Geology and Occurrence of 

Ground Water at Jewel Cave 

National Monument 

South Dakota

By C. F. DYER

HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1475-D

Prepared in cooperation with the 

National Park Service

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON » 1961
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Thomas B. Nolan, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington 25. D.C. - Price 15£ (paper cover)
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract. ___________________________________________ 139

Introduction.-.-._________________________________________________ 139

Purpose and scope of the investigation-__________________________ 139

Previous investigations.________________________________________ 140

Methods and procedures---_-__-_---______-_-___-------_-_---__ 140

Location, area, and existing facilities.______________________________ 140

Present water supply.__________________________________________ 141

General geology-__________________________________________________ 141

Precambrian rocks___________________________________________ 141

Cambrian system,_____________________________________________ 143

Deadwood formation________________-___--___-__-___-___- 143

Mississippian system___________________________________________ 148

Englewood limestone_____________________________________ 143

Pahasapa limestone_____-_________-_-_____-__--________-_-_ 143

Pennsylvanian system-________________________________________ 144

Minnelusa formation_____________________________________ 144

Becent series._______________--_-___________---__-_-_-_-______ 144

Alluvium,________________________________________________ 144

Faulting___________________________________________________ 144

Springs. ____________ _ ______________________________________ 145

Results of test drilling____________-__--_-_-_____________-___-______ 147

Summary of ground-water conditions-_______________________________ 149

Con elusions.__ ____________________________________________________ 151

Log of test well______-_______-_____-_-__-----_------_------_-____- 151

References cited.___________________________________________________ 157

ILLUSTKATIONS

Page 

FIGURE 24. Geologic map of the Jewel Cave National Monument area,

South Dakota (modified after Darton and Paige, 1925) _ _ _ _ 142 

25. Map of the Jewel Cave National Monument area, South

Dakota, showing location of springs and test well________ 146

585213 61 HI

HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

GEOLOGY AND OCCURRENCE OF GROUND WATER AT 

JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, SOUTH DAKOTA

By C. F. DYER

ABSTRACT

Jewel Cave National Monument occupies 2 square miles of a broad plateau of 

sedimentary rocks in western Ouster County, S. Dak., and is at an altitude of 

about 5,400 feet above mean sea level. The sedimentary rocks that constitute the 

plateau range in age from Cambrian to Pennsylvanian. Bocks of Silurian and 

Devonian age are absent. The presence of rocks of Ordovician age has not been 

established definitely but they may be represented by 10 feet of sandstone directly 

beneath the Englewood limestone of Mississippian age. The sedimentary 

formations are underlain by schist of Precambrian age.

Study of outcrops in the vicinity of the monument confirms the existence of a 

fault about 1,500 feet north of the entrance to Jewel Cave. The fault trends 

generally east-west across the monument and has a displacement of about 120 

feet about 1 mile west of the entrance to the cave. The effect of the fault on the 

occurrence of ground water near the cave is not known.

In addition to the spring that furnishes the present (1959) water supply for 

the facilities at Jewel Cave, three springs outside the monument were visited 

during the study. Combined yield of the 3 springs is less than 2 gpm (gallons 

per minute).

A single test well indicates that the monument at the well site is underlain by 

665 feet of limestone, dolomite, and sandstone of Paleozoic age and an undetermined thickness of quartz-biotite schist of Precambrian age. Pumping tests 

using a cylinder pump indicate that the test well is capable of producing 15 to 

18 gpm for a short time from 2 zones of sandstone below the Englewood limestone. 

These sandstones are believed to present the best possibilities for development 

of a permanent water supply at the monument.

INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION

In cooperation with the National Park Service, an investigation was 

made of the surface geology and ground-water resources at Jewel 

Cave National Monument near Ouster, S. Dak. The purpose of the 

investigation was to locate additional supplies of water and 

to determine the geologic source of the present water supply.

139
140 HYDROLOGY OP THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

This report summarizes the surface geology and the lithology and 

water-bearing characteristics of the strata penetrated by drilling a 

test well during the investigation. The test well provides the only subsurface information available in the vicinity of Jewel Cave National 

Monument and is the only test well referred to in this report.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS

No previous detailed investigation has been made of the geology 

at Jewel Cave National Monument. Darton (1918, p. 53-60) discussed 

the general stratigraphy of the southern Black Hills region and 

described the artesian water supplies obtained in the foothills 15 to 30 

miles south of Jewel Cave. Some of the wells listed by Darton obtained water from a sandstone of Cambrian age that underlies Jewel 

Cave National Monument. A more detailed stratigraphic and 

structural study of the region was made in 1925 and the faulting near 

Jewel Cave was briefly described by Darton and Paige (1925, p. 18).

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

The test well was drilled by a standard cable-tool drilling rig under 

a contract issued by the National Park Service. Samples of the cuttings were taken at 5-foot intervals. The samples were washed, dried, 

and carefully examined with a binocular microscope for such features 

as grain size, crystallinity, porosity, and color.

