A computer methodology is presented that allows natural aggregate producers, local governmental, and nongovernmental planners to define specific locations that may have sand and gravel deposits meeting user-specified minimum size, thickness, and geographic and geologic criteria, in areas where the surficial geology has been mapped. As an example, the surficial geologic map of the South Merrimack quadrangle was digitized and several digital geographic information system databases were downloaded from the internet and used to estimate the sand and gravel resources in the quadrangle. More than 41 percent of the South Merrimack quadrangle has been mapped as having sand and (or) gravel deposited by glacial meltwaters. These glaciofluvial areas are estimated to contain a total of 10 million m3 of material mapped as gravel, 60 million m3 of material mapped as mixed sand and gravel, and another 50 million m3 of material mapped as sand with minor silt. The mean thickness of these areas is about 1.95 meters. Twenty tracts were selected, each having individual areas of more than about 14 acres (5.67 hectares) of stratified glacial-meltwater sand and gravel deposits, at least 10-feet (3.0 m) of material above the watertable, and not sterilized by the proximity of buildings, roads, streams and other bodies of water, or railroads. The 20 tracts are estimated to contain between about 4 and 10 million short tons (st) of gravel and 20 and 30 million st of sand. The five most gravel-rich tracts contain about 71 to 82 percent of the gravel resources in all 20 tracts and about 54–56 percent of the sand. Using this methodology, and the above criteria, a group of four tracts, divided by narrow areas sterilized by a small stream and secondary roads, may have the highest potential in the quadrangle for sand and gravel resources.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Resource estimates are rounded to one significant digit because of their uncertainty.
References
Armstrong, T. R., Burton, W. C., Drew, L. J., and Karlinger, M. J. 1999, Correlation between geologic heterogeneity and groundwater behavior; a case example from southeastern New Hampshire (abst.): Geol. Soc. America, Southeastern Section, 48th Ann. Meeting, Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, no. 3, p. 2.
Drew, L. J., Langer, W. H., and Sachs, J. S., 2003, Environmentalism and natural aggregate: Natural Resources Research, v. 11, no. 1, p. 19–28.
Drew, L. J., Karlinger, M. J., Armstrong, T. R., and Moore, R. B., 1999, Relations between igneous and metamorphic fracture patterns and groundwater yield from variography of water well yields—Pinardville quadrangle, New Hampshire: Natural Resources Review, v. 8, no. 2, p. 137–152.
Drew, L. J., Schuenemeyer, J. H., Armstrong, T. R., and Sutphin, D. M., 2001, Initial yield to depth relation for water wells drilled into crystalline bedrock—Pinardville quadrangle, New Hampshire: Groundwater, v. 39, no. 5, p. 676–684.
Duval, J. S., Sutphin, D. M., and Pierce, H. A., 2003, Available sand and gravel resources in southern New Hampshire: U.S. Geo. Survey Open-File Rept. 03-373, 1 CD-ROM. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-373/.
Koteff, C., 1970, Surficial geologic map of the Milford quadrangle, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire: U.S. Geol. Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map, GQ-881, scale 1:62,500.
Koteff, C., 1974, The morphologic sequence concept and deglaciation of southern New England, in Coates, D. R., ed., Glacial geomorphology: Binghamton, State Univ. New York, Publications in Geomorphology, p. 121–144.
Koteff, C., 2001, Surficial geologic map of the South Merrimack quadrangle, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Open-File Rep. Geo-147, scale 1:24,000.
Koteff, C., and Pessl Jr., F., 1981, Systematic ice retreat in New England: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 1179, 20 p.
Langer, W. H., and Glanzman, V. M., 1993, Natural aggregate—building America’s future: U.S. Geol. Survey Circular 1110, 39 p.
McCann, C., 2003, Debate grinds over gravel pit: The Janesville [Southern Wisconsin] Gazette, Gazetteextra, June, 15, 2003 Available online at: http://www.gazetteextra.com/pit061503.asp).
Southwest Region Planning Commission, 1999, RSA155—The law governing earth excavations, A handbook for New Hampshire municipalities: 60 p.
Stone, J. R., and Dickerman, D. C., prepared in cooperation with the Rhode Island Water Resources Board, 2002, Glacial geology and aquifer characteristics of the Big River Area, central Rhode Island: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Resources Invest. Rept. 01-4169, 12 p.
Sutphin, D. M., Drew, L. J., and Fowler, B. K., 1999, Estimated gravel resources of the Soucook River valley, Loudon, New Hampshire, 7.5′ quadrangle using improved techniques for assessing gravel resources in glacio-fluvial deposits (abst.): Geol. Soc. America, Northeastern Section, 34th Ann. Meeting, Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, no. 2, p. 71.
Sutphin, D. M., Drew, L. J., Fowler, B. K., and Richard Goldsmith, with the surficial geologic map by Goldsmith, Richard, and Sutphin, D. M., 2002, Techniques for assessing sand and gravel resources in glaciofluvial deposits—An example using the surficial geologic map of the Loudon quadrangle, Merrimack and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 1627, 21 p. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1627/).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
The sand and gravel industry normally uses English units, for convenience metric units are provided.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sutphin, D.M., Drew, L.J. & Fowler, B.K. Estimated Sand and Gravel Resources of the South Merrimack, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, 7.5-Minute Quadrangle. Nat Resour Res 15, 183–203 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-006-9021-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-006-9021-6