PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY OR THROW AWAY THIS PUBLICATION. If you have no 

further use for it, write to the Geological Surrey at Washington and ask for a frank to return it

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

A PRELIMINARY REPORT

ON THE ARTESIAN WATER SUPPLY

OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 638-A
feATES DEPABIIttNT OF TBl 

Ray Lyman Wilbnr, Secretary

GEO106ICJUL. &UBVKT 

Gmrg» Otfs Smith, Director

Water-Supply Paper 638-A

A PBELIMINABY BEPOBT

ON THE ABTESIAN WATEB SUPPLY

OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

BY

F. G. WE3XS

la oocpor-j-,.T.ioii with 

TonnesBee Division of Geology 

ContribnUons to the hydrology of the United States, 1991 

(Pages 1-34)

UNITED 8TATHS 

GOVERNMENT FEINTING 

WASHINGTON: 1931
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract ___________________..____________ 1

Introduction________________________________________________ 1

History of artesian-water development in Memphis-________________ 2

Geology _ _______________ 12

General conditions _____________________________ 12

Tuscaloosa formation______________._____________________ 14

Eutaw formation____________________________________________ 14

Sehna formation ____________________________________________ 15

Ripley formation______________________ ______________________ 15

Midway group. __________________ ___________________ 16

Wilcox group_________L_____________-_______________________ 16

Jackson formation__________________________________________ 17

Pliocene gravel____-_-_----_--~----------------------_-------- 17

Loess______._______.__________--_________ 18

Pumpage_________L____________-____________-_-_-__--__--__^___ 18

Seasonal fluctuations of head in wells_____________-___-___-___-___--_ 22

Original static level_____ __ 28

Relation of pumpage to regional drawdown___________________________ 29

Chemical character of the water_____________________. 33

ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE 1. Map of Memphis, Tenn., showing location of wells______ In pocket,

2. Altitude of the water level in the Auction Avenue "wet well" 

and the Central Avenue well, pumpage of the Memphis 

Artesian Water Department from the Wilcox group, altitude 

of the Mississippi River at Memphis, and rainfall at 

Bolivar, Tenn____ ___ 22

FIGUBE 1. Log of well C-25 of the Memphis Artesian Water Department. 13

2. Average daily pumpage of Memphis Artesian Water Department, 1897 to 1928____________________--_ 21

3. Monthly averages for the period May, 1927, to September, 

1929, of the altitude of the water level in the Auction Avenue "wet well" and the Central Avenue well, the pumpage 

of the Memphis Artesian Water Department from the Wilcox group, the altitude of the Mississippi River at Memphis, 

and the rainfall at Bolivar, Tenn___ 24

4. Rise of water level in the Auction Avenue " wet well " with rise 

in the Mississippi River notwithstanding increase in pumping from the Wilcox group __ 26

5. Rate of rise of water level on shutting down pumps at the potion Avenue station on October 25,1891, and March 6,1898_ 27

6. Profiles of pressure-indicating surface in 1898, 1902, and 1928_ 31

7. Profiles of pressure-indicating surface in 1914 and 1928 32

n
A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE WATER SUPPLY OF 

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

By F. G. WELLS

ABSTEACT

Memphis is located in the part of the Gulf Coastal Plain known as the Mississippi embayment. It is underlain by unconsolidated sand and clay formations 

of Tertiary and Cretaceous age. The Wilcox group, of Tertiary age, and the 

Ripley formation, of Cretaceous age, are excellent aquifers, and all the water 

consumed in Memphis is derived from them. The maximum pumpage from the 

Wfleox group was reached about 1920; in that year an estimated average of 

37,575,000 gallons a day was pumped. In 1928 the average daily pumpage from 

the Wilcox group was about 33,984,000 gallons, and in addition to this the 

Memphis Artesian Water Department pumped an average of 4,616,000 gallons 

a day from the Ripley formation.

The static level at Memphis varies with the pumpage and the stage of the 

Mississippi River. The original static level was about 235 feet above mean sea 

level. In 1928 the average static level at the Auction Avenue plant was 202 

feet above mean sea level, which was about 33 feet lower than the original level. 

The yield is therefore about a million gallons a day for each foot of drawdown. 

The drawdown is not excessive, and additional pumpage can be developed without 

undue lowering of head.

The water from both the Wilcox group and the Ripley formation is fairly soft 

and has a moderately low content of dissolved mineral matter. The iron content 

is sufficiently high to be objectionable, but the iron is easily removed by aeration 

followed by either settling or filtration for removal of sediment.

INTRODUCTION

On June 1, 1928, field work was started for a report on the groundwater resources of western Tennessee, one pf a series to be prepared 

by the United States Geological Survey and the Tennessee Geological 

Survey that will treat in a comprehensive way of the water supplies 

of Tennessee available from wells and springs for muncipal, industrial, 

and other uses. During the summer and fall of 1928 the field work 

was completed in 10 counties in the southwestern part of the State, 

including Shelby County, in which Memphis is situated. It was 

realized from the beginning that the ground-water conditions at 

Memphis constituted a very important part of the investigation, and 

two months was given to the accumulation of data in this city.

Through the cooperation of the Memphis Artesian Water Department it was possible to install automatic water-stage recorders over 

two representative observation wells, one on Auction Avenue and one

l
2 CONTEIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1031

on Central Avenue, and thus to obtain for these wells continuous 

records of the depth to the water level, which show with much precision the relation between the withdrawal of the artesian water and 

the subterranean inflow of new supplies to recharge the artesian 

reservoir. It becomes continuously more apparent that any adequate 

quantitative study of the ground-water supply in an area must be 

based on data accumulated over a considerable period of time, and 

that the longer the record the more accurate are the resulting conclusions. Any deduction as to quantity of water made from measurements taken during a brief period are likely to be premature and may 

lead to erroneous conclusions. For this reason it is planned to continue observations at Memphis for a period of years. The present 

preliminary report gives the data that have been thus far obtained and such generalizations as can safely be made at this stage 

of the investigation. A comprehensive report on the groundwater resources of all of western Tennessee is now being prepared 

for publication.

HISTORT OF ARTESIAN-WATER DEVELOPMENT IN

MEMPHIS

The early history of the development of the municipal water supply in Memphis is given by Lundie * as follows:

Prior to 1870 Memphis relied wholly for its water supply on cisterns and shallow 

wells.

In 1867-68 an investigation as to a general system of water supply was mode 

by Charles Hermany, C. E., a report on which was presented to the board of 

commissioners of the city July 15, 1868. In this report Mr. Hermany recommended that a supply be taken from Wolf River near its mouth.. This led to 

the formation of the Memphis Water Co., which in 1870 secured a charter from 

the State legislature to supply water to the city. The company erected a pumping plant on the south bank of the Wolf River about 2 miles from the center of 

the city, and laid 17 miles of pipe through which the city was supplied with water 

pumped from the river. The enterprise was a financial failure, and the plant 

was sold under foreclosure proceedings in the United States circuit court in 

December, 1879, to the reorganized Memphis Water C». for $200^000, the company's statement of cost being $472,278.

The yellow-fever scourge in 1878-79 aroused the citizens of Memphis to a 

thorough sense of the crying demand for improved sanitary conditions, which 

resulted in the adoption of a sewerage system, the first sections of which were 

built in 1879-80, under the direction of George E. Waring, jr., C. E. These 

sewers called for an extension of the water pipes to supply the flushing tasks 

which are an integral part of the system.

The Memphis Water Co. in May, 1882, concluded a, contract with the taxing 

district of Shelby County (now the city of Memphis) for public water supply 

the contract to remain in force for a period of 20 years from May 1, 1882. Rapid 

extension of the piping system followed this contract.

In 1885 a citizens' movement was instituted with a view toward securing a 

better water supply, the principal objection to the supply urged at that time

1 Lundie, John, Report on the waterworks system of Memphis, Tenn., pp. 4-6,1898.
ABTKSIAN WATBK STOP-LIT 69 MEMPHIS, fUtlt, S

being it» turbidity. A committee was appointed by the legislative council of 

the taxing district to investigate and report on the question. Gen. Oolton 

Greene made a preliminary report to this committee in February, 1866^ and in 

December, ^86^ the committee presented its report to the council. ,_ ~r''"^

The committee considered three principal sources of supply which seemed 

available, viz, the Mississippi River, South Horn Lake, and Wolf River at a 

point near the Louisville & Nashville railroad crossing about 8 miles east of the 

city. All projects involved methods of filtration.'

Prospective supply from wells had been brought to the attention of the committee, but evidence at that time seemed to cast doubt on the practicability of 

such a system of water supply for city purposes, after the failure of several 

experimental wells was reported, which had been sunk at the instance of the 

Memphis Water Co. * * *

White the report of this committee was in preparation, the late &$r. R. O. 

Graves, then superintendent of the Bohlen-Huse Ice Co., had a well sunk on 

the company's property on Court Street near the bayou, primarily for the object 

of obtaining water for condensing purposes, to a depth of 354 feet. After having 

passed through a stratum of day 160 feet thick, water-bearing sand the source 

of the present supply was reached, and a flowing well was the result, the water 

from which rose several feet above the surface of the ground.

