A STANDARDIZED DATABASE OF WELL-DRILLERS' RECORDS FOR THE GLACIATED UNITED STATES

A standardized database of well-drillers’ records in the glaciated United States and adjacent portions of Canada is being compiled as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) WaterSMART program. The glacial aquifer system is the single largest aquifer system in the United States and is present in parts of 25 states, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coasts and along the International Boundary between the United States and Canada. For this effort, about 11.5 million well-driller’s records have been acquired from State-managed databases and from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database. The number of well-drillers’ records per state retrieved by this effort ranges from a few hundred in Maine to a few million in Minnesota. The standardization of the well-driller’s database utilizes several computer programs that reduce the compilation to well-drillers’ records that meet standards for completeness, accuracy, and contain consistent terminology. Most importantly, the driller’s descriptions are translated into standardized lithologic terms used in the NWIS Ground Water Site Inventory system. In addition to lithologic descriptions, the database includes well-construction, pump-test, and water-use information that is applicable to a wide variety of hydrogeologic studies. Maps will be generated for each state that portray relative horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity, measured horizontal hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity, thickness of unconsolidated deposits, and bedrock elevation, the total thickness of sand and gravel. The project plans to make the information in the standardized database publically accessible through a web portal.