OFR 97-492: Santa Fe 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.]
Estancia Valley Pilot Survey
Early in the NURE Program, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) conducted a high-density pilot sampling survey of the Estancia Valley in central New Mexico under contract with Prof. Douglas G. Brookins, Department of Geology, University of New Mexico. This study included portions of the Albuquerque, Fort Sumner, Santa Fe, and Socorro 2° quadrangles. Samples of water and sediment were collected from almost 3,000 locations between July and November of 1975. In addition to samples collected by standard LASL methods, additional water samples were collected from 279 locations using different filtering and acidification techniques to study the effects of water treatment methods and 100 sediment samples were used in a sieving study. In some cases, samples of different types were given the same LASL sample number and coordinates when collected within 300 m of each other. Examples given include where a dry stream enters a wet pond or where a dry stream enters a wet stream. All of the samples were sent to LASL for uranium analyses. The data for 2,992 sediment and 505 water samples were released with the Estancia Valley Pilot Study GJBX-21(77) report. Of those reported, 893 sediment and 114 water samples were collected within the Santa Fe quadrangle.
LASL: Santa Fe Quadrangle
Totals of 1,155 sediment and 982 water samples were collected from 1,962 locations within the Santa Fe quadrangle as part of the LASL Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. A private subcontractor, under the direction of LASL, collected samples from the quadrangle between August and October of 1977. These samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium and up to 42 additional elements and the analytical data were released as the LASL Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-197(80) report.
Summary Tables
The following is a list of sediment and water sample types collected for all studies within the Santa Fe quadrangle. This table includes some sample replicates found in the data.
Summary of Santa Fe quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
325 |
Streams |
159 |
| Dry Streams |
1,489 |
Wells |
818 |
| Wet Springs |
52 |
Springs |
62 |
| Dry Springs |
22 |
Natural Ponds |
2 |
| Wet Ponds |
67 |
Artificial Ponds |
54 |
| Dry Ponds or Lakes |
93 |
Playa Lakes |
1 |
| Total Sediments |
2,048 |
Total Waters |
1,096 |
These Santa Fe 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.
Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Santa Fe Quadrangle
The Santa Fe quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-197(80) report plus reformatted records from the Santa Fe portion of the Estancia Valley Pilot Study GJBX-21(77) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-197(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- No LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Estancia Valley Pilot Study sediment samples. The 6-digit LASL Identification Number found in LASLID was also added to the SITE field. Therefore, the value found in the LASLID and SITE fields is same LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers as well as the value published in the Estancia Valley Pilot Study GJBX-21(77) report.
- The number of samples listed in the Estancia Valley Pilot Study GJBX-21(77) abstract and report do not agree with the number of samples found in the data table appendices or the digital data released on tape.
- Three sediment records were found in the digital data file but were missing in the Estancia Valley Pilot Study GJBX-21(77) report. A comment noting this problem was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
- 325 sediment samples from the Santa Fe portion of the Estancia Valley Pilot Study share the same latitude-longitude coordinates with up to two other samples (161 distinct coordinate sites). These represent different samples collected at approximately the same sites.
- Three separate wet spring-sediment samples in this quadrangle have the same latitude-longitude coordinates. These appear to be from a site collected twice during Estancia Valley Pilot Study and then once more during Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE HSSR study. A comment in the COORDPRB field identifies each of these sample records.
- Twelve sediment sample records contained values for the 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 sediment sample record contained an erroneous values in the sample collection date(SAMPDAT) and sample collection hour(SAMPHR) fields. These values were changed to correspond with data found in a record for a second sample collected at the same site. This change was noted as a comment in the REFORMAT field for the record.
- One wet natural pond-sediment sample has a latitude of exactly 35°N, the dividing line between the Santa Fe quadrangle and the Fort Sumner 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 Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-197(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- No LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Estancia Valley Pilot Study water samples. The 6-digit LASL Identification Number found in LASLID was also added to the SITE field. Therefore, the value found in the LASLID and SITE fields is same LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers as well as the value published in Estancia Valley Pilot Study GJBX-21(77) report.
- Four separate ground water samples in this quadrangle have the same two latitude-longitude coordinates. These appear to be from a pair of sites collected during Estancia Valley Pilot Study and then once more during Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE HSSR study. A comment in the COORDPRB field identifies each of these sample records.
- Six Estancia Valley water samples were apparently analyzed by two separate uranium methods. Separate records were found for each analysis. These records were combined into a single record. The second uranium analysis was added to the U_XX_PPB field. The second analytical method was added to the U_XX_MTHD and METHODS fields. A comment in the REFORMAT field identifies each of these sample records.
- 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.
- One well-water sample has a longitude of exactly 106°W, the dividing line between the Santa Fe quadrangle and the Albuquerque quadrangle. This coordinate value was not changed but a comment was added to the COORDPRB field.
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).
Santa Fe Quadrangle Sediment Data - 2,048 records
Santa Fe Quadrangle Water Data - 1,096 records
Notes for Data Users
None at this time.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Santa Fe Quadrangle
Estancia Valley Pilot Survey
The additional data for the described water treatment and sediment sieving studies were not included in the Estancia Valley Pilot Study GJBX-21(77) report. These data have not been found in other NURE reports, either.
Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Santa Fe quadrangle by the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources [PGJ/F-021(82)]. An additional 434 rock, 112 sediment, and 15 water samples were collected and analyzed as a part of this evaluation process. These analytical data were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.
North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study
The SRL in contract with the Department of Geology of the University of North Carolina conducted a special study to investigate the association of uranium deposits with granitic source or host rocks. The analytical results from 441 samples of 92 plutons were released in the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study GJBX-221(82) report. See the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study for the data and a more detailed description of this study. Plutons that were apparently sampled in the Santa Fe quadrangle include the Embudo (6 samples).
Santa Fe Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- Bolivar, S.L., Sandoval, W.F., Gallimore, D.L., Martell, C.J., Hensley, W.K., Thomas, G.J., and Minor, M.M., 1980, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance for the Santa Fe NTMS quadrangle, New Mexico, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-8014-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-197(80), 135 p.
- Olsen, C.E., 1977, Uranium Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Pilot Survey of the Estancia Valley, Bernalillo, Santa Fe, San Miguel, and Torrance Counties, New Mexico: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Informal Report LA-6650-MS Part 1, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-21(77), 117 p.
- Price, Van, Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Neutron activation and other analytical data for plutonic rocks from North America and Africa: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-221(82), 47 p.
- Reid, B.E., Griswold, G.B., Jacobsen, L.C., and Lessard, R.H., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Santa Fe quadrangle, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-021(82), 41 p.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to New Mexico 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