A company was organized for the purpose of supplying the city with water 

from this source, which, after some further experimentation, entered into a contract with the taxing district on July 30, 1887, under the name of the Artesian 

Water Co., covering terms of public and private supply, and anticipating a 

consolidation of the interests of this company with those of the Memphis Water 

Co., then under contract for public supply.

Both water companies then proceeded to sink wells, but consolidation of their 

interests was consummated in April, 1889, shortly after which the Wolf River 

Rant was abandoned and dismantled, a temporary station having been erected 

near the present station (the Auction Avenue station), connecting with such 

wells as were then operative.

Forty-two wells were drilled during 1888 and 1889, and the Auction 

Avenue pumping station was put into operation in 1890. The 

Auction Avenue plant consisted of a tunnel 5 feet in diameter and 

Smaller branching tunnels situated 75 to 80 feet below the surface. 

The wells discharged directly into these tunnels, and the water flowed 

by gravity to a central suction well at the pumping station, which is 

locally called the "wet well." Three Worthington vertical compound 

condensing high-duty pumping engines pumped the water from the 

central well and delivered it under pressure directly to the service 

mains.

In 1903 the interest of the Memphis Water Co. was purchased by 

the city, the Memphis Artesian Water Department was organized, 

and a Board of Water Commissioners was formed for its supervision.

New wells were drilled from time to time as old wells failed and as 

additional supplies of water were required, but no change was made 

in the system until 1907. By this time the Auction Avenue plant 

had become inadequate, and during 1907 and 1908 a new pumping 

station was built at Central Avenue. The Central Avenue plant
4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDBOLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1931 *

consisted of six wells pumped by compressed air and had a capacity 

of about 5,000,000 gallons in 24 hours.

Prior to 1907 the Artesian Water Department had done some experimenting with segregated pumps. By 1910 the feasibility of 

these pumps had been demonstrated and several installations were 

made at different points about the city. Ultimately 14 such installations were available for use. They served to handle peak 

loads and heavy local drafts.

Realizing that the existing plant was becoming inadequate and that 

the system was liable to pollution by seepage of sewage into the 

tunnels, the water commissioners contracted with Chester & Fleming, 

hydraulic engineers, in 1919, to make a thorough study of the watersupply system and to submit recommendations for future development. Chester & Fleming submitted their report in April, 1920. A 

further study was made by Fuller & McClintock, hydraulic engineers, 

who submitted a report to the commissioners in March, 1922. This 

report considered the various methods of developing a larger water 

supply and recommended a new plant that would obtain water from 

wells pumped by compressed air. The recommendations were approved by the water commissioners, and Fuller & McClintock undertook the construction of the new plant, which was put into operation 

in 1925.

The present supply is obtained from 23 wells 375 to 550 feet deep 

and 9 wells about 1,400 feet deep. The wells 375 to 550 feet deep ar$ 

located at intervals of 500 feet along or near North Parkway and are 

numbered C-l to C-24 (see pi. 1); the 1,400-foot wells are at the same 

well houses as wells C-l, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, C-21, C-22, C-23, and 

C-24. The wells are pumped by compressed air at a pressure of abput 

80 pounds to the square inch, which is delivered to the well houses by 

means of a duplicate system of pipe lines. The water flows by gravity 

through a duplicate system of mains to the pumping station at North. 

Parkway and Dunlap Street, where it is aerated and filtered and 

pumped directly into the delivery mains.2

The first deep well in Memphis was drilled for the Bohlen-Huse 

Ice Co., in 1886, but no interest was aroused in the artesian-water 

supply until another well drilled for the same company in 1887 on 

Court Street proved to be a flowing well. Immediately wells were 

drilled for other industrial plants in Memphis, and Safford 8 reported 

57 wells exceeding 185 feet in depth in the city in May, 1889. Of 

these wells, 32 were city wells and 25 private wells.

Although no records exist of the number of wells drilled or the 

quantity of water pumped by private concerns during subsequent 

years, information gathered from old drillers in the region indicates

8 For a detailed description of the city water system see Municipal Engineering, vol. 64, pp. 47-51, 1923, 

8 Safford, J. M., The water supply of Memphis: Tennessee State Board of Health Bull., vol. 6, p. 102,1890.
AETBSIAN WATER SUPPLT OF MEMPHIS, TBNN.

that practically every plant requiring a supply of water of more than 

10,000 gallons .a day was equipped with its own well. Chester & 

Fleming, in their report made in 1920, list 58 private plants having 

wells with large yields. The writer, in 1928, listed 86 private plants 

with wells. The location of these wells is shown on Plate 1, and data 

in regard to them are given in the accompanying table. From the 

drilling of the first well in Memphis to the present time pumpage from 

private wells has equaled or exceeded the pumpage of the Memphis 

Artesian Water Department.

Records of wells of the Memphis Artesian Water Department 

[Measurements of depth to water were made on Mar. 15,1929]

No.

C-l . ... .

C-2 - ... ... c-3 

C-4 

C-5 

C-6...... ..

0-7 - 

C-8 .......

C-9 ........

C-10 

C-ll .......

C-12 .......

C-13... _ ....

C-14... .......

C-15 .....

C-16..........

C-17 . ....

C-18 ......

C-19 . 

C-20..........

C-21... .......

C-22 . ......

C-23..........

C-24... .......

C-25 . ......

C-26 

C-27 .. _ ..

C-28 ......

C-29 . __ .

C-30 ...

C-31... .......

C-32 _ 

C-33 .

Altitude 

above 

mean 

sea 

level 

(feet)

359.4

355.8 

356.0 

356.5 

356.6 

357.1 

356.6 358.3' 

358.7 

358.4 

358.1

360.5 

363.9 

355,7 

350.6 

357.5 

358.6

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

425 

453 

409 

519 

1,400 

504 

522

544 

495 

525 

618 

510 

479 

495 

527 

522 

527 

371 

371 

345 

357 

393 

369 

2,656 

1,400 

1,400 

1,400 

. 1,400 

1,400 

1,400 

1,400 

1,400

Diameter of 

well (inches)

Top

12 

12 

12 

12 

10 

12 

12

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10

Bottom

10 

10 

10 

10 

8 

10 

10

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

3 

8 

8

Geologic horizon

..... do.. ..............

..... do ...... ........

 do... ... .... .......

.....do. ..... ........ ....

.....do..... ....... ........

..... do...... ... . ......

 do _

 do 

. .do ..... .......

 ..do. . 

 do .... ..... ..... ....

 do 

 do......... ..............

 .do ._ . 

... ..do ........ ....... 

 .do ... ... 

 .. do ... . 

 do 

. ..do-. .... 

. do........ . _ .

... ..do ..

... ..do... ...... .... .. 

. .do ....... ....... ......

......do ... ... ... .....

 ..do ... ... ... ... .... .

.... .do .... ....... 

Depth 

to water 

(feet)

<

23.6

22.3 

24.9 

16.6 

1L4 

8.3 

9.2

8.3 

6.4

Yield with 

airlift 

(gallons 

a day)

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000

1,440,000 

1,440,000

1,440, ,000 

1,440, WO 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000 

1,440,000
<#

o?

t K _fff 5'i"'5S aHP K "0'B$

Ir^Hlti'lHI §! ii illHHi 

So aasfto I^QO, |a &a aa as> »ato 

"" Bfl&tff £11? f? a¥ Ba Ba *S*% 

s^^w^f la? 

:«s l ft i$ III 1 B i 

?r a ?F rf j. IF IF J? fr I.4F f 

; 

tk

ft £ 

0!

o >\ 

Ski

J^J

l§

mean above Altitude 

(feet) level sea 

(feet) well of Depth 

Top

Bottom

fe£

is well which to Depth 

(feet) cased 

sur- below Depth 

(feet) face 

measure- of Date 

» (1928) ment 

pump of Capacity 

minute) a (gallons 

* (feet) Drawdown 

pumpage Daily 

(gallons)

* data of Source 

sampled Date 

(1928)

dissolv- of Conterit 

(parts iron ed 

million) per 

-2s

I

 ;

9 SNoiiaaiaiNoo oo, j:o ,1361
t$f "/ t'*--*

 g H0"7/- - g//-

£h-»

»3<M

%f*t

H.I

m 

/Z~

**-/-

"t

&s*~

14 

15

16 

17 

18 

19

20 

21

22 

23

24

25 

26

27 

28a

286 

28c 

29

30

Virginia Bridge Co.

Golf Shaft & Block 

Co.

Electric Ice Co _ ..

Valrath Outdoor 

Enterprise. 

King Haase Furniture Co. 

Urania Petroleum 

Co.

Hollywood Ice Co..

Alabama- Fertilizer 

Co.

Forest Products 

Chemical Co. 

Dixie Cotton Oil 

CO.-. -

Cudahy Packing 

Co. 

Wood Lumber Co 

Louisville & Nashville R. R. 

Buckeye Cotton 

Oil Co.

 do... 

. .. do .... ... .

