Occurrence and 

Distribution of Strontium 

in Natural Water

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1496-D

This report concerns work done on behalf 

of the U.S. -Atomic Energy Commission 

and is published with the permission of 

the Commission

FEB 4 1963 

WRD
Occurrence and 

Distribution of Strontium 

;n Natural Water

;> MARVIN W. SKOUGSTAD and C. ALBERT HORR

CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1496-D

This report concerns work done on behalf 

of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 

end is published with the permission of 

the Commission

I T ITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON 1 1963.
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.G.
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract________-____-_--____-_______-_____-___--____-___-___-_- 55

Introduction. ______________________________________________________ 55

Sampling program.________________________________________________ 58

Analytical methods________________________________________________ 58

Chemistry of strontium____________________________________________ 59

Strontium content of water_________________________________________ 63

Surface water.________________________________________________ 63

Ground water,________________________________________________ 71

Summary_______________________________________________________ 73

References cited___________________________________________________ 74

ILLUSTRATIONS

FIGURE 10. Average strontium concentration in surface water. __ _______ 65

11. Average Sr/Ca ratio in surface water______________________ 68

12. Average strontium concentration in total dissolved solids in

surface water________________________________________ 69

TABLES

TABLE 1. Physical properties of strontium and related elements________ 60

2. Surface-water samples having a Sr/Ca ratio greater than twice

the median for all samples_____________________________ 66

3. Surface-water samples having a strontium content greater than

twice the median for all samples.______-________---__-___ 70

4. Chemical analyses of surface water_______________--_____-_ 75

5. Chemical analyses of ground water of low mineralization______ 82

6. Chemical analyses of brines_-_____--____-__-_-___-_-____-_ 92

7. Sr/Ca ratios and strontium content in total dissolved solids____ 93

m
CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM IN 

NATURAL WATER

BY MABVIN W. SKOUGSTAD and C. ALBERT HORR

ABSTRACT

Strontium, an alkaline-earth element chemically similar to calcium and magnesium, occurs in trace quantities in all natural water. Analysis of samples from 

75 major rivers of the conterminous United States shows that the strontium 

concentration ranges from 0.007 to 13.7 ppm (parts per million). The strontium 

concentration in the total dissolved solids carried by these waters ranges from a 

few hundredths of a percent to 0.37 percent. The greatest strontium concentration in surface water and in dissolved material occurs in the high-salinity streams 

of the Southwestern United States. In this area, characterized by relatively 

low annual rainfall, high evaporation rate, and low physical relief, the concentration of strontium in the streams is generally 2 to 3 times as great as in most 

other streams of the Nation.

The strontium content of ground water has a wider range than that of surface 

water. Of more than 175 ground-water samples analyzed, 60 percent contained 

less than 0.2 ppm, although some potable water samples contained as much as 

50 ppm. One brine sample contained 2,960 ppm of strontium.

INTRODUCTION

Studies of the occurrence of strontium in water have, with few 

exceptions, been limited to investigations of areas where unusually 

high strontium concentrations have been noted, or to the analysis of 

brines or highly mineralized waters containing appreciable amounts of 

strontium.

Odum (1951, p. 20-21) reported the strontium and calcium content 

of certain Florida waters, including 14 springs, 4 rivers, and 6 lakes 

and ponds. The strontium content of the springs generally ranged 

from 0.107 to 0.784 ppm (part per million), although 1 spring was 

found to contain 6.308 ppm of strontium and 2 spring samples contained less than 0.10 ppm. Strontium in rivers and lakes ranged from 

a few hundredths of a part per million to about 0.8 ppm.

Lohr and Love (1954, p. 624) noted the unusually high strontium 

content of three municipally-owned wells at Waukesha, Wis. Later,

55
'56 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

Nichols and McNall (1957) analyzed more than 380 samples in a 

comprehensive survey of the occurrence of strontium in municipal 

water supplies in Wisconsin. They found that water in the eastern 

part of the State generally contained more than 1.0 ppm of strontium 

and that several wells in this area, including wells at Campbellsport, 

Greendale, Kaukauna, Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, and Wauwatosa, 

contained strontium in concentrations greater than 30 ppm. They 

tabulated the strontium content in the water supplies of 100 Wisconsin 

communities where the concentrations exceeded 1.0 ppm. Their 

analyses were made by a flame-photometric procedure using synthetic 

radiation buffers of a composition similar to the composition of the 

water analyzed. When the sample composition differed significantly 

from that of the synthetic buffer, an appropriate correction to the 

strontium value obtained was made.

Alexander, Nusbaum, and MacDonald (1954), in a study of the 

occurrence of strontium in the water supplies of 50 major cities of the 

United States, found only two sources which contained more than 1.0 

ppm. The maximum concentration found in any untreated surface 

or ground water used as a source for municipal supply was 1.9 ppm 

in ground water at Wichita, Kans. The strontium content of the 

samples ranged from 0.0058 to 1.9 ppm. The analyses were made 

spectrographically and included determination of calcium and magnesium as well as strontium.

A more recent survey of the strontium content of the drinking 

water of seven cities (Chicago, Denver, Oak Ridge, Cincinnati, New 

York, Atlanta, and Charlottesville) was reported by Blanchard, 

Leddicotte, and Moeller (1958). They used a neutron-activation 

method to determine several minor elements, including strontium, 

and reported a range of strontium concentrations from 0.08 to 1.23 

ppm.

Feulner and Hubble (1960) reported strontium concentrations in 

both surface and ground water in Champaign County, Ohio, where 

celestite-rich limestones and glacial deposits of Late Silurian age 

give rise to considerable amounts of strontium in ground water. 

Strontium concentrations ranging from a few tenths of a part per 

million to as much as 30 ppm were found in the wells tested. Surface 

water, particularly that fed by springs or ground-water seepage from 

celestite-rich limestone aquifers, contained up to 2.1 ppm of strontium. 

Two spring-discharge samples contained 8.7 and 9.0 ppm of strontium.

The "Committee on World-Wide Runoff of Dissolved Solids," 

appointed by the International Association of Hydrology of the 

International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, has undertaken a 

program involving the analysis of samples from about 70 major rivers 

of the world. Four samples from each river, each sample taken
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 57

at a different time of the year and representing a different flow stage 

of the river, have been analyzed for about 20 chemical substances 

by conventional chemical methods. In addition, spectrographic 

trace-elements techniques were used to determine up to 25 additional 

minor elements, including strontium. Preliminary data (Durum, 

Heidel, and Tison, 1960) for the several U.S. rivers included in this 

study indicate a range of strontium concentration from 0.0075 ppm 

(Apalachicola River, Fla.) to 0.802 ppm (Colorado River at Yuma, 

Ariz.).

Except for these data, little information is available on the general 

occurrence and distribution of strontium in fresh water. Recently, 

however, considerable interest has developed in the occurrence of 

strontium in water, soils, plants, and foods, particularly in relation 

to the fallout hazards associated with the radioactive isotopes of 

strontium. There are four naturally occurring isotopes of strontium, 

the predominant one being strontium-88. These isotopes are not 

radioactive and are nontoxic, at least no more toxic than calcium, 

an essential element which in its behavior is chemically similar to 

strontium. Strontium, while being one of the more abundant of 

the minor elements, is much less abundant than calcium and probably 

seldom occurs in nature in concentrations which might be harmful.

Two strontium isotopes resulting from nuclear fission, strontium-89 

and strontium-90, are among the most hazardous substances present 

in atomic fall-out or atomic-waste materials. They create a serious 

hazard to human and animal life when present in water or foods. 

A knowledge of the concentration levels of strontium in natural 

water, therefore, is of considerable interest for the evaluation of 

potential hazards in connection with fallout or atomic-waste disposal. There is little evidence that indicates a physiological preference for calcium with respect to strontium or vice versa. Strontium 

and calcium are probably assimilated by the body of man and by 

plants in close to the same relative proportion in which they occur 

in the water or food material ingested or available to the organism. 

Because there is no physiological or chemical distinction between 

strontium-90 and the nonradioactive isotopes of strontium, the presence of natural strontium effectively dilutes the radioactive variety 

and reduces the amount of strontium-90 taken up by body tissue.

In order to have more extensive, accurate data on the concentration levels of strontium which occur in natural water, the U.S. Geological Survey has made a study of its occurrence and distribution 

in the natural waters of the United States. The study was made 

on behalf of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and was carried 

out under the direction of S. K. Love, Chief, Quality of Water Branch, 

U.S. Geological Survey.
58 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER 

SAMPLING PROGRAM

A program was established which provided for the sampling of 75 

of the major rivers and streams of the conterminous United States. 

Several large rivers were sampled at more than one point so that a 

total of 85 different sampling points was included. Most of the 

sampling sites selected are regularly operating stations of the Quality 

of Water Branch of the Survey. An attempt was made to obtain 

three samples at each site over a period of several months or a year, 

in order to obtain samples representing high- , median- , and low-flow 

conditions at each site. At a few sites this was not possible because 

they were not sampled on a regular schedule, and multiple sampling 

was impractical. No attempt has been made to obtain exact flow 

data, and the designations "high," "medium," and "low" flow are 

to be considered as representing relative flow conditions only.

The discharge or flow rate varies widely for certain rivers and very 

little for others. Thus, for some rivers the difference between high 

and low flow may be very little, while for others it is large. Detailed 

data on flow rates for most of the rivers included in this report may 

be found in the U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper series 

"Surface Water Supply of the United States," published annually in 

14 parts.

A chemical analysis was made of each sample collected. Most of 

these analyses were made in the laboratory of the district office 

operating the sampling station and collecting the sample for this 

study. The district office then transmitted a part of the sample, 

together with the analytical report, to the Denver Quality of Water 

laboratory of the Survey where all strontium analyses were made 

(table 4).

Although this study was primarily intended to provide a survey of 

strontium concentrations in surface water, a considerable number of 

ground waters, including some brines, mineral waters, and springs, 

and other miscellaneous water samples were analyzed for strontium 

when such samples were available. These additional samples were 

obtained as a result of sampling for other purposes, but the results of 

chemical analyses of these samples (including strontium) are included 

in this report (table 5). The analyses of several brines and highly 

mineralized waters are also included (table 6).

ANALYTICAL METHODS

Samples containing more than 1.0 ppm of strontium were analyzed 

by a direct flame-photometric method, utilizing a radiation buffer to 

minimize the effect of variation in sample composition with respect 

to other constituents. The determination of strontium by direct
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 59

flame photometry is not sufficiently sensitive for water whose 

strontium concentration is less than 1.0 ppm, and two techniques 

were used for analysis of those waters. One, a flame-photometric 

method, involved a tenfold concentration of the cationic constituents 

in the sample by means of a strongly acidic cation-exchange resin 

before the determination of strontium. By this method, as little 

as 0.02 ppm of strontium could be detected with certainty. The 

ion exchange technique, in addition to accomplishing a tenfold concentration of the sample, had the added advantage that anionic interferences such as those from sulfate and phosphate were eliminated, 

and the final solutions used for the flame-photometric determination 

were of uniform anionic composition. The flame photometric 

procedures are described in detail by Horr (1962).

The second method used to determine strontium in samples containing less than 1.0 ppm of strontium was a spectrographic method. 

The spectrographic copper-spark technique used permitted detection 

of 0.005 ppm of strontium without prior concentration of the sample 

and had the added advantage that 20 to 30 ml of sample would suffice 

for the analysis. The spectrographic method was developed solely 

for the determination of trace amounts of strontium in dilute water 

and is not considered reliable for the analysis of water containing 

more than 500 to 600 ppm of dissolved solids. A detailed description 

of the spectrographic procedure is given by Skougstad (1961).

CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM

Strontium, atomic number 38, is the fourth member of the Group II 

elements, the alkaline-earth metals. The electron distribution in the 

strontium atom (Is2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 5s2) determines its universal divalency in its compounds. This is characteristic of all elements in this group which have no partially filled subshells, and whose 

outermost electron shell is a completed s-shell. The nucleus may 

contain 46, 48, 49, or 50 neutrons. Thus, there are 4 stable isotopes of 

strontium having mass numbers of 84, 86, 87, and 88. The natural 

distribution of these 4 isotopes gives rise to an average atomic weight 

for strontium of 87.63 and an equivalent weight of 43.82.

Although no radioactive isotopes of strontium exist in nature, as 

many as 10 artificially produced isotopes have been identified. The 

most familiar of these are the isotopes of mass number 89, 90, and 91, 

which are a part of the material that results from atomic fission.

The other alkaline-earth elements are beryllium (Z=4, at. wt= 

9.013), magnesium (Z=12, at. wt=24.32), calcium (Z=20, at. 

wt=40.08), barium (Z=56, at. wt= 137.36), and radium (Z=88, at. 

wt=226.05). Of the alkaline-earth elements, calcium and magnesium 

are by far the most abundant, both in the earth's crust and in the

659997 63 2
60 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

hydrosphere. Next in general abundance are strontium and barium, 

often of the same order of magnitude, and finally beryllium and radium, 

which occur in exceedingly small amounts relative to the others.

Physical properties of the several elements most closely resembling 

strontium (table 1) indicate that strontium should be intermediate 

between calcium and barium with respect to its chemical behavior, 

and in many instances should resemble potassium. This is indeed 

true, and strontium is commonly found in both calcium and barium 

minerals and, to some extent, even in potassium minerals, as a result 

of replacement of ions of these elements in the crystal lattice of their 

minerals. Strontium occurs in barite, where it replaces barium, and 

in aragonite, calcite, gypsum, and anyhdrite, where it replaces calcium. No doubt the widespread distribution of strontium in trace 

amounts in igneous rocks is due to its ability to substitute for potassium, particularly in potassium feldspars, or for calcium in other 

igneous rock minerals.

