USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

About USGS /  Science Topics /  Maps, Products & Publications /  Education / Publication: FAQ

Oklahoma
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 2,493 stream-sediment, 2,751 ground-water, and 375 stream-water samples within 24 counties of the eastern portion of Oklahoma as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sampling effort was completed between May and October of 1978 and included portions of the Ardmore, Enid, Fort Smith, McAlester, Oklahoma City, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tulsa 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 140 stream-sediment and 166 water samples were collected within the Ardmore quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and 16 additional elements. SRL was able to analyze only 879 Oklahoma stream-sediment samples and all 3,126 Oklahoma water samples; 17 stream-sediment and 166 water samples from the Ardmore quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all Oklahoma sediment samples were released as a separate file in the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas Data Report [GJBX-104(82)].

SRL: Ardmore Quadrangle
SRL did not release a separate report for the Ardmore quadrangle.

ORGDP: Ardmore, McAlester, Little Rock, and Helena Quadrangles
SRL sent several Oklahoma and Arkansas sediment samples to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for analysis of uranium and 31 additional elements. ORGDP released the analytical data for 639 samples in the Ardmore, McAlester, Little Rock, and Helena Quadrangles GJBX-70(82) Data Report. This report includes data for 121 sediment samples from the Ardmore quadrangle. The site coding information for this data set was summarized in the GJBX-51(82) report.

Gold Analyses
Data for gold analyses of sediments by SRL neutron activation were released in the GJBX-135(82) summary report. The introduction of that report states:

"This report contains previously unreported neutron-activation analyses of gold in sediment samples determined at SRL. These data were not included in the standard SRL NURE data reports because the gold spectrum was not measured in the original analytical procedure and the report format was designed without the gold analyses being included. Gold analyses became available as the analytical procedure was refined, but the report format was not modified to incorporate these data."

Only those sediment samples that had detectable concentrations of gold by neutron activation analysis were given in the GJBX-135(82) report. Sediment samples with concentrations below detection limits were not reported and can only be ascertained by identifying which samples were actually analyzed by neutron activation at SRL.

ORGDP: Ardmore Quadrangle
Totals of 779 stream-sediment and 745 ground-water samples were collected from the Ardmore quadrangle as part of the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) Ardmore Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. Stream-sediment sampling was conducted by ORGDP personnel between December of 1977 and June of 1978. Water samples were collected by contracted personnel under the direction of the Oklahoma Geological Survey between December of 1977 and June of 1978. These samples were analyzed by the ORGDP for uranium and other elements. The analytical data were released as the Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report.

Summary Tables
Because of the various laboratories and analytical methods used, some SRL samples may have been analyzed once, twice, or not at all. The following table summarizes the analysis of Ardmore quadrangle samples.

The following is a list of all sample types collected and reported for NURE studies in the Ardmore quadrangle.

These Ardmore quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:

Sediment Samples

• SR1: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of sediments for U.
• SR2: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Ce, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Th, Ti, V, and Yb. (Note: Au values were reported later for this method.)
• OR1: Oak Ridge Fluorescence Spectroscopy Analysis of sediments for U.
• OR2: Oak Ridge Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for U.
• OR6: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.
• OR7: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.
• OR8: Oak Ridge Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of sediments for As and Se.

Water Samples

• SR4: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of waters for U.
• SR5: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of waters for Al, Br, Cl, Dy, F, Mn, Na, and V. (Note: Mg may also be reported by this method.)
• OR9-FL: Oak Ridge Fluorescence Spectroscopy Analysis of waters for U.
• OR9-MS: Oak Ridge Mass Spectrometry Analysis of waters for U.
• OR11: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of waters for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.
• OR13: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of waters for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sc, Si, Sr, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr. (Note: Nb and Th may be included in this method.)
• OR15: Oak Ridge Anion Optical Absorption (Technicon AutoAnalyzer) Analysis of waters for Sulfate only.
• OR17: Oak Ridge Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of waters for As and Se.

Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Ardmore Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Ardmore quadrangle sediment data consist of Ardmore quadrangle records from the Oklahoma portion of the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas GJBX-104(82) Data Report combined with records from the ORGDP Ardmore, McAlester, Little Rock, and Helena Quadrangles GJBX-70(82) Data Report plus records from the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report. When combining sample records, site descriptive information and coordinates were compared for all corresponding records. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Ardmore quadrangle sediment data:

1. The original ORGDP files for the Ardmore, McAlester, Little Rock, and Helena quadrangles did not include all of the information about the character of the sample location. This missing information includes observations taken at each site on the stream width, depth, and flow, water color, surrounding vegetation, local relief, weather, and possible contaminants. In addition, the longitude coordinate reported in the ORGDP file only had 3 decimal places instead of the 4 decimal places found in the corresponding records from SRL State files. The missing site descriptive data and the complete longitude value were added to ORGDP records from the corresponding SRL State file records. Sources of data and any problems found are described in the REFORMAT comment field.
2. Gold concentrations from the GJBX-135(82) report were added to the appropriate sediment records. A value of -0.01 (<0.01 ppm Au) was added to all other sediment samples determined to have been analyzed by SRL neutron activation. This value was chosen because 0.01 is the lowest reported gold concentration in the entire report.
3. Unlikely sample collection dates were found for three samples. These dates were removed from the SAMPDAT field. For each record, the original SAMPDAT value and the most likely correct value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
4. One stream-sediment record from the Hutchinson quadrangle was repeated in the Ardmore quadrangle digital data file. Since the same record is present in the Hutchinson quadrangle data, this mis-identified Ardmore quadrangle sample was deleted.
5. One stream-sediment sample originally had a latitude of exactly 34°N, the dividing line between the Ardmore quadrangle and the Sherman quadrangle. The coordinates for this sample were changed slightly to values found in tables on microfiche within the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report. This slight change places the sample slightly into the Ardmore quadrangle.
6. One stream-sediment sample originally had a latitude of exactly 35°N, the dividing line between the Ardmore quadrangle and the Oklahoma City quadrangle. The coordinates for this sample were changed slightly to values found in tables on microfiche within the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report. This slight change places the sample slightly into the Ardmore quadrangle.
7. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 1 stream-sediment sample collected within the Ardmore quadrangle were not found in the digital data during the reformatting process. However, coordinates were found and added to the record for this sample from the field notes on microfiche accompanying the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report.

Water Records
The Ardmore quadrangle water data consist of Ardmore quadrangle records from the Oklahoma portion of the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas GJBX-104(82) Data Report plus records from the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the reformatting process for the Ardmore quadrangle water data:

1. The original NURE format for SRL surface-water files did not include much information about the character of the sample location. This missing information includes observations taken at each site on the stream width, depth, and flow, water color, surrounding vegetation, local relief, weather, and possible contaminants. This information is given in records for stream-sediment samples that were collected at the same locations. The available site descriptive information for stream-water sites were compared with the corresponding stream-sediment site records. The missing site descriptive data were then added to stream-water records from the corresponding stream-sediment sample records. Sources of data and any problems found are described in the REFORMAT comment field.
2. Unlikely sample collection dates were found for four samples. These dates were removed from the SAMPDAT field. For each record, the original SAMPDAT value and the most likely correct value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
3. One well-water sample originally had a latitude of exactly 35°N, the dividing line between the Ardmore quadrangle and the Oklahoma City quadrangle. The coordinates for this sample were changed slightly to values found in tables on microfiche within the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report. This slight change places the sample slightly into the Ardmore quadrangle.
4. Five ORGDP well-water records found in the digital data from the Ardmore quadrangle originally had latitude and longitude coordinates that plotted in the Clinton quadrangle. Partial records for these 5 samples were also found in the Clinton digital data files. Corrected coordinates for these samples were found in the field notes on microfiche accompanying the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report. These new coordinates also plotted within the 7.5' topographic field maps mentioned in each record's COMMENT field. All versions of these records compared and combined. The coordinates were corrected to the values found in the ORGDP Ardmore Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-142(78) report and a note was added to the REFORMAT and COORDPRB comment fields.

