Abstract 

In Nebraska, the water managers in the Natural Resources Districts and the Nebraska 

Department of Natural Resources are concerned with the effect of ground-water withdrawal on the availability of surface water and the long-term effects of ground-water 

withdrawal on ground- and surface-water resources. In north-central Nebraska, in the 

Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, ground water is used for irrigation, domestic supply, and 

public supply; surface water is used in this area for irrigation, recreation, and hydropower 

production. In recognition of these sometimes competing ground- and surface-water uses 

in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Lewis and Clark 

Natural Resources District, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, the Lower 

Loup Natural Resources District, the Lower Niobrara Natural Resources District, the 

Lower Platte North Natural Resources District, the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources 

District, the Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District, and the Upper Loup Natural 

Resources District agreed to cooperatively study water resources in the Elkhorn and Loup 

River Basins. The goals of the overall study were to construct and calibrate a regional 

ground-water flow model of the area and to use that flow model as a tool to assess current and future effects of ground-water irrigation on stream base flow and to help develop 

long-term water-resource management strategies for this area, hereafter referred to as the 

Elkhorn-Loup model area. 

The Elkhorn-Loup model area covers approximately 30,800 square miles, and extends 

from the Niobrara River in the north to the Platte River in the south. The western boundary of the Elkhorn-Loup model area coincides with the western boundary of the Middle 

Niobrara, Twin Platte, and Upper Loup Natural Resources Districts; the eastern boundary coincides with the approximate location of the western extent of glacial till in eastern 

Nebraska. The principal aquifer in most of the Elkhorn-Loup model area is the High 

Plains aquifer; the principal aquifer in the remaining part of the Elkhorn-Loup model 

area is an unnamed alluvial aquifer. The upper surface of the geologic units that directly 

underlie the aquifer is called the “base of aquifer” in this report. The geologic unit that 

forms the base of aquifer in the Elkhorn-Loup model area varies by location. The Tertiary-age Brule Formation generally is the base of aquifer in the west; the Cretaceous-age 

Pierre Shale generally is the base of aquifer in the east. 

The purpose of this report is to update the altitude and configuration of the base of 

the principal aquifer in the Elkhorn-Loup model area and a 2-mile buffer area around the 

Elkhorn-Loup model area, using base-of-aquifer data from test holes, registered water 

wells, and oil and gas wells within the Elkhorn-Loup model area and a 20-mile buffer area 

around the Elkhorn-Loup model area that have become available since the publication of 

earlier maps of the base of aquifer for this area. The base-of-aquifer map is important for 

the Elkhorn-Loup ground-water flow model because it defines the model’s lower boundary. The accuracy of the Elkhorn-Loup ground-water flow model and the accuracy of the 

model’s predictions about the effects of ground-water irrigation on stream base flow are 

directly related to the accuracy of the model’s lower boundary. 

Introduction

In Nebraska, the water managers in the Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) and the 

Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR) are concerned with the effect of 

ground-water withdrawal on the availability of surface water and the long-term effects 

of ground-water withdrawal on ground- and surface-water resources. In north-central 

Nebraska, in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, ground water is used for irrigation, 

domestic supply, and public supply and surface water is used for irrigation, recreation, 

and hydropower production. In addition, outflows of the Elkhorn and Loup Rivers merge 

with the Platte River near Waterloo, Nebraska, and Columbus, Nebraska, respectively, and 

support in-stream flow appropriations, such as Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 

In-Stream Appropriation, A-17331 (Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 2008). 

Outflows from the Elkhorn and Loup Rivers also supply recharge to the Platte River 

alluvial aquifer for large downstream municipal water systems that pump ground water 

near and below the Platte River to supply Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. Further, newly 

adopted State of Nebraska legislation requires a sustainable balance between long-term 

water supplies and uses for ground- and surface-water users (Nebraska Department of 

Natural Resources, 2007b). In recognition of sometimes competing ground- and surfacewater uses in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the 

Lewis and Clark NRD, the Lower Elkhorn NRD, the Lower Loup NRD, the Lower Niobrara NRD, the Lower Platte North NRD, the Middle Niobrara NRD, the Upper Elkhorn 

NRD, and the Upper Loup NRD agreed to cooperatively study water resources in these 

basins, hereafter referred to as the Elkhorn-Loup model (ELM) area. The overall goals 

of the ELM study were to construct and calibrate a regional ground-water flow model 

of the area and to use that flow model as a tool to assess current and future effects of 

ground-water irrigation on stream base flow and to help develop long-term water-resource 

management strategies for the ELM area. The ELM area covers approximately 30,800 

square miles, and extends from the Niobrara River in the north to the Platte River in the 

south (See map at left). The western boundary coincides with the western boundary of the 

Middle Niobrara, Twin Platte, and Upper Loup NRDs, and the eastern boundary coincides 

with the approximate location of the western extent of glacial till in eastern Nebraska 

(University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007a). 

