\PPRAISAL OF HYDROLOGIC 

INFORMATION NEEDED IN 

ANTICIPATION OF LIGNITE 

-MINING IN LAUDERDALE 

COUNTY, TENNESSEE ! 

U.S. 

In 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY a 

Water-Resources 

vestigations 80-54 

PREPARED IN COOPERATION tilTH 

-- TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT of CONSERVATION, 

DIVISION of GEOLOGY 
50272 -101 

REPORT DOClJMENTATlON J,‘=‘=ORT NO. 2. 

PAGE 

4. Title and Subtitle 

APPRAISAL OF HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION NEEDED IN ANTICIPATION 

OF LIGNITE MINING IN LAUDERDALE COUNTY, TENNESSEE 

3. Recipient’s Accession No. 

5. Report Date 

April, 1981 

6. 

___-... __ 

7. Author(s) 

William S. Parks 

- . - 

8. Performing Organization Rept. No. 

USGS/WRI 80-54 

$. Performing Organization Name and Address 

- _. 

10. Prolect/Task/Work Unit No. 

U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division 

204 Federal Office Building 

Memphis, Tennessee 38103 

11. Contract(C) or Grant(G) No. 

(C) 

(G) 

12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address 

U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division 

204 Federal Office Building 

Memphis, Tennessee 38103 

- -.__ ..--- ________ 

13. Type of Report & Period Covered 

14. 

___---.----. .-- --__-- 

15. Supplementary Notes Prepared in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Conservation, 

Division of Geology. 

__ - ~~_-. --- - ._ - _-.~ ~-. _.. -- - - ---- - ~. 

ia. Abstract (Limit: 200 words) Lignite in western Tennessee occurs as lenses or beds at various 

stratigraphic horizons in the Coastal Plain sediments of Late Cretaceous and Tertiary age 

The occurrence of this lignite has been known for many decades, but not until the energy 

crisis was it considered an important energy resource. In recent years, several energy 

companies have conducted extensive exploration programs in western Tennessee, and tremendous reserves of lignite have been found. Lauderdale County was selected as one of 

the counties where strip-mining of lignite will most likely occur. Lignite in this 

county occurs in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations, undivided, of Tertiary age. The 

hydrology of the county is known only from regional studies and the collection of some 

site-specific data. Therefore, in anticipation of the future mining of lignite, a plan 

is needed for obtaining hydrologic and geologic information to adequately define the 

hydrologic system before mining begins and to monitor the effects of strip-mining once it 

is begun. For this planning effort, available hydrologic, geologic, land use, and 

associated data were located and compiled; a summary description of the surface and shallow subsurface hydrologic systems was prepared; the need for additional baseline hydrologic information was outlined; and plans to monitor the effects of strip-mining were 

proposed. 

17. Document Analysis a. Descriptors 

*Lignite, *Strip mines, *Tennessee, *Hydrologic data, Ground water, Surface water, 

Water quality. 

b. Identifiers/Open-Ended Terms 

*Lauderdale County, *Study plan. 

c. COSATI Field/Group 

LS. Availability Statement 

No restriction on distribution 

1 19. Security Class (This Report) 

UNCLASSIFIED 

21. No. of Pages 

73 ~- 

20. Security Class (This Page) 

UNCLASSIFIED 

22. Price 

ice ANSLZ39.18) See Instructions on Reverse OPTIONAL FORM 272 (4-77) 

(Formerly NTIS-35) 

Department of COI’nmerce 
APPRAISAL OF HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION 

NEEDED IN ANTICIPATION OF LIGNITE 

MINING IN LAUDERDALE COUNTY, TENNESSEE 

By William S. Parks 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Water-Resources Investigations 

Open-File Report 80-54 

Prepared in cooperation with the 

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, 

DIVISION OF GEOLOGY 

1981 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

JAMS G. WATT, Secretary 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Doyle G. Frederick, Acting Director 

For additional information write to: 

U.S. Geological Survey 

A-413 Federal Building 

U. S. Counthouse 

Nashville, Tennessee 37203 
Page 

Abstract ............................... 1 

Introduction ............................. 1 

Lignite in western Tennessee ................... 1 

Purpose and scope of this project ................ 5 

Location and size of project area ................ 6 

Population and land use ..................... 6 

Availability of hydrologic information ................ 8 

Previous investigations ..................... 8 

Topographic and geologic maps .................. 9 

Ground-water data ........................ 11 

well records ......................... 11 

Geophysical logs ....................... 12 

Water levels ......................... 12 

Quality of water ....................... 12 

Punpingtests ........................ 14 

Surface-water data ........................ 14 

Continuous-record gaging stations .............. 14 

Partial-record gaging stations ................ 18 

Low-flow and miscellaneous sites ............... 19 

Flood-prone area maps .................... 19 

Sediment data ........................ 21 

Rainfall data ........................ 21 

Description of hydrologic system ................... 21 

Geomorphic and geologic setting ................. 21 

Wateruse ............................ 28 

Ground-water system ....................... 28 

Mississippi alluvial deposits ................ 37 

Fluvial deposits ....................... 37 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations ............... 38 

Memphis Sand ......................... 38 

Surface-water system ....................... 39 

Drainage to Mississippi River ................ 39 

Drainage to Hatchie River .................. 42 

Drainage to South Fork Forked Deer River ........... 43 

Impact of strip-mining on the hydrologic system ........... 43 

General considerations ...................... 4.3 

Mining in Mississippi Alluvial Plain ............... 44 

Mining in Coastal Plain ..................... 45 

Needs for hydrologic information and proposed data collection 

activities ............................. 45 

Surface geologic maps ...................... 45 

Ground-water information ..................... 46 

Water-well inventory ..................... 46 

Subsurface stratigraphy ................... 47 

Water-level trends and configurations ............ 48 

Aquifer characteristics ................... 51 

Ground-water quality ..................... 52 

Surface-water information .................... 53 

Stream-flow characteristics ................. 53 

Surface-water quality .................... 56 

Rainfall-runoff relations .................. 58 

-iii- 
Plans to monitor strip-mining of lignite ............... 

Collection of mine-site data ................... 

Application of computer modeling techniques ........... 

Summary of plan to study hydrology .................. 

Selected references ......................... 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

Figures l-8. Maps showing: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Principal areas in western Tennessee where lignite 

is known to be relatively common and location 

of Lauderdale County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Location and relative size of special land-use 

areas...................... 

Topographic quadrangles available . . . . . . . . . 

Wells and test holes for which geophysical logs 

are available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Existing and discontinued stream-flow gaging 

stations and miscellaneous data-collection 

sites...................... 

Weather stations of National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration in vicinity of 

Lauderdale County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Generalized topography and major geomorphic 

subdivisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Regional setting'of Laidlrdaie County in the 

Mississippi embayment and location of crosssection A-A shown in figure 9 . . . . . . . . . 

9. Diagrammatic cross-section showing age of rocks 

of the Mississippi embayment--location shown in 

figure8....................... 

10. Map showing generalized surface geology . . . . . . . . 

11. Geohydrologic electric-log cross-section of western 

Tennessee through Lauderdale County . . . . . . . . . . 

12-15. Maps showing: 

12. Wells for which water-quality analyses are 

available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

13. Major drainage and generalized flood-prone areas . 

14. Tentative locations of proposed stratigraphic test 

holes and observation wells . . . . . . . . . . . 

15. Tentative locations of proposed stream-flow gaging 

stations and surface-water data-collection sites. 

16. Schematic showing generalized basin with surface 

mine site and proposed sites for hydrologic 

monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Page 

59 

59 

61 

61 

64 

2 

7 

10 

13 

15 

22 

23 

25 

26 

27 

29 

36 

40 

50 

55 

60 

-iv- 
TABLES 

Table 1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Available measurements at low-flow, partial-record 

stations, and miscellaneous sites in Lauderdale 

County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Post-Midway geologic units underlying Lauderdale 

County and their hydrologic significance . . . . . . . 30 

Records of wells in Lauderdale County for which 

water-quality analyses are available . . . . . . . . . 32 

Water-quality analyses of water from wells in 

Lauderdale County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Low-flow characteristics of some streams in Lauderdale 

County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Proposed stratigraphic test holes and observation 

wells in Lauderdale County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 

Proposed stream-flow gaging stations and surfacewater data-collection sites in Lauderdale County . . . 54 

Sediment data collected for the Hatchie River 

atRialto....................... 57 

Cover Photograph 

Dr. R. W. Lounsbury of 

Memphis State University with hand 

on top of lignite bed. 

-v- 
FACTORS FOR CONVERTING U.S. CUSTOMARY UNITS 

TO INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS 

The following factors may be used to convert U.S. customary units (SI). 

Conversion factors are rounded to four significant digits, except the one 

with an asterisk after the last digit which is exact. 

Multiply U.S. customary units 

inch (in) 

foot (ft) 

mile (mi) 

acre 

square mile (mi2) 

ton, short (2,000 lb) 

cubic foot per second 

(ft3/s) 

cubic foot per second per 

cubic foot per second per 

square mile (ft3/s)/m2 

gallons per minute (gal/min) 

BY 

Length 

To obtain SI units 

25.4* 

0.3048 

1.609 

Area 

millimeter (mm) 

meter (m) 

kilometer (km) 

0.4047 

2.590 

Mass 

square hectometer (bm2) 

square kilometer (km2) 

0.9072 

Flow 

metric ton 

28.32 liter per second (L/s) 

0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s) 

0.109 cubic meter per second per 

square kilometer (m3/s)/km2 

0.06309 liter per second (L/s) 

6.309x10- 5 cubic meter per second (m:/s) 

million gallons per day (Mgal/d) 0.04381 cubic meter per second (m3/s) 

Transmissivity 

cubic foot per day per foot 0.0929 

(fts/d)/ft 

cubic meter per day per meter 

(m 3/d) /m 

-vi- 
APPRAISAL OF HYDROLOGIC INFORMATlolv 

NEEDED IN ANTICIPATION OF LIGNITE MINING 

IN LAUDERDALE COUNTY, TENNESSEE 

By William S. Parks 

ABSTRACT 

Lignite in western Tennessee occurs as lenses or beds at various 

stratigraphic horizons in the Coastal Plain sediments of Late Cretaceous and 

Tertiary age. The occurrence of this lignite has been known for many 

decades, but not until the energy crisis was it considered an important 

energy resource. In recent years, several energy companies have conducted 

extensive exploration programs in western Tennessee, and tremendous reserves 

of lignite have been found. 

From available information, Lauderdale County was selected as one of 

the counties where strip-mining of lignite will most likely occur. Lignite 

in this county occurs in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations, undivided, of 

Tertiary age. The hydrology of the county is known only from regional 

studies and the collection of some site-specific data. Therefore, in anticipation of the future mining of lignite, a plan is needed for obtaining 

hydrologic and geologic information to adequately define the hydrologic 

system before mining begins and to monitor the effects of strip-mining once 

it is begun. 

For this planning effort, available hydrologic, geologic, land use, and 

associated data were located and compiled; a summary description of the 

surface and shallow subsurface hydrologic system was prepared: the need for 

additional baseline hydrologic information was outlined; and plans to 

monitor the effects of strip-mining were proposed. This planning approach, 

although limited to a county area, has transferability to other Coastal 

Plain areas under consideration for strip-mining of lignite. 

INTRODUCTION 

Lignite in Western Tennessee 

Lignite occurs as lenses or beds at various stratigraphic horizons in 

the Coastal Plain sediments of western Tennessee. The principal geologic 

units in which lignite is at or near the surface are the McNairy Sand of 

Late Cretaceous age and the Wilcox Group, Claiborne Group (including the 

Cockfield Formation), and Jackson Formation of Tertiary age. 

Figure 1 shows the principal areas where lignite is known to be 

relatively common. Lignite in the McNairy Sand occurs in association with 

clay deposits east of Paris in Henry County. Lignite in the Wilcox Group 

may be present at many places along the outcrop belt, but is probably more 

common in Hardeman County where the formation is thickest and the outcrop 

belt is broadest. Lignite in the lower part of the Claiborne Group is 

present at many places, but is best known from beds encountered in mining 

for commercial ball clay in Henry and Weakley Counties. Lignite in the 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations is present in the western part of western 

Tennessee--principally in Lake, Obion, Dyer, Lauderdale, Tipton, and Shelby 

Counties. 

-l- 
Figure 1.--Principal areas in western Tennessee where lignite is known to be

relatively common and location of Lauderdale County .
The occurrence of lignite in western Tennessee probably has been known 

since the flirst explorers and settlers traveled through the area. Over the 

years, lignite has been more or less a curiosity to the general public as 

evidenced by accounts of finds of "coal" or lignite published i'n the 

newspapers from time to time (Nelson, 1912, p. 157). 

