USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

473426095052401 9015 Bemidji Toxcis Research Site

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

LOCATION - Lat 47°34'25.36", long 95°05'25.41" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Beltrami County, MN, Hydrologic Unit 07010101, 12 miles NW of Bemidji, Minnesota, 2.3 miles SE of Pinewood, Minnesota. The land surface at the site is 1412.90 ±0.01 feet above sea level, North American Vertical Datum of 1988.

GROUNDWATER RECORDS

WELL CHARACTERISTICS - Depth 29.23 ft. Upper casing diameter 2.04 in; top of first opening 27.7 ft, bottom of last opening 28.2 ft. The hole for well 9015 was drilled with an 7.25-inch-diameter, hollow stem auger drill rig to an unknown depth. The well is constructed of a 0.50-feet-long, 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC, 0.010-inch slotted well screen, attached to length/s of 10.00 feet of 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC well casing. The well casing measuring point (stickup) was 2.55 feet (1415.45 ft. NAVD88, ±0.01 ft.) above land surface when measured on 27 June 1990. The open interval of the well is between 27.70 and 28.20 feet below land surface and the total well depth is 29.23 feet below land surface.

DATUM - Land-surface datum is 1,412.9 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Measuring point: MP assumed to be the top of casing, not protection post, 2.55 ft above land-surface datum, Jun. 27, 1990 to present. The measuring point is a black mark on the base of the aluminum shelter floor, which is mounted on top of well 9015, and was 2.55 feet above land surface on 27 Jun. 1990. Elevation of the measuring point is 1415.45 ±0.01 feet above sea level, North American Vertical Datum of 1988, based on differential GPS Survey on 27 Oct. 2010.

PERIOD OF RECORD -

Water levels were recorded periodically from 31 December 1990 to the present. Water levels were recorded daily from 13 August 1998 to 07 September 1998. Water level were recorded four-hourly during 08 September 1998 at 07:00 CDT to 09 July 2003 at 07:00 CDT. Water levels were recorded hourly 09 July 2003 at 12:00 CDT to 24 October 2013 at 18:00 CDT. Water levels were recorded half-hourly 24 October 2013 at 19:00 CDT to the present, except during the following periods:

31 Jul. at 23:00 CDT - 03 Aug. 2014 at 08:00 CDT: due to transducer malfunction. 
02 May 2015 at 05:00 CDT - 18 May 2015 at 05:00 CDT: due to data telemetry or recording issue 
19 Aug. 2015 at 10:30-12:30 CDT: due to a WL spike during QW sampling. 
20 Jul. 2016 at 05:00 CDT-21 Jul. 2016 at 17:00 CDT: damaged phone line not transmitting data 
02 Aug. 2016 at 09:00-17:00 CDT: due to a WL spike during QW sampling.
16 Oct. 2019 at 13:00 CDT - 17 Oct. 2019 at 16:30 CDT: due to disconnecting power to datalogger for re-programming.
13 Oct. 2020 at 17:00 CDT - 14 Oct. 2020 at 05:00 CDT: due to data telemetry issue. Data was not downloaded to fill in gap.
11 Oct. 2021 at 19:00 CDT - 08 Dec. 2021 at 08:30 CST: due to two failed transducers during this period.
18 Dec. 2022 at 20:30 CST - 23 Jan. 2023 at 13:00 CDT: due to dead station battery during this period.
01 Nov. 2023 at 03:00 CDT - 03 Nov. 2023 at 08:00 CDT: due to dead station battery during this period.

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 - Continuous water level and water temperature are measured with a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS451 submersible pressure transducer. Data are recorded hourly by a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CR10X data logger located at 1302G site. The data logger is housed in a 1.5ft. x 1ft. fiberglass shelter, which is mounted on the backside of a 2ft. x 2ft. aluminum shelter at site 1302G-00. The 1302G-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. On 24 October 2013 at 12:00 CDT, the original KSPI 500 submersible pressure transducer was replaced with a Design Analysis H-310 submersible pressure transducer. After the transducer replacement, the Design Analysis H-310 submersible pressure transducer that was deployed in well 9015 was wired to the CR10X data logger at site 1302G-00. The continuous water level and water temperature data for well 9015 is currently being recorded at the data logger at the 1302G-00 site. The communication cable from the CR10X data logger at site 1302G-00 going to the submersible pressure transducer deployed in well 9015 is buried underground in PVC conduit. Before this date, the continuous water level and water temperature data were being recorded by a CR10 data logger at well 9015. The CR10 data logger at well 9015 is currently active and collecting various soil data, but no longer water level and water temperature.

