U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Fact Sheet 2016-3101
February 2017
Prepared in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Water Resources of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
Introduction
Information concerning the availability, use, and
quality of water in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana (g. 1),
is critical for proper water-supply management. The
purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can
be used by water managers, parish residents, and others
for stewardship of this vital resource. Information on the
availability, past and current use, use trends, and water
quality from groundwater and surface-water sources in
the parish is presented. Previously published reports (see
References Cited section) and data stored in the U.S.
Geological Survey’s National Water Information System
(U.S. Geological Survey, 2016) are the primary sources of
the information presented here.
In 2010, 30.01 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water
were withdrawn in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, including about
22.63 Mgal/d from groundwater sources and 7.38 Mgal/d from
surface-water sources
1
(table 1). Withdrawals for agricultural
use, composed of aquaculture, general irrigation, livestock, and
rice irrigation, accounted for about 93 percent (28.05 Mgal/d)
of the total water withdrawn (table 2). Other categories of use
included public supply and rural domestic. Water-use data
collected at 5-year intervals from 1960 to 2010 indicated that
water withdrawals peaked in 2000 at 30.99 Mgal/d (g. 2).
1
Water-withdrawal data are based on estimated or reported site-specic data
and aggregated data, which are distributed to sources. For a full description
of water-use estimate methodology, see “Data Collection” in Sargent (2011).
Tabulation of numbers across text and tables may result in different totals
because of rounding; nonrounded numbers are used for calculation of totals.
0 10
20 MILES
0 10
20 KILOMETERS
Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data
Albers Equal-Area Conic projection
North American Datum of 1983
A
A'
RED RIVER LOCK
AND DAM NO. 1
Monterey
Clayton
Columbia
Sicily Island
Jonesville
V
ickVick
Tew
Lake
Larto Lake
Wallace Lake
Mean
Lake
R
e
d
R
i
v
e
r
O
u
a
c
h
i
t
a
R
i
v
e
r
B
o
e
u
f
R
i
v
e
r
Little River
T
e
n
s
a
s
R
i
v
e
r
L
o
u
i
s
B
a
y
o
u
B
l
a
c
k
R
i
v
e
r
Tew Lake
Larto Lake
Wallace Lake
Mean
Lake
R
e
d
R
i
v
e
r
O
u
a
c
h
i
t
a
R
i
v
e
r
B
o
e
u
f
R
i
v
e
r
Little River
T
e
n
s
a
s
R
i
v
e
r
L
o
u
i
s
B
a
y
o
u
Bl
a
c
k
R
i
v
e
r
Gastis Creek
CALDWELL
PARISH
FRANKLIN
PARISH
LASALLE
PARISH
TENSAS
PARISH
CONCORDIA
PARISH
CATAHOULA
PARISH
AVOYELLES
PARISH
Approximate altitude of base of fresh
groundwater, in feet below National
Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29)
(modified from Smoot, 1988)—Deepest
freshwater contained within the alluvial
aquifer, except where noted
Above 0
0 to 99
100 to 199
200 to 299
300 to 399
400 to 499
500 to 599
600 to 699
700 and deeper
Area where intermediate sands contain saltwater
Area where no major aquifer contains freshwater
Approximate boundary of area showing deepest
freshwater within underlying Catahoula and
Cockfield aquifers
River basin boundary
Line of section (see fig. 3)
Well for which hydrograph is shown
(see fig. 4)
U.S. Geological Survey surface-water
discharge site and number
U.S. Geological Survey surface-water
quality site and number (see table 4)
EXPLANATION
Ct-74
07355603
07367630
A'A
32°00'
31°40'
31°20'
91°40'
92°00'
Lower Red
Basin
Lower
Ouachita
Basin
Lower Red
Basin
Lower
Ouachita
Basin
Boeuf-Tensas
Basin
Alluvial
aquifer
Catahoula
aquifer
Cockfield
aquifer
84
65
28
425
129
Ct-87
Ct-347
Ct-74
Co-50
Ct-87
Ct-347
Ct-74
Co-50
07367630
07367640
073556005
07355603
07373267
07367630
07367640
073556005
07355603
07373267
GULF OF MEXICO
CATAHOULA
PARISH
TEXAS
ARKANSAS
MISSISSIPPI
LOUISIANA
07355500
Figure 1. Location of study area, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.