The purpose of this report is to update the altitude and configuration of the base of 

principal aquifer in the ELM area and a 2-mile buffer area around the ELM area using 

data that have become available in the ELM area and a 20-mile buffer area around the 

ELM area since earlier maps of the base of aquifer for this area were published (University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 1979; Pettijohn and Chen, 

1983; Gutentag and others, 1984; Cooperative Hydrology Study, 2006a). The base-ofaquifer map is important for the ELM ground-water flow model because it defines the 

lower boundary of the model. The accuracy of the ELM ground-water flow model and the 

accuracy of the model’s predictions about the effects of ground-water irrigation on stream 

base flow are directly related to the accuracy of the model’s lower boundary. 

In a small area along the northeastern border of the ELM area, the principal aquifer is 

an unnamed alluvial aquifer, which is composed of Quaternary-age deposits of alluvium 

(See Index Map). Elsewhere, the principal aquifer is the High Plains aquifer, which is 

composed of the following geologic units:

•	 Quaternary-age deposits of alluvium and valley-fill deposits, eolian sand, and loess;

•	 Broadwater Formation of Tertiary age;

•	 Ogallala Group of Tertiary age;

•	 Arikaree Group of Tertiary age; and

•	 Brule Formation of Tertiary age, where the Brule Formation is fractured (Gutentag

and others, 1984). Although the fractured part of the Brule Formation is considered 

part of the High Plains aquifer, the presence and extent of fracturing in the Brule

Formation has not been compiled in most of the ELM area. Therefore, the 

fractured part of the Brule Formation was not included in the aquifer for this 

report. 

The geologic units that form the base of aquifer in the ELM area vary by location and 

are listed below:

•	 Brule Formation of the White River Group of Tertiary age, where it is not fractured. 

But because the presence and extent of fractures in the Brule Formation have not

been compiled in most of the ELM area, the top of the Brule Formation, where

present, was considered the base of the aquifer for this report; 

•	 Chadron Formation of the White River Group of Tertiary age;

•	 Pierre Shale of Cretaceous age; and

•	 Niobrara Formation of the Colorado Group of Cretaceous age.

The Brule Formation generally is the base of aquifer in the west; whereas in the east it 

is the Pierre Shale (Bentall and others, 1971; Dreeszen and others, 1973; Burchett and others, 1975; Pettijohn and Chen, 1983; Burchett and others, 1988; Eversoll and others, 1988; 

Diffendal, 1991; University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 

1996; and Souders, 2000). 

Methods

The base-of-aquifer altitude in the ELM area and in the surrounding 2 miles was 

compiled by first assembling the current (1979 to 2006) maps of the base of aquifer, the 

base of the Ogallala Group, and the top of the uppermost Cretaceous units in the ELM 

area, and depth to the geologic units that form the base of aquifer from available data 

for test holes, NDNR registered water wells, and oil and gas wells in the ELM area and 

the surrounding 20 miles. Then 10-meter land-surface altitude data for the ELM area 

were acquired in raster form to determine land-surface altitude at each test hole and well 

location using a consistent method. The 10-meter land-surface altitude at the test hole 

and well location was used to assess the accuracy of the test hole and well location and, 

for most wells, to calculate the altitude of the base of aquifer. For the remaining wells 

and test holes, the land-surface altitude from the test-hole database or from the testhole-paper files was used to calculate the altitude of the base of aquifer (University of 

Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007b; data in files at University 

of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007). 

The base-of-aquifer altitude data at locations of test holes, NDNR registered water 

wells, and oil and gas wells, and selected parts of previously published maps of the base 

of aquifer were input to a geographic information system (GIS). To construct initial contours of the base-of-aquifer altitude, a GIS function (topogrid) was applied (Environmental Systems Research Institute, 1992). The computer-generated contours were modified 

manually within the GIS to better reflect that the base-of-aquifer surface configuration 

was shaped by natural processes; the paleodrainage patterns indicated in the previously 

published maps were used to guide the manual modifications. The altitude of the surface 

represented by the base-of-aquifer contours was digitally compared within the GIS to the 

land-surface altitude to identify areas where the base-of-aquifer contours needed to be 

adjusted because the representation of the base-of-aquifer surface intersected the land surface, which likely means the principal aquifer is not present or is very thin. This occurred 

primarily in the eastern part of the Niobrara River valley. After the revised base- of-aquifer contours were reviewed, the contours again were modified manually within the GIS to 

incorporate changes suggested by peer reviewers. 

