess, 70

feet; sand, 30 feet; gravel, 

5 feet. 

Soil, clay, and sand to water.

REDWILLOW COUNTY.

The streams of most importance- in Redwillow County are Republican River and Redwillow, Driftwood, and Beaver creeks. They 

flow in rather wide bottom lands from 200 to 400 feet below the high-! 

est uplands. The underlying formations are the same as those found 

in the next county west, except that near the eastern border the Pierre 

thins out and the Niobrara gradually rises so that it attains an elevation of 100 feet above the river near Cambridge.

Wells on the bottom land range from 20 to 50 feet in depth. At 

McCook large amounts of water are drawn from this source for railroad and city use, six large wells having been dug on the first bottom 

to a depth of 26 feet to the top of the Pierre shale. At Indianola the 

water lies from 12 to 20 feet below the surface, but most wells are 

driven to gravel at a depth of 45 or 50 feet. A few wells near the 

valley slopes in the northern part of the town reach ocherous Niobrara 

beds and yield a poorer quality of water. On the broad bottom lands 

near the mouth of Redwillow Creek water lies within a few feet of
WATER SUPPLY, REDT,VILLOW COUNTY. 49

the surface, and at the Redwillow store a well is driven 20 feet in 

the soil and sand. In the uplands south of Indianola the water is 

in Tertiary rock and gravel, and is reached by wells from 100 to 260 

feet in depth, most of them being 140 to 160 feet deep.

It is reported that there are good water supplies in the uplands 

south of Indianola in the region where the formations dip westward. 

Farther southeast, in the area of ocher and flint, dry wells are 

common. In the highlands north of Indianola wells range from 150 

to 300 feet in depth, and- northwest of Cambridge from 100 to 125 

feet.

The water table in the uplands in this county lies approximately 

level, a feature due to the configuration of the surface of the underlying impervious beds, which rise 100 feet above the river near Cambridge and only a few feet above at McCook.

Springs, though found at a number of places in the county, are not 

as large nor as numerous as in adjoining counties.

A deep boring at McCook has been reported as having penetrated 

405 feet a of the Pierre shale, but for most of the distance it was in 

Niobrara formation, of which it did not reach the bottom. The flow 

is weak and unfit for use.

Representative wells of Redwillow County, Nebr.

Owner.

Brockman, Frank. ..

McMurrin, D. H..... 

Anderson, Andrew . . 

Caldwell, L. C.......

Benjamine, W. A. ... 

Moore, Frank .......

Rodgers, E. E.......

Lincoln Land Co .....

Sharp, William ......

Location.

Wilsonville, 6 miles W. of, upland. 

Wilsonville, 5 miles W. of, upland. 

Sec. 20, T. 1, R. 30, upland ..... 

Sec. 11, T. 1, R. 30, upland .....

Sec. 23, T. 1, R. 30, upland ..... 

Sec. 24, T. 2, R. 26, uplard .....

T. 2, R. 29, 3 miles SW. of McCook. 

Sec. 29, T. 3, R. C9, McCook. ....

of, upland.

T. 4, R. 30, 7 miles NW. of McCook, upland.

Depth 

of well.

Feet. 

48

40

160

120

170 

27 

155

229 

150

70

75

405 

162

240

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet. 

6

3

3

7 

5 

4

8

10

407 

' 10

4

Materials penetrated.

supply. 

Loess, clay.

Loess and magnesia rock. 

Loess and rock.

Soil, loess, rock, sand, clay, 

gravel. 

Soil, soft sandstone, 24 feet;

 coaree gravel, 4 feet; smaH 

supply.

Sand, and Pierre and Niobrara formations; small 

flow. 

Soil, 2 feet; loess, 60 feet; Tertiary rock, 80 feet; Tertiary 

rock and sand, 18 feet; Pierre 

2 feet. 

Loess, rock, gravel.

" Another deep boring in progress in 1905, with a depth of over 700 feet, was not deep 

enough to reach the base of the Graneros formation. Some sandstone, penetrated at a 

depth of about 700. feet, appears to belong to a bed which usually occurs near the top of 

the Carlile formation. N. H. D.

3692 IBB 216 07 4
50 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

FTTRNAS COUNTY.

The principal streams in Furnas County are Republican River and 

Medicine, Beaver, and Sappa creeks. Only a small portion of the 

course of Medicine Creek lies in the county.

Springs are found in several localities, but are not an important 

source of supply. Those used most are south of the river between 

Arapahoe and Edison, northeast of Beaver, and about midway between Cambridge and Holbrook. Seepage springs are common along 

Sappa Creek near the Nebraska-Kansas line and in the small creeks 

near Arapahoe.

Well water obtained on bottom lands along the valleys is usually 

good, but at places it contains alkali, especially in shallow wells on 

the first bottom. Most wells at Cambridge are on the bottom lands 

and on an average are driven 35 feet to second water; the first water, 

somewhat alkaline, is reached at 10 to 15 feet. In Holbrook, Arapahoe, Edison, and Oxford similar conditions prevail, except that in 

Arapahoe the second water is found only in a few localities and dry 

wells are more frequent. These dry wells are due to the Pierre shale 

rising so high as to cut off the ground water.

At certain points, as at the park well, the alluvium deepens locally. The park well is 8 feet in diameter and 44 feet deep: below 

its bottom four 3-inch sand points extend to a total depth of 48 feet.

In Wilsonville, Hendley, and Beaver the water supply is derived 

from alluvial sands and gravel lying immediately above Cretaceous 

shale. At Wilsonville first-water wells are about 20 feet deep. The 

second water lies in sand under clay about 18 feet below the first 

water, and is reached by wells 35 to 40 feet in depth. At Hendley 

second water is obtained in wells 40 feet deep. Conditions along the 

Beaver and Sappa bottoms are similar to those at Wilsonville and 

Hendley, but there are dry wells at places.

Wells on the uplands between the Republican and Beaver vary in 

depth from 100 to 260 feet, with an average of about 150 feet. They 

pass through much Tertiary rock. On the ranch of William Dickerson, between Beaver and Arapahoe, 100 feet of rock were encountered. In the well on the ranch of William Rone, 6 miles south and 

2 miles east of Arapahoe, the water rises considerably. In a well 7 

miles north of Beaver the water rises nearly to the surface, and 

might be drained out, giving a continuous flow.

On the slopes near the valley bottoms much trouble has been experienced with dry wells, but this feature is less frequent north of 

the Republican than south. The best known dry-well areas are located east of Hendley, northeast of Beaver, and on the slope south 

of the Republican, the last named extending nearly across the county. 

The wells in most cases end in the Pierre shale, at an elevation of
WATER SUPPLY, FURNAS AND HARLAN COUNTIES. 51

from 20 to 40 feet aboye the level of the river. In the southwestern 

part of the county they end in the Mobrara at still higher levels.

On the upland north of the river the water table is from 100 to 

140 feet below ground, varying with the distance from the valley. 

The second water lies in gravel about 40 feet below the first, the two 

being separated by rock. Some wells, extending only to first water, 

dry up during times of drought.

Tubular wells are losing favor in Furnas County. The points 

clog up by the deposition of mineral matter within a few years, and 

as a result they have to be pulled and cleaned in order to obtain a 

necessary supply of water.

Prof. A. d'Allemand, of Arapahoe, furnished the writer with a 

log of the 912-foot boring drilled in 1894 at that town, but it is 

difficult to make out a very accurate section from the log. It was 

discontinued on account of a disconnected drill which was not removed from the hole. The drilling ended in the Graneros shale, apparently near the Dakota.

Representative v:ells of Furnas County, Nebr.

Owner.

Young, L. W........

Burns, G. C. ........

Johnston, Sam......

Do ..............

Pierce, C. H... ......

Larson, Victor ......

Daniels, S. W .......

Trammel, .T, W

Location.

Sec. 3, T. 1, R. 25...............

Sec. 21, T. 1, R. 25, upland .....

Sec. 9, T. 1, R. 24, upland ......

Sec. 25, T. 2, R. 25, bottom. ....

Sec. 31, T.2. R. 25, bottom..... 

Sec. 31, T. 2, R. 25, bottom. ....

Sec. 23, T. 2, R. 24, upland .....

Sec. 27, T.2, R. 24..............

Sec 30 T 2 R 24

Four miles NW. of Hendley ....

Sec. 25, T. 3, R. 21, upland. .....

Sec. 24, T. 4, R. 23..............

Sec.|18, T. 4, R. 23..............

Oxford.........................

Depth 

of well.

Feet. 

85

190

180

38

40 

4fl

109

or:

40

30

186 

200

186

35

36

35

78

65

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet.

12

8 

10

10

10

5

Q

18

Materials penetrated.

ing.

Do. 

Do.

ply.

Do.

water. 

Loess, sand, Tertiary rock and 

shale: small supply.

rock, gravel.

HAKLAN COTHTTY.

Pierre shale underlies most of Harlan County, but the Mobrara 

chalk rock is exposed along lower levels of the principal valleys.

A sufficient supply of good water is obtained in most parts of the 

county, yet dry wells are not uncommon in or near towns along the 

Republican and at places on the uplands near Prairiedog Creek. 

Wells on the first bottom of the Republican range from 12 to 30 feet 

in depth. Those on the terrace in the lower part of Alma vary from 

45 to 50 feet; in the north part of that town they are about 70 or 80
52 EEPUBLICAlSr VALLEY AND ADJACENT AEEAS, NEBBASKA.

feet, while at a higher level on the slope the depths are somewhat 

less, a condition hardly to be expected. The water table lies at 

about the same depth under the benches and first bottom at Alma, 

Orleans, and Republican, and the wells at each place are similar, 

except that more difficulty has been experienced with dry wells at 

Orleans than at the other towns named. At Stamford it has been 

found difficult to obtain good water. The town is located on a high 

bench in which the Pierre shale rises above the water table.

On the uplands between the Republican and the Prairiedog valleys, 

the water is contained in Tertiary sands and gravels beneath a bed of 

rock; the wells range from 100 to 150 feet in depth, the deepest one, 

170 feet, being an exception.

At a few miles distant from the river on the high land north, 

water is usually obtained from Tertiary gravels lying beneath rock. 

Farther away from the river it is reached in sands lying above the 

rock. The deepest wells are in the vicinity of Ragan, one being 

260 feet.

Wells in the northeastern part of the county, where the shallow 

lakes occur, vary from 140 to about 200 feet in depth.

Important springs are found along the Prairiedog, northeast of 

Alma, and at several other localities.

Representative wells of Harlan County, Nebr.

Owner.

Moore, W. R.. ......

Gillispie, D. O .......

Haskins, M. H.......

Cook, J.^/L. .........

Smith, James. ....... 

Klein, O. F..........

Po. .............

Giles, E. W. .........

Uebel, G. W........

Pettygrove, N. A.... 

Bayley, Mrs. D ......

Location.

See. 15, T. 1, R. 17, bottom .....

Sec. 15, T. 2, R. 17, upland......

Sec. 4, T. 2, R. 20, upland.......

Sec. 35, T. 4, R. 20. .............

Sec. 17, T. 4, R. 20, upland... ... 

Sec. 21, T. 4, R. 20, upland..... .

Depth 

of well.

Feet. 

70

54

27

71

100 

122

40

117

70

90

50

215

140 

228

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet.

5 

8

46

10

70

20 

83

Materials penetrated.

feet; then rock and sand to 

water.

No record. 

Do.

rock. 

Loess 50 feet: sand 40 feet.

sand and gra.vel to Pierre 

shale. 

Soil, loess, sand, gravel. 

Soil, loess and Tertiary rock, 

sand, and gravel on Fieri e 

shale.

FRANKLIN COUNTY.

The underlying impervious beds in Franklin County are the Niobrara chalk rock, which underlies the entire area, and the Pierre 

shale, which is limited to the western part. The first-named formation rises east of Naponee, carrying the water table high above the 

river.
WATER SUPPLY, FRANKLIN COUNTY. 53

The water-bearing beds are the same in this county as in Harlan, 

but a larger amount of well water is derived from the upland sands 

and gravels. The locality in which it is most difficult to secure an 

adequate supply of good water is south of the river, where the wells 

are usually dry or contain water of poor quality. Their depths 

average about 100 feet near the State line.

On the lowest bottom lands the water is at a depth of 10 to 20 feet. 

At Naponee plenty of water is obtained from wells 30 to 40 feet deep. 

About Bloomington and Riverton there are many unsuccessful wells. 

A well at the foot of the slope at Bloomington is 46 feet deep, ending 

in gravel. Another, three-fourths mile north, on the slope is 60 feet 

deep, supplying good water. At Franklin water is obtained in 

coarse sand lying above the Niobrara chalk rock.

In the uplands north of the river the water table varies from 100 to 

about 200 feet in depth, the amount increasing with the altitude. At 

Moline the average depth to water is about, 160 feet, and in the 

vicinity of Upland it is about 150 feet. In a well at the ranch of 

James Grant, 2 miles south of Macon, accounted one of the best on 

the first ridge, the water level is 142 feet below ground. In the 

vicinity of Campbell the depth to the water table ranges from 150 

to 190 feet, and wells vary in depth from 170 to about 200 ieet, being 

shallower along the depressions.

This county has many small springs which feed the creeks north of 

the river. A good example is the W. E. Ewing spring, three-fourths 

mile northeast of Franklin. It is used for dairy, house, and stock 

purposes, and eventually may be piped to Franklin for town use. 

The fall from the spring to the main part of the town is between 60 

and TO feet.

Representative wells of Franklin County, Nebr.

Owner.

Miller, W. A........

Davis, Will..........

McGinley, H. ........

Baker, D. W. .......

Nebr.).

Zulauf, Chas........

Location.

Sec. 11,T.1,R. 15. ...............

Sec. 11, T. 2, R. 14, upland. ......

Sec. 13, T. 2, R. 14, upland.......

Sec. 33, T. 3, R. 13,lowland. . . . . . .

Sec. 27,T.3,R. 15... .............

Sec.29,T.3,R. 15.. ..............

Sec. 20, T. 3, R. 17, highland .....

Sec. 28,*T. 4, R. 14. ...............

Sec. 16, T. 4, R. 14 ................

Depth 

oi well.

Feet. 