Chickasaw Cooperage Co. 

Memphis Ice Co ...

550 feet west of Morehead 

Ave., 65 feet south of White 

St. 

200 feet east of Morehead 

Ave., 10 feet south of White

St. 

80 feet east of Waldran St., 

200 feetfromeast-westailey.

500 feet south of Chelsea Ave.

100 feet east of Hollywood 

St., 75' feet north of Union 

R. R. 

West of Hollywood St., 60 

feet from Louisville & 

Nashville R. R. 

900 feet east of Hollywood 

St., 50 feet south of Louisville & Nashville R. R. 

siding.

775 feet west of Illinois Central R. R., 600 feet north 

of Speed Ave.

300 feet south of Speed Ave..

500 feet east of Leewood St., 

125 feet north of main 

track. 

Raleigh Road, 50 feet east of 

Louisville & Nashville 

R. R. 

 .do.. .....

 do. _ . __ . _ ..

Summer Ave. and Union 

R. R.

240 

230

250

240

440 

430

492 

267 

55 

530

377

395 

565

500

438 

<J40

435 

t/377

 426 

^290

8 

6

16 

3

4 

6

8 

6

6 

10

8 

8

16& 

24

24 

24

4

8 

6

10 

3 

4 

6

6 

6

6 

10

8 

8

12 

24

24

24

4

430

430 

267 

55 

530

377

395 

565

500

438 

40

435 

377

426 

290

......

90 

100 

10 

30.5

35

19 

23

40 

20

25

......

Rept 

 do.-.

 do. 

Oct. 12

Rept. ..

Oct. 12 

Oct. 13

Rept ...

 do. 

Rept ...

.........

 Altitudes were determined from positions on the U. 8. Geological Survey topographic map, which has a 10-

* Kept., information given by engineer in charge of plant. Est,, estimated;

operation pressure of the air lift; for daily pumpage the 

« Drawdown when pumping at capacity of pump un 

* WeH eMs la Pliocene gravel.

for water level and drawdown th

given were computed from ice production or poun

otherwise noted.
§ i t 

2as |' B' Q O

Ogo G so &** 

^"2^ 5 L, 

BO to 

a* 111 

as <! s 

. oS

si & 

sea mean above Altitude 

(feet) level 

__JL

(feet) well of Depth 

oo oo oo o to a> 

oo oo o to a> oo 

Top

Bottom o> to oo 

SI

5

H

O 

o

5- 5'

I

is well which to Depth 

(feet) cased 

f 1 8

8 S 

surface below Depth 

(feet)

measurement of Date 

(1928)

tf

&K

O > 

« t? 

& - 

(gallons pump of Capacity 

minute) a 

(feet) Drawdown 

te&Uo pumpage Daily , s S

f P >' f 

f § 

data of Source 

o o 

a a 

o o 

Date a a (1928) sampled 

dissolved of Content 

per (parts iron 

, millio 

JO

ox -IOOIOHOIH £o omim ' 1861 §
s?-/

VI 

f/-/

VH.....

-1

/-

1

f -

46

4 

2a

476 

47c 

47d

48

49

50 

51 

52a

526 

53

54

55

56

57

58 

59

60 

61 

62 

63 

64

r166

Memphis Union 

Station Co.

Memphis Power & 

Light Co. 

 cfo - 

...-do.. 

 doBroadway Ice Co ...

Consumers Coal & 

Ice Co.

Lfly Ice Cream Co.. 

Eraus Cleaners Co. 

Clover Farm Dairy-

 do. _ 

 do.. 

Southern United 

Ice Co. (formerly 

Valley Ice & Coal 

Co.). 

Crescent Laundry 

Co. 

Baptist Hospital _ 

Memphis Steam 

Laundry. 

Success Steam 

" Laundry. 

Memphis Furniture Manufacturing Co. 

DeSoto Hardwood 

Flooring Co. 

Model Blufl City 

Laundry. 

Lamar Steam Laundry. 

Southern Cotton 

Oil Co. 

Blumenfeld Ice & 

Coal Co. 

East End Ice & 

' Coal Co. 

Virginia Carolina 

Chemical Corp.

1,000 feet south of Calboun 

Ave., 50 feet west of South 

Third St. 

South Fourth St. .- .. ..

..... do.- ... 

 . do... ........ .... .... ...

 do. . ,

100 feet west of Lauderdale 

St., 50 feet south of railroad. 

75 feet north of Beale Ave., 

100 feet west of its intersection with Southern Ry. 

658 Madison Ave _ ........

Beale Ave. and Manassas 

St. 

.... -do-...- 

Union Ave. and Walnut St.. 

100 feet north of Alston Ave., 

200 feet east of Porter St.

Dunlap St. near Beale Ave~

Jeflerson Ave. and Pauline 

St. 

Dudley St _ __ ..........

Linden Ave. and Camilla 

St. 

Lemar Ave. opposite Reddiffe PL 

Williams Ave _ 

Lamar Ave. and Haywood 

St. 

Central Ave. and Cooper

St.

260

270

270 

270 

270 

280

255

260 

255 

260

260 

270

275

265 

240

255 

300

305 

260 

270 

315 

305 

295

558

527

485 

503 

501 

500

395

453 

473 

524

597 

596

390

490

463

460 

417

d 90

487 

498 

495 

400 

449

8

12

10 

16 

16

8

10

8 

6 

6

6

8

6

6 

6

6

4

6 

6 

16 

10 

8 

6

8

12

10 

16 

16

8

10

8 

6 

6

6 

6

6

6 

6

6 

4

6 

4 

8 

8 

8 

6

558

627

485 

503 

501 

500

395 

453

- 524

5,97 

596

390

490 

463

460 

417

90

487 

498 

495 

400

70

 80r6

76.9

75.7

70 

59 

89

81.5

81.5

74

77 

60.6

20 

35

100

76

Eept. ..

^ct. 15 

... do.-.

...do. ..

 do 

... do. 

Oct. 19 

 do 

Oct. 10

Est- 

... do

d Well ends in Pliocene gravel. 

 Pumping 100 gallons a minute.
Records of drilled wells in Memphis, Tenn. C

Section

in Plate 

1

/££-/

f -» . i

vin _

_

s?~t*

5&~ ! -

l(t-(

7^ f ^

/O9-f

IK......

j /if- / 

X......

No.

67

«8

696

70

71

<TA

n

74

75

76

77

78

79

Owner

. Club.

State Normal

School.

..... do 

Hoe Co.

MotorwheelCorp.

Light Co.

Corp.

Door Co.

Lumber Co.

Pioneer Pole &

Shaft Co.

Apex Steam Laundry.

Location

'

ette Ave.

Ave.

aylvanja St.

west of Florida St.

McLemore Ave.

St.

1197 South Third St., 200

feet west of street. ,

I

f

S3 >

3

S

 4

300

300

285,

285

270

295

285

285

260

280

28!

1

!

o

3

w

Q

361

100

515

461

420

580

548

485

435

400

* 85

460

545

 «90

Diameter of 

well (inches)

o1 &

14

8

8

6

6

6

8

8

gi^

6

4

6

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12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1931

GEOLOGY

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Memphis is situated in what is known geologically as the Mississippi 

embayment of the Gulf Coastal Plain. This area is underlain by a 

series of beds of unconsolidated or slightly consolidated gravel, sand, 

and clay deposited in a broad, shallow syncline, or trough, which 

pitches gently to the south. The upper end of the trough is in southern Illinois, and its axis lies a few miles west of the Mississippi River; 

the beds dip toward the axis from both sides. The eastern edge of 

the syncline almost coincides with the Tennessee River. The east 

flank has a westward dip of about 30 feet to the mile near its edge, 

but the dip decreases toward the west. The formations of gravel, 

sand, and clay range hi age from Upper Cretaceous to Recent; they rest 

on a floor of Paleozoic limestone, shale, and chert. In Tennessee the 

unconsolidated sediments (Upper Cretaceous and younger formations) 

are believed to attain about their maximum thickness at Memphis, 

where they are from 2,700 to 3,000 feet thick. These deposits, named 

in order from oldest to youngest, are the Tuscaloosa, Eutaw, Selma, 

and Ripley formations, of Upper Cretaceous age; the Clay ton, Porters 

Creek, Ackerman, Holly Springs, Grenada, and Jackson formations, 

of Eocene age; Pliocene sand and gravel; and loess and alluvium 

of Quaternary age. These formations come to the surface east of 

Memphis. Starting just east of the Tennessee River, in Hardin 

County, and traveling to Memphis one traverses in succession the 

outcrops of the different formations, beginning with the oldest, the 

Tuscaloosa, and ending with the loess, which is the surface formation 

at Memphis. This is clearly shown in the map and section by Glenn.4

A section at Memphis, as determined from well C-25 of the Memphis Artesian Water Department, which was drilled to a depth of 

2,656 feet, is shown in Figure 1. *

The more important publications treating of the geology of western 

Tennessee are listed below.

Glenn, L. C., Underground waters of Tennessee and Kentucky west of Tennessee River and of an adjacent area in Illinois: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 164, 1906.