TABLE 1. Physical properties of strontium and related elements

Ionic potential (ionic charge/ionic radius) _ 

E° at 25°C, aqueous solution ___ _ volts. _ 

lonization potential: 

I. _________________ do __

II.. ..._... _-_- ___ __dO___-

Ca

1.97

.99

4

2.02

2.87

6.09

11.82

Sr

2. 15

1. 13

2.5

1.77 

2.89

5.67

10.98

Ba

2.22

1.35

2.5

1.48 

2. 90

5. 19

9.95

K

2.02

1.33

2.3

1.50 

2.92

4.32

Strontium forms chemical compounds analagous to those of calcium 

and barium. The properties of such compounds are usually intermediate between those of the same compounds of calcium and barium. 

Thus, the carbonates, sulfates, chromates, and phosphates of all 

three metals are sparingly soluble in water, the solubility decreasing 

with increasing atomic number. In fact, the very low solubility of 

barium salts restricts the movement of barium through soils and by 

water transport. A few parts per million of sulfate in water, for 

example, precludes the possibility of the presence of much barium. 

Strontium sulfate, however, is much more soluble, hence appreciable 

amounts of strontium may exist in water containing significant concentrations of sulfate.

Strontium finds its way into natural water in much the same way 

as does calcium. Through normal weathering processes, water in 

contact with soil and rock materials dissolves appreciable amounts of 

minerals and other constituents largely through the action of hydrogen
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 61

ions carried by the water. The carbonic acid-bicarbonate equilibrium 

in water provides a supply of hydrogen ions and permits retention of 

the reaction products in solution, as in the case of strontium and 

calcium, through the formation of soluble bicarbonates. Although 

carbonic acid, resulting from dissolved carbon dioxide, is a principal 

factor in causing attack on soil and rock particles, other factors are 

also effective. Organic solutes found in soil moisture, acid clays, 

strong mineral acids (particularly sulfuric and sulfurous acids formed 

by oxidation of sulfide minerals), and organic chelating compounds 

may also be effective under certain conditions.

Strontium in natural water may be removed or redeposited by 

several mechanisms and reactions. Strontium carbonate is less 

soluble than calcium carbonate and precipitates at a pH below that 

at which calcite precipitates. When calcium carbonate precipitates, 

and if strontium is present in the same solution, some strontium will 

almost certainly accompany the calcium by coprecipitation, even 

though the solubility product of strontium carbonate may not be exceeded. This is true also when other substances, such as ferric hydroxide, precipitate from water. Some strontium may be caught or 

adsorbed to the colloidal precipitate and dragged down with it

Other insoluble strontium compounds, such as sulf ates or phosphates, 

may be formed. Strontium may also be adsorbed through ion exchange with clay minerals, or it may exchange with calcium minerals 

such as calcite or aragonite. In this respect, the relatively small 

radius of the hydrated strontium ion indicates a greater tendency 

for exchange than the larger calcium ions. This is generally true and 

it has been observed that strontium is more strongly held by exchange 

materials than is calcium.

The sources of strontium in natural water are mainly the trace 

amounts of strontium found in nearly all limestones and widely distributed in igneous and metamorphic rocks. When the strontium in 

in water is derived from these sources, the relative amounts of strontium and calcium do not usually differ greatly from their proportions 

in the rock material. Certain natural waters have much higher Sr/Ca 

ratios (Sr atoms per 1,000 Ca atoms) and indicate that the water 

has been in contact with strontium-mineral deposits, either celestite 

(SrSO4) or strontianite (SrCO3). Such deposits usually occur as beds 

or lenses in limestone deposits or in anhydrite or gypsum. Celestite 

frequently occurs disseminated in limestone and dolomite.

Probably relatively few waters are saturated with respect to either 

strontium carbonate or strontium sulfate. The amount of strontium 

present is largely controlled by its abundance in the rock material 

that has gone into solution.
62 .CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

The chemical similarity of strontium and calcium suggests that 

correlations may exist between these two elements with respect to 

their occurrence in the rocks and minerals. Turekian and Kulp 

(1956), reporting on the distribution of strontium in various rock 

materials, offer evidence that there is a direct relationship between 

the calcium content of granites and the amount of strontium present 

in these granites. They found that whereas all granitic rocks contain, on an average, an estimated 0.0285 percent strontium, granodiorites containing 1.0 to 5.0 percent calcium contain an estimated 

average of 0.0440 percent strontium. On the other hand, granites 

having 0.1 to 1.0 percent calcium contain an average of 0.0100 percent strontium. Previous estimates of the average strontium content 

of granitic rocks, 0.0090 percent (Noll, 1934) and 0.0120 percent 

(Hevesy and Wurstlein, 1934), were considerably lower. It is generally apparent, however, that in granitic rocks the amount of strontium increases as the amount of calcium increases.

These same investigators also estimated the average strontium 

content of basaltic rocks to be about three times as great as previously 

reported and found an average of 0.0465 percent strontium in all 

basalts, a figure that is considerably higher than the average for 

granites (0.0285 percent) and slightly higher than the average for 

high-calcium granites (0.0440 percent).

The average strontium content of all limestones was found by 

Turekian and Kulp (1956) to be 0.0610 percent; shales contained 

only about one-half of this amount. They concluded that sandstones 

probably contain, on an average, no more than 0.0020 percent 

strontium.

On the basis of these observations, some estimate of the probable 

occurrence of strontium in water might be projected. That is, in 

water draining areas where surficial geology consists primarily of 

basalt or sedimentary rocks, the proportion of strontium to calcium 

would be expected to be significantly less than in water draining 

areas of granitic igneous rocks. Such an extension of the geologic 

implications must be tempered with consideration of additional 

factors which can affect the behavior of strontium when it is dissolved in water. The movement of water through soil and rocks, 

involving contact with clay minerals and finely divided sediment 

material in the soil and in suspension in a stream, permits opportunity 

for several types of reactions which may alter the ratio of strontium 

to other major constituents in the water. Turekian and Kulp were 

unsuccessful in then1 attempts to correlate the occurrence of strontium 

with potassium.
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 63 

STRONTIUM CONTENT OF WATER 

SURFACE WATER

All surface-water samples collected as a part of this study contained a detectable amount of strontium (more than 0.005 ppm). 

The higher strontium concentrations were found in the streams of 

the Southwest, including eastern Arizona, New Mexico, western Oklahoma, and northern and western Texas, where the total dissolvedsolids content of the surface waters is also the highest of any area 

of the conterminous United States. In many places in this area 

rocks of rather high solubility occur at or near the land surface. 

The low average-annual precipitation together with high rates of 

evaporation and loss of surface water to ground-water recharge tends 

to reduce stream-discharge rates downstream from the source and 

to increase the dissolved-solids concentration carried by the stream. 

The high-salinity streams of this area also carry proportionally more 

strontium, usually 1.5 ppm or more, and some as much as 5.4 and 

9.5 ppm, as in the samples from the Double Mountain Fork and the 

Salt Fork of the Brazos River near Aspermont, Tex., respectively 

(table 4).

By contrast, streams of most of the Atlantic slope basins, Southeastern United States, the upper Great Lakes region, and the Pacific 

Northwest contain relatively low concentrations of strontium. This 

fact coincides with observations which may be made on the characteristics of rivers and streams of these areas. In general the salinity 

of water draining these areas is low, the average annual rainfall is 

relatively high, the evaporation rate is low, and the loss from streams 

due to ground-water recharge is low. Rarely do streams in these 

areas contain more than 0.5 ppm of strontium and frequently the 

strontium content is much less, especially during periods of high 

discharge.

Rivers of the rest of the Nation generally contain between 0.5 

and 1.5 ppm of strontium. Several exceptions to these generalizations may be noted; the exceptions usually involve higher concentrations of strontium in a stream than would be expected from the 

generalizations just stated. One such exception is the high concentration of strontium in the Maumee River, Ohio. Samples taken 

at Waterville (table 4) contained 0.44 to 1.0 ppm of strontium. 

(An additional sample, containing 1.4 ppm of strontium, was analyzed but was not included hi table 4 because of lack of other data.) 

This is considerably more than most of the rivers of the midcontinent area, more than was observed in samples collected from the 

Ohio, Kentucky, Wabash, and Cumberland Rivers, for example. 

Feulner and Hubble (1960) have pointed out the high strontium
64 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

content of certain ground waters in an area of northwestern Ohio, 

and the celestite deposits and celestite-rich limestones and glacial 

deposits of that area. These celestite-bearing limestones of Late 

Silurian age extend north and northwest of Champaign County, 

Ohio, and no doubt contribute significant amounts of strontium to 

streams which are tributaries of the Maumee and which, therefore, 

serve to increase strontium content in the Maumee even as far 

downstream as Waterville, which is close to the mouth of the river.

Another obvious exception resulting from localized conditions involves an area along the east coast of Florida. Odum (1951, p. 20-21) 

reported strontium concentrations in water from several springs and 

spring-fed rivers which are higher than might be expected on the basis 

of the generalizations previously made. The results of the present 

study also indicate the presence of somewhat higher strontium concentrations in certain of the Florida rivers sampled, particularly rivers 

along the eastern coast. Thus, the St. Johns River showed concentrations of strontium ranging from 0.68 to 1.1 ppm. Other Florida 

rivers sampled contained 0.029 to 0.11 ppm of strontium, which is in 

accord with the expected concentration. The higher strontium concentration found in samples taken in the eastern part of the State 

may be attributed to underlying limestones containing a high concentration of strontium and to a significant flow of ground water to surface 

streams from these permeable limestone formations.

The average strontium concentration of samples obtained at each 

site are shown in figure 10.

Strontium-calcium ratios (Sr atoms per 1,000 Ca atoms) were calculated for all samples in which both ions were determined (table 7). 

The ratios ranged from 0.40 to 15.75. Calculation of an average 

Sr/Ca ratio has little significance because of the variability among the 

samples and the great irregularity in distribution of the sampling 

sites. However, it may be pointed out that the Sr/Ca ratios in three 

of the rivers sampled were exceptionally high: the St. Johns River 

near Cocoa, Fla.; the Canadian River at Logan, N. Mex., and the 

Paria River, at Lees Ferry, Ariz. Two samples from the Paria 

River had ratios of 10.5 and 4.19; the river is one of the sources of the 

Yuma Main Canal, one sample of which also had an unusually high 

Sr/Ca ratio (11.2) that probably reflected the upstream sources.

A median-flow sample from the Brazos River at Richmond, Tex., 

also showed an unusually high Sr/Ca ratio. Two other samples, one 

at high flow and one at low flow showed ratios of 2.60 and 3.68, respectively, whereas the median-flow sample had a ratio of 12.6. This 

sample also differed in other respects from the other two samples from 

this river. Sodium and chloride concentrations were approximately 

6 times the amount found in the other 2 samples. Concentrations of
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 65
66 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

the other major constituents did not increase to nearly the same 

extent: calcium and magnesium only about twice, potassium by about 

one-half, sulfate about three times, and bicarbonate only very little. 

This suggests drainage of salt water bearing significant strontium, 

since the strontium concentration increased about five times.

The median Sr/Ca ratio for all samples was 3.2. Those samples 

which had a ratio greater than twice the median are listed in table 2.

TABLE 2. Surface-water samples having a Sr/Ca ratio qreater than twice the

median for all samples

Kiver

Do.. __..__-___.

Do. ____._._..._

Do_____ ...__._.

Do_--___-______

Yuma, Main Canal___

Paria _ ___ _ ______

Canadian -______.__.

Yuma, Main Canal _

Arkansas _ __ ___ _

Purgatoire ___ _____

Kissimmee

Rappahannock _

Pecos __ _ _ ___ __

Rio Grande_ _ ____

San Juan. __ _ __ _

Salt__ _ _ _ ___ __

American. __ _ ____

Location

Cocoa, Fla __ _ ____ ______

__ __do___ _________________

_____do__-----___- ______ _

_____do__.__._ _ ___________

_____do_______________--___-

Richmond, Tex.___ _ ___ __:

Tulsa, Okla_ __________ _ _

Cocoa, Fla_ _________ _ ___

Tjocraii "^ IVFex

Rye Patch, Nev _ ___ ____

Tulsa, Okla _______ _ _ _

Pair Oaks, Calif __ _ _______

Flow stage

High____.__

Median. ___

High_______

Median _ _

_____do___._

___-do__._-

_____do-___-

Low _ ___

_____do_____

High -_..._

_____do_.___

_____do _ __

High_.___._

Median _ _ _ _

High_-____.

Sr in total 

dissolved 

solids (percent)

16. 3

15.7

15.0

14.7

14.4

14.0

12.6

11.4

11.2

11. 1

11.0

10.5

9.7

8.51

8.47

8.37

8.22

7.75

7.71

7.38

7.13

7.77

7.60

6.70

6.64

6.50

It will be observed that practically all of the rivers with unusually 

high Sr/Ca ratios are located in the southwest and along the east 

coast of Florida. A single exception is the Rappahannock River. 

One sample taken at approximately median flow showed a ratio twice 

the average ratio observed on three other samples taken over a period 

of several months. The chemical quality in the Rappahannock at 

Remington does not vary significantly throughout the year. However, it should be noted that in the one sample which showed a high 

Sr/Ca ratio, the sulfate concentration was also proportionally much 

greater than the median or nominal concentration of sulfate for this 

stream. While the concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO3 , and Cl, 

were about the same or slightly below the median concentration for
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 67

these ions, the sulfate concentration in this particular sample was 

about double the median for this ion. This would indicate a possible 

pollution of the stream with SrSO4 at or about the time of sampling, 

or a stream entering the Rappahannock above the sampling point 

and draining an area containing strontium-rich minerals.

Two rivers in Florida, both draining eastern coastal areas, showed 

unusually high Sr/Ca ratios. Ratios of 16.3, 15.7, and 11.1 were 

obtained on 3 samples from the St. Johns River near Cocoa, Fla. 

