WATER-RESOURCES INVESTIGATIONS REPORT 

84-4104 

Preliminary Assessment of Ground-Water 

Resources of Lauderdale County, Tennessee 

PREPARED BY 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY f 

IN COOPELATION WITH THE 

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, 

DIVISION OF GEOLOGY 
PRELIMINARYASSESSMENTGROUND-WATERRESOURXS 

OFLMJDERDALE UXJNTY,TENNFSSEE 

By W. S. Parks, J. K. Carmichael, and D. D. Graham 

U.S. GEOXYXXL SURVEY 

Water Resources Investigations Report 84-4104 

Prepared in cooperation with the 

TENNJSSEE DEWRtMENT OF CONSERVATION, 

DIVISION OF GmmY 

Memphis, Qxnessee 

1985 
UNI'IEDSTRIES DElPARlMEIWOFTHEINTERIOR 

WILLIAM P. CLARK, Secretary 

GmmIcALsumY 

Dallas L. Peck, Director 

Fbr additional information Copies of this report can be 

write to: purchased from: 

District &ief 

U.S. Geological Survey 

A-413 Federal Building 

U.S. Courthouse 

&shville, snnessee 37203 

Open-File Services Section 

Western Distribution Branch 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Box 25425, Federal Center 

lakewood, Qlorado 80225 

(elephone: (303) 236-7476) 
CONTENTS 

Abstract ........................................................ 

Introduction .................................................... 

Purpose and scope .......................................... 

Location and size of Lauderdale County ..................... 

Previous investigations .................................... 

Physiographic setting ........................................... 

Gulf Coastal Plain ......................................... 

Mississippi Alluvial Plain ................................. 

Geology ......................................................... 

Surface geology ............................................ 

Subsurface geology ......................................... 

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

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

Cockfield Formation ........................................ 

Memphis Sand ............................................... 

Fort Pillow Sand ....................... ..L ................. 

Present resource development ............................... 

Water levels .................................................... 

Fluctuations and trends .................................... 

Area1 configuration ........................................ 

Water quality ................................................... 

General characteristics .................................... 

Trace constituents ......................................... 

Short-term changes ......................................... 

Aquifer characteristics ......................................... 

Need for additional work ........................................ 

Summary and conclusions ......................................... 

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

ILLUSTRATIONS 

Figures l-9. Maps showing: 

1. Location of Lauderdale County in western 

Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2. Major physiographic subdivisions.............. 

3. Generalized surface geology................... 

4. Altitude of the base of the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

5. Altitude of the base of the Cockfield 

Formation and faults shown in plate l....... 

6. Altitude of the base of the Memphis Sand...... 

7. Altitude of the base of the Fort Pillow Sand.. 

8. Locations of selected water-supply wells...... 

9. locations of test holes and observation wells. 

10. Hydrograph showing short-term water-level 

changes in the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits, Cockfield Formation, and Memphis Sand... 

Page 

1 

1 

2 

2 

2 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

7 

7 

10 

10 

10 

13 

13 

18 

18 

18 

24 

24 

28 

29 

29 

29 

33 

34 

3 

5 

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11 

12 

14 

15 

17 

20 

21 

iii 
Page 

Figure 11. Rydrograph showing long-term water-level changes 

in the Memphis Sand, and a correlation between 

water-level changes in the Memphis Sand 

and stages of the Mississippi River............... 22 

12-15. Maps showing: 

12. Altitude of the water-level surface 

in the Mississippi alluvial deposits......... 23 

13. Altitude of the water-level surface 

in the Cockfield Formation................... 25 

14. Altitude of the water-level surface 

in the Memphis Sand 26 

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

15. Altitude of the water-level surface 

in the Fort Pillow Sand...................... 27 

Plate 1. Geologic sections, north-south and east-west, through 

Lauderdale County (William S. Parks, 1984).......... In pocket 

TABLES 

Table 1. Post-Midway geologic units underlying lauderdale 

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

2. Records of selected water-supply wells 

in Lauderdale County, Tennessee..................... 

3. Completion data for test holes and observation 

wells in Lauderdale County, Tennessee............... 

4. Minimum, median, and maximum values for selected 

common constituents and properties of water from 

aquifers in Lauderdale County....................... 

5. Minimum, median, and maximum values for selected 

trace constituents, in micrograms per liter, 

in water from aquifers in Lauderdale County......... 

8 

16 

19 

30 

32 

iv 
CONVERSION FACTORS 

To convert inch-pound units to International System of units (SI> 

Multiply 

inch (in.) 

foot (ft> 

mile (mi) 

square mile (mi2) 

ton, short (2,000 lb) 

gallon per minute (gal/min) 

million gallons per day (Mgal/d) 

cubic foot per day per foot 

(ft3/d)/ft 

!!Y 

25.4 

0.3048 

1.609 

2.590 

0.9072 

0.06309 

0.04381 

0.0929 

To obtain 

millimeter (mm> 

meter cm1 

kilometer (km) 

square kilometer (km21 

metric ton 

liter per second (L/s) 

cubic meters per second 

(m3/s) 

cubic meter per day per 

meter (m3/d)/m 

National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929): A geodetic datum 

derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of both the 

United States and Canada, formerly called mean sea level. NGVD of 1929 is 

referred to as sea level in this report. 

Well-Numbering System: Wells are identified according to the numbering system 

used by the U.S. Geological Survey throughout Tennessee. The well number consists bf three parts: 

the well is located; (::' 

an abbreviation of the name of the county in which 

a letter designating the 7%-minute quadrangle, or 

7%minute quadrant of the 15-minute quadrangle, on which the weil is plotted; 

and (3) a number generally indicating the numerical order in which the well 

was inventoried. The symbol Ld:H-16, for example, indicates that the well is 

located in Lauderdale County on the "H" quadrangle and is identified as well 

16 in the numerical sequence. The quadrangles are lettered from left to 

right, beginning in the southwest corner of the county. 

V 
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF GROUND-WATER RESOURCES 

OF LAUDERDALE COUNTY, TENNESSEE 

By W. S. Parks, J. K. Carmichael, and D. D. Graham 

ABSTRACT 

The ground-water resource in Lauderdale County is in a rudimentary stage of 

development. Average withdrawal in 1982 

was 3.1 million gallons per day by the 

main water-supply systems. 

The principal shallow aquifers, from 

youngest to oldest, are the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits of Quaternary age and 

the Cockfield Formation, Memphis Sand, 

and Fort Pillow Sand of Tertiary age. The 

alluvial deposits, Cockfield, and Memphis 

Sand presently yield water for domestic, 

farm, industrial, irrigation, and public 

supplies. Existing wells range from less 

than 100 feet to as much as 800 feet in 

depth and pump from 5 to 1,500 gallons per 

minute. The deeper Fort Pillow Sand is, 

as yet, untapped. 

Water levels fluctuate seasonally. 

High water-levels generally occur in the 

winter, spring, or early summer, and low 

water-levels occur in the fall or early 

winter. Water levels range from near land 

surface to as much as 275 feet below land 

surface--depending on the aquifer, location, and land-surface altitude. 

Water from the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits, Cockfield Formation, and Memphis 

Sand is a calcium bicarbonate type and is 

generally of good quality. Undesirable 

parameters from the stand point of use are 

hardness and concentrations of dissolved 

iron and dissolved solids. Hardness is 

highest in the alluvial deposits (median 

value--from available analyses-- 354 

milligrams per liter, as CaC03) and 

lowest in the Memphis Sand (median value-- 

84 milligrams per liter, as CaC03). 

Dissolved iron concentrations are highest 

in the alluvial deposits (median value-- 

11,200 micrograms per liter) and lowest in 

the Cockfield (median value--l,900 micrograms per liter). Dissolved solids concentrations are highest in the alluvial 

deposits (median value--402 milligrams per 

liter) and lowest in the Memphis Sand 

(median value--112 milligrams per liter). 

Although no water-quality data are available for the Fort Pillow Sand in Lauderdale County, this aquifer is known to have 

potential to yield a sodium bicarbonate 

type water of somewhat better quality than 

is available from the shallower aquifers. 

Values of transmissivity estimated 

from four single-well pumping tests are 

17,700 and 24,100 cubic feet per day per 

foot for the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits, 1,500 cubic feet per day per 

foot for the Cockfield Formation, and 

8,000 cubic feet per day per foot for the 

Memphis Sand. Because of partial penetration of the aquifers, these values of 

transmissivity may not be indicative of 

the total thickness of the individual 

aquifers. 

Several north-northeast and westnorthwest trending faults and their 

approximate locations are identified by 

correlation of the Cook Mountain on the 

geophysical logs of test holes and wells. 

INTRODUCTION 

During the oil crises in the mid 

1970's, energy companies gave new consideration to Gulf Coastal Plain lignite 

as an alternative source of energy. Several companies became involved in extensive exploration programs in Alabama, 

Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. Western Tennessee was a 

target area for some of this exploration. 

Luppens (1978), in a paper on exploration 

for Gulf Coastal Plain lignite deposits, 

gave a preliminary estimate of 1.0 billion 

tons of lignite reserves in Tennessee and 

some general information about its occurrence and quality. 