The previously published maps of the base of aquifer that were considered during compilation were maps of the base of the principal aquifer in Nebraska (University 

of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 1979), the base of the High 

Plains aquifer (Pettijohn and Chen, 1983; Gutentag and others, 1984; Cederstrand and 

Becker, 1999), and the base of aquifer in the Platte River Valley upstream from Columbus, 

Nebraska (Cooperative Hydrology Study, 2006a, 2006b). The base of the Ogallala Group 

had been mapped in the Nebraska Sand Hills and in the northeastern and south-central 

parts of the ELM area (Swinehart and others, 1985; Swinehart and Diffendal, 1998; and 

Souders, 2000); these maps were used either as an indicator of the regional paleodrainage 

pattern for the base of aquifer in areas where the Arikaree Group is present, or as a guide 

for the base-of-aquifer contours, in areas where the Arikaree Group is not present. The 

top of the Cretaceous System was mapped in the northeastern and south-central part of 

the ELM area (Bentall and others, 1971; Burchett and others, 1988; Souders, 2000); these 

maps were used as a guide for the base-of-aquifer contours in the ELM area.

The available information for test holes from State and Federal test-drilling programs 

can include lithologic logs, borehole geophysical logs, mineralogical investigations, and 

the results of stratigraphic studies to identify the geologic units and the depth to the top 

and bottom of each geologic unit that was penetrated at the test-hole location. The testhole information is filed at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division (UNL-CSD) offices in Lincoln, Nebraska, and has been largely compiled 

in a Web-based database (University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey 

Division, 2007b). Because the stratigraphic information (geologic units and geologicunit depths) had not been published in reports or on the Web for 309 of the 2,032 test 

holes in the ELM area and the surrounding 20 miles, the available UNL-CSD files for 

these test holes were reviewed by the authors for this report (data in files at University of 

Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007 and 2008). For many of 

these unpublished test holes, there were handwritten notes in the files by UNL-CSD geologists about the geologic units and geologic-unit depths at the test-hole location. For the 

remaining unpublished test holes, the lithologic and borehole geophysical logs, if available, were reviewed to estimate the depth to the unit corresponding to the base of aquifer. 

Data from 1,229 test holes were used to map the base of aquifer in the ELM area.

The available data for NDNR registered water wells typically consists of location 

information, well construction information, and a lithologic log. The NDNR registered water-well data that were used in this report were the depth to the geologic unit 

that forms the base of aquifer for 120 wells in Holt County, and the depth to the base of 

aquifer for 456 wells in the Platte River Valley (Cooperative Hydrology Study, 2006a, 

2006b; Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 2007a; S.O. Lackey, University of 

Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, written commun., June 2007).

The available data for oil and gas wells include identified stratigraphic data at each 

well location (Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission, 2007); however, because the purpose 

for installing these wells is primarily interest in pre-Cretaceous geologic units, data about 

the depth to the top of the geologic units that form the base of aquifer in the ELM area 

generally is not documented (Marvin Carlson, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, oral commun., 2007). In the ELM area, only two of the oil 

and gas wells provided base-of-aquifer data used in this report. 

The land-surface altitude at each published and unpublished test hole in the ELM area 

and at selected NDNR registered water wells in Holt County was estimated using a digital 10-meter land-surface altitude raster data set (U.S. Geological Survey and Nebraska 

Department of Natural Resources, 1998). The land-surface altitudes of the test holes in 

the ELM area, which were published on the Web or written in the test-hole documentation (University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007b; data 

in files at University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007), 

were compared to the digitally interpolated land-surface altitudes from the 10-meter landsurface altitude raster data set to partially assess the accuracy of the test-hole locations. If 

the published land-surface altitude of a test hole did not differ by more than 20 feet (ft) 

from the digitally interpolated land-surface altitude, the digitally interpolated land-surface 

altitude was used to calculate the base-of-aquifer altitude. For the eight test holes with 

published land-surface altitudes that differed by more than 20 ft from the digitally interpolated land-surface altitudes, the land-surface altitudes, which were published on the 

Web or written in the test-hole documentation, were used to calculate the base-of-aquifer 

altitude. This approach was used because these five test holes were in parts of the ELM 

area with few test holes with base-of-aquifer information, therefore any reasonably accurate information about the base of aquifer in the area was useful for deriving the base-ofaquifer altitude contours.