COOPERATION - Well 9015 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 uncorrected and saved in various excel spreadsheets from 13 August 1998 to 24 October 2013 18:00 CDT. These data are stored locally in the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center - Minnesota Office archives. Beginning on 24 October 2013 at 19:00 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 29.23 ft. Upper casing diameter 2.04 in; top of first opening 27.7 ft, bottom of last opening 28.2 ft. The hole for well 9015 was drilled with an 7.25-inch-diameter, hollow stem auger drill rig to an unknown depth. The well is constructed of a 0.50-feet-long, 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC, 0.010-inch slotted well screen, attached to length/s of 10.00 feet of 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC well casing. The well casing measuring point (stickup) was 2.55 feet (1415.45 ft. NAVD88, ±0.01 ft.) above land surface when measured on 27 June 1990. The open interval of the well is between 27.70 and 28.20 feet below land surface and the total well depth is 29.23 feet below land surface.

DATUM - Land-surface datum is 1,412.9 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Measuring point: MP assumed to be the top of casing, not protection post, 2.55 ft above land-surface datum, Jun. 27, 1990 to present. The measuring point is a black mark on the base of the aluminum shelter floor, which is mounted on top of well 9015, and was 2.55 feet above land surface on 27 Jun. 1990. Elevation of the measuring point is 1415.45 ±0.01 feet above sea level, North American Vertical Datum of 1988, based on differential GPS Survey on 27 Oct. 2010.

PERIOD OF RECORD -

Water temperatures were recorded hourly 20 December 2011 at 16:00 CST to the present, except during the following periods:

29 Jul. 2014 at 10:00-19:30 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling. 
02 May 2015 at 05:00 CDT - 18 May 2015 at 05:00 CDT: due to data telemetry or recording issue 
19 Aug. 2015 at 10:30-14:30 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling. 
20 Jul. 2016 at 05:00 CDT-21 Jul. 2016 at 17:00 CDT: damaged phone line not transmitting data. 
02 Aug. 2016 at 09:00-20:00 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling.
16 Oct. 2019 at 13:00 CDT - 17 Oct. 2019 at 16:30 CDT: due to disconnecting power to datalogger for re-programming.
13 Oct. 2020 at 17:00 CDT - 14 Oct. 2020 at 05:00 CDT: due to data telemetry issue. Data was not downloaded to fill in gap.
11 Oct. 2021 at 09:30 CDT - 08 Dec. 2021 at 09:00 CST: due to two failed transducer thermistors during this period.
18 Dec. 2022 at 20:30 CST - 23 Jan. 2023 at 13:00 CST: due to dead station battery during this period.
17 Jun. 2023 at 09:30 CDT - 18 Jun. 2023 at 18:30 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling.
17 Jun. 2023 at 09:30 - 18 Jun. 2023 at 18:30 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling.
01 Nov. 2023 at 03:00 CDT - 02 Nov. 2023 at 21:30 CDT: due to dead station battery during this period.

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 uncorrected and saved in various excel spreadsheets from 20 December 2011 at 16:00 CST to 23 October 2013 18:00 CDT. These data are stored locally in the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center - Minnesota Office archives. Beginning on 23 October 2012 at 19:00 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.

COOPERATION - Well 9015 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 temperatures during Dec. 20, 2011 at 17:00 CST to Oct. 24, 2013 at 11:00 CDT were measured with KPSI 500 transducer and were accurate to ±0.3°C, due to the noisiness in the water temperature record and the use of an uncalibrated thermistor. Water temperatures during Oct. 24, 2013 at 12:00 CDT to 11 Oct. 2021 at 09:00 CDT were measured with a Design Analysis H-310 and were accurate to ±0.3°C, due to the use of an uncalibrated thermistor. Differences in temperature are accurate to 0.1°C. The Design Analysis H-310 transducer never had a 5-point temperature calibration check performed on it, prior to deployment. Also, a 1-point field temperature calibration check was never performed on this transducer. Water temperatures during 25 Oct. 2021 at 16:30 CDT to 17 Nov. 2021 at 10:00 CST were accurate to ±0.1°C. Differences in temperature are accurate to 0.1°C. However, all water temperature data recorded during this period were inaccurate and deleted from the record. Water temperatures during 08 Dec. 2021 at 09:30 CST to the present are accurate to ±0.1°C. Differences in temperature are accurate to 0.1°C. 

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.