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Modeled Top of the Overburden Geomodel Unit (obtop_f)

Metadata Updated: October 29, 2025

The obtop_f grid represents the modeled elevation of the top of the Overburden geomodel unit at a 500 foot resolution. It is one grid of a geomodel that consists of eleven grids and a spatial extent polygon shapefile. As part of a U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Resources Program study, a three-dimensional geomodel was constructed for approximately 53,000 mi2 of the Columbia Plateau in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This geomodel was constructed to define the general aquifer system geometry for use in a regional numerical groundwater flow model. Simplifications and assumptions consistent with this ultimate goal and the uncertainty in the available data were made. The geomodel units consist of Miocene age Columbia River Basalt Group strata and younger alluvial overburden covering approximately 44,000 mi2. Data were compiled from numerous databases and detailed studies completed during the past three decades. These data include stratigraphic interpretations made on more than 13,000 wells and a contiguous compilation of surficial geology and structural features spanning the study area. These data were simplified and used to construct piecewise-smooth trend surfaces that represent upper and lower subsurface geomodel unit boundaries in this complex folded and faulted terrain. The smoothness of the surfaces implicitly represents uncertainty in prediction of each surface resulting from data gaps, errors in borehole interpretations, errors in mapped contact locations, and uncertainty in the shape of the paleo-surface upon which flood basalts were emplaced. Using a rule-based algorithm, surfaces were then recombined to construct a fully three-dimensional model with a 500-foot grid resolution that is consistent with the data and for which error estimates may be made. The modeling process yielded improved estimates of unit volumes, refinement of location of large structural features, and identification of features that may be important for ongoing groundwater studies.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 29, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 29, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-94c63be1-474b-44e0-bdaf-136464cce802
Data Last Modified 2020-11-17T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id bc9d2db4-ad52-4f67-aa92-813ddbb7e847
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -121.844957854, 44.261075488, -115.367389272, 48.419366654
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 1f43c965375d4d5cee1a75ee5baa06f54daa8f9a6e10bb182f91f99b7ec697ac
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -121.844957854, 44.261075488, -121.844957854, 48.419366654, -115.367389272, 48.419366654, -115.367389272, 44.261075488, -121.844957854, 44.261075488}

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