Base-of-Aquifer Altitude and Configuration

The altitude and configuration of the base of aquifer and the geologic units that form 

the base of the principal aquifer in the ELM area are shown on the map to the left. The 

base of aquifer ranged from less than 1,300 ft above the National Geodetic Vertical Datum 

of 1929 (NGVD 29) in Platte County to more than 3,400 ft above NGVD 29 in Garden 

and Keith Counties. The altitude and configuration of the base of aquifer can be used to 

locate ancestral valleys and associated ridges and, together with the water-table surface, to 

compute the aquifer’s saturated thickness. The base of aquifer is being used as the lower 

boundary layer in the ELM ground-water flow model; an accurate base of aquifer is essential for improving the accuracy of the ground-water flow model and its usefulness as a tool 

for analyzing water-resources management alternatives. 

Selected References

Bentall, Ray, Dreeszen, V.H., Elder, J.A., Jess, J.M., Souders, V.L., Birkel, W.H., Braun, 

K.J., Ellis, M.J., Engel, G.B., Engberg, R.A., and Shaffer, F.B., 1971, Water supplies and 

the land—the Elkhorn River Basin of Nebraska: Lincoln, Nebr., University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, Resource Atlas No. 1, 51 p.

Burchett, R.R., Reed, E.C., Dreeszen, V.H., and Prichard, G.E., 1975, Bedrock geologic 

map showing thickness of overlying quaternary deposits, Fremont quadrangle and part 

of the Omaha quadrangle, Nebraska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-905, 1 sheet, available on the Web at http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/

proddesc_9487.htm

Burchett, R.R., Dreeszen, V.H., Souders, V.L., and Prichard, G.E., 1988, Bedrock geologic map showing configuration of the bedrock surface in the Nebraska part of the 

Sioux City 1° x 2° quadrangle: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations 

Series Map I-1879, 1 sheet, available on the Web at http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/

proddesc_9965.htm

Cederstrand, J.R., and Becker, M.F., 1999, Digital map of aquifer boundary for the High 

Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South 

Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-267, 

accessed April 2007 at http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/metadata/usgswrd/XML/ofr99-267.xml

Cooperative Hydrology Study, 2006a, Base of aquifer altitude, COHYST study area: Lincoln, Nebr., Nebraska Dept. of Natural Resources, Cooperative Hydrology Study data, 

accessed November 2006 at http://cohyst.dnr.ne.gov/cohyst_preliminarydata.html

Cooperative Hydrology Study, 2006b, Testholes and wells used to delineate the base 

of aquifer altitude, COHYST study area: Lincoln, Nebr., Nebraska Dept. of Natural 

Resources, Cooperative Hydrology Study data, accessed November 2006 at http://

cohyst.dnr.ne.gov/cohyst_preliminarydata.html 

Diffendal, Jr., R.F., 1991, Geologic maps showing configurations of bedrock surfaces, 

North Platte 1° x 2° quadrangle, Nebraska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous 

Investigations Series Map I-2277, 1 sheet, available on the Web at http://ngmdb.usgs.

gov/Prodesc/proddesc_10209.htm

Dreeszen, V.H., Reed, E.C., Burchett, R.R., and Prichard, G.E., 1973, Bedrock geologic 

map showing thickness of overlying quaternary deposits, Grand Island quadrangle, 

Nebraska and Kansas: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map 

I-819, 1 sheet, available on the Web at http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_9648.

htm

Environmental Systems Research Institute, 1992, Understanding GIS—the Arc/Info 

method: Redlands, Calif., Environmental Systems Research Institute, 450 p. 

Eversoll, D.A., Dreeszen, V.H., Burchett, R.R., and Prichard, G.E., 1988, Bedrock geologic map showing configuration of the bedrock surface, McCook 1° x 2° quadrangle, 

Nebraska and Kansas, and part of Sterling 1° x 2° quadrangle, Nebraska and Colorado: 

U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-1878, 1 sheet, available on the Web at http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_9964.htm

Gutentag, E.D., Heimes, F.J., Krothe, N.C., Luckey, R.R., and Weeks, J.B., 1984, Geohydrology of the High Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1400-B, 63 p., available on the Web at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/

pp/pp1400B

Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 2007a, Registered wells database: Lincoln, 

Nebr., Nebraska Department of Natural Resources data, accessed July 2007 at http://

dnrdata.dnr.ne.gov/wellssql/

Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 2007b, LB962 enacted into law: Lincoln, 

Nebr. Dept. of Natural Res., accessed November 4, 2007, at http://www.dnr.ne.gov/

watertaskforce/LB962/LB962SCREEN.pdf

Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 2008, Nebraska surface water rights data 

retrieval: Lincoln, Nebr. Dept. of Natural Res., accessed May 26, 2008, at http://dnrdata.