20

. 130

132

135

154

120

36

170

185

' 230

220

231

170

151

187

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet. 

3

6

6

5

15

20

15

15

15

12

Materials penetrated.

brara chalk.

Do.

Do.

Do.

bottom.

Clay, 120 feet; sand, 65 feet.

Do.

gravel.

ing gravel.
54 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

WEBSTER COUNTY.

The underground water conditions in Webster County resemble 

those described as existing in the eastern part of Franklin County, 

but the wells average somewhat shallower. Most wells south of the 

river are in the bottom lands of small ravines, where the chalk rock 

affords a limited supply of water of inferior quality.

In the uplands north of the river water is obtained from sands and 

gravel lying between the loess and the chalk rock. It is soft to 

medium hard, and of good quality. The depths vary from 00 to 100 

feet, the deepest wells being in the northwestern part of the county. 

About Blue Hill and Rosemont the depth to water averages less 

than 100 feet.

Taken as a whole, the county is supplied with an abundance of 

good water. Dry wells are found south of the river and at a few 

places near it on the north. At the ranch of John Griffith, 2 miles 

west of Red Cloud, a well was driven 225 feet, passing through soil, 

sand, and the Niobrara chalk rock to the Carlile shale, but it 

yielded no water. A well in the northern part of Red Cloud extends through loess, sands, and the Niobrara formation to the Carlile shale. The depth is 265 feet, and the water unfit for use.

Inavale, Red Cloud, Amboy, and Guide Rock derive their water 

supply from alluvial sands and gravel at depths ranging from 20 to 

50 feet.

Springs feed most small creeks north of the river. One of the 

strongest south of the river is about 5 miles from the bridge at Red 

Cloud.

Representative wells of Webster County, Nebr.

Owner.

Wild. George........ 

Noble, N. S. .........

Sutton, Oliver. ......

Crabill, William.....

Bondren, Pierre. ....

-Erickson, Mary. .....

Hall, Mrs. H. W.....

Turner, Mrs. S. F....

Blue Hill............

Buzzard, S. H .......

Location.

Sec. 32, T. 1, R. 12, ravine. .....

Sec. 21, T. 1, R. 12, ravine ......

Sec. 5, T. 1, R. 9, slope..........

Sec. 7, T. 2, R. 11, slope.........

Sec. 10, T. 3, R. 12, upland...... 

Sec. 22, T. 3, R. 12, upland......

Sec. 5, T. 3, R. 12, upland.......

Sec. 20, T. 3, R. 11, upland......

Sec. 14, T. 4, R. 11, upland......

Sec. 12, T. 4, R. 10, slope........

Sec. 9, T. 4, R. 10 ............... 

Sec. 4, T. 4, R. 10, upland.......

Sec. 16, T. 4, R.9. ..............

Sec. 8, T. 4, R.9. ...............

Depth 

of well.

Feet. 

36 

30

30

60

88

190 

140

180

130 

160

95 

100

150

82

76

200 

160

85

58

50

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet. 

10 

6

10

10

10

6 

5

4

4

6

12 

25

30

8

5

70 

12

18

27

30

Materials penetrated.

No record.

Do.

Loess, gravel, sand.

Soil, 3 feet: loess, sand. 

Soil, 3 feet; loess, 90 feet;

coarse sand, quicksand, pebbles, gravel.

pieces of rock. 

Loess, gravel with occasional 

pieces of rock, and sand.

Soil, loess, sand, blue clay, 

sand.

magnesia, blue clay, sand.

blue clay, sand. 

Loess to sand and water.

Loess, sand, and gravel. 

Do.

Loess.

Do.
WATEE SUPPLY, BY COUNTIES. 55

NUCKOLLS COUNTY.

In the uplands of Nuckolls County well water is obtained from 

sand, often quite fine, lying on the Niobrara formation and Carlile 

shale at depths ranging from about 60 to 110 feet. In places near 

valleys where the bed rock is exposed or only thinly covered by sand 

and soil considerable difficulty has been experienced in obtaining 

water in sufficient amounts and of a suitable quality. Wells south of 

the river are much like those similarly located in Webster County. 

At Nelson certain chalk ridges and dry sand basins have been the 

cause of unsuccessful wells, while in other locations, in some cases not 

far away, good wells have been secured.

Towns on benches along the Republican derive a suitable water 

supply from alluvial sands and gravels.

There are several strong springs in this county, both north and 

south of the river. The mostj notable is about 8 miles northwest of 

Superior. It supplies water f(>r 500 to 1,500 head of cattle.

Representative wells of Nuckolls County, Nebr.

Owner.

Howsick, E. W ......

Whiting, Mabel ..... 

Churchill, C. E ......

Yohe, T>.TA. ......... 

Middletown, Win . . .

Stien, C. N... .......

Baker, W. A ........

Smith, J.C. ......... 

Beachey heirs .......

Nesbit, J. B.........

Wehrman, P. A .....

King, William.......

Shell,!. F. ..........

Location.

Sec. 23, T. 1, R. 8. ..............

Sec. 24, T. 1,R.7. ...... ........

Sec. 23, T.l.R.7. ...:..........

Sec. 14, T.l.R. 7... ............

Sec. 4, T.I, R. 7................

Sec. 22, T. 1, R. 6. .. . r ..........

Sec. 26, T. 1, R. 6. ............... 

Sec. 21, T. 1, R. 5.... ...........

Sec. 23, T. 2, R. 8...............

Sec. 27, T. 2, R. 8.. . .L... .......

Sec. 22, T. 2, R. 8... .............

Sec. 15, T.2,R. 8. ...L.. ........

Sec. 14, T. 2, R. 8. ..............

Sec. 13, T. 2, R. 8. ..............

Sec. 9, T. 2, R. 8. ...............

Sec. 3, T. 2, R. 8. ...............

Sec. 15, T. 2, R. 5...............

Sec. 26, T. 3, R. 8. .............. 

Sec. 34, T. 3, R. 8.. ............. 

Sec. 11, T.3, U.S. ...... ........

Sec. 14, T.3, R.7. ..............

Sec. 17, T.3, R.7. .............. 

Sec. 8, T. 3, R. 5................

Sec. 30, T. 4, R. 8...............

Sec. 8, T. 4, R. 8................

Depth 

of 

well.

Feet. 

35

40

51

30

70

30

48 

104

75

40

36 

£5

72

72

75

70

60

48

120

40 

70 

90

28

80 

35

90

50

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet.

11

1

5

17

3

3

8

8

15

5 

20

9

4

4

4

20

10

20 

3

8

15 

6

12

: 9

Materials penetrated.

Loess, 30 feet; black clay, 10

feet; sand with water at 46 

feet.

No record.

Water in.

Do.

Sand to water.

Loess, sand, gravel.

to bottom.

No record; town pump.

Black loam, loess, chalk rock. 

Soil, loess, sand, rock, gravel. 

No record.

Do. '

Loam, loess, sand, shale. 

.Soil, sand. '

No record.

THJA.YEK COUNTY.

The water supply of the jipland wells of Thayer County comes 

from sands and gravels lying on the Carlile and Greenhorn formations, the depth ranging from TO to 150 feet. At a few places the 

sands and gravels are dry, as at Byron, where much trouble has 

been experienced in securing good water for the town. This condi-
56 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

tion probably is due to the fact that the Carlile shale rises and displaces the water-bearing beds. Fortunately the Dakota sandstone 

lies only about 300 feet below the surface at Byron, and its water 

is of good quality in that part of the county. Wells recently sunk 

to this source afford an abundance of water, and- under pressure 

sufficient to raise it more than 50 feet.

The Dakota formation underlies all the western part of the county 

at a depth of from 300 to 350 feet, and appears to contain less salt 

than farther east. Along the Little Blue Valley and at places near 

Rose Creek the water obtained from wells in this formation is somewhat salty, and although in some cases it is not too much so for use, in 

others it is decidedly objectionable.

The Carlile and Graneros shales outcropping along the Little Blue 

River and Rose Creek valleys contain but small amounts of. bad 

water, unfit for domestic purposes. The Greenhorn limestone affords 

water of iair quality to a few wells.

Alluvial sands and gravels are the source of most water supplied 

to towns located on bottom lands. At Hebron wells averaging from 

30 to 40 feet deep extend through alluvium to limestone. The small 

artesian basin at Alexandria has been described on page 44.

Wells at Hubbell vary in depth from 30 to 40 feet, and their supply 

diminishes somewhat in dry weather.

Representative wells of Thayer County, Nebr.

Owner.

Webber, Fred....... 

Gaston, Nelson. .....

Baldwin, D. J. ...... 

Burdick, A ..........

Aufderheide, J. H . . .

Thiernan, H. B......

Cornell, E. M. .......

Dufur, William......

Wheeler, Jennie E . . . 

Houser, Joseph. .....

Thiernan, W........

Upton, R. B ........

Schainost, Fred. .... 

, Hergott, Joseph. . . . .

Knape, O............

Location.

Sec. 36, T. 1, R. 4. .............. 

Sec. 31, T. 1. R. 3. ................

Sec. 35, T. 1, R. 3...............

Sec. 9, T. 1, R. 2................

Sec. 13, T. 2, R. 4...............

Sec. 5, T.2, R.4...... .........

Sec. 6, T.2, R. 2................ 

Sec. 1, T. 2, R. 2 W.............

Sec. 4, T.2, R.I W. ............ 

Sec..2, T. 2, R. 1 W.............

Sec. 25, T. 3, R. 4. ..............

Sec. 21, T. 3, R. 4...............

Sec. 18, T.3, R. 3. ..............

Sec. 8, T. 3, R. 3. ...............

Sec. 4, T.3, R. 3. ........ .......

Sec. 36, T. 3, R. 1 W. .".......... 

Sec. 25, T.3, R. 1 W. ...........

Sec. 36, T. 3, R. 1 W............

Depth 

of well.

Feet. 

315

88

1 fUl

125

98

105

20 

27

71 

100

36

120

147

112

92

55 

. 32

173

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet. 

100

8

5 or6

,§

36 

18

22 

2

40

Materials penetrated.

Loess, sand, 50 feet; shale, 160 

feet; limestone, 9 feet; shale 

to 315 feet. 

Loess, 20 feet; sand, 68 feet.

No record

Loess, 80 feet ; sand and gravel, 

45 feet.

thick.

Do.

Do.

Soil, sand, and gravel; at base 

of limestone bluff. 

Soil, shale,.slate, flint. 

Soil and sand, 10 feet; lime 

rock, 13 feet; blue shale with 

occasional hard beds, 75 

feet; sandstone, 2 feet; poor 

supply.

feet; coarse sand and gravel 

12 feet.

Do.

Do.

Sand, shale. 

Soil, 2 feet; clay, 8 feet; limestone and beds of clay, 22 

feet. 

Soil, limestone, shale, sandstone.
WATEK SUPPLY, JEFFERSON COUNTY.

Representative wells of Thayer County, Nebr. Continued.

57

Owner.

Hergott, Joseph. . . . . 

Bulin, A............. 

Dill, M.C..... .......

Mahoffy,.S. A.......

Wright, G. N........

Bice, A. W..........

Bushnell, Scott......

Thompson, George. .

Location.

Sec. 35, T.3, R. 1 W. ........... 

Sec. 12, T.3, R.I W. ........... 

Sec. 7, T. 3, R. 2................

Sec. 14, T. 4, R. 4. ..............

Sec. 36, T. 4, R. 4...............

Sec. 24, T. 4, R. 3. .............. 

Sec. 22, T. 4, R. 2...............

Sec. 11, T. 4, R. 2. ..............

Depth 

of well.

Feet. 

150

192 

70

80

94

84 

90

85

Depth 

of 

water.

Feet. 

18

16 

7

,

8

Materials penetrated.

Soil and clay, 5 feet; limestone 

with clay beds, 25 feet ; shale 

to water in sandstone. 

Soil and loess, 70 feet; limestone and clay to water in 

sandstone. 

Soil, 2 feet; loess, 61 feet;

coarse sand and gravel, 7 

feet.

Do.

18 feet; sand and clay, 65 

feet.

JEFFEKSON COUNTY.

The occurrence of underground water in Jefferson County is very 

irregular. In localities where the Graneros and Carlile shales are 

not overlain by water-bearing sand or gravel, the only alternative 

is to drill or bore into the Dakota sandstone, which supplies water 

in abundance, indeed, but varying in quality with the locality. In 

localities where the Graneros shale extends high up the valley slopes, 

good wells are rare, unless they extend through the shale into the 

Dakota sandstone. Some of the wells in this sandstone yield good 

water, but in many of them it is saline, examples of the latter being 

found at Gladstone and at a number of points between Powell and 

Steele.

In much of the county a thick deposit of Quaternary sands and 

gravels beneath the loess affords an abundance of water at depths 

varying from 70 to 160 feet. These sands and gravels are extensively 

developed in the uplands east of Fairbury, about Jansen. and north 

of the Big Sandy.

At Powell the first water in the alluvium lies within a few feet of 

the surface. At Fairbury, on the bottom lands, where Pleistocene 

and alluvial sands blend so that it is difficult to distinguish between 

them, they carry a large supply of water, reached by wells varying 

from SO to over 100 feet in depth, the deeper wells being on the valley 

slope. At Endicott and Steele the supply comes from the Dakota 

sandstone and alluvium. About Jansen wells usually derive their 

water from Quaternary sands, but the deepest one extends a short 

distance into Dakota sandstone.

Numerous springs, some of considerable size, occur among the deep 

ravines along Rose Creek and other tributaries of Little Blue River. 

A hotel in Steele is supplied by spring water. A general seepage 

into Big Sa*idy and Little Blue River from the Dakota formation 

and Pleistocene sands occurs in the northwestern part of the county.
58 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

Representative wells of Jefferson County, Nebr.

Owner.

Wimer, Eli..........

Simmoiis, James ....

Boggs, ,T. O... .......

Carmony, F. A ......

Wells, Ed...........

Spieer, J. R. ......... 

Landkamer, Geo .... 

Weise, John.. .......

Akin, A. M. .........

Schroeder, J. H. ..... 

Moles, D. P..........

Nebr.).

Public well (Harbine,

Nebr.). 

Woodman, Art ......

Newell, H. J.). 

Hellwig, Frank......

Glenn, Mary.........