Table 1. Water withdrawals, in million gallons per day, by source
in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, 2010 (Sargent, 2011).
Aquifer or
surface-water body
Groundwater
Surface
water
Red River alluvial aquifer 0.21
Mississippi River alluvial aquifer 20.49
Catahoula aquifer 1.93
Miscellaneous streams 7.38
Total 22.63 7.38
Table 2. Water withdrawals, in million gallons per day, by use
category in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, 2010 (Sargent, 2011).
Use category Groundwater
Surface
water
Total
Public supply 1.86 0.00 1.86
Rural domestic 0.11 0.00 0.11
Livestock 0.02 0.04 0.06
Rice irrigation 11.86 0.00 11.86
General irrigation 7.34 7.34 14.68
Aquaculture 1.44 0.00 1.44
Total 22.63 7.38 30.01
laf15-0711_fig02
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Year
Annual withdrawal, in million gallons per day
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Groundwater
Surface water
EXPLANATION
Figure 2. Water withdrawals in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana,
1960–2010 (Sargent, 2011).
Groundwater Resources
The primary freshwater-bearing aquifers underlying
Catahoula Parish are the alluvial and Catahoula aquifers
(gs. 1, 3). Other aquifers containing freshwater underlying
Catahoula Parish include the Upland terrace and Jasper aquifers
but are not considered major sources of freshwater in the parish
because of their limited extents (Snider and Sanford, 1981;
Martin and others, 1988). The base of fresh groundwater (water
with a chloride concentration of 250 milligrams per liter [mg/L]
or less) may be found in the alluvial aquifers at depths shallower
than 100 feet (ft) below the National Geodetic
Vertical Datum
of 1929 (NGVD 29) in the northern part of the parish to deeper
than 200 ft below NGVD 29 in the southern part of the parish.
The base of fresh groundwater may be found at depths shallower
than NGVD 29 in the northwestern part of the parish to deeper
than 700 ft below NGVD 29 in the central part of the parish in the
Catahoula aquifer (g. 1) (Smoot, 1988). Saltwater (water with a
chloride concentration greater than 250 mg/L) is present in some
intermediate sands in the east-central part of the parish, and little
to no fresh groundwater is available in the extreme northwestern
corner of the parish (Smoot, 1988).
Alluvial Aquifers
The alluvial aquifers are composed of sand and gravel
deposited by streamow in Catahoula Parish. The Mississippi
River alluvial aquifer, which includes the Red River alluvial and
Ouachita River alluvial aquifers, is the major aquifer underlying
the parish. (Some classications describe these aquifers as distinct
but connected aquifers; see Lovelace and Lovelace, 1995.) The
alluvial aquifer is composed of the sand and gravel component
of sediments deposited by the rivers. In Catahoula Parish, the
Mississippi River alluvial deposit thickness ranges from less
than 80 ft to greater than 160 ft (Whiteld, 1975). The base of
the aquifer generally ranges from less than about 25 ft below
NGVD 29 in the north-central part of the parish to greater than
200 ft below NGVD 29 in the southeastern part of the parish
(Saucier, 1994).
The primary source of recharge for the alluvial aquifer is
the inltration of precipitation, with lesser amounts of recharge
coming from streams and rivers during high stage. Groundwater
discharges naturally by way of ow into streams and rivers and
evapotranspiration and articially by way of well withdrawals
(Whiteld, 1975).
In 1990, water levels in wells screened in the Mississippi
River alluvial aquifer ranged from less than 50 ft above NGVD 29
in the northern part of the parish to about 20 ft above NGVD 29
in the south-central part of the parish (Seanor and Smoot, 1995).