A weighted steel tape was used to make frequent checks on the drilling depth of the well. All depth measurements cited herein, whether 

to the water level or to different rock strata, are given in feet below 

land surface. Altitude of the land surface at the test hole is about 

5,340 feet above mean sea level.

Estimates of thicknesses of formations at the test-well site were 

based upon calculations made from dip readings taken at the outcrop 

area 6 miles east of the monument.

LOCATION, AREA, AND EXISTING FACILITIES

Jewel Cave National Monument is in Custer County, S. Dak. about 

12 miles southwest of the city of Custer and 9 miles east of the South 

Dakota-Wyoming State line. Boundaries of the monument enclose a 

rectangular area of 2 square miles; the longest dimension is 2 miles in 

an east-west direction. Jewel Cave and the test well are near the 

southeast corner of the monument.

Facilities at Jewel Cave in 1959 consisted of one small log building, 

a small parking lot, and a campground. The log building was used as 

a headquarters and as temporary lodging for the rangers who are 

seasonally employed as guides for tours of the cave.
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 141 

PRESENT WATER SUPPLY

The water-distribution system at the cave site includes a drinking 

fountain, sink, shower, and restrooms at the headquarters building 

and a single faucet at the campground where campers may obtain 

water for cooking and drinking. These outlets are supplied from a 

buried concrete reservoir about 100 feet north and 15 feet higher than 

the headquarters building. The single line from the reservoir extends 

directly to the headquarters building and a branch line from the headquarters building supplies the campground outlet about 300 feet east.

Water to be stored in the reservoir is collected at a small spring 

(NW^4NE%NE% sec. 2, T. 4 S., R. 2 E.) about 1,500 feet northeast of 

the headquarters building and is transported to the reservoir by gravity 

flow through a 2-inch galvanized pipe. Yield of the spring varies but 

the average yield during the summer is estimated to be 2 gpm.

Generally, the total water consumption ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 

gpd (gallons per day) but on days when the number of visitors is 

unusually large (200 or more), the 3,000-gallon reservoir is frequently 

depleted. As the spring is the only source of water for visitors, 

campers, and maintenance personnel, the water supply is often 

inadequate.

GENERAL GEOLOGY

Formations at the monument range in age from Precambrian to 

Pennsylvanian but the sequence is not complete. As elsewhere 

throughout the Black Hills area, rocks of Silurian and Devonian age 

are absent (Darton and Paige, 1925, p. 2). Ten feet of sandstone 

penetrated by the drilling of a test well directly below the Englewood 

limestone is tentatively identified as Ordovician in age.

The monument is on a broad plateau of sedimentary rocks that 

begins about 6 miles east of the cave and slopes gently westward into 

Wyoming. Because most of the sedimentary formations do not crop 

out within the area, a reconnaissance was made of their outcrops at the 

scarp face of the plateau. The surficial geology of the consolidated 

rocks in the monument area is shown on figure 24.

Beginning with the oldest of the rock units, the lithology and 

stratigraphic relations apparent at the outcrops are briefly described 

below.

PRECAMBRIAN BOOKS

The sedimentary rocks that crop out at the scarp face of the plateau 

are underlain by quartz-mica schist of Precambrian age. Just east of 

the escarpment the schist is cut by many dikes of quartz, amphibolite,
142 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

and granite pegmatite. Presumably the Precambrian rocks that crop 

out at the foot of the escarpment are representative of those that 

underlie the monument area.

EXPLANATION

Sedimentary rocks of postMinnelusa age undivided; 

sandy shale and thinbedded limestone

Minnelusa formation

Gray-red and buff limy sandstone with red shale at base

Pahasapa limestone 

Massive gray to buff limestone 

and dolomite with interbedded chert and clay; cavernous in upper 100 feet

Englewood limestone

Finely crystalline pink to

maroon limestone

II

Q.

I d I

Dead wood formation 

Dolomite, silt stone, and limestone with quartzitic sandstone at base

Amphibolite 

Dikes in quartz-mica schist

Quartz-mica schist

Locally cut by granite and

pegmatite dikes

Contact

Fault 

Dashed where inferred

FIOUEB 24. Geologic map of the Jewel Cave National Monument area, South Dakota 

(modified after Darton and Paige, 1925).
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 143

CAMBBIAN SYSTEM 

DEADWOOD FORMATION

Lying unconformably upon the Precambrian rocks at the base of 

the escarpment is an estimated 90 to 100 feet of the Deadwood formation that is largely covered by talus from the overlying Pahasapa and 

Englewood limestones. The parts of the formation that could be 

observed indicate that the Deadwood consists chiefly of quartzitic 

sandstone and dense to finely crystalline dolomite.

MISSISSIPFIAN SYSTEM 

ENGLEWOOD LIMESTONE

The contact between the Deadwood formation and the overlying 

Englewood limestone is covered by talus, thus, the presence of a thin 

intervening sandstone penetrated by the test well at the monument 

was not recognized.