Wolfe, Cyrus........

Location.

Sec. 31, T I, R. 1 E ............. 

Sec. 32, Tl, R. 1 E .............

Sec. 2S, T. 1, R. 1 E.... .........

Sec. 16, T. 1, R. 3...............

Sec. 3, T. 1, R. 3................

Sec. 10, T. 2, R. 1 E... ..........

Sec. 14, T. 2, R. 2 W ............

Sec. 10, T. 2, R. 4............... 

Sec. 21, T. 3, R. 1.. ............. 

See. 4, T. 2, R. 4.. ..............

Sec. 32, T. 3, H. 1 ............... 

Sec. 30, T. 3N., R. 1 E.........

Sec. 35, T. 3, R. 2. ..............

Sec. 34, T. 3, R. 3. ..............

Sec. 10, T. 3, R. 4...............

Sec. 30, T. 4N., R. 1 E.........

Sec. 26, T.4N., R. 1 E.........

Sec. 23, T. 4, R. 1. ..............

Sec. 32, T. 4, R. 4. ..............

Depth 

of 

well.

Ffet.

15

30

. 68

SI

281

90 

135

310

40 

18 

125

100

150 

110

148

227

160

115

122

62

96

60

130

Decth o~f 

water.

Feet.

7

20

9

6 

30

175

18 

7 

20

16

50 

40

70

70

20

4

4 

9

30

6

Materials penetrated.

Soil, clay, limestone, clay.

No record.

Soil, 4 feet; loess, 10 feet; Dakota clay ,66 feet: sand,l foot. 

Soil and clay, 35 feet; sand, 65

feet; slate, soapstone, and a 

little coal. 

Loess, 2 feet; sand, 16 feet; 

clay, 3 feet; sand, 19 feet. 

Soil, 20 feet; lime rook, 30 feet;

shale, 60 feet; soapstone, 20 

feet; on sandstone with 

water.

and gravel, 70 feet; clay, 180 

feet; gravel and sand; water. 

Loess and sand. 

Hard pan. 

Loess, except 5 feet; black clay

and 3 feet glacial sand. 

Loam and limestone, 20 feet; 

slate. 64 feet; sand and sandstone, 16 feet. 

Soil, 15 feet; slate, 35 feet; limestone; water in quicksand.

Do.

Do.

Soil, 4 feet; loess, 100 feet:

glacial sand, 56 feet.

bottom. 

Loess, 2 feet; sand, li feet; 

clay, 8 feet; sand.

Do.

2 feet; sand, 13 feet; lime 

rock, 1 foot; sand, 4 feet. 

Soil, 8 feet; loess, 80 feet; glacial drift, 42 feet.

WATER POWER.

GENERAL STATEMENT.

Only a brief statement as to the location and maintenance of waterpower sites can be given in this report. The water-power prospects 

in the Republican Valley region are more important than is generally 

supposed, the plants now in operation employing only a portion of 

the total power available. The power is now used principally by 

flour and grist mills and to some extent for electric-light plants. 

Climatic conditions are an important factor in the industry, for the 

winters are so open as to permit the use of power during the coldest 

months. In the western counties there are many sites- with limited 

power along small spring-fed streams, but farther east, where the 

run-off is greater and streams are supplied liberally from underground sources, greater and more lasting powers are found.
WATER POWEE. 59

As yet the demand for power is not great. Much grain is now 

shipped outside the region which might be milled in the valley were 

it not for the lower shipping rates for wheat than for flour. As a 

result of this condition the product of most mills is only for local use 

and but little power is required to grind it. With increasing population, however, and the usual high price of fuel there will be an 

increasing need for water power.

The power sites are in the basins of Republican and Little Blue 

rivers and the more favorable locations are on the strongest tributaries. On these the fall or grade per mile is somewhat greater than 

on the rivers and short dams impound enough water for the mill 

pond at small expense. Along the rivers dams need to be longer, 

and consequently are more expensive to construct and to maintain. 

Republican River usually dries up in the western counties during a 

part of the summer, a condition which prevents successful development of water power there. Farther east the constant flow affords 

ample supply, but occasional high waters are apt to cut a new channel 

to one side of the dam or to do it much damage. This is especially 

true where the dam lies on sandy alluvium.

POWER SITES IN THE REPUBLICAN VALLEY.

Several years ago water powers were in operation on Republican 

River at Oxford, Alma, Franklin, and Red Cloud. Periods of 

drought and high water brought about their disuse, except at Red 

Cloud, where the mill was burned. Three powers are now operated 

along the Republican, near Arapahoe, at Orleans, and at Superior. 

The dam at Superior is shown in PI. XII, B.

Powers might be obtained at reasonable cost at several places on 

tributaries of the Republican. The flow of Buffalo Creek, in Dundy 

County varies but little during the year and continues all winter. 

The stream gages about 10 second-feet with a fall of about 15 feet 

per mile. Power for use about the house has been employed by 

Mr. N. J. Alien, who diverts a part of the flow in his irrigation ditch 

over a small wheel which can be connected to either a churn, washing 

machine, or grindstone. ' Aside from this the power of Buffalo 

Creek is not utilized, and at present there is little demand for it. 

Rock Creek is nearly as strong as Buffalo Creek and could be made to 

yield small powers.

Several small powers are available on Frenchman River. Those 

at Wauneta and Palisade, both outside the area treated in this report, 

are of most value, the former utilizing a natural fall of 7 feet and an 

artificial fall of over 1 foot. Redwillow Creek has a dam and mill.

A successful power, located on Medicine Creek, at Cambridge, runs
60 REPUBLICAN VALLEY ANtf ADJACENT AREAS, NEBBA9KA.

a mill all the year and practically night and day. A site now not in 

use is on Big Muddy Creek, northwest of Arapahoe. There are 3 

dams in the Sappa-Beaver Creek basin at Stamford, Beaver, and 

Wilsonville. A mill formerly Operated in the Sappa was moved to 

Superior, where it is now running. Small spring-fed streams afford 

sufficient water for small powers at Naponee, Bloomington, and 

Franklin. *

POWER SITES IN THE LITTLE BLUE RIVER BASIN.

There are 8 dams now in the Little Blue basin, while another, 

formerly located near the abandoned town of Meridian, was destroyed 

by high water.

Most dams in the basin have been damaged by high waters and on 

that account their maintenance is'expensive. The most trouble has 

been experienced at Hebron and Fairbury. At the former place the 

river is held in position at heavy expense, because the stream has a 

strong tendency to cut across the bottom just east of the dam and mill. 

At Fairbury most of the old dam has been replaced recently by a 

concrete dam, which it is thought will better cope with high waters. 

If a dam on the Little Blue is made too high the flow of the stream 

is diverted over the low banks and the sandy flood plain at times of 

high water, threatening not only the abutment of the dam but other 

property as well. Dam sites now in use in this basin are at or near 

Steele, Fairbury, Alexandria, Hebron, Deweese, Oak, and Blue Bluffs.

IRRIGATION.

The principal irrigation now in operation in the Republican Valley 

region is on the valleys and bench lands, though in some cases the 

ditches extend out on the lower adjacent valley slopes. The extent of 

irrigable land is moderately large, but the supply of water is* not 

adequate for reclamation of the entire area. In the eastern and central counties the average rainfall is sufficient for the growth of crops 

without irrigation, except in an occasional season. At a number of 

places in the Republican Valley region ditches have been constructed 

for use during drought, but have been allowed to get out of order 

during rainy seasons. Furthermore, the principal supplies are at the 

headwaters of streams, and loss of water by evaporation and seepage 

during transmission into the broader valleys is great. '

It has been found that irrigation along the main valley of the 

Republican in the western counties is practicable only near the headwaters and below the mouths of some of the strong tributary streams. 

The best results in that region are obtained between Haigler, Nebr., 

and Laird, Colo. (see PI. XIII, A), about Benkelman, and along the 

Frenchman, near Culbertson.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 216 PL. XIII

A. IRRIGATED ALFALFA FIELD NORTHWEST OF HAIGLER, NEBR.

B. BUR-OAK GROVE NEAR END1COTT, NEBR.

AGRICULTURAL RESOUECES. 61

According to the State engineer about 35,000 acres are under 

irrigation in the region described in this report. The total length of 

ditches is about 130 miles, of which apparently less than one-half was 

operated in 1904. The number of acres irrigated by counties decreases from west to east. The counties including most of the area 

are Dundy, 17,415 acres; Hitchcock, 13,070; Kedwillow, 3,935. In 

1904 the area was much less.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.

GENERAL, STATEMENT.

The utilization of the part of the Great Plains where there is but 

little rainfall has been a subject of much study. Different methods 

have been employed from time to time, but they have failed to bring 

the results which their promoters had hoped to attain. At times 

stock raising has been thought to be the only industry adapted to the 

sand hills and dry uplands, while again it has been thought that 

grain crops might be grown over a large portion of the area. The 

successes and failures in the unfavored sections have been varied. 

Settlement has increased and decreased in periods corresponding with 

the amount of rainfall.

The early attempts at forestation by planting " tree claims " gave 

poor results, probably because the planting was done crudely and 

groves were not properly cared for. Very few of the thousands of 

groves thus started have survived, but a few successful ones show 

that, if carried on with greater care and with species suited to the 

climate, good results may be attained.

The introduction of drought-resisting and early-maturing crops is 

thought by some to be an important factor in reclamation. The crops 

thus far grown are the forage crops and varieties of oats and wheat.

Dry-farming methods adapted to the rainfall are being promoted 

at a number of places. The aim is to hold as much of the water in 

the soil as is possible by proper tillage. The main enemy to ,soil 

storage of water is evaporation, and by maintaining a mulch the 

loss in that manner is reduced to a minimum. To what extent this 

method, commonly called the Campbell system, will aid in reclamation is not fully proved. It is promoted by the Chicago, Burlington 

and Quincy Railroad, apparently with good results, and promises to 

become valuable.

SOILS.

 Agriculture is by far the most important resource of the region, 

but its results are greatly affected by the local variations in climate, 

ground water, and soils. The rainfall and ground-water conditions 

have been described above, but the many different kinds of soils have
62 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

not been differentiated. In general, the distribution of the different 

types corresponds with that of the geologic formations, but minor 

variations exist, often of considerable importance in plant growth. 

There are in the region three fairly distinct agricultural provinces 

the loess table-lands, the alluvial bottom lands, and the sand hills.

The loess plains of the wide table-lands between the valleys occupy the greater part of the area treated in this report. Where the 

streams have cut through the loess, the various underlying formations 

appear with soils of different kinds extending in narrow belts along 

the valley slopes. Glacial soils, which occur mostly in Jefferson 

County, are clayey or sandy, with an admixture of pebbles and bowlders. Soils on or below outcrops of Dakota sandstone are sandy, but 

in places are clayey or ocherous. Extensive alluvial soils occur along 

the rivers and their tributaries. They contain a high per cent of silt 

or sand and usually a small proportion of clay. Soils formed from 

the Cretaceous shales and chalk rock extend along some of the valley 

slopes not covered by loess or alluvium, and are usually of bad quality for agriculture.

In the sand-hill region loose sandy soil of the dunes consists mainly 

of quartz sand with but little clay, while in the basins and dry valleys 

there is an admixture of some humus and considerable clay.

The table-land soil is sandy, and may grade into sand hills on one 

side and into the so-called plains marl or western loess on the other. 

The talus slopes below ledges of Tertiary rock are mostly sandy or 

gravelly.

CROPS.

NATIVE GRASSES AND THEIR UTILIZATION.

The region contains a large number of grasses, the distribution of 

which is controlled by topographic and hydrographic conditions. 

The highest and heaviest growth is found on bottom lands and eastward over the valley slopes. The drier uplands are quite thickly 

matted with " short grass.' 1 In the sand-hill region the grass covering mostly is thin, except in the dry basins and valleys. In this 

region there is often much sagebrush and other herbaceous plants, 

having but little grazing value. In all the counties the meadow 

grasses are cut for hay, with a total product estimated at 100,000 tons 

per year.

Three species of blue-stem grasses are of frequent occurrence: 

Andropogan furcatus is abundant on the bottom lands eastward; 

Andropogan scoparius (bunch grass) is widely distributed, extending over bottom lands, onto ridges, and throughout the sand hills; 

Andropogan halli is found on sand dunes and ridges.

Under the name buffalo grass a number of species are usually included. One of these, Bulbulis dactyloides, is widely spread over
AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES. 63

the dry uplands, and extends as patches in dry basins and valleys in 

the sand hills. It is very nutritious, and when not too much leached 

by fall rains serves as one of the best winter foods. The grammas are 

generally known as buffalo grass, with which they correspond somewhat in distribution and values for grazing. One of them, Bouteloua 

oligostachya, is perhaps the most important dry upland grass. A 

larger species is more often cut for hay.

The uplands are occupied nearly exclusively at places by wheat 

grasses, which are not so desirable as the buffalo and grammas. 

Stipa conata is a common species.

CULTIVATED FORAGE CHOPS.

Among the cultivated forage crops alfalfa is first in importance. 

It is most successfully and extensively grown throughout the region 

on low bench lands, where it has become an important resource. 

Three or four crops are cut each year, and are used extensively as 

swine pasture and for hay. Some of the largest fields are near 

Indianola, Beaver, and Kepublican. In the counties farthest west 

irrigation is employed where water is accessible; a typical irrigated 

field is shown in PL XIII, A. On the uplands about two cuttings 

are harvested each year. In the sand hills the crop is now grown at 

a few places where ground water rises close to the surface.

Timothy and clover are not very extensively grown. The principal 

forage crops raised during drought times and on the driest lands are 

sorghum, cane, millet, and hungarian. These require more labor in 

cultivation than alfalfa, and hence are less popular crops.

The following table, showing the acreage of cultivated forage crops, 

is compiled from the Nebraska Labor Bureau Report for 1903:

Area of cultivated forage crops. 

[Acres.]

County. Alfalfa.

618

533

6,956

10,359

11,683

5,882

10,168

8,178

4,366

2,979

61,742

Millet and 

hungarian.

2,021

402

3,617

2,540

. 1,959

' 1,229

2,217

2,544

1,451

3,706

21,686

Sorghum 

and cane.