These water levels indicate that groundwater generally ows south
to southwest in the Mississippi River alluvial aquifer in Catahoula
Parish. Water levels in well Ct-87, located in the southern part of
the parish and screened in the Mississippi River alluvial aquifer,
have uctuated annually and declined about 2 ft overall from fall
of 1972 to fall of 2015 (g. 4). Water levels in well Ct-74, located
in the southern part of the parish and screened in the Red River
alluvial aquifer, have uctuated annually, declined during the
late 1970s, and recovered in the early 1980s. Dewatering wells in
operation during 1978–84 for the construction of the Red River
Lock and Dam No. 1 caused the water-level declines in well Ct-74
during that period (Smoot and Martin, 1991). Water levels in well
Ct-347, located in the northern part of the parish and screened in
the Mississippi River alluvial aquifer, have generally uctuated
less than 5 ft annually and declined about 8 ft from 1990 to 2016.
State well-registration records listed 467 active water wells
screened in the Mississippi River and Red River alluvial aquifers
in Catahoula Parish in 2015, including 419 irrigation, 36 domestic,
10 public supply, and 2 industrial. Depths of these wells ranged
from 30 to 187 ft below land surface, and reported yields ranged
from 3 to 4,300 gallons per minute (gal/min) (Louisiana
laf15-0711_fig03
NGVD 29
-1,000
500
FEET FEET
NGVD 29
-1,000
500
BEND IN
SECTION
BEND IN
SECTION
BEND IN
SECTION
Vicksburg-Jackson
confining unit
Cockfield aquifer
Mississippi River
alluvial aquifer
Upland terrace
aquifer
Catahoula aquifer
Ouachita River
alluvial aquifer
A’
EAST
A
WEST
Freshwater in sand
Saltwater in sand—Saltwater
contains greater than 250 milligrams
per liter chloride
Clay
EXPLANATION
10 MILES
10 KILOMETERS0 5
0 5
VERTICAL SCALE GREATLY EXAGGERATED
Figure 3. Idealized west-to-east hydrogeologic section through
Catahoula Parish, Louisiana (modified from Smoot, 1989). Trace of
section shown on figure 1.
Department of Natural Resources, written commun., 2015). In
2010, about 20.71 Mgal/d were withdrawn from the alluvial
aquifers, primarily the Mississippi River alluvial aquifer, with use
categories including 1.44 Mgal/d for aquaculture, 0.07 Mgal/d for
rural domestic, 7.19 Mgal/d for general irrigation, 11.86 Mgal/d
for rice irrigation, and 0.14 Mgal/d for public supply (B.P. Sargent,
U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2015).
Catahoula Aquifer
The Catahoula aquifer is present across the central part of
the State of Louisiana and crops out in a narrow band extending
from the Texas State line to northern Catahoula Parish. The
aquifer contains freshwater in the parish from about Jonesville
west to the parish line and north to near Sicily Island (g. 1). In
the outcrop area, the Catahoula aquifer dips to the south at a rate
of about 50–70 ft per mile. The aquifer is composed of sands that
are typically white to light gray, range from very coarse to very
ne grained, are seldom areally extensive, and are interbedded
with silts and clays. Recharge to the aquifer is from inltration of
precipitation in the outcrop area and ow from adjacent aquifers
(Martin and Whiteman, 1986; Fendick and Carter, 2015).
In 2013, water levels in wells screened in the Catahoula
aquifer in the northwestern part of the parish were about 100 ft
above NGVD 29 and in the central part of the parish were less
than 20 ft above NGVD 29, indicating that groundwater in the
aquifer generally ows to the southeast in Catahoula Parish.
Localized levels are as high as about 80 ft above NGVD 29 under
Sicily Island. Levels in central and north-central Catahoula Parish
have declined about 20 ft or more from 1980 to 2015 (Martin
and
Whiteman, 1986; Fendick and Carter, 2015; U.S. Geological
Survey, 2016). Levels in well Co-50 screened in the Catahoula
aquifer in neighboring Concordia Parish to the east have declined
over 45 ft during 1970–2015 (g. 4).