Because of the need for information 

about lignite in western Tennessee for 

use in appraising this resource, and the 

need for background information about the 

hydrology for use in determining any 

effects of future mining on the hydrologic 

system, the Tennessee Division of Geology 

and the U.S. Geological Survey initiated 

a cooperative project to begin collecting 

and compiling some of these data. 

Lauderdale County, in western Tennessee, is thought to be one of the most 

likely areas for mining to begin. Consequently, Lauderdale County was selected 

for this initial study. In a division of 

effort, according to the priority interests of each agency, the Division of Geology was to collect and compile information 

concerning the geologic formations and 

occurrence of lignite and the U.S. Geological Survey was to do likewise in regards 

to the water resources. 

The first phase of the U.S. Geological Survey's effort was to prepare a plan 

to study the surface and ground-water 

resources of Lauderdale County. The general objectives of this planning effort 

were to locate and compile available 

1 
hydrologic, geologic, land-use, and associated data; prepare a summary description 

of the surface and shallow subsurface 

hydrologic system; outline the need for 

additional background hydrologic information; and propose plans to monitor the 

effects of strip-mining. This phase of 

the study was completed with the publication of a report by Parks (1981). 

Purpose and Scope 

Because of the immediate need for 

information concerning the subsurface 

formations, first priority was placed on 

a study of the ground water rather than 

the surface water in Lauderdale County. 

The objectives of the ground-water 

study were to develop a concept of the 

geohydrology, water quality, transmissivity, potentiometric surfaces, and 

water-level fluctuations of the shallow 

aquifers. 

These objectives were met by: 

o drilling test holes and installing 

observation wells; 

0 installing pumps on wells for conducting single-well pumping tests 

in observation wells and obtaining 

water-quality data from these 

wells; 

0 installing shelters and recorders 

on observation wells for the collection of continuous water-level 

data; 

o locating and selecting water wells 

for measurement of water levels to 

be used in the preparation of area1 

water-level maps; 

0 maintaining the water-level and 

water-quality data collection networks and preparing a progress 

report. 

Although limited to a county area, 

this study has regional impact inasmuch 

as it involves the principal Tertiary and 

Quaternary aquifers that provide ground 

water for a large part of the northern 

Mississippi embayment. The information 

will be of use not only as comparative 

data in future studies assessing the 

effects of mining of lignite on the 

ground-water resources but also in planning future ground-water supplies for 

Lauderdale County. 

Location and Size of Lauderdale County 

Lauderdale County is in the westernmost tier of counties in western Tennessee 

about midway between the Mississippi and 

Kentucky' State lines (fig-l). The county 

has an area of 477 square miles and is 

very irregular in shape. It is bounded 

on the north by Dyer County, on the east 

by Crockett and Haywood Counties, on the 

south by Tipton County in Tennessee, and 

on the west by Mississippi County in 

Arkansas. Natural features that form 

parts of the boundary 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 (fig. 

2). 

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-by-county 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. That report (p. 38-40, 57-58) 

includes details concerning the waterSUPPlY systems at Halls, Henning, and 

Ripley. Strausberg and Schreurs (1958, 

pl. 1, 2, 4; table 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 maps of the Tertiary surface and 

piezometric-surface maps for the Mississippi alluvial deposits. Moore (1965, 

pl. l-8, fig. 4), in a report on the geology and hydrology of the Claiborne Group 

in western Tennessee, included structurecontour maps, geophysical cross sections, 

and a fence diagram along. with maps of 

the apparent and potential coefficient of 

transmissiblity (transmissivity), the 

downdip changes in chemical quality of 

water, and the piezometric (potentiometric) surface in the "500-foot" sand 

(Memphis Sand). These illustrations provide some general information about the 

Claiborne aquifers in Lauderdale County. 

The Tennessee Department of Public 

Health (1964-65) published a ground-water 

survey of western Tennessee. That report 

includes a summary (table 18) 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) give detailed 

information on the stratigraphy and 

ground-water resources gained by drilling 

2 
C’\ i / l-1 

! 

i 

: 

J./~---------- ____ 

KENTUCKY \ 

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,, ‘L, ; 

“N,ON C,Ty 

M I s s 0 u K - I ’ \ ! I 0 - 1 I ~‘-4’ \ 

I (,’ 0 E , 0 N \ ,-I_- i 

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WEAKLEY ’ HENRY j--- 

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CARROL 

i BENTON 

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HAROIN 

-p--2-----i-- ‘\ ------he____ L ____________ ______. _.____ 1..-- .__. - ..-.. I 

2 \ M I s s 1 s s P P 1 

Base m ap from U S. Geological 

surve Y 1 1,000,000,1 973 

Figure I.-- Location of Lauderdale County in western Tennessee. 

3 
a 3,183-foot test hole into Paleozoic 

rocks within Fort Pillow State Historic 

Area. That report introduced some new 

nomenclature for the subsurface geologic 

units of western Tennessee and 

re-evaluates certain interpretations 

presented by Moore in his 1965 report. 

Parks (1981) in an appraisal of 

hydrologic information needed in anticipation of future lignite mining in 

Lauderdale County summarized available 

hydrologic information and located data 

sources. That report includes a summary 

description of the surface and' shallow 

subsurface hydrologic system. Stearns 

and others (1981, p. 27-37) in a report on 

the impact of proposed lignite mining in 

western Tennessee described the geology of 

Lauderdale County as related to the occurrence of lignite. That report (p. 41-120) 

includes the results of a detailed study 

of the lignite, overburden, associated 

water, and leachate at a test site on the 

Fort Pillow State Prison Farm. 

PHYSIOGRAPHIC SETTING 

Lauderdale County is situated in two 

major physiographic subdivisions (fig. 2). 

The eastern part of the county is in the 

East Gulf Coastal Plain section and the 

western part is in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain section of the Coastal Plain 

province (Fenneman, 1938, p. 65-99). In 

Tennessee, the Gulf Coastal Plain section 

may be subdivided into the West Tennessee 

Uplands and the West Tennessee Plain 

(Miller, 1974, p. 7). The Gulf Coastal 

Plain area of the county is entirely in 

the West Tennessee Plain. 

Gulf Coastal Plain 

The Gulf 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 that makes up the present land 

surface. The gently rolling to steep 

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 Gulf Coastal Plain 

is the loess covered bluffs that rise 

abruptly above the Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain at its eastern boundary. Land surface altitudes in the Gulf Coastal Plain 

are as low as 215 feet 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 feet above sea level 

on hills near Edith in the north-central 

part. Maximum local relief between the 

Gulf Coastal Plain and the Mississippi 

Alluvial Plain is about 250 feet on the 

bluffs west of Edith. 

Mississippi Alluvial Plain 

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain in 

Lauderdale County is a flat-lying area 

averaging about 6 miles in width and 

extending about 35 miles in length in a 

northeast-southwest direction. The Alluvial Plain is characterized by features 

typical of fluvial deposition--point bars, 

abandoned channels, and natural levees 

(Saucier and others, 1964-78). Local features include alluvial fans deposited 

outward from the base of the bluffs where 

streams draining the rugged topography of 

the dissected Gulf Coastal Plain enter the 

flat-lying Alluvial Plain. Land-surface 

altitudes in the Alluvial Plain are as low 

as 210 feet above sea level on the banks 

of the Mississippi River in the southwestern part of the county and are as high 

as 290 feet 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 feet. 

GEOLOGY 

Lauderdale County is in the northcentral part of the Mississippi embayment, 

a broad trough or syncline that plunges 

southward along an axis which approximates 

trend of 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. 

Surface Geology 

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 Grouo and the overlying 

Jackson Formation (fig. 3). Because of a 

similarity in lithology and limited exposures, these units cannot be reliably subdivided at most places on the basis of 

present information. However, no great 

thickness of Jackson Formation is believed 

to be present. Most of the stratigraphic 

section referred to as the "Jackson (?) 

Formation" on the most recent geologic map 

of Tennessee by Hardeman and others (1966) 

is actually the equivalent of the Jackson 

and Cockfield Formations. 

The Jackson and Cockfield Formations 

are exposed locally in the GulE Coastal 

Plain in the lower parts of the bluffs and 

in stream channels. Above the Jackson 

and Cockfield are the fluvial deposits 

4 
89’45’ 89’30’ 

LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1:500.000, 1973 

Figure 2.-- Major physiographic subdivisons. 

5 
89’45’ 89’30’ 

I I 

I I 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey l-.500,000, 1973 

Figure 3.-- Generalized surface geology. 

EXPLANATION 

Qal-- Alluvial deposits 

I QI-- Loess 

m QTfjc-- Fluvial deposits, 

Jackson and Cockfield 

Formations, undivided 

See table 1 for additional 

information. 

6 
(terrace deposits), which are erosional 

remnants of ancient alluvial deposits of 

the existing or earlier drainage systems 

(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 Gulf 

Coastal Plain. The loess covers fluvial 

deposits and the Jackson and Cockfield 

Formations at most places. The youngest 

geologic unit in the county are the alluvial deposits (alluvium) which underlie 

the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and the 

flood plains of streams in the county. 

