USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

473425095052302 419C Bemidji Toxcis Research Site

Sand and gravel aquifers (glaciated regions)
Glacial Surficial Sand and/or Gravel

LOCATION - Lat 47°34'25.43", long 95°05'22.84" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in NE 1/4 SE 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.02, T.147 N., R.35 W., Beltrami County, MN, Hydrologic Unit 07010101, 12 miles NW of Bemidji, Minnesota, 2.3 miles SE of Pinewood, Minnesota.

REVISIONS HISTORY -

The previously published discrete water level measurements during 17 Oct. 1984 through 16 Jun. 1992 were adjusted on 31 Jan. 2020 due to the discovery of inaccurate data entry from the raw water level data file. Water levels for this well where incorrectly entered in for well 419A (USGS 473426095052101). 

The previously published discrete water level measurement on 08 Feb. 1986 were 'rejected' on 31 Jan. 2020 due to this inaccurate water level not plotting similarly with nearby sites.

The previously published discrete water level measurements on 03 Nov. 1986 and 14 Dec. 1986 were 'rejected' on 31 Jan. 2020 due to these inaccurate water levels not plotting similarly with nearby sites.

GROUNDWATER RECORDS

WELL CHARACTERISTICS - Depth 33.18 ft. Upper casing diameter 2.04 in; top of first opening 26.12 ft, bottom of last opening 31.12 ft. The hole for well 419C was drilled with an 7.25-inch-diameter, hollow stem auger drill rig to an unknown depth. The well is constructed of a 5-feet-long, 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 galvanized steel, 0.010-inch slotted well screen, attached to length/s of 10.00 feet of 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 galvanized steel well casing. The well casing measuring point (stickup) was 1.88 feet (1421.64 ft. NAVD88, ±0.01 ft.) above land surface when measured on 16 October 1984. The open interval of the well is between 26.12 and 31.12 feet below land surface and the total well depth is 33.18 feet below land surface.

DATUM - Land-surface datum is 1,419.76 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Measuring point: MP assumed to be the top of casing, not protection post, 1.88 ft above land-surface datum, Oct. 16, 1984 to present. The measuring point is a black mark on the base of the aluminum shelter floor, which is mounted on top of well 419C, and was 1.88 feet above land surface on 16 Oct. 1984. Elevation of the measuring point is 1421.64 ±0.01 feet above sea level, North American Vertical Datum of 1988, based on differential GPS Survey on 25 October 2010.

PERIOD OF RECORD -

Water levels were recorded periodically from 17 October 1984 to the present. Water levels were recorded daily from 01 January 1998 to 31 December 1998. Water level were recorded four-hourly during 31 October 2001 at 14:00 CDT to 22 April 2004 at 07:00 CDT. Water levels were recorded hourly 22 April 2004 at 11:00 CDT to 23 May 2014 at 13:00 CDT. Water levels were recorded half-hourly 23 May 2014 at 13:30 CDT to the present, except during the following periods:

29 Jul. 2014 at 09:30-18:00 CDT: due to a WL spike during QW sampling.
19 Aug. 2015 at 09:30-12:30 CDT: due to a WL spike during QW sampling.
19 Apr. 2016 at 09:00 CDT: due to a WL spike during site visit.
22 Jun. 2017 at 13:30-15:00 CDT: due to a WL spike during QW sampling.
29 Jul. 2016 at 08:00-10:00 CDT: due to a WL spike during QW sampling.
21 Oct. 2023 at 17:30 CDT to 22 Oct. 2023 at 04:00 CDT: due to an unknown recording issue. 
03 Nov. 2023 at 07:00 CDT to 20 Nov. 2023 at 12:00 CST: due to a failed transducer thermistor.

When possible, the missing daily-average water levels (above) were estimated based on the trend of the hydrograph during these periods until 1 July 2016.

GAGE - Water level and water temperature were measured with a KSPI 500 submersible pressure transducer during approximately 2006 to 31 May 2019 at 12:00 CDT, accurate to 0.01 feet and 0.1°C, respectively. Water level and water temperature were measured with a KPSI 500, 0-22 psi range, submersible pressure transducer, beginning on 31 May 2019 at 12:30 CDT to 20 Nov. 2023 at 12:00 CST, accurate to 0.01 feet and 0.1°C, respectively. Water level and water temperature are currently measured with a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS451, 0-7.25 psi range, submersible pressure transducer, beginning on 20 Nov. 2023 at 12:30 CST to the present, accurate to 0.01 feet and 0.1°C, respectively. Data are recorded half-hourly by a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CR1000 datalogger located at monitoring site 1402G-00. A Campbell Scientific, Inc. SM4M storage module is connected to the CR1000 datalogger at monitoring site 1402G-00. The datalogger is housed in a 1.5ft. x 1ft. fiberglass shelter, which is mounted on the backside of a 2ft. x 2ft. aluminum shelter at monitoring site 1402G-00. The 1402G-00 site is powered by direct 110v AC power and a 12v, 12Ah station battery, and is currently telemetered by a Sierra Wireless AirLink RV50 cellular modem.

COOPERATION - Well 419C is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey's Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Enbridge Energy Inc., and Beltrami County. This well is located at the National Crude-Oil Spill Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota.