State well-registration records listed 58 active water wells
screened in the Catahoula aquifer in Catahoula Parish in 2015,
including 24 domestic, 1 industrial, 4 irrigation, and 29 public
supply. Depths of these wells ranged from 124 to 798 ft below
land surface, and reported yields ranged from 5 to 608 gal/min
(Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, written commun.,
2015). In 2010, 1.93 Mgal/d were withdrawn from the Catahoula
aquifer, including 0.04 Mgal/d for rural-domestic use, 0.15 Mgal/d
for general irrigation, 0.02 Mgal/d for livestock, and 1.72 Mgal/d
for public-supply use (B.P. Sargent, U.S. Geological Survey,
written commun., 2015).
Groundwater Quality
Freshwater samples taken from wells screened in the
Mississippi River and Red River alluvial aquifers were found to
have similar median values for pH of 7.1 and 6.9 standard units,
respectively; similar median hardness
2
of 300 and 320 mg/L as
calcium carbonate, respectively; and similar median magnesium
of 28.5 and 28 mg/L, respectively (table 3). Iron concentrations
exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Secondary
Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs)
3
in 71 percent of
Mississippi River alluvial aquifer samples and 95 percent of Red
River alluvial aquifer samples. Samples from both aquifers were
within the very hard range for hardness.
Freshwater samples taken from the Catahoula aquifer
had a greater median pH (7.4 standard units) than median pH
values in samples from the Mississippi River and Red River
alluvial aquifers (table 3). Catahoula aquifer samples had median
concentrations of hardness (8.5 mg/L), magnesium (0.5 mg/L),
iron (205 micrograms per liter [μg/L]), and manganese (35 μg/L)
that were less than median concentrations in samples from the
Mississippi River and Red River alluvial aquifers. Little to no
fresh groundwater is present in the far northwestern corner of the
parish where the Vicksburg-Jackson conning unit (g. 3) crops
out and saltwater is present in underlying aquifers.
Surface-Water Resources
Numerous surface-water resources in Catahoula Parish are
present in three regional drainage basins, which are composed of
multiple subbasins. The Boeuf-Tensas Basin (Hydrologic Unit
Code [HUC] 080500) is present along the northern border and
eastern border of the parish, north of Jonesville (g. 1). The Lower
Ouachita Basin (HUC 080402) is present in the northern interior
of Catahoula Parish, and the Lower Red Basin (HUC 080403)
is present in about the southern half of the parish (g. 1; U.S.
Geological Survey, 2016). Numerous lakes are present within
2
Hardness ranges, expressed as milligrams per liter of calcium carbonate, are
as follows: 0–60, soft; 61–120, moderately hard; 121–180, hard; greater than 180,
very hard (Hem, 1985).
3
The SMCLs are nonenforceable Federal guidelines regarding cosmetic effects
(such as tooth or skin discoloration), aesthetic effects (such as taste, odor, or color),
or technical effects (such as damage to water equipment or reduced effectiveness of
treatment for other contaminants) of drinking water. The SMCLs were established
as guidelines by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016).
laf15-0711_fig 04
1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Year
Water level, in feet
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Well: Ct-87
Aquifer: Mississippi River alluvial aquifer
Altitude of land surface: 51 ft above NGVD 29
Well depth: 126 ft below land surface
Well: Ct-74
Aquifer: Red River alluvial aquifer
Altitude of land surface: 50 ft above NGVD 29
Well depth: 196 ft below land surface
Well: Ct-347
Aquifer: Mississippi River alluvial aquifer
Altitude of land surface: 70 ft above NGVD 29
Well depth: 76 ft below land surface
Well: Co-50
Aquifer: Catahoula aquifer
Altitude of land surface: 55 ft above NGVD 29
Well depth: 700 ft below land surface
Figure 4. Water levels in well Ct-87 and
Ct-347 screened in the Mississippi River
alluvial aquifer, well Ct-74 screened in
the Red River alluvial aquifer, and well
Co-50 screened in the Catahoula aquifer
in Catahoula and Concordia Parishes,
Louisiana (see fig. 1 for well locations; U.S.