Wade, Bruee, The geology of Perry County: Tennessee GeoL Survey, Resources of 

Tennessee, vol. 4, pp. 150-151, 1914.

Stephenson, L. W., Geology and ground waters of northeastern Arkansas-: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 309, 1916.

Wade, Bruee, The gravels of west Tennessee Valley: Tennessee Geol. Survey, 

Resources of Tennessee, vol. 7, pp. 55-89, 1917.

Berry, E. W., Upper Cretaceous floras of the eastern Gulf region in Tennessee, 

Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 112, 1919.

* Qlenn, L. C., Underground waters of Tennessee and Kentucky west of Tennessee River and of an 

adjacent area in Illinois: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 164, pi. 1 and Fig. 7,1906.
ABTESIAN WATEB SUPPLY OF MEMPHIS, TENN. 13

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FIQUKE l. Log of wen C-25of the Memphis Artesian Water Department
14 CONTBIBTTTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF TTNITED STATES, 1931

Roberts, J. K., The Tertiary of west Tennessee: Am. Jour. Sci., 5th ser., voL 

12, pp. 236-243, 1926.

Stephenson, L. W., Logan, W. N., and Waring, G. E., The ground-water resources 

of Mississippi: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 576, 1928.

Roberts, J. K., The Tertiary geology and stratigraphy of west Tennessee 

(manuscript to be published by Tennessee Geol. Survey).

TUSCALOOSA FORMATION

The Tuscaloosa formation as found in scattered remnants just 

east of the Tennessee River consists of sandy gravel, but in Alabama 

it is variable in character, consisting of gravel, sand, and clay. Berry 5 

shows that the Tuscaloosa formation is a delta deposit and postulates 

its thinning out or change to massive sediments toward the southwest. 

The character of the Tuscaloosa at Memphis is not known, as no weH 

there has penetrated the formation, with the possible exception of 

well C-25, put down by the Memphis Artesian Water Department 

to a depth of 2,656 feet, the available log of which is not sufficiently 

detailed to make a positive correlation. To judge from the character 

of this formation in Alabama, where the conditions of sedimentation 

were probably more nearly like those at Memphis than those where the 

Tennessee River outcrops occur, the formation at Memphis is not 

a gravel deposit but rather a sand or clay. It would probably be 

encountered at a depth of 2,700 to 3,000 feet.

Though there is no definite information concerning the chemical 

character of the water from the Tuscaloosa formation at Memphis, 

owing to the fact that no well penetrates the formation, it seems probable that the water would have a high mineral content. The water 

from the overlying Eutaw formation contains over 1,500 parts per 

million of solid matter. In Mississippi analyses of water from the 

Tuscaloosa formation show increasing mineral content with increasing depth, though it should be noted that the overlying Eutaw formation is more saline than the underlying Tuscaloosa formation.6 

Without giving a discussion of all the factors in the problem, it seems 

probable that the fresh water in the* Tuscaloosa formation, which, 

according to the principle of Badon-'Ghyben and Herzberg,7 ^s in 

balance with a shorter column of salt water of equal weight, would 

not reach to a depth of 2,600 feet.

EUTAW FORMATION

The outcrop area of the Eutaw formation is 85 to 90 miles east of 

Memphis. Where the Eutaw occurs at the surface it is dominantly

«Berry, E. W., Upper Cretaceous floras of the eastern Gulf region in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, 

and Georgia: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 112, pp. 26-30,1919.

6 Stephenson, L. W., Logan, W. N., and Waring, G. A., The ground-water resources ojt Mississippi: 

TJ. S. Geol. Survey Water-Sapply Paper 576, pp. 341-344, 364-365,1928.

7 Brown, J. S., A study of coastal ground water, with special reference to Connecticut: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Water-Supply Paper 537, pp. 16-17, flg. 2,1925.
ARTESIAN WATER SUPPLY OP MEMPHIS, TENN. 15

sand, although clay is always found with the sand. The most usual 

condition is a series of rapidly alternating layers of sand and clay, 

the! sand occuring in layers from a quarter of an inch to 6 inches in 

thickness, interlaminated with sheets of white, gray, or black clay 

on4-sixteenth to half an inch thick. Some of the sand is glauconitic. 

In some places large lenses of fissile carbonaceous clay are intercalated in the sand. The Eutaw formation has a maximum thickness 

in its outcrop area of 250 feet. It is probably much thicker at Memphis, 

but this can not be positively stated. At Memphis the static head 

of water in the Eutaw formation, as determined in the 2,656-foot 

well of the Memphis Artesian Water Department, the log of which 

is shown in Figure 1, is 360 feet above mean sea level. As much of 

Memphis is below an altitude of 360 feet, water fron this formation 

will overflow at the surface in many places. Water from the Eutaw 

fortnation generally contains a large quantity of dissolved mineral 

matter. At Memphis it contains considerable sodium chloride and is 

not suitable for domestic or industrial use.

SELMA FORMATION

The Selma formation of this region is a sandy or calcareous clay 

of a slate-blue color. It contains many fossils, some of which are 

large and conspicuous, such as Inoceramus and Exogyra. This formation is 300 feet thick near its outcrop to the east, but it is probably 

thicker at Memphis. The depth to the Selma formation at Memphis 

is not known definitely but is at least 1,800 feet. The Selma is not 

a wiater-bearing formation.

BIPLEY FORMATION

The Bipley formation in southern Tennessee has been divided into 

three lithologic units the Coon Creek tongue, the McNairy sand 

member, and the Owl Creek tongue.

. The Coon Creek tongue consists of sandy marl overlain by a series 

of stratified micaceous clays about 100 feet thick. The Owl Creek 

tongue is a series of micaceous sands and marls about 50 feet thick. 

The McNairy sand member as seen in outcrop consists of several hundred feet of medium to fine cross-bedded sands of various colors, including red, white, brown, yellow, and purple. Intercalated with the 

sands are lenses of clay, which at Memphis probably have considerable 

horizontal extent and may even be continuous beds. The Coon Creek 

and Owl Creek tongues are marine phases of the Bipley formation, 

and at Memphis, which was in the deep part of the embayment, marine 

conditions may have existed longer than they existed at the locality 

of the present outcrop of the Bipley formation. This would cause 

the Coon Creek and Owl Creek deposits to thicken and the McNairy 

sand member to thin toward Memphis, 

31559° 31 3
16 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1931

Neither the Coon Creek tongue nor the Owl Creek tongue is a good 

aquifer. The McNairy sand member includes one bed of good waterbearing sand 100 feet thick, which is known to underlie at least a part 

of Memphis and furnish a part of the public water supply.

The Eipley formation is 600 feet thick near its outcrop in western 

Tennessee but may be somewhat thicker at Memphis. At Memphis 

the top of the formation, as determined in wells C-5, C-25, C-26, 

C-27, C-28, C-29, C-30, C-31, C-32, and C-33 of the Memphis 

Artesian Water Department, is at a depth of about 1,325 feet, or 1,085 

feet below mean sea level. The static head of water in the Kipley is 

about 240 feet with reference to mean sea level.

At present the Eipley formation is being drawn upon only by the 

Memphis Artesian Water Department, pumping from wells C~5, 

C-26, C-27, C-28, C-29, C-30, C-31, C-32, and C-33. These wells, 

which are spaced 500 feet apart, have an average yield of about 800 

gallons a minute each and are pumped continuously during the peak 

period of summer demand in order to lessen the amount of water 

pumped from the sand between 375 and 550 feet. During the remainder of the year these wells are pumped intermittently. The average 

daily pumpage from this Blpley sand is shown in Figure 2. From a 

small initial draft during the last months of 1925 the amount pumped 

has increased until it attained an average of 4,600,000 gallons a day

in 1928.

MIDWAY GROUP

The Clayton, the basal formation of the Midway group, crops out 

over a very small area in Tennessee. In the southern part of the State it 

is a poorly consolidated limestone, but toward the north it changes to a 

glauconitic sand. The nature of the deposit at Memphis is not known.

The Porters Creek is a homogeneous dove-gray to black plastic 

clay that crops out about 70 miles east of Memphis, but at Memphis 

it is found 975 to 1,350 feet below the surface, or 750 to 1,085 feet 

below mean sea level. It is impervious to water and forms an effective confining bed for water in lower formations.

WILCOX GROUP

The Wilcox group of formations includes, from older to younger, 

the Ackerman formation, the Holly Springs sand, and the -Grenada 

formation. All the wells in Memphis except the 1,400-foot wells of 

the Memphis Artesian Water Department obtain water from either 

the Grenada or the Holly Springs formation, but it is impossible to 

determine in which of these formations any well ends, because the basis 

of differentiation is fossil leaves, and these leaves are never present in 

well drillings.

The Ackerrnan formation does not crop out in Tennessee, it« most 

northerly exposure occurring in the northwestern part of Tippaih
ABTESIAN WATER SUPPLY OP MEMPHIS, TEN3XT. 17

County, Miss. The contact of the Ackerman formation with the 

Holly Springs sand: probably swings to the northwest and is buried 

under younger deposits. If this is so the Ackerman formation would 

be found in depth at Memphis. The formation consists of stratified 

gray clay that is more or less lignitic. Many of the clay layers are 

sandy, and some sand beds are interstratified with the clay. The 

Ackerman formation will yield little if any water.

