Thesis (M.A.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Dept. of Geography, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Graduation date: 1992

Dutch Canyon is located directly west of the City of Scappoose in Columbia County Oregon. This area is proximate to Highway 30, a major access corridor to downtown Portland, and is experiencing a population increase, which is expected to continue and likely accelerate. As a result, there is growing pressure on water resources. Individual and community efforts to utilize groundwater resources have been hampered by generally poor groundwater yields and water quality concerns outside of the Columbia River corridor and a lack of published hydrogeologic information for the region. The intent of this study is to identify the water-bearing units present in Dutch Canyon and to characterize water quality within these units. The physical hydrogeology of Dutch Canyon was assessed mainly through the collation of 196 local well reports that contained lithologic information from which individual hydrostratigraphic units were identified and characterized. Hydraulic parameters for individual units were estimated using pump rates and drawdowns provided in select well reports. Water quality for the units identified was assessed through the collection of 48 samples of well, spring, and stream water from Dutch Canyon. Measurements of pH, specific conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, reduction potential, and alkalinity were recorded in the field and samples were analyzed for major ions, arsenic, and stable isotopes. The major water-bearing units of Dutch Canyon were separated into five physically distinct hydrostratigrapic units: the lower, middle, and upper units of the sedimentary Lower Miocene Scappoose Formation, and the Wapshilla Ridge and Ortley members of the Lower to Middle Miocene Grande Ronde Basalt. Groundwater flow likely occurs in discrete, relatively thin (~2- to 10-m thick) zones within the Grand Ronde Basalt members. These units only occur along the slopes and ridges of Dutch Canyon west of the Portland Hills Fault, which parallels the eastern margin of the study area. The Scappoose Formation units contain clay- and silt-rich layers and lenses that limit the useable aquifer volume and vertical movement of groundwaters. In general, all hydrostratrigraphic units east of the Portland Hills Fault have low transmissivities and water wells completed in each of them are commonly low- yielding wells, though there are some exceptions. Geochemically, the lower and middle units of the Scappoose Formation were similar to one another with many wells yielding groundwater with high total dissolved solids (TDS) contents (mean TDS = 330 mg L-1; n = 27). Nearly 20% of the wells sampled that were screened in these units (5 of 27) yielded groundwater that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Secondary (non-enforceable) Drinking Water Regulation standard of 500 mg L-1 TDS. The upper unit of the Scappoose Formation and the overlying Grande Ronde Basalt members generally yield water with lower TDS contents (mean < 200 mg L-1; maximum = 342 mg L-1; n = 20). Groundwater resources in Dutch Canyon are limited and low well yields are common. The primary water quality concern is saline water, which is generally found in the lower and middle units of the Scappoose Formation near the valley floor. Low recharge rates determined from hydrograph analysis of stream discharge measurements are consistent with the geology and steep terrain of the area and further limit the available groundwater and the degree of flushing of what may be connate waters in the deeper units.

The Meier site fine-grained lithic assemblage was used to test the hypothesis that a sedentary group will rely heavily on expedient lithic technologies because they stockpile raw material at the residence. At Meier, expedient core reduction provided blanks for a significant number of curated and expedient tools. I propose that sedentism (stockpiling) minimizes energy investments in raw material procurement and blank production while maintaining the ability to efficiently make both curated and expedient tools. Investment in curation is limited to a few tool classes with specialized functions, not transportable design variables.

The spatial distribution of chipped lithic artifacts excavated at site 35C05, a Chinookan plankhouse of the protohistoric period, was observed to test the hypothesis that a gradient of material culture -- reflecting social status -- should be evident within the plankhouse, ranging from the highest to the lowest social rank. Prior to the spatial analysis, use-wear analysis was used to evaluate the classificatory labels used to describe the assemblage by a previous researcher. The use-wear analysis largely confirmed the functional classification of chipped lithic artifacts used by the previous researcher. The spatial analyses revealed that while most tool types were rather evenly distributed throughout the plankhouse interior (taphonomic factors having been considered), cutting, graving and scraping tools (as well as some characteristics of these tools, such as raw material quality) were significantly unevenly distributed, correlating with the hypothesized gradient of social rank aligned with the long axis of the plankhouse. Further analyses strongly suggested that one or more labor specialists, using high frequencies of graving tools, were inhabitants of the elite portion of the plankhouse. Most domestic activities reflected by the stone tools of this assemblage were engaged in by plankhouse inhabitants of all social ranks. Knowing that this is the case, as well as that in some instances there is compelling evidence for status-determined labor specialization, aids in our understanding of the character of aboriginal social structure on the Pacific Northwest Coast.