Two of these, however, are low-flow samples since the discharge 

measurements, 411 and 357 cfs (cubic feet per second), respectively, 

are much below the 1958 water-year median of 1,368 cfs, and not 

much greater than the minimum of 218 crs for that year. The 1958 

water-year maximum discharge was 3,990 cfs and occurred on October 

4-5. The Sr/Ca ratio for the high-flow sample, 16.3. at 2,323 cfs, is 

only slightly larger than the ratio for one of the low-flow samples, 

15.7 at 411 cfs.

The Kissimmee River, sampled near Okeechobee, Fla., also showed 

a fairly high Sr/Ca ratio in the single sample obtained at this site. 

Although the discharge data are not available for this sample, the 

date of sampling, May 1-10, indicated that it was probably sampled 

at a time of about median flow. The chemical analysis of this sample 

shows a fairly high magnesium content and considerable sodium 

chloride, although the total concentration of dissolved solids is low 

and the water may be classified as a soft water.

Sr/Ca ratios in rivers of the rest of the Nation ranged from 0.40 to 

6.4. There is no consistent correlation between discharge and the 

Sr/Ca ratio. In some streams the ratio increases with a decrease in 

discharge rate while for others the opposite is true. In general, the 

greatest variations in the Sr/Ca ratio in a single river sampled at 

different flow rates occurred when the ratio was much larger than the 

median. Thus, the Sr/Ca ratio in 6 samples from the Canadian River 

at Logan, N. Mex., ranged from 9.7 to 15.0. Similarly, the ratio in 

the Arkansas River, at Tulsa, Okla., ranged from 6.6 to 11.4.

In some rivers, the Sr/Ca ratio does not vary appreciably with 

discharge rate, as, for example, the Cumberland, Monongahela, St. 

Lawrence, Lehigh, Mohawk, Oswego, Susquehanna, and Roanoke 

Rivers.

The average Sr/Ca ratio for samples collected at each site is shown 

in figure 11.

Another indication of the general distribution of strontium in 

surface water may be obtained by calculating the strontium content 

in the total dissolved material carried by the river. This information 

was available (table 7) for the great majority of samples. Figure 12 

shows the distribution of values. The strontium content ranged

659997 63 3
68 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 69
70 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

from 0.01 to 0.38 percent, 0.09 percent being the median for all samples. Very low concentrations of strontium were found in the Embarrass (0.03, 0.04 percent), Escanaba (0.04 percent), and Ford (0.03 

percent) Rivers, all in northern Minnesota or Michigan, and in the 

Escambia River (0.05 percent), in Florida. The White River, 

sampled at Clarendon, Ark., also had a very low concentration of 

strontium, 0.03, 0.02, and 0.02 percent being found in 3 samples 

analyzed. A high-flow sample from the James River at Huron, 

S. Dak., contained only 0.03 percent strontium, whereas near-medianflow and low-flow samples from this river contained 0.07 and 0.08 

percent, respectively.

There is no general correlation between flow and the concentration 

of strontium. Thus, the concentration of strontium in the Pecos 

River at Puerto de Luna was observed to vary threefold, from 0.12 

to 0.36, over a period of a year. Similarly the percentage of strontium 

in the Brazos River at Richmond, Tex., varied from 0.11 at high flow 

(42,980 cfs) to 0.35 at median flow (4,685 cfs) and to 0.13 at low flow 

(the unusual chemical characteristics of the median-flow sample have 

been noted on page 75).

Many other rivers showed only slight variation in percentage of 

strontium throughout the year, as, for example, the Yakima River at

TABLE 3. Surface-water samples having a strontium content greater than twice the

median for all samples

River

Canadian, __________

St. Johns ___ _______

Canadian. __________

Yuma, Main Canal _

Genesee __ _____ ___

Paria

Colorado __ _ _ ____

Do_____________

Yuma, Main Canal___

Colorado _ ______ __

Gila________________

Rio Grande __ _____

Gila________________

Guadalupe _________

Location

Richmond, Tex_ ____________

Cocoa, Fla ___ __ _ __ __

Logan, N. Mex__ ____________

Yuma, Ariz __ ______ _ ___

Rochester, N. Y._ ___________

_____do _____ ___ ____ _._

_____do____ _ __ ___ _____ _

Rochester, N.Y___ _________

Yuma, Ariz __ _________ ___

San Ildefonso, N. Mex_ _ ___

Victoria, Tex_.__ _______ _

Flow

High_______

Low_ ______

Median _ _ _ _

High_______

High_______

Low. _____

Median. ___

Low___ ___

High_______

_____do____-

_____do_____

Low_______

High_______

Median _ _ _

High_______

Median

Sr in total dissolved solids 

(Percent)

0 38

36

35

32

31

31

29

27

25

25

23

23

23

22

21

20

20

20

20

19

19

19

19
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 71

Northport, Wash., the White Kiver at Clarendon, Ark., the Ked 

Kiver of the North at Grand Forks, N. Dak., and the Delaware and 

Lehigh Rivers, Pa. The strontium content trends to fluctuate to a 

greater extent in those rivers in which it is in excess of 0.1 percent of 

the total dissolved-solids content. If the strontium content in a 

river is close to, or below, the observed median for all rivers sampled, 

the variations in strontium content in samples taken throughout the 

year and at different flow stages are more likely to be small.

Surface-water samples found to have a strontium content which is 

more than twice the median for all samples analyzed are shown in 

table 3.

GROUND WATER

In addition to the surface-water sampling program, 175 samples of 

ground water were analyzed for strontium. Unlike the surface-water 

program, however, the ground-water samples were not obtained by a 

sampling program planned for this purpose, but were analyzed as they 

became available to the laboratory from various sources. Most of the 

ground-water samples were taken from public water supplies and were 

obtained in connection with other current projects. These samples 

were analyzed only by the direct flame-photometric procedure, whose 

limit of sensitivity is 0.2 ppm of strontium. No attempt was made 

to determine strontium in samples containing less than this amount. 

Many of the samples did contain less than 0.2 ppm of strontium 

(table 5).

A wide range in strontium concentration was observed in ground 

water. The unusually high concentration of strontium in ground 

water of east-central Wisconsin has previously been reported by 

Lohr and Love (1952) and by Nichols and McNall (1957). The 

Sr/Ca ratios calculated from the chemical analyses of water from 3 

Waukesha, Wis., wells reported by Lohr and Love are 396, 285, and 

208. These values are higher, by a factor of 100 to 300, than the 

maximum ratio calculated for any surface water sampled in the present 

study. The concentration of strontium in the dissolved solids of 

these samples is also exceptionally high: 11.8 percent, 9.8 percent, 

and 7.9 percent, respectively.

Two samples obtained from this area of Wisconsin for the present 

project contained 36.0 to 24. 4 ppm of strontium. These samples, 

one from a drilled well at Campbellsport in Fondulac County, the 

other from a drilled well at Kaukauna in Outagamie County, were 

not from the area of highest previously observed strontium concentrations. Nevertheless the Campbellsport sample had a Sr/Ca ratio of 

162 and contained 5.9 percent strontium, and the Kaukauna sample 

a Sr/Ca ratio of 65.5 and a strontium content of 3.16 percent.
72 CHEMISTRY OF STRONTIUM IN NATURAL WATER

Feulner and Hubble (1960), in their study of the occurrence of 

strontium in surface and ground water of Champaign County, Ohio, 

found that, of 22 drilled-wells sampled, the water of 7 contained 

between 17 and 20 ppm of strontium and 1 contained 30 ppm. The 

Sr/Ca ratios in these 8 samples ranged from 89.7 to 132, and the 

strontium content in the dissolved solids ranged from 4.4 to 5.4. 

Other samples from this group of 22, with but one exception, had 

Sr/Ca ratios within the range generally found in surface water of the 

conterminous United States. However, in only two of the Champaign 

County wells was the strontium content within the range found in the 

Nation's surface waters.

The data of Feulner and Hubble are somewhat less complete for 

surface water of the same area, particularly for samples which were 

found to contain in excess of 1 ppm of strontium. For the most 

part, however, the surface-water samples showed Sr/Ca ratios of 

from 1.2 to 19.0, calculated on the basis of their reported results. 

The analyses of samples from two springs draining into Nettle Creek 

differed markedly from the others. The Sr/Ca ratios, 56 and 60, are 

several times as large as those found in most surface water.

The chemical data (including strontium concentrations) for groundwater samples are given in table 5. Most of the samples analyzed 

contain less than 0.2 ppm of strontium. Ground-water samples 

collected from Iowa and Kansas, however, contained more. Of 15 

samples collected in Iowa, 4 contained less than 0.2 ppm of strontium. 

The strontium content of the other 11 samples ranged from 0.8 to 

8.8 ppm. Of 15 samples collected from different wells in Kansas, 5 

contained 0.2 ppm, or less, of strontium, 9 contained from 0.8 to 1.6 

ppm, and 1 sample, from Eskridge, in Wabaunsee County, contained 

9.2 ppm.

Several samples from ground-water sources in Eddy County, N. 

Mex., also contained considerable amounts of strontium, as much as 

8.0 ppm in 1 sample. A single sample from Wayne County, N.Y., 

contained 13 ppm of strontium.

Sixty percent of the ground-water samples tested contained 0.2 

ppm, or less, of strontium. Certain brine samples, however, contained unusually high concentrations; as much as 2,960 ppm in a 

sample from a brine source at Midland, Mich. Another sample from 

a brine well at Orlando, W. Va., contained 2,200 ppm of strontium.
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 73

Except for these brines, however, the strontium content generally 

ranged from 0.2 to 59 ppm, and only 9 samples of approximately 175 

analyzed contained more than 10 ppm.

The chemical analyses of several brine samples are shown in table 

6. The Sr/Ca ratio in these samples ranges from 4.4 to 28.6. These 

brines also show a high concentration of strontium in the dissolved 

solids, ranging from 0.07 to 0.84 percent. One brine sample, containing 0.07 to 0.84 percent. One brine sample, containing 0.07 

percent strontium in the dried residue, was close to the median 

(0.09 percent) for all surface water tested. Another sample contained only slightly more strontium, whereas other brine samples 

contained from 2 to nearly 5 times the median strontium content in 

surface water. The maximum strontium content in any surface 

water tested was 0.38 in a sample from the Canadian River, at Logan, 

N. Mex. Four brine samples contained from 0.25 to 0.33 percent, 

and 2 samples contained 0.6 and 0.84 percent.

SUMMAKY

A survey of the occurrence of strontium in the major rivers of the 

Nation shows that concentrations may range from 0.007 ppm to 

nearly 15 ppm. The percentage of strontium in the total dissolvedsolids content carried by these streams ranges from 0.01 to 0.38. 

Relatively high concentrations of strontium occur in the streams of 

the southwest, where concentrations generally exceed 1.5 ppm and 

are locally as high as 13.7 ppm. Streams of this area are generally 

of relatively high salinity. They drain areas of low annual rainfall 

and of generally high evaporation losses.

Streams of the Pacific Northwest, most of the Atlantic Coastal 

Plain, and northern Minnesota and Michigan generally contain only 

small concentrations of strontium, usually less than 0.5 ppm, and 

frequently as little as 0.01 ppm or less.

Strontium concentrations in ground water vary greatly. Potable 

waters may contain up to 50 ppm. but certain brines from wells and 

other highly mineralized waters may contain several thousand parts 

per million. In addition to previously known areas of ground waters 

with a relatively high strontium content in eastern Wisconsin and 

west-central Ohio, several ground-water samples from Iowa, Kansas, 

and New Mexico were found to contain more than 3.0 ppm of strontium.
74 CHEMISTBY OF STRONTIUM IN1 NATURAL WATER

REFERENCES CITED

Alexander, G. V., Nusbaum, R. E., and MacDonald, N. S., 1954, Strontium and 

calcium in municipal water supplies: Am. Water Works Assoc. Jour., v. 46, 

p. 643-654.

Blanchard, R. L., Leddicotte, G. W., and Moeller, D. W., 1958, Neutron activation analysis of drinking water: Internat. Conf. Peaceful Uses Atomic 

Energy, 2d, Geneva, 1958, Proc., v. 28, p. 511-516.

Durum, W. H., Heidel, S. G., and Tison, L. T., 1960, World-wide runoff of dissolved solids: Internat. Assoc. Sci. Hydrology, Commission of Surface 

Waters Pub. 51, p. 618-628.

Feulner, A. J., and Hubble, J. H., 1960, Occurrence of strontium in the surface 

and ground waters of Champaign County, Ohio: Econ. Geol., v. 55, p. 

176-186.

Hevesy, G. von, and Wurstlin, K., 1934, Geochemistry of strontium: Zeitsehr. 

anorg. allg. Chem., v. 216, p. 312-314.

Horr, C. A., 1962, Flame photometric determination of strontium in water: 

U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1496-C.

Lohr, E. W., and Love, S. K., 1954, The industrial utility of public water supplies 

of the United States 1952, pt. 1, States east of the Mississippi River: U.S. 

Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1299.

Nichols, M. S., and McNall, D. R., 1957, Strontium content of Wisconsin municipal waters: Am. Water Works Assoc. Jour., v. 49, no. 11, p. 1493-1498.

Noll, W., 1934, Geochemistry of strontium: Chemie der Erde, v. 8, p. 507-600.

Odum, H. T., 1951, Strontium in Florida waters, in Black, A. P., and Brown' 

Eugene, Chemical character of Florida's waters 1951: Florida Board of 

Conserv., Div. Water Survey and Research, Water Supply and Research 

Paper 6.

Skougstad, M. W., 1961, Copper-spark method for the spectrochemical determination of strontium in water: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1496-B.

Turekian, K. K., and Kulp, J. L., 1956, Geochemistry of strontium: Geochim. 

et Cosmochim. Acta, v. 10, p. 245-296.
TABLE 4. Chemical analyses of surface wa

[Results in parts per million except as noted]

River and sampling point

Alafia: At Lithia, Fla......

