Hydrology and water quality of the Shallow Aquifer System, Yorktown Battlefield, Colonial National Historical Park at Yorktown, Virginia

72 Pages·2001·3.6 MB·English

by  Speiran, G., Hughes, M.

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Hydrology and Water Quality of the Shallow Aquifer
System, Yorktown Battlefield, Colonial National
Historical Park at Yorktown, Virginia
U.S. Department ofthe Interior
National Park Service
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION
FORTCOLLINS, COLORADO
RESOURCE ROOM PROPERTY
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation
http://archive.org/details/hydrologywaterquOOspei
Hydrology and Water Quality of the Shallow Aquifer
System, Yorktown Battlefield, Colonial National
Historical Park at Yorktown, Virginia
By
Gary K. Speiran and Michael L. Hughes
U.S. Geological Survey
1730 East Parham Road
Richmond, VA 23228
September 2001
InteragencyAgreement
IA 4000-9-9013
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION
FORTCOLLINS, COLORADO
RESOURCE ROOM PROPERTY
National Park Service
Northeast Region Office
Stewardship and Partnership
200 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

CONTENTS
Summary
1
Introduction 2
Purpose and scope 4
Previous investigations 4
Description ofstudy area 5
Physiography 5
Landcover 8
Geology 8
Soils 11
Hydrology 12
Processes affecting ground-waterquality 13
Acknowledgments 16
Methods 16
Ground-waterhydrology 18
Aquifers andconfining units 18
YorkCounty shallow aquifersystem (undivided) 18
Columbia aquifer 18
Cornwallis Caveconfining unit 20
CornwallisCave aquifer 21
Yorktown confining unit 22
Yorktown-Eastoveraquifer 22
Conceptualized ground-waterflow 22
Ground-waterquality 27
Columbiaaquifer 27
Cornwallis Cave aquifer 33
Discussion 36
Future monitoring andresearch 38
Monitoring 39
Geohydrologic framework 39
Connection betweenthe shallow aquifersystem and streams, wetlands, and associated habitats 40
References 41
FIGURES
1. Locationofstudy areanearYorktown Battlefield, Colonial National Historical Park atYorktown, Virginia 3
2. General locationofscarps andterraces 6
3. Deep valley and steep valley wall ofthe YorkRiverBasin (A) and a less deeply incised valley and more
gently sloping valley wall oftheJames RiverBasin (B) 7
4. Fields maintainedfortheirhistorical significance, forests, andthe visitorcenter 9
5. Relation between geology and geohydrologic units 10
6. Diffuse dischargeofaseep (A) and the focuseddischarge ofaspring (B) 14
7. Locationofgeohydrologic sections, selected wells andboreholes having geohydrologic data,
andselectedsprings having water-quality data 17
8. Geohydrologic sections A-A' andB-B' 19
9. Altitudeoftop ofYorktown confining unit 23
10. Altitudeoftop ofYorktown-Eastoveraquifer 24
11. Generalizedrelation between geohydrologic units and ground-waterflow paths 25
12. Specific conductance, pH, and concentrations ofcalcium, bicarbonate, silica, and iron in water
fromselected springs discharging fromthe ColumbiaaquiferandCornwallis Cave aquifer 28
13. Concentrationofmajorions in waterfrom selected springs 29
14. Concentrations ofnutrients in waterfrom selected springs discharging from theColumbia aquiferand
Cornwallis Cave aquifer 34
15. Concentrations ofnitriteplus nitrate in waterfromselectedsprings 37
Al. LocationofYorktown Battlefield, the GraftonPonds Natural AreaPreserve, and nearby
physiographic features, Colonial National Historical Parkat Yorktown, Virginia 45
A2. Selectedpossiblehydrologic relations between the seasonal ponds andthe shallow aquifer;
(A)theColumbia aquiferperched andhaving ahigh watertable (the upperpartoftheCornwallis
Cave aquiferis unsaturated), (B) theColumbiaaquiferperchedand having a declining water
table, (C) theseasonalpondperched, and (D) theColumbiaand Cornwallis Caveaquifers saturated
withadeclining watertable 47
A3. Generalizedrelationbetweengeology and geohydrologic units and ground-waterflow paths 55
.
TABLES
1 Majorsoils and selected soil characteristics nearYorktown Battlefield, Colonial National
Historical Park at Yorktown, Virginia 12
2. Record ofcontrol wells and geohydrologic data 20
3. Water-quality data from selected seeps and springs in April 2000 30
PROJECT STATEMENTS
Effects ofHydrology on the Hydroperiods andWaterQuality ofSinkhole Ponds, Yorktown Battlefield, Virginia 43
Abstract 44
Problem 44
Projectdescription 48
References 50
Ranking criteria 50
EffectsofGround-WaterDischargefrom the Shallow AquiferSystemontheWaterQuantity and Quality
ofNontidal Streams andRiparianWetlands, YorktownBattlefield,Virginia 52
Abstract 53
Problem 53
Projectdescription 56
References 57
Ranking criteria 57
VI
CONVERSION FACTORS, VERTICAL DATUM, AND
ABBREVIATED WATER-QUALITY UNITS
Multiply By Toobtain
MeasurementsReported in Inch-Pound Units
Length
inch(in.) 25.4 millimeter(mm)
foot(ft) 0.3048 meter(m)
mile(mi) 1.609 kilometer(km)
Area
acre 0.4047 hectare(ha)
Velocity
inchperhour(in/h) 25.4 millimeterperhour(mm/h)
footperday(ft/d) 0.3048 meterperday(m/d)
HydraulicConductivity
footperday(ft/d) 0.3048 meterperday(m/d)
Measurements Reportedin International System Units
Length
micrometer(u.m) 0.0000003937 inch(in.)
millimeter(mm) 0.0003937 inch(in.)
Watertemperatureis reportedindegreeCelsius(°C), which canbeconvertedtodegree Fahrenheit (°F) bythefollowing
equation: °F= 1.8(°C)+32
Verticaldatum: Inthis report, "sea level" referstotheNationalGeodeticVertical Datumof 1929-ageodeticdatumderivedfrom ageneral
adjustmentofthefirst-orderlevel netsofthe United StatesandCanada, formerlycalled Sea Level Datumof 1929.
Abbreviatedwater-qualityunits: Chemicalconcentrationis reportedin milligrams perliter(mg/L) ormicrogramsperliter(ug/L). Milligrams per
literisaunitexpressingtheconcentration ofchemicalconstituentsinsolutionas mass (milligrams) ofsolute perunitvolume (liter)ofwater. One
thousandmicrogramsperliterisequivalenttoonemilligramperliter. Forconcentrationslessthan7,000mg/L,thenumericalvalueisthesameas
forconcentrationsin partspermillion. Specificconductanceofwateris reportedinmicrosiemens percentimeterat25degreesCelsius(uS/cm).
VII