Although the total thickness of the Englewood at the outcrop is 

estimated to be 50 feet, the lower part of the formation is generally 

covered by talus. The uppermost 8 feet of the formation was examined at several locations and was found to consist of highly fossilifer^ 

ous, massive, finely crystalline, pink and buff limestone.

PAHASAPA LIMESTONE

The upper part of the Englewood limestone grades upward into 

the Pahasapa limestone through a zone of impure buff limestone that 

ranges from several inches to 2 feet in thickness. Due east of the 

monument the Pahasapa constitutes the crest of the scarp face of the 

plateau and the formation is widely exposed between the escarpment 

and the west boundary of the monument. Average altitude of the top 

of the formation within the monument is about 5,400 feet above mean 

sea level.

Because of differential erosion, the thickness of the Pahasapa differs 

considerably along the escarpment. Within the monument the exposed 

thickness of the Pahasapa ranges from about 70 to about 300 feet. 

Nearly the entire thickness of the formation is exposed in Hell Canyon 

half a mile north of the entrance to Jewel Cave.

Although the thickness of the Pahasapa at Jewel Cave was estimated to be slightly more than 300 feet, on the basis of measurements 

at the outcrop along the escarpment, the test well penetrated 432 feet 

of the formation. The discrepancy between the estimated and actual 

thickness probably is caused in part by a difference in the attitude 

of the formation at the cave and at the escarpment.

585213 61 2
144 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

Where it was observed at outcrops, the Pahasapa is mostly fine 

trained and massive. Within the monument the upper part is generally more massive than the lower part and the top consists primarily 

of brown and light-gray chert. The lower part, exposed in Hell 

Canyon, consists of relatively thin bedded brown and buff limestone 

and dolomite with much brown earthy clay. In addition to the large 

caverns of Jewel Cave the formation contains many smaller cavities 

lined with calcite.

PENNSYLVANIAN SYSTEM 

MINNMLUSA FORMATION

The Minnelusa formation lies directly upon and obscures, the Pahasapa limestone on most of the prominent ridges in the monument area. 

On the east side of the monument most of the Minnelusa has been removed by erosion and only minor remnants are found in the immediate 

vicinity of Jewel Cave.

The total thickness of the Minnelusa at the outcrops east of the 

monument ranges from a few inches to about 100 feet. The formation 

thickens west of the cave and on the west side of the monument reaches 

a thickness of about 250 feet.

In general, the Minnelusa consists of interbedded limestone, dolomite, sandstone, and red shale. Within the monument it is composed 

chiefly of red shale and red-brown, yellow, or white, fine-grained sandstone.

RECENT SERIES

ALLUVIUM

The floors of the deeper canyons within the monument are covered 

with a deposit of rock fragments and soil and the slopes and summits 

of the higher ridges are overlain by thin deposits of soil. The rock 

fragments are chiefly Pahasapa limestone and a few scattered pieces 

of standstone from the Minnelusa formation.

The maximum thickness of the alluvium is not known but it may 

be as much as 30 feet in Hell Canyon south of Jewel Cave. At the 

test well, the Pahasapa limestone is overlain by 2i/£ feet of dark-red 

clayey soil containing many fragments of chert. The soil apparently 

is a product of residual weathering of the Pahasapa limestone combined with residual or slightly transported remains of the red shale 

of the Minnelusa formation.

FAULTING

A prominent fault crosses the monument about 1,500 feet north of 

the entrance to Jewel Cave. The fault begins in the Precambrian
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 145

rocks to the east and extends westward to the west side of the monument, causing a pronounced offset in the escarpment. West of the 

monument the fault breaks into two diverging branches and disappears within a very short distance. Except for a gentle northward 

deflection along a distance of about half a mile, the fault trends nearly 

east-west across the monument.

U.S. Highway 16 follows the fault line from the escarpment to 

the east side of the monument and parallels cliffs of Pahasapa limestone that mark the edge of the upthrown fault block through most 

of this distance. South of the highway, along the downthrown block 

of the fault, the lower part of the Minnelusa formation lies opposite 

the upper part of the Pahasapa limestone. One mile west of the entrance to Jewel Cave the total displacement of the fault is about 120 

feet (Darton and Paige, 1925, p. 18).

An interesting phenomenon observed during the reconnaissance of 

the surface geology was the scarcity of soil in Hell Canyon north 

of the fault. South of the fault the floor of Hell Canyon is covered 

with an estimated 6 to 10 feet of red clayey soil. North of the 

fault the alluvial fill is chiefly boulders and smaller fragments of 

limestone and little soil. It is not known if the soil has been removed 

by water moving down the valley and entering the fault or if limestone fragments are accumulating faster than soil can cover them.

Additional test drilling would be necessary to determine with certainty what effect the fault has on ground-water occurrence near 

Jewel Cave.

SPRINGS

In addition to the spring that furnishes the present water supply 

at Jewel Cave, three other springs, all outside the monument, were 

visited. Locations of the springs are shown on figure 25.

A spring in Hell Canyon about 1 mile north of the cave (SE^ 

NWi/iNEi/4 sec. 35, T. 3 S., B. 2 E.) supplied enough water in the 

late 1930's for a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the canyon. 