Subsurface Geology 

Thirteen test holes were drilled during this investigation to collect information about the subsurface formations and 

occurrence of lignite and to locate waterbearing sands in which to install observation wells. Initially, it was planned 

to drill these test holes through the 

Cockfield Formation and terminate them in 

the Cook Mountain Formation, except for 

two shallow holes which were to be drilled 

only through the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits. The Cook Mountain was selected 

as the interval in which to terminate the 

deeper test holes because it is believed 

that most of the potentially mineable 

lignite is in the overlying Cockfield. 

Consequently, the Cockfield and, where 

present, the Mississippi alluvial deposits 

would be the principal shallow aquifers 

most affected by mining. The Cook Mountain also serves as the confining bed for 

the underlying Memphis Sand. As the 

drilling progressed, however, it was found 

that at some sites sand in the Cockfield 

was very fine, and several of the test 

holes had to be drilled into the Memphis 

Sand to find a sand suitable for the 

installation of observation wells. Plate 

1 shows north-south and east-west geologic 

sections through Lauderdale County, which 

include selected geophysical logs of 12 

of the test holes drilled during this 

investigation. 

Based on the stratigraphic section 

in the Fort Pillow test weli (Moore and 

Brown, 1969), the Cook Mountain was 

thought to be about 200 feet thick and to 

consist predominantly of clay. Consequently, it was thought that the Cook 

Mountain would be easy to recognize in the 

subsurface. During the drilling of the 

test holes, it became evident that the 

Cook Mountain is more commonly only about 

60 feet thick and that at places the overlying Cockfield and the upper part of the 

underlying Memphis Sand contain intervals 

of clay that could be confused with the 

Cook Mountain. 

To further complicate correlations 

between test holes, no confidence could 

be placed in finding the Cook Mountain at 

a predictable structural position, when 

assuming a normal, undisturbed structural 

setting for the area. In many of the test 

holes, thick intervals of clay resembling 

the Cook Mountain and having the expected 

normal stratigraphic position between the 

Cockfield and the Memphis Sand are either 

too high or too low in the section to be 

in the expected normal structural position 

of the Cook Mountain. The discordances 

of the Cook Mountain suggested displacement of the stratigraphic section by 

faults. 

Investigations by Hildenbrand and 

others (1982) of the magnetic basement in 

the upper Mississippi embayment show that 

the eastern structural limits of the 

recently recognized Mississippi Valley 

graben crosses northeast-southwest 

through Lauderdale County. These investigations also identified a few principal 

magnetic lineaments reflecting faulting 

and lithologic contrasts in the magnetic 

basement beneath the county. Hey1 and 

McKeown (1978) on a preliminary seismotectonic map of the cental Mississippi 

Valley and environs indicate two possible 

or hypothetical faults crossing the 

county. Postulation of the existance of 

these faults is based on subsurface data 

or exceptionally strong lineaments on 

aerial photos. One of these faults was 

originally recognized by Moore (1965, 

pl. 4). 

Plate 1 in the present report shows 

the approximate location and the direction 

and amount of displacement of several 

faults interpreted from geophysical-log 

correlations during this investigation. 

In summary, the difficulties in 

correlating the geophysical logs between 

test holes is the result of complexities 

in the stratigraphic section compounded 

by the existence of faults that displace 

the Tertiary formations. Thus, some 

correlations of the geophysical logs used 

in the preparation of this report are 

tentative, and the assignment of some 

wells to aquifers is uncertain. 

GROUND-WATER SYSTEM 

From about 2,500 to 3,000 feet of 

sand, clay, silt, gravel, anu lignite 

ranging in age from Cretaceous to Quaternary underlie Lauderdale County above the 

Paleozoic rocks. Although much of this 

sequence is saturated with fresh water 

[dissolved solids concentrations less than 

1,000 milligrams per liter (my/L)], only 

the post-Midway units (Wilcox Group and 

younger) are considered In this report 

because these units contain the principal 

shallow aquifers. Table 1 gives the 

stratigraphic relations of the post-Midway 

geologic units and their hydrologic 

significance. 
System 

Quaternary 

Quaternary 

and 

Tertiary (?> 

Tertiary 

Table 1. --Post-Midway geologic units underlying Lauderdale 

Series 

Holocene 

and 

Pleistocene 

Pleistocene 

Pleistocene 

and 

Pliocene (?> 

Eocene 

? 

Paleocene 

Group 

Claibornt 

Wilcox 

Stratigraphic unit 

Alluvial deposits 

(alluvium) 

Ioess 

Fluvial deposits 

(terrace deposits) 

Jackson Formation 

? 

Cockfield 

Formation 

Cook Mountain 

Formation 

Memphis Sand 

("500-foot" sand) 

Flour Island 

Formation 

Fort Pillow Sand 

("1400-foot" sand) 

Old Breastworks 

Formation 

Thickness 

(ft) 

O-180 

O-65 

O-70 

o- 100 

35-270 

45-100 

650-770 

150-200 

160-300 

90-280 

8 
County and their hydrologic significance 

Lithology and hydrologic significance 

Sand, gravel, silt, clay, and reworked lignite. Underlie the Mississippi River 

Alluvial Plain and flood plains of other streams. Thickest beneath the 

Alluvial Plain, where they commonly are between 100 and 150 feet thick. 

Probably no more than 50 feet thick elsewhere. Provides water for domestic, 

farm, and irrigation supplies , particularly in the Alluvial Plain. 

Silt, silty clay, and minor sand. Is principal geologic unit at the surface in 

the Gulf Coastal Plain. Thickest on the bluffs that border the Mississippi 

Alluvial Plain. Not an aquifer. Tends to retard downward movement of water 

recharging the water-table aquifers. 

Sand, gravel, and minor clay. Commonly underlie the loess in the Gulf Coastal 

Plain, but are absent in many areas. Thickest and contain the most gravel 

in the highly dissected area north of Ripley. Thickness highly variable 

because of erosional surfaces at top and base. Locally provide water for 

domestic, farm, and public supplies. 

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

Jackson and Cockfield Formations cannot be reliably subdivided based on 

available information. Preserved section mostly Cockfield, but at places is 

overlain by the Jackson. Thicknesses are estimates based on tentative 

geophysical log correlations. The Cockfield provides water for domestic, 

farm,.industrial, and public supplies. 

Clay, silt, sand, and lignite. Believed to consist predominately of clay and 

silt and to be more commonly about 60 feet thick. Locally may contain fine 

sand and lignite. Could be confused with clay and silt beds in the lower 

part of the Cockfield or upper part of the Memphis Sand. Serves as the 

confining bed between the Cockfield and Memphis Sand. 

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

clay and silt at various stratigraphic horizons. Locally upper part 

contains much clay and silt similar to that in the overlying Cook Mountain. 

Thickest in the southern part of the county. Provides water for public 

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. Thickest in the 

southern part of the county. 

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 water quality is not available. Thickest in the 

northern part of the county. 

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

of the county. Serves as the lower confining bed of the Fort Pillow Sand, 

along with the underlying Porters Clay of the Midway Group. 

9 
The principal shallow aquifers in 

Lauderdale County are: (1) Mississippi 

alluvial deposits, (2) Cockfield Formation, (3) Memphis Sand ("500-foot" sand), 

and (4) Fort Pillow Sand ("1400-foot" 

sand). The fluvial deposits (terrace 

deposits) that drape over the hills into 

valleys, the Jackson Formation which is 

preserved locally, and the alluvial 

deposits (alluvium) beneath the flood 

plains of the streams in the Gulf Coastal 

Plain provide water to some shallow wells. 

These deposits are not a principal source 

of ground-water supply; therefore, they 

are not described in detail in this 

report. 

Mississippi Alluvial Deposits 

The Mississippi alluvial deposits 

underlie the Mississippi Alluvial Plain 

in western Lauderdale County. In general 

these deposits consist of fine sand, silt, 

and clay in the upper part and coarse sand 

and gravel in the lower part. At places, 

however, the lower part consists largely 

of sand. The alluvial deposits locally 

may be as much as 180 feet thick, but 

probably are more commonly between 100 and 

150 feet thick. The basal sand and gravel 

is about nine-tenths to three-quarters of 

the thickness of the alluvial deposits 

and provide a source of water for domestic, farm, and irrigation supplies. 

Wells in the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits range from about 10 to 120 feet 

in depth. For domestic and farm supplies 

these wells are typically of small capacity, pumping from 5 to 25 gal/min. However, this aquifer has potential to yield 

1,500 to 4,000 gal/min to large capacity 

wells (Strausberg and Schreurs (1958, 

P- 4). Recently, a 120-foot deep irrigation well (M:S-4) with a reported capacity to pump 1,500 gal/min was installed 

in the alluvial deposits at Knob Creek 

(table 2). 

Figure 4 shows the approximate altitude of the base of the Mississippi alluvial deposits and the thickness of this 

aquifer in test holes. Using altitudes 

shown in figure 4 and extremes in altitude of the topography in the Mississippi 

Alluvial Plain, it is estimated that wells 

drilled to the base of the aquifer would 

range from about 50 to 180 feet in depth. 

