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Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study
A pilot geochemical study collected 267 sediment and 529 water samples from 264 locations in the Sterling and Greeley quadrangles during four distinct time periods between December 1976 and August 1977. (Within the Sterling quadrangle, 259 sediment and 442 water samples were collected.) The objective of this study was to determine the effect of seasonal variations upon elemental concentrations, particularly uranium, in the samples. All of these samples were analyzed for uranium and other elements and the data were released in two reports: The Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study Phase 1 data GJBX-39(77) report and the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study final data GJBX-140(78) report.

LASL: Sterling Quadrangle
Totals of 352 sediment and 1,653 water samples were collected from 1,946 locations in the Sterling quadrangle during May and June 1977 as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Sterling Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. The samples were originally analyzed just for uranium content and the data were released in the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report. These same samples were later reanalyzed by multielement methods for up to 43 additional elements and the data were released in the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report.

Summary Tables
The following is a list of sample types collected for all NURE studies in the Sterling quadrangle.

These Sterling 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. (Pilot Study - Phases 2, 3 and 4 samples only.)
• LA2-A: Los Alamos Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of sediments for Ag, Bi, Cd, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sc, Sn, and W. (Pilot Study - Phase 1 samples only.)
• LA3: Los Alamos Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of sediments for Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, W, and Zr. (Quadrangle Study samples only.)
• LA4: Los Alamos Arc-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of sediments for Be and Li. (Pilot Study - Phases 3 and 4 samples only.)
• 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.
• LA5-A: Los Alamos Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Eu, Fe, Ga, Hf, Hg, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Ta, Tb, Ti, V, W, Yb, and Zn. (Pilot Study - Phase 1 samples only.)
• LA5-B: Los Alamos Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, Au, Ba, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, Hg, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, V, Yb, and Zn. (Pilot Study - Phase 2 samples only.)

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. (Pilot Study - Phases 3 and 4 samples only.)
• LA7-A: Los Alamos Plasma-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of waters for As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Si, and Zn. (Pilot Study - Phase 1 samples only.)
• LA7-B: Los Alamos Plasma-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of waters for As, B, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Si, and V. (Pilot Study - Phase 2 samples only.)
• LAF-H: Los Alamos Field Analysis (Hach Chem. Co. Kit, Model DR-EL/2) of waters for Ca, Cl, Mg, Ferrous Fe, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Alkalinity and Water Hardness.

Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Sterling Quadrangle

The Sterling quadrangle sediment and water data consist of records from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report combined with records from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report plus records from the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study final data GJBX-140(78) report. When combining sample records, site descriptive information and coordinates were compared for all corresponding records. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison, combining, and reformatting stages for the Sterling quadrangle data:

Sediment Records

1. There were no digital data files available for the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study. All of the sediment records were manually entered from the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study final data GJBX-140(78) report.
2. For 54 sediment samples, the Phase 1 Pilot Study samples were analyzed by 2 multielement methods (LA2-A and LA5-A) that both reported data for silver (Ag), scandium (Sc), and tungsten (W). During the reformatting process it was noted that concentrations of these elements all fell below analytical detection limits for at least one of the two multielement methods: All Ag by LA5-A was <5 ppm; all Sc by LA2-A was <80 ppm; and all W by LA2-A was <15 ppm. Rather than creating 2 separate records to hold overlapping data fields, it was decided to save the non-varying values for these elements as a comment in the REFORMAT field.
3. These 54 Phase 1 Pilot Study sediment samples also contained analytical data for the concentration of gallium (GA_PPM). Due to the scarcity of gallium data in the NURE HSSR program, no GA_PPM data field was created in the USGS-Reformatted NURE HSSR sediment data files. The GA_PPM values were added as a comment in the REFORMAT field.
4. For 51 sediment samples, the Phase 2, 3, and 4 Pilot Study samples were analyzed by 2 multielement methods (LA2 and LA5-B) that both reported data for silver (Ag) and copper (Cu). During the reformatting process it was noted that concentrations of these elements all fell below analytical detection limits for at least one of the two multielement methods: All Ag by LA5-A was <5 ppm; and all Cu by LA5-A was <130 ppm. Rather than creating 2 separate records to hold overlapping data fields, it was decided to save the non-varying values for these elements as a comment in the REFORMAT field. Fifty of these samples were in the Sterling quadrangle.
5. 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.
6. The correlation of the two LASL Identification Numbers for samples in the Sterling quadrangle was first solved by comparing records from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report with those from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report. Later a LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Sterling quadrangle sediment samples and the values were confirmed. 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 Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers and reported in the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report.
7. When combining corresponding records from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) and Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) reports, it was found that the reported concentrations of uranium were often slightly different. Rather than discarding one of the values in the combined records, the concentration of uranium (analyzed by delayed neutron activation analysis) from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report was added to the extra uranium field (U_XX_PPM).
8. All 352 sediment records from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report had STATE values of 'TX'. The coordinates and the corresponding Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report records placed the samples in Colorado or Nebraska. The STATE value was added to the combined records based on the sample coordinates and the difference between record sources was noted in the REFORMAT comment field.
9. 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.
10. Unlikely sample collection hours (SAMPHR) were found for two samples. These values were changed to the most likely correct value. For each record, the original SAMPHR value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
11. Five sediment sample records contained an invalid value in the rock type (ROCKTYP), vegetation type (VEGTYPE), or water color (WTRCOLR) 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.
12. One sediment sample record contained a value for well water depth (WWTRDPTH). This parameter was not normally recorded for sediment samples. The value was removed from the record and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
13. One sediment sample record contained high values for the concentrations for several elements. Although no one value was impossibly high, the sum of these major and minor elements was much greater than 100%. No values were removed but the problem was noted as a comment in the REFORMAT field.
14. 265 sediment samples in this quadrangle share the same latitude-longitude coordinates with up to five other samples (85 distinct coordinate sites). Many of these represent replicate samples or samples collected at the same sites at different times as part of the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study. During the Sterling Quadrangle NURE HSSR study some of the Pilot Study sites were apparently resampled again.
15. Thirty-five sediment records for samples that could be identified as having been collected at a multiply sampled site had coordinates that differed slightly from the most commonly reported site coordinates. The coordinates for each of these samples were changed to correspond with the most commonly reported site coordinates. The original latitude and longitude coordinates were added to the COORDPRB comment field.

