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Alabama
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 4,499 stream-sediment, 1,486 surface-water, and 6,204 ground-water samples within 53 counties from the northern two-thirds of Alabama as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sediment samples were collected during June - December, 1976 and March 1978 - January 1979, and water samples were collected during January - September, 1977 and December 1977 - March 1979. Sample coverage included portions of the Andalusia, Atlanta, Birmingham, Blytheville, Dothan, Gadsden, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Montgomery, Phenix City, Rome, Tupelo, and West Point 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 950 stream-sediment, 553 surface-water, and 1,186 ground-water samples were collected within the Birmingham 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 4,489 sediments and 7,677 waters from Alabama; this includes 944 sediment and 1,736 water samples from the Birmingham quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all Alabama samples were released in the Alabama and Georgia Data Report [GJBX-403(81)].

SRL sent 1,476 sediment samples from Alabama to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 1,471 of these samples in the Alabama and Georgia Data Report [GJBX-403(81)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 280 Alabama sediment samples within the Birmingham quadrangle.

SRL: Birmingham and West Point Quadrangles
Occasionally, SRL released abbreviated reports for quadrangles under their responsibility. These reports include neutron activation analyses done at SRL. SRL released an abbreviated report for the Birmingham and West Point quadrangles [GJBX-191(81)]. Data tables with analyses are included within the microfiche accompanying this report. Data found in this report appear to be the same data as that found in the state digital data-file. No separate digital data file accompanies this report.

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 Birmingham quadrangle samples.

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

These Birmingham 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 Birmingham Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Birmingham quadrangle sediment data consist of records from the Alabama portion of the Alabama and Georgia [GJBX-403(81)] Data Report combined with Supplemental Analyses from the Alabama and Georgia [GJBX-403(81)] Data Report. Site descriptive information and coordinates were compared for all corresponding records. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Birmingham quadrangle sediment data:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Sixteen stream-sediment samples were identified with a SRLID in the 300's or 400's. All of these samples were missing latitude and longitude coordinates. Evidence from original sample site field notes strongly suggests that these are duplicate samples collected later from a previously sampled 000/100's series site (i.e. SRLID site number ABCD318S1 is the same location as ABCD018S1). The coordinates from the original 000/100's series sites were added to the matching 300/400's records and this change was noted in the REFORMAT and COORDPRB comment fields.
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 Bibb, Coosa, Greene, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties, Alabama 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. After re-digitizing, one stream-sediment sample from Coosa County, Alabama originally located in the Montgomery quadrangle now plots in the adjacent Birmingham quadrangle.
6. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 8 sediment samples collected within Jefferson(6), Shelby(1), and Talladega(1) Counties in Alabama were not found in the data during the reformatting process. The records for these 8 samples cannot be retrieved on a geographical basis.
7. 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 Birmingham quadrangle water data consist of reformatted records from the Alabama 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 Birmingham quadrangle water data:

1. The original NURE format for surface-water files did not include much information about the character of the sample location. This missing information includes observations taken at each site on the stream width, depth, and flow, water color, surrounding vegetation, local relief, weather, and possible contaminants. This information is given in records for stream-sediment samples that were collected at the same locations. The available site descriptive information for stream-water sites were compared with the corresponding stream-sediment site records. The missing site descriptive data were then added to stream-water records from the corresponding stream-sediment sample records. Sources of data and any problems found are described in the REFORMAT comment field.
2. Unlikely sample collection dates were found for nine 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.
3. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several stream-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 Bibb, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties, Alabama 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.
4. 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 Bibb, St. Clair, Shelby, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties, Alabama 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. After re-digitizing, two well water samples from Bibb County, Alabama originally located in the Montgomery quadrangle now plot in the adjacent Birmingham quadrangle.
6. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 2 water samples collected within Talladega County, Alabama were not found in the data during the reformatting process. The records for these 2 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).

Birmingham Quadrangle Sediment Data - 942 records
Birmingham Quadrangle Water Data - 1,737 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 Birmingham quadrangle is complete and includes samples from Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Cullman, Etowah, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties in Alabama. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverages.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Birmingham Quadrangle

Geology and Mineral Resources Study
A report on the geology and mineral resources of the Birmingham, Gadsden, and Montgomery quadrangles was prepared for the Savannah River Laboratory (GJBX-78(79)). No geochemical data accompany this report.

Alabama Valley and Ridge and Upper Coastal Plain Orientation Studies
To ensure that the SRL HSSR program had a sound technical basis, SRL conducted several orientation studies in various geologic and geographic settings. As part of this orientation program, SRL conducted two orientation studies in the Alabama Valley and Ridge and in the Upper Coastal Plain of central Alabama [GJBX-46(76)]. A total of 70 stream-sediment samples were collected in the Coosa synclinorium near Birmingham (Birmingham quadrangle), and 104 ground-water samples were collected from the Upper Coastal Plain from Clanton to Phenix City (Birmingham, Montgomery, and Phenix City quadrangles). These samples were analyzed for their uranium content. Data tables with analyses are found within the report.

Birmingham Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Bennett, C.B., 1981, Birmingham and West Point 1° x 2° NTMS areas, Alabama (abbreviated): E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-4, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-191(81), 17 p.
• Copeland, C.W., and Beg, M.A., 1979, Geology of the Birmingham, Gadsden, and Montgomery 1° x 2° NTMS quadrangles, Alabama: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DP-1530, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-78(79), 86 p.
• 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.
• Price, Van, and Ferguson, R.B., 1976, Savannah River Laboratory Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance: Raw data release II - Orientation studies in Alabama: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-76-141-2, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-46(76), 80 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

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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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