Download The Data

The NURE HSSR data are now available online in two databases: The sediment database (also includes data for soils and some rocks) at http://tin.er.usgs.gov/nure/sediment/ and the water database at http://tin.er.usgs.gov/nure/water/. From these two web sites, NURE HSSR data can be selected, examined, summarized, and downloaded by political boundaries (State and County), by quadrangle (1:250,000-scale, 1:100,000-scale, and 1:63,360-scale for Alaska or 1:24,000-scale for the Lower 48 States), and by hydrologic unit (drainage region, subregion, river basin, or sub-basin). Selected data can be downloaded as a dBase file, a shapefile, an HTML table, or ASCII text (tab- or comma-delimited).

Ardmore Quadrangle Sediment Data - 919 records
Ardmore Quadrangle Water Data - 911 records

Notes for Data Users

In the eastern United States, SRL collected samples primarily by county. Often, not all counties within a quadrangle were completely sampled. SRL sample coverage in the Ardmore quadrangle is limited to the Atoka, Bryan, and Pittsburg Counties in Oklahoma. These counties are found only along the eastern border of the Ardmore quadrangle. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverages.

Two stream-sediment samples collected by SRL in Bryan County, Oklahoma within the Ardmore quadrangle were not analyzed by any of the various laboratories. Two stream-sediment samples collected by ORGDP within the Ardmore quadrangle were also not analyzed by any of the various laboratories.

The ORGDP water samples were reportedly collected in the field without any filtering or acidification. (See the SAMPTYP coding explanation in the On-Line Manual for USGS-Reformatted NURE HSSR Data Files for descriptions of different Sample Types). However, the samples were filtered later in the laboratory through a 0.45 micron membrane filter before analysis. Therefore, the samples were not true "untreated water" samples and the analytical data may not be directly comparable for other quadrangle water samples of the same SAMPTYP when collected by a different laboratory. Since this was the standard procedure for Oak Ridge, water data from other Oak Ridge quadrangles should be comparable.

For all ORGDP samples, latitude-longitude coordinates were reported in the original data files, as decimal degrees, to only 3 decimal places. Therefore, the precision of these coordinates is limited to +/- 0.001 degrees or +/- 3.6 seconds. This translates to a minimum precision of +/- 364 feet (111 m) for latitude values and between +/- 317 feet (97 m) to +/- 300 feet (91 m) for longitude values (calculated at latitudes of 30° and 35°N, respectively.)

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Ardmore Quadrangle

None found.

Ardmore Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Gold analyses by neutron activation from SRL NURE samples: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-38, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-135(82), 45 p.
• Fay, W.M., Sargent, K.A., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Data report: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-24, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-104(82), 37 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1978, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Ardmore NTMS quadrangle, Oklahoma: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-111, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-142(78), 131 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Ardmore, McAlester, Little Rock, and Helena quadrangles, Oklahoma; Arkansas; Mississippi: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-425, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-70(82), 61 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, Supplement to hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data reports K/UR-405 and K/UR-408 through K/UR-443 [GJBX-52(82) through GJBX-88(82)]: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-412, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-51(82), 25 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to Oklahoma NURE data
Back to Texas NURE data
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NURE HSSR Data
Home Page: USGS National Geochemical Database - NURE HSSR data

Page written by Bryan G. Moravec and Steven M. Smith.
Contact: Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.20: August 07, 2000
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006

AccessibilityFOIAPrivacyPolicies and Notices
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/1997/ofr-97-0492/quad/q_ardmor.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:10 EDT 2016