OFR 97-492: Tucumcari 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: Tucumcari Quadrangle
Totals of 507 sediment and 1,335 water samples were collected from 1,780 locations within the Tucumcari quadrangle as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Tucumcari Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. Contractors, under the direction of LASL, collected samples from the western half of the quadrangle (west of longitude 103°W) during August and September of 1976. The eastern half of the quadrangle was sampled during May and June of 1978. These samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium and up to 45 additional elements. The analytical data were released on microfiche by Bendix Field Engineering Corporation as the Tucumcari Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-183(81) report.
Summary Tables
The following is a list of sample types collected for the Tucumcari quadrangle study.
Summary of Tucumcari quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
13 |
Streams |
6 |
| Dry Streams |
414 |
Wells |
1,246 |
| Wet Springs |
55 |
Springs |
68 |
| Dry Springs |
4 |
Natural Ponds |
4 |
| Wet Natural Ponds |
8 |
Artificial Ponds |
11 |
| Dry Natural Ponds |
5 |
|
|
| Wet Artificial Ponds |
5 |
|
|
| Dry Artificial Ponds |
3 |
|
|
| Total Sediments |
507 |
Total Waters |
1,335 |
These Tucumcari 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. (Eastern half of quadrangle).
- 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. (Western half of quadrangle).
- 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 Tucumcari Quadrangle
The Tucumcari quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the Tucumcari Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-183(81) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Tucumcari 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.
- No LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Tucumcari quadrangle 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 Tucumcari Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-183(81) report.
- Unlikely sample collection dates were found for two 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.
- Six sediment records with a STATE value of 'TX' had coordinates that plotted in New Mexico. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
Water Records
- No LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Tucumcari quadrangle 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 Tucumcari Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-183(81) report.
- Unlikely sample collection dates were found for two 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.
- Sixty water records with a STATE value of 'TX' had coordinates that plotted in New Mexico. 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).
Tucumcari Quadrangle Sediment Data - 507 records
Tucumcari Quadrangle Water Data - 1,335 records
Notes for Data Users
One wet artificial-pond sediment sample collected in the New Mexico portion of the Tucumcari quadrangle was not analyzed by any method.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Tucumcari Quadrangle
None found.
Tucumcari Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- Langfeldt, S.L., Youngquist, C.A., D'Andrea, R.F., Jr., Zinkl, R.J., Shettel, D.L., Jr., Minor, M.M., McInteer, C., Hansel, J.N., and Broxton, D.E., 1981, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Tucumcari NTMS quadrangle, New Mexico/Texas: U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-183(81), microfiche only.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to New Mexico NURE data
Back to Texas 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