Geologists and other scientists also have long known about the lignite 

in western Tennessee. Safford (1869, p. 428-431, 498-499) in an early 

report on the geology of Tennessee described exposures of lignite in Shelby 

and Tipton Counties. Nelson (1912) in a short report on lignite and lignitic clays gave background information on lignite as compared with coal and 

described a reported occurrence in Henry County. Roberts and Collins (1928, 

P. 124-127, 146-148, 327-336) in an unpublished report on the Tertiary and 

Quaternary geology of western Tennessee described lignite in Shelby, Tipton, 

and Hardeman Counties and included analyses. Born (1936, p. 68) in a summary of the state's mineral resources gave a brief description of the lignite and stated that it had been reported in Lake, Obion, Dyer, Lauderdale, 

Tipton, and Shelby Counties. Whitlatch (1940, p. 67-70, 74, 92, 115, 120, 

121, 125, 182, 259, 265, 305, 314, 315) in a report on the clays of western 

Tennessee included much additional information on the occurrences of lignite 

in association with the clays. Parks and Lounsbury (1975, p. 49-51) in a 

field trip guide to the environmental geology of Memphis gave a detailed 

measured section which includes two lignite beds in southwestern Tipton 

county. 

Lignite in western Tennessee, historically, has been considered of 

little or no value. Safford (1869, p. 499), Roberts and Collins (1928, 

P. 336), and Born (1936, p. 68) discouraged consideration of western 

Tennessee lignite as an important energy resource. Until recently, this 

thinking has remained prevalent among workers inventorying the state's 

mineral resources in view of the tremendous coal reserves present in eastern 

Tennessee. Reasons for past discouragement of thinking of lignite as an 

important energy resource are: 

(1) a lack of demand for lignite as a fuel in view of other available 

fuels--wood, coal, and natural gas; 

(2) the cover of loess and fluvial deposits which obscures the Upper 

Cretaceous and Eocene bedrock in extensive areas, making 

exploratory drilling necessary to determine the area1 extent and 

thickness of the lignite: 

(3) the mistaken concept based on outcrops and available bore hole 

records that the lignite occurs in localized deposits: 

(4) the relatively low fuel value and high moisture and ash 

content of lignite; and 

(5) the impurity of most lignites investigated along with the common 

mistake of reports of lignite turning out to be lignitic clays. 

To some, lignite has been considered almost a nuisance (Tennessee 

Department of Conservation, 1977). Deposits exposed to air dry out and tend 

to undergo spontaneous combustion, producing a smoky, irritating fire: 

lignite burns are known to have occurred at several different localities in 

Mississippi (Williams, 1976, p. 12). Lignite bedded with commercial clay 

deposits has been considered overburden and has been removed and discarded 

-3- 
as mine waste. In drilling for water, lignite is avoided in setting well 

screens because water associated with lignite imparts an unpleasant taste 

and color to well water. 

With the advent of the energy crisis, new thinking has come about in 

considering the lignite of the Gulf Coastal Plain as an important future 

energy resource. In the past several years , energy companies have engaged 

in exploration programs in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, 

Tennessee, and Alabama. 

Although specific data from these exploration programs is considered to 

be proprietary information, news releases, reports by the energy companies, 

extensive close-spaced test drilling and coring, and leasing of large acreages indicate that the energy companies have found very sizable deposits of 

potentially minable lignite in western Tennessee. In fact, Luppens (1978) 

of Phillips Coal Company, in a paper on exploration for Gulf Coastal Plain 

lignite deposits presented at the Second International Coal Exploration 

Symposium, stated that preliminary estimates of lignite reserves for 

Tennessee totaled 1.0 billion tons. Luppens also stated that all of these 

reserves are in the Wilcox and Claiborne and that typical seam thickness 

ranges from 2 to 9 ft. Much of Phillip's exploration program has been 

directed toward lignite in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations--principally 

in Lauderdale and Dyer Counties. 

Not much published or in-file data is available on the characteristics 

of the "purer" lignite in western Tennessee. Luppens (19781, however, gives 

a "typical as-received proximate analysis" for lignite in the Claiborne. 

These are as follows: 

Moisture content 45.41 percent 

Ash 11.89 )I 

Volatile matter 26.56 ' 

Fixed carbon 16.14 II 

Sulfur 0.59 " 

Heating value 5379 Btu/lb 

Wet, the lignite is high in moisture and volatile content: dry, it is 

high in ash. The high volatile content makes it readily convertible into 

gas or liquid form. But, the high moisture content of the wet and susceptibility to spontaneous combustion of the dry present problems in transportation and storage. Western Tennessee lignite is low in sulfur, making it 

desirable for steam electric generating plants. 

Because it is not economically feasible to transport lignite long 

distances, utilization of this fuel will probably be near mine operations. 

Possible uses include steam-electric generation, gasification, distillation 

of liquid hydrocarbons, and extraction of waxes (Terry and others, 1979a, 

p- 4). 

Sites for electric generating plants on the Mississippi River have been 

under consideration for many years. One site investigated by TVA is at 

Fulton in Lauderdale County (Tennessee Valley Authority, 1952). Although it 

was planned to use coal barged from Illinois and western Kentucky as fuel at 

this plant, sizable deposits of lignite in this area would be a convienent 

source of an alternate fuel. 

-4- 
Purpose and Scope of this Project 

Outside of the Memphis area, the hydrologic system in western Tennessee 

is known only in general terms. The hydrology and geology are described in 

reports of regional scope and some site-specific studies: some ground-water 

and surface-water data are being collected on a continual basis as part of 

the state-wide hydrologic network. Nevertheless, much additional hydrologic 

and geologic information would be needed to adequately define the hydrologic 

system of Lauderdale County in anticipation of the future strip-mining of 

lignite. 

The purpose of this project is to plan a comprehensive study of the 

hydrology of Lauderdale County as related to future strip-mining of 

lignite. Elements of this planning effort are to: 

(1) locate and conpile hydrologic, geologic, land use, and 

associated data for use in planning the study: 

(2) prepare a description of the surface and shallow subsurface 

hydrologic system in Lauderdale County in terms of what is 

presently known: 

(3) research background information concerning lignite and coal 

hydrology and other areas undergoing strip-mining; 

(4) consider the impact of strip-mining lignite on the hydrologic 

system as presently known for Lauderdale County: 

(5) ascertain what baseline hydrologic and geologic information are 

needed to adequately define the hydrologic system before mining 

begins; and 

(6) propose a plan for the collection of hydrologic data to monitor 

the effects of strip-mining once it is begun. 

Although this project is limited to a county area, the planning 

approach has transferability to other areas where strip-mining of lignite is 

under consideration. The project is regional in scope in that the environmental concerns of interstate streams and aquifers are involved and the 

planned study, if undertaken, would provide important information needed in 

refining concepts of the hydrologic system in this part of the Mississippi 

embayment. 

The information provided in this report would be useful to those 

Federal and State agencies, energy companies, and private consultants 

involved in conducting environmental studies or preparing environmental 

impact statements. In addition, this report includes a summary of available 

information about the hydrology and geology of Lauderdale County which will 

be useful to those concerned with other water resources problems. 

In preparing this report consideration was given to the need for 

geologic and hydrologic information to satisfy the minimum requirements for 

surface-mining permit applications as given by the U.S. Department of the 

Interior, Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (1979, 

p. 15354-15357). 

-5- 
Location and Size of Project Area 

Lauderdale County is in the western most tier of counties in western 

Tennessee about midway between the Mississippi and Kentucky state lines. 

Ripley, the county seat, is at about lat 35'44'45" N., long 89O31'50" W. 

Figure 1 shows the location of Lauderdale County. 

The county covers an area of 477 mi2 and is very irregular in shape. 

It is bounded on the north by Dyer, on the east by Crockett and Haywood, on 

the south by Tipton Counties in Tennessee and on the west by Mississippi 

County in Arkansas. Natural features that form part of the boundaries are 

the Mississippi River on the west, the Obion and Forked Deer Rivers on the 

northwest, the South Fork Forked Deer River on the northeast, and the 

Hatchie River on the south. 

Population and Land Use 

The population of Lauderdale County, according to the 1970 "Census of 

Population," was 20,271 of which 15,477 or 76.4 percent was considered to be 

rural. The only area considered to be urban is the incorporated town of 

Ripley (population 4,794). Other incorporated towns are Halls (2,323), 

Henning (605), and Gates (523). These towns are along U.S. Highway 51 and 

the Illinois Central Railroad, which cross the central part of the county in 

a northeast-southwest direction. 

The area of the county, according to the 1974 "Census of Agriculture," 

consists of approximately 305,408 acres of which 204,788 acres or 67.1 

percent are in farm land. Farms total 844 and average about 243 acres in 

size. A decrease in number and increase in size of farms and an increase in 

population of towns follows the population trend of movement from rural to 

urban areas or towns. 

Aside from the land in the four incorporated towns, other areas 

designated for special land use which may need consideration in anticipation 

of future strip-mining of lignite are: (1) Fort Pillow State Historic Area, 

(2) Fort Pillow State Prison Farm, (3) Hatchie State Scenic River, and 

(4) Anderson-Tully Wildlife Management Areas. These special land-use areas 

comprise an estimated 40,729 acres or about 13.3 percent of the county area. 

Figure 2 shows their location and relative size. 

Fort Pillow State Historic Area consists of 1,650 acres in the southwestern part of the county. This part was established to preserve the 

earthworks, artifacts, and general area surrounding the site of Fort Pillow-- 

a Civil War fort. The management of this park is under the Tennessee 

Department of Conservation, Division of Parks and Recreation. In recent 

years, a park headquarters, museum, and other improvements have been built, 

and in 1977 the park was opened for use by the public. On May 30, 1974, the 

site of Fort Pillow was designated a "National Historic Landmark" by the 

U.S. Department of Interior. 

Fort Pillow State Prison Farm consists of 5,779 acres in the southwestern part of the county. This farm is worked by the inmates of Fort 

Pillow State Prison and provides food for the prison population and 

-6- 
Figure 2.--Location and relative size of special land-use areas .
financial support for the institution. The management of the farm is under 

the Tennessee Department of Corrections, Division of Agri-Industry. In 

addition to the prison facility, the farm has many buildings and other 

improvements related to the farming activity. 

Hatchie State Scenic River established in 1969 by the Tennessee Legislature will consist of an estimated 3,300 acres in the southern part of the 

county, if the maximum easement of no more than 1,000 ft from the center of 

the river on each side is acquired. This easement will include the Hatchie 

River channel and a large part of the flood plain. The Hatchie River is one 

of the few remaining streams in Tennessee which is relatively unchanged by 

man's activities. Although many of the tributaries were dredged during 

1917-26 (Speer and others, 1965, p. H8), the main channel and flood plain 

have not been subject to channelization and agricultural development. The 

Tennessee State Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Tennessee Code Annotated 11-1400) 

specifies certain restrictions on the use of scenic river areas, including 

mining and pollution from mining. Various aspects related to the future 

management of the Hatchie State Scenic River are being investigated by the 

Hatchie State Scenic River Task Force under the Scenic Rivers Program of the 

Tennessee Department of Conservation. 

Anderson-Tully Wildlife Management Area(s) consist of two tracts of 

land comprising an estimated 30,000 acres in the western part of the 

county. These areas-- approximately 18,000 acres in the northern tract in 

the vicinity of Open Lake and 12,000 acres in the southern tract near Fort 

Pillow State Historic Area-- are owned by Anderson-Tully Company, a lumber 

concern. These acreages represent the largest single tracts of delta 

bottom-land hardwood timber left in Tennessee (Frank Zerfoss, oral commun., 

1979). Presently, the Anderson-Tully property is under lease to the 

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for the purpose of wildlife management. 

AVAILABILITY OF HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION 

Previous Investigations 

Glenn (1906, p. 91-96) and Wells (1933, p. 210-219) in reports 

describing the ground-water resources in western Tennessee on a county-bycounty basis gave general information about the stratigraphy and the 

ground-water supplies in Lauderdale County. Although the stratigraphy is 

now out-of date insofar as nomenclature is concerned, these reports provide 

historical data about early ground-water supplies and some information about 

the geology. Lanphere (1955) described the geologic source and chemical 

quality of public ground-water supplies in western Tennessee. This report 

(p. 38-39, 40, 57-58) includes details concerning the water-supply systems 

at Halls, Henning, and Ripley. Strausberg and Schreurs (1958, pl. 1, 2, 4; 

tables 4, 5) in an unpublished report on the ground-water resources of the 

Mississippi Valley of Tennessee included the locations of some wells in the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits in Lauderdale County and some data on water 

levels and quality of water. 