Allegheny: At Kittanning, 

Pa.

American: At Fair Oaks, 

Calif. 

Arkansas: 

At Las Animas, Colo ...

At Springs Bridge, near 

Tulsa, Okla.

At Little Rock, Ark 

Braros: 

Double Mountain 

Fork: Near Aspermont, Tex. 

Salt Fork, Near Aspermont, Tex. 

At Richmond, Tex. _ .

Broad: Near Boiling 

Springs, N.C.

Canadian: At Logan, N. 

Mex.

U.S.G.S. 

gaging 

station 

identification No.

02B3015... 

03A0365 ...

11 4465.... 

07 1240

07 1330 .-_ 

07 1644- -

07 2635-...

08 0805. ...

08 0820 

08 1140 -

02A1515 

07 2270 

Date of collection

Oct. 29, 1959 .......

Mar. 30-Apr. 22, 

1958. 

Aug. 4, 1958 -

Oct. 5, 1958 

Oct. 13, 1959 

Sept. 18, 1958. _ -

Jan. 31, I960... _ .

Apr. 2-10, 1958-... 

Mar. 21-25, 1958 

Mar. 6-8, 1958. .... 

July 12-20, 1958 

Apr. 14-20, 1958... 

Sept. 10-12, 1958 

Oct. 4-11, 14-20. 

1958.

Oct. 4-11, 14-27, 

1958. 

May 1-10, 1958 . 

July 15-31, 1958. ... 

Oct. 10-14, 21-25, 

1958. 

Apr. 21-30, 1958..- 

July 11-20, 1958 . 

June 21-30, 1958 ... 

Aug. 15- -17, 1959 

July 6, 1958 

July 6, 1958 .

July 11-14, 1959 

July 19, 1958 

Sent. 16-19. 1959 

Mean 

discharge 

(cfs)

525 

33,700

10,400 

9,300 

640

i 19, 700 

i 13, 600 

U,800 

79,000 

60,400 

12,800

8.3

3.3

42,980 

4,685 

2,590

4,320 

1,650 

1,240 

2,180 

1,440 

(approx.) 500 

86 

45 

5

 75

O 

ro

.8

o>

18 

4.6

14

18 

21 

11

"O

11

11

13

14 

14

9.8 

15 

16 

20 

13 

13 

19 

10 

12

Calcium (Ca)

26 

14

21

2.8

320 

352 

69 

80 

106 

39 

37 

67

405

1,120

42 

80 

51

2.0 

3.4 

3.2 

29 

40 

33 

33 

59 

92

-So

S

1'$

1

0.2 

1.9

4.9

1.9

107 

170 

19 

26 

32 

7.9 

8.3 

15

50

297

5-3 

13 

8.4

1.7 

.6 

1.2 

7.9 

8.6 

8.3 

8.1 

16 

38

I 

+3

§

0?

0.11 

.063

.077 

.098 

.050

.040

4.4 

5.1 

1.0 

2.0 

1.8 

.21 

.18 

.67

5.4

9.5

.24 

2.2 

.41

.010 

.040 

.020 

.95 

.85 

.80 

1.06 

1.8 

2.9

Sodium (Na)

10 

5.7

7.9 

15

1.7

374 

584 

3° 

50 

61 

50 

54 

141

62

13,e

19 

111

48

1.6 

2.4 

1.9 

68 

27 

42 

116 

124 

363

Potassium (K)

1.

1.

1.

.

5.

6.

i 

3 

3 

4.

2.

6.

)

 00

3.

4.

4.

.

1.

.

"§."

3.

"as

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 4. Chemical analyses of surface waters C

[Results in parts per million except as noted]

River and sampling point

Clinch: At Clinchport, Va. 

Clinch: At Speers Ferry, 

Va. 

Coeur D'Alene: Near 

Cataldo, Idaho. 

Colorado:

At Lees Ferry, Ariz ....

Columbia: At Northport, 

Wash.

Columbia: At the Dalles, 

Oreg.

Copper Creek: Near Gate 

City, Va. 

Cumberland: At Williamsburg, Ky.

Delaware: At Morrisville, 

Pa. (Trenton, N. J.)

Embarrass: At Embarrass, 

Minn.

U.S.G.8. 

gaging 

station 

identification No.

03B5270... 

12 4135 

09 1805--.

09 3800 .

12 3995.... 

14 1057 

03B5260... 

03B4040...

01B4635... 

04 0170 

Date of collection

Apr. 30, 1959......

April 30, 1959.

July 14-Aug. 1,2,4, 

1958.

June 1, 8, 11-19,

1958. 

Oct. 1-17, 27-31, 

1958. 

Sept. 1-13, 15-30, 

1958. 

May 22-31, 1959 ... 

July 21-24, 26-28, 

1959. 

Aug. 31, Sept. 2- 

21, 1959. 

Dec. 15-25, 1958... 

Jan. 29-Feb. 15, 

1960. 

June 1-22, 1958. 

Aug. 14-31, 1958 

Oct. 16-30, 1958 

Apr. 30, 1959 __ -

Apr. 23-May 2, 

1958. 

Jan. 26-Feb. 12, 

1958. 

Sept. 13-30, 1958 

Apr. 4-23, 1958 .... 

July 13, 1958 ......

Sept. 18, 1958 

July 24, 1958... ...

May 23. 1958 ......

Mean 

discharge 

(cfs)

1,640 

533

27,300 

2,560 

2,540

22, 130 

6,150

3,980 

38,600

495.600 

112, 100 

103,000 

131

16,130 

6,090

210 

44, 310 

5,540 

3,640 

50 

47

O 

5

1

02

9.9 

11 

14

5.6

7.2 

9.3

3.7 

5.3

4.3 

12 

fl.3

"e? 

0

1 

O

27 

28

12

47 

161 

180

59 

90

148 

24

35 

6.3

7.8

20

8.5

16 

12 

8.0

"So

§

1 

1

7.1 

7.1

5.5

9.5 

70 

72

14 

24

42 

4.9

12 

3.2 

3.7

8.6 

1.9

6.1 

4.4 

2.4

Strontium (Sr)

0.065 

.055

.038

.42 

1.4 

2.0

.9 

1.1

2.2

.072 

.08

.064 

.095 

.21 

.035

.041 

.051

.12 

.042 

.053 

.061 

.041 

.023

I

3.8 

3.9

3.2

27 

213 

215

41

87

146

2.0

4.0 

6.6 

10 

l.fl

5.2 

7.5

36 

2.3 

7. 

4.8 

2.8 

2.4

g

o 

Pk

1.8 

1.4

1.8 

7-3 

6.6

.....

1.2 

1.2 

1.1

2.7 

.6 

1 

2.9 

.5 

.1
Escambia: Near Century, 

Fla. 

Escanaba: At Cornell, 

Mioh. 

Ford: Near Hyde, Mich._ 

Genesee: At Rochester, 

N.Y. 

Gila: At Kelvin, Ariz.. ....

Green: 

At Green River, Utah..

At Lock & Dam No. 1, 

Spottsville, Ky.

Guadalupe: At Victoria, 

Tex. 

Humboldt: Near Rye 

Patch, Nev.

James: At Huron, S. DakKansas: At Topeka, Kans..

Kentucky: At Lock No. 4, 

Frankfort, Ky.

Kern: Near Bakersfleld, 

Calif.

Kissimmee: Near Okeechobee, Fla. 

Klamath: Near Klamatb, 

Calif.

Maumee: At Waterville, 

Ohio.

02B3755... 

04 0590 

04 0595 

04 2320 

09 4740 

09 3150 

03A3215--

08 1765 

10 3350 

06A4760 

0688890 

03A2875...

11 1940 

02B2730 ... 

11 5305 

04 1935 

Nov. 19, 1958.. ....

Jan. 14, 1960- .....

Jan. 14, I960.. .....

Jan. 19, I960- .....

Sept. 17, 1958.. ....

Aug. 6, 1958 ....... 

Aug. 9, 1958. ......

Sept. 1-14, 16-30, 

1959. 

Jan. 30, 1959.. .....

June 1-30, 1958.. 

Aug. 1-31, 1958 

Oct. 1, 2, 5-31, 1958- 

Apr. 11-20, 1968... 

May 21-31, 1958 

Oct. 1-10, 1958 .....

May 11-21, 1958 ...

Sept. 1-13, 15-30, 

1958. 

June 1-30, 1958. 

Nov. 22, 1958- ....

Mar. 29-Apr. 5, 

1958. 

July 11-24, 1958- - 

July 25-Aug. 3, 5, 

1958. 

July 11-21, 1958 . 

Aug. 24-Sept. 5, 

1958. 

May 12-18, 1958 

May 10-12, 1958 ... 

Mar. 29-Apr. 10. 

1958. 

Oct. 2-30, 1958 

Sept. 3, 1958. ......

Jan. 6, 1960. .......

May 1-10, 1959. ...

Feb. 3, 1959. ....... 

Oct. 7, 1S59 .....

Apr. 1-23, 1958 .... 

July 13, 1968 ......

Sept. 15, 1958- ....

June 13, 1958. .....

Apr. 18-19, 1958 ...

1,420

1,140 

2,860 

698 

269

225

19,730 

1,792 

1,470

3,225 

321

196 

(Approx.).! 

56

.5 

.2

33, 155 

5,577

4,966 

53,300 

19, 850

491 

21,370 

2170 

«145 

2,316

'"""I'm"

3,690 

*6,960 

3849 

3547 

22, 700 

3,125

12 

8.6

8.6 

4.1

2.7 

28 

24 

35

26

11 

8.5 

7.3 

9.0 

8.7 

11 

18

35

32 

34 

12

20 

15

11 

16

13 

~8.~6

9.4 

11 

21

3.2

15 

4.9

6.9

__

17 

22

43 

36 

48 

63 

60 

54

110

43 

67 

70 

30 

34 

46 

77

46

46 

45 

33

44 

41

45 

67

91 

11 

21

36 

11

22

6.8

16 

10

29

62

.4

8.8

14 

8.3 

9.2 

13 

12 

8.6

13

12 

29 

37 

5.6 

7.0 

9.1 

15

14

13 

15 

20

29

28

6.9 

12

19.74 

3.8 

4.4

6.8 

1.8 

4.6

2.4

9.7 

3.4

13

i§

.052 

.050

.055 

.50 

.53 

.95 

.9 

.48

.11

.8 

.6 

.6 

.080 

.14 

.17 

.71

.83

.56 

.58 

.15

.34

.42

.28 

.57

.74 

.046 

.080

.11 

.068 

.10 

.12 

.11

.055 

.098 

.10 

.059 

.077 

.19 

1.0

.44

7.9 

.9

.9 

13 

21 

71 

75 

72

144

27 

89 

115 

5.0 

6.8 

13 

26

105

89 

112 

72

83 

95

11

42

52

3.4

5.4 

8.1 

24 

23 

8.1

4.1 

12 

9.3 

2.3 

2. 

10

5.3

1.

1.

1.

1.

2.

5.

5.

5.

7.

1.

3.

3.

1.

1.

2.

2.

13

11 

11 

12

13 

16

6.

9.

8.4

.

1.

2.

2.

0

"Ife

1.

5 

4.

3.

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 4. Chemical analyses of surface waters C

[Eesults in parts per million except as noted]

Eiver and sampling point

Minnesota: At Mankato, 

Minn. 

Mississippi: At St. Louis, 

Mo.

At St. Francisville, La. 

Missouri: Near Williston, 

N. Dak.

Mohawk: At Cohoes, N.Y.

Monongahela: At Charleroi, Pa.

Muskegon: At Evart, 

Midi. 

Neches: At Evadale, Tex...

Nueces: Near Mathis, Tex.

Ohio: Lock & Dam No. 51 

at Golconda, HI.

Ontonagon Near Eockland, 

Mich. 

Oswego: at Lock No. 7, 

Oswego, N.Y.

Paria: At Lees Ferry, Ariz..

Pecos: Near Puerto de 

Luna, N. Mex.

U.S.G.S. 

gaging 

station 

identification No.

05 3250 

07 0100. ...

07 3734. 20- 

06A3300...

01B3573... 

03A0750...

04 1215 . 

08 0410 - 

08 2210 . 

03A3845...

04 0400 _ . 

04 2490 

09 3820 

08 3835 

Date of collection

Mar. 2, 1960 ___ .

Oct. 29, 1958 ... .

Oct. 29, 1958 

Oct. 29, 1958 

June 11-20, 1958. 

May 28-June 5, 

1958. 

May 12-22, 1958... 

Sept. 13-29, 1958-. 

Apr. 3, 1959 .......

Aug. 4, 1958. __ - 

Apr. 30-May8, 

1959. 

Sept. 27, 1958 

May 10-21, 1958... 

July 21-31, 1958. .. 

Oct. 1-31, 1958 - 

May 1-31, 1958 

May 12-20, 1958 

June 11-20, 1958- .. 

Nov. 1-in, 1958 -

Jan. 19, 1960. ...... 

Sept. 17, 1958 

Oct. 24, 1958.. __ .

TiiTm 11 1 Q^Q

May 15, 1958 

Dec. 2, 1958.. 

Mar. 1-31. 1959....