Geological Survey, 2016). Land surface and
water levels are in feet (ft) relative to the
National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929
(NGVD 29). Dashed lines indicate gaps in
available data.
Catahoula Parish, including Larto Lake, Wallace Lake, Tew Lake,
and Mean Lake (g. 1). In 2010, 7.38 Mgal/d of surface water
were withdrawn in Catahoula Parish from miscellaneous streams,
including 7.34 Mgal/d for general irrigation and 0.04 Mgal/d for
livestock (tables 1 and 2).
Boeuf-Tensas Basin
The Boeuf River forms part of the north-central border
of Catahoula Parish and ows into the Ouachita River on the
northwestern side of Sicily Island. The Tensas River ows along
the eastern border of Catahoula Parish until it empties into the
Black River.
Lower Ouachita Basin
The Ouachita River is the primary water body draining the
Lower Ouachita Basin (g. 1). The river ows into Catahoula
Parish from Caldwell Parish; receives ow from tributaries
including Bayou Louis, Gastis Creek, and many other small
streams; and nally ends near Jonesville. The average daily
discharge for the Ouachita River at Columbia Lock and Dam
near Riverton (site number 07367630; g. 1) during 1982–87 was
about 21,326 cubic feet per second (ft
3
/s) (U.S. Geological Survey,
2016).
Lower Red Basin
The Red, Black, and Little Rivers are primary drainages
of the Lower Red Basin in Catahoula Parish. The Little River
ows into Catahoula Parish from LaSalle Parish and ends near
Jonesville as it merges with the Ouachita River and Tensas River
to form the Black River (g. 1). The Black River ows south,
forming the eastern border of the parish until it ows into the Red
River. The Red River forms the southern border of the parish. The
average discharge of an upstream site, Red River at Alexandria
(site number 07355500), was 30,770 ft
3
/s during 1928–82
(Carlson and others, 1983).
Surface-Water Quality
Samples taken from the Ouachita River at Columbia during
1974–93, Red River at Lock and Dam No. 1 near Vick during
1983–95, and Black River at Jonesville during 1958–72 were
found to have median values for hardness that ranged from soft
to hard and median pH values of 6.7–7.6 standard units (table
4). Chloride and sulfate concentrations generally did not exceed
SMCLs in samples from these rivers. Median dissolved-oxygen
concentrations in the Ouachita River samples were 7.2 mg/L
and in the Red River samples were 8.1 mg/L; a concentration of
5 mg/L is considered the minimum value for a diverse population
of fresh, warmwater biota, including sport sh (Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality, 2008).
References Cited
Carlson, D.D., Stallworth, G.R., Dantin, L.J., and Stuart, C.G., 1983, Water resources
data Louisiana water year 1983: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report
LA–83–1.
Fendick, R.B., Jr., and Carter, Kayla, 2015, Potentiometric surface of the Catahoula
aquifer in central Louisiana, 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Scientic Investigations
Map 3339, 1 sheet, accessed April 5, 2016, at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3339.
Hem, J.D., 1985, Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural
water (3d ed.): U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2254, 264 p., accessed
February 20, 2013, at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/wsp2254.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, 2008, Environmental Regulatory
Code, Title 33, Part IX, Subpart 1: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality, accessed June 9, 2009, at http:www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/
tabid/1674/Default.aspx.
Lovelace, J.K., and Lovelace, W.M., 1995, Hydrogeologic unit nomenclature and
computer codes for aquifers and conning units in Louisiana: Louisiana Department
of Transportation and Development Water Resources Special Report no. 9, 12 p.
Martin, Angel, Jr., and Whiteman, C.D., Jr., 1986, Generalized potentiometric surface of
the Catahoula aquifer in central Louisiana, 1980: U.S. Geological Survey W
ater-
Resources Investigations Report 86–4059, 1 sheet.
Table 3. Summary of selected freshwater-quality characteristics for the Mississippi River alluvial, Red River alluvial, and Catahoula
aquifers in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana (U.S. Geological Survey, 2016).
