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Summary
Ground water in Rush County is obtained principally from deposits of Pleistocene age and from the Dakota Formation of Cretaceous age. Maximum yields from irrigation wells tapping Pleistocene deposits in Walnut Creek valley have been measured as 1,200 gpm and reported as 1,500 gpm. The maximum reported yield from the Dakota was 500 gpm from a municipal well at La Crosse.
Water in storage in the Pleistocene deposits in Walnut Creek valley provides water for intensive irrigation. Recharge to the Pleistocene aquifer in the valley occurs quickly and in large amounts during periods of high flow in Walnut Creek. About 50,000 acre-feet of water may have been recharged in September 1959 by the maximum flood of record on Walnut Creek.
Water from Pleistocene deposits is hard to very hard, but otherwise is suitable for most uses. Dissolved-solids concentrations of water samples from Pleistocene deposits ranged from 369 to 789 mg/l. Water from the Dakota Formation is variable in chemical quality and generally is considered to be marginal for domestic use and for irrigation. Dissolved-solids concentrations of water samples from the Dakota ranged from 309 to 3,660 mg/l.
Logs of Test Holes
The logs of 6 test holes drilled or augered by the U.S. Geological Survey and the State Geological Survey of Kansas and one test hole drilled by Dal Wells are given on the following pages. Logs of additional test holes are on file at the state and U.S. Geological Survey offices, Lawrence, Kans., and may be examined there.
| 17-19W-21aaa--Sample log of test hole in the NE NE NE sec. 21, T. 17 S., R. 19 W., in trail into field about 13 feet east and 7 feet south of stone corner post in NE corner of section; augered August 2, 1960. Altitude of land surface, 2,222.6 feet. Depth to water, 23.5 feet. | Thickness, feet |
Depth, feet |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary System | |||||
 |
Pliocene Series | ||||
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Ogallala Formation | |||
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Soil | 3.5 | 3.5 |
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Silt with caliche nodules | 2.5 | 6 |
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Silt and clay; some sand | 2.5 | 8.5 |
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Sand, very fine to coarse | 10 | 18.5 |
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Sand and gravel, fine to coarse | 9.5 | 28 |
| Cretaceous System | |||||
|
Upper Cretaceous Series | ||||
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Colorado Group--Carlile Shale | |||
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Shale, weathered | .5 | 28.5 |
| 18-16W-24bcc--Sample log of test hole in the SW SW NW sec. 24, T. 18 S., R. 16 W., about 60 yards east of Otis blacktop in north track of trail going east just south of bridge over Walnut Creek; drilled September 28, 1960. Altitude of land surface, 1,930.7 feet. Depth to water, 17.1 feet. | Thickness, feet |
Depth, feet |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary System | |||||
|
Pleistocene Series | ||||
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Valley-fill Deposits | |||
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Roadfill and soil | 10 | 10 |
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Silt and clay, brown | 19 | 29 |
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Clay, silty grayish-white; some sand, very fine; some mollusk shells | 4 | 33 |
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Sand, fine to coarse | 7 | 40 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine; some clay | 10 | 50 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine to medium | 5 | 55 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; strip of clay at 75 feet; few mollusk shells | 35 | 90 |
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Sand, very fine; some clay | 8 | 98 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine | 17 | 115 |
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Sand, fine; some gravel | 5 | 120 |
| Cretaceous System | |||||
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Lower and Upper(?) Cretaceous Series | ||||
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Dakota Formation | |||
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Sand, fine to coarse (cemented with iron oxide); some clay, red and gray | 10 | 130 |
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Sand, fine (cemented with iron oxide) | 20 | 150 |
| 18-17W-31bbc--Sample log of test hole in the SW NW NW sec. 31, T. 18 S., R. 17 W., in east road shoulder about 21 yards south of sign for narrow bridge across Walnut Creek tributary or about 80 yards north of bridge; drilled September 22 to 26, 1960. Altitude of land surface, 2,000.1 feet. Depth to water, 21.0 feet. | Thickness, feet |
Depth, feet |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary System | |||||
|
Pleistocene Series | ||||
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Valley-fill Deposits | |||
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Roadfill | 4 | 4 |
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Silt and clay, tan to brown | 16 | 20 |
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Clay and silt, brown to black | 8 | 28 |
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Clay, silty, bluish-gray; some sand, very fine | 2 | 30 |
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Clay, silty, bluish-gray; sand, coarse, quartz; many fossil mollusks | 2 | 32 |
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Silt and clay, bluish-gray; sand, coarse, quartz; gravel, fine limestone | 6 | 38 |
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Clay, gray; sand, fine, quartz; many fossil mollusks | 4 | 42 |
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Sand, coarse, quartz; gravel, fine to medium, limestone, angular, some quartz, rounded | 8 | 50 |
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Sand, very fine to coarse, quartz; gravel, fine to coarse, limestone, rounded, some arkosic material; many fossil mollusks; some clay, brown to black | 25 | 75 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine to coarse composed of limestone; clay, silty, gray | 17 | 92 |
| Cretaceous System | |||||
|
Lower and Upper(?) Cretaceous Series | ||||
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|
Dakota Formation | |||
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Clay, silty, sandy, gray to ochre | 18 | 110 |
