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Digital Elevations and Extents of Regional Hydrogeologic Units in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer System From Long Island, New York, to North Carolina

Data Series 996
By: , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ds996

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Abstract

Digital geospatial datasets of the extents and top elevations of the regional hydrogeologic units of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system from Long Island, New York, to northeastern North Carolina were developed to provide an updated hydrogeologic framework to support analysis of groundwater resources. The 19 regional hydrogeologic units were delineated by elevation grids and extent polygons for 20 layers: the land and bathymetric surface at the top of the unconfined surficial aquifer, the upper surfaces of 9 confined aquifers and 9 confining units, and the bedrock surface that defines the base of all Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments. The delineation of the regional hydrogeologic units relied on the interpretive work from source reports for New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina rather than from re-analysis of fundamental hydrogeologic data. This model of regional hydrogeologic unit geometries represents interpolation, extrapolation, and generalization of the earlier interpretive work. Regional units were constructed from available digital data layers from the source studies in order to extend units consistently across political boundaries and approximate units in offshore areas.

Though many of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain hydrogeologic units may extend eastward as far as the edge of the Atlantic Continental Shelf, the modeled boundaries of all regional hydrogeologic units in this study were clipped to an area approximately defined by the furthest offshore extent of fresh to brackish water in any part of the aquifer system, as indicated by chloride concentrations of 10,000 milligrams per liter. Elevations and extents of units that do not exist onshore in Long Island, New York, were not included north of New Jersey. Hydrogeologic units in North Carolina were included primarily to provide continuity across the Virginia-North Carolina State boundary, which was important for defining the southern edge of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain study area.

Suggested Citation

Pope, J.P., Andreasen, D.C., McFarland, E.R., and Watt, M.K., 2016, Digital elevations and extents of regional hydrogeologic units in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina (ver. 1.1, December 2020): U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 996, 28 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ds996.

ISSN: 2327-638X (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Methods Used
  • Regional Hydrogeologic Unit Elevations and Extents
  • Limitations and Recommended Use of Data
  • Acknowledgments
  • File Organization
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Digital elevations and extents of regional hydrogeologic units in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina
Series title Data Series
Series number 996
DOI 10.3133/ds996
Edition Version 1.0: August 31, 2016; Version 1.1: December 17, 2020
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Virginia Water Science Center
Description Report: vi, 28 p.; Data Releases
Country United States
State Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details