OFR 97-492: La Junta 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: La Junta Quadrangle
Totals of 656 sediment and 1,351 water samples were collected from 1,832 locations in the La Junta quadrangle between July and October 1977 as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) La Junta Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. These samples were analyzed for uranium content and reanalyzed by multielement methods for up to 43 additional elements. The data were released in the LASL La Junta Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-41(79) report.
Summary Tables
The following is a list of NURE sample types collected within the La Junta quadrangle.
Summary of La Junta quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
142 |
Streams |
40 |
| Dry Streams |
339 |
Wells |
1,168 |
| Wet Springs |
170 |
Springs |
143 |
| Dry Springs |
5 |
|
|
| Total Sediments |
656 |
Total Waters |
1,351 |
These La Junta 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.
- LA7: Los Alamos Plasma-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of waters for Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ti, and Zn.
Discussion of the Reformatting Process for La Junta Quadrangle
The La Junta quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the La Junta Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-41(79) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the La Junta 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 La Junta 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 La Junta Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-41(79) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- One sediment record with a STATE value of 'KS' had coordinates that plotted in Colorado. This STATE value was changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field.
- One dry stream-sediment sample has a latitude of exactly 37°N, the dividing line between the La Junta quadrangle and the Dalhart 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 La Junta 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 La Junta quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-41(79) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- 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.
- One dry stream-sediment sample has a longitude of exactly 104°W, the dividing line between the La Junta quadrangle and the Trinidad 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).
La Junta Quadrangle Sediment Data - 656 records
La Junta Quadrangle Water Data - 1,351 records
Notes for Data Users
None at this time.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the La Junta Quadrangle
La Junta Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the La Junta quadrangle by the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation [PGJ/F-100(82)]. As part of the evaluation, an additional 30 water samples were collected from the selected parts of the quadrangle. The samples were analyzed and the data were released as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.
La Junta Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- McCarn, D.W., Johnson, V.C., and Theis, N.J., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, La Junta quadrangle, Colorado and Kansas: Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-100(82), 27 p.
- Purson, J.D., and Warren, R.G., 1979, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the La Junta NTMS quadrangle, Colorado, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7343-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-41(79), 142 p.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to Colorado NURE data
Back to Kansas NURE data
Back to New Mexico NURE data
Back to Oklahoma 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