5,403

10,188

8,416

10,785

2,262

2 433

4,396

2,525

2,271

2,405

51,084

GRAIN CROPS.

The principal grains cultivated are corn, wheat, oats, and rye. 

Barley is raised to some extent west of Franklin County. Winter 

wheat is much more common than spring wheat, especially in the
64 REPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AREAS, NEBRASKA.

eastern part of the region. The accompanying table, which is based 

on the labor bureau report, shows the number of bushels of the 

principal cereals produced in each county in 1903 :

Quantity of cereals produced in 1903. 

[Bushels.]

County.

Hitchcock........................ . ... . . ...........

Redwillow................ .. . . .

Furnas ........................... ...

Franklin. ............ ... .

Webster ........................ .

Thayer. .......................... -. ......

Jefferson. ......... . . .

Total........:............

Corn.

806,067

668, 640

1,561,681

1,986,544

1,966,456

1,961,008

2,272,956

2,977,652

3,212,131

2,748,461

20,161,596

Wheat.

40,970

446,855

1,555,870

1,690,314

1,300,6?0

1,066,530

1,032,475

923, 450

1,018,094

727,240

9, 802, 488

Oats.

6,559

5,778

24, 412

76, 434

195, 397

401, 131

452,231

485, 619

1,025,303

4,073,478

6, 746, 342

Rye.

13,953

172,603

459,253

323, 125

256, 481

48,875

54,725

72, 484

58,119

16,350

1,475,968

FRUIT RAISING.

Numerous wild fruits grow along ravines and in canyons. Cultivated fruits such as peaches, plums, and cherries are marketed 

from a number of large orchards. The W. T. Collins orchards, located on bench lands 1 mile west of Beaver, contain 1,300 peach trees, 

which were heavily loaded in 1904.

On the place of James Drummond, 6 miles northwest of Haigler 

and three-fourths mile from the Colorado line, is a successful orchard 

and vineyard under irrigation. When visited, cherry trees had averaged between 3 and 4 bushels of fruit each, and the apple trees were 

in promising condition. Mr. N. J. Alien has raised fine peaches and 

plums by irrigation on a sand-hill point 4 miles east of Haigler. 

These are but types of a large number of orchards that might be 

namecj.

SUGAR BEETS.

Beets are successfully grown under irrigation on the bench lands 

of the western counties, but the best crops are raised in the Frenchman Valley above Culbertson and at a number of points along the 

Eepublican. The following table shows the acreage of beets by counties and the extent of the crop for 1904:

Acreage planted in"beets, 1904, '"' southern Nebraska.

County. Acres.

92

686

690

96

38

County.

Total ................................

Acres.

32

1

4

1,671
AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES. 65

STOCK RAISING AND DAIRYING.

Stock raising and dairying are closely related to the grass growth, 

forage, and grain crops already described. The largest stock ranches 

are located in the thin and short grass regions where most of the 

land is cheap, and, owing to its sub-humid condition, is better adapted 

to grazing than to other agricultural purposes. The grasses cure 

on the sod during the time of diminished rainfall in the late summer 

and fall months and afford pasturage all winter except at times of 

deepest snowfall. Thousands of cattle and horses " rustle " during 

the winter without other food. Some winters this lack of care for 

fstock has resulted in heavy losses, especially in former years when 

most cattle were not provided for; during heavy snowstorms large 

numbers died more from hunger than from cold. Of recent years 

winter feed usually is provided for stock during times of exceptionally severe weather and the percentage of loss is greatly 

diminished.

The western part of the region to which this report relates lies in 

that part of the Great Plains which is generally known as the " cattle 

country," yet the number of animals per square mile in the western 

counties is less than it is farther east where more corn is grown. The 

day of the open range has passed; now large areas are fenced, in 

the grazing counties, and controlled by ranchmen.

In the counties farthest east stock are pastured on the roughest 

land during the grazing months and fed on rough feed in winter. 

Swine are raised cheaply and in large numbers where alfalfa is 

most extensively grown.

Dairying has become one of the important industries throughout 

the region and is successful during both drought and humid years. 

The cream is shipped from numerous stations to large creameries.

The accompanying table shows the number and distribution of the 

principal farm animals for 1904:

Number and distribution of farm animals for 1904-

County.

Xhftvcr

Total ....... ......................................................

Cattle.

15,677

13, 995

17,bG3

33,238

26,402

24,926

33, 690

22,000

29, 202

26,054

242,947

Hogs.

5,002

4,254

16,566

29,688

21,888

25, 876

34,690

26, 939

26,586

27,218

218,707

Horses 

and 

mules.

2,708

3,549

4,501

11,307

8,546

7,732

10,089

6,865

11,487

8,303

75, 087

3692 IRR 216 07-
66 EEPUBLICAN VALLEY AND ADJACENT AEEAS, NEBEASKA.

TIMBER.

Early settlers and prairie fires destroyed much, of the natural tree 

growth, which appears to have been more prevalent at the time of the 

country's first occupation than it is now. However, the traveler 

while passing along the open valleys is apt to underestimate the 

amount of timber growing in the region as, for the most part, it 

is confined to ravines and the rough lands adjacent to the larger 

valleys.

Cottonwoods are found both in groves and isolated on all valley 

bottoms. Along the Frenchman Valley and in the canyons of northeastern Dundy County there are cottonwood trees 2 to 3 feet in 

diameter, and one located 7 miles northwest of Fairbury is over 6 

feet in diameter. Willows, represented by one or more species, are 

found in all valleys of any considerable size.

Bur oaks follow up and cover the sandy slopes in Jefferson County, 

and occur westward along the Little Blue and in the lower course of 

the Eepublican Valley (see PI. XIII, B). Elms are found in 

largest numbers on the bottom lands in Jefferson, Thayer, and Nuckolls counties, but extend westward on the alluvium to Dundy County. 

Parts of Sappa Valley were formerly covered with large elms. Walnut trees of large size grow in the valley bottoms as far west as Red 

Cloud. A tree nearly 3 feet in diameter is reported south of Naponee.

Ash and boxelders are scattered among other species in the valley 

portions of the region. Straggling cedars remain on the bluffs of 

Webster, Franklin, and Nuckolls counties, and a small pine is reported as having been found in a ravine south of Bloomington. The 

tree growth is utilized for firewood, posts, and lumber.
INDEX.

B.

Baculites compressus, occurrence of. 

Beaver, fruit raising near...........

rainfall at.......................

sand and gravel near. ............

water power at..................

wells near........................

Beaver Creek, description of.........

flow of...........................

water power on..................

Beets, sugar, cultivation of.

A. Page.

Acknowledgments to those aiding.......... 7

Aftonian drift, occurrence of............... 22

Agricultural resources, description of...... 61-66

Air pressure, changes in, blowing wells due

to............................... 41-42

Alexandria, artesian well and reservoir near, ! view of......................... 46 j

dam near............................... 60

wells near.............................. 44-45

Alfalfa, cultivation of...................... 63

view of................................. 60

Alien, N. J., irrigation by.................. 64 j water power used by................... 59 |

well of.................................. 39

Alluvium, agriculture on................... 62

occurrence and character of............ 24-25

sand in................................. 29

Alma, Niobrafa rock used at............... 27

water power at......................... 59

wells in................................. 51-52

Amboy, wells at............................ 54

Analyses. See name of substance analyzed.

Andropogan furcatus, occurrence of........ 62

halli, occurrence of..................... 62

scoparius, occurrence of................ 62

Anticlines, occurrence of.................... 11

gas and oil as related to................ 26

Arapahoe, boring at........................ 43

sand and gravel near................... 29

water power at and near............... 59,60

wells near............................... 50

freezing of.......................... 42

Arikaree formation, correlative of.......... 19

Artesian wells. See Wells, artesian.

Ash, volcanic, analysis of................... 30

character and uses of................... 30

Atwood Company, quarry of............... 27

Averill, E. N., wells of...................... 44

Page.

Benkelman, irrigation near................. 43,60

irrigation near, view of................. 44

Republican River at, flow of............ 32-34

wells near......................... 39,44,45,46

wind erosion near, view of.............. 24

Benton group, occurrence and character of. 13-17 

section of............................

Big Muddy Creek, water power on......

Big Sandy Creek, source of.......... r...

Birdsall, G. A., fossils collected by......

Bloomington, water power at...........

wells near............................

13 

60 

36 

I8- 

60 

53 

Blowing wells, description of............... 41-42

Blue Bluffs, dam near...................... 60

Blue Hill, wells near........................ 54

Blue Hill beds, occurrence and character of. 16 

Bostwick, sand near........................ 29

view near............................... 32

Bouteloua oligostachya, occurrence of...... 63

Bowlders, occurrence of.................... 22

view of................................. 22

Brick yards, location of.................... 28

Brown (A.) quarry, operation of........... 27

Buffalo Creek, water power on............. 59

Buffalo grass, occurrence of................ 62

Building stone, rocks furnishing........... 26-28

Bulbulis dactyloides, occurrence of......... 62-63

Bunch grass, occurrence of................. 62

Bur oaks, growth of........................ 66

view of................................. 60

Byron, wells at............................. 55

Cambridge, Niobrara quarry near, view of. 26 

sand and gravel near................... 29

water power at......................... 59-60

wells near........................... 40-41,50

Campbell, wells at and near................ 53

Carboniferous rocks, occurrence and character of........................ 10, 11-12

oil and gas in........................... 26

Carlile shale, occurrence and character of... 16-17 

water of, quality of.................... 38

Carmody, C. A., fossil collected by.......... 16

Cattle, number and distribution of......... 65

Cement, materials for, and manufacture of. 28 

Cereals, cultivation of...................... 65

Chemical analyses. See name of substance

analyzed. 

Clay, character and distribution of......... 28

67
68 INDEX.

Climate, description of..................... 9-10

Coal, occurrence and character of.......... 25-26

Collins (W. T.) orchards, production of.... 64

Condra, G. E.. work of..................... 7

Creeks and rivers, descriptions of.......... 31-36

Cretaceous rocks, occurrence and character

of............................ 10,12-19

water in, quality of..................... 38

Crops, character of......................... 62-64

Culbertson, irrigation near................. 60

rainfall at.............................. 10

sugar beets near........................ 64

D. 

Dairying, practice of....................... 65

Dakota formation, artesian water in.... 26,43-45

building stone from................... 26-27

clay in................................. 28

coal in.................................. 25

ocher in................................. 30

occurrence and character of............ 12-13

sand and gravel in.._................... 29

section of............................... 13

springs from............................ 36-37

view of................................. 14

water in.......................... 26,39,43-45

quality of........................... 38,44

D'Allemand, A., log of Arapahoe well furnished by....................... 51

Dams, location of.......................... 60

view of................................. 46

Darton, N. II., on Benton group........... 13

work of............................... 7,11,26

Deweese, dam near......................... 60

Dickerson, William, ranch of, well on...... 50

Drainage, description of.................... 8-9

Drift, glacial, occurrence and character of.. 20-22 

Drummond place, fruit raising on.......... 64

well on.................................. 46

Dry farming, attempts at.................. 61

Dundy County, crops in.................... 63,64

geology in..................... 19,24,25,26,45

irrigation in............................ 61

spring in, view of....................... 34

stock raising in......................... 65

water resources of...................... 45-46

wells in................................. 46

Economic geology, description of........... 25-31

See also particular minerals. 

Edison, volcanic ash at..................... 30

wells near............................... 50

Elephant bones, occurrence of.............. 22,24

Endicott, bowlders near, view of........... 22

clay near............................... 28

Dakota sandstone near, view of........ 14

timber near, view of.................... 60

wells near............................... 57

Evaporation, waterless by................ 39

Ewing, W. E., spring of.................... 53

F.

Fairbury, building stone near.............. 27

clav near............................... 28

Page. 

60

22

. - 10 

29 

14

Fairbury, dam near......................

quartzite near, view of ...............

rainfall at............................

sand and gravel at...................

section near..........................

wells near............................... 44,57

Fairbury Junction, sand and gravel near ... 29 

Faults, occurrence of....................... 11

view of................................. 14

Fencepost limestone, building stone near... 27 

occurrence and character of............ 15

Flagstone member, occurrence and character of........................... 15

Forage crops, cultivation of................ 63

Formations, occurrence and character of... 10-25 

Fort Hays beds, correlative of............. 17

Fossils, occurrence and character of... 13-16,18,19 

Franklin, rainfall at........................ 10

section at............................... 20

water power at......................... 59,60

view near............................... 20

wells at and near....................... 53

Franklin County, crops in.................. 63,64

geology in......................J....... 19,52

ocher in.................................. 30

stock raising in......................... 65

water resources of....................... 52-53

Frenchman River, description of........... 34,46

discharge data of....................... 35

' falls On................................. 34

view of............................. 34

irrigation along .............. ^......... 60

water power on......................... 59

Fruit, cultivation of........................ 64

Furnas County, forage crops in............ 63,64

geology in........................... 11,19,26

stock raising in......................... 65

water resources of...................... 50-51

G.

Gas, natural, occurrence of................. 26

Gay, J. C., volcanic ash mined by .......... 30

Geography, description of .................. 8-9

Geology, description of..................... 10-25

See also Economic geology.

Gilead, building stone near................. 27

Glaciers, topography shaped by............ 8,22

Gladstone, building stone near ............ 27

wells at................................. 57

Grain crops, cultivation of................. 63-64

Graneros shale, coal in..................... 25

occurrence and character of............ 14

sections of................. .^T.......... 13,14

water of, quality of .................... 38

Grant, James, ranch of, well on............ 53

Grasses, cultivation of..................... 62-63

Gravel, occurrence and description of...... 28-29

Great Plains, utilization of................. 61

Green, J. A., flow measurement by......... 35

Greenhorn limestone, building stone from.. 27

occurrence and character of............ 14-16

section near............................ 13

(jriffith, John, ranch cf, well on............ 54

Guide Rock, wells near.................. .. 54
INDEX. 69

H.