Mean 

discharge 

(cfs)

< 24, 700 

5 24, 700 

6 24. 700 

407, 000 

40, 167

17, 370 

13,200 

42,000 

3,760 

33, 300 

9,190

2,760

19, 100 

1,800 

4,170 

84 

628,000 

177,000

 ---

7.5 

3.0- 

1,540 

116 

96

O

S

03 

O

b

03

13

13

8.8 

11 

11 

24

12 

9.6 

4.1 

3.2 

7.9 

6.3

10 

11

8.2 

15 

20 

15 

8.0 

9.4 

4.0 

9.4

2.0 

2.3 

1.6 

12

12 

14 

24

Calcium (Ca)

136

65 

53 

58 

40 

39

49 

58 

32 

30 

16 

19

44

40

8.0 

9.8 

53 

57 

28 

43 

56 

18

69 

88 

116 

87 

36 

67 

496 

530

"So

g

ap

8

i

52

19 

18 

18 

8.8 

10

18 

22 

4.1 

5.5 

4.4 

6.1

13

9.7

1.8 

3.4 

5.3 

9.7 

7.6 

12 

18 

2.9

12 

14 

15 

32 

22 

8 1 

59 

63

Strontium (Sr)

0.88

.6 

.6 

.6 

.20 

.27

.29 

.56 

.16 

.20 

.087 

.10

<-l

.20

.10 

.18 

.32 

.34 

.16 

.20 

.20 

.039

.73 

1.0 

1.2 

.8 

.83 

.36 

4.7 

9.0

Sodium (Na)

40

56 

31 

45 

16 

22

44 

59 

3.1 

4.2

4.5 

4.8

30

8.8

1£ 

2£ 

26 

69 

6.4 

11 

23 

1.8

50 

68 

126 

57 

35 

8.2 

96 

94

Potassium (K)

5.8

6.0 

4.0 

5.1 

2.5

2.7

3.5 

3.7 

1.9 

1.3

i.e

1.2

2.2

1.0

8.3 

7.

1.5 

1.7 

2.4 

1.2

2.3 

2.5 

3.2 

4.3 

4.6 

1.0 

5.5 

3.
At Red Bluff, N.Mex..

Pine: At Rudyard, Mich_. 

Powell: At McDowells 

Shoal, Tenn. 

Purgatoire: Near Las Animas, Colo. 

Rappahannock: At Remington, Va. 

Red: Near Qainesville, Tex.

At Alexandria, La __

Red River of the North: At 

Grand Forks, N. Dak.

Rio Grande: At Otowi 

Bridge Near San Ildefonso. N. Mex.

Roanoke: At Jamesville,

N.O.

Russian: Near Guerneville, 

Calif.

Salinas: Near Spreckles, 

Calif.

Salt: Below Stewart Mt. 

Dam, Ariz.

San Juan: Near Archuleta, 

N. Mex.

Scantic: At Broad Brook, 

Conn.

08 4075 

08 4465 

07 1285 

01B6640...

08 3160.... 

07 3555. ... 

05 0825-..

08 3130. ...

02A0810.94 

11 4670 .

11 1525 

09 5020 

09 3555 

01A1845...

Aug. 22, 1958 __ .. 

Dec. 4, 1958--. 

May 7-12, 1959. ... 

Julyl-6, 8-14, 1959- 

Sept. 21-30, 1959 

Aug. 18-27, 1959. ._ 

Mav 1-29, 31, 1958

Jan. 14, 1960 .......

Jan. 31, I960 

Apr. 6, I960... .

Apr. 21-27, 1958... 

Apr. 11-18, 1958--. 

June 11-20, 1958. .. 

Oct. 1-10, 1958 .

July 6-12, 1958..... 

Apr. 21-May 17, 

1958. 

Sept. 17-30, 1958 

May 19, 1958 ......

Sept. 11, 1958_. ....

Oct. 1-3, 7-31, 1959. 

Apr. 18-30, 1960...

Feb. 1-28, 1959. ... 

Aug. 6-8, 17-18, 

1959. 

Sept. 24, 1958 .

Sept. 1-15, 1959, 

May 1-31, 1958 

Sept. 1-30, 1958 . 

Sept. 1-30, 1959 

Feb. 5, 1959.......

Oct. 15, 1959 .

Sept. 12, 1958 

Sept. 9, 1958 

Feb. 9, 1959 

Oct. 7, 1959 . 

July 1-23, 25-31, 

1959. 

June 1-2, 4, 1958 

Jan. 14-29, I960 

June 1-19, 1959 .... 

Oct. 1-12, 1957 

Oct. 1-26, 1958 

Nov. 18, 1958.. _ .

July 18-31, 1959 

Dec. 10, 1959 ...... 

June 25. 1958 

1,430 

166 

66 

50 

46 

44 

16

3,866 

740 

28, 900 

21,200 

6,320 

1,730

460 

9,450

878

656 

413

365 

189 

' 21, 700 

' 5, 580 

' 5, 420 

1,050 

207 

177 

308 

51

1,420 

764

1,690 

1,120 

396 

250 

236 

297 

78

15 

13 

10 

22

8.0

12

9.3 

12 

11 

11 

12

32 

5.9

1.8 

16 

16 

30 

19 

40 

32

23 

29 

11 

8.8 

9.4

13

22

21

19 

21

14~~ 

13 

14 

29 

12 

89

371

478 

613 

592 

603 

587

22 

24

384

4.6 

5.2 

160 

208 

35

59 

69

55 

33 

33 

52 

31 

45 

78

44 

46 

6.6 

10 

13

28 

32

44

59 

42 

20 

30 

40 

47 

43 

11 

18

21 

144 

320 

224 

245 

242

4.9 

7.3

243

1.6 

2.7 

51 

63 

6.0

23 

37

35 

1.9 

4.5 

8.6 

3.5 

9.8 

8.6

8.1 

5.8 

2.6 

3.2 

2.6

16 

13

11

14 

11 

2.9 

4.5 

6.3 

8.1 

7.7 

2.8 

3.4

3.4

4.8 

8.0 

8.6 

9.1

8.7 

7.5 

.061 

.10

6.5

.072 

.045 

1.0 

2.2 

.28 

.32

.19 

.26

.25 

.22 

.12 

.6 

.25 

.75 

.78

.35 

.37 

.040 

.051 

.072 

.17 

.20 

.23 

.21 

.29 

.27 

.64

.72 

.5 

.18 

.28 

.41 

.65 

.63 

.089 

.18

150 

1,030 

4,480 

2,810 

2,830 

2,860 

4,490 

1.4 

6.1

520

1.8 

3.2 

49 

75 

3.

12 

30

23 

13 

10 

30 

9.7 

27 

43

30 

29 

1.4

7.7 

7.9 

9.0 

10 

8.3 

16 

42 

135 

151

225 

118 

8.5 

17 

28 

32 

31 

4.4 

5.4

10 

25 

175 

84

"~.~6 

1.2

7.0

1.5 

1.8 

i

r 

i

5.4 

7.1

5.7 

2.1 

2.0 

3.9

3.2

"i.'i

2.2

~~i~4 

3.0

""4~9

6.2 

2.5

~~2~8 

2.9 

2.5 

4.0 

1.2 

.8

See footnotes at end of table. 
TABLE 4. Chemical analyses of surface waters C

[Results in parts per million except as noted]

River and sampling point

Shiawassee: At Owosso, 

Mich. 

Snake: At King Hill, Idaho.

St. John's: Near Cocoa, Fla.

St. Lawrence: At Thousand Island Pk..N.Y. 

Susquehanna: At Danville, 

Pa.

West Branch at Lewisburg, Pa.

Suwannee: At Branford, 

Fla.

Tennessee: Kentucky Dam 

near Paducah, Ky.

Wabash: Near New Haven, 

111.

White: At Clarendon, Ark.

WiUamette: At Salem, 

Oreg.

Withlacoochie: Near Holder, 

Fla.

U.S.G.S. 

gaging 

station 

identification No.

041445 

131545.... 

02B2324 

01B5405 

01B5535... 

02B3205 

03B6095 

03A3788 

070778 __ 

14 1910. ...

B3130. 

Date of collection

Jan. 16, I960- _ ..

Dec. 16-31, 1958 ... 

June 1-30, 1958 .... 

Jan. 1-30, 1959 

Sept. 23, 1959 

Oct. 5, 1959 

Oct. 7, 1958 _ 

Mar. 7-29, 1958- - 

July 13, 1958 

Sept. 7, 1958 

Mar. 11-30, 1958 

July 13, 1958 

Sept. 14, 1958 

Apr. 23, 1959- 

Sept. 16, 1958 

Apr. 21-30, 1958 

Junel-10, 1958 .... 

Nov. 21-29, 1958 

May 21-31, 1958 

Nov. 21-30, 1958- .

May 11-23, 1958 

Mar. 1-10, 1958- 

Dec. 16-22, 24-31, 

1958. 

Jan. 1-29, I960 

July 1-3, 7-31, 1958-

Mean 

discharge 

(cfs)

9,140 

9,102 

8.850 

2,323 

8,411 

8,357

23, 100 

11,300 

2,380 

14, 500 

4,980 

2,980 

19, 200 

13, 400 

5,200 

97,350 

55, 470 

39, 600

35, 300

7,180 

3,950

O 

1

3

CQ

7.6

34~" 

8.9 

1.8 

2.2 

1.3 

1.1 

4.4 

6.4 

3.4

9.0 

7.9 

6.0 

6.5 

8.1 

4.6 

8.1 

6.5 

11 

9.4 

12

16 

16 

6.7

Calcium (Ca)

61

46 

48 

19 

32 

41 

38 

36 

19 

23 

42

18 

21 

24 

21 

51 

22 

19 

24 

43 

60 

54 

13 

30 

35

5.0 

5.2 

21

Magnesium (Mg)

16

20 

22 

4.0 

6.8 

11 

8.3 

8.3 

4.9 

7.5 

17

5.8 

6.3 

2.9 

2.1 

6.1 

2.1 

3.0 

4.4 

12 

20 

18 

4.7 

11 

14

1.3 

1.9 

2.3

Strontium (Sr)

0.18

.22 

.42 

.14 

.68 

1.1 

1.0 

.15 

.15 

.086 

.088 

.19 

.090 

.10 

.094 

.029 

.08 

.059 

.037 

.074 

.056 

.20 

.23 

.14 

.033 

.028 

.039 

.043

.035 

.050 

.11

Sodium (Na)

6.8

33

30 

32 

32 

i 

7 

9.8 

11 

4.9 

5.6 

16 

4 

4.0 

4.5 

3.4 

2.7 

2.9 

4.0 

3.3 

5.8 

4.5 

12 

9.6 

2.6 

4.1 

3.8 

3.0

4.0 

4.4 

3.7

g 

I

2.6

"O

1.0

i

6 

1.2 

1.5 

1.3 

1.6 

1.9 

4 

1.6 

1.5 

.0 

.5 

.4 

1.0 

.4 

.8 

1.9 

1.6 

2.9 

1.7 

1.9 

1.3

.6 

1.5 

.2
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 81

1C OS CO U5 to t*.

§3! O <N 00

rt o i-l W

O »-l 1-4 *-t

8 g?

(N 1>- OOTtl r" t- <P*>

O 00 CO ro >o to

O5 O

T-i 1C

o oo

ON'<*' t- rt o IN ro-*

rH rH N rH »O OT rH »-( T-t

00 ICO

88

5S S a B . ^4 o <N i I

t^J U3 g iO

S

»ffO 

1O T-H gf ^ ll!

IIo g

-I-

"3 S3

I. IssT

 g 

§§

3^ 

3S

la 

ll

Dischari 25 perce Chrisi ir 
TABLE 5. Chemical analyses of ground water of low m

[Results in parts per million except as noted!.

County Well

Date of 

collection

Water-bearing 

formation

ji

03

.§'c? 

3OO~

Magnesium 

(Mg) Strontium 

(Sr)

S'c?

 ri ^

 Oa 

o

03

Potassium 

(K)

Bicarbonate 

(HC3) 

Arizona

Maricopa ......

(D-4-30)30da.__ 

(B-l-l)16dba 

Jan. 11,1956 

Jan. 31,1958 Sand and gravel

70 

34

898 

8.0

34 

.5

18 

1.2

3,040 

246

173

2.2

11

6

Arkansas

Bradley .......

Calhoun .......

Crittenden. ...

Ouachita ......

13S-9Wbacb2. .

HS-HW12ebd._

9N8E-29adb _ 

7N8E-24bca... .

HS-15W35bcc..

12S-16W25bdd .

15N-16W25dcc.

Mar. 6,1958

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

Mar. 7,1958 

.....do .....

Mar. 6,1958

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

Mar. 4,1958

Wilcox Group __ -

__ do __ ____

stone and other 

rocks of Ordovician age.

20

53

12 

11

31

2n

9.0

3.2

18

1.2 

1.6

14

9.6

91

0

3.9

.1

0

2.9

2.4

4.9

<0.2

<.2

<.2 

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

11-3

21

88 

45

29

84

5.8

1,8

3.0

1.0

1 ?.

3.4

3,6

1,0

252

85

9

112

11

11

25

California

Kern ..........

Sacramento 

San

Bernardino.

Well. 

25/5-14M.. _ ..

26/5-5F... ......

27/40-4L1 ...

31/29-26E1 ...

9/5-23F2... .....

9/5-23F2... __ .

1N/9E-31A3 .

Jan. 30,1959

Jan. 27,1959

..... do . _

Mar. 5,1958

May 29,1958

.....do .....

.. do ..

Apr. 7, 1958

Valley fill.... .....

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

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

Pleistocene age.

Formation. 

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

39

34

1W

39

25

76

76

27

46

2.0

64

8.0

46

19

24

13

19

1.0

54

2.9

3.9

9.7

14

1.9

1.4

.2

1.4

<-2

<-2

<.2

<.2

<-2

39

330

1,020

114

130

15

16

36

1 2

11

68

?,,0

2 4

3,2

3.6

1 4

14

54

1 69

14

9

11

11

10
OCCURRENCE ANI> DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 83

S2 5

»oco

oo

O CO

SCO

0

to

oo-

<M

CO

 5* s

10

00

CO

o

I-1CO i-l

00 *

tori c4

IS 

3V

§

IO 

CO

co"

IS

CO to

eqco

V

CO

oo

to

CO

Eincon Shale...... Alluvium and

Santa Barbara 

Formation. Alluvium of

Pleistocene age.

oo 

06"

f

4/47-19H1...... 4/28-13D1 _ ...