[Values are in milligrams per liter, except as noted. µS/cm, microsiemen per centimeter; °C, degree Celsius; SU, standard unit; CaCO
3
, calcium carbonate; µg/L,
microgram per liter; SMCL, Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016); NA, not applicable; <,
less than]
Specific
conduc-
tance,
field
(µS/cm at
25 °C)
pH,
field
(SU)
Hard-
ness (as
CaCO
3
)
Calcium,
filtered
(as Ca)
Mag-
nesium,
filtered
(as Mg)
Sodium,
filtered
(as Na)
Chloride,
filtered
(as Cl)
Sulfate,
filtered
(as SO
4
)
Iron,
filtered,
in µg/L
(as Fe)
Man-
ganese,
filtered,
in µg/L
(as Mn)
Dis-
solved
solids,
filtered
Mississippi River alluvial aquifer, 1941–2015 (47 wells)
Median
805 7.1 300 93 28.5 46 30 3.3 2,960 500 451
10th percentile
473.2 6.1 93.6 43.7 21.2 17 13 1.4 24.1 219.2 294.2
90th percentile
1,060 7.6 408.4 110 37.1 92.5 80.4 18 9,890 1,564 640.6
Number of
samples 23 21 33 20 20 16 35 18 14 7 17
Percentage of
samples that
do not exceed
SMCLs NA 76 NA NA NA NA 100 100 29 14 59
Red River alluvial aquifer, 1970–92 (48 wells)
Median
886 6.9 320 87.5 28 65 35.5 1.2 5,500 595 531
10th percentile
686.8 6.6 170 61.4 20 22.8 19 <0.2 534 143 409.4
90th percentile
1,316 7.2 540 236 77.6 190 130 110 11,000 1,200 1,200
Number of
samples 153 142 203 98 98 60 222 174 155 164 59
Percentage of
samples that
do not exceed
SMCLs NA 98 NA NA NA NA 100 99 5 0 41
Catahoula aquifer, 1949–84 (47 wells)
Median
450 7.4 8.5 2.2 0.5 100 26 3.6 205 35 308
10th percentile
280 6.4 2 0.5 <0.1 52.6 14.0 0 20 <10 213.8
90th percentile
1,060 8 50 11.6 5.3 230 188 20.8 880 90 636
Number of
samples 41 39 52 35 35 35 53 35 36 24 35
Percentage of
samples that
do not exceed
SMCLs NA 87 NA NA NA NA 100 100 64 75 66
SMCLs
NA 6.5–8.5 NA NA NA NA 250 250 300 50
500
Martin, Angel, Jr.; Whiteman, C.D., Jr.; and Becnel, M.J., 1988, Generalized
potentiometric surfaces of the upper and lower Jasper and equivalent aquifers in
Louisiana, 1984: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report
87–4139, 2 sheets.
Sargent, B.P., 2011, Water use in Louisiana, 2010: Louisiana Department of
Transportation and Development Water Resources Special Report no. 17, 135 p.
Saucier, R.T., 1994, Geomorphology and Quaternary geologic history of the lower
Mississippi Valley: Vicksburg, Miss., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, v. 1-2, 364 p.,
28 pls.
Seanor, R.C., and Smoot, C.W., 1995, Louisiana ground-water map no. 6—
Potentiometric surface, 1990, and water-level changes, 1974–90, of the Mississippi
River alluvial aquifer in northeastern Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey W
ater-
Resources Investigations Report 95–4146, 2 sheets.
Smoot, C.W., 1988, Louisiana hydrologic atlas map no. 3—Altitude of the base of
freshwater in Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations
Report 86–4314, 1 sheet, accessed November 2, 2011, at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/
publication/wri864150.
Smoot, C.W., 1989, Louisiana hydrologic atlas map no. 4—Geohydrologic sections
of Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report
87–4288, 1 sheet, accessed February 10, 2012, at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/
publication/wri874288.