Haigler, fruit raising near.................. 64

irrigated field near, view of............. 60

rainfall at.............................. 10

sand hills near, view of................. 26

springs near............................ 36

wells near............................ 39,45,46

Harbine, flowing well at.................... 42

Harlan County, crops in......."............. 63,64

geology of.............................. 51

stock raising in......................... 65

volcanic ash in.......................... 30

water resources of...................... 51-52

Hebron, dam. near.......................... 60

rainfall at.............................. 10

sand and gravel near................... 29

wells at................................. 56

Helvey, sand and gravel near.............. 29

Hendley, wells near......................... 50

Hiltner, R. S., analysis by.................. 30

Hitchcock County, crops in................ 63,64

. geology in........................ 24,26,46-47

irrigation in............................ 61

stock raising in......................... 65

water resources of..................... 46-48

Hogs, number and distribution of.......... 65

Holbrook, wells at.......................... 50

Horses and mules, number and distribution

of............................... 65

Hubbell, building stone from............... 27

wells at................................. 56

I. 

Inavale, wells at............................ 54

Indianola, ocher mined at.................. 30-31

wells at................................. 49

Inoceramus labiatus, occurrence of...... 13-16,18

Inoceramus member, occurrence and character of......................... 15

Irrigation, employment of............... 43,60-61

J. 

Jansen, wells near.......................... 57

Jefferson County, building stone in......... 27

coal in.................................. 25

crops in................................. 63,64

geology in............... 11,13,14,16,21,22,57

stock raising in......................... 65

water resources of...................... 57-58

Kansan drift, occurrence of......

Kesterson, building stone near.. 

sand and gravel near........

Kinsley, J. W., ranch of, well on.

Lookout Mountain, sandstone at. 

section at.....................

view of.......................

Lakes, occurrence and character of......... 37

Lime, manufacture of...................... 27

Lincoln marble, occurrence and character of 15

Little Blue River, character of............. 8-9

description of........................... 36

power sites on.......................... 59,60

valley of, geologic map of............... 10

Loess, occurrence and character of......... 23

Loess plains, agriculture on................ 62

character of............................ 8

Page. 

27 

20 

20

M.

Me Alee, J., ranch of, i rrigation on..........

ranch of, irrigation on, view of.........

well on........................... 39,

McCook, gas in well at......................

wells at........................... 26,43,

Macon, wells near..........................

Map of Nebraska, showing area treated...

Map, geologic, of Republican and Little

Blue valleys ....................

Max, elephant bones near..................

Medicine Creek, description of..............

water power on.........................

Meridian, dam near.........................

Mineral paint, occurrence and character of.. 

Mineral resources, description of...........

See also partitvlar minerals. 

Moline, wells at.............................

Moose ranch, springs on....................

Mortar beds, building stone from,..........

view of.................................

Mules and horses, number and distribution 

of...............................

43

44

45,46

26

48,49

53

7

10

24 

35

59-60 

60

30-31 

25-31

53

36

27

20

65

Naponee, water power at................... 60

wells at................................. 53

Nebraska, map of.......................... 7

sections across.......................... 12

Nelson, wells at............................ 55

Niobrara formation, building stone from... 27

ocher in................................. 30-31

occurrence and character of............ 17-18

use of, in cement manufacture.......... 28

view of................................. 14,26

water of............................ 43

quality of........................... 38

Norton, fault near.......................... 11

fault near, view of...................... 14

Nuckolls County, building stone in......... 27

crops in................................. 63,64

geology in............................... 17,18

stock raising in......................... 65

water resources of...................... 55

O.

Oak, dam near.............................. 60

Ocher, occurrence of........................ 30-31

Odell, section near.......................... 12

Ogalalla formation, correlation of.......... 19

Orleans, volcanic ash at.

water power at......

Ostrea congesta.........

Oxford, water power at..

wells near............

30

59

16

59

50

P.

Paint, mineral, occurrence and character cf. 30-31

Palisade, flow of Frenchman River at...... 34

water power at......................... 59
70 INDEX.

Page. 

Permian rocks, occurrence and character

of............................... 11-12

wells to................................. 44

Petroleum, possible occurrence of .......... 26

Pierre shale, coal in......................... 26

occurrence and character of............. 18-19

oil and gas in........................... 26

use of, in cement manufacture.......... 28

water of, quality of..................... 38,45

Plaster, manufacture of.................... 29

Pleistocene deposits, sand and gravel from. 29

springs from............................ 36

Pollution of wells, danger of................ 42-43

Ponds, occurrence of....................... 37

Portland cement, materials for and manufacture of....................... 28

Powell, coal near........................... 25

sand and gravel near................... 29

wells near............................... 57

Prairie Dog Creek, description of........... 35

QQuartzite, occurrence and description of.... 27-28 

view of.................................. 22

Quaternary deposits, base of, springs at.... 36

occurrence and character of.......... 10,20-25

water capacity of....................... 38

water in................................ 39

R.

Rainfall, records of........:................ 9-10

westward decrease of, diagram showing. 9

Red Cloud, rainfall at....................... 10

sand and gravel near................... 29

water power at......................... 59

wells near............................... 54

Redwillow, water power at................. 59

well near................................ 49

Redwillow County, crops in................ 63

irrigation in............................. 61

stock raising in...............:......... 65

water resources of...................... 48-49

Redwillow Creek,, descripton of............. 35

Reiter, J. P., and Smith, Adolph, ocher

mined by....................... 31

Republican River, building stone on........ 27-28

character of........................... 8,32,46

dam in, view of ......................... 46

discharge data of....................... 32-34

irrigation along......................... 60

power sites on.......................... 59-60

sand and gravel on..................... 28

source, course, and tributaries of....... 31-32

springs along........................... 36

valley of, geologic map of............... 10

view on................................. 32

Rivers and creeks, descriptions of.......... 31-36

Riverton, wells near........................ 53

Rock Creek, water power on................ 59

Rocks, occurrence and character of......... 10-25

Rosemont, wells near....................... 54

S. 

Sand, occurrence of......................... 28-30

Sandhill Lake, view of...................... 32

Sand hills, agriculture on................... 62

occurrence and character of............. 8,25

ponds in................................ 37

view of.................................. 26

windmill in, view of..................... 44

Sappa Creek, description of................. 35

water power on......................... 60

Septarian zone, occurrence of............... 16

Smith, Adolph, and Reiter, J. P., ocher

mined by....................... 31

Smoky Hill chalk, correlative of............ 17

Soils, occurrence and character of.......... 61-62

Springs, distribution of..................... 47

in Furnas County....................... 50

in Harlan County....................... 52

in Nuckolls County...................... 55

in Redwillow County................... 49

in Webster County..................... 54

origin of................................ 36-37

view of.................................. 34

Stamford, flow at........................... 35

water power at......................... 60

Steele, clay near............................ 28

dam near............................... 60

section near............................. 13

wells near............................... 44,57*

Stevens, J. C., data from................... 32

Stipa conata, occurrence of................. 03

Stock raising, practice of................... 65

Stone, artificial, manufacture of............ 29-30

Stone, building, occurrence and character of. 26-28 

Stratigraphy, description of................ 10-25

Structure, description of.................... 11

Sugar beets, cultivation of................. 65

Superior, dam at, view of.................. 46

rainfall at.............................. 10

. sand and gravel near................... 29

water power at......................... 59

wells near............... ............... 55

Surface waters. See Waters, surface.

T.

Temperature, records of.................... 9

Terraces, occurrence and character of...... 23-24

view of................................. 24

Tertiary deposits, building stone from..... 27

occurrence and character of......... 10,19-20

sand and gravel in...................... 29

section of............................... 20

springs at base of....................... 36

view of................................. 20

water in................................ 39,44

quality of........................... 38

water capacity of....................... 38

Thayer County, building stone in.......... 27

crops in................................. 63,64

geology in.............................. 21,56

stock raising in......................... 65

water resources of...................... 55-57

Timber, occurrence and character of....... 66

view of................................. 60

Topography, description of................ 8

Trail Canyon, character of................. 8

'gravel in, view of....................... 20

terraces near, view of................... 24
INDEX. 71

Page.

Trees, acclimatization of................... 61

distribution and kinds of............... 66

Trenton, sand and gravel near............. 29

springs near............................ 36,47

wells near............................... 41

U.

Underground waters. See Waters, underground.

V.

Volcanic ash, analysis of.. 

character and uses of..

W.

Water power, description of................

Water resources, description of............

description of, by counties.............

Water table, level of........................

Waters, surface, character of...............

description of...........................

storage of...............................

Waters, underground, conditions of, figure 

, illustrating.....................

depletion of.............................

occurrence of, figure showing...........

quality of...............................

source of................................

Wauneta, falls near........................

58-61

31-61

45-58

38

31

31-37 

37

40 

38-39

40

38 

37-38

34

Page.

Wauneta, falls near, view of ................ 34

water power at ......................... 59

Webster County, crops in .................. 63, 64

ocher in. ................................ 30

stock raising in. ........................ 65

water resources of ...................... 54

Weeks, C. E., blowing well on ranch of. .... 42

Wells, artesian, location of .............. 26, 43-45

prospects for. .......................... 44

view of ................................. 46

Wells, blowing, conditions causing. ........ 41-42

conditions causing, figure illustrating . . 41

freezing of .............................. 42

Wells, George, blowing well of .............. 42

Wells, shallow, data on. .................... 45-58

description of ........................... 39

irrigation from. ........................ 43

pollution of ............................. 42-43

yield of ................................. 39-41

See also particular counties, owners, etc.

Wilson ville, water power at ................ 60

wells near. .............................. 50

Wind erosion, effects of, view illustrating . . 24

Windmills, pumping by .................... 43

view of ................................. 44

Winds, character of ........................ 10

Woodruff, Kans., quarry at ................ 27

Z.

Zike, S. C., volcanic ash mined by . 30

CLASSIFICATION OF THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL

SURVEY.

[Water-Supply Paper No. 216.]

The publications of the United States Geological Survey consist of (1) Annual 

Reports, (2) Monographs, (3) Professional Papers, (4) Bulletins, (5) Mineral 

Resources, (6) Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers, (7) Topographic Atlas of United 

States folios and separate sheets thereof, (8) Geologic Atlas of United States 

folios thereof. The classes numbered 2, 7, and 8 are sold at cost of publication; the 

others tire distributed free. A circular giving complete lists can be had on application.

Most of the above publications can be obtained or consulted in the following ways:

1. A limited number are delivered to the Director of the Survey, from whom they 

can be obtained, free of charge (except classes 2, 7, and 8), on application.

2. A certain number are delivered to Senators and Representatives in Congress 

for distribution.

3. Other copies are deposited with the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, 

D. C., from whom they can be had at prices slightly above cost.

4. Copies of all Government publications are furnished to the principal public 

libraries in the large cities throughout the United States, where they can be consulted by those interested.

The Professional Papers, Bulletins, and Water-Supply Papers treat of a variety of 

subjects, and the total number issued is large. They have therefore been classified 

into the following series: A, Economic geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, Systematic geology and paleontology; D, Petrography and mineralogy; E, Chemistry and 

physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; H, Forestry; I, Irrigation; J, Water storage; K, Pumping water; L, Quality of water; M, General hydrographic investigations; N, Water power; O, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic progress reports; 

Q, Fuels; R, Structural materials. This paper is the ninety-seventh in series A, the 

one hundred and nineteenth in series B, the twenty-sixth in series M, and the 

seventy-second in series O, the complete lists of which follow (PP=Professional 

Paper; B=Bulletin; WS=Water-Supply Paper).

SERIES A, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY.

B 21. Lignites of Great Sioux Reservation: Report on region between Grand and Moreau rivers,

Dakota, by Bailey Willis. 1885. 16 pp., 5 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 46. Nature and origin of deposits of phosphate of lime, by R. A. F. Penrose, jr., with introduction by

N.S. Shaler. 1888. 143pp. (Out of stock.) 

B 65. Stratigraphy of the bituminous coal field of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, by I. C.

White. 1891. 212 pp., 11 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 111. Geology of Big Stone Gap coal field of Virginia and Kentucky, by M. R. Campbell. 1893. 106pp.,

6 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 132. The disseminated lead ores of southeastern Missouri, by Arthur Winslow. 1896. 31 pp. (Out

of stock.)

B 138. Artesian-well prospects in Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N. H. Barton. 1896. 228 pp., 19 pis. 

B 139. Geology of Castle Mountain mining district, Montana, by W. H. Weed and L. V. Pirssoa. 1896.

164 pp., 17 pic, 

B 143. Bibliography of clays and the ceramic arts, by J. C. Branner. 1896. 114pp.
II SEBIES LIST.

B 164. Reconnaissance on the Rio Grande coal fields of Texas, by T. W. Vaughan, including a report 

on igneous rocks from the San Carlos coal field, by E. C. E. Lord. 1900. 100 pp., 11 pis. (Out 

of stock.)

B 178. El Paso tin deposits, by W. H. Weed. 1901. 15 pp., 1 pi.

B 180. Occurrence and distribution of corundum in United States, by J. H. Pratt. 1901. 98 pp., 14 pis. 

(Out of stock; see No. 269.)

B 182. A report on the economic geology of the Silverton quadrangle, Colorado, by F. L. Ransome.

1901. 266 pp., 16 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 184. Oil and gas fields of the western interior and northern Texas Coal Measures and of the Upper

Cretaceous and Tertiary of the western Gulf coast, by G. I. Adams. 1901. 64pp., 10 pis. (Out

of stock.) 

B 193. The geological relations and distribution of platinum and associated metals, by J. F. Kemp.

1902. 95 pp., 6 pis. 

B 198. The Berea grit oil sand in the Cadiz quadrangle, Ohio, by W. T. Griswold. 1902. 43 pp., 1 pi.

(Out of stock.) 

PP 1. Preliminary report on the Ketchikan mining district, Alaska, with an introductory sketch of the

geology of southeastern Alaska, by A. H. Brooks. 1902. 120 pp., 2 pis. 

B 200. Reconnaissance of the borax deposits of Death Valley and Mohave Desert, by M. R. Campbell.

1902. 23 pp., 1 pi. (Out of stock.) 

B 202. Tests for gold and silver in shales from western Kansas, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1902. 21 pp.

(Out of stock.) 

PP 2. Reconnaissance of the northwestern portion of Seward Peninsula, Alaska, by A. J. Collier. 1902.

70 pp., 11 pis. 

PP 10. Reconnaissance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, by way of Dall, Kanuti, Alien,

and Kowak rivers, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1902. 68 pp., 10 pis. 