Santa Barbara

oo

§

IN

03

23/27-34Cl_. ...

Tulare .........

Colorado

or» 

t^ao

m

C5O 

00

&

m

00

»o o

«

CO

O 00

cq co

ooo

S

o 00

iv

coo

to

00 r-i

ss

Alluvium. ....... Laramie Forma- Fox tinand Hills Sandoo

it

CO" §

Hj

C5-68-17caac ... C5-68-28aacb...

Arapahoe ...

US

CO

r~oo

ScoS

i-HOOO

i-ICOO 

T-lrHia

"M

ooo

3§1

3ss

C3 tOr-l 

"OtOCO

INOOO

CO

SRS

saa

CO O3

O5 O !> -^H

° s

St;

as

^<N

^S

S.

00

ss

(NtO

"OCO

VV

coco

c?g

«8

"

8CO

o

s

?

0

o 

c4

Co

0

i

IN

CO

*

CO

«

i

<N

§

0

X) 

M

00 

M

*

oo

«

0

00 

00 

CO

oo

92

^

&

3

10 

CO

r-ooto co

r-r-r» r»

cotot- oo 

i-T cq

00»

o

!§i 2!

 ^H t^» O O

** of

WD " o "^

S32 s

Mas i

ooo o

383 1

rH

s«« s

'vv ^

S" 8

com to to

«sa S

1

Q JO P«J «J 0 Q 0 O

oo loo »O 1 *O 

CO ICO

lo" [of

^

C5-65-33cccc... C5-65-29babb._ 28-50-32C... ..

ffl

oo

^X3

£

9-S

1 s 

TV

tp o

r-oo 

00

Douglas __ ...

i

o

B9-79-21bccb..

Jackson.... .

oo

s

5

cl "O

Las Animas ...

CO 0000 00 UO IT lO *O

cfccoT «o

C5 ,nQ 'O

X5 c C3 ^ 

 ^ t-t »O OO

1

8

PM

^00 CO

O < ( OO I** tO »O

of

00^

133

113

00&

s»

gog

ooo

fell

3*3

S

t o 

00 W

<N«(N

SrtlS

K8S

lOCOrH 

rHrHO

 .do .. .. .

.do ___.__ Ogallala Formation.

oo oo *O 1O

II

22-47-8bad. .... 23-44-12caa- ... B2-52-18C1- -

Washington ...

°?

I

o

s

M 

M

0

oo

0

 * 

CO

o

§rH

-

to 

oi

V

t-i

IO

eo

g

^

*

B2-50-9d .... See table. footnotes endatof 
TABLE 5. Chemical analyses of ground water of low minera

[Results in parts per million except as noted]

County Well

Date of 

collection

Water-bearing 

formation

Is

33

.3 "a?

O

rj'SS 

S)S

3

53 

§£

00

If

O2

Iw

£W

carbonate 

tCO

#6

Iowa

Adair... .......

Allamakee. .... 

Blackhawk _ .

Cerro Gordo ... 

Clinton.... ....

Ida 

Madison ......

Polk...........

Story

77-33-4B1 

96-6-33L1-. _ .

87-12-25L1 .....

94-22-2401 ..

81-6-11 

89-40-35d2......

84-2E-24A1.... 

73-3-30 ____ .

71-20-6F1 ___ .

77-28-6N1 ...

83-20-10 ____ .

80-25-31R1 ..

83-22-6 __ ....

83-22-6

Mar. 11,1958

Mar. 12,1958 

 ..do........

Mar. 13,1958 

July 30,1958

Mar. 13,1958 

Mar. 12, 1958

July 24,1958

Mar. 12, 1958 

Mar. 11, 1958 

July 22,1958

Mar. 11,1958 

July 22,1958

Cedar Valley 

Limestone. 

Jordan SandstoneDolomite and 

Limestone of 

Silurian age. 

Cedar Valley 

Limestone. 

Prairie du Chien 

Group, Jordan 

Sandstone. 

Dakota Sandstone. 

Dresbach Group 

and Jordan 

Sandstone. 

Galena Dolomite, 

Glenwood Shale 

Member of 

Platteville 

Formation, 

St. Peter 

Sandstone. 

Root Valley 2 and 

Jordan Sandstone. 

Sandstone of 

Pennsylvanian 

age. 

Prairie du Chien 

Group, Jordan 

Sandstone and 

St. Lawrence 

Formation. 

Wisconsin glacial 

fluvial deposit. 

Prairie du Chien 

Group, Jordan 

Sandstone. 

. __ do .............

10

8.3 

9.3

8.8 

8.6

17 

9.8

12

12 

9.8 

9.5

23 

9.5

12

424

67 

104

94

70

242 

72

83

64 

37 

102

82 

120

122

122

26 

35

23

27

58 

25

35

21 

12 

39

23

42

51

5.6

7.0

2.6 

1.6

3.0

2.8 

.8 

3.0

3.0

8.8

370

3.3

29

37 

12

124 

21

382

195 

616 

164

4.9 

160

151

21

2.2 

6.2

11

8.8

fl.6 

8.2

14

16 

4.1

20

2.2 

17

17

22

31

35

48

32

34

32

31

32

23

36

32

34

34
76-24-36. . do 

Group, Jordan 

Sandstone, St. 

Lawrence 

Formation.

11 60 24 2.4 156 1.1 314 

Kansas

Wabaunsee .

31-24-27d . _

33-23-13b... __ 

34-24-36d .

34-25-24b... .

31-22-17a 

29-21-14d... ....

29-23-24d _ 

31-24-18d .. 

28-22-20C _ .... 

32-25-31a. _ ...

28-25-lC __ ...

30-25-9C ___ ..

16-17-iac. _ ...

28-4-8db. ......

14-12-5acd ......

Feb. 16,1959

Feb. 17,1959 

.. do.. ... 

 do 

... ..do. ... .

Feb. 16 ,1959

... ..do. ....

.....do ..... 

 do .. 

Feb. 17, 1959

Feb. 16,1959

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

Mar. 19, 1968

Mar. 20, 1958

Mar. 19, 1958

mite. 

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

. do . 

. do. ___ .

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

Eoubidoux 

Dolomite. 

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

Cotter Dolomite., 

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

Sandstone,

Dolomite.

stone Member 

of the Stranger 

Formation.

Limestone 

Member of the 

Foraker Limestone.

13

13

12 

12

12

14

11

11 

14 

10

12

12

19

38

18

66

50 

37 

59

75

62

61

62 

74 

58

54

61

38

63

242

26

22 

16 

16

31

22

46

27 

26 

24

23

20

12

20

62

0.4

.8

.2 

<.2

1.6

1.2

1.2

.8 

1.6 

1.0

1.0

<.2

<.2

<.2

9.2

44

98 

46 

4.9

372

376

446

98 

455 

17

250

118

167

16

36

5 ?

6.2 

3.2 

1 0

13

15

15

7.2 

15 

48

8 4

46

?, ?,

2.4

2.0

317

338 

172 

190

349

336

230

348 

328

?68

47fi

344

340

196

345

Louisiana

E. Feliciana _

Rapides. ......

Vernon. .......

Cu-683...... ...

EF-2 . _ ....

R-616 _____ .

R-607 ... ...

V-47. 

Feb. 7, 1969

Feb. 26,1958 

Feb. 7, 1958 

... ..do .... .

 do. . 

Sand and gravel 

of Pleistocene 

age. 

Sand of Miocene 

age. 

Catahoula 

Formation. 

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

do

40

37 

66

47 

67

40

4.8 

.8

3.2 

37

8.8

0 

0

0 

1.9

<0.2

<.2

<.2

<.2 

<.2

35

65

77

192 

19

1.8

1.4

.8

1.8 

3.8

212

160 

171

416 

123

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 5. Chemical analyses of ground water of low minera

[Results in parts per million except as noted]

County Well

Date of 

collection

Water-bearing 

formation

'a

|I 

02

3 3 "3" 

soO^

Magnesium (Mg) Strontium 

(Sr) -if

131**

£

Potassium 

(K)

Bicarbonate 

(H) 

Maine

Cumberland ... C 354-028. ...

C 350-026. ...

Aug. 4, 1958 Sand and gravel 

__ do .............

13

16

8.8

6.8

2.2

2.2

0.2

.2

4.2

3.8

1,4

1,0

?

3

Michigan

46N2W8-1 ...

51N27W15-1 

Apr. 7, 1959

Apr. 10,1959

stone. 

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

1?,

14

93

43

18

4.9

1.8 114

5.4

12

1,414

Minnesota

Nobles.... ....

Pipestone.. ... 

Bock __ ..

111 41 8cdd

105.40.25b ...

102.43. 13add ... 

101. 39. 24bbd...

102.40.27ccd4 

102.41. 19ddb._ .

102.40.25bbb2 

106.46.lbad. _ - 

104.47.35abb. ...

Feb. 13,1958

Nov. 25, 1958 

June 10,1958

... -do .....

.....do ....

.....do ....

_ .do.. 

Nov. 26, 1958 

Nov. 25, 1958

Sandy gravel of 

Pleistocene age. 

Sioux Quartzite... 

Glacial outwasb. 

deposit.

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

 do .........

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

Sioux Quartzite--- 

__ do.. ..........

32

19 

32

32

30 

36 

32 

18 

17

210

272 

118

484 

118 

328

272 

75 

51

66

98 

40

92 

37

112 

88 

32 

18

<0.2

1.2 

.2

1.3 

.2 

.8 

.9

.4

98

165 

19

195 

13 

163 

63

17 

11

9,2

8.8 

2.6

13

1.0 

6.4 

9.8 

1.6 

1.2

46

40

3

27

32

45

38

26

20

Mississippi

Lee . O15..... ... 

K42... _ .....

June 18,1958 

June 12,1958

Eutaw Formation- 20 

20

50 

3.2

6.8 

0

0.2 

.2

13 

93

6.0 

.8

17

20
Montana

Phillips. 

Eichland ...... 

Yellowstone...

A-30-30-18d . 

23-59-32a ...

A-l-26-34aa 

May 14,1958 

May 15,1958 

June 12,1958 Alluvial sand and 

gravel.

20 

22 

21

69 

67 

165

36

55

87

.5 

.3

.8

163 

57 

126

5.8 

6.2 

4.2

4

3

3

Nebraska

Burt- ......

Holt ..... ...

Washington ...

23-8-25b... .....

34-27-31d .

8-28-28C. __ ...

21-16-23b ..

30-14-32a ... .

H-10-3b ... ..

28-4-33C _ .....

18-11-lld.......

26-3-12d . ....

July 8, 1958

July 10,1958 

July 11,1958

May 7,1958

July 9, 1958 

May 8,1958 

July 9, 1958

July 8, 1958 

July 9, 1958

Sand and gravel 

of Pleistocene 

age. 

Ogallala Formation. 

Sand and gravel 

of Pleistocene 

age and Sandstone of Tertiary age. 

Sand and gravel 

of Pleistocene 

age.

Sand and gravelSand and gravel 

of Pleistocene 

age. 

__ do ____ . ...

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

28

63 

70

52

47 

55 

57

41 

32

91

87 

51

69

34 

01 

64

88 

126

20

9.7 

9.7

12

3.9 

16

8.8

23

28

<0.02

.02 

.02

<.2

.2 

<.2 

<.02

.8 

<.02

25

12 

15

13

14 

16 

11

20 

33

3.2

8.2 

9.8

13

8.2 

10 

6.0

6.6 

5.4

3

2

2

2

2

4

4

New Mexico

Eddy _____ 25.30.21.333..... 

823.30.19.123 

25.29.16.444- 

23.31.26.340 __ . 

23.31.17.310. ....

22.30.32.11] ___ 

26.30.5.340 ..

Feb. 5, 1959 

Feb. 6, 1959 

Feb. 5, 1959

Feb. 4, 1959 

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

Feb. 19,1959 

Feb. 18.1959

Qatufia Formation 

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

Culebra Dolomite Member 

of Rustler Formation. 

Red beds of 

Triassic age. 

Qatufia Formation and 

Triassic rocks.

25 

39 

36

21

28

47 

21

131 

608 

284

552 

632

584 

99

40 

92 

83

156 

126

199 

35

<0.2 

<.2 

<.2

<.2 

<.2

<0.2 

<.2

236 

28 

114

198 

117

110 

238

5.0 

5.0 

5.0

3.8 

3.4

5.8 

5.6

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 5. Chemical analyses of ground water of low minera

[Results in parts per million except as noted]

County Well

Date of 

collection

Water-bearing 

formation

's

§2 

sS

03

Calcium (Ca)

Magnesium (Mg) Strontium 

(Sr) If

T3G,

£

Potassium 

(K)

Bicarbonate 

(

New Mexico Continued

Eddy . .. 25.31.21.000. ....

23.30.2.444 

24.30.8.113 __ .

24.31.4.430 ......

24.30.18.231 .....

25.29.32.211 .....

24.30.36.333 

23.31.29.113. _ . 

24.31.33.124 _ ..

24.31.17.111 .....

23.31.7.240 ___ . 

25.30.7.111 ......

Feb. 17,1959 Mar. 26, 1959

Mar. 19, 1959 

 do........

Mar. 25, 1959

Mar. 31, 1959 

Apr. 1, 1959 

Mar. 31, 1959

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

Apr. 3. 1959 

Apr. 14,1959

Culebra Dolomite 

Member of 

Rustler 

Formation.

Culebra Dolomite 

Member of 

Rustler 

Formation.

Qatuna Formation.

......... ...........

