Printed on recycled paper

Potentiometric Surface for the Sparta-Memphis Aquifer

in Arkansas, 2011

By

T.P. Schrader

2014

94° 93° 92°

91°

90°

36°

35°

34°

94°

93°

92°

91°

90°

36°

35°

34°

CLAY

GREENE

MISSISSIPPI CRAIGHEAD

JACKSON

POINSETT

WHITE CROSS CRITTENDEN

WOODRUFF

ST. FRANCIS

LEE

PRAIRIE

MONROE

PULASKI

SALINE

LONOKE

HOT SPRING

GRANT

JEFFERSON

ARKANSAS

PHILLIPS

CLARK

DALLAS

CLEVELAND LINCOLN

DESHA

DREW

CHICOT

ASHLEY

CALHOUN BRADLEY

NEVADA OUACHITA

MILLER

LAFAYETTE

COLUMBIA

UNION

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

m

NOTE: The potentiometric contours are generalized

to portray synoptically the head in a dynamic hydrologic

system, not taking into account the variation in well

depth, nonsimultaneous measurements of water level,

variable effects of pumping, and changing climatic

influence. The potentiometric contour may not conform

exactly with individual measurements of water level.

Area of outcrop of the Sparta Sand (modified from Hosman, 1982; 

 Hosman and others, 1968)

Zone of transition where Cane River Formation of Claiborne

 Group or equivalents change facies from clay to sand—Marks 

 southern limit of Memphis aquifer (Hosman and others, 1968)

Cone of depression and other areas of reduced water level

Western limit of the Sparta-Memphis aquifer

Potentiometric contour—Shows altitude at which water level

 would have stood in tightly cased wells. Dashed where

 approximately located. Hachures indicate depression. Contour

 interval 20 feet. Datum is National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

Direction of groundwater flow

Observation well completed in Sparta-Memphis aquifer—

 Measurement made in spring 2011. Value is water-level altitude.

 Datum is National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929. Letters,

 when present, represent hydrographs in figure 5

EXPLANATION

100

L 76

m

TENNESSEE

MISSISSIPPI

ARKANSAS

LOUISIANA

MISSOURI

TEXAS

ARKANSAS

0 10 20 30 40 MILES

0 10 20 30 40 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 15

North American Datum of 1927

Prepared in cooperation with the

Arkansas Natural Resources Commission 

and the

Arkansas Geological Survey

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5044

Potentiometric surface for the Sparta-Memphis aquifer, 2011—PLATE 1

Schrader, T.P., 2013, Water levels and water-quality in the Sparta-Memphis aquifer

(Middle Claiborne aquifer) in Arkansas, spring–summer 2011

1

36

52 31 -9

-5

33

11

87

83

57 48

63

61

63

66

84 69 44

79

98

90

60

86 80 92

87

21

32

46

27

19

17 11

80

50

67 34 76

52

48

80

61

77

52

46

52

60

60

70

55

76

59

78

48 86

83

69 53

-9 19

88

22

28

91 55

42

2033 31 41

96 77

87

54

52

72

64

64

40

38 33

33

22

29

58

40

47

77

52

76

55

79

64

78

78

38 65

51

41

86

37

37

29 36

33 41

36

87

86

32

42

22

34 29

36

40

60

50

41 30

36 39

39 64

136

185

147

154

142

138

180 163

150

-10

-98

-95 -91

-61 -79

-88

-24

-24

-71

-74

-95 -76

-62 -16

-42

-40

154

139

139 142

144

112

103

103

129

121

115

150

141 141

145

149 129

143

137

138

137

135

164

169 133 143

140

-40

192

141

229

119123

187

192

210

193 167

275

108

202 105

105

125 165

126

130

155

166

159

142

123

303

208

137 133

134

152

136

153

129

116

102

141

204

210

238

227

238

210 261

-16

-22

-12

-37

-52 -55

-15

140 107

218

216

222 208

190

176

176

326 231

252 238

239 120

253

224

127

233 212

296 217

153

139 147150

140 176

155

191

175

211 185

211

232

206

212

198

155

164

199

199

194

197

111

191

185

214

207

156

100

101

-120

130

63

158

42

30 32

-5

-104

1

1

36

52 31 -9

-5

33

11

87

83

57 48

63

61

63

66

84 69 44

79

98

90

60

86 80 92

87

21

32

46

27

19

17 11

80

50

67 34 76

52

48

80

61

77

52

46

52

60

60

70

55

76

59

78

48 86

83

69 53

-9 19

88

22

28

91 55

42

2033 31 41

96 77

87

54

52

72

64

64

40

38 33

33

22

29

58

40

47

77

52

76

55

79

64

78

78

38 65

51

41

86

37

37

29 36

33 41

36

87

86

32

42

22

34 29

36

40

60

50

41 30

36 39

39 64

136

185

147

154

142

138

180 163

150

-10

-98

-95 -91

-61 -79

-88

-24

-24

-71

-74

-95 -76

-62 -16

-42

-40

154

139

139 142

144

112

103

103

129

121

115

150

141 141

145

149 129

143

137

138

137

135

164

169 133 143

140

-40

192

141

229

119123

187

192

210

193 167

275

108

202 105

105

125 165

126

130

155

166

159

142

123

303

208

137 133

134

152

136

153

129

116

102

141

204

210

238

227

238

210 261

-16

-22

-12

-37

-52 -55

-15

140 107

218

216

222 208

190

176

176

326 231

252 238

239 120

253

224

127

233 212

296 217

153

139 147150

140 176

155

191

175

211 185

211

232

206

212

198

155

164

199

199

194

197

111

191

185

214

207

156

100

101

-120

130

63

158

42

30

32

-5

-104

!

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

! ! !

!

! !

!

!

!

! !

! !

!

!

!

!

!

! !

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!!

!

!

!

! ! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

! !

! ! !

!!

! !

!

!

!! ! !!!

!

! !

!!

!

!

!

!!!

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

! !

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!! ! ! !

!

!

!

!! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!! !!!

! !

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

! !

!

! !

!

!

!

!!

!

!

! !

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!! ! !

!

!

!

!

! !

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! ! !!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

!

! !

!

!

!

!

! ! !

!

!! !! !

!

! !

!

!

!

!

! !!

!

! !

!

!

! !

!

!

!

! !

! !!

! ! !

! !

!

!

!

!!

!

!

!

!

!

80

140

60

120

100

40

0

20

180

200

220

-20

240

-40

-60

260

-80

300

280

-100

-20

40

200

140

300

-40

60

240

60

280

20

200

160

280

0

200

40

220

260

0

180

160

220

20

180

240

160

240

260

0

0

-120

320 40

120

100

60

180

260 240

220

220

160

60

180

220

G

T

X

P

C

M

E

D

K

F

N

O

Q

R

A

B

L

U

W

S

Y

V

J

H

I