Appraisal of the Water Resources of the Skunk Creek Aquifer in Minnehaha County, South Dakota

摘要

The Skunk Creek aquifer in Minnehaha County, a major glacial outwash deposit in the Skunk Creek drainage basin, consists of a 30-square-mile shallow stream-connected sand and gravel aquifer in southeastern South Dakota. The aquifer thickness ranges from 1 to 74 feet. Average annual fluctuation of the water table is 2.5 feet. The water has an average dissolved-solids content of 620 milligrams per liter and is very hard, averaging 403 milligrams per liter calcium carbonate hardness. The objectives of the study are to: (1) Describe the hydrogeological characteristics of the Skunk Creek aquifer; (2) characterize its hydrogeo-chemistry and the processes that influence the composition of the water; and (3) develop and calibrate a numerical (computer simulated) ground-water flow model for the aquifer under steady-state (equilibrium) and transient conditions. The model will be used as a management tool to predict the hydrologic effects of selected stresses applied to the hydrologic system.