25 

30

52 

22

10 

56 

25 

30 

14

57 

51 

5.2

216 

584

56 

600

661 

747 

82 

608 

696

162 

156 

34

54 

131

13 

156

179 

256 

29 

156 

204

15 

56 

22

<0.2 

6.2

2.2 

5.8

5.8 

5.4 

2.2 

5.8 

8.0

1.4 

1.37

.98

142 

512

7.0 

301

1,540 

2,700 

40 

136 

462

21

152 

106

4.6 

29

3.2 

6.8

36

389 

2.6 

3.8 

9.1

7.4 

2.0 

2.2

1

1

1

2

1

1

4

2

New York

Wayne ........ Wn-546._ May 3,1956 15 2,040 487 13 11,600 107 

North Dakota

Benson _ ....

Emmons. .....

156-68-31aca . 

131-76-26C __ .

May 28,1958 

June 24,1958

Dakota SandstoneFox Hills Sand16 

36

21 

133

7.8 

43

1.2 

<.02

1,530 

34

9.0

7.4

4
Oklahoma

Cleveland .....

Oklahoma .....

Roger-Mills... 

Washita ___ .

5-9-3.- _ ......

4-1-2. _ . __ .

9-2-21.......... 

1-3-35.. __ ....

27-16-36 ....

27-17-31 ____ .

11-2-8 .....

12-24-11 

11-19-36 ........

Mar. 3,1958 

Feb. 4, 1958 

Mar. 5,1958

Mar. 4,1958 

Dec. 19,1958 

 .do. 

Mar. 4, 1958 

Feb. 19,1958

.....do .....

Rush Springs 

Sandstone. 

Wichita Formation. 

Garber Sandstone 

and Wellington 

Formation. 

Simpson Group.- 

BartlesvilleSand 4. 

Arbuckle Group. - 

Garber Sandstone 

and Wellington 

Formation.

Elk City Member 

of Quartermaster Formation.

20 

10 

12

13 

11 

14 

20

34

28

114 

5.6 

2.0

75 

694 

821 

48

72 

56

3.4

2.9 

0

32 

742 

325 

22

8.8 

20

<0.2

59 

59

13

159 

161

7.0 

8,910 

8,830 

11

26

38

0.6 

2.6 

.6

2.2 

78 

157

.8

.6 

1.6

3

3

9

7

2

2

3

Oregon 

Multnomah ... 

Umatilla ......

Washington ...

22/21-8N1 ......

35/3-21E1......

11/13-1D1. __ .

41/10-2R1-. _ .

34/7-33K1......

4/2N-19G1.....

1/25-23L1.... ...

3/28-28N1-. .... 

1N/3-34D1. ....

1N/2-26E2 _ ..

4N/28-llnl ..... 

4N/35-19L2. ..

5N/35-12K1.... 

5N/35-2H1. ....

1N/13-4P1... ...

2/1W-10D1. ....

Apr. 18,1958 

Apr. 16,1958

Apr. 18,1958 

Apr. 16,1958

Apr. 17,1958 

Apr. 14,1958 

June 16,1958

.....do 

May 5,1958

Apr. 22,1958

June 17,1958 

... ..do .....

Aug. 1, 1958 

__ do _

July 30,1958 

Apr. 21,1958

Basalt and other 

volcanic rock. 

Volcanic rock of 

Tertiary age.

Basalt and Basaltic cinders. 

Basalt ............

Valley fillColumbia Eiver 

Basalt, 

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

Troutdale Formation. 

Sand and gravel 

of Tertiary age. 

Basalt.. ..........

Columbia Eiver 

Basalt. 

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

__ do..... ....

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

84 

41

63 

54

50 

20 

66

59 

40

64

74 

76

52 

56 

74 

72

13 

6.4

32 

11

24 

30 

34

17 

11

16

4.8 

21

14 

14 

17 

21

5.8 

3.9

11 

4.9

14 

9.7 

17

4.9 

11

7.8

0 

5.8

4.4 

4.9 

6.8 

8.8

<0.2

.'2 

.2

.2 

.2

.2 

.2 

.2

32 

7.3

30 

44

23 

39

28

18 

11

7.2

72 

31

8.0

6.5 

44 

8.5

6.8 

1.2

7.2 

3.8

2.6 

1.0 

6.2

4.2 

2.2

1.2

11 

6.6

2.8 

3.2 

8.0 

2.8

2

1

1

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 5. Chemical analyses of ground water of low mineral

[Results in parts per million except as noted]

County Well

Date of 

collection

Water-bearing 

formation «

|i

3

IBo

Magnesium (Mg) Strontium 

(Sr)

si 

s

Potassium 

(K)

Bicarbonate 

(H

South Dakota

Bon Homme... 93-60-24C... . Feb. 20,1959 Dakota Sandstone.

12 360 58 5.3 100 20 1

Washington

Whitman ___

20/28-27E1... ...

24/5-23E1... ....

33/26-16C1......

35/39-lOBl... ...

18/1W-10R3-.

18/1W-21D3- 

41/1-31Q1 ....

15/45-32N2.....

15/44-15A2- _

Mar. 28, 1958

Apr. 11,1958

Mar. 27, 1958

.....do .....

Apr. 17,1958

Apr. 20,1958 

Mar. 26, 1958

Mar. 28, 1958

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

gravel.

Sand and gravel 

Basalt.

W,

48

10

16

67

35

?,6

fi7

50

42

32

54

57

6.4

6.4 

14

22

42

15

6.3

23

14

4.9

5.4 

6.8

15

13

<0.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2

<.2 

<.2

<.2

<.2

29

18

m

3.6

8.2

5.2 

9.9

25

17

7,0

9 6

4.4

2.0

?, 0

2.0

40

4 4

? 4

?

1

2

?,

2

1

Wisconsin

Fond du Lac..

Outagamie. ....

Fl 13/19/18-125..

OU21/18/25-47.

do

Feb. 18,1958

... ..do .-

Oct. 27,1955

Sandstone of Late

Cambrian age.

Galena Dolomite,

Platteville For-

\ mation, Prairie

/ du Chien

Group, and

Sandston of

Cambrian age.

10

f 9.5

X 6. 9

118

182

157

33

19

21

36

24

20

21

16

14

5.2

4.6

4.6

3

2

2
OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STRONTIUM 91

OOOS

t-^t-i

sgCO >O

U5O

COIN 

00 CO

U5(N

23

CO

coo

oo 

,-icc

Oco

oo

3 S3

C*1CO

to to "TO

"s

<N<N

o\/ v v

CO

copi

o

S 00'

oco

Formation Casper 

Hills Sand- Fox 

3°'

&£ ^<j

15-73-14d..~ ... 50-72-21a.. .__ 

Albany Campbell _ 

to in 

t^ t^

s e C*l CO

g °

C*l "0 § s

fc S K IN

CO 

O CO

0

S "

CO 

" 05 

<N

O O

OO C5)

s s

O <N 

CO 10

OO rH 

O r-(

N (M 

V V

CO

s ^

s s

 * t~

stone. 

Eocks Cam- ofbrian age. 

Arikaree Formation.

co" oo"

& & ^J ^

21-87-17a.... .. 32-63-7b......

Carbon ........ Niobrara ......

03

S o

 a^o

>> fi

4 As use

Io>

S 

g>

fly 

1o

s

t>> 

^

 C

S

i?

§

"S

1

s

reported Values » 

dd Thiel, 1941.

Staufler Of» a

Calculated. > 
^ rti W 

C* p P 

3- &§ §

3 

>s 33 b 31 

CD ' O p i <1 

CO i i 1 

en i Cn 

00 001 

Member otPocono Formation. sand anSaltPotts- ville Formation, 

... do 

Sandstone Burgoon 

Member ofPoFormation. cono 

CO 

OJ <M 

CO O i §1 

h-* Cn 

Oi OO 1 II 

l-i 1 I- CO 

CO 1&-*. 

O5 <MOO 

en woo 0 00 o oS 

h-> 

tO O3 00 § O5 O o o i i i I II 

gto

<M OO § 88 

illK-i K-i 13dto

_CO

COg

tdI1

C7I

"so8oo

1-1 8

H-« 3K0o1s

1-1

to

CJI

o oi

Of

West Virginia

W3

CO 

CO

Mission CanyonLimestone.

OS 1i

CM 

C7I

00 i

COoipo1

.COo81to8os

Dakota North 

pf

47N1E21-2---. 3.... DowNo. 21N13N24.--.- ... 12N3W13 14N2E27......

Cn Cn Cn Cn Or 

of Sandstone 

Cambrian age,

Sandstone. Sjlvania Marshall Sandstone. Sandstone. Sylvania ' M O 

OS Cn <ICO 

O OOOO 

CO rf* 00 O5 rfk K 11§I 

O b5 00 1 h- O O <! O CO -<I 

Cn ^ CO O 

OO ^O OO g 00§?S o oooo 

 1-1 CO O3 l-i O CWM^-tObO 

O O O Cn h-* O OOOO o oooo 

CO

cw > : 1 11 

bO bJ 

1 II 1 III 

-vl Cn Oi o toco 

Michigan

San Bernardino

To 

PO1P

COS

Lacustrine sed-ments.

Cn

IB

-^s1 h-«1j

" o

CO8pI

COo1 So

OS o

1-1

p o

California

O0

o> 

!=!

1^

°'2,

||

TO

(SiOa) Silica 

(Ca) Calcium 

(Mg) Magnesium 

(Sr) Strontium 

(Na) Sodium 

(K) Potassium 

Bicarbonate 

(HCOs)

(COa) Carbonate 

(SO4) Sulfate 

(Ci) Chloride 

)3 (N0 Nitrate 

solids Dissolved 

at (residue 

180°C)

Calcium 

magnesium

Noncarbonate

Hardness as 

CaCoj

conduc- Specific 

at jMnhos tance 

25°C

*" *^ - " cH 

 TABLE brines Chemical 6. analyses of

in as million except notd] partser [Results 

TMmiNOa.19 NI H3JLVA1
TABLE 7. /Sr/Ca ratios and strontium content in total d

Eiver and sampling point

Alafla: At Lithia, Fla... ...... .........

Okla.

At Little Eock, Ark - , 

Brazos:

See footnotes at end of fable.

U.S.G.S. 

gaging 

station

identification 

No.

02B3015. ....

03A0365- 

11 4465. ..

07 1240......

07 1330......

07 1644......

07 2635......

08 0805......

08 0820......

08 1140......

02A1515 

07 2270. ..

03B5270......

12 4135 ...

09 1805 

09 3800 __ ..

Date of collection

Oct. 29, 1959 .......

Mar. 30- Apr. 22, 1958 

Aug. 4, 1958 

Oct. 5, 1958 

Oct. 13, 1959 ...

Sept. 18, 1958 

Jan. 31, I960 

.. do. ...

Apr. 2 10,1958 

Mar. 21-25, 1958--. __ -

Mar. 6-8, 1958--.-- _ . 

July 12-20, 1958. 

Apr. 14-20, 1958- 

Sept. 10-12, 1958 

Oct. 4-11,14-27, 1958- . ..

May 1-10, 1958 .... ......

July 15-31, 1958 

Oct. 10-14, 21-25, 1958... 

Apr. 21-30, 1958-. .

July 11-20, 1958 ..

June 21-30, 1958-.-. __

Aug. 15-17, 1959- ..-.

July 6, 1958 . _ -------

 do --------

July 11-14, 1959. 

July 19, 1958. ---------

Sept. 16-19, 1959 

Apr. 30, 1959-. ....

__ do ___________

July 14- Aug. 1,2,4, 1958..

June 1, 8, 11-19, 1958 ....

Oct. 1-17, 27-31, 1958.... 

Sept. 1-13, 15-30, 1958... 

May 22-31, 1959. ...

July 21-24, 26-28, 1959... 

Aug. 31, Sept. 2-21, 1959.

Mean 

discharge 

(cfs)

525

33, 700

10, 400

9,300

640

1 19, 700

i 13, 600

14,800

79,000

60,400

12,800

8.3

3.3

42, 980

4,685

2,590 

4,320

1,650

1,240

2,180

1,440

 500

86

45

5

1,640

533

27, 300

2,560 

2,540 

22,130

6,150 

3,980

Ca 

(epm)

1.30

.70

1.05

.14

17.6

3.44

3.99

5.29

1.95

1.85

3.34

on 9

55.9

2.10

3.99

2.54 

.10

.17

.16

1.45

2.00

1.65

1.65

2.94

4.59

1.35

1.40

.60

2.35

8.03 

8.98 

2.94

4.49 

7.39

Sr 

(epmXlOS)

2.51

1.44

1.76

2.23

1.14

.91

100

116

22.8

45.6

41.0

4.79

4.10

15.3

123

217

5.47

50.2

9.35 

.23

.91

.46

21.7

19.4

18.2

24.2

41.0

66.1

1.48

1.25

.87

9.58

31.9 

45.6 

20.5

25.1 

50.2
TABLE 7. Sr/Ca ratios and strontium content in total dissolved 

Kiver and sampling point

Cumberland: At Williamsburg, Ky ....

Delaware: At Morrisville, Pa. (Trenton 

N. J.).

At Cornell, Mich __ . __ .......

Gila: At Kelvin, Arlz 

At Lock & Dam No. 1, Spottsville, 

Ky.

U.S.Q.S. 

gaging 

station

identification 

No.

12 3995 

14 1057 

03B5260 

03B4040 

01B4635.....

04 0170... ...

02B3755.....

04 0590......

040595 ...

04 2320 

09 4740... ...

09 3150......

03A3215. _ .

08 1765... ...

10 3350. 

06A4760- 

06B8890 

Date of collection

Dec. 15-25, 1958 

Aug. 14-31, 1958.... .....

Oct. 16-30, 1958... ___ .

Apr. 30, 1959. ...........

Apr. 23-May 2, 1958 .. 

Jan. 26-Feb. 12, 1958.... 

Sept. 13-30, 1958- _ . ...

Apr. 4-23, 1958.- 

July 13, 1958 ...... ....

Sept. 18, 1958 ....

July 24, 1958.... .........