Cockfield Formation 

The Cockfield Formation underlies the 

Jackson Formation, the fluvial deposits, 

or the loess in the Gulf Coastal Plain, 

and the Mississippi alluvial deposits in 

the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. This unit 

consists of lenticularly bedded sand, 

silt, clay, and lignite. Not much specific information is available on which to 

base a range in thickness for the Cockfield, but wnere the full thickness is 

preserved, it probably is about 250 to 270 

feet thick. At most places, the full 

thickness is not preserved and as little 

as 35 feet is present beneath the Mississippi alluvial deposits in the southcentral part of the county. This is the 

principal aquifer utilized in the Gulf 

Coastal Plain for domestic and farm supplies and for some industrial and public 

supplies. 

Wells in the Cockfield Formation are 

generally less than 350 feet deep and most 

are less than 200 feet deep. Sands range 

from very fine to coarse, but commonly are 

of the finer sizes. These sands yield 

water to small and moderate capacity wells 

pumping from about 5 to 300 gal/min. 

Figure 5 shows the approximate altitude of the base of the Cockfield Formation, the thickness of this aquifer in 

test holes and wells, and the faults shown 

on plate 1. Using altitudes shown in 

figure 5 and extremes in altitude of the 

topography in the county, it is estimated 

that wells drilled to the base of the 

aquifer would range from about 100 to 500 

feet in depth. 

Memphis Sand 

The Memphis Sand is a widespread and 

very important aquifer in western Tennessee. It is the principal aquifer supplying water to the City of Memphis, about 50 

miles south of Lauderdale County (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 and silt at various stratigraphic 

horizons. This aquifer is about 660 feet 

thick in the northern part of the county 

in the vicinity of Gates and about 760 

feet thick in the southern part in the 

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

public supplies where the sands of the 

shallower aquifers do not yield sufficient 

water for large-capacity wells. 

Wells in the Memphis Sand range from 

about 400 to 800 feet in depth. The sands 

range from very fine to coarse and supply 

water to moderate and large capacity 

wells, pumping from 60 to 1,120 gal/min. 

The upper part of the Memphis Sand consists of interlensed sand, silt, and clay 

with fine or fine-to-medium sand predominant. At some places, the sand in the 

upper part of the aquifer may be thick 

enough and coarse enough to supply 

moderate-capacity wells. Commonly, however, it is necessary to drill to the 

middle or lower parts of the aquifer to 

find a sand suitable for large-capacity 

wells. 

10 
89’45’ 89’30’ 

I 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1:500,000, 1973 

Figure 4.-- Altitude of the base of the Mississippi alluvial deposits. 

EXPLANATION 

-120- STRUCTURE CONTOUR-- 

Shows altitude of base of aquifer. 

Contour interval 20 feet. 

97 - Altitude of base 

TX---- Thickness of aquifer 

CD Test hole 

LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

5 0 5 MILES 

HUH I 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

11 
89’45’ 89’30’ 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey l-500.000, 1973 

Figure 5.-- Altitude of the base of the Cockfield Formation and 

faults shown on plate 1. 

EXPLANATION 

--100 - STRUCTURE CONTOUR-- 

Shows altitude of base of aquifer. 

Contour interval 50 feet. 

Fault Q Observation well 

-- Fault, approximately located 0 Test hole 

---- Inferred fault 

Fault, ball and bar on + 

Oil test well 

downthrown side 0 Public-supply well 

-6 -Altitude of base 

G-Thickness of aquifer 

12 
Figure 6 shows the approximate altitude of the base of the Memphis Sand and 

the thickness of the aquifer in several 

test holes and an oil test well. Using 

altitudes shown in figure 6 and extremes 

in altitude of tne topography in the 

county, it is estimated that wells drilled 

to the base of the Memphis Sand would 

range from about 150 to 1,300 feet in 

depth. 

Fort Pillow Sand 

Ihe Fort Pillow Sand is a widespread 

and important aquifer in western Tennessee, second only to the Memphis Sand. 

The Fort Pillow Sand, however, is not 

widely used as a source of ground water 

(1983) because in most areas adequate 

supplies for most needs are available 

from aquifers at shallower depths. The 

Fort Pillow Sand is presently used for 

some industrial and public supplies in a 

narrow belt adjacent to its outcrop area, 

and for part of one industrial supply at 

Memphis. 

In Lauderdale County, the character 

of the Fort Pillow Sand is known only from 

the logs of early oil test wells in the 

vicinity of Gates and Halls and the deep 

stratigraphic test hole drilled in the 

Fort Pillow State Historic Area. From the 

geophysical logs of the Raymond Gear, Lee 

No. 1 oil test well and the Fort Pillow 

test hole, the Fort Pillow Sand is about 

300 feet thick near Gates and about 160 

feet thick in the Fort Pillow State Historic Area. According to a description 

of the samples from the Fort Pillow test 

hole, the sand in the Fort Pillow Sand is 

very fine to coarse and is moderately 

well sorted (Moore and Brown, 1969). 

In general, the Fort Pillow Sand is 

at greater depths than the Memphis Sand, 

is not as thick, and does not contain as 

much coarse sand. Thus, the Fort Pillow 

Sand probably would not yield as much 

water as the Memphis Sand. The Fort 

Pillow Sand is, as yet, untapped as a 

source of ground-water supply in the 

county. 

Figure 7 shows the approximate altitude of the base of the Fort Pillow Sand. 

Using the altitudes shown in figure 7 and 

extremes in altitude of the topography in 

the county, it is estimated that wells 

drilled to the base of the aquifer would 

range from about 1,250 to 1,700 feet in 

depth. 

In Mississippi County, Arkansas, 

across the Mississippi River from Lauderdale County, a cost benefit is realized 

by drilling deep wells to the Fort Pillow 

Sand rather than by treating water of less 

desirable quality from the Memphis Sand. 

For discussion of the water quality in the 

Fort Pillow Sand in Mississippi County, 

Arkansas, see General Characteristics 

under the section on Water Quality in this 

report. 

Present Resource Development 

The ground-water resource in Lauderdale County is now in a rudimentary stage 

of development. According to statistics 

compiled by the Tennessee Department of 

Health and Environment for 1982, average 

withdrawal to supply the principal water 

systems in the county totals about 3.1 

Mgal/d. This compares with an average 

withdrawal in 1980 of 193 Wgal/d by public 

and industrial users in the Memphis area 

(Graham, 1982, p. 10). 

The water use statistics for Lauderdale County are as follows: 

Halls Water System 0.525 Mgal/d 

Henning Water Department 0.092 Mgal/d 

Fort Pillow State Prison 0.436 Mgal/d 

Farm 

Gates Water Department 0.050 Mgal/d 

Lauderdale County Water 0.432 Mgal/d 

Association 

Ripley Water System 1.569 Mgal/d 

Total 3.104 Mgal/d 

The water supply at Gates and part of 

the supply at Halls is from the Cockfield 

Formation. The supply at Fort Pillow 

State Prison Farm, Lauderdale County Water 

Association, Ripley and part of the supply 

at Halls and Henning is from the Memphis 

Sand. Part of the supply at Henning is 

from shallow wells about 70 feet deep 

which are in the fluvial deposits. 

Records of approximately 650 water 

wells installed in Lauderdale County 

since 1963 are on file with the Tennessee 

Department of Health and Environment. 

These wells were installed to provide 

water for a variety of uses, but most are 

domestic and farm wells. Table 2 gives 

records of 29 selected water wells in the 

county, including those wells currently 

supplying water for industrial and public 

uses. Their locations are shown in 

figure 8. 

In 1963, the two wells (Id:N-10 and 

Ld:N-11) were installed to provide water 

for the Lauderdale County Water Association (formerly Arp-Central Water Association). Since then this system has been 

expanded to four wells and the service 

area extended throughout most rural areas 

of the county. Some water used by customers of the Lauderdale County Water 

Association is purchased from the City of 

Ripley. 

It is not known how many of the 650 

wells installed since 1963 are still in 

use. No doubt many wells are still in 

service for farm use or to supplement 

water provided by the Lauderdale County 

Water Association. 

13 
89’45’ 89O30’ 

, 

LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey l-500,000, 1973 

Figure 6.-- Altitude of the base of the Memphis Sand. 

EXPLANATION 

--900- - STRUCTURE CONTOUR-- 

Shows altitude of base of aquifer. Dashed 

where approximately located. Contour 

interval 100 feet. 

--I-- Inferred fault, ball and bar 

on downthrown side 

-851 - 

-ECAltitude of base 

Thickness of aquifer 

aD Test hole 

Oil test well 

14 
89’45’ 89’30’ 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1.500,000, 1973 

Figure 7.-- Altitude of the base of the Fort Pillow Sand. 

EXPLANATION 

- -1300 - STRUCTURE CONTOUR -- 

Shows altitude of base of aquifer. Dashed 

where approximately located. Contour 

interval 100 feet. 

--L- Inferred fault, ball and bar 

on downthrown side 

-1362 - Altitude of base 

264 - Thickness of aquifer 

aD Test hole 

o- Oil test well 

LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

SCALE 

5 0 

HHH 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

15 
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wwwxxxxxxxxxxxz!zz 

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33333333333333333 

16 
89’45’ 89’30’ 

I 

LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

.=N-%5%-%.12- 

JLfijckett / 

-ii,.2y4;f 

P‘ 7 low l-llll 

SCALE 

5 0 

HHH 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey l-500,000, 1973 

Figure 8.-- Selected water-supply wells. 