dnr.ne.gov/SWRCombined/SelectSearchOptions.aspx

Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission, 2007, Oil and gas wells database: Sidney, Nebr., 

Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission data, accessed May 2007 at http://nogcc.ne.gov/

Pettijohn, R.A., and Chen, H.H., 1983, Geohydrology of the High Plains Aquifer System 

in Nebraska, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 82-502, 3 sheets, available on 

the Web at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr82502

Souders, V.L., 2000, Geologic maps and cross sections showing configurations of bedrock 

surfaces, Broken Bow 1° x 2° quadrangle, east-central Nebraska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-2725, 1 sheet, available on the Web at 

http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_28120.htm

Swinehart, J.B., Souders, V.L., DeGraw, H.M., and Diffendal, Jr., R.F., 1985, Cenozoic 

paleogeography of western Nebraska, in Flores, R.M., and Kaplan, S.S., eds., Cenozoic 

paleogeography of west-central United States: Denver, Colo., Rocky Mountain Section, 

Society of Economic Paleontologist and Mineralogists, p. 209-230.

Swinehart, J.B., and Diffendal, Jr., R.F., 1998, Geology of the pre-dune strata, in Bleed, 

A.S., and Flowerday, C.A., eds., An atlas of the Sand Hills: Lincoln, Nebr., University 

of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, Resource Atlas No. 5b, p. 

29-42.

U.S. Geological Survey and Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 1998, 7.5 minute digital elevation model—index for the State of Nebraska: Lincoln, Nebr., Nebraska 

Dept. of Natural Resources data, accessed June 2006 at http://dnr.ne.gov/databank/dem.

html

University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 1979, Configuration 

of the base of principal aquifer: Lincoln, Nebr., University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division data, accessed January 2007 at http://snr.unl.edu/Data/

NebrGIS.asp#ConfigurationoftheBase1979

University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 1996, Bedrock geology: Lincoln, Nebr., University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and 

Survey Division data, accessed January 2007 at http://snr.unl.edu/Data/NebrGIS.

asp#BedrockGeology

University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007a, Glacial till 

deposits: Lincoln, Nebr, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey 

Division data, accessed March 2007 at http://snr.unl.edu/Data/NebrGIS.asp#Till

University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, 2007b, Nebraska 

test-hole database: Lincoln, Nebr, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Conservation 

and Survey Division data, accessed June 2007 at http://snr.unl.edu/NebraskaTestHole/

NebraskaTestHoleIntro.asp

Conversion Factors

 Multiply By To obtain

Length

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2) 259.0 hectare (ha)

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2)

Datums

Vertical Coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 

1929 (NGVD 29).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983.

Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Mark D. Myers, Director

West Fork Big Blue River

West Fork Big Blue River

Geneva

Lincoln Creek

Hampton

Bradshaw

Clay Center Turkey Creek

HAMILTON

Giltner

Harvard

North BranchWest Fork Big Blue River

Aurora

Sutton

Henderson

Grafton

Lushton Stockham

Saronville

CLAY

Bear Creek

Beaver Creek

School Creek

Exeter Fairmont

McCool Junction

FILLMORE

York

Friend

Utica

Dorchester

Beaver Crossing

Waco

Cordova

Goehner

SEWARD

SALINE

Crooked Creek

Indian Creek

Turkey Creek

Dry Branch

Johnson Creek

HAYES

Sand Creek

Grant Madrid Elsie PERKINS Wallace

CHASE

Spring Creek

Stinking

Water

Creek

Blackwood Creek

Red Willow Creek

Little Blackwood Creek

Coon Creek

3000

Grand Island

Norfolk

Kearney

Hastings

Columbus

North Platte

Ord

Seward

Ogallala

Cozad

O'Neill

Wayne

Imperial

Schuyler

Valentine

Cody

Curtis

Gothenburg

Central City

Stanton

Neligh

Atkinson

David City

Laurel

Elgin

Fullerton

St. Paul

Pierce

Burwell

Broken Bow

Madison

Gordon

Albion

Tilden

Genoa

Creighton

Gibbon

Sargent

Polk

Leigh

Plainview

Osceola

Merriman

Stuart

Chambers

Randolph

Cairo

Ainsworth

Shelton

Lynch

Loup City

Farnam

Kenesaw

Anoka

Alda

Crofton

Stromsburg

Ansley

Ravenna

Osmond

Hartington

Elba

Hyannis

Ashton

Niobrara

Merna

Santee

Shelby

Paxton

Clarkson

Wolbach

Butte

Bloomfield

Callaway

Palmer

Wausa

Arcadia

Juniata

Elm Creek

Overton

Eustis

Ewing

Elwood

Verdigre

Hadar

Oakdale

Miller

Kilgore

Bertrand

Bee

Spencer

St. Edward

Wood River

Long Pine

Bassett

Howard City

Hershey

Mullen

Brunswick

Brady

Brule

Scotia

Orchard

Cotesfield

Coleridge

Duncan

Pilger

Trumbull

Clarks

Ericson

Arthur

Johnstown

Elyria

Page

Maywood

Chapman

Surprise

Inman

Doniphan

Lindsay

Nenzel

Taylor

Crookston

Bazile Mills

Mason City

Thayer

Greeley Center

Humphrey

Lewellen

St. Helena

Hoskins

Spalding

Gandy

Cushing

Sumner

Emmet

North

Loup

Hazard

Foster

Rising City

Newport

Comstock

Phillips

Newman Grove

Petersburg

Litchfield

Minden

Clearwater

Berwyn

Dannebrog

Big Springs

Winside

Prosser

Eddyville

Primrose

Anselmo

Hordville

Pleasanton

Wellfleet

Gresham

Wood Lake

Milligan

Halsey

Wynot

Venango

Oconto

Riverdale

Dunning

Stockville

Cedar Rapids

Verdel

Dixon

Creston

Ulysses

Stapleton

Tryon

Monowi

Amherst

Royal

Thedford

Bellwood

Richland

Rockville

Farwell

Platte

Center

Silver Creek

Carroll

Gross

Monroe

Springview

Naper

Benedict

Belden

Octavia

Bristow

Belgrade

Sholes

Maskell

Marquette

Magnet

Bartlett

Fordyce

Smithfield

Glenvil

Center

Burton

Moorefield

Seneca

Garrison

Cornlea

Hayes

Center

Lamar

McLean

Staplehurst

Brewster

Heartwell

Tarnov

CHERRY

HOLT

CUSTER

LINCOLN

KNOX

KEITH

BROWN ROCK

GRANT

CEDAR

DAWSON

HALL

BUFFALO

YORK

LOUP

BOONE

BLAINE

PLATTE

HOOKER

ARTHUR

POLK

ANTELOPE

LOGAN

PIERCE

VALLEY

GARDEN

SHERIDAN

MCPHERSON

HOWARD

NANCE

GARFIELD WHEELER

SHERMAN

FRONTIER

MERRICK

BUTLER

WAYNE

STANTON

ADAMS

COLFAX

PHELPS GOSPER

KEARNEY

DEUEL

BOYD

KEYA PAHA

SOUTH DAKOTA

NEBRASKA

COLORADO

NEBRASKA

Sand Creek

Jewett Creek

Platte River

Niobrara River

Elkhorn River

Middle Loup River

South Loup River

Gordan Creek

Snake River

Big Blue River

Moores

Cr.

Tri-County Supply Canal

Boardman Creek

Steer Creek.

Looking-Glass

Cr.

Pawnee Cr.

Middle Logan Cr.

North Fork Dismal River

Dry Creek/Horseshoe Ditch

South Fork Dismal River

Coon Branch Cr.

Spring Cr.