Development of the spring consists of a concrete box about 5 feet 

square and 4 feet deep in an excavation at a seep in the bottom of the 

canyon. When the site was visited in May 1959, only about 2 inches 

of water covered the floor of the concrete box and no water was 

observed entering the box through the intake pipe about 6 inches 

above the floor. Whether enough water is now available at the site 

to again f urnish a supply is unknown.

A second spring (NW^SW^SE^ sec. 2S T. 4 S., R. 2 E.) about 

half a mile south of the entrance to Jewel Cave on the west side of 

Hell Canyon yielded about 1 gpm (gallon per minute) of potable 

water in May 1959. Visible development of the spring consists of
R.3E.

Spring, not flowing in May 1959 5 «!

o 

» 

o F 

o 

o

FIGURE 25. Map of the Jewel Cave National Monument area, South Dakota, showing location of springs and test well.
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 147

a section of 1%-inch pipe thrust into a seep on the side of the canyon. 

The pipe extends downhill to a stock tank about 20 feet east. 

Apparently much more water is escaping from the spring than issues 

from the pipe as the ground is waterlogged and soft in the floor of 

the canyon 150 feet below and 600 feet south of the spring.

The third spring (SW^4SE%NW% sec. 6, T. 4 S., K. 3 E.), locaUy 

known as Lithograph Spring, is in Lithograph Canyon about 1% 

miles east of the entrance to Jewel Cave. The spring was yielding 

about half a gallon per minute when the site was visited in May 

1959. A 1^-inch pipe extends from a seep in the bottom of the 

canyon to a stock tank about 30 feet west and 4 feet lower than the 

seep.

Because of their distances from the monument facilities and their 

small yields, the springs are not considered to be potential sources 

of water supply for the monument.

RESULTS OF TEST DRILLING

On the basis of preliminary field investigations, a test hole was 

drilled in the NW^SE^NE^ sec. 2, T. 4 S., K. 2 E. to determine 

the lithologic and water-bearing characteristics of the strata beneath 

the monument. Lack of subsurface information and other considerations indicated that the test hole might as well be close to the service 

area and be of sufficient diameter to permit finishing as a well in the 

event water-bearing rocks were penetrated. A test hole 8 inches in 

diameter and suitable for casing with heavy-duty 6-inch pipe was 

begun May 6, 1959, and completed on August 25, 1959, at a total 

depth of 700 feet. The location of the test well with respect to the 

service area is shown on figure 25.

The test hole penetrated 432.5 feet of Pahasapa limestone before 

reaching the underlying Englewood limestone. As revealed by the 

detailed long on page 151 the Pahasapa consists chiefly of finely crystalline to dense limestone and dolomite, and thin layers of chert and 

clay at irregular intervals. The 20 feet of clay and large calcite 

crystals in the interval 1YO to 190 feet apparently represents a clayfilled extension of Jewel Cave.

Although some scattered intergranular porosity occurs in the limestone and dolomite of the Pahasapa, the formation contains very 

little water at the monument. The interval 390 to 400 feet supplied 

barely enough water (about 100 gallons in 12 hours) for the first 

drilling run each day.

From 435 to 4Y5 feet the drill penetrated finely crystalline pink 

to maroon Englewood limestone. Virtually no porosity was observed 

in any of the cuttings from this interval, and the upper 10 feet of
148 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

the formation contained appreciable red silt and clay. The Englewood limestone is not considered to be an aquifer at the site of the 

test hole.

Directly beneath the Englewood in the interval 475 to 485 feet, 

the drill penetrated 10 feet of clean white sandstone containing sand 

grains that were poorly sorted, and well rounded to subrounded. 

The upper few feet of the sandstone was coarser grained and softer 

than the lower; consequently, drilling progress was more rapid in 

the upper part than in the lower.

A significant amount of water entered the hole from this 10-foot 

sandstone interval. After standing overnight, the measured static 

water level was 389.6 feet. After the sandstone had been completely 

penetrated at 485 feet, the hole was bailed for 44 minutes at an 

average rate of about 12.5 gpm with a maximum drawdown of about 

87 feet. The water level at the end of 44 minutes of bailing was 

about 476 feet. Fifteen minutes after bailing stopped the water 

level had recovered to 423 feet.

Before the bailing test was started a sample of water was tested for 

pH, iron, chloride, and hardness with a. water-testing kit designed for 

field use. Results of the testing are approximate and are as follows:

pH _______________________________ 7 

Fe ________________________ ____ppm_ .5

Cl ____________________________________do__ 25 

Hardness ________________________do_ 240

In the interval 485 to 665 feet the drill penetrated 180 feet of dolomite, siltstone, limestone, and sandstone comprising the Deadwood 

formation. The uppermost 115 feet of the Deadwood consists of 

brown and green limestone and dolomite with siltstone at 500 and 575 

feet. No porosity was observed in any samples of limestone and dolomite of the Deadwood and they apparently contained little or no 

water.

