OFR 97-492: Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study
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: Ekalaka Quadrangle
Totals of 851 sediment and 710 water samples were collected from 1,347 locations in the Ekalaka quadrangle between April and July and in October of 1976 as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. The samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium and the data released in the LASL Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-55(78) report.
ORGDP: Ekalaka Quadrangle
LASL sent 746 sediments and 397 waters to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for multielement analyses (up to 31 additional elements). These data were released in the ORGDP Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-309(81) report.
Summary Tables
The following is a list of sample types collected for the Ekalaka quadrangle study.
Summary of Ekalaka quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
58 |
Streams |
59 |
| Dry Streams |
553 |
Wells |
488 |
| Wet Springs |
76 |
Springs |
76 |
| Dry Springs |
9 |
Natural Ponds |
7 |
| Wet Natural Ponds |
15 |
Artificial Ponds |
80 |
| Dry Natural Ponds |
4 |
|
|
| Wet Artificial Ponds |
74 |
|
|
| Dry Artificial Ponds |
62 |
|
|
| Total Sediments |
851 |
Total Waters |
710 |
These Ekalaka quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:
Sediment Samples
- LA1: Los Alamos Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis of sediments for U.
- 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.
Water Samples
- LA6-FL: Los Alamos Fluorometry Analysis of waters for U.
- 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.)
Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Ekalaka Quadrangle
The Ekalaka quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the LASL Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-55(78) report combined with records from the ORGDP Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-309(81) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison, combining, and reformatting stages for the Ekalaka quadrangle data:
Sediment Records
- 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.
- A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Ekalaka 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 LASL Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-55(78) and ORGDP Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-309(81) reports. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- The LASL and the ORGDP Laboratory each analyzed and reported data records for the same 746 sediment samples from the Ekalaka quadrangle. Because there were no overlapping data fields, these corresponding records were compared and combined into a single composite record for each sample.
- Twelve sediment sample records contained values for the well pump type(WELLPUMP), well use(WELLUSE), or well diameter(WELLDIAM). 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.
- One sediment sample record contained an invalid value in the vegetation density(VEGDENS) field. This value was likely miscoded or entered incorrectly. The correct value was not found. This value was removed from the field and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field for the record.
- Six sediment records with a STATE value of 'MT' had coordinates that plotted in South Dakota. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
- One pond-sediment and two stream-sediment samples have a latitude of exactly 46°N, the dividing line between the Ekalaka quadrangle and the Miles City quadrangle. These coordinate values were not changed but a comment was added to the COORDPRB field for each record.
- One stream-sediment sample has a latitude of exactly 45°N, the dividing line between the Ekalaka quadrangle and the Gillette quadrangle. This coordinate value was not changed but a comment was added to the COORDPRB field.
Water Records
- A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Ekalaka 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 LASL Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-55(78) and ORGDP Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-309(81) reports. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- The LASL and the ORGDP Laboratory each analyzed and reported data records for the same 397 water samples from the Ekalaka quadrangle. Because there were no overlapping data fields, these corresponding records were compared and combined into a single composite record for each sample.
- Four water sample records contained an invalid value in the rock type (ROCKTYP) or vegetation density (VEGDENS) fields. These values were likely miscoded or entered incorrectly. The correct values were not found. These values were removed from the respective fields and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field for each affected record.
- 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.
- Two water records with a STATE value of 'MT' had coordinates that plotted in South Dakota. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
- Two water samples (one pond-water and one stream-water) have a latitude of exactly 46°N, the dividing line between the Ekalaka quadrangle and the Miles City quadrangle. These coordinate values were not changed but a comment was added to the COORDPRB 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).
Ekalaka Quadrangle Sediment Data - 851 records
Ekalaka Quadrangle Water Data - 710 records
Notes for Data Users
None at this time.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Ekalaka Quadrangle
Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary report for the Ekalaka quadrangle including an additional 250 rock and 270 water samples was released by the U.S. Geological Survey [PGJ/F-007(82)]. The multielement data for the additional samples were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.
Ekalaka Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- Bowles, C.G., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Ekalaka quadrangle, Montana, North and South Dakota, with a section on hydrochemical results by Robinson, K., Roshardt, M.A., and Barker, C.L.: U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-007(82), 51 p.
- Chaney, D.S., and Bolivar, S.L., 1978, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Ekalaka NTMS quadrangle, Montana: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7069-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-55(78), 78 p.
- Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1981, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Ekalaka quadrangle, Montana: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-353, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-309(81), 117 p.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to Montana NURE data
Back to North Dakota NURE data
Back to South Dakota NURE data
Back to Wyoming 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 1.00: September 11, 1998
Version 1.10: July 29, 1999
Version 1.20: August 07, 2000
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006
