USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

About USGS /  Science Topics /  Maps, Products & Publications /  Education / Publication: FAQ

Oklahoma
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 2,493 stream-sediment, 2,751 ground-water, and 375 stream-water samples within 24 counties of the eastern portion of Oklahoma as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sampling effort was completed between May and October of 1978 and included portions of the Ardmore, Enid, Fort Smith, McAlester, Oklahoma City, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tulsa 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 65 stream-sediment, 87 ground-water, and 8 surface-water samples were collected within the Sherman quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and 16 additional elements. SRL was able to analyze only 879 Oklahoma stream-sediment samples and all 3,126 Oklahoma water samples; this includes no stream-sediment and 95 water samples from the Sherman quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all Oklahoma sediment and water samples were released as separate files in the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas Data Report [GJBX-104(82)].

Texas
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 279 stream-sediment samples within 4 counties along the eastern border of Texas as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sampling effort was completed between August and October of 1978 and included portions of the Palestine, Alexandria, Beaumont, and Lake Charles 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (None of the stream-sediment samples were collected within the Sherman quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and 16 additional elements. SRL was only able to analyze 26 of the 279 stream-sediment samples collected in Texas. The analytical and site location data for all Texas sediment samples were released as a separate file in the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas Data Report [GJBX-104(82)].

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

ORGDP: Sherman, Texarkana, El Dorado, and Greenwood Quadrangles
SRL sent several Oklahoma and Arkansas sediment samples to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for analysis of uranium and 31 additional elements. ORGDP released the analytical data for 992 samples in the Sherman, Texarkana, El Dorado, and Greenwood Quadrangles GJBX-69(82) Data Report. This report includes data for 64 sediment samples from the Sherman quadrangle. The site coding information for this data set was summarized in the GJBX-51(82) 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.

ORGDP: Sherman Quadrangle
Totals of 724 stream-sediment and 718 water-samples were collected from the Sherman quadrangle as part of the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) Sherman Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. All field sampling was conducted by ORGDP personnel between March and May of 1978. These samples were analyzed by the ORGDP for uranium and other elements. The analytical data were released as the Sherman Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study GJBX-134(78) Report.

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 Sherman quadrangle samples.

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

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

Sediment Samples

• OR1: Oak Ridge Fluorescence Spectroscopy Analysis of sediments for U.
• OR2: Oak Ridge Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for U.
• OR6: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.
• OR7: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.
• OR8: Oak Ridge Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of sediments for As and Se.

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.)
• OR9-FL: Oak Ridge Fluorescence Spectroscopy Analysis of waters for U.
• OR9-MS: Oak Ridge Mass Spectrometry Analysis of waters for U.
• OR11: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of waters for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.
• OR13: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of waters for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sc, Si, Sr, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr. (Note: Nb and Th may be included in this method.)
• OR15: Oak Ridge Anion Optical Absorption (Technicon AutoAnalyzer) Analysis of waters for Sulfate only.
• OR17: Oak Ridge Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of waters for As and Se.

Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Sherman Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Sherman quadrangle sediment data consist of Sherman quadrangle records from the Oklahoma portion of the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas GJBX-104(82) Data Report combined with records from the ORGDP Sherman, Texarkana, El Dorado, and Greenwood Quadrangles GJBX-69(82) Data Report plus records from the ORGDP Sherman Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-134(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 and reformatting stages for the Sherman quadrangle sediment data:

1. The original ORGDP file for the Sherman, Texarkana, El Dorado, and Greenwood quadrangles did not include all of the 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. In addition, the longitude coordinate reported in the ORGDP file only had 3 decimal places instead of the 4 decimal places found in the corresponding records from SRL State files. When combining corresponding SRL and ORGDP records, all of the site descriptive data and the longitude values to 4 decimal places from the SRL data files were preserved in the final database.
2. 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.
3. Nine sediment records were found in the digital data file but were missing in the ORGDP Sherman Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-134(78) report. A comment noting this problem was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
4. 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.
5. One stream-sediment record from the Sherman quadrangle was repeated in the Ardmore quadrangle digital data file. The two records were compared and only one copy was retained. A comment in the REFORMAT field identifies this record.
6. Eight separate stream-sediment samples in this quadrangle have the same four latitude-longitude coordinates. It is unclear whether this represents four pairs of samples collected at the same sites or samples collected at separate sites so close together that the coordinate precision was insufficient to distinguish.

