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Georgia
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 6,092 stream-sediment, 14 surface-water, and 5,990 ground-water samples within 142 counties from the northern two-thirds of Georgia as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sediment samples were collected during June - December 1976, April 1977, and April - September 1978, and water samples were collected during January - December 1977 and March - November 1978. Sample coverage included portions of the Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Brunswick, Dothan, Greenville, Macon, Phenix City, Rome, Savannah, Valdosta, and Waycross 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 301 stream-sediment and 481 ground-water samples were collected within the Savannah quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters). SRL was able to analyze 5,958 sediments and 5,989 waters from Georgia; this includes 287 sediment and 481 water samples from the Savannah quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all Georgia samples were released in the Alabama and Georgia Data Report [GJBX-403(81)].

SRL sent 2,956 sediment samples from Georgia to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 2,951 of these samples in the Alabama and Georgia Data Report [GJBX-403(81)]. The digital data file accompanying this report does not include Supplemental Analyses for any Georgia sediment samples within the Savannah quadrangle.

South Carolina
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 3,618 stream-sediment and 3,945 ground-water samples within 46 counties from South Carolina as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sediment samples were collected during June - October 1976; April 1977; and January - April 1978, and water samples were collected during December 1976 - July 1977 and January - September 1978. Sample coverage included portions of the Athens, Augusta, Charlotte, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, James Island, Knoxville, Savannah, and Spartanburg 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 189 stream-sediment and 498 ground-water samples were collected within the Savannah quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters). SRL was able to analyze 3,581 sediments and 3,941 waters from South Carolina; this includes all 189 sediment and all 498 water samples from the Savannah quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all South Carolina samples were released in the North and South Carolina Data Report [GJBX-102(82)].

SRL sent 2,483 sediment samples from South Carolina to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 2,476 of these samples in the North and South Carolina Data Report [GJBX-102(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 63 South Carolina sediment samples within the Savannah quadrangle.

SRL: Savannah Quadrangle
SRL did not release a separate report for the Savannah quadrangle.

Gold Analyses
Data for gold analyses of sediments by SRL neutron activation were released in the GJBX-135(82) summary report. The introduction of that report states:

"This report contains previously unreported neutron-activation analyses of gold in sediment samples determined at SRL. These data were not included in the standard SRL NURE data reports because the gold spectrum was not measured in the original analytical procedure and the report format was designed without the gold analyses being included. Gold analyses became available as the analytical procedure was refined, but the report format was not modified to incorporate these data."

Only those sediment samples that had detectable concentrations of gold by neutron activation analysis were given in the GJBX-135(82) report. Sediment samples with concentrations below detection limits were not reported and can only be ascertained by identifying which samples were actually analyzed by neutron activation at SRL.

Summary Tables
Because of the various laboratories and analytical methods used, some SRL samples may have been analyzed once, twice, or not at all. The following table summarizes the analysis of Savannah quadrangle samples.

The following is a list of all sample types collected and reported for NURE studies in the Savannah quadrangle.

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

Sediment Samples

• SR1: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of sediments for U.
• SR2: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Ce, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Th, Ti, V, and Yb. (Note: Au values were reported later for this method.)
• SR3-AA: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of sediments for Ag, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, Sr, Y, and Zn.
• SR3-CA: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Colorimetric Analysis of sediments for Nb, P, and W.
• SR3-FE: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Flame Emission Analysis of sediments for K and Li.
• SR3-XU: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Analysis of sediments for hot acid extractable U. (Exact method undetermined)
• SR3-XX: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Analysis of sediments for As, Se, and Ca. (Exact method undetermined)

Water Samples

• SR4: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of waters for U.
• SR5: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of waters for Al, Br, Cl, Dy, F, Mn, Na, and V. (Note: Mg may also be reported by this method.)

Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Savannah Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Savannah quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the South Carolina portion of the North and South Carolina [GJBX-102(82)] Data Report combined with records from the Georgia portion of the Alabama and Georgia [GJBX-403(81)] Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Savannah quadrangle sediment data:

1. One supplemental analysis record was found with an SRLID of SCBR004S1. However, the latitude-longitude coordinates placed the sample not in Barnwell County but in Berkeley County. The other available site identification data also corresponded with the data found in the sample identified with an SRLID of SCBK004S1. The supplemental analysis data from this SCBR004S1 record was combined with the Neutron Activation Analysis data from the SCBK004S1 record and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field.
2. During reformatting, contamination codes for "residential" and "recreation" were found to be missing from each State's CONTAMC field. The presence of one of these two codes was indicated only by a "." (period). The missing codes were assigned a value of "unknown" in the CONTAMC field within the final sediment data file.
3. 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.
4. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several stream-sediment samples that were missing coordinates, did not plot within expected state, county, or map boundaries, or had differing coordinates in corresponding records. To correct or confirm sample coordinates, the original field collection maps for Bryan, Candler, Evans, Liberty, and Tattnall Counties, Georgia were obtained and re-digitized. The newly re-digitized coordinates were added to the database and the coordinates from the original file(s) were recorded in the COORDPRB comment field. When the newly re-digitized coordinates were not significantly different, that confirmation of the site location was also noted in the COORDPRB comment field.
5. Gold concentrations from the GJBX-135(82) report were added to the appropriate sediment records. A value of -0.01 (<0.01 ppm Au) was added to all other sediment samples determined to have been analyzed by SRL neutron activation. This value was chosen because 0.01 is the lowest reported gold concentration in the entire report.

Water Records
The Savannah quadrangle water data consist of reformatted records from the South Carolina portion of the North and South Carolina [GJBX-102(82)] Data Report combined with records from the Georgia portion of the Georgia and Alabama [GJBX-403(81)] Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Savannah quadrangle water data:

1. 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.
2. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several ground-water samples that were missing coordinates, did not plot within expected state, county, or map boundaries, or had differing coordinates in corresponding records. To correct or confirm sample coordinates, the original field collection maps for Tattnall County, Georgia were obtained and re-digitized. The newly re-digitized coordinates were added to the database and the coordinates from the original file(s) were recorded in the COORDPRB comment field. When the newly re-digitized coordinates were not significantly different, that confirmation of the site location was also noted in the COORDPRB comment 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).

Savannah Quadrangle Sediment Data - 490 records
Savannah Quadrangle Water Data - 979 records

Notes for Data Users

In the eastern United States, SRL collected samples primarily by county. Often, not all counties within a quadrangle were completely sampled. Sample coverage in the Savannah quadrangle is complete and includes samples from Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Jenkins, Liberty, Screven, and Tattnall Counties in Georgia; and Allendale, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, and Jasper Counties in South Carolina. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverages.

Several sediment samples within the Savannah quadrangle were not analyzed by any of the various laboratories. The following table summarizes the locations of those unanalyzed samples.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Savannah Quadrangle

Jasper and Hampton Counties Orientation Study
SRL released an abbreviated data report that contains the results of a ground-water and stream-sediment orientation study in Jasper and Hampton Counties in southeastern South Carolina [GJBX-209(82)]. Data for 92 stream-sediment, 68 surface-water, and 108 ground-water samples are found in tables within the report. Sediment samples were analyzed for U, Th, Hf, Al, Ce, Dy, Eu, Fe, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Ti, V, and Yb. Water samples were analyzed for U, Al, Br, Cl, Dy, F, Mg, Mn, Na, and V. No digital data file accompanies this report.

Savannah Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Gold analyses by neutron activation from SRL NURE samples: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-38, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-135(82), 45 p.
• Fay, W.M., Sargent, K.A., and Cook, J.R., 1981, Data report: Alabama and Georgia: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-21, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-403(82), 34 p.
• Fay, W.M., Sargent, K.A., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Data report: North and South Carolina: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-22, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-102(82), 34 p.
• Thayer, P.A., and Fay, W.M., 1982, Orientation study: Jasper and Hampton Counties, South Carolina: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-29, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-209(82), 48 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to Georgia NURE data
Back to South Carolina NURE data
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NURE Data
Home Page: USGS National Geochemical Database - NURE HSSR data

Page written by Bryan G. Moravec and Steven M. Smith.
Contact: Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/1997/492/quad/q_savana.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:28 EST 2016