Geohydrology of the valley-fill aquifers between the Village of Greene, Chenango
County and Chenango Valley State Park, Broome County, New York

by Kari K. Hetcher-Aguila and Todd S. Miller

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Map 2005-2914


ABSTRACT

This set of maps and geohydrologic sections depict the geology and hydrology of valley-fill 
aquifers in the 14-mile reach of the Chenango River valley between the Village of Greene 
and the area south of Chenango Valley State Park, N.Y.  This map report depicts the 
aquifers; locations of domestic, production, and test wells; surficial geology; water-table 
altitude; potentiometric-surface altitude; generalized saturated thickness of the unconfined 
(water-table) aquifer; generalized thickness of the confined aquifer; and includes three 
geohydrologic sections.

The valley fill in the Chenango River valley consists primarily of (1) glaciofluvial 
deposits comprised of stratified coarse-grained sediment (sand and gravel) that were 
deposited by meltwater streams flowing on, below, and in front of the glacier; 
(2) lacustrine sediments consisting of stratified fine-grained sediment (very fine sand, 
silt, and clay) that were deposited in proglacial lakes that formed at the front of a 
glacier; and (3) recent alluvium consisting of alluvial fan deposits (sand, silt, and 
gravel), floodplain sediments (fine-to-medium sand and silt), and channel deposits (sand 
and gravel).

The Chenango River valley contains an unconfined valley-fill aquifer throughout much of
the study area, and a confined valley-fill aquifer in the area between the northern edge
of the Chenango Valley State Park and the Village of Greene. The unconfined aquifer
consists predominantly of alluvial and outwash sand and gravel. The water table was mapped
using water-level measurements obtained from wells completed in the unconfined aquifer,
and from altitudes of lakes, ponds, and streams as indicated on U.S. Geological Survey
1:24,000-scale topographic maps.  The depth to the water table typically ranges from
5 to 15 feet below land surface, but can locally be as much as 100 feet, such as in the
ice-contact deposits in the Chenango Valley State Park.

The confined aquifer is widely used by people living and working in the Chenango River
valley.  The confined aquifer consists of ice-contact sand and gravel, typically overlies
bedrock, and underlies a confining unit consisting of lacustrine fine sand, silt, and
clay. The confining unit is typically more than 100 feet thick in the central parts of
the valley between Greene Landing Field and along the northern edge of the Chenango Valley
State Park.  The thickness of the confined aquifer is more than 40 feet near the Greene
Landing Field.
 
The eight 20x30 inch map plates are saved as Adobe PDF version 5.0 format files. Data can 
be viewed (including zoom and pan), copied (including cut & paste), or printed from within 
the Adobe Acrobat Reader program (not included). This CD was produced in accordance with 
the ISO 9660 and Joliet file system standards. The minimum system requirements to use the 
data on this CD are (1) Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5.0 or higher (available as a free 
download at http://www.adobe.com), and (2) a CD-ROM drive with ISO 9660 software driver.


Citation: Hetcher-Aguila, K.K. and Miller, T.S., 2005, Geohydrology of the valley-fill 
aquifers between the Village of Greene, Chenango County and Chenango Valley State Park, 
Broome County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 2005-2914, 
8 plates, 1:24,000 scale, online only.

Mastered 3/20/06