Milhous (1959) compiled driller's logs and sample descriptions for 

Tennessee by counties. He gave logs for three early oil-test wells in the 

county (p. 233-239). Krinitzsky and Wire (1964) described the ground water 

in the alluvium of the Lower Mississippi Valley. They presented contour 

-8- 
maps of the Tertiary surface and piezometric-surface maps for the Missisippi alluvial deposits . Moore (1965, pl . 1-8, fig . 4) in a report on the

geology and hydrology of the Claiborne Group in western Tennessee included

structure-contour maps, geophysical cross-sections, and a fence diagram

along with maps of the apparent and potential coefficient of transmissibility, the down-dip changes in chemical quality of water, and the

piezometric surface in the "500-foot" sand . These illustrations provide

some general information about the Claiborne aquifers in Lauderdale County .

Speer and others (1965, table 2) in a report on the low-flow characteristics of streams in the Mississippi embayment in Tennessee, Kentucky and

Illinois gave data concerning South Fork Forked Deer River at Chestnut

Bluff, Cold Creek near Arp, Cane Creek at Ripley, and Cane Creek near Cherry .

The Tennessee Department of Public Health (1964-65) published a ground-water

survey of western Tennessee . Their report (table 18) includes a summary of

the water-supply system at Ripley and gives chemical analyses and radiological data of composite raw water sampled in 1964-65. Moore and Brown (1969)

detailed information on the stratigraphy and ground-water resource gained by

a 3,183-ft test hole drilled into the Paleozoic rock on property within Fort

Pillow State Historic Area . This report introduces some new nomenclature

for the subsurface geologic units of western Tennessee and re-evaluates

certain interpretations presented by Moore in his 1965 report .

Topographic__and- Geologic Maps

Lauderdale County is covered by 7 .5-minute (scale 1 :24,000) topographic

quadrangles prepared and published by the Geological Survey . Figure 3 is

part of the "Index to Topographic Maps of Tennessee", dated May 1978 . The

county is included on all or part of 20 quadrangles, as follows :

Most of the county is also included on all or part of five 15-minute (scale

1:62,500) topographic quadrangles as follows :
-ioFigure 3.--Topographic quadrangles available (modified from U.S . Geological Survey

"Index to Topographic maps of Tennessee," May 1978) .
Blytheville 1930-51 Osceola 1930-63 

Hales Point 1961 Rialto 1961 

Halls 1952-61 

Detailed 15-minute geologic quadrangles are available for most of the 

Mississippi Alluvial Plain in Lauderdale County. These maps by Saucier and 

others (1964-78) were prepared and published by the U.S. Army Engineer 

Water-ways Experiment Station as a part of a geological investigation of the 

St. Francis River basin. Quadrangles including areas in the county are: 

(1) Blytheville, Ark.-Mo.-Tenn.; (2) Hales Point, Term.-Ark.; (3) Osceola, 

Ark.-Tenn.; and (4) Rialto, Tenn. The Halls, Tenn. quadrangle, which 

includes a small part of the Alluvial Plain, was not published as a part of 

the investigation. 

No detailed geologic maps are available for the upland areas of 

Lauderdale County. The latest geologic map which covers the county is the 

"Geologic Map of Tennessee" (scale 1:250,000) by Hardeman and others (1966), 

published in four sheets. The west sheet for western Tennessee provides a 

very generalized geologic map of the county area. 

Ground-Water Data 

Only very general information and some site-specific data are available 

concerning the ground-water hydrology of Lauderdale County. Much of this 

information was collected as a result of regional studies of the principal 

aquifers and inventories of water supplies. Except for water-well records 

and water-use data being collected by the Tennessee Division of Water 

Resources (TDWR), little specific information regarding the ground-water 

resource has been collected over the past decade. 

Well Records 

The Geological Survey files contain schedules for about 50 wells in 

Lauderdale County drilled between 1929 and 1965. Most of these wells were 

inventoried in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Since 1963, however, 

records of approximately 600 wells have been submitted to the TDWR by 

water-well contractors. The locations of these wells have been provided by 

the drillers to TDWR on county maps (scale 1:125,000). About 20 percent of 

these records include a log of the formations penetrated. Land-surface 

altitudes and aquifer identifications are not indicated on most of these 

records. 

Experience in working with driller's records for other areas in western 

Tennessee has shown that, although the well data is fair to good, the locations and formation logs are mostly fair to poor. Experience also has shown 

that many more wells probably exist which have not been inventoried, and the 

records for these wells would have to be obtained from the drillers or land 

owners, if available, 

Of the 600 records in the TDWR files 49 percent are for wells less than 

100 ft deep and 91 percent are for wells less than 200 ft deep (C. R. 

Lanphere, oral commun., 1979) These wells are mostly privately owned 

domestic and farm wells. 

-110 
Geophysical Logs 

The Geological Survey files contain geophysical logs for 15 wells 

drilled in Lauderdale County. Three are for oil-test wells, one is for the 

Fort Pillow test well, three are for water-supply wells at Fort Pillow State 

Prison Farm and the town of Ripley, and eight are for test holes drilled by 

Phillips Coal Company on the Fort Pillow State Prison Farm in conjunction 

with lignite exploration. The quality of these logs, which include both 

gamma ray and electric, is excellent to fair depending on the logging 

instrument used to make them. Figure 4 shows the location of wells and test 

holes for which geophysical logs are available. 

The logs for the Fort Pillow test well and one of the oil-test wells 

provide important stratigraphic information about the geologic sequence 

above the Paleozoic rocks. The logs at Ripley, Fort Pillow State Farm, and 

the other two oil-test wells (only up-hole section logged) provide some 

site-specific information about the geology and ground-water resource. 

The logs made of the Phillips test holes at Fort Pillow State Farm in 

conjunction with lignite exploration showed that the electric and gamma-ray 

logs made with the available Geological Survey logging instrument are 

inadequate to recognize lignite beds in the absence of other information. 

The gamma-gamma log used by Phillips, supplemented with resistance and 

gamma-ray logs, is the primary tool needed for this type of work. The 

gamma-gamma log indicates relative bulk densities, which is important in the 

recognition of lignite beds. 

Water Levels 

Except for miscellaneous measurements made in wells in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits and the Memphis Sand for regional studies, the only 

water-level information collected by the Geological Survey for Lauderdale 

County is for the Fort Pillow test well. 

This well, located in the Fort Pillow State Historic Area, is screened 

in the Memphis Sand at a depth of 869 to 879 ft. An automatic recorder was 

installed on this well ,in April 1966, and water levels have been monitored 

since that time. For alternate periods of time, both analog and digital 

recorders have been used on this well: it is now equipped with a digital 

recorder. 

Problems associated with the different kinds of recorders, the depth of 

the water level which approaches 200 ft below land surface, and the remoteness of this well for servicing has resulted in only fair quality records. 

Periods of lost record are relatively common inasmuch as time between 

servicing has been from 4 to 6 weeks. 

Water levels for the Fort Pillow observation well are summarized in the 

Geological Survey's "Water Supply Paper" series and the annual reports 

"Water Resources Data for Tennessee". 

Quality of Water 

The Geological Survey files contain chemical analyses of water from 20 

wells in Lauderdale County; these analyses are given in table 4 later in 

-12. 
Figure 4.--Wells and test holes for which geophysical logs are available .

-13-
this report. Six analyses are for wells in the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits, two in the fluvial deposits, four in the Jackson and Cockfield 

Formations, and eight in the Memphis Sand. The wells were sampled between 

1929 and 1965, but most were sampled during the 1950's. The data for the 

Memphis Sand includes analyses of water from deep water-supply wells at 

Ripley, Henning, Fort Pillow State Prison Farm, and the Fort Pillow test 

well. 

As mentioned in "Previous Investigations", a publication by the 

Tennessee Department of Public Health (1964-65) includes chemical analyses 

and radiological data of composite raw water from the supply system at 

Ripley. These data are for samples taken monthly over a period of 12 months 

in 1964-65. 

Pumping Tests 

Two short-period punping tests have been conducted in Lauderdale 

County--one on a deep well (755 ft deep) at Ripley in the Memphis Sand and 

the other using two shallow wells (239 and 241 ft deep) at the U.S. Military 

Reservation near Halls in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations. Values for 

transmissibility were determined from these tests; a value for storage 

coefficient was determined for the test at the U.S. Military Reservation at 

Halls. This is the only specific information available as to the hydrologic 

characteristics of the aquifers in the county. 

Surface-Water Data 

Information is available on the stream-flow characteristics of the 

major streams that receive drainage from Lauderdale County. Continuousrecord gaging stations are being operated on the South Fork Forked Deer 

River and the Hatchie River and partial-record gaging stations are being 

operated on the Mississippi River at two sites. Not much information is 

available on the stream-flow characteristics of the tributary streams that 

drain the county. A continuous-record gaging station was once operated on 

Cane Creek, and infrequent discharge measurements have been made from time 

to time at miscellaneous sites. Figure 5 shows the location of existing and 

discontinued stream-flow gaging stations and miscellaneous data-collection 

sites. Other surface-water or related data available for the county 

includes flood-prone area maps, sediment data for the Hatchie River, and 

daily rainfall data at Ripley. 

Continuous-Record Gaging Stations 

Continuous-record gaging stations have been operated by the Geological 

Survey on the South Fork Forked Deer River at Chestnut Bluff (1929 to 1957) 

and on Cane Creek at Ripley (1957 to 1962). Daily, monthly, and yearly 

discharge have been published for each water year in the Survey's "Water 

Supply Papers" and "Surface Water Records of Tennessee." The description 

and summary for these stations at the time they were discontinued are as 

follows: 

-14- 
Figure 5,--Existing and discontinued stream-flow gaging stations and

miscellaneous data-collection sites .
07028000 South Fork Forked Deer River at Chestnut Bluff, Tenn. 

Location .--Lat 3S051'43", long 89“20'52" , on left bank 20 ft downstream from 

county highway bridge, 0.8 mile west of Chestnut Bluff, Crockett County, 

1.1 miles upstream from Halls Creek, 1.2 miles downstream from Black 

Creek, 2.9 miles east of Halls, 3.1 miles downstream from State Highway 

88, and 16 miles upstream from confluence with North Fork. Records 

include flow of Halls Creek. 

Drainage area. --1,100 sq mi, approximately, includes that of Halls Creek. 

Records available .--July 1929 to September 1957 (after September 1949, flow 

of Halls Creek included), discontinued. 

Gage. Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 256.88 ft (revised), unadjusted, above mean sea level. Prior to July 20, 1939, staff gage at same 

site and datum. 

Average discharge.--28 years, 1,410 cfs. 

Extremes. --Maximum discharge during year, 14,200 cfs Feb. 1 (gage height, 

19.90 ft); minimum, 147 cfs Oct. 1 (gage height, 6.55 ft). 

1929-57: Maximum discharge, 45,000 cfs Jan. 22, 1935 (gage height, 

22.3 ft, from floodmarks), from rating curve extended above 21,000 cfs; 

minimum observed, 102 cfs Aug. 31, Sept. 1, 1936; minimum gage height 

observed, 3.2 ft Aug. 5-13, 1930. 

Remarks. --Records fair except those for periods of no gage-height record or 

shifting control, which are poor. 

Revisions (water years). --WSP. 1211: 1930, 1934, 1936, 1950. WSP 1281: 

1935, 1937, 1946 (M), 1950 (M). 

07030100 Cane Creek at Ripley, Tenn. 

Location.-- Lat 35"45'22", long 89'33,'05", on upstream side of right bank pier 

of bridge on State Highway 19, 1.3 miles upstream from Hyde Creek, and 

1.5 miles northwest of Ripley, Lauderdale County. 

Drainage area.--30 sq mi, approximately. 

Records available .--October 1957 to September 1962 (discontinued). 

Gage. --Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 309.78 ft above mean sea 

level, from preliminary field elevations by U. S. Coast and Geodetic 

Survey. Prior to Nov. 14, 1957, staff gage at same site and datum. 

Average discharge.--5 years, 52.3 cfs. 

Extremes.- -Maximum discharge during year, 3,350 cfs Feb. 27 (gage height, 

14.52 ft) from rating curve extended above 1,200 cfs; minimum, 0.2 cfs 

Sept. 13; minimum gage height, 2.41 ft Aug. 23. 

1957-62: Maximum discharge, that of Feb. 27, 1962; minimum, 0.1 cfs 

May 19, 24-26, Sept. 25, 1959; minimum gage height, 1.60 ft Sept. 7, 1958. 

-16- 
Remarks. --Records poor. Natural flow affected by upstream discharge of 

Ripley sewage effluent. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presently maintains continuous-record 

gaging stations on the South Fork Forked Deer River near Halls (1939 to date), 

the South Fork Forked Deer River near Gates (1969 to date), and the Hatchie 

River at Rialto (1939 to date). Daily stages and computed discharges have 

been published in "Stages and Discharges of the Mississippi River and Its 

Outlets and Tributaries," and "Stages and Discharges of the Mississippi River 

and Tributaries in the Memphis District" by the Corps of Engineers. The 

description and summary for these stations from the 1976 issue of the latter 

report are as follows: 

07028100 South Fork of Forked Deer River near Halls, Tenn. 

Location. --Lat 35O55'45", long 89'23'25". Mile 11.3, railroad bridge about 

four miles north of Halls, the mouth of South Fork is 20.6 miles upstream 

from mouth of Forked Deer River, Forked Deer River is a tributary entering 

Obion River at mile 3.0. 

