Ground‐Water Flow in the Coastal Plain Aquifers of South Carolina

Abstract

The characteristics of the Coastal Plain aquifers of South Carolina are being studied as a part of the Regional Aquifer System Analysis program of the United States Geological Survey. Potentiometric maps were constructed for the Middendorf aquifer of Cretaceous age and for the Floridan aquifer system and its sand facies equivalent, Tertiary sand aquifer, prior to development. Also constructed was a potentiometric decline map for the period prior to development to November 1982 for the Middendorf aquifer. These maps are used to describe the ground‐water flow system. The Coastal Plain aquifers are recharged primarily by precipitation in their outcrop areas. Ground water flows from these areas of recharge, through the aquifers, and discharges to upper Coastal Plain rivers, overlying aquifers as upward leakage, and wells. Ground‐water flow in the Floridan aquifer system and the Tertiary sand aquifer prior to development is generally perpendicular to the coast. Predevelopment flow in the Cretaceous aquifers, however, turns northeastward as it approaches the coast, almost paralleling the coast. The change in flow direction is caused by less effective intervening confining units, the aquifers being closer to the land surface, and the rivers at lower altitudes farther upstream in the vicinity of the North Carolina/South Carolina State line. Water‐level declines in the Cretaceous aquifers have occurred throughout much of the eastern part of the Coastal Plain of South Carolina due to pumpage in the Myrtle Beach and Florence areas. Large areally extensive water‐level declines have also occurred in the Floridan aquifer system in South Carolina due to pumpage in the Savannah, Georgia area.

Groundwater availability in the Crouch Branch and McQueen Branch aquifers, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, 1900-2012

“…Aucott and Newcome (1986) and Newcome (1993Newcome ( , 2000 published reports that include selected information on well hydraulics and aquifer properties for sites in Chesterfield County. Other reports that include various information on the hydrology in the study area include others (1984, 1987a, b), Aucott and Speiran (1985a, b, c, 1986, 1996, and Aucott (1988Aucott ( , 1996. Harrelson and Fine (2006) published a report that represents a partial inventory of wells in North and South Carolina, including several wells within Chesterfield County.…”

Geology, hydrogeology, and potential of intrinsic bioremediation at the National Park Service Dockside II site and adjacent areas, Charleston, South Carolina, 1993-94

“…The Middendorf aquifer, in the Charleston area, is composed of late Cretaceous-age sands of the Middendorf Formation, and locally, sands of the overlying Shepard Grove Formation and the underlying Cape Fear Formation (Aucott and Speiran, 1985) (fig. 7).…”

“…The Black Creek aquifer is the uppermost regionally extensive aquifer of Cretaceous-age in the southern South Carolina Coastal Plain and is composed of sands of the Black Creek Group, and locally, sands of the overlying Peedee Formation (Aucott and Speiran, 1985) (fig. 7).…”

“…The Cape Fear aquifer is the lower-most, late Cretaceous-age Coastal Plain aquifer (Aucott and Speiran, 1985) (fig. 7).…”

Freshwater supply potential of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

“…In some areas ground-water levels have been excessively lowered owing, in part, to well interference from pumpage. In the Myrtle Beach area, water levels in production wells have been drawn down to depths greater than 150 feet below sea level (Aucott and Speiran, 1985 f.…”