PP 11. Clays of the United States east of the Mississippi River, by Heinrich Ries. 1903. 298 pp., 9 pis.

(Out of stock.)

PP 12. Geology of the Globe copper district, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1903. 168 pp., 27 pis. 

B 212. Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain, by C. W. Hayes and William Kennedy.

1903. 174 pp., 11 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 213. Contributions to economic geology, 1902; S. F. Emmons and C. W. Hayes, geologists in charge.

1903. 449 pp. (Out of stock.) 

PP 15. The mineral resources of the Mount Wrangell district, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall and F. C.

Schrader. 1903. 71 pp., 10 pis.

B 218. Coal resources of the Yukon, Alaska, by A. J. Collier. 1903. 71 pp., 6 pis. 

B 219. The ore deposits of Tonopah, Nevada (preliminary report), by J. E. Spurr. 1903. 31 pp., 1 pL

(Out of stock.)

PP 20. A reconnaissance in northern Alaska in 1901, by F. C. Schrader. 1904. 139 pp., 16 pis. 

PP 21. Geology and ore deposits of the Bisbee quadrangle, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1904. 168 pp.,

29 pis. 

B 223. Gypsum deposits in the United States, by G. I. Adams and others. 1904. 129 pp., 21 pis. (Out

of stock.)

PP 24. Zinc and lead deposits of northern Arkansas, by G. I. Adams. 1904. 118 pp., 27 pis. 

PP 25. Copper deposits of the Encampment district, Wyoming, by A. C. Spencer. 1904. 107 pp., 2 pis.

(Out of stock.) 

B 225. Contributions to economic geology, 1903, by S. F. Emmons and C. W. Hayes, geologists in charge.

1904. 527 pp., 1 pi. (Out of stock.) 

PP26. Economic resources of the northern Black Hills, by J. D. Irving, with contributions by S. F.

Emmons and T. A. Jaggar, jr. 1904. 222 pp., 20 pis. 

PP 27. A geological reconnaissance across the Bitterroot Range and Clearwater Mountains in Montana

and Idaho, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1904. 123 pp., 15 pis.

B 229. Tin deposits of the York region, Alaska, by A. J. Collier. 1904. 61 pp., 7 pis. 

B 236. The Porcupine placer district, Alaska, by C. W. Wright. 1904. 35 pp., 10 pis. 

B 238. Economic geology of the lola quadrangle, Kansas, by G. I. Adams, Erasmus Haworth, and

W. R. Crane. 1904. 83 pp., 11 pis.

B 243. Cement materials and industry of the United States, by E. C. Eckel. 1905. 395 pp., 15 pis. 

B 246. Zinc and lead deposits of northwestern Illinois, by H. Foster Bain. 1904. 56 pp., 5 pis. 

B 247. The Fairhaven gold placers of Seward Peninsula, Alaska, by F. H. Moffit. 1905. 85 pp., 14 pis. 

B 249. Limestones of southeastern Pennsylvania, by F. G. Clapp. 1905. 52 pp., 7 pis. 

B 250. The petroleum fields of the Pacific coast of Alaska, with an account of the Bering River coal

deposits, by G. C. Martin. 1905. 65 pp., 7 pis. 

B 251. The gold placers of the Fortymile, Birch Creek, and Fairbanks regions, Alaska, by L. M. Prindle.

1905. 89 pp., 16 pis.

WS 117. The lignite of North Dakota and its relation to irrigation, by F. A. Wilder. 1905. 59 pp., 8 pis. 

PP 36. The lead, zinc, and fluorspar deposits of western Kentucky, by E. O. Ulrich and W. S. T. Smith.

1905. 218 pp., 15 pis.
SERIES LIST. Ill

PP 38. Economic geology of the Bingham mining district, Utah, by J. M. Boutwell, with a chapter on 

areal geology, by Arthur Keith, and an introduction on general geology, by S. F. Emmons. 

1905. 413pp., 49 pis. 

PP 41. Geology of the central Copper River region, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 133 pp.,

20 pis. 

B 254. Report of progress in-the geological resurvey of the Cripple Creek district, Colorado, by Waldemar Lindgren and F. L. Ransome. 1904. 36 pp. 

B 255. The fluorspar deposits of southern Illinois, by H. Foster Bain. 1905. 75 pp., 6 pis. (Out of

stock.) 

B256. Mineral resources of the Elders Ridge quadrangle, Pennsylvania, by R. W. Stone. 1905.

86 pp., 12 pis. 

B 259. Report on progress of investigations of mineral resources of Alaska in 1904, by A. H. Brooks

and others. 1905. 196pp., 3 pis. 

B 260. Contributions to economic geology, 1904; S. F. Emmons and C. W. Hayes, geologists in charge.

1905. 620pp., 4 pis. 

B 261. Preliminary report on the operations of the coal-testing plant of the United States Geological

Survey at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St.Louis.Mo., 1904; E.W.Parker, J.A. Holmes,

and M. R. Campbell, committee in charge. 1905. 172 pp. (Out of stock.) 

B 263. Methods and cost of gravel and placer mining in Alaska, by C. W. Purington. 1905. 273 pp.,

42 pis. (Out of stock.)

PP 42. Geology of the Tonopah mining district, Nevada, by J. E. Spurr. 1905. 295 pp., 24 pis. 

PP 43. The copper deposits of the Clifton-Morenci district, Arizona, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1905.

375pp., 25 pis. 

B 264. Record of deep-well drilling for 1904, by M. L. Fuller, E. F. Lines, and A. C. Veatch. 1905.

106 pp.

B 265. Geology of the Boulder district, Colorado, by N. M. Fenneman. 1905. 101pp., 5 pis. 

B 267. The copper deposits of Missouri, by H. Foster Bain and E. O. Ulrich. 1905. 52 pp., 1 pi. 

B 269. Corundum and its occurrence and distribution in the United States (a revised and enlarged

edition of Bulletin No. 180), by J. H. Pratt. 1906. 175 pp., 18 pis. 

PP 48. Report on the operations of the coal-testing plant of the United States Geological Survey at

the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., 1904; E. W. Parker, J. A. Holmes, M. R.

Campbell, committee in charge. 1906. (In three parts.) . 1,492pp., 13 pis. 

B 275. Slate deposits and slate industry of the United States, by T. N. Dale, with sections by E. C.

Eckel, W. F. Hillebrand, and A. T. Coons. 1906. 154 pp., 25 pis. 

PP 49. Geology and mineral resources of part of the Cumberland Gap coal field, Kentucky, by G. H.

Ashley and L. C. Glenn, in cooperation with the State Geological Department of Kentucky,

C. J. Norwood, curator. 1906. 239 pp., 40 pis. 

B 277. Mineral resources of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: Gold fields of the Turnagain Arm region, by

F. H. Moffit; Coal fields of the Kachemak Bay region, by R. W. Stone. 1906. 80 pp., 18 pis, 

B 278. Geology and coal resources of the Cape Lisburne region, Alaska, by A. J. Collier. 1906. 54 pp.,

9 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 279. Mineral resources of the Kittanning and Rural Valley quadrangles, Pennsylvania, by Charles

Butts. 1906. 193 pp., 11 pis. 

B 280. The Rampart gold placer region, Alaska, by L. M. Prindle and F. L. Hess. 1906. 64 pp., 7 pis.

(Out of stock.)

B 282. Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain, by N. M. Fenneman. 1906. 146 pp., 11 pis. 

PP 51. Geology of the Bighorn Mountains, by N. H. Darton. 1906. 129 pp., 47 pis. 

B 283. Geology and mineral resources of Mississippi, by A. F. Crider. 1906. 99 pp., 4 pis. 

B 284. Report on progress of investigations of the mineral resources of Alaska in 1905, by A. H. Brooks

and others. 1906. 169 pp., 14 pis. 

B 285. Contributions to economic geology, 1905; S. F. Emmons and E. C. Eckel, geologists in charge.

1906. 506pp., 13 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 286. Economic geology of the Beaver quadrangle, Pennsylvania, by L. H. Woolsey. 1906. 132 pp.,

8 pis. 

B 287. Juneau gold belt, Alaska, by A. C. Spencer, and A reconnaissance of Admiralty Island, Alaska,

by C. W. Wright. 1906. 161 pp., 27 pis. 

PP 64. The geology and gold deposits of the Cripple Creek district, Colorado, by W. Lindgren and

F. L. Ransome. 1906. 516 pp., 29 pis.

PP 55. Ore deposits of the Silver Peak quadrangle, Nevada, by J. E. Spurr. 1906. 174 pp., 24 pis. 

B 289. A reconnaissance of the Matanuska cosfrfield, Alaska, in 1905, by G. C. Martin. 1906. 34 pp.,

5 pis. 

B 290. Preliminary report on the operations of the fuel-testing plant of the United States Geological

Survey at St. Louis, Mo., 1905, by J. A. Holmes. 1906. 240 pp. 

B 293. Reconnaissance of some gold and tin deposits of the southern Appalachians, by L. C. Graton,

with notes on the Dahlonega mines, by W. Lindgren. 1906. 134 pp., 9 pis.

B294. Zinc and lead deposits of the upper Mississippi Valley, by H. Foster Bain. 1906. 155 pp., 16 pis. 

B 295. The Yukon-Tanana region, Alaska, description of Circle quadrangle, by L. M. Prindle. 1906.

27 pp., 1 pi.
IV SEEIES LIST.'

B 296. Economic geology of the Independence quadrangle, Kansas, by Frank C. Schrader and

Erasmus Haworth. 1906. 74pp., 6 pis. 

B 297. The Yampa coal field, Routt County, Colo., by N. M. Fenneman, Hoyt S. Gale, and M. R.

Campbell. 1906. 96 pp., 9 pis.

B 298. Kecord of deep-well drilling for 1905, by Myron L. Fuller and Samuel Sanford. 1906. 299 pp. 

B 300. Economic geology of the Amity quadrangle in eastern Washington County, Pa., by Frederick

G. Clapp. 1907. 145 pp., 8 pis. 

B 303. Preliminary account of Goldfleld, Bullfrog, and other mining districts in southern Nevada, by

F. L. Ransome, with notes on Manhattan district, by G. H. Garrey and W. H. Emmons.

1906. 98pp., 5 pis. 

B. 304. Oil and gas fields of Greene County, Pa., by R. W. Stone and Frederick G. Clapp. 1906. 110

pp., 3 pis. 

PP 56. Geography and geology, of a portion of southwestern Wyoming, with special reference to

coal and oil, by A. C. Veatch. 1907. pp., 26 pis. 

B 308. A geologic reconnaissance in southwestern Nevada and eastern California, by S. H. Ball. 1907.

218 pp., 3 pis. 

B 309. The Santa Clara Valley, Puente Hills, and Los Angeles oil districts, southern California, by

G. H. Eldridge and Ralph Arnold. 1907. 266 pp., 41 pis. 

B 312. The interaction between minerals and water solutions, with special reference to geologic

phenomena, by E. C. Sullivan. 1907. 69 pp. 

B 313. The granites of Maine, by T. Nelson Dale, with an introduction by G. O. Smith. 1907. pp.,

14 pis. 

B 314. Report of progress of investigations of mineral resources of Alaska in 1906, by A. H. Brooks

and others. 1907. 235pp., 4 pis. 

B 315. Contributions to economic geology, 1906, Part I: Metals and nonmetals, except fuels; S. F.

Emmons and E. C. Eckel, geologists in charge. 1907. 504 pp., 4 pis. 

WS 215. Geology and water resources of a portion of the Missouri River Valley in northeastern

Nebraska, by G. E. Condra. 1908. pp., 11 pis. 

WS 216. Geology and water resources of the Republican River Valley in Nebraska and adjacent

areas, by G. E. Condra. 1907. 71 pp., 13 pis.

SERIES B, DESCRIPTIVE GEOLOGY.

B 23. Observations on the junction between the Eastern sandstone and the Keweenaw series on

Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior, by R. D. Irving and T. C. Chamberlin. 1885. 124 pp., 17

pis. (Out of stock.)

B 33. Notes on geology of northern California, by J. S. Diller. 1886. 23 pp. (Out of stock.) 

B 39. The upper beaches and deltas of Glacial Lake Agassiz, by Warren Upham. 1887. 84 pp., 1 pi,

(Out of stock.) 

B 40. Changes in river courses in Washington Territory due to glaciation, by Bailey Willis. 1887. 10

pp., 4 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 45. The present condition of knowledge of the geology of Texas, by R. T. Hill. 1887. 94 pp. (Out

of stock.)

B 53. The geology of Nantucket, by N. S. Shaler. 1889. 55 pp., 10 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 57. A geological reconnaissance in southwestern Kansas, by Robert Hay. 1890. 49 pp., 2 pis. 

B 58. The glacial boundary in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, by G. F.

Wright, with .introduction by T. C. Chamberlin. 1890. 112 pp., 8 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 67. The relations of the traps of the Newark system in the New Jersey region, by N. H. Darton.

1890. 82pp. (Out of stock.)

B 104. Glaciation of the Yellowstone Valley north of the Park, by W. H. Weed. 1893. 41 pp., 4 pis. 

B 108. A geological reconnaissance in central Washington, by I. C. Russell. 1893. 108 pp., 12 pis.

(Out of stock.)

B 119. A geological reconnaissance in northwest Wyoming, by G. H. Eldridge. 1894. 72 pp., 4 pis. 

B 137. The geology of the Fort Riley Military Reservation and vicinity, Kansas, by Robert Hay. 1896.

35pp., 8 pis. 

B 144. The moraines of the Missouri Coteau and their attendant deposits, by J. E. Todd. 1896. 71

pp., 21 pis. 

B 158. The moraines of southeastern South Dakota and their attendant deposits, by J. E. Todd. 1899.

171 pp., 27 pis. 

B 159. The geology of eastern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, by B. K. Emerson. 1899. 139 pp.,

9 pis. 

B 165. Contributions to the geology of Maine, by H. S. Williams and H. E. Gregory. 1900. 212 pp.,

14 pis. 

WS 70. Geology and water resources of the Patrick and Gosheu Hole quadrangles in eastern Wyoming

and western Nebraska, by G. I. Adams 1902. 50 pp.-, 11 pis. 