Gage. --Automatic recorder on bridge. 

General information.--Drainage area, 1,014 square miles. Bankfull stage, 8.5 

feet. Discharge is affected by backwater during high Mississippi River 

stage. 

Record available.--Stage, Jan. 19, 1939, to date. Discharge, 1939 to date. 

Computed daily, 1947 to date. 

Extremes. --Highest, 15.21 feet on Mar. 16, 1975. Lowest, minus 3.61 feet on 

Sep. 5, 1975. Maximum, 34,320 cfs computed on Mar. 16, 1975. Minimum, 123 

cfs observed on Oct. 18, 1956 (stage 0.68). 

Daily eight a.m. stage in feet Gage zero, 259.09 feet, M.S.L. (1929 adj.) 

07027800 South Fork of Forked Deer River near Gates (East), Tenn. 

Location. --Lat 35"49'03", long 89"21'21". State Highway 88 bridge, about four 

miles east of Gates and one mile west of Gillilands, on down stream side of 

bridge. 

Gage. --Automatic recorder on bridge. 

Records available .--Stage and daily discharge, Jan. 1, 1969 to date. 

Extremes. --Highest, 21.19 feet on Mar. 16, 1975. Lowest, 7.25 feet on Jul. 2, 

1969. Maximum, 35,328 cfs computed on Mar. 16, 1975. Minimum, 138 cfs 

computed for Dec. 9, 1971. 

Daily eight a.m. stage in feet Gage zero, 259.50 feet, M.S.L. (1929 adj.) 
07030050 Hatchie River at Rialto, Tenn. 

Location. --Lat 35O38'14", long 89O36'14". U.S. Highway 51 bridge at mile 

34.0. The mouth of Hatchie River is 773.3 miles upstream on the 

Mississippi River from head of passes. 

Gage. --Automatic Recorder on bridge. 

General information.--Drainage area, 2,308 square miles. Bankfull stage is 12 

feet. Discharge is affected by backwater during high Mississippi River 

stages. 

Records available.--Stage, Jan. 7, 1939, to date (high water stages, 1932 to 

date). Prior to 1950, gage was located one mile upstream. Zero of gage 

prior to 1953 was minus 0.30 foot, M.S.L. Computed daily discharge, 1939 

to date. 

Extremes. --Highest, 23.54 feet on Jan. 22, 23, and 25, 1937. Lowest, minus 

0.06 foot on Sept. 28, 1956. Maximum, 55,700 cfs computed for Jun. 13, 

1946 (stage, 22.0). Discharge not determined for record high stage. 

Minimum, 180 cfs computed for Jul. 9, 10, Nov. 3 and 4, 1943 (stage, 0.0). 

Daily eight a.m. stage in feet Gage zero, 239.81 feet, M.S.L. (1929 adj.) 

Partial-Record Gaging Stations 

The Corps of Engineers presently maintains two partial-record gaging 

stations on the Mississippi River in Lauderdale County--one at the mouth of 

the Obion River (1928 to date) and the other at Fulton (1879 to date). \Daily 

stage has been published in "Stages of the Mississippi River and of Its 

Principal Tributaries," "Stages and Discharges of the Mississippi River and 

Its Outlets and Tributaries," and "Stages and Discharges of the Mississippi 

River and Tributaries in the Memphis District" by the Corps of Engineers. The 

description and summary for these stations from the 1976 issue of the latter 

report are as follows: 

07029140 Mississippi River H. W. Gage 158 at Mouth of Obion River, Tenn. 

Locat ion .--Lat 35'54'14", long 89O38'24". High water gage at mile 819.1. 

Gage. --Staff type in several sections. 

General information. --Drainage area (revised), 924,000 square miles. The 

drainage area in the Great Divide Basin in southern Wyoming, 

approximately 4,000 square miles, is no longer included. Average low 

water plane, 4.6 feet on gage. 

Records available.--Stage, July 1928 to date. Prior to Nov. 23, 1939, high 

stages only, from site one mile upstream. 

Extremes. --Highest, 52.45 feet on Feb. 8, 1937. Lowest, 0.3 foot on Jan. 23, 

1956. 

-18-s 
Daily eight a .m . stage in feet Gage zero, 218 .33°feet, M.S .L. (1929-58

adj.)

07029220 Mississippi River at Fulton, Tenn .

Location .--Lat 35°37'01", long 89°53'11". At Ferry Landing, mile 778.2

Gage.--Staff type in several sections .

General information .--Drainage area (revised), 924,300 square miles. The

drainage area in the Great Divide Basin in southern Wyoming,

approximately 4,000 square miles, is no longer included . Bankfull stage,

34 feet . Average low water plane, minus 1.4 feet on gage .

Records available .--Stage, Oct. 28, 1879, to date . Discharge, 1879 intermittently to 1893.

Extremes .--Highest, 47 .25 feet on Feb. 9, 1937 . Lowest, minus 7 .70 feet on

Jan. 2, 1964 .

Daily eight a .m . stage in feet Gage zero, 208.61 feet, M .S .L . (1929-58

adj .)

Low-Flow and Miscellaneous Sites

Through the years, discharge measurements or observations of no flow have

been made at several low-flow, partial-record stations, and miscellaneous

sites on the streams that drain Lauderdale County . These data, which are

scattered through many of the Survey's "Water-Supply Papers," are given in

table 1 for accessibility .

Flood-Prone Area Maps

Flood-prone areas in Lauderdale County are shown on maps prepared and

distributed by the Geological Survey under its reconnaissance flood mapping

program. These flood-prone areas are delineated on topographic quadrangle

base maps--some on the 15-minute and others on the 7.5 minute series. The

county is included on all or part of the eight maps listed below. The date

following the map name is the year of compilation of the flood information and

the year in parenthesis is the edition of the base map.

-19-
Table l.--Available measurements at low-flow, partial-record stations and miscellaneous sites in Lauderdale County
The flood-prone areas were delineated on the basis of readily available 

information. Criteria for the selection of flood-prone areas on these maps 

were: (1) urban areas where upstream drainage area exceeds 25 square miles, 

and (2) rural areas where upstream drainage exceeds 100 square miles. The 

flood-prone areas of the small tributaries were not delineated. The maps 

indicate only the areas that may be occasionally flooded, and provides no 

information on the frequency, depth, duration, and other details of flooding. 

Sediment Data 

Sediment data were collected by the Geological Survey in February, March, 

August, and September 1977 and in May 1978 at the site of the Corps of 

Engineers gaging station on the Hatchie River at Rialto. This work was 

conducted in conjunction with a cooperative study of sediment transport in the 

Hatchie River basin between the Survey and the Scenic Rivers Program, 

Tennessee Department of Conservation. Sediment data for the Hatchie River at 

Rialto is given in table 8 of this report. 

Rainfall Data 

Rainfall data are available for Lauderdale County and surrounding areas 

from weather stations maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) at Ripley, Dyersburg, Brownsville, and Covington in 

Tennessee and at Blytheville and Keiser in Arkansas. Figure 6 shows the 

general location of these stations. Most of these stations collect only daily 

precipitation and daily extremes of temperature. Precipitation is recorded at 

the stations at Dyersburg and Brownsville: other detailed meteorological data 

are collected at Dyersburg; data on evaporation and soil temperature are 

collected at Keiser. Data from these weather-stations are published in NOAA's 

monthly "Climatological Data" for Tennessee. 

DESCRIPTION OF HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM 

Geomorphic and Geologic Setting 

Lauderdale County is situated in two major geomorphic (physiographic) 

subdivisions. The eastern three-quarters of the county is in the East Gulf 

Coastal Plain section and the western one-quarter is in the Mississippi 

Alluvial Plain section of the Coastal Plain province (Fenneman, 1938, p. 

65-99) . In Tennessee, the Coastal Plain may be subdivided into the West 

Tennessee Uplands and the West Tennessee Plain (Miller, 1974, p. 7). The 

Coastal Plain area of the county is entirely in the West Tennessee Plain. 

Figure 7 shows the generalized topography and major geomorphic subdivisions in 

the county. 

The Coastal Plain (or West Tennessee Plain) in Lauderdale County is 

characterized by gently rolling to steep topography formed as the result of 

erosion of geologic formations of Tertiary and Quaternary age. During the 

later stages of Pleistocene glaciation this topography was covered by a 

relatively thick blanket of loess, which makes up the present land surface. 

The topography is broken at many places by the flat-lying flood plains of 

streams that cross the area. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the 

Coastal Plain is the loess covered bluffs that rise abruptly above the 

-21- 
36 "

Figure 6.--Weather stations of National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration in vicinity of Lauderdale County (modified from "Climatological Data" for Tennessee, v . 84,

no . 4, April 1979) .
Figure 7.--Generalized topography and major geomorphic subdivisions .
Mississippi Alluvial Plain at its eastern boundary. Land surface altitudes in 

the Coastal Plain are as low as 215 ft above sea level on the banks of the 

Hatchie River where it enters the Mississippi Alluvial Plain in the 

southwestern part of the county and are as high as 520 ft above sea level on 

hills near the communities of Dry Hill and Edith in the north-central part. 

Maximum local relief between the Coastal Plain and the Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain is about 250 ft on the bluffs west of Edith in the northern part. 

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain in Lauderdale County is a relatively 

flat-lying area averaging about 6 mi in width and extending about 35 mi in 

length in a northeast-southwest direction. The Alluvial Plain is characterized by features typical of fluvial deposition--point bars, abandoned 

channels, and natural leeves. Local features include alluvial fans deposited 

outward from the base of the bluffs where streams draining the rugged 

topography of the dissected Coastal Plain enter the flat-lying Alluvial 

Plain. Land-surface altitudes in the Alluvial Plain are as low as 210 ft 

above sea level on the banks of the Mississippi River in the southwestern part 

of the county and are as high as 290 ft above sea level on the alluvial fan of 

Knob Creek in the northern part. Maximum local relief is probably no more 

than 10 or 20 ft. 

Lauderdale County is in the north-central part of the Mississippi embayment, a broad trough or syncline that plunges southward along an axis which 

approximates the Mississippi River (Cushing and others, 1964, p. B21). This 

trough or syncline is filled with a wedge of several thousand feet of sediments of Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary age. These sediments make up 

geologic formations that dip gently westward into the embayment and southward down its axis. At present not much is known specifically concerning the 

existance of local structures such as faults. Figure 8 shows the regional location of Lauderdale County, and figure 9 is a diagrammatic crosssection of the Mississippi embayment. 

The surface geology of Lauderdale County for the most part is relatively 

uncomplicated. The oldest geologic units at the surface are the Cockfield 

Formation of the Claiborne Group and the overlying Jackson Formation. Because 

of a similarity in lithplogy, these units cannot be subdivided on the basis of 

present information so in this report they are referred to as "Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations". 

The Jackson and Cockfield Formations are exposed locally in the Coastal 

Plain at the lower altitudes along the bluffs and in stream channels. Above 

the Jackson and Cockfield are the fluvial deposits (terrace deposits) which 

are erosional remnants of ancient alluvial deposits of present streams or an 

ancient drainage system (Russell and Parks, 1975, p. B30). The fluvial 

deposits are exposed locally along the bluffs, on the steep valley walls, and 

in sand and gravel pits. The loess, which is primarily wind-blown silt, forms 

the principal surface formation in the Coastal Plain. The loess covers the 

underlying fluvial deposits and Jackson and Cockfield Formations at most 

places. The youngest geologic unit in the county is the alluvial deposits 

(alluvium) which underlies the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and the flood plains 

of streams in the county. Figure 10 shows the generalized surface geology of 

the county. 

-240 
Figure 8.--Regional setting of Lauderdale County in the Mississippi

embayment and location of cross-section A-A' shown in

figure 9 (modified from Stearns and Wilson, 1972, fig . 2 .9A-1) .
Figure 9--Diagrammatic cross-section showing the age of rocks of the Mississippi

embayment--location shown in Figure 8 (modified from Stearns and Wilson,

1972, fig. 2.9A-40) .
Figure 10 .--Generalized surface geology .
Lauderdale County is in a seismically active region and has been subject to major earthquakes in the past. The severest earthquakes known to 

have occurred in this region during recorded h‘istory were the three principal 

shocks of the new Madrid earthquakes of 1811-12. These principal shocks 

were also the severest earthquakes experienced within historic time in the 

central and eastern United States (Nuttli, 1974). 