Water Records

1. There were no digital data files available for the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study. All of the water records were manually entered from the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study final data GJBX-140(78) report.
2. During the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study, several field analyses of water were completed that were not common to LASL NURE HSSR studies. These field analyses included determinations of Ca, Cl, Mg, Ferrous Fe, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Alkalinity and Water Hardness. When manually entering records from the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study final data GJBX-140(78) report, values for all field analyzed constituents were added to the REFORMAT comment field and, when appropriate, to a regular USGS-Reformatted NURE HSSR water data field.
3. The correlation of the two LASL Identification Numbers for samples in the Sterling quadrangle was first solved by comparing records from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report with those from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report. Later a LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Sterling quadrangle water samples and the values were confirmed. 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 Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers and reported in the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report.
4. All 1,653 water records from the Sterling Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-90(78) report had STATE values of 'TX'. The coordinates and the corresponding Sterling Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-380(81) report records placed the samples in Colorado or Nebraska. The STATE value was added to the combined records based on the sample coordinates and the difference between record sources was noted in the REFORMAT comment field.
5. 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.
6. Two water sample records contained an invalid value in the stream channel character (STRCHANL) or water color (WTRCOLR) 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.
7. 470 water samples in this quadrangle share the same latitude-longitude coordinates with up to six other samples (141 distinct coordinate sites). Many of these represent replicate samples or samples collected at the same sites at different times as part of the Sterling and Greeley Quadrangles Pilot Study. During the Sterling Quadrangle NURE HSSR study some of the Pilot Study sites were apparently resampled again.
8. The longitude coordinates for 3 water samples collected within the Sterling quadrangle were obviously incorrect. However, for these 3 samples the most likely correct value was also fairly obvious. These longitude values were changed and the original coordinates were added as a comment to the COORDPRB field.
9. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 5 water samples collected within the Sterling quadrangle were partially missing or obviously incorrect. No corrected coordinates for these samples were found in the published reports. These coordinates were removed and added as a comment to the COORDPRB field. The records for these 5 samples cannot be retrieved on a geographical basis.

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).

Sterling Quadrangle Sediment Data - 611 records
Sterling Quadrangle Water Data - 2,090 records

Notes for Data Users

None at this time.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Sterling Quadrangle

None found.

Sterling Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Maxwell, J.C., 1977, Raw data report of elemental analyses from hydrogeochemical and stream sediment samples taken near Sterling and Fort Morgan, northeastern Colorado, December 1976 and January 1977: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-6740-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-39(77), 27 p.
• Nunes, H.P., 1978, NURE hydrogeochemical and stream sediment data release for pilot study samples from portions of the Sterling and Greeley NTMS quadrangles, Colorado: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7145-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-140(78), 106 p.
• Nunes, H.P., 1978, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data release for the Sterling NTMS quadrangle, Colorado: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7305-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-90(78), 57 p.
• Zinkl, R.J., Shettel, D.L., Jr., Langfeldt, S.L., Hardy, L.C., D'Andrea, R.F., Jr., Garcia, S.R., Hanks, D., George, W.E., and Bolivar, S.L., 1981, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Sterling NTMS quadrangle, Colorado: U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-380(81), 106 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to Colorado NURE data
Back to Nebraska NURE data
Back to Kansas 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 1.10: 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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