B 199. Geology and water resources of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, by I. C.Russell. 1902. 192pp.,,

25 pis.
SERIES LIST. V

PP1. Preliminary report on the Ketchikan mining district, Alaska, with an introductory sketch of

the geology of southeastern Alaska, by A. H. Brooks. 1902. 120 pp., 2 pis. 

PP 2. Reconnaissance of the northwestern portion of Seward Peninsula,Alaska, by A. J. Collier. 1902.

70 pp., 11 pis. 

PP 3. Geology and petrography of Crater Lake National Park, by J. S. Diller and H. B. Patton. 1902.

167pp., 19 pis. 

PP 10. Reconnaissance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, by way of Ball, Kanuti, Alien,

and Kowak rivers, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1902. 68 pp., 10 pis. 

PP 11. Clays of the United States east of the Mississippi River, by Heinrich Ries. 1903. 298 pp., 9 pis.

(Out of stock.)

PP 12. Geology of the Globe copper district, Arizona, by P. L. Ransome. 1903. 168 pp., 27 pis. 

PP 13. Drainage modifications in southeastern Ohio and adjacent parts of West Virginia and Kentucky, by W. G. Tight. 1903. lllpp., 17 pis. (Out of stock.)

B 208. Descriptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portions of California, by J. E. Spurr. 1903. 229 pp., 8 pis. (Out of stock.)

B 209. Geology of Ascutney Mountain, Vermont, by R. A. Daly. 1903. 122 pp., 7 pis. 

WS 78. Preliminary report on artesian basins in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by

I. C. Russell. 1903. 51 pp., 2 pis. 

PP 15. Mineral resources of the Mount Wrangell district, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall and F. C.

Schrader. 1903. 71 pp., 10 pis. 

PP 17. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of Nebraska west of the one hundred

and third meridian, by N. H. Darton. 1903. 69 pp., 43 pis. 

B 217. Notes on the geology of southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by I.C.Russell. 1903.

83 pp., 18 pis.

B 219. The ore deposits of Tonopah, Nevada (preliminary report), by J. E. Spurr. 1903. 31 pp., 1 pi. 

PP 20. A reconnaissance in northern Alaska in 1901, by F. C. Schrader. 1904. 139 pp., 16 pis. 

PP 21. The geology and ore deposits of the Bisbee quadrangle, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1904. 168

pp., 29 pis. 

WS 90. Geology and water resources of part of the lower James River Valley, South Dakota, by J. E.

Todd and C. M. Hall. 1904. 47 pp., 23 pis. 

PP 25. The copper deposits of the Encampment district, Wyoming, by A. C. Spencer. 1904. 107 pp.,

2 pis. (Out of stock.) 

PP 26. Economic resources of the northern Black Hills, by J. D. Irving, with contributions by S. F.

Emmonsand T. A.JaggarJr. 1904. 222 pp., 20 pis. .

PP 27. A geological reconnaissance across the Bitterroot Range and Clearwater Mountains in Montana and Idaho, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1904. 122 pp., 15 pis. 

PP 31. Preliminary report on the geology of the Arbuckle and Wichita mountains in Indian Territory

and Oklahoma, by J. A. Taff, with an appendix on reported ore deposits in the Wichita

Mountains, by H. F. Bain. 1904. 97 pp., 8 pis. 

B 236. A geological reconnaissance across the Cascade Range near the forty-ninth parallel, by G. O.

Smith and F. C. Calkins. 1904. 103 pp.,4 pis.

B 236. The Porcupine placer district, Alaska, by C. W. Wright. 1904.- 35 pp., 10 pis. 

B 237. Igneous rocks of the Highwood Mountains, Montana, by L. V. Pirsson. 1904. 208 pp., 7 pis. 

B238. Economic geology of the lola quadrangle, Kansas, by G. I. Adams, Erasmus Haworth, and

W. R. Crane. 1904. 83 pp., 1 pi. 

PP 32. Geology and underground water resources of the central Great Plains, by N. H. Darton. 1905.

'433 pp., 72 pis. 

WS 110. Contributions to hydrology of eastern United States, 1904; M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge,

1905. 211 pp., 5 pis. 

B 242. Geology of the Hudson Valley between the Hoosic and the Kinderhook, by T. Nelson Dale,

1904. 63 pp., 3 pis. 

PP 34. The Delavan lobe of the Lake Michigan glacier of the WisconsinxStage of glaeiation and

associated phenomena, by W. C. Alden. 1904. 106 pp., 15 pis. 

PP 35. Geology of the Perry Basin in southeastern Maine, by G. O. Smith and David White. 1905.

107pp., 6 pis.

B 243. Cement materials and industry of the United States, by E. C. Eckel. 1905. 395 pp., 15 pis. 

B 246. Zinc and lead deposits of northeastern Illinois, by H. F. Bain. 1904. 56 pp., 5 pis. 

B 247. The Fairhaven gold placers of Seward Peninsula, Alaska, by F. H. Mofflt. 1905. 85 pp., 14 pis. 

B 249. Limestones of southwestern Pennsylvania, by F. G. Clapp. 1905. 52 pp., 7 pis. 

B 250. The petroleum fields of the Pacific coast of Alaska, with an account of the Bering River coal

deposit, by G. C. Martin. 1905. 65 pp., 7 pis. 

B 251. The gold placers of the Fortymile, Birch Creek, and Fairbanks regions, Alaska, by L. M.

Prinale. 1905. 16 pp., 16 pis. 

WS 118. Geology and water resources of a portion of east-central Washington, by F. C. Calkins. 1905.

96pp., 4 pis. 

B 252 Preliminary report on the geology and water resource^ cf central Oregon, by I. C. Russell.

1905. 138 pp., 24 pis.
VI SEEIES LIST.

PP 36. The lead, zinc, and fluorspar deposits of western Kentucky, by E. O. Ulrich and W. S. Tangier

Smith. 1905. 218 pp., 15 pis. 

PP 38. Economic geology of the Bingham mining district of Utah, by J. M. Boutwell, with a chapter

on areal geology, by Arthur Keith, and an introduction on general geology, by S. F.

Ernmons. 1905. 413 pp., 49 pis. 

PP 41. The geology of the central Copper River region, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 133 pp;,

20 pis. 

B 254. Report of progress in the geological resurvey of the Cripple Creek district, Colorado, by

Waldemar Lindgren and F. L. Ransome. 1904. 36 pp. 

B 255. The fluorspar deposits of southern Illinois, by H. Foster Bain. 1905. 75 pp., 6 pis. (Out of

stock.) 

B 256. Mineral resources of the Elders Ridge quadrangle, Pennsylvania, by R. W. Stone. 1905. 85 pp.,

12 pis. 

B 257. Geology and paleontology of the Judith River beds, by T. W. Stanton and J. B. Hatcher, with.

a chapter on the fossil plants, by F. H. Knowlton. 1905. 174 pp., 19 pis.

PP 42. Geology of the Tonopah mining district, Nevada, by J. E. Spurr. 1905. 295 pp., 24 pis. 

WS 123. Geology and underground water conditions of the Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, by

C. R. Keyes. 1905. 42 pp., 9 pis. (Out of stock.)

WS 136. Underground waters of Salt River Valley, Arizona, by W. T. Lee. 1905. 194 pp., 24 pis. 

PP 43. The copper deposits ef Clifton-Morenci, Arizona, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1905. 375 pp., 25 pis. 

B 205. Geology of the Boulder district, Colorado, by N. M. Fenneman. 1905. 101 pp., 5 pis. 

B 267. The copper deposits of Missouri, by H. F. Bain and E. O. Ulrich. 1905. 52 pp., 1 pi. 

PP 44. Underground water resources of Long Island, New York, by A. C. Veatch and others. 1905.

394 pp., 34 pis.

WS 148. Geology and water resources of Oklahoma, by C. N. Gould. 1905. 178 pp., 22 pis. 

B 270. The configuration of the rock floor of Greater New York, by W. H. Hobbs. 1905. 96 pp., 5 pis. 

B 272. Taconic physiography, by T. M. Dale. 1905. 52 pp., 14 pis. 

PP 45. The geography and geology of Alaska, a summary of existing knowledge, by A. H. Brooks,

with a section on climate, by Cleveland Abbe, jr., and a topographic map and description

thereof, by R. V. Goode. 1905. 327 pp., 34 pis. 

B 273. The drumlins of southeastern Wisconsin (preliminary paper), by W. C. Alden. 1905. 46 pp.,

9 pis. 

PP 46. Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, by

A. C. Veatch. 1906. 422 pp., 51 pis. 

PP 49. Geology and mineral resources of part of the Cumberland Gap coal field, Kentucky, by G. H.

Ashley and L. C. Glenn, in cooperation with the State Geological Department of Kentucky,

C. J. Norwood, curator. 1906. 239 pp., 40 pis.

PP 50. The Montana lobe of the Keewatin ice sheet, by F. H. H. Calhoun. 1906. 02 pp., 7 pis. 

B 277. Mineral resources of Kenai peninsula, Alaska: Gold fields of the Turnagain Arm region, by

F. H. Mofflt; and the coal fields of the Kachemak Bay region, by R. W. Stone. 1906. 80 pp.,

18 pis. (Out. of stock.) 

WS 154. The geology and water resources of the eastern portion of the Panhandle of Texas, by C. N.

Gould. 1900. 64 pp., 15 pis. 

B 278. Geology and coal resources of the Cape Lisburne region, Alaska, by A. J. Collier. X906. 54pp.,

9 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 279. Mineral resources of the Kittanning and Rural Valley quadrangles, Pennsylvania, by Charles

Butts. 1906. 198 pp., 11 pis. 

B 280. The Rampart gold placer region, Alaska, by L. M. Prindle and F. L. Hess. 1906. 54 pp., 7 pis.

(Out of stock.)

B 282. Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain, by N. M. Fenneman. 1906. 146 pp., 11 pis. 

WS 157. Underground water in the valleys of Utah Lake and Jordan River, Utah, by G. B. Richardson. 1906. 81 pp., 9 pis.

PP 51. Geology of the Bighorn Mountains, by N. H. Darton. 1906. 129 pp., 47 pis. 

WS 158. Preliminary report on the geology and underground waters of the Roswell artesian area,

New Mexico, by C. A. Fisher. 1906. 29 pp., 9 pis. 

PP 52. Geology and underground waters of the Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado, by N. H.

Darton. 1906. 90pp., 28 pis. 

WS 159. Summary of underground-water resources of Mississippi, by A. F. Crider and L. C. Johnson.

1906. 86 pp., 6 pis. 

PP 53. Geology and water resources of the Bighorn basin, Wyoming, by C. A. Fisher. 1906. 72 pp.

16 pis.

B 283. Geology and mineral resources of Mississippi, by A. F. Crider. 1906. 99 pp., 4 pis. 

B 286. Economic geology of the Beaver quadrangle, Pennsylvania (southern Beaver and northwestern Allegheny counties), by L. H. Woolsey. 1906. 132 pp., 8 pis. 

B 287. The Juneau gold belt, Alaska, by A. C. Spencer, and a reconnaissance of Admiralty Island,

Alaska, by C. W. Wright. 1906. 161 pp., 37 pis. 

PP 54. The geology and gold deposits of the Cripple Creek district, Colorado, by W. Lindgren and

F. L. Ransoine. 1906. 516 pp., 29 pis.
SEEIES LIST. VII

PP 55. Ore deposits of the Silver Peak quadrangle, Nevada, by J. E. Spun. 1906. 174 pp., 24 pis.

B 289. A reconnaissance of the Matanuska coal field, Alaska, in 1905, by G. C. Martin. 1906. 36 pp.,

5 pis. 

WS 164. Underground waters of Tennessee and Kentucky west of Tennessee River and of an adjacent

area in Illinois, by L. C. Glenn. 1906. 173pp., 7 pis. 

B 293. Reconnaissance of some gold and tin deposits of the southern Appalachians, by L. C. Graton,

with notes on the Dahlonega mines, by W. Lindgren. 1906. 134 pp., 9 pis.

B 294. Zinc and lead deposits of the upper Mississippi Valley, by H. Foster Bain. 1906. 155pp., 16 pis. 

B 295. The Yukon-Tanana region, Alaska, description of Circle quadrangle, by L. M. Prindle. 1906.

27 pp., 1 pi. 

B 296. Economic geology of the Independence quadrangle, Kansas, by Frank C. Schrader and

Erasmus Haworth. 1906. 74 pp., 6 pis. 

WS 181. Geology and water resources of Owens Valley, California, by Willis T. Lee. 1906. 28 pp.r

6 pis.

B 297. The Yampa coal field, Routt County, Colo., by N. M. Fenneman, Hoyt S. Gale, and M. R. Campbell. 1906. 96 pp., 9 pis. 

B 300. Economic geology of the Amity quadrangle in eastern Washington County, Pa., by F. G,

Clapp. 1906. 145 pp., 8 pis. 

B 303. Preliminary account of Goldfield, Bullfrog, and other mining districts in southern Nevada, by

F. L. Ransome; with notes on the Manhattan district, by G. H. Garrey and W. H. Emmons.

1907. 98 pp., 5 pis. 

B 304. Oil and gas fields of Greene County, Pa., by Ralph W. Stone and Frederick G. Clapp. 1906,

110 pp., 3 pis. 

WS 188. Water resources of the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico and their development, by W. T,

Lee. 1906. 59pp., 10 pis. 

B 306. Rate of recession of Niagara Falls, by G. K. Gilbert, accompanied by a report on the survey

of the crest, by W. Carvel Hall. 1906. 31 pp., 11 pis. 

PP 56. Geography and geology of a portion of southwestern Wyoming, with special reference to coal

and oil, by A. C. Veatch. 1907. pp., 26 pis. 

B 308. A geologic reconnaissance in southwestern Nevada and eastern California, by S. H. Ball. 1907.

218pp., 3 pis. 

B 309. The Santa Clara Valley, Puente Hills, and Los Angeles oil districts, southern California, by

G. H. Eldridge and Ralph Arnold. 1907. 266 pp., 41 pis. 

PP 57. Geology of the Marysville mining district, Montana, a study of igneous intrusion and contact

metamorphism, by Joseph Barrell. 1907. 178 pp., 16 pis. 

WS 191. The geology and water resources of the western portion of the Panhandle of Texas, by C. N.