Water Use 

Water use in Lauderdale County was inventoried in 1970 by Kernodle and 

Wilson (1973, tables 1-4) as part of a state-wide water-use survey. At that 

time, water use in the county amounted to an average daily withdrawal of 

about 3.5 Mgal/d of which 1.5 Mgal/d was ground water and 2.0 Mgal/d was 

surface water. The ground water was chiefly for municipal, industrial, 

commercial, and domestic use, and the surface water was for agricultural 

use. The report showed that 12 major users in the county were canvassed 

during the survey; the many domestic and farm wells were not canvassed. 

Ground-Water System 

From about 2,500 to 3,000 ft of sand, clay, silt, gravel, and lignite 

underlie Lauderdale County above the Paleozoic rocks. These deposits make 

up geologic units ranging in age from Late Cretaceous to Holocene. Although 

much of this sequence is saturated with fresh water (less than 1,000 mg/L of 

dissolved solids), only the post-Midway units (Wilcox Group and younger) 

will be considered in this report because these units contain the principal 

aquifers for present and future use. Table 2 gives the stratigraphic 

relations of the post-Midway geologic units and their hydrologic 

significance; figure 11 is a geohydrologic cross-section of western 

Tennessee through Lauderdale County. 

Ground-water supplies in Lauderdale County are now derived from several 

aquifers, as follows: (1) Mississippi alluvial deposits, (2) fluvial 

deposits, (3) Jackson and Cockfield Formations and (4) Memphis Sand. The 

alluvial deposits beneath the flood plains of the streams in the county-- 

particularly the Hatchie River and the South Fork Forked Deer River--may 

provide water to a few shallow wells. These deposits, however, are not 

described in this report because they are not considered an important source 

of ground-water supply. 

An aquifer not presently used but worthy of mention is the Fort Pillow 

Sand ("1400-foot" sand). Although this aquifer is deeper than the Memphis 

Sand and does not have aquifer characteristics to produce as much water, the 

Fort Pillow Sand may have potential for supplying somewhat better quality 

water than is available from the shallow aquifers, as in northern Mississippi 

and eastern Arkansas. However, specific data on the quality of water from 

the Fort Pillow Sand in Lauderdale County are not available. 

Table 3 gives records of wells in Lauderdale County for which waterquality analyses are available; figure 12 shows locations of these wells; 

table 4 gives analyses of the water. 

-28- 
Figure 11:-Geohydrologic electric-log cross-section of western Tennessee

through Lauderdale County (modified from Moore and Brown, 1969) .
Table 2 .--Post-Midway geologic units underlying Lauderdale

-30-
County and their hydrologic significance' 

Lithology and hydrologic significance' 

Sand, gravel, silt, and clay. Underlies the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and 

flood plains of other streams. Thickest beneath the Alluvial Plain; probably 

no more than 50 ft elsewhere. Supplies water to domestic and farm wells in 

the Alluvial Plain where this aquifer has potential for large capacity wells 

to provide a source of irrigation water. 

Silt, silty clay, and minor sand. Forms principal formation at the surface in 

the Coastal Plain. Thickest on bluffs that border Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain. Not an aquifer; tends to retard downward movement of water recharging 

the water-table aquifers. 

Sand, gravel, and minor clay. Generally underlies the loess in the Coastal 

Plain, but locally may be absent. Thickness highly variable because of erosional surfaces at top and base. Locally supplies water to domestic, farm, 

and municipal wells where of sufficient thickness and contains enough water. 

Sand, silt, clay, and lignite. Because of similarities in lithology, the 

Jackson and Cockfield cannot be subdivided based on available information. 

Preserved section probably mostly Cockfield, but at places upper part 

includes the Jackson. Principal aquifer in the Coastal Plain supplying water 

for domestic, farm, commercial, industrial, and municipal use. 

Clay, silt, sand, and lignite. Identified in Fort Pillow test well; not enough 

information available to identify elsewhere. Believed to consist generally 

of clay and silt, but locally may consist largely of sand. Forms upper confining bed for the Memphis Sand where chiefly clay and silt. 

Sand, silt, and clay. Consists of a thick body of sand with lenses of clay 

and silt at various stratigraphic horizons. Thickest in southern part of 

county. Used for public, municipal, commercial, and industrial supplies 

where shallower aquifers do not yield enough water for installation of large 

capacity wells. 

Silt, clay, and sand. Not an aquifer; serves as lower confining bed for the 

Memphis Sand and upper confining bed for Fort Pillow Sand. 

Sand and minor clay. Relatively deep aquifer not presently used in the county 

because of the availability of water at shallower depths. May have potential 

for supplying water of better quality than available from shallower aquifers, 

but specific information on ground-water quality not available. 

Silt, clay, sand, and lignite. Not an aquifer. Thickest in southern part of 

County; may be absent in northern part. Serves as the lower confining bed 

for the Fort Pillow Sand. Underlain by the Porters Creek Clay of the Midway 

-31- 
Table 3 .--Records of wells in Lauderdale

[See figure 12 for well locations

-32-
County for which water quality analyses are available

and table 4 for water analyses]

-33-
Table 4.--Water quality analyses

(Dissolved constituents and hardness in milligrams per liter;

-34-
from wells in Lauderdale County

see figure 12 for well locations and table 3 for well records ]

-35-
Figure 12 .--Wells for which water-quality analyses are available .
Mississippi Alluvial Deposits 

The Mississippi alluvial deposits underlie the Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain in western Lauderdale County. These deposits consist generally of 

relatively impermeable fine sand, silt, and clay in the upper part and 

permeable sand and gravel in the lower part. The alluvial deposits locally 

may be as much as 200 ft thick, but probably are more commonly 100 to 150 ft 

thick. The lower sand and gravel is about nine-tenths to three-quarters of 

the thickness of the alluvial deposits and provides a source of water for 

domestic and farm wells. 

Wells in the Mississippi alluvial deposits are shallow, ranging from 

about 10 to 110 ft in depth. For domestic and farm supplies these wells are 

typically of small capacity, pumping from about 5 to 25 gal/min. 

Nevertheless, according to Strausberg and Schreurs (1958, p. 4), this 

aquifer is known to have potential for large capacity wells of 1,500 to 

4,000 gal/min to provide a source of irrigation water. 

Water levels in the Mississippi alluvial deposits range from near land 

surface to about 35 ft below land surface. According to Strausberg and 

Schreurs (1958, p. 37), hydrographs of observation wells show that water 

levels in the alluvial deposits fluctuate in response to seasonal or longterm changes in stage of the Mississippi River as far as 3 mi away. 

Water from the Mississippi alluvial deposits is typically very hard and 

is high in iron and dissolved solids (table 4). At places, shallower wells 

provide softer water with less iron and dissolved solids than the deeper 

ones, probably because of infiltration of water to the aquifer from nearby 

streams or lakes. 

Fluvial Deposits 

The fluvial deposits comprise a local water-table aquifer beneath the 

loess in the Coastal Plain. These deposits consist chiefly of sand or sand 

and gravel with clay present as small lenses or balls and fragments. The 

fluvial deposits drape over the Jackson and Cockfield Formations from high 

to low altitudes and commonly merge with the alluvial deposits of present 

streams, except along the bluffs facing the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. The 

fluvial deposits are generally less than 100 ft thick and at places may be 

absent. This aquifer provides a local source of water for domestic, farm, 

and municipal wells where it is of sufficient thickness and contains.enough 

water. 

Wells in the fluvial deposits are less than 100 ft deep and are small 

capacity, pumping from about 5 to 50 gal/min. At one time this aguifer 

probably was used extensively for dug and bored wells, but many shallow 

wells have been replaced with deeper wells in other aquifers to meet 

increased demands for water and to avoid contamination. 

Water levels in the fluvial deposits are highly variable from place to 

place because the water-table configuration is controlled largely by the 

topography. Water levels, however, probably range from about 20 to 90 ft 

below land surface. Water levels are generally at higher altitudes but at 

greater depths beneath hill tops and ridges and at lower altitudes but at 

lesser depths beneath the valley slopes. 
Water from the fluvial deposits is hard to very hard and high in 

dissolved solids (table 4). Iron content is locally lower than in water 

from the deeper aquifers so at places water from the fluvial deposits may 

be desirable as a source of supply because of lower treatment costs. 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations 

The Jackson and Cockfield Formations underlie most of the county beneath the alluvial deposits, fluvial deposits, or loess. This unit consists of lenticularly bedded sand, silt, clay and lignite. Not much 

specific information is available about the thickness of the Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations. However, based on the logs of the Fort Pillow test 

well at Fort Pillow State Historic Area, it is about 300 ft thick. In 

other areas of the county, the aquifer probably ranges from about 0 ft to 

400 ft in thickness. This is the principal aquifer utilized in the 

Coastal Plain, providing water for domestic, farm, commercial, industrial, 

public and municipal supplies. 

Wells in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations are generally less than 

500 ft deep and most are less than 200 ft deep. Sands range from very 

fine to coarse, but commonly are of the finer sizes. These sands give up 

water to small to moderate capacity wells, pumping from about 5 to 300 

gal/min. A pump test made at the U.S. Military Reservation near Halls in 

1961 indicated a transmissivity of about 2,500 (ft3/d)ft and a storage 

coefficient of 3~10~~ for this aquifer. 

Water levels in wells in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations 

generally range from near land surface to about 200 ft below land surface, 

depending on location and altitude. Most water-level data available for 

this aquifer are those supplied by water-well contractors on driller's 

records filed with the TDWR. Water in this aquifer exists under both 

water table and confined conditions. 

Water from the Jackson and Cockfield Formations is moderately hard to 

very hard, and dissolved solids range from less than 100 mg/L to more than 

300 mg/L (table 4). Iron is locally an undesirable constituent, requiring 

treatment for removal. 

Memphis Sand 

The Memphis Sand ("500-foot" sand) is a widespread and important 

aquifer in western Tennessee. It is the principal aquifer supplying water 

to the City of Memphis, about 50 mi to the south (Criner and Parks, 1976, 

p. 5). 

In Lauderdale County, the Memphis Sand consists chiefly of a thick 

body of sand containing subordinate lenses or beds of clay at various 

stratigraphic horizons. This aquifer is about 650 ft thick to the north 

in the vicinity of Halls and about 700 ft thick to the south in the Fort 

Pillow State Historic Area. The Memphis Sand is presently being used for 

public, municipal, commercial, and industrial supplies where the sands of 

the shallower aquifers do not yield enough water for the installation of 

large-capacity wells. 

-38- 
Wells in the Memphis Sand range from about 500 to 800 ft in depth. 

The sands range from very fine to coarse and supply water to small and 

large capacity wells, pumping from 30 to 850 gal/min. It is commonly 

necessary to drill to the middle of the aquifer to find a suitable sand to 

supply large-capacity wells. A pump test made at Ripley in 1961 indicated 

a transmissivity of 22,400 (fts/d)/ft for this aquifer. A map prepared by 

Moore (1965, pl. 7) shows a range of apparent and potential transmissivity 

(transmissibility in Moore's report) for Lauderdale County of about 33,500 

to 43,500 (ftr/d)/ft for wells that are partially penetrating and screened 

in the top of the aquifer. 

Water levels in wells in the Memphis Sand range from near land surface to about 250 ft below land surface, depending on location and 

altitude. Moore (1965, pl. 5) gives a potentiometric-(piezometric) 

surface map that shows the altitude at which water rose in wells in the 

Memphis Sand ("SOO-foot" sand in Moore's report) in January 1960. In 

addition to water levels reported by water well contractors on driller's 

logs filed with the TDWR, the Geological Survey maintains an automatic 

recorder on an observation well at Fort Pillow State Historic Area. 

Preliminary analysis of the record from this well indicates that water 

levels in the Memphis Sand respond to large changes in stage on the 

Mississippi River, about 2.5 mi away at its closest point. 

Water from the Memphis Sand is moderately hard and contains small 

amounts of dissolved solids (table 4). Iron is locally an undesirable 

constituent, requiring treatment for removal. 

Surface-Water System 

The surface-water drainage system in Lauderdale County is entirely 

within the Lower Mississippi River Basin and includes parts of the Hatchie 

River and the Obion River Basins. Natural divides within the county allow 

subdivision of this drainage system into three areas for the purpose of 

discussion. These areas are drainage to: (1) the Mississippi River, 

(2) the Hatchie River, and (3) the South Fork Forked Deer River (Obion 

River Basin). Figure 13 shows major drainage and generalized flood-prone 

areas in Lauderdale County: table 5 gives the low-flow characteristics of 

some streams. 

Drainage to Mississippi River 

The Mississippi River flows southward along the western boundary of 

the county except where the boundary follows abandoned courses. Drainage 

to the Mississippi consists of a complex network of interconnecting 

streams, lakes, and ditches that drain the flat-lying Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain and some adjacent uplands of the Coastal Plain. None of the 

Alluvial Plain is protected by the system of man-made levees along the 

Mississippi River built and maintained by the Corps of Engineers. Thus a 

large part of the area is subject to seasonal floods on the Mississippi, 

and the entire area has been inundated during historic floods. Flow in 

this network of streams, lakes, and ditches is variable in direction and 

in the courses followed because of backwater from the Mississippi River 

during high stages. 