The lower part of the limestone in the Deadwood was very compact 

at 593 feet as indicated by the description of the sample from this 

depth. The driller reported drilling through a "boulder"' from 593 to 

595 feet.

The upper 5 feet of the sandstone section of the lower part of the 

Deadwood was also hard and apparently was not water bearing. Of 

the 65 feet of sandstone in the lower part of the Deadwood only about 

15 to 20 feet appeared clean and permeable enough to yield water. 

The samples from the sandstone intervals 630 to 635 feet and 640 to 

650 feet were moderately clean and moderately well cemented; most 

of the water yielded by the Deadwood formation probably entered 

the hole from these two intervals.
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 149

After the entire thickness of the Deadwood formation had been 

penetrated at 665 feet, test drilling was continued for an additional 

35 feet into the underlying Precarabrian quartz-biotite schist. This 

schist is compact and, with the exception of the upper few feet which 

is generally weathered, is not an aquifer.

Upon completion of the test hole, a second bailing test was made. 

The static water level at the beginning of the test was about 390 feet, 

about the same as that for the sandstone at 475 to 485 feet. Thus, 

leakage from one zone to another probably is insignificant. After 

bailing for 70 minutes at an average rate of 14 gpm the water level 

was about 500 feet; a drawdown of about 110 feet. Because of the 

wet condition of the hole and the relatively great depth to water, 

accurate measurements of the water level during recovery were not 

possible. Measurement by use of the bail line, however, indicated that 

recovery was slow. About 20 hours was required for the water level 

to recover to 390 feet.

The test hole was cased with 700 feet of 6-inch (outer diameter) 

heavy-duty pipe. Slots were cut in the pipe in a regular pattern and 

were set opposite the sands at 475 to 485 feet and 605 to 665 feet. In 

order not to miss any possible thin water-bearing strata the casing 

was perforated from 475 to 495 feet and from 605 to 670 feet. Perforations were thus set opposite the uppermost 5 feet of Precambrian 

schist and all except the uppermost 5 feet of the sandstone in the lower 

part of the Deadwood formation. The casing was not perforated 

opposite the minor water-bearing zone in the Pahasapa limestone at 

390 to 400 feet.

After the test well was completed, a cylinder pump was inserted in 

the well. During September 22-26, 1959, the well was tested at different pump settings for short intervals at rates that ranged from 

10 to 26 gpm. The longest period of pumping that the contractor was 

able to maintain was 18 hours beginning at 5:35 p.m. on September 25. 

During this period the pumping rate ranged from 13 to 20 gpm and 

averaged 16 gpm. Drawdown and recovery data, necessary to predict 

a sustained yield for the well, were not obtainable because access to 

the water surface was prevented by the pump rods.

SUMMARY OF GROUND-WATER CONDITIONS

None of the streams within the monument are perennial and the 

possibility of finding substantial amounts of water in the valley alluvium does not seem favorable. The alluvium consists chiefly of 

fragments of Pahasapa limestone, with a few scattered pieces of sandstone from the Minnelusa formation, covered by a variable thickness 

of red clayey soil. Maximum thickness of the alluvium is unknown
150 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

but may be as much as 30 feet in Hell Canyon south of Jewel Cave.

The problem of finding water at shallow depths in the alluvium 

in Hell Canyon is complicated by the presence of the large fault about 

1,500 feet north of the cave. Effects of the fault on ground-water 

occurrence can be determined only by test drilling but there is a possibility that the fault intercepts water moving down the canyon from 

the north. If this is true, little water may be expected in the alluvium 

in Hell Canyon south of the fault near Jewel Cave.

Only one spring has been observed within the boundaries of the 

monument. The spring is well developed and the yield of about 2 

gpm is believed to be the maximum yield that can be economically 

obtained. With very little effort, however, the spring could be maintained as a source of supply.

Three other springs were visited during the study; 1 was not flowing 

when visited and the other 2 had a combined yield of less than 2 gpm. 

These springs are too far from Jewel Cave and their yields are too 

low for them to be a suitable source of water supply.

The sandstone zones of the Minnelusa formation are excellent aquifers west of the monument where the formation is deeply buried. 

However, within the monument the thin remnants of the formation 

that cap the higher ridges probably contain only minor amounts of 

water. Near Jewel Cave on the east side of the monument, faulting 

combined with dissection of the formation by the Hell Canyon drainage system, has divided the formation into blocks of limited extent. 

It is doubtful that much water will be found in the formation near 

Jewel Cave.

Because the Paliasapa limestone is permeable and the upper 150 

feet is cavernous, the water level in the formation is usually well 

below the outcrop area. West of the monument the formation is 

an excellent aquifer but within the monument boundaries, the extensive exposures of the formation indicate that it contains little 

if any water. Test drilling at Jewel Cave revealed only a small 

amount of water in the lower part of the Paliasapa limestone in the 

immediate vicinity of the cave.

The Paliasapa limestone is underlain by 40 feet of Englewood 

limestone. Generally the Englewood is moderately permeable but 

is rarely jointed or cavernous. These characteristics, and the fact 

that 110 water was found when the formation was penetrated by 

the test drill, indicate that the Englewood probably is not an aquifer 

in the vicinity of the monument.