EXPLANATION 

N-6 0 Domestic well and number 

N-5 0 Farm well and number 

G-50 Public well and number 

R-20 Industrial well and number 

S-4 0 Irrigation well and number 

Ld: prefix is not shown (See page v) 

17 
WATER LEVELS 

Twelve observation wells were installed 

during this investigation to monitor water 

levels in the principal shallow aqifers. 

TWO were completed in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits, six in the Cockfield 

Formation, and four in the Memphis Sand. 

An observation well (Ld:F-4) in the Memphis 

Sand already existed in the Fort Pillow 

State Historic Area (Moore and Brown, 

1969) . Completion data for the 13 observation wells are given in table 3, and their 

general locations are shown in figure 9. 

Fluctuations and Trends 

Recorders were installed on four of 

the new observation wells--Ld:S-2 in the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits, Ld:L-2 and 

Ld:J-5 in the Cockfield Formation, and 

Ld:G-12 in the Memphis Sand. 'Water levels 

in the other eight new wells were measured 

monthly. Water levels have been monitored 

continuously in well Ld:F-4 since April 

1966, except for a period between December 

1969 and February 1973 when no recorder was 

on this well. The record of water levels 

from the new observation wells is too short 

to show long-term trends but does give some 

indication of seasonal fluctuations. 

Water levels in the Mississippi alluvial deposits generally are high from 

February to June and generally are low from 

September to December (fig. 10). High 

ground-water levels are related to high 

stages of the Mississippi River and backwater flooding of the Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain. During an earlier investigation, 

Strausberg and Schreurs (1958, p. 37) concluded that water levels in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits as far as 3 miles away 

from the Mississippi River fluctuate in 

response to seasonal or long-term changes 

in the stage of the river. 

Water levels in the Cockfield Formation generally are high from April to 

September and generally are low from 

December to January (fig. 10). The record 

of well Ld:L-2 may not indicate typical 

seasonal trends for the Cockfield in 

Lauderdale County because of the proximity 

of the well to the Mississippi River. As 

a consequence, high water levels in Ld:L-2 

may be related to high stages of the river. 

Water levels in the Memphis Sand are 

high from February to August, and commonly 

are highest during the period from April 

to June (figs. 10 and 11). Water levels 

in this aquifer are low from September to 

January and commonly are lowest in 

November. 

I The hydrograph of well Ld:F-4, 2.5 

miles from the Mississippi River, shows a 

very definite correlation with large 

changes in stage of the Mississippi River 

(fig. 11) . This correlation is most 

evi'dent during long periods of sustained 

high stage on the Mississippi River and 

backwater flooding of parts of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain as was the condition during April 1978. 

Because the Memphis Sand is an artesian aquifer, the changes in water level 

in the aquifer that can be correlated with 

changes in river stage probably are due 

to a loading effect. That is, the water 

level rises or falls in wells in response 

to similar changes of stage in the river. 

This loading effect would be the result 

of increased or decreased pressure in the 

aquifer caused by the weight of the river 

water superimposed on the aquifer system. 

No water-level data are available for 

the Fort Pillow Sand in Lauderdale County 

from which to establish water-level trends 

in the area. 

Area1 Configuration 

To supplement data from the observation well network, water levels were measured in many water wells for the purpose 

of making generalized maps showing the 

area1 configuration of the water-level 

(potentiometric) surfaces in the principal 

shallow aquifers. These maps, given in 

figures 12 through 15, show the altitude 

in feet at which water would have stood in 

tightly cased wells open to the aquifers 

in October 1983. 

Water in the Mississipppi alluvial 

deposits may be under unconfined (water 

table) conditions at most places at most 

times of the year, but at times of nigh 

water levels, water in this aquifer 

locally is under confined (artesian) or 

semi-confined conditions. This change in 

condition is probably the result of the 

aquifer becoming completely filled so that 

the water becomes confined by the finer 

sediments (clay, silt, and fine sand) 

which overlie and form a cap on the 

coarser sediments (sand and gravel) which 

make up the main aquifer. This filling 

of the aquifer above its normal recharge 

level is probably the result of lateral 

recharge from high stages in surface 

water bodies such as the Mississippi 

River. 

Using altitudes shown in figure 12 

and extremes in altitude of the topography in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, 

it is estimated that water levels in the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits range from 

slightly above land surface to about 35 

feet below land surface. 

The configuration of the water-level 

surface in the Cockfield Formation in the 

Gulf Coastal Plain area of Lauderdale 

County is a subdued replica or the topography. That is, the water-level surface 

follows the contour of the land surface. 

Water levels are at higher altitudes but 

18 
19 
LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

4 

-4 enni 

W Our 

I SCALE 

5 0 5 MILES 

w-l--+ I 

I DATUM IS SEA LEVEL I 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1:500.000, 1973 

Figure 9.-- Locations of test holes and observation wells. 

EXPLANATION 

N-3 F-8 0 Test hole and number 

h Observation well and number 

L-Z 

QR Observation well with recorder and number 

Test holes were drilled at sites 

of each observation well. 

Ld: Prefix is not shown (See page v> 

20 
13A3-l V’3S 3AOaV 1333 NI ‘13A3-l t131VM A-IHINOW lS3MOl 

v, 

0 

a 

W 

0 

0 

5 

33v’Jtlns aNv-l MO138 t10 3Aoav 1333 NI 

‘13A31 ki3lVM AlHlNOL/V ISElM 

21 
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2 _--- 

<---- x ‘\ 

I 1 I I I I 

33V’JtlClS CINV-I MO138 1’33, NI ‘13AFll t13 IVM MO1 AlH 1 

22 
LAUDERDALE 

HHH 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1:500.000, 1973 

Figure 12.-- Altitude of the water-level surface in the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits, October 1983 (General configuration of water-level 

surface modified from Krinitzsky and Wire, 19641. 

EXPLANATION 

- 230- WATER-LEVEL CONTOUR-- 

Shows altitude at which water level 

would have stood in tightly cased 

wells. Contour interval 10 feet. 

@ 242 Unused well 

-Q 245 Observation well 

0253 Irrigation well 

*227 Low-flow at staff gage 

Number at each site is altitude of water level. 

23 
greater depths beneath the hills and 

ridges and at lower altitudes but lesser 

depths beneath the valleys and flood 

plains. 

Water in the Cockfield may be unconfined, semi-confined, or confined, depending on local conditions. Large differences in the altitude of the water-level 

surface in the Cockfield exist between the 

uplands of the Gulf Coastal Plain and the 

lowlands of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain 

at their juncture along the bluffs. Consequently, water from the Cockfield probably provides significant recharge to the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits laterally 

along the front of the bluffs and some 

recharge as upward leakage under the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. These large differences in the water-level surface also 

may be the cause of water being semiconfined or confined under pressure where 

clay beds or lenses in the aquifer serve 

as local confining beds. 

Using altitudes shown in figure 13 

and extremes in altitude of the topography 

in the county, it is estimated that water 

levels in the Cockfield Formation range 

from near land surface to as much as 150 

feet below land surface, depending on 

location and altitude. 

Water in the Memphis Sand probably is 

confined at most places by the Cook Mountain Formation. Where the Cook Mountain 

is displaced by faults, the Memphis Sand 

and Cockfield may be in direct hydraulic 

connection. Differences between the 

water-level surfaces shown by figures 13 

and 14 indicate a potential for downward 

leakage of water from the Cockfield to the 

Memphis Sand in most of the county. It is 

also possible that in some areas the upper 

part of the Memphis Sand is separated from 

the lower part by clay beds or lenses 

which effectively act as confining beds, 

resulting in differences in water levels 

between these two parts of the aquifer. 

Because of complications in the stratigraphy of the upper part of the aquifer 

and upper confining bed and of the existence of faults, the water-level surface 

of the Memphis Sand in Lauderdale County 

may be more complex than is shown in 

figure 14. 

The configuration of the water-level 

surface in the Memphis Sand slopes gently 

to the west. Using altitudes shown in 

figure 14 and extremes in altitude of the 

topography in the county, it is estimated 

that water levels range from near land 

surface at the lower altitudes in the 

Mississippi Alluvial Plain to as much as 

250 feet below land surface at the higher 

altitudes in the Gulf Coastal Plain. 

Although no wells are available for 

water-level for measurement in the Fort 

Pillow Sand in Lauderdale County, the 

generalized configuration of the waterlevel surface can be estimated from the 

regional water-level configuration (Hosman 

and others, 1968) and measurements made in 

Mississippi County, Arkansas. 

Water in the Fort Pillow Sand is confined by thick relatively impermeable confining beds above and below. According to 

Criner and others (1964, p. 037), aquifer 

tests at Memphis indicate that the Fort 

Pillow Sand, hydraulically, is almost an 

ideal artesian aquifer. 

The water-level surface slopes gently 

towards the southwest towards pumpage 

centers in Mississippi County, Ark. Using 

altitudes shown in figure 15 and extremes 

in altitude of the topography in the 

county, it is estimated that water levels 

range from near land surface at the lowest 

altitudes in the Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain to as much as 275 feet below land 

surface at the highest altitudes in the 

Gulf Coastal Plain. 