-39- 
Figure 13.--Major drainage and generalized flood-prone areas .
Table 5 .--Low flow characteristics of some streams in Lauderdale County l

[Partial-record stations correlated with daily-record station 07029000, see below]
At stages when flow is not affected by backwater from the Mississippi 

River, drainage in the northern part of the Alluvial Plain is into Chisholm 

Lake and the Old Bed Forked Deer River. Principal tributaries are Cold 

Creek (north one) and Knob Creek. Cold Creek heads in the Coastal Plain 

northeast of Central and drains the uplands north of Central and Arp. 

Cold Creek flows westward from the uplands and enters Chisholm Lake at its 

south end. Knob Creek heads in the Coastal Plain northwest of Dry Hill 

and drains the uplands north of Edith. Knob Creek flows westward and 

enters the Old Bed Forked Deer River west of the community of Knob Creek. 

Other drainage in the northern part of the Alluvial Plain is through 

Middle Fork Forked Deer River and Waldrons Pocket, both of which drain 

into the Mississippi. 

The central part of the Alluvial Plain, for the most part, drains 

into and out of Open Lake. Several bayous or sloughs drain into Open Lake 

from the east and north, and Lower Forked Deer River provides drainage 

westward to the yississippi. Cold Creek (south one) also provides 

drainage from Open Lake. 

The southern part of the Alluvial Plain is drained by Cold Creek 

(south) and its major tributary - Jones Bayou (or Jones Slough). cold 

Creek flows southward from Open Lake through the southeast part of the 

Alluvial Plain and is joined southeast of Golddust by Jones Bayou, which 

heads near Ashport. Ultimately Cold Creek flows into The Chute, an 

abandoned channel of the Mississippi, north of Fort Pillow State Park. 

Drainage to Hatchie River 

The Hatchie River, a westward flowing stream, forms the southern 

boundary of Lauderdale County. Drainage to the Hatchie consists of Cane 

Creek which drains the uplands of the Coastal Plain in the eastern, 

central, and southern parts of the county, and of many small southward 

flowing streams that drain the uplands in the southern part. The Hatchie 

is affected by backwater from the Mississippi River at least as far 

upstream as U.S. Highway 51. 

Cane Creek is by far the largest tributary of the Hatchie that 

originates in the county. This stream heads in the eastern part east of 

Ripley, flows westward passing north of Ripley, turns southward near 

Lightfoot, and enters the Hatchie south of Cherry. The principal tributary of Cane Creek is Hyde Creek, which heads southeast of Ripley, passes 

through south Ripley, and enters Cane Creek west of Ripley. 

In recent years, Cane Creek has undergone channel modification to 

reduce floodwater and sediment damage under a project of the U.S. Soil 

Conservation Service. This project is sponsored by the Lauderdale County 

Soil Conservation District and Cane Creek Watershed District. In addition 

to land treatment measures by farmers, the work consists of channelization 

of the main channel and tributaries and the construction of many flood 

retarding structures in the basin. The estimated completion date of this 

project is 1981. 

-42- 
Of the small southward flowing streams that drain southern parts of 

the county, the larger are Cooper Springs Creek and its tributary Campground Creek east of Pleasant Hill and Camp Creek east of Orysa and 

Durhamville. Camp Creek flows into Lagoon Creek, which makes up the 

county's boundary at the southeast corner, and in turn flows into the 

Hatchie River. 

Drainage to South Fork Forked Deer River 

The South Fork Forked Deer River makes up the northeast boundary of 

Lauderdale County, flowing northward and passing east of Gates and Halls. 

Drainage to the South Fork is from Lost, Tisdale, Sumrow, and Mill Creeks, 

and Chambers Branch. These streams drain the uplands of the Coastal Plain 

in the northeastern parts of the county. The South Fork is affected by 

backwater from the Mississippi River at least as far upstream as the 

Illinois Central Railroad bridge north of Halls. The main channel and 

major tributaries have been channelized under past projects of the Corps 

of Engineers. 

Tisdale Creek heads near Curve and Dry Hill, flows northeastward 

through Gates, and as a result of channelization, joins Halls Creek 

southeast of Halls. A small segment of the lower reach of Tisdale still 

flows eastward into the South Fork. Sumrow Creek heads near Nankipoo, 

flows eastward, is joined by its principal tributary, Beech Bluff Creek, 

south of Halls, and becomes Halls Creek. Halls Creek originates from 

Sumrow and Tisdale Creeks southeast of Halls and flows eastward into the 

South Fork. 

Mills Creek heads in the uplands southeast of Porter Gap, flows 

eastward through Double Bridges, and enters the South Fork north of Halls. 

Chamber Branch drains the northernmost part of the county and enters the 

South Fork at the northeast corner. Lost Creek, which heads near Curve, 

drains a relatively small area of the uplands in the eastern part of the 

county. 

IMPACT OF STRIP-MINING ON THE HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM 

General Considerations 

Strip-mining lignite in Lauderdale County could cause a variety of 

effects on the ground-water and surface-water systems. Major effects 

could result from the disequilibrium created in the hydrologic system by 

extensive alterations of the land surface, redistribution of earth materials, and dewatering of mine sites. 

For the ground-water system, the most obvious effects of 

strip-mining could be (1) an increase or decrease in hydraulic 

conductivities and recharge relations of the aquifers at the mine sites 

from the disturbance and mixing of aquifer and other earth materials, (2) 

a lowering of water levels from pumping large quantities of water in 

dewatering, (3) a decrease in ground-water contribution to base flows in 

streams from lowering of water levels, and (4) a change in ground-water 

quality by the introduction of water of different quality into the 

aquifers from the mining operation. 

43- 
For the surface-water system, the most obvious effects of mining 

could be (1) modification of local drainage by diversion of stream 

channels in the vicinity of mine sites and construction of ditches and 

levees for drainage and flood protection, (2) changes in stream-flow 

characteristics and channel cross-section geometry from disposal of large 

quantities of water from dewatering, (3) an increase in sediment loads in 

streams from erosion of cleared land and displaced earth materials, and 

(4) a change in surface-water quality by the introduction of water of 

different quality into streams from the mining operation and dewatering 

activities. 

Not knowing the location of any future strip mine or the specific 

methods by which mining would be conducted, many assumptions must be made 

in consideration of the impact of strip-mining on the hydrologic system. 

The following generalizations of strip-mining in the Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain and the Coastal Plain is intended to show conditions under which 

mining would occur in these geologically and topographically different 

areas. 

Mininq in Mississippi Alluvial Plain 

Lignite in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain occurs in the Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations beneath the Mississippi alluvial deposits. Stripmining lignite in this area would require dewatering the alluvial deposits 

and part of the Jackson and Cockfield Formations and displacing large 

volumes of sand, gravel, silt, and clay that make up these geologic 

units. Overburden would range from about 100 to 150 ft depending on the 

local thickness of the alluvial deposits, and mine depths could exceed 200 

ft depending on the thickness of minable lignite. The Mississippi 

Alluvial Plain lacks protection from floods on the Mississippi River so 

levees would be needed around mine sites for flood protection. 

Water levels in the aquifers to be dewatered would be ‘high because of 

the low altitudes of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and saturated 

thickness would include most of the depth to be excavated. The lower sand 

and gravel of the Mississippi alluvial deposits generally has a high 

hydraulic conductivity. Consequently, special techniques probably would 

be needed to dewater mine sites. For example, the slurry trench method 

used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1978) in the construct.ion of the 

Huxtable Pumping Plant near Marianna, Ark., may have application in 

dewatering the alluvial deposits for lignite mining. In brief, this 

method consists of enclosing an excavation site with a trench filled with 

impermeable material to isolate the area to be dewatered from surrounding 

aquifers. The trench is dug to a depth necessary to intersect on impermeable clay, which restricts flow of water from below. The use of this 

method would minimize the effects of dewatering on the water levels in the 

surrounding aquifers. 

Disposal of large quantities of water from dewatering would be into 

nearby streams or lakes. Water of different quality from dewatering and 

from oxidation and leaching of dewatered earth materials would cause 

changes in surface-water quality. 

-44- 
Mining in Coastal Plain \ 

Lignite in the Coastal Plain occurs in the Jackson and Cockfield 

Formations beneath the fluvial deposits and loess or alluvial deposits of 

the streams that drain the county. Strip-mining lignite in this area 

would require dewatering the fluvial deposits or alluvial deposits and 

part of the Jackson and Cockfield Formations and displacing large volumes 

of silt, sand, gravel, and clay that make up these geologic units. Overburden would range from about 0 to 150 ft depending on the mine-site 

9eolo9yI and mine depths could be as much as 200 ft depending on the 

thickness of minable lignite. The loess, which is primarily silt, is 

highly susceptible to erosion where denuded of vegetation and disturbed by 

excavation so erosion control would be needed to minimize sediment contribution to streams. 

Water levels in the aquifers to be dewatered would depend largely on 

topograpic position of mine sites. In general, water levels in respect to 

land surface are shallow beneath the valleys and deep beneath the hills. 

Saturated thicknesses and hydraulic conductivities would depend on the 

local water levels and geology of the aquifers at the mine sites. The 

fluvial deposits locally are disconnected and function independently, and 

at these places, this aquifer could be virtually "dried up" from dewatering of mine sites. Dewatering of the Jackson and Cockfield Formations 

would reduce water levels updip and downdip from mine sites. 

Large quantities of water from dewatering would be disposed of in 

streams draining basins in which mines are located. This water would 

change the stream-flow characteristics and surface-water quality and could 

change the channel cross-section geometry. In addition, the dewatering of 

mine sites and the displacement and redistribution of overburden would 

expose large volumes of earth materials to oxidation and leaching, and 

mineralized water from these materials would cause changes in ground-water 

and surface-water quality. 

NEEDS FOR HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION AND PROPOSED DATA COLLECTION ACTIVITIES 

Surface Geologic Maps 

The latest geologic map that covers the county is the "Geologic Map 

of Tennessee" (scale 1:250,000) by Hardeman and others (1966, west sheet). 

This map is very generalized and is limited in usefulness to regional 

aspects of the geologic units. Detailed geologic maps (scale 1:62,500) by 

Saucier and others (1964-78) are available for the Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain. These maps include features of fluvial deposition and are adequate 

for most purposes, but do not include the geology of the Coastal Plain 

areas. 

It is proposed that detailed geologic maps for Lauderdale County be 

prepared on 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles (scale 1:24,000) for those 

maps that include Coastal Plain areas. These geologic maps would provide 

a description of the local geology on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis and 

would meet most requirements for general information concerning the 

surface geologic formations. 
Of the 20 topographic quadrangles (7.5-minute) that cover the county, 

the 15 that include Coastal Plain areas are: 

Knob Creek Gates 

Fowlkes Chestnut Bluff 

Bonicord Golddust 

Open Lake Ft. Pillow 

Ripley North Ripley South 

Du rhamville 

Nodena 

Gilt Edge 

Gift 

Turnpike 

Priorities may be set on certain maps based on the size of the 

Coastal Plain area and the likelihood of mining within a particular 

quadrangle area. 

An optional proposal is the preparation of geologic maps on available 

15-minute topographic quadrangles for those maps that include Coastal 

Plain areas. Because of the relatively uncomplicated surface geology and 

the immediate need for geologic information, the preparation of less 

detailed maps may be justified. Nevertheless, completion of 15-minute 

geologic maps for publication would require mapping larger areas of 

adjacent counties than would be necessary for 7.5-minute maps. Most of 

the Coastal Plain of Lauderdale County is included on four 15-minute 

quadrangles as follows: 

Hales Point 

Halls 

Osceola 

Rialto 

Ground-water Information 

The shallow aquifers --Mississippi alluvial deposits, fluvial deposits, 

and Jackson and Cockfield Formations--provide water to the majority of 

wells in Lauderdale County and supply the greatest variety of uses. These 

wells are generally less than 300 ft deep. Specific information concerning existing water wells, subsurface stratigraphy, water-level trends 

and configurations, aquifer characteristics, and ground-water quality is 

needed inasmuch as the shallow aquifers would be most affected by any 

future strip-mining of lignite. Of the shallow aquifers, the Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations are by far the most extensively used. 

Water-well Inventory 

The Geological Survey has records for about 50 wells drilled in 

Lauderdale County prior to 1966, and the TDWR has records for about 600 

wells drilled since 1963. Maximum use of these records is greatly 

hindered because of inadequate or inaccurate locations and lack of landsurface altitudes. In addition to these wells, many others are suspected 

to exist for which no records are on file. A comprehensive water-well 

inventory is needed for (1) appraising the ground-water resource, 

(2) locating wells with potential for use in collecting hydrologic and 

geologic data, (3) assessing any future damage to ground-water supplies 

that might result from mining activities, and (4) planning alternative 

supplies for areas that might be affected by mining. 

