Equus Beds Aquifer Explained

The Equus Beds Aquifer is a distinct part the High Plains Aquifer System^[1] and is a principal municipal aquifer in south-central Kansas,^[2] underlying Hutchinson, McPherson, Newton, and Wichita.^{[3] [4]}

While generally illustrated as an extension of the Miocene-Pliocene Ogallala Aquifer, this aquifer is composed of alternating beds of sand and clay mostly deposited in the later Pleistocene and was named the "McPherson Equus Beds" for having characteristic modern horse fossils.^{[5] [6]}

The aquifer beds overlie, and are partially recharged by the Dakota Aquifer and certain Permian aquifers. These particular High Plains Aquifers are also known sources of widespread natural salt contamination, including portions of the Equus Beds, which can be aggravated by human extraction of water as well as by salt mining and oil wells.^{[7] [8]}

Further reading

• Book: Geological Survey of Kansas . 2 . 1897 . The McPherson Equus Beds . Erasmus Haworth and J. W. Beede . 2023-04-07 . ... a formation of considerable economic and scientific interest .....

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2023-04-07 . The Equus Beds aquifer is part of a regional aquifer system known as the High Plains aquifer system. . ABOUT GMD2 . Equus Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2 .
2. Water Resources of Sedgwick County, Kansas . Hugh E. . Bevans . United States Geological Survey . Water-Resources Investigations . Report 88-422 . 4 . 2023-04-07 . 1989 . Results of an investigation of the geology and ground-water resources of the Equus beds, the principal aquifer in the area, ... .
3. Sources, Transport, and Management of Salt Contamination in the Groundwater of South-Central Kansas . KGS Geohydrology Reports . Open File Report 2000-60 (Version 2.0) . . Hillel Rubin, David Young, and Robert Buddemeier . 2001 . 2023-04-07 . Equus Beds Mineral Intrusion Project.
4. Web site: Boundaries of Equus Beds Location . Public Works & Utilities . City of Wichita . 2023-04-07 .
5. Web site: Geologic Unit: McPherson . Geolex — Significant Publications . National Geologic Database . . 2023-04-07 .
6. Web site: Geologic Unit: Equus . Geolex — Significant Publications . National Geologic Database . . 2023-04-07 . The USGS in general calls the beds containing EQUUS remains the EQUUS zone, ... .
7. Geochemical Identification of Sources of Salinity in Ground Waters of the High Plains Aquifer South of McPherson, Kansas . KGS Geohydrology Reports . Open-file Report 2004-62 . . Donald O. . Whittemore . 2023-04-07.
8. KGS Geohydrology Reports . Open File Report 2000-30 . . Final Summary and Data Report: The Equus Beds Mineral Intrusion Project . D. P. Young, R. W. Buddemeier, D. O. Whittemore, and H. Rubin . 2001 . 2023-04-07 .