Gould. 1907. 70 pp., 7 pis. 

B 311. The green schists and associated granites and porphyries of Rhode Island, by B. K. Emerson

and J. H. Perry. 1907. 74 pp., 2 pis. 

WS 195. Underground waters of Missouri, their geology and utilization, by Edward Shepard. 1907.

224 pp., 6 pis. 

WS 199. Underground water in Sanpete and central Sevier valleys, Utah, by G. B. Richardson; 1907.

63 pp., 6 pis. 

WS 215. Geology and water resources of a portion of the Missouri River Valley in northeastern

Nebraska, by G. E. Condra. 1908. pp., 11 pis. 

WS 216. Geology and water resources of the Republican River Valley in Nebraska and adjacent areas,

by G. E. Condra. 1907. 71 pp., 13 pis.

SERIES M, GENERAL HYDROGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS.

WS 56. Methods of stream measurement. 1901. 51pp., 12 pis.

WS 64. Accuracy of stream measurements, by E. C. Murphy. 1902. 99 pp., 4 pis.

WS 76. Observations on the flow of rivers in the vicinity of New York City, by H. A. Pressey. 1902,

108 pp., 13 pis.

WS 80. The relation of rainfall to run-off, by G. W. Rafter. 1903. 104 pp. 

WS 81. California hydrography, by J. B. Lippincott. 1903. 488 pp., 1 pi. 

WS 88. The Passaic flood of 1902, by G. B. Hollister and M. O. Leighton. 1903. 56 pp., 15 pis. 

WS 91. Natural features and economic development of the Sandusky, Maumee, Muskingum, and

Miami drainage areas in Ohio, by B. H. Flynn and M. S. Flynn. 1904. 130pp. 

WS 92. The Passaic flood of 1903, by M. O. Leighton. 1904. 48 pp., 7 pis. 

WS 94. Hydrographic manual of the United States Geological Survey, prepared by E. C. Murphy,

J. C. Hoyt, and G. B. Hollister. 1904. 76 pp., 3 pis. (Out of stock.)

WS 95. Accuracy of stream measurements (second edition), by E. C. Murphy. 1904. 169pp., 6 pis. 

WS 96. Destructive floods in the United States in 1903, by E. C. Murphy. 1904. 81 pp., 13 pis. 

WS 106. Water resources of the Philadelphia district, by Florence Bascom. 1904. 75 pp., 4 pis. 

WS 109. Hydrography of the Susquehanna River drainage basin, by J. C« Hoyt and R. H. Anderson.

1904. 215 pp., 28 pis. 

WS 116. Water resources near Santa Barbara, California, by J. B. Lippincott. 1904. 99 pp., 8 pis.
VIII SERIES LIST.

WS 147. Destructive floods in the United States in 1904, by E. C. Murphy and others. 1905. 206 pp.,

18 pis. 

WS 150. Weir experiments, coefficients, and formulas, by R. E. Horton. 1906. 189 pp., 38 pis. (Out

of stock.) 

WS 162. Destructive floods in the United States in 1905, by E. C. Murphy and others. 1906. 105 pp.,

4 pis. 

WS 180. Turbine water-wheel tests and power tables, by Robert E. Horton. 1906. 134 pp., 2 pis. (Out

of stock.) 

WS 187. Determination of stream flow during the frozen season, by H. K. Barrows and Robert E.

Horton. 1907. 93 pp., 1 pi. 

WS 192. The Potomac River basin: Geographic history rainfall and stream flow pollution, typhoid

fever, and character of water relation of soils and forest cover to quality and quantity of

surface water effect of industrial wastes on fishes, by H. N. Parker, Bailey Willis, R. H.

Bolster, W. W. Ashe, and M. C. Marsh. 1907. 364 pp., 10 pis. 

WS 196. Water supply of Nome region, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 1906, by J. C. Hoyt and F. F. Henshaw. 1907. 52 pp., 6 pis. (Out of stock.)

WS 197. Water resources of Georgia, by B. M. and M. R. Hall. 1907. 342 pp., 1 pi. 

WS 198. Water resources of Kennelrec River basin, Maine, by H K. Barrows, with a section on the

quality of Kennebec River water, by George C. Whipple. 1907. pp., 7 pis. 

WS 200. Weir experiments, coefficients, and formulas (second edition), by Robert E. Horton. 1907.

195 pp.

WS 215. Geology and water resources of a portion of the Missouri River Valley in northeastern Nebraska, by G. E. Condra. 1908. pp., pis. 

WS 216. Geology and water resources of the Republican River Valley and adjacent areas, Nebraska,

by G. E. Condra. 1907. 71 pp., 13 pis.

SERIES O, UNDERGROUND WATERS.

WS 4. A reconnaissance in southeastern Washington, by I. C. Russell. 1897. 96 pp., 7 pis. (Out of

stock.) 

WS 6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by Erasmus Haworth. 1897. 65 pp., 12 pis.

(Out of stock.)

WS 7. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier. 1897. 50pp., 3 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 12. Underground waters of southeastern Nebraska, by N. H. Darton. 1898. 56 pp., 21 pis. (Out

of stock.)

WS 21. Wells of northern Indiana, by Frank Leverett. 1899. 82 pp., 2 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 26. Wells of southern Indiana (continuation of No. 21), by Frank Leverett. 1899. 64 pp. (Out

of stock.) 

WS 30. Water resources of the lower peninsula of Michigan, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp., 7 pis. (Out

of stock.)

WS 31. Lower Michigan mineral waters, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp.,4 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 34. Geology and water resources of a portion of southeastern South Dakota, by J. E. Todd. 1900.

34 pp., 19 pis. 

WS 53. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Pt. I, by I. C, Russell. 1901.

86 pp., 10 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 54. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Pt. II, by I. C. Russell. 1901.

87-141 pp. (Out of stock.) 

WS 55. Geology and water resources of a portion of Yakima County, Wash., by G. O. Smith. 1901.

68 pp., 7 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 57. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, Pt. I, by N. H. Darton. 1902. 60 pp.

(Out of stock.) 

WS 59. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. I, by J. B. Lippincott. 1902.

95 pp., 11 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 60. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. II, by J. B. Lippincott.

1902. 96-140 pp. (Out of stock.) 

WS 61. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, Pt. II, by N. H. Darton. 1902. 67 pp.

(Out of stock.)

WS 67. The motions of underground waters, by C. 8. Slichter. 1902. 106 pp., 8 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 199. Geology and water resources of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, by I. C. Russell. 1902. 192

pp., 25 pis.

WS 77. Water resources of Molokai, Hawaiian Islands, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1903. 62 pp., 4 pis. 

WS 78. Preliminary report on artesian basins in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by I. C.

Russell. 1903. 53 pp., 2 pis. 

PP 17. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of Nebraska west of the one hundred

and third meridian, by N. H. Darton. 1903. 69 pp., 43 pis. 

WS 90. Geology and water resources of a part of the lower James River Valley, South Dakota, by

J.K. Todd and C. M. Hall. 1904. 47pp., 23 pis.
SERIES LIST. IX

WS 101. Underground waters of southern Louisiana, by G. D. Harris, with discussions or tneir uses for

water supplies and for rice irrigation, by M. L. Fuller. 1904. 98 pp., 11 pis.

WS 102. Contributions to the hydrology of eastern United States, 1903, by M. L. Fuller. 1904. 522 pp. 

WS 104. Underground waters of Gila Valley, Arizona, by W. T. Lee. 1904. 71 pp., 5 pis. 

WS 106. Water resources of the Philadelphia district, by Florence Bascom. 1904. 75pp., 4 pis. 

WS 110. Contributions to the hydrology of eastern United States, 1904; M. L. Fuller, geologist in

charge. 1904. 211pp., 5 pis. 

PP 32. Geology and underground water resources of the central Great Plains, by N. H. Barton. 1904.

433 pp., 72 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 111. Preliminary report on underground waters of Washington, by Henry Landes. 1904. 86 pp.,

Ipl. 

WS 112. Underflow tests in the drainage basin of Los Angeles River, by .Homer Hamlin. 1904.

55pp., 7 pis. 

WS 114. Underground waters of eastern United States, by M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge. 1904.

2S5 pp., 18 pis. 

WS 118. Geology and water resources of east-central Washington, by F. C. Calkins. 1905. 96 pp.,

4 pis. 

B 252. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of central Oregon, by I. C. Russell.

1905. 138pp., 24 pis. 

WS 120. Bibliographic review and index of papers relating to underground waters, published by the

United States Geological Survey, 1879-1904, by M. L. Fuller. 1905. 128 pp. 

WS 122. Relation of the law to underground waters, by D. W. Johnson. 1905. 55 pp. 

WS 123. Geology and underground water conditions of the Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, by

C. R. Keyes. 1905. 42 pp., 9 pis. (Out of stock.)

WS 136. Underground waters of the Salt River Valley, by W. T. Lee. 1905. 194 pp., 24 pis. 

B 264. Record of deep-well drilling for 1904, by M. L. Fuller, E. F. Lines, and A. C. Veatch. 1905.

106pp. 

PP 44. Underground water resources of Long Island, New York, by A. C. Veatch and others. 1905.

394pp., 34 pis. 

WS 137. Development of underground waters in the eastern coastal plain region of southern California.

by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 140 pp., 7 pis. 

WS 138. Development of underground waters in the central coastal plain region of southern California,

by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 162 pp., 5 pis. 

WS 139. Development of underground waters in the western coastal plain region of southern California,

by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 105 pp., 7 pis. 

WS 140. Field measurements of the rate of movement of underground waters, by C. S. Slichter. 1905,

122pp., 15 pis.

WS 141. Observations on the ground waters of Rio Grande Valley, by C. S. Slichter. 1905. 83pp. 5 pis. 

WS 142. Hydrology of San Bernardino Valley, California, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 124 pp., 13 pis. 

WS 145. Contributions to the hydrology of eastern United States; M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge,

1905. 220 pp., 6 pis.

WS 148. Geology and water resources of Oklahoma, by C. N. Gould. 1905. 178 pp., 22 pis. 

WS 149. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, second edition, with additions, by

N. H. Darton. 1905. 175 pp. 

PP 46. Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, by

A. C. Veatch. 1906. 422 pp., 51 pis. 

WS 153. The underflow in Arkansas Valley in western Kansas, by C. S. Slichter. 1906. 90 pp., 3 pis.

(Out of stock.) 

WS 154. The geology and water resources of the eastern portion of the Panhandle of Texas, by C. N.

Gould. 1906. 64 pp., 15 pis. 

WS 155. Fluctuations of the water level in wells, with special reference ,to Long Island, New York,

by A. C. Veatch. 1906. 83pp., 9 pis. 

WS 157. Underground water in the valleys of Utah Lake and Jordan River, Utah, by G. B. Richardson.

1906. 81 pp., 9 pis. 

WS 158. Preliminary report on the geology and underground waters of the Roswell artesian area,

New Mexico, by C. A. Fisher. 1906. 29 pp., 9 pis. 

PP 52. Geology and underground waters of the Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado, by N. H. Darton.

1906. 90 pp., 28 pis. 

WS 159. Summary of underground-water resources of Mississippi, by A. F. Crider and L. C. Johnson.

1906. 86pp., 6 pis. 

PP 53. Geology and water resources of the Bighorn basin, Wyoming, by C. A. Fisher. 1906. 72 pp.,

16 pis.

WS 160. Underground-water papers, 1906, by M. L. Fuller. 1906. 104 pp., 1 pi. (Out of stock.) 

WS 163. Bibliographic review and index of underground-water literature published in the United

States in 1905, by M. L. Fuller, F. G. Clapp, and B. L. Johnson. 1906. 130 pp.

WS 164. Underground waters of Tennessee and Kentucky west of Tennessee River and of an adjacent area in Illinois, by L. C. Glenn. 1906. 173 pp., 7 pis.

3692 IRE 216 07 6
X SEEIES LIST,

WS 181. Geology and water resources of Owens Valley, California, by W. T. Lee. 1906. 28 pp., 6 pis.

(Out of stock.)

WS 182. Plowing wells and municipal water supplies in the southern portion of the southern peninsula of Michigan, by Frank Leverett and others. 1906. 292pp., 5 pis. 

WS 183. Plowing wells and municipal water supplies in the middle and northern portions of the

southern peninsula of Michigan, by Frank Leverett and others. 1906. 393 pp., 5 pis. 

B 298. Record of deep-well drilling for 1905, by M. L. Puller and Samuel Sanford. 1906. 299 pp. 

WS 184. The underflow of the South Platte Valley, by C. S. Slichter and H. C. Wolffl. 1906. 42 pp. 

WS 188. Water resources of the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico and their development, by

W. T. Lee. 1906. 59 pp., 10 pis.

WS 190. Underground waters of coastal plain of Texas, by T. U Taylor. 1907. 73 pp., 3 pis. 

WS 191. Geology and water resources of the western portion of the Panhandle of Texas, by C. N.

Gould. 1907. 70 pp., 7 pis. 

WS 195. Underground waters of Missouri; their geology and utilization, by Edward Shepard. 1907.

224 pp., 6 pis. 

WS 199. Underground water in Sanpete and central Sevier valleys, Utah, by G. B. Richardson,

1907. 63 pp., 6 pis. 

WS 215. Geology and water resources of a portion of the Missouri River Valley in northeastern

Nebraska, by G. E. Condra. 1908. pp., pis. 

WS 216. Geology and water resources of the Republican River Valley and adjacent areas, Nebr

by G. E. Condra. 1907. 71 pp., 13 pis. 

The following papers also relate to this subject: Underground waters of Arkansas Valley in eastern 

Colorado, by G. K. Gilbert, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Preliminary report on artesian waters of a 

portion of the Dakotas, by N. H. Darton, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water resources of Illinois, 

by Prank Leverett, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water resources of Indiana and Ohio, by Prank 

.Leverett, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV; New developments in well boring and irrigation in eastern 

South Dakota, by N. H. Darton, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV; Rock waters of Ohio, by Edward 

Orton, in Nineteenth Annual, Pt. IV; Artesian-well prospects in the Atlantic coastal plain region, by 

N. H. Darton, Bulletin No. 138.

Correspondence should be addressed to

THE DIRECTOR,

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

AUGUST, 1907.

o