Ground-Water Contamination Potential and Quality in Polk ...

Ground-Water Contamination Potential and Quality

in Polk County, Florida

ByG.L Barr

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Water-Resources Investigations Report 92-4086

Prepared in cooperation with

POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA, and the

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

Tallahassee, Florida

1992

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Dallas L. Peck, Director

For additional information

write to:

Copies of this report can be

purchased from:

District Chief

U.S. Geological Survey

Suite 3015

U.S. Geological Survey

Books and Open-File Reports Section

Federal Center

227 N. Bronough Street

Tallahassee, FL 32301

Box 25425

Denver, CO 80225

CONTENTS

Abstract 1

Introduction 1

Purpose and scope 3

Acknowledgments 3

Previous investigations 3

Description of the area 3

Methods of investigation 4

Hydrogeologic framework 7

Surficial aquifer system 10

Intermediate aquifer system or intermediate confining unit 15

Upper Floridan aquifer 17

Factors that affect the potential for ground-water contamination 23

Anthropogenic factors 23

Hydrogeologic factors 24

Karst features 24

Subsurface fractures 27

Estimated potential for contamination 28

Surficial aquifer system 29

Intermediate aquifer system 29

Upper Floridan aquifer 30

Ground-water quality 33

Surficial aquifer system 36

Undeveloped areas 36

Areas near point-source waste discharges 36

Phosphate-mining and reclamation areas 37

Areas near phosphate chemical-processing plants 37

Intermediate aquifer system 37

Undeveloped areas 37

Citrus farming areas 37

Areas near point-source waste discharges 38

Phosphate-mining and reclamation areas 38

Areas near phosphate chemical-processing plants 38

Upper Floridan aquifer 38

Undeveloped areas 38

Citrus farming areas 39

Phosphate mining and reclamation areas 39

Intermediate aquifer system-Upper Floridan aquifer 39

Summary and conclusions 39

References cited 41

FIGURE

1-5. Maps showing:

1. Location of study area 2

2. Water-quality data-collection sites for selected previous investigations 5

3. Principal geomorphic features of the Polk County area 6

4. Locations of wells used for water-quality sampling during this study 7

5. Locations of generalized hydrogeologic sections A-A' through E-E' 11

Contents

III

6-10. Generalized hydrogeologic section:

6. A-A' 11

7. B-B' 12

8. C-C 12

9. D-D' 13

10. E-F 13

11-27. Maps showing:

11. Generalized thickness of the surficial aquifer system in Polk County 14

12. Generalized water table in the surficial aquifer system, 1975 15

13. Generalized thickness of the intermediate aquifer system and the

intermediate confining unit in Polk County 16

14. Generalized thickness of the uppermost intermediate confining bed and area

of occurrence of the intermediate confining unit in Polk County 17

15. Generalized thickness of the lowermost intermediate confining bed and area

of occurrence of the intermediate confining unit in Polk County 18

16. Model-derived values for leakance of the uppermost and lowermost

confining beds of the intermediate aquifer system 19

17. Potentiometric surface of the intermediate aquifer system in September 1986

and May 1987 during high and low water-level periods 20

18. Generalized depth to the top of the Upper Floridan aquifer 20

19. Variation of recharge to or discharge from the Upper Floridan aquifer 21

20. Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in September 1986 and

May 1987 during high and low water-level periods 22

21. Head difference between the potentiometric surfaces of the intermediate

aquifer system and the Upper Floridan aquifer, September 1986 22

22. Projected population growth for census tracts in Polk County from

1980 to 2000 23

23. Areas with reported water use for citrus farming and generalized locations of

citrus farming areas 25

24. Location of phosphate chemical-processing plants 26

25. Location of Florida Department of Environmental Regulation facility sites

where there is a potential for ground-water contamination 27

26. Contributing basins and internally drained basins within the major river

basins in Polk County 28

27. Location of sinkholes and depressions in Polk County 29

28. Photographs showing the Peace River bed during a low-flow period and a

swallow hole and connecting cavity near Bartow, April 1985 30

29. Diagrams showing surface and subsurface karst features at Crooked Lake near

Hillcrest Heights 31

30. Diagram showing vertical fractures in subsurface strata with photolinear surface

expressions, karst features, and flow path of contaminant 32

31-35. Maps showing:

31. Location of photolinear features in selected areas of Polk County 32

32. Wetlands and uplands of Polk County and estimated potential for

contamination of the surficial aquifer system 33

33. Estimated potential for contamination of the intermediate aquifer system 34

34. Estimated potential for contamination of the Upper Floridan aquifer 35

35. Locations of selected wells that contained water with detectable quantities of

ethylene dibromide 36

Contents

IV

TABLE

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Selected studies reporting ground-water quality in Polk County, Florida 4

Description of wells sampled during this study 8

Stratigraphy and hydrogeology 10

Hydraulic properties of the surficial aquifer system 14

Hydraulic properties of the intermediate aquifer system 18

Hydraulic properties of the Upper Floridan aquifer 21

Physical and chemical characteristics of ground water in Polk County, Florida 43

Trace elements in ground water in Polk County, Florida 49

Biological constituents in ground water in Polk County, Florida 55

Volatile organic compounds in ground water in Polk County, Florida 57

Pesticides in ground water in Polk County, Florida 67

Nutrients in ground water in Polk County, Florida 75

Radiochemicals in ground water in Polk County, Florida 77

Water quality in the surficial aquifer system for selected land-use types in

Polk County, Florida 81

Water quality in the intermediate aquifer system for selected land-use types in

Polk County, Florida 83

Water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer for selected land-use types in

Polk County, Florida 87

Composite-water quality for samples collected from multiaquifer wells for

selected land-use types in Polk County, Florida 89

Wells that contained water with constituent concentrations exceeding Florida

Department of Environmental Regulation maximum contaminant levels or with

detectable concentrations of organic compounds in Polk County, Florida 91

Contents

V

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