The Holly Springs formation is predominantly sand; it is strongly 

cross-bedded and includes material of all sizes from small gravel to 

the finest of sand, which is in many places mixed with clay. Lenses 

of clay covering an area of 1 to 8 acres and attaining a thickness as 

great as 200 feet are found intercalated in the sand in areas where the 

formation crops out, and similar or larger lenses are undoubtedly 

present at Memphis. The Holly Springs sand has a maximum thicknes$ of at least 550 feet. The top of the formation is encountered at 

about 450 feet below the surface, or about 235 feet below mean sea 

level, and the formation continues to a depth of 1,000 feet, or 785 feet 

below mean sea level. It is a productive water-bearing formation.

The Grenada formation overlies the Holly Springs sand and is very 

much like it, but on the whole the sands are finer. The Grenada 

attains a maximum thickness of 400 feet, and yields large supplies of 

good water. It extends from about 75 to 450 feet below the surface, 

or from about 175 feet above to 220 feet below mean sea level. At 

Memphis several large lenses of blue clay occur near the top of the 

Grenada formation and serve to form an impermeable layer above the 

water-bearing sands.

JACKSON FORMATION

The Jackson formation, which overlies the Grenada, consists of 

fine sand, clay, and lignite. It contains little water.

PLIOCENE GRAVEL

In the vicinity of Memphis the Pliocene deposits consist of coarse 

sand and gravel. The gravel ranges from pebbles just coarser than 

grains of sand to cobbles over 5K inches in diameter, but the common 

sizes range from a quarter of an inch to 1 inch. The distribution of 

the Pliocene gravel is very irregular; in some places the gravel is 

missing, but in others it attains a maximum thickness of 50 feefc. Tbe 

thick parts of the gravel occur in sinuous bands. The irregularities 

of distribution may result from the way in which the gravel was 

deposited or from erosion subsequent to deposition. Where the 

Pliocene gravel exceeds 20 feet in thickness it is a good water-bearing 

formation, but water from it is subject to pollution from the surface 

drainage.
18 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1931

LOESS

Overlying the Pliocene gravel and forming the general surface at 

Memphis is a deposit of loess, a fine-grained, structureless deposit of 

a light-buff color. It is typically exposed in the bluffs along the river, 

where it has a thickness of 50 feet. The loess is not a source of water, 

and shallow wells in the vicinity of Memphis must go as deep as the 

Pliocene gravel to obtain a supply.

PUMPAGE

The total pumpage from all the wells in both the Wilcox group and 

the Kipley formation in 1928 was about 38,600,000 gallons a day. 

There is no private pumping from the Ripley formation.

The daily pumpage of the Memphis Artesian Water Department 

during 1928 showed a maximum of 26,458,000 gallons in 24 hours, a 

minimum of 13,429,000 gallons, and an average of 17,600,000 gallons. 

These figures include the pumpage from the 1,400-foot stratum of the 

Ripley formation, which in 1928 amounted to a maximum of 8,876,000 

gallons a day and an average of 4,616,000 gallons. The average 

daily pumpage during 1928 showed an increase of 2,708,000 gallons 

over the average for 1920. The population of Memphis in 1928, 

according to the estimate of the United States Census Bureau, was 

190,200; the 1920 census gave a population of 162,351. As calculated 

from these figures the average daily per capita consumption of city 

water in 1928 was 92.5 gallons; in 1920, 91.7 gallons. This difference 

is negligible, the increase in total consumption being about proportional to the growth of population.

The pumpage of the Water Department represents only a part of 

the pumpage from the Wilcox group of formations in Memphis. Soon 

after the drilling of the first deep well in Memphis many of the local 

industrial plants developed private water supplies from deep wells. 

Owing to the ease of obtaining a good well and the cheapness of 

operation, private plants, even those with small water consumption, 

found it most economical to have their own wells. Private wells 

were in favor also because of the fact that air-lift pumping reduced 

the iron and carbon dioxide content of the water considerably, and 

the water so pumped was therefore superior to city water from the 

Auction Avenue plant. For these reasons virtually all the industrial 

plants and large buildings had private supplies.

As there are no records of the amount of water pumped by individual concerns in Memphis prior to 1920, it is impossible to determine 

whether this pumpage has steadily increased, whether it has reached 

a high point and remained constant, or whether it has reached a maximum and declined. The normal growth of the city would lead to an 

increase in the private pumpage, which might be assumed to parallel
ABTESIAN WATEB SUPPLY OF MEMPHIS, TBNN. 19

the increase in city pumpage. The following factors, however, would 

tend to decrease the private pumpage:

1J The quality of the water furnished by the city waterworks 

since 1925 has been greatly improved by effective treatment, so that 

it ig now better than that from wells privately pumped by air lift.

2^ The necessity of renewing wells and pumping machinery has 

induced many small water consumers to use city water.

3. The need of having a city connection for fire protection involves 

a minimum fixed charge, and if the amount of water consumed is 

only slightly greater than that covered by the minimum charge it is 

not economical to have a private supply.

4. In many small steam-power plants one engineer had charge of 

botty the plant and the pumping machinery. The substitution of 

electric power in such plants has displaced the engineer, as it is not 

profitable to employ one simply to supervise the pumps. Centrifugal 

pum[ps could be operated by electric motors without much supervision, 

but lowing to the iron content of the water they are not so satisfactory 

as air lif,ts.

5. Formerly Memphis manufactured large quantities of ice to be 

shipjped to outlying points, but the development of small, simple 

macjbin.es for producing ice has resulted in the establishment of local 

ice plants at these points, and the consumption of water in ice plants 

in Memphis has therefore decreased.

6. The use of spr.ay ponds for cooling condenser water has diminished the amount of water so used. The quantity of water used for 

condensing by the Memphis Power & Light Co. (Memphis Electric 

Co. and Memphis Street Car Co.) has decreased about 10,000,000 gallons per 24 hours since 1920.

If} is impossible to evaluate these factors. Factors 2, 3, and 4 

represent small water supplies, and the total amount consumed was 

probably not large; the amount represented by factor 5 may be considerable. The decrease due to the combined influence of factors 1 to 

5 prbbably did not compensate for the normal increase in consumption due to increase of population! but only served to lessen the46tal 

increase. Factor 6 represents a considerable decrease.

Chester & Fleming, in their report of 1920, list 58 private plants 

of large consumption, with an aggregate average daily pumpage of 

21,740,000 gallons. The list of plants was not complete, and the 

pumpage given is an estimate, which is, however, sufficiently accurate 

for the present purpose.

The pumpage of private plants as here used is the estimated daily 

average for periods during which a plant was running continuously 

at fcjill capacity. No correction has been made for days or weeks of 

shutdown or for periods when a plant was running at reduced capacity.
20 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1931

Therefore, the average given is probably considerably in excess of 

a daily average determined by dividing the total pumpage throughout 

the year by 365. Inasmuch as the estimates of private pumpage are 

derived by various methods, they are not exact, but any attempt to 

arrive at an average daily pumpage that would be a true daily average 

of the pumpage throughout the year would be attempting a precision 

that the data do not justify. In 1928 the writer listed 86 private 

plants, with an aggregate average daily pumpage estimated at 

21,000,000 gallons. Although this list did not include every pumped 

well in greater Memphis it is believed to include every plant with a 

pumpage of 50,000 gallons or more in 24 hours. For many of the wells 

the pumpage is estimated. Of the wells listed in 1920 by Chester & 

Fleming, eight with a combined production of 290,000 gallons a day are 

no longer in operation. Of the wells listed in 1928, six, with a present 

combined production of 1,255,000 gallons a day, were in operation in 

1920, but were not listed by Chester & Fleming. A study of 37 plants 

listed both by Chester & Fleming and the author shows an increase in 

pumpage of 32 per cent since 1920. As these plants are distributed 

among the various industries the increase in pumpage from their wells 

can be considered representative of the general trend of private pumping, other than the pumping which has been decreased for reasons previously given. On the assumption that there has been an increase of 

32 per cent since 1920, the total pumpage in 1920 of the six wells not 

listed by Chester & Fleming was 853,000 gallons a day. This increases 

the estimated total pumpage by private plants in 1920 to 22,593,000 

gallons a day.

The average daily pumpage of the city water supply from the 

Wilcox group of formations in 1920 was 14,982,000 gallons a day, 

which added to the private pumpage of 22,593,000 gallons made 

the total pumpage from the Wilcox group 37,575,000 gallons a day. 

In 1928 the city pumpage from the Wilcox group was 12,984,000 

gallons a day, and the pumpage from private wells is estimated at 

21,000,000 gallons a day, making a total of 33,984,000 gallons a day 

or 3,591,000 gallons less than in 1920.

