Digital data sets that describe aquifer characteristics of the Rush Springs aquifer in western Oklahoma

This data set consists of digitized polygons of constant hydraulic conductivity values for the Rush Springs aquifer in western Oklahoma. This area encompasses all or part of Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Comanche, Custer, Dewey, Grady, Stephens, and Washita Counties. For the purposes of modeling the ground-water flow in the Rush Springs aquifer, Mark F. Becker (U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 1997) defined the Rush Springs aquifer to include the Rush Springs Formation, alluvial and terrace deposits along major streams, and parts of the Marlow Formations, particularly in the eastern part of the aquifer boundary area. The Permian-age Rush Springs Formation consists of highly cross-bedded sandstone with some interbedded dolomite and gypsum. The Rush Springs Formation is overlain by Quaternary-age alluvial and terrace deposits that consist of unconsolidated clay, silt, sand, and gravel. The Rush Springs Formation is underlain by the Permian-age Marlow Formation that consists of interbedded sandstones, siltstones, mudstones, gypsum-anhydrite, and dolomite beds (Mark F. Becker, written commun., 1997). The parts of the Marlow Formation that have high permeability and porosity are where the Marlow Formation is included as part of the Rush Springs aquifer. The Rush Springs aquifer underlies about 2,400 square miles of western Oklahoma and is an important source of water for irrigation, livestock, industrial, municipal, and domestic use. Irrigation wells are reported to have well yields greater than 1,000 gallons per minute (Mark F. Becker, written commun., 1997). The hydraulic conductivity values used by Mark F. Becker (written commun., 1997) to simulate the ground-water flow in the Rush Springs aquifer are 0.8, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 10.0 feet per day. The hydraulic conductivity values are based on specific capacity data and aquifer tests. Mark F. Becker created some of the hydraulic conductivity data set by digitizing parts of previously published surficial geology maps. Ground-water flow models are numerical representations that simplify and aggregate natural systems. Models are not unique; different combinations of aquifer characteristics may produce similar results. Therefore, values of hydraulic conductivity used in the model and presented in this data set are not precise, but are within a reasonable range when compared to independently collected data.

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  "010:12"
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  "geospatial"
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