Smoot, C.W., and Martin, Angel, Jr., 1991, Generalized potentiometric surfaces of the
Red River alluvial aquifer, pool 1, Red River waterway area, central Louisiana:
U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 91–4109, 7 sheets.
Snider, J.L., and Sanford, T.H., Jr., 1981, Water resources of the terrace aquifers,
central Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development,
Ofce of Public Works Water Resources Technical Report no. 25, 48 p.
Table 4. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for the Ouachita, Black, and Red Rivers near Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
(U.S. Geological Survey, 2016).
[Values are in milligrams per liter, except as noted. µS/cm, microsiemen per centimeter; °C, degree Celsius; SU, standard unit; CaCO
3
, calcium carbonate; µg/L,
microgram per liter; SMCL, Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016); NA, not applicable]
Specific
conductance,
field
(µS/cm
at 25 °C)
Oxygen,
dissolved
pH,
field
(SU)
Hard-
ness (as
CaCO
3
)
Calcium,
filtered
(as Ca)
Mag-
nesium,
filtered
(as Mg)
Sodium,
filtered
(as Na)
Chloride,
filtered
(as Cl)
Sulfate,
filtered
(as SO
4
)
Iron,
filtered,
in µg/L
(as Fe)
Ouachita River at Columbia (1974–93)
1
Median 168 7.2 6.7 31 8.4 2.1 19 29 13 280
10th percentile 88 4.7 6.1 19 5 1.3 8.3 13 6.8 110
90th percentile 324 10.3 7.2 48 14 3.1 40 61 23 550
Number of samples 154 148 155 154 154 154 153 153 151 73
Percentage of
samples that
do not exceed
SMCLs
NA NA 66 NA NA NA NA 100 100 62
Red River at Lock and Dam No.1 near Vick (1983–95)
2
Median 492 8.1 7.6 130 36.5 9.8 41 62 50 NA
10th percentile 213.2 6 7.1 66.3 19.1 3.9 15 20 20 NA
90th percentile 1,039 10.6 8.0
269.4 69.9 23 100 140 120 NA
Number of samples 123 121 123 122 122 122 110 120 119 NA
Percentage of
samples that
do not exceed
SMCLs
NA NA 100 NA NA NA NA 99 100 NA
Black River at Jonesville (1958–72)
3
Median 402 NA 6.9 63 17 4.6 49.5 81 10 NA
10th percentile 155.5 NA 6.4 30.4 9.0 1.8 16 27.6 6.2 NA
90th percentile 763 NA 7.4 110 30 8.5 101.9 190 16 NA
Number of samples 536 NA 528 535 516 512 512 537 521 NA
Percentage of
samples that
do not exceed
SMCLs
NA NA 86 NA NA NA NA 94 100 NA
SMCLs
NA NA 6.5–8.5 NA NA NA NA 250 250 300
1
Site number 07367640 (see g. 1).
2
Site numbers 07355603 and 073556005 (see g. 1).
3
Site number 07373267 (see g. 1).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016, Secondary Drinking Water Standards:
Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals, accessed April 13, 2016, at https://www.
epa.gov/dwstandardsregulations/secondary-drinking-water-standards-guidance-
nuisance-chemicals.
U.S. Geological Survey, 2016, National Water Information System—Web interface:
U.S. Geological Survey Web page, accessed September 28, 2016, at http://dx.doi.
org/10.5066/F7P55KJN.
Whiteld, M.S., Jr., 1975, Geohydrology and water quality of the Mississippi
River alluvial aquifer, northeastern Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Public
Works Water Resources Technical Report no. 10, 29 p.
This fact sheet was published by the U.S. Geological
Survey in cooperation with the Louisiana Department
of Transportation and Development.
By Vincent E. White
For additional information, contact:
Director, USGS Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
3535 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite 120
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
E-mail: gs-w-lmg_center_director@usgs.gov
Fax: (225) 298–5490
Telephone: (225) 298–5481
Home Page: http://la.water.usgs.gov
ISSN 2327-6916 (print) ISSN 2327-6932 (online) https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20163101