The decrease in pumpage from, the Wilcox group from 1920 to 

1928 is due to two causes the developing of wells in the sand of 

the Ripley formation by the Memphis Artesian Water Department, 

which began in 1925, and a cut of 10,000,000 gallons a day by the 

Memphis Power & Light Co. during the years 1920 to 1926. In 

1928 the Memphis Artesian Water Department was pumping an 

average of 4,616,000 gallons a day from the Ripley formation. 

The cut made by the Memphis Power & light Co. was effected 

as follows: The introduction of a spray pond in 1921 cut off 5,000,000 

gallons a day; there was a gradual cut of 2,500,000 gallons a day 

in 1924; the shut-down of the Beach Street plant in January, 1926,
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 638 PLATE 2

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r level in Auction Aver 

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mphis Artesian Water 

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JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. "JAN. FEB. MAR APR. MAY 

1927 1928 ' 1929

ALTITUDE OF THE WATER LEVEL IN THE AUCTION AVENUE "WET WELL" AND THE CENTRAL AVENUE WELL, PUMPAGE OF THE MEMPHIS ARTESIAN WATER DEPARTMENT

FROM THE WILCOX GROUP, ALTITUDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT MEMPHIS, AND RAINFALL AT BOLIVAR, TENN.

JUNE JULY'

5 1015 20 25 31 5 10 15 20 2530 

AUG. SEPT.
ABTESIAN WATER SUPPLY OF MEMPHIS, TENN. 21

resulted in an immediate cut of 1,500,000 gallons a day and a gradual 

cut of 1,000,000 gallons more. It is estimated that from 1920 to 

1928 the other plants in the city increased their consumption 32 

per dent, and in addition about 5,000,000 gallons a day was required 

by new plants. These increases nearly compensate for the cut of 

the jMemphis Power & Light Co.

91

SNcmvo jo SNomiw NI

com 2 - S £! 3

total daily average pumpage from the Wilcox group and the 

average daily pumpage of the Memphis Artesian Water Department 

from the Wilcox group and from the Ripley formation are shown 

in Figure 2. As the Memphis Artesian Water Department obtained 

all o| its water from the Wilcox group prior to 1925, the curve in 

Mgilre 2 for its total pumpage and the curve for its pumpage from 

the Wilcox group coincide for the period 1897 to 1925. In 1925 

a small amount of water was pumped from the Ripley formation
22 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDBOLOGY OF IWITED STATES, 1931

by the Memphis Artesian Water Department, and in succeeding 

years this pumpage has increased. In the curve indicating 

total average daily pumpage from the Wilcox group in the 

of Memphis from 1920 to 1928 only two points are definitely knowfir-t 

1920 and 1928; the intermediate points were determined by deduct-* 

ing the known cuts in pumpage and distributing the normal increase 

and new pumpage over the eight years. This curve, therefore, is not 

accurate, but it .shows the general trend of the fluctuations in the 

total pumpage. The total pumpage from the Wilcox group reached 

its maximum in 1920, and the pumpage of the Memphis Artesian 

Water Department from the Wilcox group was also at its maximum 

in 1920. This is due to two facts private pumpage, all of wMdb. 

is derived from the Wilcox group, was greater in 1920 than in 1928, 

and, whereas the total pumpage of the Memphis Artesian Water 

Department was greater in 1928 than in 1920, the amount pumped 

from the Wilcox group was less because an average of 4,616,000 

gallons a day was obtained from the Kipley formation. These 

two facts should be borne in mind hi any studies of the influence 

of pumping in lowering the water level.

SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS OF HEAD IN WELLS

A continuous record of ,the altitude of the water level in any well 

will show fluctuations resulting from many causes. In order to 

determine the nature and magnitude of the fluctuations of the pressure 

head at Memphis and to deduce their causes, two continuous waterlevel recorders were installed in October, 1928, one hi the Auction 

Avenue "wet well," the other in the Central Avenue well. The level 

of the water in the Auction Avenue "wet well" represents the static 

level in about 100 wells, all of which flow into tunnels leading to the 

"wet well." These wells are scattered over a rectangular area 5,000 

by 3,000 feet, which is within 400 feet of the Wolf River at the nearest 

point and near the center of all pumpage that derives water from the 

Wilcox group. A record of the altitude of the,water level in the 

Auction Avenue."wet.well," taken at 8.30 a. m., has been keft since 

April, 1927, and the continuous recorder has been operating in the well 

since October, 1928. The Central Avenue well is at Wills Park, on 

Central Avenue. It is 4 miles from the river and 2 miles from the 

nearest pumping'well of the Memphis Artesian Water Department and 

is hi a section where there is but little private pumping. The record, 

for this well is incomplete.

The data of water level in the Auction Avenue "wet well" and |he 

Central Avenue well are shown graphically in Plate 2. Prior to 

October, 1928, the level given is the daily reading; after this date the* 

level given is the lowest reading of the 24 hours, midnight to midnight, 

on the continuous recorders. For comparison, curves showing the
ABTESIAN WATEE SUPPLY OF MEMPHIS, TENN. 23

dally pumpage of the Memphis Artesian Water Department from the 

Wilcox group, the daily altitude of the Mississippi River, and the rainfall are also given. The monthly averages of the altitude of the water 

level in the two wells, the pumpage, the altitude of the Mississippi 

Kiver, and the rainfall at Bolivar are given in Figure 3.

The pumpage of the Memphis Artesian Water Department from the 

Wflcox group is derived by subtracting from the total daily pumpage 

the pumpage from the Ripley formation. It is plotted in reverse 

sense a larger pumpage being lower on the sheet than a small 

pumpage in order to facilitate comparison with the water level.

It should be borne in mind that pumpage of the Memphis Artesian 

Water Department represents only 38 per cent of the total pumpage 

from the Wilcox group, the remainder being pumped by industrial 

plants. However, as the factors which necessitate an increase or 

decrease in the pumpage of the Memphis Artesian Water Department 

have somewhat similar effects on the industrial pumping, the total 

pumpage from the Wileox group roughly parallels the pumpage for 

the city waterworks with two exceptions. Industrial pumping is cut 

by at least 3,440,000 gallons on Sundays in laundries, sawmills, and 

such plants as completely stop, and it is possible that other plants run 

at lower capacity, so that the total Sunday cut of industrial pumping 

is probably in excess of 3,440,000 gallons. The total pumpage of the 

Memphis Artesian Water Department shows no such Sunday cut but 

increases or decreases according to the weather. It is possible for the 

city to meet changes hi the demand by increasing or decreasing the 

amount taken from the Ripley formation. This is illustrated by the 

increased pumpage from the Wilcox group during February and 

March in 1928 and in 1929, which was due to cessation of pumping 

from the Ripley formation and does not indicate an increase in total 

pumpage. Any sudden peak in pumpage, such as that for January 16, 

1928, can be accounted for in this way. On the contrary, changes in 

total pumpage may not show in the graph of the pumpage from the 

Wilcox group. As a rule, however, the ratio of the pumpage from 

the Ripley formation to the pumpage from the Wilcox group remains 

about the same, and it can be assumed that the graph of the pumpage 

from the Wilcox group represents in a general way the variations of 

the total pumpage in all Memphis.

The stages of the Mississippi River at Memphis given by the 

Mississippi River Commission have been used in plotting the altitude 

of the river.

In plotting the rainfall the records at Bolivar, Tenn., have been 

used. Bolivar lies almost due east of Memphis in the outcrop area 

of the Wilcox group. With the exception of local summer rains, 

precipitation usually occurs over the whole of the outcrop area of the 

Wilcox group during the same day, so that when it rains at Bolivar 

rainy weather can be assumed throughout the area.
24 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1931

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ABTESIAN WATER SUPPLY OF MEMPHIS, TENN. 25

The water level in the Auction Avenue "wet well" attains its 

highest point early in the summer, either in May or in June. (See pi. 

2 and fig. 3.) It drops off rapidly during the summer, reaching the 

lowest point in September, after which it rises continuously during 

the fall and early winter. It may drop a little in February and 

March before rising to its spring high point. The maximum variation from May 1,1927, to October 30,1929, was 13.2 feet. The yearly 

variation was 8.3 feet May 1, 1927, to May 1, 1928; 7.6 feet May 1,

1928. to May 1, 1929; and 12.6 feet for the period May 1 to October 1,

1929. The average yearly variation for the 2K-year period is 9.5 

feet. Although the record of water level at the Central Avenue well 

is incomplete (see pi. 2), it parallels in a general way that of the 

Auction Avenue well, showing a high in May, after which it drops off 

rapidly to a low in September and October, and then rises rapidly in 

the fall and early winter; but unlike that of the Auction Avenue well 

it (reaches its highest point in January.