REMARKS - NOTE: Continuous water level data during winter months commonly noisier and oscillating. This is likely due to influences from the frozen ground. There is typically some noise in the water level record during the summer months as well, but not as much as during winter months. This is common among the continuous water level GW sites at the Bemidji research site. Also, sharp rises and falls in water level unit values are real, when compared against nearby sites at the Bemidji research site.

NOTE: Continuous water level data is saved in various excel spreadsheets from 01 January 1998 to 23 May 2014 13:00 CDT. These data are stored locally in the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center - Minnesota Office archives. Beginning on 23 May 2014 at 13:30 CDT, continuous water level data begin to be stored in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database and worked/approved through the standard USGS Continuous-Records-Processing system.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

WELL CHARACTERISTICS - Depth 33.18 ft. Upper casing diameter 2.04 in; top of first opening 26.12 ft, bottom of last opening 31.12 ft. The hole for well 419C was drilled with an 7.25-inch-diameter, hollow stem auger drill rig to an unknown depth. The well is constructed of a 5-feet-long, 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 galvanized steel, 0.010-inch slotted well screen, attached to length/s of 10.00 feet of 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 galvanized steel well casing. The well casing measuring point (stickup) was 1.88 feet (1421.64 ft. NAVD88, ±0.01 ft.) above land surface when measured on 16 October 1984. The open interval of the well is between 26.12 and 31.12 feet below land surface and the total well depth is 33.18 feet below land surface.

DATUM - Land-surface datum is 1,419.76 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Measuring point: MP assumed to be the top of casing, not protection post, 1.88 ft above land-surface datum, Oct. 16, 1984 to present. The measuring point is a black mark on the base of the aluminum shelter floor, which is mounted on top of well 419C, and was 1.88 feet above land surface on 16 Oct. 1984. Elevation of the measuring point is 1421.64 ±0.01 feet above sea level, North American Vertical Datum of 1988, based on differential GPS Survey on 25 October 2010.

PERIOD OF RECORD -

Water temperatures were recorded hourly 20 December 2011 at 14:00 CST to 23 May 2014 at 13:00 CDT. Water temperatures were recorded half-hourly 23 May 2014 at 13:30 CDT to the present, except during the following periods:

29 Jul. 2014 at 09:30-18:00 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling.
19 Aug. 2015 at 09:30-11:00 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling.
29 Jul. 2016 at 08:00-10:00 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling.
29 Jul. 2016 at 14:30-15:30 CDT: due to a WL spike during QW sampling.
28 Apr. 2019 at 23:45 CDT to 31 May 2019 at 12:45 CDT: due to a failed transducer thermistor.
21 Oct. 2023 at 17:30 CDT to 22 Oct. 2023 at 04:00 CDT: due to an unknown recording issue. 
03 Nov. 2023 at 07:00 CDT to 20 Nov. 2023 at 12:00 CST: due to a failed transducer thermistor.

When possible, the missing daily-average water temperatures (above) were estimated based on the trend of the thermograph during these periods until 1 July 2016.

NOTE: Continuous water temperature data is saved in various excel spreadsheets from 20 December 2011 at 14:00 CST to 23 May 2014 13:00 CDT. These data are stored locally in the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center - Minnesota Office archives. Beginning on 23 May 2014 at 13:30 CDT, continuous water level and water temperature data begin to be stored in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database and worked/approved through the standard USGS Continuous-Records-Processing system.

COOPERATION - Well 419C is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey's Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Enbridge Energy Inc., and Beltrami County. This well is located at the National Crude-Oil Spill Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota.

INSTRUMENTATION -

Water temperature is currently measured with a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS451 submersible pressure transducer during 20 Nov. 2023 at 12:30 CST to the present, which is accurate to ±0.1°C. Temperature differences are accurate to 0.1°C.

Water temperature was measured with a KPSI 500 submersible pressure transducer during 31 May 2019 at 12:30 CDT to 20 Nov. 2023 at 12:00 CST, which was accurate to ±0.3°C, due to noisiness in the water temperature record. Temperature differences were accurate to 0.3°C.

Water temperature was measured with a KPSI 500 submersible pressure transducer during 23 May 2014 at 12:30 CDT to 16 Apr. 2019 at 17:00 CDT, which were accurate to ±0.3°C, due to noisiness of the transducer thermistor measurements. Differences in temperature were accurate to ±0.3°C. This entire period of previously published record was corrected by -0.4°C on 03 Jun. 2019 to match the thermograph of the newly calibrated KPSI 500 pressure transducer thermistor, which was deployed on 31 May 2019. 

REMARKS -

Water temperature data is being recorded in a well that is down-gradient of a crude oil spill (1979) and buried pipelines that transport crude oil. It is suspected that changes and/or trends in water temperature data may be most correlated to the 1.) Long-term effects of the crude oil spill, 2.) Temperature changes of the crude oil that is being transported through the buried pipelines, 3.) Changes in microbial activity from the crude oil spill, 4.) Changes in biodegradation rates from the crude oil spill.

Water temperature were measured with a KPSI 500 submersible pressure transducer during 23 May 2014 at 12:30 CDT to 16 Apr. 2019 at 17:00 CDT, which were estimated to be accurate to ±0.2°C. Differences in temperature were accurate to 0.2°C.  This entire period of previously published record was corrected by -0.4°C on 03 Jun. 2019 to match the thermograph of the newly calibrated KPSI 500 pressure transducer thermistor, which was deployed on 31 May 2019.