OFR 97-492: Dalhart Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study

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National Geochemical Database—Reformatted Data from the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) Program

By Steven M. Smith
Version 1.40 (2006)

Brief History and Description of Data

[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]

LASL: Dalhart Quadrangle
Totals of 503 sediment and 1,583 water samples were collected from 2,028 locations within the Dalhart quadrangle as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Dalhart Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. Contractors, under the direction of LASL, collected samples from the New Mexico portion of the quadrangle during September and October of 1976. The remainder of the quadrangle was sampled during June of 1978. These samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium and up to 42 additional elements. The analytical data were released in the Dalhart Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-207(80) report.

Summary Tables
The following is a list of sample types collected for the Dalhart quadrangle study.

Summary of Dalhart quadrangle sample types.
Sediment Sample Type Number of Samples Water Sample Type Number of Samples
Wet Streams 37 Streams 36
Dry Streams 431 Wells 1,502
Wet Springs 35 Springs 45
Total Sediments 503 Total Waters 1,583

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

Sediment Samples

Water Samples



Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Dalhart Quadrangle

The Dalhart quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the Dalhart Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-207(80) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Dalhart quadrangle data:

Sediment Records

  1. During the NURE sample collection phase, LASL sites and samples were initially assigned a 6-digit integer Identification Number (LASLID) starting with 000001. After 1977, most LASL sites were reassigned a new 1-letter+5-digit Identification Number starting with A00001. All LASL samples and the early LASL reports use the 6-digit integer LASLID. Most of the later reports only use the 1-letter+5-digit LASLID. Although both sets of numbers were usually assigned sequentially, they do not correspond one to one with each other: 100001 does not equal C00001, etc. Whenever possible, the 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field. When the corresponding 6-digit site number could be determined from sample number translation key lists or other sources, this Identification Number was saved in the SITE field.
  2. A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Dalhart quadrangle sediment samples. The 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field and the corresponding 6-digit site number was manually added to the SITE field. Therefore, the LASLID field contains the Identification Number found in the Dalhart Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-207(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
  3. An unlikely sample collection date was found for one sample. This date was removed from the SAMPDAT field and the original SAMPDAT value with the most likely correct value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
  4. Three sediment sample records contained values for the Well Pump Type(WELLPUMP) and Well Use(WELLUSE). These parameters were not normally recorded for sediment sample records. The values were removed from each record and added as a comment to the corresponding REFORMAT field.
  5. One sediment record with a STATE value of 'NM' had coordinates that plotted in Oklahoma. This STATE value was changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field.
  6. 176 sediment records with a STATE value of 'TX' had coordinates that plotted in Oklahoma. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
  7. 125 sediment records with a STATE value of 'OK' had coordinates that plotted in Texas. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.

Water Records

  1. A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Dalhart quadrangle water samples. The 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field and the corresponding 6-digit site number was manually added to the SITE field. Therefore, the LASLID field contains the Identification Number found in the Dalhart Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-207(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
  2. One spring water sample record contained values for the Well Pump Type(WELLPUMP) and Well Diameter(WELLDIAM). These parameters were not normally recorded for spring water sample records. The values were removed from each record and added as a comment to the corresponding REFORMAT field.
  3. One sample record contained an unlikely value for the air temperature(AIRTEMP) of 78°C. This value was removed from the AIRTEMP field and the original AIRTEMP value along with the most likely correct value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
  4. 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.
  5. Several water records with a STATE value of 'TX' had coordinates that plotted in other states: 3 in Colorado, 1 in Kansas and 322 in Oklahoma. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
  6. Several water records with a STATE value of 'OK' had coordinates that plotted in other states: 2 in New Mexico and 394 in Texas. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.


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).

Dalhart Quadrangle Sediment Data - 503 records
Dalhart Quadrangle Water Data - 1,583 records



Notes for Data Users

None at this time.



Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Dalhart Quadrangle

Dalhart Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Dalhart quadrangle by Consulting Professionals, Inc. of Santa Fe, New Mexico [PGJ/F-081(82)]. An additional 29 rock and 30 ground-water samples were collected and analyzed as a part of this evaluation process. Data for this study were only found in tables on the microfiche accompanying the report.



Dalhart Quadrangle NURE Bibliography



Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

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



Page written by Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.10: July 29, 1999
Version 1.20: August 07, 2000
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006

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