WATER QUALITY 

Over the years the Geological Survey 

has collected some water-quality information for the aquifers in Lauderdale 

County. Between 1929 and 1965, 20 wells 

were sampled--most during the 1950's. 

This water was analyzed for selected 

common constituents and properties, and 

the analyses were published by Parks 

(1981, table 4). 

During the present investigation an 

additional 19 wells were sampled, including a representative selection of currently producing industrial and public 

supply wells. This water was analyzed for 

selected common constituents and properties and also selected trace constituents. These analyses are published in 

the Survey's annual reports, "Water 

Resources Data for Tennessee," for the 

1980, 1981, and 1982 water years and are 

not repeated here. 

For this report, a statistical summary was compiled using the data from 

analyses for 34 wells in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits, Cockfield Formation, 

and Memphis Sand. Analyses of water from 

three shallow, public supply wells in the 

fluvial deposits at Henning and two wells 

in the Jackson Formation at Edith were 

excluded in the summary inasmuch as the 

fluvial deposits and the Jackson Formation 

are not considered principal shallow aquifers. A short discussion is given of the 

general chemical constituents of the Fort 

Pillow Sand based on data from outside 

the county. 

General Characteristics 

Statistical data for selected common 

constituents and properties of water from 

24 
89“45’ 89O30’ 

I I 

LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

HHH 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1.500,000, 1973 

Figure 13.-- Altitude of the water-level surface in the Cockfield 

Formation, ‘October 1983. 

EXPLANATION 

- 220 - WATER-LEVEL CONTOUR-- 

Shows altitude at which water level 

would have stood in tightly cased wells. 

Dashed where approximately located. 

Contour interval 20 feet. 

+ 

327 Unused well 

N 226 Observation well 

Number at each site is altitude of water level. 

25 
89’45’ 89’30’ 

LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

SCALE 

5 0 

l-4-H 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1:500,000, 1973 

Figure 14.-- Altitude of the water-level surface in the Memphis Sand, October 1983. 

EXPLANATION 

- 240 - WATER-LEVEL CONTOUR-- 

Shows altitude at which water level 

would have stood in tightly cased 

wells. Contour interval 10 feet. 

0 258 Farm well 

‘s 254 Observation well 

0 247 Public-supply well 

Number at each site is altitude of water level 

26 
LAUDERDALE COUNTY 

SCALE 

5 0 

HUH 

DATUM IS SEA LEVEL 

Base from U.S. Geological 

Survey 1:500,000, 1973 

Figure 15.-- Altitude of the water-level surface in the Fort Pillow Sand, 

October 1983 (General configuration of the water-level 

surface modified from Hosman and others 1968, plate 41. 

EXPLANATION 

- 220 - - WATER-LEVEL CONTOUR-- 

Shows altitude at which water level 

would have stood in tightly cased 

wells. Dashed where approximately 

located. Contour interval 10 feet. 

0 2 ’ ’ Public-supply well 

@ 2oo Industrial-supply well 

Number at each site is altitude of water level. 

27 
the Mississippi alluvial deposits, Cockfield Formation, and Memphis Sand in 

Lauderdale County are given in table 4. 

In general, these data show that water in 

these three aquifers is a calcium bicarbonate type. 

The highest median concentrations of 

most of the common constituents and properties are in water from the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits; thus, this aquifer contains the most mineralized water of the 

three aquifers. Iron, manganese, potassium, and total organic carbon are lowest 

in the Cockfield with median values of 

1,900 micrograms per liter (ug/L), 106 

ug/L, 1.7 mg/L, and 0.5 mg/L, respectively. Water temperature increases with 

depth. Median values are 16.0°C for the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits, 17.0°C for 

the Cockfield Formation, and 18.0°C for 

the Memphis Sand. 

With the exception of the parameters 

discussed above, the median concentrations 

of the selected common constituents and 

properties of ground water generally 

decrease with increasing depth. In general, the water from the three principal 

shallow aquifers is of good quality. 

Undesirable parameters from standpoint of 

use, though not detrimental to health, 

are high hardness, high concentrations of 

dissolved iron, and moderate concentrations of dissolved solids. 

Water from the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits is characteristically very hard 

(median value--354 mg/L as CaC03) and 

has high concentrations of iron (median 

value--11,200 ug/L) and moderate concentrations of dissolved solids (median 

value--402 mg/L). Locally, shallow wells 

less than 25 feet deep provide somewhat 

softer water with lower concentrations of 

iron and dissolved solids. The lower 

degree of mineralization is probably due 

to recharge from surface sources (rainfall, nearby streams, or lakes). 

Water from the Cockfield Formation is 

hard (median value--l27 mg/L as CaC03), 

and has lower concentrations of dissolved 

iron (median value--l,900 ug/L) and dissolved solids (median value--l42 mg/L) 

than the Mississippi alluvial deposits, 

but it has higher dissolved solids concentrations than the Memphis Sand. This 

water is commonly treated to remove iron. 

Water from the Memphis Sand is moderately hard (median value--84 mg/L as 

CaC03) has lower dissolved solids concentrations (median value--112 mg/L) than 

the Mississippi alluvial deposits and the 

Cockfield, but it has higher dissolved 

iron concentrations (median value--5,800 

ug/L) than the Cockfield. Treatment for 

iron removal commonly includes aeration, 

sedimentation (or coagulation and sedimentation), and filtration. 

Although no water-quality data are 

available for the Fort Pillow Sand in 

Lauderdale County, this aquifer is worthy 

of discussion because it is the next 

deepest aquifer beneath the Memphis Sand 

that has potential for development. The 

Fort Pillow Sand is untapped in Lauderdale 

County, but because of the quality of its 

water, this aquifer is used exclusively 

as the principal source of water for 

public and industrial supplies across 

the Mississippi River in Mississippi 

County, Arkansas. 

According to Ryling (1960, p. 57) the 

Fort Pillow Sand (Wilcox Formation in his 

report) contains sodium bicarbonate type 

water that is uniformly low in mineralization. Analyses given by Ryling (1960, 

table 14) of water from supply wells at 

Blytheville, Burdette, Luxora, and 

Osceola, show that the dissolved solids 

concentrations in water from the Fort 

Pillow Sand equivalent in Mississippi 

County, Arkansas, are about the same as 

those from the Memphis Sand in Lauderdale 

County. Of significance though is the 

fact that the water from the Fort Pillow 

Sand is soft (16 to 28 mg/L as CaC03) 

and dissolved iron concentrations are 

lower (180 to 1,600 ug/L) than in the 

Memphis Sand in Lauderdale County. The 

quality of water from the Fort Pillow 

Sand in Lauderdale County would have to be 

confirmed by test wells. Water from the 

Fort Pillow Sand can be expected to be 

somewhat warmer (21.0° to 26.0° C) than 

that from the Memphis Sand. 

Trace Constituents 

Statistical data for selected trace 

constituents in water from the principal 

shallow aquifers are given in table 5. Of 

these trace constituents, arsenic and zinc 

are the only ones that are consistently 

present in the samples analyzed. The concentrations of arsenic are greatest in 

water from the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits having a median value of 6 ug/L 

and a maximum value of 14 ug/L. Very 

small concentrations of arsenic are present in the Cockfield and Memphis Sand 

with maximum values of 1 ug/L and 2 ug/L, 

respectively, for these aquifers. 

Zinc is present in small concentrations in water from all three aquifers. 

Locally, however, the Memphis Sand may 

contain what seems to be anomalously high 

concentrations of zinc. Zinc concentration was 240 ug/L in water from the observation well (Ld.:G-12) in the Memphis Sand 

at Glimp. 

The other trace constituents determined--cadmium, chromium, copperr lead, 

mercury, and selenium--either were below 

the limits of detection for the analytical 

techniques used or were present in very 

small concentrations. 

28 
The values of the selected trace 

constituents are all well below the maximum concentrations recommended by the U.S. 

Environmental PKOteCtiOn Agency (1979) for 

drinking water supplies. 

Short-term Changes 

To provide background information on 

short-term changes in water quality, two 

wells-- Ld:F-8 in the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits and Ld:N-4 in the upper part of 

the Memphis Sand --were sampled monthly for 

12 months and twice at 6-month intervals 

thereafter. These analyses have or are 

being published in the Survey's "Water 

ReSOUKCeS Data for Tennessee" for the 

1981, 1982, and 1983 water years, and are 

not repeated here. 

The analyes show slight variations 

in the values for the common constituents 

and properties and for the selected trace 

constituents over this short-term period, 

but the variations do not seem to show any 

correlation between seasonal high and low 

water-levels. These variations may be the 

result of differences in the quality of 

the water in the aquifers as received at 

the wells OK in the sampling procedures or 

analytical techniques. 