Spring Creek

Snake

River

Antelope Creek

Hay Creek

Niobrara River

Leander Creek

Bear Creek

Medicine Creek

Willow Valley Creek

Clifford Creek

James Creek

Arkansas Creek

Gordan Creek

Betsy Creek

Mud Creek

North Loup River

North Loup River

North Loup River

Schlagel Creek

Minnechaduza

Creek

Dry

Creek

Fishberry

Creek

Spring

Cr Coon Creek

Niobrara River

Big Creek

Brush Creek

Pass Creek

Evergreen Creek

North Fork Plum Creek

Dry Creek

Cedar Creek

Brush Creek

South Fork Plum Creek

Plum Creek

Plum

Creek

Little Minnie Creek

Fairfield Creek

Clapp

Creek

Coleman

Creek

East Middle

Creek

Turkey Creek

Chimney Creek

Cub

Creek

Ro

ck

Creek

Presser

Creek

Wyman Creek

Keya Paha River

Dutch Creek

Sand Draw Creek

Bone Creek

Willow Creek

Long Pine Creek

L

o

n

g

Pine

Creek

Sh

ort Pine

Creek

North Branch Middle Loup River

Middle Branch Middle Loup River

South Branch Middle Loup River

South Fork Elkhorn River

North Fork Elkhorn River

Dry Creek

Elk Creek

Oak Creek

Sand

Creek

Big Anne Creek

Ash

Creek

Otter Creek

Bea

ver Creek

Big Sandy Creek

Dizzy

Creek

Beaver Creek

Whishy Creek

Ponca Creek

Ponca Creek

Brush

Creek

Spring

Creek

Turkey

Creek

Eagle Creek

Camp

Creek

Middle Branch Eagle Creek

East Branch

Eagle Creek

West Branch Eagle Creek

Oak Creek

Honey

Creek

Redbird Creek

Redbird Creek

Blackbird Creek

Spring Creek

Spring

Creek

Sa

n

dy

Creek

Sandy

Creek

Steel Creek

Pishel Creek

Solider Creek

Schindler Creek

Verdigre Creek

North Branch Verdigre Creek

Middle Branch Verdigre Creek

South Branch Verdigre Creek East Branch

Verdigre

Creek

Hay

Creek

Verdigre

Creek

Dry Creek

Holt Creek

Dry Creek

South Fork Elkhorn River

Willow Swamp Creek

Elkhorn River

Elkhorn River

Lost Creek

Hoboe Creek

Cooks Creek

Weigand Creek

Bazile

Creek

Howe Creek

Little Bazile Creek

Bazile Creek

Cottonwood

Creek

Merriman Creek

Big Beaver Creek

Ames Creek

West Bow Creek

Beaver Creek

A

ntelope

Creek

Bow

Creek

East Bow Creek

Dead Creek

North Logan Creek

Pearl Creek

Kerloo Creek

Perrin Creek

MISSOURI RIVER

Cache Creek

Clearwater Creek

Antelope

Creek

Breslau Creek

Baker Creek

Deer Creek

Dog Creek

Coon Creek

Spring

Creek

Humbug Creek

North Fork Elkhorn

River

Yankton

Creek

Dry Creek

Willow Creek

Al Hopkins Creek

Ives

Creek

Buffalo

Creek

Saint Clair

Cree

C

k

edar Creek

Payne Creek

Maskentine

Creek

Sand

Creek

Beaver Creek

Rae Creek

Clear

Creek

Cedar Creek

Little Cedar Creek

Dry Cedar Creek

Bean Creek

Haskell Creek

Calamus River

Calamus River

Skull

Creek

Bloody Creek

Gracie Creek

Goose Creek

Goose Creek

Blue

Creek

Ash

Creek

Plu

m

Creek

Otter

Creek

Sand

Creek

Lonergan Creek

Whitetail Creek

Lake

Creek

Ditch No 3

South Platte River

Frenchman Creek

Sutherland Canal

Sutherland

Reservoir

Lake

Maloney

Johnson

Lake

Ditch No 2

West Birdwood Creek

North Fork Birdwood Creek

Birdwood

Creek

South Loup River

North Fork

South Loup River

Dismal River

Wildhorse Creek

Middle Loup River

Lillia

m

Creek

Clear Creek

Clear Creek

West Buffalo

Creek

Spring Creek

Platte River

Elm Creek

North Brushy Creek

Medicine Creek

Cedar Creek

Spring Creek

Cut Canyon

Creek

Fox

Creek

Curtis

Creek

Deer Creek

Mitchell Creek

Dry

Creek

Muddy Creek

Plum Creek

Plum

Creek

Elk

Creek

Wagner Creek

Dane

Creek

Turtle Creek

Elm

Creek

Messenger Creek

Davis Creek

Turkey Creek

North Dry Creek

Wood River

Wood River

North Channel Platte River

Platte River

Sand Creek

Cottonwood Creek

West Branch Thirty-two Mile Creek

Pawnee

Creek

Big Sandy Creek

Mud Creek

Bloody Run

Creek

Middle Loup River

Loup River

South Loup River

Turkey Creek

Oak Creek

Lake

Creek

Munson Creek

Auger

Creek

Silver Creek

Prairie Creek

Prairie

Creek

Prairie Creek

Wood River

West Branch Spring Creek

Spring Creek

South Branch Timber Creek

North Branch Timber Creek

Cottonwood

Creek

North Shell Creek

Freeman Creek

Vorhees Creek

Plum Creek

Plum Creek

Cedar River

Cedar River

Timber Creek

Bogus Creek

Beaver Creek

Council Creek

Silver Creek

Talyor Creek

Sand Creek

Union

Creek

Butterfly

Creek

Rock Creek

West Fork Maple Creek

South Fork Union Creek

Tracy Creek

Loseke Creek

Elm

Creek

Schaad Creek

Taylor

Creek

Dry Creek

Shell Creek

Loup River

Cherry Creek

Shell Creek

Shell Creek

Loup River Canal

Lost Creek

Cedar Creek

Bone Creek

Deer

Creek

Wilson Creek

Clear Creek

South Channel Platte River

Prairie Creek

Big

Blue River

Big Blue River

Lincoln Creek

Beaver Creek

Little Sandy Creek

Plum

Creek

Warm Slough

Holt Creek

Spring

Creek

Big Creek

Willow Creek

Rock

Creek

30'