Water Records
The Sherman quadrangle water data consist of Sherman quadrangle records from the Oklahoma portion of the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas GJBX-104(82) Data Report plus records from the ORGDP Sherman Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-134(78) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the reformatting process for the Sherman quadrangle water data:

1. One Lubbock quadrangle water record was found in the Sherman quadrangle digital data files. This record can be retrieved with other Lubbock water samples and is identified by a comment in the REFORMAT field.
2. The original SRL 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.
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. Two water sample records contained a value for the sediment sample condition (SEDCOND). This parameter was not normally recorded for water sample records. These values were removed from each record and added as a comment to the corresponding REFORMAT 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).

Sherman Quadrangle Sediment Data - 789 records
Sherman Quadrangle Water Data - 813 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. SRL sample coverage in the Sherman quadrangle is limited to Bryan County, Oklahoma. This county is found only along the northeastern border of the Sherman quadrangle. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverages.

The ORGDP water samples were reportedly collected in the field without any filtering or acidification. (See the SAMPTYP coding explanation in the On-Line Manual for USGS-Reformatted NURE HSSR Data Files for descriptions of different Sample Types). However, the samples were filtered later in the laboratory through a 0.45 micron membrane filter before analysis. Therefore, the samples were not true "untreated water" samples and the analytical data may not be directly comparable for other quadrangle water samples of the same SAMPTYP when collected by a different laboratory. Since this was the standard procedure for Oak Ridge, water data from other Oak Ridge quadrangles should be comparable.

For all ORGDP samples, latitude-longitude coordinates were reported in the original data files, as decimal degrees, to only 3 decimal places. Therefore, the precision of these coordinates is limited to +/- 0.001 degrees or +/- 3.6 seconds. This translates to a minimum precision of +/- 364 feet (111 m) for latitude values and between +/- 317 feet (97 m) to +/- 300 feet (91 m) for longitude values (calculated at latitudes of 30° and 35°N, respectively.)

One SRL stream-sediment sample collected in Bryan County, Oklahoma and 7 ORGDP stream-sediment samples from the Texas portion of the Sherman quadrangle were not analyzed by any method.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Sherman Quadrangle

Sherman Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation of the Sherman quadrangle was prepared by the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin, under subcontract to Bendix Field Engineering Corporation [PGJ/F-89(82)]. Totals of 1,537 rock, soil, and stream sediment samples were collected and analyzed for uranium by fluorometry and for 29 additional elements by an unspecified method. Results from these analyses show that many environments in the Sherman quadrangle are favorable for uranium deposition. Environments that are favorable for sandstone-type uranium deposition are present in the Cretaceous Antlers and Woodbine Formations, Pennsylvanian arkoses, and the Permian Wichita-Albany Group. Geochemical data for this study were only found in tables on microfiche that accompany the report.

Sherman 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., 1982, Data report: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-24, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-104(82), 37 p.
• Hobday, D.K., and Rose, F.G., Jr., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Sherman quadrangle, Texas and Oklahoma: Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-089(82), 30 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1978, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Sherman NTMS Quadrangle, Texas, Oklahoma: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-105, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-134(78), 119 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Sherman, Texarkana, El Dorado and Greenwood quadrangles, Oklahoma; Texas; Arkansas; Mississippi: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-424, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-69(82), 96 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, Supplement to hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data reports K/UR-405 and K/UR-408 through K/UR-443 [GJBX-52(82) through GJBX-88(82)]: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-412, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-51(82), 25 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to Texas 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 Bryan G. Moravec and Steven M. Smith.
Contact: Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.20: August 07, 2000
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006

AccessibilityFOIAPrivacyPolicies and Notices
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/1997/ofr-97-0492/quad/q_shermn.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:15 EST 2016