AQUIFER CHARACTERISTICS 

Single-well pumping tests were made 

in four observation wells installed during 

the present investigation. Of these, two 

were in the Mississippi alluvial deposits, 

one in the Cockfield Formation, and one 

in the Memphis Sand. Estimated values of 

transmissivity made from these tests may 

not be indicative of the transmissivity 

of the individual aquifers because of 

excessive drawdown due to water entrance 

losses to the wells and partial penetration of the aquifers. The few aquifer 

tests (multiple-well pumping tests) previously made in the county and in nearby 

areas may provide a more reliable indication of aquifer characteristics than the 

single-well pumping tests. However, any 

test is valid only for the immediate area 

of the test site. 

Single well pumping tests in wells 

Ld:S-2 and Ld:F-8, both in the Mississippi 

alluvial deposits, provided estimated 

values of transmissivity of about 17,700 

and 24,100 (ft3/d)/ft, respectively. 

Ld:S-2 was screened for 20 feet in a sand 

and gravel about 100 feet thick, and 

Ld:F-8 was screened for 20 feet in a fine 

to medium sand about 90 feet thick. The 

results of four aquifer tests made in 

wells in the alluvial deposits in Mississippi County, Arkansas, indicated values 

of transmissivity ranging from about 

16,100 to 38,900 (ft3/d)ft (Wling, 

1960, table 9). The values estimated for 

wells Ld:S-2 and Ld:F-8 are within this 

range and may be a reliable indication of 

transmissivity of the alluvial deposits at 

these sites. Values of storage determined 

from the Arkansas tests from 

5x10-4 to 9x10-4. 

ranged 

A single-well pumping test made in 

well Ld:L-2 in the Cockfield Formation 

provided an estimated value of transmissivity of about 1,500 (ft3/d)/ft. An 

aquifer test made in 1961 at the U.S. 

Military Reservation near Halls, involving 

two wells screened in the Cockfield indicated a transmissivity of about 

(it3/d)/ft (Moore, 1965, fig. 4). 

2,500 

The 

1,500 (ft3/d)/ft from the test in Ld:L-2 

may represent the transmissivity of the 

46-foot fine sand in which the 20-foot 

screen was set. If so, the hydraulic 

conductivity of this sand would be about 

32 (ft3/d)/ft2 which seems a reasonable value for such a sand. The test at 

the U.S. Mi1itar f Reservation indicated a 

storage of 3x10- for the Cockfield. 

A single-well pumping test made in 

well Ld:G-12 in the upper part of the 

Memphis Sand provioed an estimated value 

of transmissivity 

(ft3/d)/ft. An aquifoe: 

about 8,000 

test made in 

1961 at Ripley, involving two municipal 

wells screened in the lower part of the 

Memphis Sand indicated a transmissivity 

of about 22,400 (ft3/d)/ft Moore, 1965, 

plate 7). The 8,000 h (ft /d)/ft from 

the test in Ld:G-12 may represent the 

transmissivity of the i70-foot fine OK 

fine to medium sand In which the 20-foot 

screen was set. If so, the hydraulic 

conductivity of this sand would be about 

47 (ft3/d)/ft2 which seems like 

reasonable value for such a sand. NE 

value of storage was determined from the 

test at Ripley, but tests at Memphis indicate a value of 3x10'3 for the Memphis 

Sand (Criner and others, 1964, p. 30). 

No aquifer test data are available 

fOK the Fort Pillow Sand in Lauderdale 

County. An aquifer test made at the 

Blytheville Air Force Base in Mississippi 

County, Arkansas, indicated a transmissivity of about 

storage of 2x10-4 

21,400 (ft3/d),'i;uiafE; 

for this 

(Wling, 1960, table 5). Criner and 

others (1964, p. 037) give ranges of 

transmissivity from about 12,100 to 18,800 

(ft3/d)/ft and storage from 1.5x10-4 

t0 4X10-4 fOK this aquifer at Memphis. 

The above values should provide a guide to 

transmissivity and storage to be expected 

for this aquifer in Lauderdale County. 

NEED FOR ADDITIONAL WORK 

This investigation of the groundwater system in Lauderdale County closely 

followed the plan proposed by Parks (1981, 

p. 46-53). As the work progressed, however, this plan had to be modified some29 
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32 
what to satisfy field conditions. Some 

suggested items for future work are as 

follows: 

o maintain the observation well network to provide the length of record 

necessary to establish seasonal and 

long-term water-level trends in the 

principal shallow aquifers: 

o collect additional water-level data 

and prepare detailed water-level 

maps of the aquifers to provide a 

better understanding of the groundwater flow system and areas of discharge and recharge; 

o install small diameter observation 

wells at selected depths and specified distances from several existing wells that can be pumped so that 

aquifer tests can be made to determine reliable values of transmissivity and storage; 

o run additional geophysical logs in 

test holes, new water wells, and 

abandoned wells to provide more geologic information to refine geologic 

structures, such as faults; and 

o make a comprehensive inventory of 

water wells to determine the present 

withdrawal from private wells that 

supply water for farm and domestic 

uses and to locate wells for geophysical logging and water-level 

measurement. 

The preceding items deal specifically 

with additional work needed to further 

define the ground-water system and do not 

take into consideration additional work 

needed to further appraise the lignite 

resource. Nevertheless, much information 

about the lignite resouce could be 

obtained for making natural gamma and 

gamma-gamma (density) logs in abandoned 

wells of plastic casing construction. The 

success of this activity would require the 

cooperation of well owners and a way to 

remove the pumps from the wells. 

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 

Lauderdale county is situated in two 

major physiographic subdivisions. The 

eastern part is in the rolling-to-steep 

Gulf Coastal Plain, and the western part 

is in the flat-lying Mississippi Alluvial 

Plain. The boundary between these two 

subdivisions is defined by a line of 

bluffs, which locally have as much as 250 

feet of relief. 

The surface geology is, for the most 

part, relatively uncomplicated. The 

youngest geologic units at the surface are 

the alluvial deposits (alluvium), loess, 

and fluvial (terrace) deposits of Quaternaw age. These surficial deposits are 

underlain by the Jackson Formation or the 

Cockfield Formation, both of Tertiary age. 

The Tertiary formations cannot be reliably 

subdivided at most places on the basis of 

present information. 

The shallow subsurface formations 

underlying the Cockfield Formation are the 

Cook Mountain Formation and deeper Memphis 

Sand. Test holes drilled for this investigation show that (1) the Cook Mountain 

is not as thick as was expected, commonly 

about 60 feet: (2) the overlying Cockfield 

and the underlying Memphis Sand contain 

intervals of clay that could be confused 

with the Cook Mountain; and (3) the Cook 

Mountain commonly is not at a predictable 

structural position, when assuming an 

undisturbed structural setting for the 

area. These discordances of the Cook 

Mountain are interpreted to be the result 

of faulting. Several north-northeast and 

west-northwest trending faults and their 

locations are identified by correlation 

of the Cook Mountain on the geophysical 

logs of wells. 

The principal shallow aquifers in the 

county above the Midway Group, from 

youngest to oldest, are: (1) the Mississippi alluvial deposits; (2) the Cockfield 

Formation and (3) the Memphis Sand, both 

of the Claiborne Group; and (4) the Fort 

Pillow Sand of the Wilcox Group. The 

Mississippi alluvial deposits are Quaternary age, and the Cockfield, Memphis Sand, 

and Fort Pillow Sand are Tertiary age. 

The Mississippi alluvial deposits, the 

principal aquifer used for domestic, farm, 

and irrigation supplies in the Mississippi 

Alluvial Plain, can be as much as 180 feet 

thick, but generally range from 100 to 150 

feet in thickness. Existing wells in this 

aquifer are generally less than 120 feet 

deep and pump from 5 to 1,500 gal/min. 

The Cockfield Formation, the principal 

aquifer used for domestic and farm supplies and for some industrial and public 

supplies in the Gulf Coastal Plain, is 

estimated to be 250 to 270 feet thick 

(where completely preserved). At most 

places, however, this aquifer has been 

reduced by erosion and locally is as little as 35 feet thick. Existing wells in 

the Cockfield are generally less than 350 

feet deep and pump from 5 to 300 gal/min. 

The Memphis Sand, the principal aquifer used for public supplies in the Gulf 

Coastal Plain, ranges from 650 to 770 feet 

in thickness. This aquifer is being used 

where the sands of the shallower aquifers 

do not yield sufficient water for largecapacity wells. Existing wells range from 

400 to 800 feet in depth and pump from 60 

to 1,120 gal/min. 

The Fort Pillow Sand is, as yet, 

untapped. This aquifer underlies the 

entire county and ranges from 160 to 300 

feet in thickness. Although it is deeper 

and probably will not yield as much water 

as the Memphis Sand, the Fort Pillow Sand 

has potential to yield water of somewhat 

better quality than the shallower 

aquifers. 

33 
Water use statistics for 1982 show 

that the average withdrawal was only about 

3.1 Mgal/d to supply the main water-supply 

systems in the county. These water-supply 

systems include those at Halls, Henning, 

Fort Pillow State Prison Farm, Gates, and 

Ripley. The Lauderdale County Water Association provides water to most rural areas 

of the county. 

Water levels, fluctuate seasonally. 

High water-levels generally occur in the 

winter, spring, or early summer, and low 

water-levels occur in the fall or early 

winter. Water levels range from near land 

surface to as much as 275 feet below land 

surface. Altitudes of the water-level 

surfaces in the principal shallow aquifers 

are highest in the eastern part of the 

county and are lowest in the western part. 