43°

40°30'

42°

41°

30'

101°

102°

100° 99°

99°

30'

30'

30'

30' 30'

R. 41 W. R. 40 W. R. 39 W. R. 38 W. R. 37 W. R. 36 W. R. 35 W. R. 34 W. R. 33 W. R. 32 W. R. 31 W. R. 30 W. R. 29 W. R. 28 W. R. 27 W. R. 26 W. R. 25 W. R. 24 W. R. 23 W. R. 22 W. R. 21 W. R. 20 W. R. 19 W. R. 18 W. R. 17 W. R. 16 W. R. 15 W. R. 14 W. R. 13 W. R. 12 W. R. 11 W. R. 10 W. R. 9 W. R. 5 W. R. 4 W. R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W. R. 1 E. R. 2 E. R. 3 E.

0

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 KILOMETERS

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 MILES

R. 8 W. R. 7 W. R. 6 W.

T. 19 N.

T. 18 N.

T. 17 N.

T. 16 N.

T. 15 N.

T. 14 N.

T. 13 N.

T. 12 N.

T. 11 N.

T. 10 N.

T. 9 N.

T. 8 N.

T. 7 N.

T. 6 N.

T. 28 N.

T. 27 N.

T. 26 N.

T. 25 N.

T. 24 N.

T. 23 N.

T. 22 N.

T. 21 N.

T. 20 N.

T. 32 N.

T. 31 N.

T. 30 N.

T. 29 N.

T. 33 N.

R. 4 E.

T. 34 N.

T. 35 N.

T. 33 N.

R. 43 W. R. 42 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1987, 1:100,000

Lambert Conformal Conic projection

Standard parallels 40° and 43°, central meridian 100°

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American

 Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

Boundary of the 2-mile

buffer area around the

ELM study area

Boundary of the 2-mile

buffer area around the

ELM study area

EXPLANATION

Generalized geologic unit that forms the base of the principal aquifer

 Lower Tertiary (Brule or Chadron Formation of the White River Group)

 Upper Cretaceous (Pierre Shale or Niobrara Formation of the Colorado Group)

Generalized area where the base of the principal aquifer is at or near

 land surface

Base-of-aquifer altitude–Dashed line indicates where approximately located.

 Contour interval 100 feet. Vertical datum is the National Geodetic Vertical Datum

 of 1929 (NGVD 29). Altitude refers to distance above the vertical datum

Location of wells and test holes with base-of-aquifer information–Symbol color

 indicates source of well and test-hole information

 Registered water well

 Oil and gas well

 Test hole

Boundary of the 2-mile

buffer area around the 

ELM study area

Nebraska High Plains aquifer

Boundary of

Nebraska

Sand Hills

Glacial till 

deposits

Index map

OMAHA

WATERLOO

LINCOLN

NORFOLK

COLUMBUS

THOMAS

Victoria

Creek

Dutchman Valley Creek

GREELEY

Battle Creek

MADISON

Meadow Grove

Battle Creek

Arnold

Buffalo

Creek

Maxwell

Whitehorse Creek

Sutherland

North Platte River

Middle Loup River

Calamus

Reservoir

Big Cedar Creek

Sherman

Reservoir

North Loup River

North Fork Union Creek

Boxelder Creek

Lexington

Buffalo Creek

Phelps County Canal

Merritt Reservoir

3100

3200

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98°

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3100

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Prepared in cooperation with

LEWIS AND CLARK, LOWER ELKHORN, LOWER LOUP, LOWER NIOBRARA, LOWER PLATTE NORTH,

MIDDLE NIOBRARA, UPPER ELKHORN, UPPER LOUP NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICTS

Base of Principal Aquifer for the Elkhorn-Loup Model Area, North-Central Nebraska

By

V.L. McGuire and S.M. Peterson

2008

SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS MAP 3042

McGuire, V. L. and Peterson, S. M., 2008, Base of Principal Aquifer for the

Elkhorn-Loup Model Area, North-Central Nebraska

Information regarding water resources in Nebraska is available at: http://ne.water.usgs.gov/

Suggested citation:

McGuire, V.L., and Peterson, S.M., 2008, Base of principal aquifer for the Elkhorn-Loup 

model area, north-central Nebraska: U.S. Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Map 

3042, 1 sheet, available on the Web at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3042

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes 

only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. government

This map was produced on request, directly from digital files, on an electronic plotter

A PDF of this map is available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3042

Related metadata and digital files are available at http://water.usgs.gov/lookup/getgislist