The 10 feet of clean white sandstone immediately below the Englewood limestone and the sandstone section of the lower part of the 

Deadwood formation seem to offer the best possibilities for the develop-
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 151

ment of permanent water supplies at the monument. Results of 

test drilling and bail tests indicate that the sandstone just below 

the Englewood limestone is the most productive aquifer penetrated.

The sandstone below the Englewood is separated from the sandstone section of the Deadwood by 115 feet of limestone, dolomite, 

and siltstone of the Deadwood formation. Samples obtained by test 

drilling indicate that 15 to 20 feet of the 65 feet of sandstone in the 

lower part of the Deadwood is sufficiently permeable to yield a 

significant amount of water. Combined yields of all the sandstones 

may be expected to be small and pumping lifts will undoubtedly 

be large.

CONCLUSIONS

Formations underlying Jewel Cave National Monument are not 

sufficiently permeable to yield abundant supplies of ground water. 

However, the 75 feet of water-bearing sandstones penetrated by the 

drill at depths of 475 to 485 feet and 600 to 665 feet are apparently 

capable of yielding 15 to 18 gpm for a short time. Other wells, 

drilled as far from the test well as practical, will furnish additional 

water if future demands exceed the output of the test well.

LOG OF TEST WELL

Jewel Cave National Monument test well, NW^SE&NE^ sec. 2, T. 4 S., B. 2 B., 

Custer County, S. Dak. Drilled 1959. Altitude about 5,340 feet above mean 

sea level.

Thickness Depth

Material (feet) (feet) 

Quaternary system:

Recent series:

No sample, soil and broken rock______________ 2.5 2.5

Mississippian system: 

Pahasapa limestone:

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, yellowbrown, gray to nearly white with gray chert______ 2.5 5 

Limestone, same as unit above; with

much gray chert________________________ 5 10

Limestone, very finely crystalline to dense,

mottled red-brown, light-gray to white_________ 5 15 

Limestone, very finely crystalline to dense,

mottled-red and gray to nearly white_________ 3 18 

Limestone, very finely crystalline to dense;

with few pieces dense, buff limestone__________ 3 21 

Limestone, dense to finely crystalline, buff to

nearly white- __________ _________ 4 25

Limestone, dense to finely crystalline,

mottled red and white to white_____________ 5 30 

Limestone, dense to finely crystalline, white ______ 5 35
152 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

Thickness Depth

Material (feet) (feet) 

Mississippian system Continued 

Pahasapa limestone Continued

Limestone, dense to finely crystalline,

with faint-pink tint_____________________ 5 40 

Limestone, finely crystalline, white to paleyellow and faintly pink_________________ 5 45

Limestone, finely crystalline, white_____ ___ 5 50 

Limestone, finely crystalline, white and very faintly 

pink __-_______________________ __ 5 55

Limestone, same as unit above___ _ _ 5 60 

No sample _______________ _ 5 65

Limestone, dense to finely crystalline, pale-brown and 

light-orange to nearly white_________ ____ 5 70

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, light-olive,

pink to nearly white____ ___ 5 75 

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, light-gray and

buff ____________________________ 5 80 

Limestone, dense, buff to mottled-gray 5 85 

Limestone, same as unit above- 5 90 

Limestone, dense to very finely crystalline, buff, with

cleaved calcite rhombohedrons- 5 95 

Limestone, very finely crystalline, buff to pale-pink__ 5 100 

Limestone, very finely crystalline, pink-gray to nearly

white ___________________________ 5 105 

Limestone, very finely crystalline, pink, pale-brown 

to nearly white_____________ 5 110

Limestone, dense, pale-brown mottled with orange 5 115 

Limestone, dense to medium crystalline, white and

pink; with much cleaved calcite 5 120 

Limestone, fine to medium crystalline, pink and white. 5 125 

Limestone, finely crystalline, faint-pink and lightgray ___________________ _ __ 5 130

Limestone, finely crystalline, white to faintly pink. 5 135 

Limestone, finely crystalline, white 5 140 

Limestone, medium to coarsely crystalline, pale-yellow 

to white_______________ 5 145

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, pale-yellowbrown to white_______ 5 150 

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, with pink tint 5 155 

Limestone, finely crystalline, pink to nearly white- 5 160 

Limestone, medium crystalline to dense, buff, pink,

and white_________________________ 5 165 

Limestone, medium crystalline to dense, mostly buff 5 170 

Clay, yellow-brown, calcareous; containing many large 

clear pieces of cleaved calcite; a few angular pieces 

of finely crystalline buff limestone___________ 5 175 

Clay, yellow-brown, calcareous; containing some 

pieces cleaved calcite three-fourths of an inch in 

longest dimension_______ 5 180
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 153

Thickness Depth

Material (feet) (feet) 