It is proposed that a comprehensive water-well inventory be made for 

the county. Emphasis would be placed on a complete inventory of wells 

used for public, industrial, commercial, and irrigational supplies. The 

-46- 
records of wells on file with the Geological Survey and TDWR would provide 

the basis for beginning this inventory. Inventoried wells would be 

located on the twenty 7 l/2 minute topographic quadrangles that cover the 

county. An effort would be made to locate the wells to an accuracy of 

about 50 feet horizontal distance on the maps so that usable altitudes of 

the land surface at the well sites can be interpolated. Location to this 

accuracy could be facilitated by using aerial photographs of the same 

approximate scale along with the topographic quadrangles reproduced on 

clear base-stable materials for overlaying. 

Many owners of known wells would be interviewed for information 

concerning other wells in the vicinity. For wells for which no records 

are on file, owners would be asked to supply pertinen,t information for 

later use in contacting the water-well contractors to obtain these 

records. Basically, this information'would consist of (1) present or 

previous owner when the well was drilled, (2) water-well contractor who 

drilled the well, (3) year the well was drilled, and (4) diameter and 

depth of the well, if known. As the inventory of each quadrangle is 

completed, the water-well contractors would be contacted and asked to 

provide the needed records, if available. 

Special attention would be given the location of unused or abandoned 

wells with potential for use in monitoring water levels or in making geophysical logs. During the inventory, water levels would be measured in 

wells that are accessible for this purpose. For these wells, depth to 

water, date of measurement, description of the measuring point, and vertical distance to the nearest tenth of a foot of the measuring point above 

land surface would be recorded. 

Well data collected during this inventory would be coded and entered 

into the Geological Survey or TDWR computer systems for storage and 

retrieval. The inventory would be kept up-to-date by periodically locating new wells as records are submitted to the TDWR by water-well contractors. These additional well records then would be added to the computer 

system. 

Subsurface Stratigraphy 

The subsurface stratigraphy of the shallow aquifers is known only in 

very general terms. Information is needed concerning the variability of 

the lithology and thickness of these aquifers and the depth to the base of 

and occurrence of lignite in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations. 

It is proposed that 12 test holes be drilled at selected sites for 

stratigraphic information. Nine of these test holes would be drilled 

through the Mississippi alluvial deposits or fluvial deposits, through the 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations, and into the underlying Cook Mountain 

Formation. Two test holes would be drilled through the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits into the Jackson and Cockfield Formations, and one test 

hole would be drilled through the fluvial deposits into the Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations. 

In drilling the test holes, samples of cuttings would be collected at 

lo-ft intervals and a driller's log would be kept for compiling detailed 

descriptive logs for each well. Geophysical logs--resistance, spontaneous 

-47- 
potential, gamma-ray, and gamma-gamma --would be made to provide supple& 

mental information on lithology and thickness of the aquifers and a graphical record of each well for compiling cross-sections, and so forth. The 

gamma-gamma log would provide information on bulk densities, which is 

important in the recognition of lignite beds. The resistance and gammaray logs along with sand samples would provide a basis on which to select 

screen intervals for observation wells. 

Table 6 is a list of the proposed stratigraphic test holes, and 

figure 14 shows their tentative locations. Prediction of the total depth 

for each test hole is very approximate because of the limited information 

as to the depth to the base of the Jackson and Cockfield Formations and 

the lack of knowledge as to the land-surface altitudes at the final 

dr'illing sites. 

Water-Level Trends and Configurations 

The only water-level data available for the shallow aquifers in 

Lauderdale County are miscellaneous measurements made for previous studies 

by the Geological Survey and water levels reported on driller's records 

filed with the TDWR. Inasmuch as extensive areas would have to be 

dewatered in conjunction with any future strip-mining of lignite, baseline 

information is needed on water-level trends and configurations in the 

shallow aquifers--particularly in the Mississippi alluvial deposits and 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations. 

It is proposed that the 12 test holes drilled for stratigraphic 

information be completed as observation wells--two in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits, one in the fluvial deposits, and nine in the Jackson 

and Cockfield Formations. The observation wells would be cased from land 

surface down to the screen and would be screened in a suitable sand or 

sand and gravel in the selected aquifers. Shelters and digital records 

would be installed on five observations wells for the collection of 

continual records. The digital recorders would be geared to provide water 

levels on an hourly basis. Service of recorders and tape measurements 

would be at 4 to 6 week.intervals, and the data would be processed using 

computer techniques. The observation wells without recorders would be 

sealed at their tops with provision made for making monthly tape 

measurements. 

Table 6 gives the- approximate depth of the proposed observation 

wells, and figure 14 shows their tentative locations. The depths given 

are very approximate because of the lack of stratigraphic information to 

be provided by the test holes. Many of the observation wells possibly 

could be completed at shallower depths than those indicated. The site of 

well 9 would be located adjacent to an observation well in the Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations, but its final location may depend on the drilling of 

several test holes in the Coastal Plain to find satisfactory sand and 

gravel in which to screen an observation well in the fluvial deposits. 

well 8 would be located adjacent to the existing observation well in the 

Memphis Sand at the Fort Pillow State Historic Area. 

A recorder would be installed on well 2 to determine water-level 

trends in the Mississippi alluvial deposits and any water-level response 

to changes in stage on the Mississippi River. Recorders would be 

-48- 
Table 6 .--Proposed stratigraphic test holes and observation wells in Lauderdale County

(See figure 14 for locations)

.
Figure 14 .--Tentative locations of proposed stratigraphic test holes

and observation wells .
installed on wells 9 and 10 (tentative companion well, see above) to 

determine water-level trends in the fluvial deposits and Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations, and to provide a basis of comparison of water levels 

in these two aquifers. A recorder would be installed on well 8 for a 

basis of comparison of the water levels in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations and those in the Memphis Sand and to determine any water-level 

response in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations to changes in stage on 

the Mississippi River. A recorder would be installed on well 12 to 

detemine water-level trends in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations in an 

area away from punping and the Mississippi River. 

Optional work proposed is the making of water-level measurements in 

observation wells and selected water wells at times of high and low water 

levels for the purpose of drawing potentiometric-surface maps of the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits and the Jackson and Cockfield Formations. 

Success of this work would depend on the cooperation of well owners and 

accessibility into the well casing for taping water levels. 

Aquifer Characteristics 

Aquifer-test results are available for only one well in the Jackson 

and Cockfield Formations at the U.S. Military Reservation near Halls. 

Values for transmissivity and storage for this aquifer were determined 

,from this test. Determination of the aquifer characteristics of the 

shallow aquifers is needed for predicting the effects of dewatering on 

water levels in the aquifers and for calculating the rate of movement of 

contaminants from any future strip-mining activity. 

It is proposed that single-well pumping tests be performed in each of 

the 12 wells completed as observation wells to obtain values of transmissivity. To perform these tests, the observation wells would have to be 

properly constructed and developed to give reliable pump-test results. 

The wells would have to be at least 6 in. in diameter to allow the 

installation of a portable pump capable of pumping at least 100 gal/min. 

The screens would have to be about 20 ft in length, depending on the slot 

size selected to screen a particular sand. Residual drilling mud would 

have to be pumped from the well and flushed from the formation surrounding the screen by using well development techniques. The portable 

pump would be installed and pumped at a constant rate for a period of no 

less than 4 hours. A provision would have to be made for measuring water 

levels with the pump installed. Recovery data is important in single-well 

purrping tests so the necessary water-level measurements would have to be 

made during the pumping period and also during the recovery period. 

To obtain values of coefficient of storage, small diameter offset 

wells would have to be drilled at specified distances from the pumped 

wells for additional water level measurements. It is proposed that, if 

undertaken, this work would be limited to about three of the sites with 

observation wells in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations. These offset 

wells also would have to be cased and screened in the sand to be pumped. 

Data for proposed offset wells is not included in table 6. 

Additional data on the hydrologic characteristics of the aquifers and 

their confining beds could be derived by monitoring water levels in both 

wells during pumping tests at sites where two wells are screened in 

different aquifers. 

-51- 
Ground-water Quality 

Available analyses of ground water from wells in Lauderdale County 

include 12 samples from the shallow aquifers --six from the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits, two from the fluvial deposits, and four from the 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations (table 4). These analyses were made 

between 1929 and 1956. 

Ground-water quality changes little with time except in heavily 

punped areas where water of different quality may enter as replenishment 

of water removed. Nevertheless, monitoring changes in ground-water 

quality is essential in determining the effects of any future 

strip-mining activity, particularly where extensive areas are to be 

dewatered. Additional baseline information is needed on the quality of 

ground water from the shallow aquifers, using modern methods of sampling 

and analytical procedures and including data on trace metals and organic 

compounds. 

It is proposed that the 12 wells completed as observation wells be 

sampled for water quality near the conclusion of each pumping test. The 

water samples would be collected using Geological Survey procedures and 

analyzed in the Survey's laboratories. Water-quality paramaters to be 

determined are listed below: 

Field measurements of water-quality parameters: 

Water temperature 

Specific conductance 

PH 

Alkalinity 

Laboratory analyses of dissolved major constitutents: 

Calcium (Ca) Manganese (Mn) 

Magnesium (Mg) Chloride (Cl) 

Sodium (Na) Fluoride (F) 

Potassium (K) Silica (SiO2) 

Iron (Fe) Sulfate (SO,) 

Nitrite (Not) plus Nitrate (NOl), dissolved as N 

Dissolved solids, residue on evaporation at 180°C 

Total organic carbon (TOC) 

Phosphorus dissolved as P 

Laboratory analyses of dissolved minor elements: 

Arsenic (As) Lead (Pb) 

Cadmium (Cd) Mercury (Hg) 

Chromium (Cr) Selenium (se) 

Copper (Cu) Zinc (Zn) 

It also is proposed that two wells-- well 7 in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits and well 5 in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations 

(table 6) --be completed with pumps for the collection of monthly water 

-52- 
samples for a period of one year to determine whether short-term changes 

in ground-water quality occur. After the first year these wells would be 

sampled twice-a-year, at times of low and high water levels to determine 

long-term changes in water quality. In installing pumps, provision would 

be needed to allow monthly tape measurements in these wells. The water 

samples would be analyzed according to the above ground-water parameters. 

Surface-water Information 

Strip-mining lignite in Lauderdale County could cause significant 

changes in the surface-water system in those basins in which mining 

occurs. Therefore, baseline information is needed on the stream-flow 

characteristics and surface-water quality of the major streams that drain 

the county. Rainfall data is also needed in determining rainfall-runoff 

relationships. 

Stream-flow Characteristics 

Except for data for the discontinued gaging station on Cane Creek at 

Ripley and some discharge measurements at miscellaneous sites, little 

surface-water information is being collected for the streams that drain 

the county. Speer and others (1965, table 2) gave the low-flow 

characteristics for Cane Creek at Ripley, Cane Creek near Cherry, and 

Cold Creek at Arp (table 5). Since the gaging station on Cane Creek at 

Ripley was discontinued, changes in the stream-flow characteristics have 

occurred as a result of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service's project to 

reduce floodwater and sediment damage. Presently, the only stream-flow 

data being collected for the tributary streams are once-a-year low-flow 

measurements on Cane Creek near Cherry. 

It is proposed that 13 partial-record and 4 continuous-record gaging 

stations be established at 17 sites-- 12 in the Coastal Plain and 5 in the 

Mississippi Alluvial Plain-- to provide-data on the stream-flow characteristics of the major streams. At the partial-record stations, discharge 

measurements would be made three times a year at low, medium, and high 

flows. The continuous-record gaging stations woul,d be equipped with 

shelters, bubble gages, and digital recorders geared to provide stage at 

5-minute intervals. These stations, located on selected streams of 

different basin sizes and topographical characteristics, would provide 

‘the information needed for correlation and rating of the partial-record 

stations. Servicing of recorders would be monthly at which times 

discharge measurements would be made. Additional discharge measurements 

would be made at low, medium, and high flows. The data from the digital 

recorders would be processed using computer techniques. 

Table 7 lists the proposed partial-record and continuous-record 

.gaging stations, and figure 15 shows their tentative locations. The 

sites proposed were selected from 7.-5-minute topographic quadrangles and 

must be evaluated as to suitability by field investigation. 
Table 7 .--Proposed stream-flow gaging stations and surface-water data collection sites in Lauderdale County

[See figure 15 for locations]
Figure 15 .--Tentative locations of proposed stream-flow gaging stations

and surface-water data collection sites .
Surface-Water Quality 

Very limited data are available concerning the surface-water quality 

in Lauderdale County. A few measurements of water temperature and 

specific conductance have been made in conjunction with discharge measurements on Cane Creek at Ripley and Cane Creek at Cherry. Table 8 gives 

sediment data collected for the Hatchie River at Rialto. 