| 18-18W-28aac--Sample log of test hole in the SW NE NE sec. 28, T. 18 S., R. 18 W., two blocks south of Kans. Hwy. 96 and two blocks west of U.S. Hwy. 182, 14 yards north and 144 yards west of SW corner of vacant lot NW of school in Rush Center. Site of Rush Center city well; drilled by Dal Wells for Rush Center September 15, 1960. Altitude of land surface, 1,996.0 feet. Depth of water, 20.0 feet. | Thickness, feet |
Depth, feet |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary System | |||||
|
Pleistocene Series | ||||
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|
Valley-fill Deposits | |||
|
|
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Soil | 3 | 3 |
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Silt and clay, brown | 18 | 21 |
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Silt and clay, brown; some sand, fine | 3 | 24 |
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Sand, fine; some silt, brown | 2 | 26 |
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Sand, fine to coarse | 6 | 32 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine | 3 | 35 |
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Clay and sand | 1 | 36 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine | 3 | 39 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine; clay streaks | 15 | 54 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine to medium | 11 | 65 |
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Clay streak and sand | 1 | 66 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine to medium | 6 | 72 |
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Sand, very fine; clay, reddish-brown | 11 | 83 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine to medium | 6 | 89 |
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Sand with clay | 3 | 92 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine to medium | 9 | 101 |
| Cretaceous System | |||||
|
Lower and Upper(?) Cretaceous Series | ||||
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|
Dakota Formation | |||
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Shale, red; some sand | 3 | 104 |
| 18-20W-19add--Sample log of test hole in the SE SE NE sec. 19, T. 18 S., R. 20 W., about 100 yards north of half-mile line in west barpit; drilled September 22, 1960. Altitude of land surface, 2,075.3 feet. Depth to water 27.3 feet. | Thickness, feet |
Depth, feet |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary System | |||||
|
Pleistocene Series | ||||
|
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Valley-fill Deposits | |||
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Silt, light-brown | 10 | 10 |
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Silt and clay, light-brown; caliche zone at 13 feet about 0.2 foot thick | 10 | 20 |
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Silt and clay, tan to light-brown | 8 | 28 |
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Sand, very fine to fine | 7 | 35 |
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Sand, very fine to fine with some clay, bluish-black | 8 | 43 |
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Sand, fine to coarse; gravel, fine to medium; some clay | 4 | 47 |
| Cretaceous System | |||||
|
Upper Cretaceous Series | ||||
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Colorado Group--Graneros Shale | |||
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Shale, platy, hard, blackish-gray | 3 | 50 |
| 19-16W-23dad--Sample log of test hole in the SE NE SE sec. 23, T. 19 S., R. 16 W., in west road shoulder directly east of first line pole north of drive into farmstead; drilled September 29, 1960. Altitude of land surface, 1,980.8 feet. Depth to water, 28.9 feet. | Thickness, feet |
Depth, feet |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary System | |||||
|
Pleistocene Series | ||||
|
|
Valley-fill Deposits | |||
|
|
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Roadfill and silt, reddish-brown | 10 | 10 |
|
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Silt and clay, reddish-brown | 40 | 50 |
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Silt and clay, tan, soft, with caliche | 6 | 56 |
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Silt and clay, reddish-brown | 4 | 60 |
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Clay and silt, soft to hard, tannish-red to reddish-brown, with caliche | 16 | 76 |
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Clay and silt, black | 4 | 80 |
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Clay, black; gravel, fine to medium, limestone, angular; many mollusk shells | 10 | 90 |
|
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Clay, soft, silty, tan | 5 | 95 |
|
|
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Gravel, fine, limestone, angular | 6 | 101 |
| Cretaceous System | |||||
|
Lower and Upper(?) Cretaceous Series | ||||
|
|
Dakota Formation | |||
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|
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Clay, black, gray, and green | 9 | 110 |
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Rock chips; sand, fine; clay, variegated red | 10 | 120 |
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Sand, fine, limonitic cement; some clay | 10 | 130 |
| 19-18W-33aba--Sample log of test hole in the NE NW NE sec. 33, T. 18 S., R. 18 W., in the south road shoulder about 500 yards west of U.S. Hwy. 183; augered June 27, 1960. Altitude of land surface, 2,214.1 feet. Depth to water, 34.0 feet. | Thickness, feet |
Depth, feet |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary System | |||||
|
Pliocene Series | ||||
|
|
Ogallala Formation | |||
|
|
|
Roadfill | 3.5 | 3.5 |
|
|
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Silt, some sand | 5 | 8.5 |
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Sand, very fine, "flour like," pink | 8 | 16.5 |
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Sand, fine, pink | 4 | 20.5 |
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Sand, fine, grayish-pink | 7 | 27.5 |
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Sand, fine to medium, gray | 10 | 37.5 |
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Clay, tan; some sand | 6 | 43.5 |
| Cretaceous System | |||||
|
Upper Cretaceous Series | ||||
|
|
Colorado Group--Carlile Shale | |||
|
|
|
Shale, dark-gray | .5 | 44 |
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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology
Placed on web Aug. 22, 2008; originally published July 1973.
Comments to webadmin@kgs.ku.edu
The URL for this page is http://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/Geology/Rush/09_logs.html