May 23, 1958- ____ ..

Nov. 19, 1958 ....

Jan. 14, 1960. .. . 

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

Jan. 19, I960. .....

Sept. 17, 1958 ............

Aug. 6, 1958 

Aug. 9,1958 

Sept. 1-14, 16-30, 1959 

Jan. 30, 1959 

June 1-30, 1958 

Aug. 1-31, 1958 

Oct. 1,2,5-31, 1958. 

Apr. 11-20, 1958. .. .. 

May 21-31, 1958. 

Oct. 1-10, 1958 

May 11-21, 1958 

Sept. 1-13, 15-30, 1958 

June 1-30, 1958 

Nov. 22, 1958... - -

Mar. 29-Apr. 5, 1958 

July 11-24, 1958 

July 25-Aug. 3, 1, 1958 

July 11-21, 1958 . -

Aug. 24-Sept. 5, 1958 

May 12-18.1958 

Mean 

discharge 

(cfs)

38,600

495, 600

112, 100

103,000

131

16, 130 

6,090 

210

44, 310

5

KA(\

3,640

50

47

1,420

1,140

2,860

698

269 

225

19, 730

1,792

1,470

3,225

321

196

56

.5

.2 

33, 155

5,577 

4.966

Ca 

(epm)

1.20

1.75

.31 

39 

1.00

.42

.80

.60

.40

.85

1.10

2.15

1.80

2.40

3.14

2.99

2.69 

5.49

2.15

3.34

3.49

1.50 

1.70

2.30

3.84

2.30

2.30

2.25

1.65

2.20

2.05 

2.25

3.34 

4.54

Sr 

(epmXlO")

1.64

1.82

1.46

2.17

4.79

.80

.93 

1.16 

2.74

.96 

1.21

1.39

.93

.52

1.19

1.14

1.25

11.4

12.1

21.7

20.52

10.9 

2.51

18.2

13.7

13.7

1.82 

3.19

3.88

16.2

18.9

12.8

13.2

3.42

7.75

9.58 

6.38

13.0 

16.9
Kentucky: At Lock No. 4, Frankfort, 

Ky.

Kern: Near Bakersfield, Calif.........

Kissimmee: Near Okeechobee, Fla__. 

Klamath: Near Klamath, Calif....__.

Lehigh: At Glendon, Pa. ..__ .

Maumee: At Waterville, Ohio...

Minnesota: At Mankato, Minn. 

Mississippi: At St. Louis, Mo...

At St. Francisville, La.

Missouri: Near Williston, N. Dak _

Mohawk: At Cohoes, N.Y......

Monongahela: At Charleroi, Pa.

Muskegon: At Evart, Mich. 

Neches: At Evadale, Tex 

Nueces: NearMathis, Tex..

Ohio: Lock & Dam No. 51 at Golconda, 

HI.

Ontonagon: Near Rockland, Mich .... 

Oswego: At Lock No. 7 Oswego, N.Y...

Paria: At Lees Ferry, Arlz _... 

Pecos: Near Puerto de Luna, N. Mex__

At Eed Bluff, N. Mex.

03A2875 

11 1940 

02B2730 .

11 5305. 

04. 1QQ£

05 3250.....

07 0100. ..

073734.20...

06A3300 

01B3575 

03A0750.....

04 1215 

08 0410 

08 2110 __ ..

03A3845... __

04 0400 .

04 2490......

09 3820......

08 3835......

08 4075 ..

May 10-12, 1958-. 

Mar. 29-Apr. 10, 1958 

Oct. 2-30, 1958 - 

Sept. 3, 1958 . 

Jan. 6, I960 ....

Oct. 6, 1959..............

May 1-10, 1959.... ... ....

Feb. 3, 1959.... ___ ...

Oct. 7, 1959..... .. ...

Sept. 9, 1958 

Apr. 1-23, 1958. .........

July 13, 1958- __ ...

Sept. 15, 1958 ....

June 13, 1958- ...........

Apr. 18-19, 1958-. ..

Mar. 2,1960 . _ .

Oct. 29, 1958 .......

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

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

May 28-June 5, 1958 

May 12-22, 1958 .........

Sept. 13-29, 1958. ........

Apr. 3, 1959... ___ . .... 

May 27, 1958-..... ...

Aug. 4, 1958 _______ . 

Apr. 30-May 8, 1959- ...

May 10-21, 1958 

July 21-31, 1958 . .....

Oct. 1-31, 1958 ...... 

May 1-31, 1958 

May 12-20, 1958 ......

June 11-20, 1958 .........

Nov. 1-10, 1958 

Jan. 12, 1960 -

Jan. 19, I960 _ ..

Sept. 17, 1958 

Oct. 24, 1958... ...... ....

June 11, 1959 

May 15, 1958...... _ ...

Mar. 1-31, 1959. ..

Aug. 22, 1958 _ .........

Dee. 4, 1958 _______

May 7-12, 1959 _____

July 1-6, 8-14, 1959 

Sept. 21-30, 1959- _ ....

Aug. 18-27, 1959 ,-,.

53,300

19,850

4Q1

2 1, 370

2170

2145

2,316

3,980

3,690

s 6, 960

8849

'547

22, 700

3,125

4 24, 700

« 24, 700

e 24, 700

Am nnn

40, 167

17, 370

13, 200

42, 000 

3,760

33, 300 

9,190 

2,760

19, 100

1,800

4,170

84

628, 000

177,000

4,720

7.5

3.0

1, 540

116

96

1,430

166

66

50

46

44

55

1.05 

1.80

1.10

.34

.80

.50

1 4.R

3.09

6.79

3.24

2.64

2.89

2.00

1.95

2.45

2.89

1.60 

1.50

.80 

.95 

2.20

2.00

.40

.49

2.64 

2.84

1.40

2.15

2.79

.90

3.44

4.39

5.79

4.34

1.80

3.34

24.8

26.4

18.5

23.9

30.6

29.5 

30.1

99.3

1 C\f\

1.82 

2.51

o 90

2.74

2.51

1.25

2.23

2 98

1.35

1.76

4 S3

22.8

10.0

20.1

13.7

13.7

13.7

4.56

6.16

6.61

12.8

3.65 

4.56

1.98 

2.28

4.56

2.28

4.10

7.30 

7.75

3.65

4.56

4.56

.89

16.6

22.8

27.4

18.2

18.9

8.21

107

205

77.5

109

182

196

207

198

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 7. Sr/Ca ratios and strontium content in total dissolve

River and sampling point

Pecos Continued

Forks, N. Dakota.

Shiawassee: At Owosso. Mien __ . 

U.S.G.S. 

gaging 

station

identification 

No.

07 1285 

01B6640. _ .

07 3160 

07 3555 __ .

05 0825 __ 

08 3130 .

02A0810.94-.

11 4670 

11 1525 __ ..

09 5020 

01A1846 ~

04 1445 -

Date of collection

May 1-29, 31, 1958 

Jan. 14, I960.. __ ... ...

Apr. 30,1959.- .........

Jan. 31, I960. ______

Apr. 6, I960.. ...........

Oct. 15, 1958... .......

Apr. 21-27, 1958... __ .

Apr. 11-18, 1958 .........

Oct. 1-10, 1958. ..........

July 6-12, 1958.-... ....

Apr. 21-May 17, 1958 

Sept. 17-30, 1958.. .......

May 19 ,1958...... ......

Sept. 11, 1958 __ ... __ .

Oct. 1-3, 7-31, 1959 -- -

Apr. 18-30, I960... ......

Feb. 1-28, 1959... . __ .

Aug. 6-8, 17-18, 1959 -

Sept. 24, 1958 . __ 

May 1-31, 1958..... _ ..

Sept. 1-30, 1958- __ .

Sept. 1-30, 1959. _ .

Feb. 6,1959.- 

Sept. 12, 1958...... __ 

Sept. 9, 1958 .............

Feb. 9, 1959.. 

Oct. 7, 1959 .. ____ .

July 1-23, 25-31, 1959. 

June 1-2, 4, 1958 ____ .

June 1-19, 1959. _ . _ ..

Oct. 1-12, 1957... ____ .

Oct. 1-26, 1958.... .......

Nov. 18, 1958 __ . .......

July 18-31 1959. _ . __

Dec. 10, 1959-.- 

June 25, 1958 

Jan. 16, I960 

Mean 

discharge 

(cfs)

16

3,860

740

28,900

6,320

1.730 

460

9,450

878

656

413

365

189

' 5, 580

5,420

* 1, 050

207

177

308

51

1,420

764

1,690

1,120

396

250

236

297

78

Oa

(epm)

1.10

1.20

19.2

.23

.26

7.98

10.4

1.75

2.94

3.44

2.74

1.65

1.65

2.59

1.55

2.25

3.89

2.20

2.30

.33

.50

.65

1.40

1.60

2.20

2.94

2.10

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.35

2.15

.55

.90

3.04

Sr 

(epmXlOs)

171

1.39

2.28

148

1.64

1.03

22.8

50.2

6.38

7.30

4.34

5.93 

5.70

5.02

2.74

13.7

5.70

17.1

17.8

7.98

8.44

.91

1.16

1.64

3.88

4.56

5.25

4.79

6.62

6.16

14.6

16.4

11.4

4.10

6.38

9.35

14.8

14.4

2.03

4.10

4.10
Snake: At King Hill, Idaho. 

St. Johns: Near Cocoa, Fla_.

St. Lawrence: At Thousand Island

Pk., N.Y. 

Susquehanna: At Danville, Pa____.

West Branch at Lewisburg, Pa_ 

Suwannee: At Branford, Fla_..___

Tennessee: Kentucky Dam near Paducah, Ky.

Wabash: Near New Haven, 111___.. 

White: At Clarendon, Ark.. 

Willamette: At Salem, Oreg_ _.. _ 

Withlacoochie: Near Holder, Fla. 

Yakima: At Kiona, Wash.. .

Yellowstone: Near Sidney, Mont.

Yuma Main Canal: Below Colorado 

Eiver Siphon at Yuma, Ariz.

13 1545.. __

02B2324.....

01B5405 .....

01B5535 .....

02B3205_..__

03B6095 .....

03A3788.-.-

14 1910. ..

02B3130.....

12 5105

06A3295.. ...

09 5255 ......

Dec. 16-31, 1958... ......

Jan. 1-30, 1959 

Sept. 23, 1959 

July 7, 1968 ........ ...

Sept. 2, 1958 

Oct. 5, 1959..... ......

Oct. 7, 1958 

Mar. 7-29, 1958..- .......

July 13, 1958 -

Sept. 7, 1958 ... 

Mar. 11-30, 1958 

July 13, 1958 

Sept. 14, 1958 

July 15, 1958 .

Sept. 16, 1958 ---- _

Apr. 21-30, 1958-- 

June 1-10, 1958- 

Nov. 21-29, 1958 

June 21-30, 1958 

May 21-31, 1958 

May 11-23, 1958 

Mar. 1-10, 1958 -

Sept. 11-20, 1958 

Dec. 16-22, 24-31, 1958 

Jan. 1-29, I960 -- 

July 1-3, 7-31, 1958 

Oct. 20, 1959..

Dec. 23-31, 1958 

Apr. 16-23. 1959- 

Julyl6-Aug. 13,1958 

May 26-31, 1958. 

Mar. 10, 18, 25, 1959 

Jan. 4, 9, 17, 25, 1959 

Mar. 3-7, 10-14, 18-21,

24-28, 31, 1958. 

Sept. 1-30, 1959 

Oct. 1-30, 1959 -----

9,140

9,102

8,850

2,323

Mil

*357

23, 100

2,380

14,500

4,980

2,980

19,200

13,400

5,200

97, 350

55, 470

39, 600

35, 300

7,180

3,950

4,900

2,790

1,170

35, 970

19, 200 

5,100

4,840

570

2.30

2.40

.95

1.60

2.05

1.90

1.80

.95

1.15

2.10

.90

1.05

1.20

1.05

2.54

1.10

.95

1.20

2.15

2.99

9 fiQ

.65

1.50

1.75

.25

.26

1.05

1.90

2.50

4.69

4.29

4.29

5.02

9.58

3.19

15.5

25.1

22.8

3.42

3.42

1.96

2.01

4.33

2.05

2.28

2.15

.66

1.82

1.35

.84

1.69

1.28

4.56

5.24

3.19

.75

.64

.89

.98

.80

1.14

2.51

1.35

I.66 

2.74 

5.70

II.2 

22.3 

18.2

47.9

36.5

i Discharge measured at Tulsa, Oklahoma (07 1645). 2 Discharge measured below Kern Canyon powerh

< Station No. 775 (25 percent of flow). « Station No. 1425 (75 percent of flow). Composite of 10 verticals 

8 Discharge data near Christmas. Fla.
Chemistry of Strontium 

:n Natural Water

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1496

This water-supply paper was printed 

as separate chapters A-D

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1963
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Thomas B. Nolan, Director

The U.S. Geological Survey Library has cataloged this publication as follows:

U.S. Geological Survey.

Chemistry of strontium in natural water. Washington, 

U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1962.

iii, 97 p. illus., diagrs., tables. 24 cm. (Its Water-supply paper 

1496)

Issued as separate chapters A-D.

Includes bibliographies.

1. Strontium. 2. Water-Analysis. I. Title. (Series)
CONTENTS

[The letters in parentheses preceding the titles are those used to designate the separate chapters]

Page

(A) A survey of analytical methods for the determination of strontium in

natural water, by C. Albert Horr____________--_________---_- 1

(B) Copper-spark method for spectrochemical determination of strontium

in water, by Marvin W. Skougstad______________-__-_---_-__ 19

(C) Flame photometric determination of strontium in natural water,

by C. Albert Horr________________________________ 33

(D) Occurrence and distribution of strontium in natural water, by Marvin

W. Skougstad and C. Albert Horr______________________ 55

iii