Pumpage diminishes rapidly from September to December and 

remains small from January to April, the minimum occurring some 

time within this period. Pumpage rapidly increases again in May 

and June and reaches a maximum in August. Thus the time of greatest pumpage and lowest water level in the Auction Avenue "wet 

well" coincide, but the period of least pumpage and highest water 

level do not, as can be clearly seen in Figure 3 by comparing the 

pumpage and water level November, 1928, to February, 1929, with 

May, 1929. An explanation of this can be found by comparing the 

water level in the Auction Avenue "wet well" with the altitude of 

the Mississippi River. The river is at high stages from March until 

the end of June, the maximum usually occurring in April and May, 

although it may occur any time during these four months. The river 

falls rapidly in July and remains low until October, when it begins to 

rise. The curve indicating the river stage roughly parallels the waterlevel curve, and the maxima and minima are coincident. Further 

proof of the influence of the river on the water level is afforded by 

the record for March 15 to 22, 1929, given in Figure 4. The water 

level in the Auction Avenue "wet well" continued to rise as the 

river rose, although the pumpage increased. As there was no rain, 

the rise of nearly 2 feet in the water level in spite of the increased 

pumpage can only be attributed to the influence of the rise in the 

river level. This is shown also by the following table, which gives 

records for June and August, 1927, and June, 1928. Though the 

pumpage is nearly the same there is a difference of 4.2 feet in static 

level.
RIVER MISSISSIPPI 

AVE.WELL AUCTION 

ox AOOIOHCULH j:o ' test 
27

. Relation of pumpage and altitude of Mississippi River to water level at Auction

Avenue "wet well"

Month

June, 1827 _____________________________

August, 1927 ______ . ..

June, 1928 __ .. . . . ................ ...................

Pumpage 

(gallons a

day)

12,360,000

12,280,000

12,270,000

Water

level at

Auction

Avenue

wen (feet

above sea

level)

204.5

200.3

203.8

Altitude of

Mississippi 

River (feet

above sea

level)

220.0

200.1

212.8

The lack of synchronism between the drawdown and pumpage 

might be attributed to the effect of lag. It has been observed in other 

artesian areas that the water levels in wells do not respond immediM id night

205

TIME IN HOURS 

2 3

170

FIGURE 5. Rate of rise of water level on shutting down pumps at the Auction Avenue station on 

October 25,1891, and March 6,1898. (After Lundie)

ately to the starting or stopping of pumpage in adjacent wells but 

that there is a time interval, or lag, before adjustment takes place, 

The curves given by Lundie 8 (see fig. 5) show that when pumpage 

was stopped at the Auction Avenue plant the recovery of the head was 

very rapid for example, in the first hour of shut down on October 

25, 1891, the head recovered 30 feet. Chester & Fleming state that 

the water level at the Central Avenue pumping station recovered to 

normal 35 minutes after the cessation of pumping. These facts 

would indicate that the static head responds very rapidly to changes 

in pumpage and that the failure of the water level to respond in the 

cases given can not be explained on the basis of lag.

8 Lundie, John, op. cit.- p. 19,
28 CONTEIBUTIONS TO HTDEOLQGY OP UNITED STATES, 1931

*

Another factor which may influence the water level is the rainfall 

over the outcrop area of the Wilcox group. A large part of the yearly 

precipitation occurs from January to June, and the period from July 

to October is relatively dry. During the growing season most of the 

precipitation is taken up by the vegetation, and therefore very little of 

the rainfall reaches the zone of saturation. Hence the period of principal recharge is from November until March, and it may be assumed 

that in the outcrop area the water level reaches its highest level in the 

early spring and its lowest in the late summer and early fall. These 

variations in water level at the outcrop represent variations of load on 

the confined portion of the water-bearing bed and should cause 

changes in the artesian head. Data are not available to prove this 

assumption, and the magnitude of the variations is such that it is 

possibly concealed by the more prominent factors.

It has been shown that the water level varies with pumpage, river 

level, and possibly rainfall. The records thus far obtained are so 

short that it is impossible to determine from them how much each 

factor contributes to the fluctuations of water level, but it is evident 

that the major factor is the pumping and that the other factors only 

modify its effect. In any consideration of drawdown or of specific 

yield these factors must be borne in mind.

ORIGINAL STATIC LEVEL

Glenn 9 gives the original static level at Memphis as 225 feet 

above mean sea level. Safford 10 was Glenn's authority, but Safford 

does not state definitely when the measurement was made, and it 

is probable that this figure is not the original static level but the 

level at the time Safford made his investigation, which was after 

several wells had been drilled. The altitude of the collar of the 

first successful well is not definitely known. This well was drilled 

for the Bohlen-Huse Ice Co. in the bayou at Court Street and had 

a large flow. The bayou is now 230 to 240 feet above sea level, 

and there is no evidence of filling. Chester & Fleming state that 

when the first well at Central Avenue was drilled, in 1908, the water 

level there from March to May 1908, averaged 232.7 feet above 

mean sea level. On October 28, 1928, the water level in the well 

at the West Tennessee State Normal School after a shutdown of 

6 hours was 237 feet above mean sea level. This is doubtless less 

than the original static level in this well, but the West Tennessee 

State Normal School is 6% miles east of the original well on Court 

Street, and owing to the hydraulic gradient its original static level 

was probably higher than the original level at Court Street. All

6 Qlenn, L. C., Underground waters of Tennessee and Kentucky west of Tennessee River and of an 

adjacent area in Illinois: U. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 164, p. 110, 1906. 

« Safford, J. M., op. cit., p. 102.
ARTESIAN WATER SUPPLY OP MEMPHIS; TBNN. 29

these facts indicate that the original static level in the vicinity of 

the Auction Avenue wells was considerably more than 225 feet, 

probably about 235 feet.

REIjATION OF PUMPAGE TO REGIONAL DRAWDOWN

The average altitude of the water level at the Auction Avenue 

plant for the year 1928 was 202.0 feet above mean sea level. This 

is 33 feet lower than the assumed original 235 feet. Taking 

34,000,000 gallons for the average daily pumpage from the Wilcox 

group in 1928 makes the yield of the formation about 1,000,000 

gallons a day for each foot of drawdown as measured at the Auction 

AVenue well. This figure for yield must be accepted as only approximate, however, because the original static level is not known exactly, 

and the water level has a considerable seasonal variation, also because 

the figure for total pumpage is only an estimate and may be somewhat in error.

If a well in an artesian water-bearing bed is pumped at a given rate, 

the pressure-indicating surface, as determined by measuring the 

depth to water at the pumped well and in other wells located in 

various directions and at various distances from the pumped well, 

will be found to conform in shape to the surface of a solid of revolution 

determined by an exponential curve, the vertex of which is at the 

pumped well. Such a surface is called a cone of depression. A group 

of closely spaced wells distributed approximately uniformly throughout 

a circular area and having about the same pumpage can be likened to 

one well with a pumpage equal to the combined pumpage of the 

individual wells, and the pressure-indicating surface for such a group 

of wells is similar in a general way to the cone of depression of a single 

isolated well. Under most conditions the drawdown, or lowering of 

the pressure-indicating surface at a pumped well, is directly proportional to the rate of pumping; for instance, if the rate of pumping is 

doubled Ahe drawdown is doubled. This is also true of the lowering 

of the pressure-indicating surface at any well in a group of wells, 

such as that described above, so long as the distribution of the wells 

remains the same and the rates of pumpage from each remain in the 

same ratio. If, however, new wells situated at a distance are pumped 

or if the ratio of pumpage of the wells relative to each other is changed, 

the drawdown in any well is not proportional to the total pumpage. 

Without changing the total pumpage, it is possible to change the 

drawdown in any given well in a group by changing the location of 

pumpage relative to the well. Also, total pumpage can be changed 

without changing the drawdown in any given well by changing the 

location of pumpage relative to the well.

Prior to 1907 most of the pumping in Memphis was concentrated 

in the down-town section of the city, and the pressure-indicating
SO CONTHIBUTIONS TQ HYDROLOGY OF TTNTEEIT STATES* l|931

surface was a conelike depression with its apex at the Auction Avenue "wet well." The slope of the cone was steep in the down-town 

section but was almost flat a short. distance away. Increases ia 

pumpage were all in the same area, and the drawdown at the Auction 

Avenue "wet well" was in general proportional to pumpage. This 

can be seen by comparing profiles of the water surface in 1898 and 

1902 as given by Lundie and Hider.11 (See fig. 6.)

In 1907 pumping for the city waterworks was started at the Central 

Avenue plant, and in 1910 pumping from segregated wells was started. 

Private pumping showed a similar scattering. The influence of 

scattering of pumpage on the water level in the Auction Avenue "wet 

well" can be seen by comparing the figures of pumpage-and water 

level in the following table:

Influence of the scattering of pumpage on the water level in the Auction Avenue

"wet well"

1898....... . .......... 

1923 .- --

1928- - 

Average 

water level 

in Auction

Avenue "wet well" 

(feet above 

sea level)

17S.5 

1*5.7 

202.0

Average dally pumpage of 

Memphis Artesian Water 

Department from Wilora 

group (gallons)

At Auction 

Avenue

9,400,000 

6,697,000 

None.