Mississippian system Continued 

Pahasapa limestone Continued

Clay, yellow-brown, calcareous; containing small 

amount black earthy MnO2_____-_ - 5 185

Clay, yellow-brown, calcareous; containing a few pieces 

yellow or white decomposed limestone and much, 

calcite __________________________ 5 190

Limestone, medium to finely crystalline, buff and pink; 

with cavings of cleaved calcite_____ ___ 5 195

Limestone, medium to finely crystalline to dense, pink, 

brown, and gray to nearly white; with a few pieces 

showing dentrites of MnO2 ; cleaved calcite as 

above ___________________________ 5 200

Limestone, coarse to finely crystalline, red, pink-gray 

and buff; with much light and dark gray-brown 

chert ____________________________ 5 205

Limestone, finely crystalline, pink, buff and nearly 

white; showing dendrites of MnO2 , and much chert 

as above-_ ____________ _ _ 5 210

Limestone, coarse to finely crystalline, pink, buff, and 

gray; with much chert and cleaved calcite______ 5 215

Limestone, medium crystalline to dense, pink, buff 

to nearly white with light-gray and brown chert __ 5 220

Limestone, medium crystalline to dense, light-yellowgray and pink; containing nearly white clay __ 5 225

Limestone, coarsely crystalline to dense, pink, lightyellow-gray and gray ", with chert as above_____ 5 230

Limestone, dense, light-gray spotted with black MnOz, 

dolomitic in part; with chert_____________ 5 235

Limestone, dense; containing veinlets of calcite_ 5 240

Limestone, coarsely crystalline, light-yellow-gray and 

pink _____________________ _ ______ 5 245

Limestone, coarsely crystalline; containing small hematite-filled vugs, very porous____ _-______ 5 250

Limestone, coarsely crystalline, slightly porous___ 5 255

Limestone, coarsely crystalline; with light-brown to

nearly white chert- _ _ _ _ _ 5 260

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, sugary textured, buff

with spots of MnO»_____________ _______ 5 265

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, with pink tint and tan 

to white chert, some intergranular porosity______ 5 270

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline (sample was overwashed) ____ ________ __________ 5 275

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, pink and yellow-gray, 

spotted with MnO» as in unit above ___ __ 5 280

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline; containing few clear 

calcite rhombohedrons_____ ____ _____ 5 285
154 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

TMcknett Depth

Material (feet) (feet) 

Mississippian system Continued 

Pahasapa limestone Continued

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, light-gray to white with

pink tint_ ____________________- 5 290 

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, white and pink, intergranular porosity__ 5 295 

Dolomite, same as unit above-_______________ 5 30O

Dolomite, medium crystalline, buff to pink______ 5 305 

Dolomite, coarse to medium crystalline, buff to gray

with brown clay____________________ 5 310 

Dolomite, medium to finely crystalline, brown and

gray with strong pink tint_____________ _ 5 315 

Dolomite, coarst to medium crystalline, pink, buff, 

gray and white_______________________ 5 320-

Dolomite, coarse, gray and white; containing much 

red-brown and yellow calcareous clay and black 

earthy MnO2_________________________ 5 325 

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, dirty-gray, 

mottled-brown; containing veinlets of calcite; dolomitic in part________________________ 5 330

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, mottled buff

and pink__________________________ 5 335 

Limestone, dense, yellow-gray with faint-pink tint,

earthy ___________________________ 5 34fr 

Limestone, dense, buff to nearly white, dolomitic 5 345 

Limestone, dense; much yellow-brown clay containing

small calcite crystals; dolomitic_ 5 350 

Limestone, dense, dolomitic; clay as above 5 355 

Limestone, finely crystalline to dense, medium-yellowgray to brown, with MnO2 ; much calcite in small 

masses of crystals cemented with limonite 5 360* 

Dolomite, medium to coarsely crystalline, light-graybrown and pink______________ 5 365

Dolomite, fine to medium crystalline, tan with faintpink tint__________________________ 5 37ft 

Dolomite, same as unit above 5 375 

Dolomite, fine to medium crystalline, tan and white 5 380 

Limestone, finely crystalline, pale-brown, dolomitic 5 385 

Dolomite, finely crystalline, pale-brown with pink tint- 5 390* 

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, buff, intergranular 

porosity __________________ 5 395

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, buff and orange, intergranular porosity________________ 5 4001

Dolomite, medium to coarsely crystalline, buff__ __ 5 405 

Dolomite, medium to coarsely crystalline, pale-bufforange and light gray___ __ 5 410 

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, buff, orange and gray 5 415 

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline to dense, buff to mottled pink-gray _______________-______ 5 420 

Dolomite, same as unit above_____ 5 425
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 155

Thickness Depth

Material (feet) ifeet) 

Mississippian system Continued 

Pahasapa limestone Continued

Dolomite, medium crystalline, uniform light-yellowgray _ _ _______ 5 430

Dolomite, medium to coarsely crystalline, buff to

orange, stained with iron oxides 5 435 

Englewood limestone:

Limestone, finely crystalline, pink to dark-red-brown,

silty__________________________ 5 440 

Limestone, very finely crystalline to dense, pink-gray

and maroon; containing much red clay- 5 445 

Limestone, very finely crystalline, gray and maroon;

containing small amount of hematite______ 5 450 

Limestone, same as unit above. _ 5 455 

Limestone, finely crystalline, buff, mottled-pink, pink

and white________________________ 5 460 

Limestone, same as unit above-__ _ _ 5 465 

Limestone, finely crystalline, uniform light-pink-gray

to mottled-pink and gray__________________ 5 470

Limestone, finely crystalline, pink-gray strongly spotted

with red__________________________ 5 475 

Ordovician system (?):

Sand, medium to very coarse, subrounded to well-rounded

frosted grains, white, poorly sorted - _ 5 480 

Sand, medium to very coarse, subrounded to well-rounded 

grains, white _ ____________ 5 485

Cambrian system:

Deadwood formation:

Dolomite, finely crystalline, buff, pink, and red-brown,

silty, argillaceous____________________ 5 490 

Dolomite, same as unit above___ _____ _ 5 495

Dolomite, same as unit above; cavings of sand from

475 to 485__________________________ 5 500 

Siltstone, green; containing red clay and finely crystalline red-brown dolomite___________ _ 5 505 

Dolomite, fine to medium crystalline, red-brown to

nearly white, silty, glauconitic___________ 5 510 

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, pink, red and white,

glauconitic; containing schist fragments_______ 5 515 

Dolomite, coarsely crystalline, pink and gray, very

glauconitic; with a few fragments of siltstone___ 5 520 

No sample. _ _ _.__ _ _ 5 525 

Limestone, coarsely crystalline, red, pink, gray and 

brown, glauconitic; with gray, brown, and green 

siltstone ____________________________ 5 630

Limestone, coarsely crystalline, pink, red and white-_ 5 535 

Limestone, same as unit above_____________ 5 540 

Limestone, same as unit above, with green and redbrown siltstone________.._____ _ ___ 5 545
156 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

Thickness Depth

Material (feet) (feet) 

Oambrian system Continued

Deadwood formation Continued

Limestone, coarsely crystalline, red-brown, gray and

white, very glauconitic _ 5 550 

Limestone, same as unit above; containing embedded

mica flakes and siltstone as above 5 555 

Limestone, medium crystalline, red-brown to white,

argillaceous 5 560 

Limestone, same as unit above. 5 565 

Limestone, same as unit above, very argillaceous. 5 570 

No sample __________ _ 5 575

.Siltstone, brown and green with limestone cavings 5 580 

Limestone, finely crystalline, white to mottled-gray

and red_______________ _ _ 5 585 

Limestone, coarsely crystalline to dense, red-brown,

green, and gray, glauconitic; with green, gray, and

red-brown calcareous siltstone_____ _ 5 590 

Limestone, coarsely crystalline, yellow-brown, red,

pink and white, very glauconitic____ _ _ 3 593 

Limestone, coarsely crystalline, green and gray,

dolomitic, very glauconitic, hard (catch sample) 593 

Limestone, same as unit above 2 595 

Limestone, same as unit above, sandy 5 600 

Sandstone, fine, quartzitic and iron-stained, pink,

brown and white_____________________ 2 602 

[Sandstone, medium, quartzitic, iron-stained, hard

(catch sample)______________________ __ 602 

Sandstone, fine, quartzitic and iron-stained _ 3 605 

Sandstone, fine to medium, glauconite, quartzitic in

part ____________________________ 5 610 

Sandstone, fine to medium, very glauconitic; a few

grains slightly coated with iron oxides ______ 5 615 

Sand and some sandstone, fine to coarse, white and

brown; containing glauconite and pyrite______ 5 620

Sandstone, fine, quartzitic ___ _ 5 625 

Sandstone, very fine to fine, white, tight _ 5 630 

Sand, medium to coarse, subrounded to well-rounded

frosted grains_____________________ 5 635 

Sandstone, very fine to fine, quartzitic____ 5 640 

Sand, medium to very coarse, well-rounded, white,

pink, gray; frosted grains; clean_____ __ _ 5 645 

Sand, same as unit above; with trace of fine quartzitic sandstone _ _ 5 650 

Sand, medium, angular to subrounded, white, gray and

pink ____________________________ 5 655 

Sand, same as unit above; containing quartz; minute

flakes of mica, top Precambrian(?)_________ 5 660 

Sand, same as unit above; mica flakes (?)___»_ 5 665
GROUND WATER AT JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S. DAK. 157

Thickness Depth

Material (feet) (feet) 

Precambrian system:

No sample; weathered quartz-biotite schist (?)______ 5 670 

Quartz-biotite schist, unweathered _ 5 675 

Same as unit above. _ _ 25 700

REFERENCES CITED

Darton, N. H., 1918, Artesian waters in the vicinity of the Black Hills, South 

Dakota: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 428,64 p.

Darton, N. H., and Paige, Sidney, 1925, Description of the central Black Hills: 

U.S. Geol. Survey Geol. Atlas, Folio 219.

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