However, the depth to water in a particular aquifer depends on the local altitude 

of the land surface. Records of observation wells close to the Mississippi River 

show correlations between high water 

levels and prolonged high stages of the 

river. 

Water from the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits, Cockfield Formation, and Memphis 

Sand is a calcium bicarbonate type and is, 

in general, of good quality. Water is 

most mineralized in the Mississippi, alluvial deposits, and least in the Memphis 

Sand. Undesirable parameters from the 

standpoint of use are hardness and concentrations of dissolved iron and dissolved 

solids. 

Water from the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits is characteristically very hard 

(Median value--354 mg/L as CaCO3), and 

has high concentrations of iron (median 

value--11,200 ug/L) and moderate concentrations of dissolved solids (median 

value--402 mg/L. Water from the Cockfield 

Formation is hard (median value--l27 mg/L 

as CaC03) and has lower concentrations 

of dissolved iron (median value--l,900 

ug/L) and dissolved solids (median vaiue-- 

142 mg/L) than the Mississippi alluvial 

deposits, but it has higher concentrations 

of dissolved solids than the Memphis Sand. 

Water from the Memphis Sand is moderately 

hard (median value--84 mg/L as CaC03) 

and has lower dissolved solids concentrations (median value--112 mg/L) than the 

Mississippi alluvial deposits and the 

Cockfield, but it has higher dissolved 

iron concentrations (median value--S,800 

ug/L) than the Cockfield. 

Values of transmissivity were estimated from single-well pumping tests in 

four observation wells. These values for 

the Mississippi alluvial deposits are 

17,700 and 24,100 (ft3/d)/ft, for the 

Cockfield Formation 1,500 (ft3/d)/ft, 

and for the 

(ft3/d)/ft. 

Memphis Sand 8,000 

Because of partial penetration of the aquifers, these values of 

transmissivity may not be indicative of 

the total thickness of the individual 

aquifers. 

Items suggested for future work include (1) maintenance of the observation 

well network for the collection of longterm water-level data, (2) collection of 

additional water-level data for the preparation of detailed water-level maps of the 

aquifers, (3) installation of wells near 

existing wells for making aquifer tests, 

(4) geophysical logging of additional 

wells to provide more geologic information 

to refine geologic structures, and (5) a 

comprehensive inventory of water weils for 

determining the present withdrawal from 

private wells and for locating wells in 

which geophysical logs and water-level 

measurements could be made. 

SELECTED REFERENCES 

Boswell, E. H., Cushing, E. M., and 

Hosman, R. L., 1968, Quaternary aquifers in the Mississippi embayment, with 

a discussion of Quality of water by 

H. G. Jeffery: U.S. Geological Survey 

Professional Paper 448-E, p. El-E15. 

Criner, J. H., and Parks, W. S., 1976, 

Historic water-level changes and pumpage 

from the principal aquifers of the 

Memphis area, Tennessee: 1886-1975: 

U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources 

Investigations Report 76-67, 45 p. 

Criner, J. H., Sun, P-C. P., and Nyman, 

D. J., 1964, Hydrology of the aquifer 

systems in the Memphis area, Tennessee: 

U.S. Geoiogical Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 1779-0, p. 01-054. 

Cushing, E. M., Boswell, E. H., and 

Hosman, R. L., 1964, General geology of 

the Mississippi embayment: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 448-B, 

p. Bl-B28. 

Cushing, E. M., Boswell, E. H., Speer, 

P. R., Hosman, R. L., and others, 1970, 

Availability of water in the Mississippi 

embayment: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 448-A, p. Al-A13. 

Fenneman, N. M., 1938, Physiography of 

eastern United States: New York and 

London, McGraw-Hill, 714 p. 

Glenn, L. C., 1906, Underground waters of 

Tennessee and Kentucky west of Tennessee 

River and of an adjacent area in Illinois: U.S. Geological Survey WaterSupply Paper 164, 173 p. 

Graham, D. D., 1982, Effects of urban 

development on the aquifers in the 

Memphis area, Tennessee: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 82-4024, 20 p. 

Hardeman, W. D., Miller, R. A., ano 

Swingle, G. D., compilers, 1966, Geologic map of Tennessee: Tennessee 

Division of Geology, scale 1:250,000, 

4 sheets. 

34 
Heyl, A. V., and McKeown, F. A., 1978, 

Preliminary seismotectonic map of the 

central Mississippi Valley and environs: 

U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous 

Field Studies Map MF-1011, scale 

1:500,000, 2 sheets. 

Hildenbrand, T. G., Kane, M. F., and 

Hendricks, J.D., 1982, Magnetic basement 

in the upper Mississippi embayment 

region--a preliminary report: U.S. 

Geological Survey Professional Paper 

1236-E, p. 39-53. 

Hosman, R. L., Long, A. T., Lambert, 

and others, 1968, Tertiary aquifers in 

the Mississippi embayment, with discussions of Quality of water by H. G. 

Jeffery: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 448-D, p. Dl-D29. 

Krinitzsky, E. L., and Wire, J. C., 1964, 

Ground water in alluvium of the Lower 

Mississippi Valley (upper and central 

areas): U.S. Army Engineer Waterways 

Experiment Station Technical Report 

No. 3-658 (2 v.) 100 p. 

Lanphere, C. R., 1955, Geologic source and 

chemical quality of public ground-water 

supplies in western Tennessee: Tennessee Division of Geology Report of Investigation no. 1, 69 p. 

Luppens, J. A., 1978, Exploration for Gulf 

Coast United States lignite deposits: 

Their distribution, quality, and 

reserves: Paper presented at the 

Second International Coal Exploration 

Symposium, at Denver, Colorado, October 

l-4, 1978, 17 p. 

Milhous, H. C., 1959, Well logs in Tennessee : Tennessee Division of Geology 

Bulletin 62, 606 p. 

Miller, R. A., 1974, The geologic history 

of Tennessee: Tennessee Division of 

Geology Bulletin 74, 63 p. 

Moore, G. K., 1965, Geology and hydrology 

of the Claiborne Group in western Tennessee: U.S. Geological Survey WaterSupply Paper 1809-F, p. Fl-F44. 

Moore, G. K., and Brown, D. L, 1969, 

Stratigraphy of the Fort Pillow test 

well, Lauderdale County, Tennessee: 

Tennessee Division of Geology Report of 

Investigations 26, 1 sheet. 

Parks, W. S., 1981, Appraisal of hydrologic information needed in anticipation 

of lignite mining in Lauderdale County, 

Tennessee: U.S. Geological Survey 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 

80-54, 67 p. 

Russell, E. E., and Parks, W. S., 1975, 

Stratigraphy of the outcropping Upper 

Cretaceous, Paleocene, and lower Eocene 

in western Tennessee (including descriptions of younger fluvial deposits): 

Tennessee Division of Geology Bulletin 

75, 118 p. 

Ryling, R. W., 1960, Ground-water potential of Mississippi County, Arkansas: 

Arkansas Geological and Conservation 

Commission Water Resources Circular No. 

7, 87 p. 

Saucier, R. T., and others, 1964-78, Geological investigation of the St. Francis 

basin: U.S. Army Engineer Waterways 

Experiment Station Technical Report 

3-659, folio of maps and cross sections 

published at various dates, approx. 45 

sheets. 

Stearns, R. G., and Wilson, C. W., Jr., 

1972, Relationships of earthquakes and 

geology in West Tennessee and adjacent 

areas: Knoxville, Tennessee, Tennessee 

Valley Authority, 302 p. 

Stearns, R. G., Wilson, J. M., and 

Reesman, A. L., 1981, Impact of proposed 

lignite mining in west Tennessee: U.S. 

Bureau of Mines, a minerals research 

report to complete contract 50100024 

with Vanderbilt University and Environmental Systems Corporation of Nashville, 

Tennessee, 247 p. 

Strausberg, S. I., and Schreurs, R. L., 

1958, Ground-water resources of the Mississippi alluvial valley of Tennessee: 

Unpublished report on file in the 

Memphis office of U.S. Geological Survey 

and Nashville office of Tennessee Division of Geology, 49 p. 

Tennessee Department of Public Health, 

Stream Pollution Control Board, 1964-65, 

Ground-water survey of western Tennessee: 49 p. 

U.S. Environment Protection Agency, 1976, 

National interim primary drinking water 

regulations, Environmental Protection 

Aqency Report 570/g-76-003, 159 p. 

1979; National interim secondary 

drinking water regulations: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Report 

570/9-76-000, 37 p. 

U.S. Geological Survey (no date), Groundwater levels in the United States-- 

Southeastern States: U.S. Geological 

Survey Water-Supply Paper(s) 1978, 2171, 

and 2165 (5-year summaries for 1964-68 

and 1969-73) and annual summary for 

1974. 

1965-83, Water resources data for 

Tennessee: U.S. Geological Survey Data 

Report. Issued annually. 

Wells, F. G., 1933, Ground-water 

resources of western Tennessee, with a 

discussion of Chemical character of 

water by F. G. Wells and M. D. Foster: 

U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 656, 319 p. 

35