Total

9,400,000 

13,510,000 

13,000,000

Thus, though the pumpage has increased, the water level in thei 

Auction Avenue "wet well" has risen, owing to a change in the 

location of the pumped wells. There has been a lowering of the 

pressure-indicating surface, however, over the rest of the city, as 

is clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Further evidence is given in well 172, in which the water level 

had an altitude of 208. 5 feet on September 13, 1916, and 204.9 

feet on October.30, 1928. Chester & Fleming state that the wells 

drilled at Central Avenue in 1908 had water levels at an average 

altitude of 232.3 feet from March to May, inclusive. The water 

level in well. 157, in the same location, had an altitude of 226.2 

feet on April 10, 1916, and 225.4 feet on June 18, 1916;; from March 

to May, 1929, its average was 220.6 feet.

In considering any figure for drawdown in Memphis such as that 

given above, or in estimating what effect increased pumpage wffl 

have on lowering the water level it should be borne in mind that the 

Ibwering of the water level is very largely dependent on the location 

of the pumpage. By distributing pumping over a large area the

" Hider, Arthur, Omberg, J. A., jr., and Bell A. T., Engineers' report on the waterworks system of 

Memphis, Tenn., Memphis, 1904.
ALTITUDE ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL

fcooo'

txxxf

8.000'

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§ 1*000'

KOOflC

Memphis Gas Works (old)

Ghfckas 

OUGot

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awGoopsramCk

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FIGURE 6. Profiles of pressure-indicating surface along the line A-A' in Hate 1 in 18%, 19

1902 from Hider, both corrected to present datum. Distances are scaled from plat of 

Lundie and Blder
32 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATUS, 1931

quantity pumped can be greatly increased with only slight lowering 

of the water level"over the whole area.

The pressure-indicating surface has been considerably lowered 

over a large area, and its lowest point has moved slightly southeast from its former position at the Auction Avenue "wet well,"; 

but the maximum drawdown has not increased. The present 

pressure-indicating surface roughly resembles a trough, the sides 

and ends of which are determined by parabolas and the bottom of 

which is a level line. The long axis of the trough parallels the river. 

The drawdown has increased only slightly since about 1900. Thei 

farther north, south, or east a well is from this axis the higher is 

the static level in the well, and the less is the pumping lift. This

220

210' 

200' 

190'

jeo'

rrri

October

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30, /92Q

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draft, A

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tg., 1914

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August 7, 19/4

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"Vctober*

**"

30,1928,

<d

1

DISTANCE 

FIGUKE 7. Profiles of pressure-indicating surface along the line B-B' in Plate 1 in 1914 and 19SK

fact shows that a wider distribution of pumping will allow increased 

pumpage without increasing the pumping lift.

The above discussion of the lowering of the pressure-indicating 

surface demonstrates that the present pumpage in the city of Memphis 

can be considerably increased in the outlying areas without materially 

increasing the drawdown in the down-town area. Also, in view of 

the large amount of pumping in the city, the drawdown at the Auction 

Avenue "wet well" is not great, and it is believed that additional 

supplies can be developed in the down-town part of the area. If 

more water is*pumped the head will doubtless decline, but for any 

increase anticipated in the immediate future the decline will not be 

excessive.
ABHSSJAN WATBB SUPPLY OF MEMPHIS, TBNN. 33 

CHEMICAL CHABACTEB OF THE WATER

The analyses in the accompanying table are selected from about 

100 analyses of samples collected from wells in southwestern Tennessee 

in connection with the present investigation. The statements in 

regard to the waters from the different formations are based on aU 

the analyses, together with others reported in Water-Supply Paper 

576 of the United States Geological Survey.

Water from wells in the Wilcox group is in general fairly soft and 

has a moderately low content of dissolved mineral matter. Analyses 

1 and 2 are extremes and 3, 4, and 6 are more typical examples from 

21 analyses of samples from wells in the Wilcox group in southwestern 

Tennessee. Samples were taken from 51 wells in this formation 

in Memphis and were examined for sulphate and iron to see if any 

relation could be found between the quantities of these two constituents and the location of the wells with reference to the Mississippi 

River. No such relation was found. Nearly all the samples had 

around 5 parts per million of sulphate and 0.4 to 2.5 parts per million 

of iron. This is considerably more iron than is desirable in a water 

supply for general use, but the excess is easily removed by aeration 

followed by filtration.

The water is pumped from many wells by air lift, which accomplishes 

the necessary aeration while raising the water. Separation of the iron 

may take place to some extent in the wells, with deposition on the 

casing. A sample from such a well will show less iron than is present 

in the water in the ground. Analyses 4 and 5 indicate the improvement in iron content resulting from the treatment of water for the 

public supply of Memphis. The reduction from 0.61 to 0.08 part 

per million of iron changes the character of the water completely as 

regards its appearance on standing and its suitability for laundry use.

Water from the Wilcox group anywhere in Memphis will be approximately the same as that represented by the analyses given.

Waters from the Ripley formation in Tennessee and in Mississippi 

have a rather wide range in composition. Analyses 7 and 8 are extremes found in southwestern Tennessee. Analysis 9 is about an 

average water from the formation; it has 124 parts per million of 

dissolved solids. The average for 27 analyses of waters from the 

Ripley formation in Georgia was 150, and for 21 analyses from the 

Ripley formation in Mississippi was 235. Many of the waters from 

the Ripley formation are soft, like Nos. 8 and 9, and some also contain 

sodium bicarbonate, like No. 9. Most of the waters from the Ripley 

formation also carry enough iron to make necessary some form of 

treatment for its removal.

Except for the slight trouble and expense involved in the removal 

of the iron, water from either the Wilcox group or the Ripley formation is likely to be thoroughly satisfactory for all ordinary uses.
S4 CONTRACTIONS fO HYDROLOGY OF VKfgftfe

Though water from the Eutaw formation in its ontotop ai*a is 

fairly spit and has a moderately low content of dissolved solids, the 

water from the Eutaw formation in the 2,656-foot well at 

represented by analysis 10, is a sodium bicarbonate water coat 

some chloride. The total dissolved solids amount to 1,460 ^^ ' * __ mfllion. This water contains sufficient dissolved solids to 

able to the taste and is unsuitable for domestic or industrial use.

Analyses of ground waters in southwestern Tennessee

[Parts per million. Samples 1, 2,4 to 7, and 9 analyzed by Margaret D. Foster, XT. 8. Geological Washington, D. C.; samples 3 and 8 by D. F. Farrar, Tennessee Geological 8urvey> NashvBIe, , 

sample 10, by F. A. Mantel, Memphis Artesian Water Department, Memphis, Teas. Samples 1 to « 

are from the Wiloox group; samples 7 to 9 firom the Hipt«y formation; sample 10 from tfas Boiaw fens** 

ttonj

Silica (BiOt)

Calcium (C$) _________

Sodlwa <NajI-~- ..............

Potassium (K) _____ ... ________ .. ......

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOj).. ____ __,.__ _ . ......

Sulphate radicle (804) ______ ....... _ . _ ...

Chloride radicle (01). ...............................

Nitrate radicle <NO»)...._........ ...... ...... ....._

Total dissolved solids _________________

Date of collection ___________________

-

SfllcsfSlOi)...-..........................-..........

Magnefefim (Mg)...,, , ... . ... ................ .

Sodium {NaK...... ......... ....... ... ..... ......

Sulphate radide (SO*).....--.,.... ...... ...... ......

Chloride radiate (Cl) _ ............................

Nitrate ««flcle(NOj}..-.. ......................

Total dissolved solids ____ ... __ .... _____ ...

Date of collection ___________________

1

19

.05

66

36

15

LO

387

8,6

5.0

.74

333

306

July 25,

1928

6

13

1.2

15

6.8

6.8

1.6

89

4.0

3.6

.0

91

65 July 19,

1928

2

11

.07

2.0

L4

L3

.9

13a.6

.9.39'

27

11

June 29,

1929

7

. 27

.35

40

12

6.6

4.9

137

54

2.7

.0

217

149

June 22.

1928

3

3.0

.1

2&,

3.0

} 7.0

86

2.0

12

 .2

94

75

Feb. 15, \<m

8

4.0

.7

7.0

LO

f 2.0

17

9.0

.8

LS

89

28

Mar. 6,

4

21

.81

11

5.5

f 6,5

74a?

LS

.0

83

SO

July 26 *»

9

-_; . I,*!1"

3.0

. L0

f 35

1 17

104

S.3 Lft

.55

124

11 

July 26,

1^38

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1

19

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432W ' " 

925

tt 17 '; 

L467.S ' |£'4

Best. 86 Tfc-.-

1. 250-foot well owned by town of Millington.

2. 335-foot wen owned by Kentucky-Tennessee Power & Light Co., McKenrie.

3. 100-foot well owned by city of Covington.

4. 475-foot wen, C-3, at southwest corner of pumping station, owned by city of Memphis.

5. Treated water from wells comprising public supply for city of Memphis.

6. 360-foot well, No. 85, owned by Railway loe Co., Memphis.

7. 230-foot well owned by Hugh Carter, Bolivar.

8. 145-foot weH owned by Harris Bros., Luray.

9. 1,400-foot well, C-27, at southeast comer of pumping station, owned by city of Memphis.

10. 2,6S«-foot weu, O-25, of the Memphis Artesian Water Department, Memphis.

o