Mississippian
Aquifer
The Mississippian aquifer consists of a thick sequence of limestone and dolomite, with thinner deposits of sandstone, shale, chert, and gypsum. Wells in the Mississippian aquifer supply private and public water supplies for much of the north-central part of the state where water quality is generally good. In contrast, the same aquifer produces much smaller yields of poorer quality water in central and southeastern Iowa. Along the outcrop belt of these rocks, the Mississippian aquifer is overlain by alluvium, loess, and glacial drift, while elsewhere the aquifer is overlain by Pennsylvanian-age shale and sandstone units. Regional flow in the Mississippian aquifer is in a southerly direction, and it discharges into the Des Moines and Skunk rivers and their tributaries.
Mississippian Aquifer
Overview
Publications
GIS coverages
Borehole data
Maps
Overview
Publications
Modeling
Maps
Pump test data
Overview
Publications
Maps
Tables/database
For further information: Iowa’s Groundwater Basics by Jean C. Prior, et al, Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources, Iowa Geological Survey Educational Series 6, 83 pages.