OFR 97-492: Lamar 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: Lamar Quadrangle
Totals of 734 sediment and 1,043 water samples were collected from 1,589 locations in the Lamar quadrangle between July and October of 1977 as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Lamar Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. These samples were analyzed for uranium content and reanalyzed by multielement methods for up to 43 additional elements. The data were released in the LASL Lamar Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-64(79) report.
Summary Tables
The following is a list of NURE sample types collected within the Lamar quadrangle.
Summary of Lamar quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
109 |
Streams |
113 |
| Dry Streams |
479 |
Wells |
824 |
| Wet Springs |
26 |
Springs |
48 |
| Dry Springs |
6 |
Natural Ponds |
45 |
| Wet Natural Ponds |
50 |
Artificial Ponds |
13 |
| Dry Natural Ponds |
45 |
|
|
| Wet Artificial Ponds |
12 |
|
|
| Dry Artificial Ponds |
7 |
|
|
| Total Sediments |
734 |
Total Waters |
1,043 |
These Lamar 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.
- LA2: Los Alamos Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of sediments for Ag, Bi, Cd, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sn, and W.
- LA4: Los Alamos Arc-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of sediments for Be and Li.
- LA5: Los Alamos Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Au, Ba, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, V, Yb, and Zn.
Water Samples
- LA6-DN: Los Alamos Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis of waters for U.
- LA6-FL: Los Alamos Fluorometry Analysis of waters for U.
- LA7: Los Alamos Plasma-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of waters for Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ti, and Zn.
Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Lamar Quadrangle
The Lamar quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the Lamar Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-64(79) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Lamar 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 Lamar 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 Lamar Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-64(79) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- Two dry stream-sediment sample records contained values for Well Pump Type(WELLPUMP) or 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.
- One dry stream-sediment sample has a latitude of exactly 39°N, the dividing line between the Lamar quadrangle and the Limon 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 Lamar 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 Lamar Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-64(79) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- Two water records with a STATE value of 'CO' had coordinates that plotted in Kansas. 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).
Lamar Quadrangle Sediment Data - 734 records
Lamar Quadrangle Water Data - 1,043 records
Notes for Data Users
None at this time.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Lamar Quadrangle
Lamar Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Lamar quadrangle by the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation [GJQ-016(82)]. As part of the evaluation, an additional 36 rock, 41 water, and 3 oil samples were collected and analyzed for uranium by fluorometric analysis. The rock samples were also analyzed for 29 elements by emission spectroscopy. The analytical data for these samples were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.
Lamar Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- Maarouf, A.M., and Johnson, V.C., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Lamar quadrangle, Colorado and Kansas: Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJQ-016(82), 17 p.
- Shannon, S.S., Jr., George, W.E., Apel, C.T., Minor, M.M., Steinhaus, D.W., Talcott, C.J., Stein, S.L., and McInteer, C., 1979, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Lamar NTMS quadrangle, Colorado, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7342-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-64(79), 149 p.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to Colorado NURE data
Back to Kansas 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