Northwest Natural Gas Canpany has proposed to convert the Bruer and Flora pools of the Mist Gas Field in west-central Columbia County, Northwestern Oregon, to pipeline gas storage reservoirs. Conversion to underground storage of pipeline gas in these depleted gas reservoirs would be the first in the Pacific Northwest. The Bruer and Flora Pools are fault trapped within the Cowlitz Formation. The shales overlying the Cowlitz Formation create a local seal for these gas reservoirs. X-ray diffraction and density log measurements suggest that the clay in these shales is primarily composed of smectite, which provides an excellent caprock seal. The reservoir rock of the Bruer and Flora Pools is the arkosic Cl ark and Wilson Sand. An average weighted grain density for the sand is 2.65 g/cm3. The abundance of potassium feldspar in the sand, hence K40, creates a background gamma radiation for the sand roughly equal to that of the shale, making the sand and shale virtually indistinguishable on the gamma ray log. Bottan Hole Temperatures (BHT), which were recorded on open hole logs, indicate the Bruer Pool is 7°C (20°F) wanner than the Flora Pool, even though the Flora Pool is deeper. This temperature anomaly may be the result of equipment variation. A calibrated temperature survey would remove any discrepancies. A comparison of the thermal gradient determined in a previous study of the Oregon Coast Range and a gradient determined using BHT, suggest that BHT provide a good approximation of formation temperature. Utilizing the formation water analysis determined from four different wells in the Mist Gas Field, average total dissolved solids was found to be 24, 444 mg/l. Of the four analyses, the sample from Well CC#6 R/D2 is considered to be the most representative of the Bruer and Flora fools formation waters. Analysis of the four samples using the Palmer System suggests that the formation water of the Cowlitz Formation is in the early stages of sea water diagenasis. Formation water resistivity (Rw) was determined using a chemical and spontaneous potential analysis. Rw derived using chemical analysis averaged 0.175 ohm-meters and is considered the ITDst precise. Water saturation determined using the Archie saturation equation averaged 47.5% and ranged from 26.4 to 80.0% for the zone 814-836 meters (2670-2742 feet) in CC#10. These results are similar to those determined by the Thermal Time Decay (TDT) log.

The study area is located in northwestern Columbia County, and covers an area of approximately 70 square kilometers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the possible correlation of the Scappoose and Astoria Formations and determine their stratigraphic relationship to the Columbia River Basalt Group through mapping, geochemistry and petrography.

Two major theories have been advanced to account for the scattered distribution of ferruginous bauxite deposits. Original workers proposed that ferruginous bauxite originally developed over all exposed Columbia River Basalt in western Oregon and was subsequently removed by erosion. Studies which followed have suggested that it may be locally favorable conditions, especially of drainage, which are responsible for deposit distribution. Field mapping in the Chapman Quadrangle shows a possible correlation between a series of sheared zones, which may have improved drainage, and the distribution of ferruginous bauxite deposits. Examination of the pisolitic zone ferruginous bauxite of the Chapman Quadrangle failed to show any evidence supporting the theory that this zone was produced by fluvial action. It appears, instead that the pisolitic zone of the deposits studied developed in place and that the structures seen in this zone are the result of authigenic processes. Mineralogical study of samples from the Chapman Quadrangle suggests that the ferruginous bauxite of the area probably developed under slightly acidic pH conditions and that the assemblage quartz, kaolinite, gibbsite may exist in ferruginous bauxite deposits because of the presence of iron oxide and hydroxide coatings on the quartz which may cut off contact between quartz and gibbsite. Chemical study shows that the lateral variation in elemental concentrations is much less than the vertical variation in concentrations seen by some previous workers, and that lateral variation appears to be randomly distributed for most elements. The behavior of elements during weathering can best be modeled by taking into account the various sorbtive reactions between ions formed during weathering and clays and hydroxides.

The study area is located in central Columbia County and encompasses approximately 373 square kilometers. The purpose of the study was to map lithofacies to a scale of 1:31250, study the petrography of the lithofacies, determine the stratigraphy, and develop a model for environment of deposition of the Scappoose Formation.

The Cowlitz Formation in southern Columbia and Clatsop counties, northwest Oregon was studied in order to prepare a geologic map of parts of this formation and to determine the character of its lithofacies and the environments of deposition.