Surface-water quality changes with time in relation to amount of 

discharge, season of the year, and man-made changes in the basin, and data 

must be collected over a period of time to establish water-quality 

characteristics of a particular stream. Any future strip-mining of 

lignite would affect the surface-water quality in those basins where 

mining takes place. Therefore, it is essential to collect baseline 

information on surface-water quality of the major streams that drain the 

county before mining begins. 

It is proposed that water-quality parameters be measured at each of 

the 17 partial or continuous-record stations. The parameters that would 

be measured are basically those selected as mandatory or suggested for the 

Geological Survey's coal hydrology program in support of Public Law 95-87 

(F. A. Kilpatrick, written commun., 1979). At each station a discharge 

measurement and water sample for on site and laboratory analysis would be 

collected at low, medium, and high flows each year. Bed material samples 

for particle size analysis would also be taken during these low, medium, 

and high flows. These particle size analyses would be used in conjunction 

with hydraulic data to compute bed-load transport rates. 

The bed material samples taken at all stations once-a year during low 

flow would also be analyzed for minor elements. In addition, water 

samples would be taken at continuous record stations once-a-year during 

low flow for analyses of common constituents and minor elements. Waterquality parameters to be determined are listed below. 

Water quality of surface-water for partial and continuousrecord stations, m,easured on site three times a year at low, 

medium, and high flows: 

Discharge 

Water temperature 

Specific conductance 

PH 

Alkalinity 

Macro-invertebrates (presence or absence 

at low flow) 

Laboratory analyses of water quality for partial- and continuousrecord stations, sampled three times a year at low, medium, and 

high flows- 

-56- 
Table 8 .--Sediment data collected for the Hatchie River at Rialto

[Station number 07030050]
Sulfate (SOi+) 

Iron (Fe, total and dissolved) 

Manganese (Mn, total and dissolved) 

Acidity (when field pH less than 4.5) 

Suspended sediment (concentration and 

sand-silt split) 

Dissolved solids, residue on 

evaporation at 18O‘T 

Laboratory analyses of bed materials for partial- and continuousrecord stations, sampled annually at low flow: 

Arsenic (As) Lead (Pb) 

Cadmium (Cd) Manganese (Mn) 

Chromium (Cr) Mercury (Hg) 

Copper (Cu) Selenium (Se) 

Iron (Fe) Zinc (Zn) 

Laboratory analyses of water quality for continuous-record stations, 

sampled annually at low flow: 

Common constituents (-dissolved) 

Calcium (Cal 

Chloride (Cl) 

Fluoride (F) 

Iron (Fe) 

Magnesium (Mg) 

Manganese (Mn) 

Potassium (K) 

Silica (SiO,) 

Sodium (Na) 

Sulfate (SO,) 

Dissolved solids, residue on evaporation at 180°C 

Alkalinity, as dissolved Cam, 

Phosphorus, dissolved as P 

.Nitrite (NO*) plus Nitrate (N03), dissolved as N 

Minor elements 

Arsenic (As) 

Cadmium (Cd) 

Chromium (Cr) 

Copper (Cu) 

Lead (Pb) 

Mercury (Hg) 

Selenium (Se) 

Zinc (Zn) 

Rainfall-Runoff Relations 

Daily rainfall data are available for Lauderdale County from NOAA's 

weather station at Ripley. However, detailed rainfall data for individual 

storms is needed in determining the general rainfall-runoff relations for 

basins of different sizes and topographical characteristics. 

-!a- 
It is proposed that recording rainfall gages be established at each 

of the four continuous-record gaging stations. Shelters, rainfall gages, 

and digital recorders would be installed with the digital recorders geared 

to record rainfall at 5-minute intervals. Servicing of recorders would be 

conducted monthly along with the recorders on the stream-flow gages. The 

data from the digital recorders would be processed using computer techniques. 

PLANS TO MONITOR STRIP-MINING OF LIGNITE 

Collection of Mine-Site Data 

At the time an announcement is made that a strip mine for lignite is 

to be opened, a plan should be ready for collection of mine-site data so 

that premining, mining, and postmining hydrologic conditions can be determined for the basin(s) in which mining will take place. This plan would 

need to be implemented soon after an announcement so that baseline information could be collected prior to the clearing of land, disturbance of 

the land surface, and dewatering of aquifers. Monitoring the effects of 

mining would be for the duration of the mining activity and extend beyond 

reclamation to determine any delayed or lasting effects on the hydraulic 

system. 

Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of a generalized basin with surface 

mine and proposed sites for hydrologic monitoring (Dalsin, 1979, fig 8). 

Not knowing the location of any future strip mine, this plan would need to 

be modified to.take into account local hydrologic conditions of the particular basins(s) in which mining will take place. For example, monitoring 

hydrologic conditions in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain may require a somewhat different approach than monitoring those in the Coastal Plain. 

Basically, the plan for collection of ground-water data would consist 

of the installation of six observation wells --two wells in three sets with 

wells in each set in two different aquifers. A minimum of three observation wells per aquifer would be needed to determine changes in the gradient of ground-water movement. In the Coastal Plain, one well in each set 

would be in the fluvial deposits and the other would be in the Jackson and 

Cockfield Formations, and in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain one well would 

be in the Mississippi alluvial deposits and the other would be in the 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations. 

These observation wells would be drilled to meet the specifications 

proposed elsewhere in this report for construction of observation wells 

for baseline information. In brief, formation samples would be taken at 

lo-ft intervals during drilling: geophysical logs would be run in the 

uncased boreholes; single-well pumping tests would be conducted in the 

cased wells; and water samples would be collected near the conclusion of 

the pumping tests for ground-water quality determinations. The groundwater-uality parameters would be the same as those listed on page 52 for 

baseline information. Digital recorders would be installed on one set of 

wells for the collection of continuous water level data, and provision 

would be made for periodic taping of water levels in the other two sets of 

wells. After initial sampling for ground-water quality, additional 

samples would be collected for analysis twice-a-year at times of high and 

low water levels. 
-60-

Figure 16 .--Generalized drainage basin with surface mine and proposed

sites for hydrologic monitoring ( from Dalsin, 1979, fig. 8) .
The plan for collection of surface-water data would consist of the 

installation at two outflow sites downstream from the strip mine of: (1) a 

continuous-record stream-flow gaging station, (2) a surface-water quality 

monitor, and (3) an automatic suspended-sediment sampler. A recording 

rain gage also would be installed near the mine site. The continuousrecord gaging stations would be equipped with digital recorders and bubble 

gages, and discharge measurements would be made monthly. The surface-water 

quality monitors would be equipped to measure temperature, specific conductance , pH, and dissolved oxygen on a continuous basis. Additional 

waterquality parameters would be determined for these sites in accordance 

w<th those listed on pages 56 and 58 for continuous-record gaging 

stations. The automatic samplers for suspended sediment would sample 

twice daily and more frequently during rainfalls. Photographs of the 

channel and cross-section measurements would be made at the gaging station 

reach to record changes in channel degradation or siltation. 

Other data collection activities would include surface-water quality 

surveys, seepage measurements, and monumented channel cross-section 

surveys conducted upstream and downstream from the mine site. The surfacewater quality surveys would be conducted monthly, and the parameters determined would be those listed for partial record gaging stations listed on 

pages 56 and 58. Seepage measurements and channel cross-section surveys 

would be conducted annually at low flow. 

Application of Computer Modeling Techniques 

After several years of baseline data collection in accordance with 

the plan proposed in this report , sufficient data would be available for 

the application of computer modeling techniques. Computer modeling of the 

ground-water and surface-water systems would be a highly desirable tool 

for analyzing and interpreting large amounts of data and in predicting the 

effects of mining on the hydrologic system. The Geological Survey has 

developed several digital models that would be adaptable for this purpose. 

Because of the sophistication of computer modeling, a detailed proposal 

would be needed for this activity, which is beyond the scope of this 

project. 

SUMMARY OF PLAN TO STUDY HYDROLOGY 

Although some information is available on the geology and hydrology 

of Lauderdale County, much additional information is needed to define the 

hydrologic system before mining begins, and a plan is needed to monitor 

the effects of mining on the hydrologic system once it is begun. For 

general geologic information, it is proposed that geologic maps be prepared 

for the Coastal Plain areas of the county on either 7.5- or 15-minute topographic quandrangles. 

For ground water, information is needed on the location of existing 

water wells, subsurface stratigraphy, water-level trends and configurations, aquifer characteristics, and ground-water quality of the shallow 

aquifers--Mississippi alluvial deposits, fluvial deposits, and Jackson and 
Cockfield Formations. These shallow aquifers, which provide water to the 

mejority of wells in the county and supply the largest variety of uses, 

would be the most affected by strip-mining and dewatering activities. The 

Jackson and Cockfield Formations are by far the most extensively used of 

the shallow aquifers. 

It is proposed that a comprehensive water-well inventory be made for 

the county and that 12 test holes be drilled for stratigraphic information. 

The stratigraphic information would include the variability of the lithology and thickness of the shallow aquifers and the depth to the base and 

occurence of lignite in the$Jackson and Cockfield Formations. The 12 

stratigraphic test holes would be completed as observation wells--two in 

the Mississippi alluvial deposits, one in the fluvial deposits, and nine 

in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations. Single-well pumping tests would 

be conducted to determine values of transmissivity. Near the conclusion 

of the punping tests, water samples would be collected for determination 

of ground-water quality, including common constituents and minor elements. 

Recorders would be installed on five observation wells for the collection 

of continual water-level data for the shallow aquifers, and the other 

wells would be tape measured monthly. Two wells --one in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits and the other in the Jackson and Cockfield Formations-- 

would be sampled monthly for one year to provide data on short-term 

changes in ground-water quality. After the first year, these well would 

be sampled twice-a-year at times of low and high water levels to determine 

long-term changes in ground-water quality. Optional work proposed includes 

the drilling of offset wells near some observation wells for measuring 

water levels during pumping tests to determine values of coefficient of 

storage. Also optional would be the twice-a-year measurement of water 

levels in observation wells and selected water wells at times of high and 

low water levels for use in drawing potentiometric-surface maps for the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits and the Jackson and Cockfield Formations. 

For surface-water, information is needed on the stream-flow characteristics, surface-water quality, and rainfall-runoff relations of the streams 

that drain the county. Strip-mining of lignite could cause siqnificant 

changes in the surface-water system in those basins in which mining occurs. 

It is proposed that 13 'partial-record and 4 continuous-record stream-flow 

-gaging stations be established on the major streams that drain the county 

.--12 in the Coastal Plain and 5 in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. At 

part-ial-record stations, a discharge measurement would be made each year 

at low, medium, and high flows. At continuous-record stations, discharge 

measurements would be made monthly at the time recorders are serviced and 

also once-a-year at low, medium, and high flows. 'At all stations on site 

surface-water quality parameters would be measured and water samples for 

analysis of selected constituents and suspended sediment and bed material 

for particle-size analysis would be collected once-a-year at low, medium, 

and high flows when discharge measurements are r&de. Also at all 

stations, bed materials would be sampled once a year during low flow for 

analyses of minor elements. At continuous-record stations, water samples 

would be collected once-a-year during low flow for analyses of common 

constituents and minor elements. Rainfall gages would be installed near 

each continuous-record gaging station for the collection of continuous 

rainfall data. 
A plan to monitor strip-mining of lignite would need to be implemented soon after the opening of a mine is announced so that local 

baseline information could be collected in advance of any effects on the 

hydrologic system. . For ground water, additional observation wells would 

be installed near the mine site to monitor water levels in the aquifers 

affected. Single-well purrping tests would be conducted and water samples 

would be collected to provide additional information on values of transmissivity and ground-water quality. Recorders would be installed on a 

well in each aquifer affected , and periodic tape measurements would be 

made in the other wells. Pumps would be installed in wells down-gradient 

from the mine site for monitoring changes in ground-water quality. For 

surface water, a continuous-record stream-flow gaging station, a surfacewater quality monitor, and a automatic suspended-sediment sampler would be 

installed at two sites downstream from the,mine, and a recording rain gage 

would be installed near the mine site. Other data to be collected would 

be surface-water quality surveys, seepage measurements, and channel crosssection surveys with photographs upstream and downstream from the mine 

site. 

After several years of baseline data collection, sufficient data 

would be available for application of computer modeling techniques. 

Computer modeling would be a highly desirable tool for analyzing and 

interpreting large amounts of data and in predicting the effects of stripmining lignite on the hydrologic system. 

-a- 
SELECTED REFERENCES 

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-64- 
Luppens, J. A., 1978, Exploration for Gulf Coast United States lignite 

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-65- 
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-67- 

i? U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1981-742-298 REGION NO. 4