GEOLOGICAL MAPPING AND 3D MODEL OF THE FARGO-MOORHEAD REGION, MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA, AND A REVIEW OF PUBLISHED INFORMATION ON GROUND WATER AVAILABILITY ASSESSMENT OF SURFICIAL AQUIFERS OF THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH BASIN, MINNESOTA

The Dakota Water Resources Act of 2000 (Section 8b) directs the Secretary of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation to complete a comprehensive study of the water quality and quantity needs of the Red River Valley in North Dakota. The Act (Section 8c) also requires that the Secretary and the State of North Dakota jointly prepare an Environmental Impact Statement concerning all feasible options to meet those needs, including delivery of Missouri River water to the Red River Valley. Options for meeting the water quality and quantity needs include: import of Missouri River water; use of existing water sources in the North Dakota portion of the basin; and use of existing water sources in North Dakota combined with existing water sources in the Minnesota portion of the basin. The Bureau of Reclamation therefore is conducting and sponsoring analyses to assess groundwater resources in North Dakota and Minnesota. The work in the study reported here provided data that will be used to evaluate potential water resources and assess environmental impacts associated with the use of these resources. The project produced a 3-Dimensional geological model of potential aquifers and enclosing materials, as well as a regional assessment of groundwater resources based on published literature, in the Fargo-Moorhead region. A multi-agency team compiled, interpreted, and integrated existing geologic, stratigraphic, and hydrologic maps at a scale of 1:200,000. These maps were merged with new subsurface interpretations to produce a computer-generated, 3D visualization down to the top of Precambrian rocks, compiled at a scale comparable to that of a 1:500,000 map. This new 3D geology and the accompanying compilation of available analyses on the character of major groundwater systems in the region, compiled from the point of view of potential water supplies, will provide the framework necessary to conduct subsequent analyses, and will facilitate simulation of the effects of changes in water use, land use, and/or climate.