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Estimated Predevelopment Discharge to Streams from the High Plains Aquifer in Northwestern Oklahoma, Southwestern Kansas, and Northwestern Texas

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Estimated Predevelopment Discharge to Streams from the High Plains Aquifer in Northwestern Oklahoma, Southwestern Kansas, and Northwestern Texas Estimated Predevelopment Discharge to Streams From the High Plains Aquifer in Northwestern Oklahoma, Southwestern Kansas, and Northwestern Texas By Richard R. Luckey and Mark F. Becker U. S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4287 Prepared in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1998 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY THOMAS J. CASADEVALL, Acting Director Any use of trade names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: OKLAHOMA CITY 1998_____ For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services Water Resources Division Box 25286 202 NW 66th Street, Building 7 Denver, CO 80225-0286 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 CONTENTS Page Abstract.............................................................^^ Introduction ............................................................ Purpose and scope ..................................................................................._^ Streamflow gaging network .......................................................................................................................................2 Low flow analysis ................................................................. Predevelopment discharge from the High Plains aquifer ......................................................................................................8 Rattlesnake Creek ..........................................................._ Ninnescah River tributaries ......................................................................................................................................17 Medicine Lodge River .............................................................................................................................................19 Chikaskia River .............................................................. Cimarron River and tributaries west of 99° longitude .............................................................................................20 Beaver River and tributaries above Wolf Creek ......................................................................................................22 Wolf Creek .......................................................... Summary............................................................_ References cited...................................................................................................................................................................27 FIGURES 1. Map showing location of study area..................................................................................................................................3 2. Graph showing average monthly precipitation for the Oklahoma panhandle (Oklahoma Climate Division 1) from 1961 through 1990..................................................................................................................4 3. Map showing streamflow stations used in the analysis of discharge from the High Plains aquifer...................................7 4.-5. Graphs showing: 4. Frequency curves for 7-, 14-, and 30-day December-February low flows for Beaver River near Guymon, Oklahoma, (station 07232500) for winters of 1937-38 through 1974-75......................................................................................................................................^ 5. December-February low flows for 7-, 14-, and 30-days for the Beaver River near Guymon, Oklahoma, (station 07232500) for winters of 1959-60 through 1992-93. Left bar is 7-day low flow, middle bar is 14-day low flow, and right bar is 30-day low flow.....................................16 6. Diagram showing predevelopment discharge from the High Plains aquifer to streams................................................... 18 7. Graph showing December-February low flows for 7-, 14-, and 30-days for the Beaver River near Guymon, Oklahoma, (station 07232500) for winters of 1937-38 through 1974-75. Left bar is 7-day low flow, middle bar is 14-day low flow, and right bar is 30-day low flow.....................................................................23 TABLES 1. Streamflow stations used in the analysis of predevelopment discharge from the High Plains aquifer .............................6 2. Streamflow stations with December-February low-flow analysis and estimated predevelopment discharge from the High Plains aquifer ........................................................................................................................... 11 Contents III CONVERSION FACTORS AND VERTICAL DAT Multiply By To obtain Length inch 2.54 centimeter mile 1.609 kilometer acre 4,047 square meter Flow rate acre-foot 1,233 cubic meter foot per day 0.3048 meter per day cubic foot per second 0.02832 cubic meter per second cubic foot per second per mile 0.04557 cubic meter per second per kilometer IV Contents Estimated Predevelopment Discharge to Streams From the High Plains Aquifer in Northwestern Oklahoma, Southwestern Kansas, and Northwestern Texas By Richard R. Luckey and Mark F. Becker ABSTRACT nearly one-half that amount was lost in the lower reaches of the river. The cause of the loss in the A study of the High Plains aquifer in Okla­ lower reaches is unknown. The Beaver River and homa was initiated in 1996 to: (1) provide the its tributaries are estimated to have gained a net of information needed by the Oklahoma Water about 10 cubic feet per second above Wolf Creek Resources Board to manage the quantity of water with the upper reaches gaining more than the lower produced from the aquifer; and (2) provide base­ reaches. Wolf Creek is estimated to have gained 30 line water-chemistry data. The approach used to cubic feet per second over its total length. meet the first objective is to develop a digital ground-water flow model. The model will be cali­ brated, in part, by comparing simulated and esti­ INTRODUCTION mated predevelopment discharge from the aquifer to streams and cross-boundary flow. This report The High Plains is a major agricultural area, presents the estimated predevelopment discharge supported in large part by water from the High Plains to streams from the High Plains aquifer. aquifer. The aquifer underlies about 174,000 square Streamflow data were the primary source of miles in parts of eight states (Weeks and others, 1988) information used to estimate predevelopment dis­ including 7,350 square miles in northwestern Okla­ charge from the High Plains aquifer. Data from 30 homa (fig. 1). The aquifer is recharged by infiltration of Streamflow stations between the Arkansas and precipitation that falls on the High Plains, either Canadian Rivers were considered in the analysis, directly where it falls or after it has moved some and winter low-flow frequencies for 7-, 14-, and distance overland. To a lesser degree, the aquifer also 30-day periods were determined for 25 stations. is recharged by infiltration of Streamflow that origi­ The 14-day low flow with a recurrence interval of nates west of the High Plains. Water in the aquifer 2 years was the primary value used to estimate pre­ generally flows from west to east although locally flow development discharge from the aquifer. is towards streams that are incised onto the aquifer. The streams that drain the eastern part of the Gutentag and others (1984, p. 28) estimated the High Plains aquifer in Kansas (generally east of average velocity of water in the aquifer under natural 99.5 longitude) are estimated to have had large conditions is approximately 1 foot per day. Water predevelopment discharge from the aquifer, and discharges naturally to streams and small springs and most of them received discharge from near their seeps in the eastern part of the High Plains aquifer headwaters. For streams with more than one where the water level in the aquifer rises to near or Streamflow gage, the upper perennial reaches above land surface. Additional water leaves the appeared to have gained more discharge from the aquifer naturally by moving across the eastern aquifer than the lower reaches. The total predevel­ boundary, by discharging to the atmosphere by evapo- opment discharge from the aquifer in this area to transpiration where the depth to water is shallow, or by several streams is estimated to have been about 312 flowing into underlying aquifers. Streamflow is the cubic feet per second, not including discharge that largest natural discharge from the aquifer. Most probably went directly to the Arkansas River. The discharge to springs and seeps and most Cimarron River and its tributaries are estimated to cross-boundary flow becomes Streamflow in a rela­ have gained about 78 cubic feet per second, but tively short distance. When evapotranspiration decreases during the winter, streamflow and seepage The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation increase correspondingly. During the last few with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, initiated a decades, pumpage has become a major artificial study of the High Plains aquifer in Oklahoma hi 1996 discharge from the aquifer and has caused water-level to: (1) provide the Water Resources Board with the declines and streamflow reductions. information needed to manage the quantity of water The Oklahoma High Plains are semiarid. produced from the aquifer; and (2) provide baseline
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