Sonoma County Water Agency
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In cooperation with the SONOMA COUNTY WATER AGENCY Geohydrological Characterization, Water-Chemistry, and Ground-Water Flow Simulation Model of the Sonoma Valley Area, Sonoma County, California Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5092 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Cover. Photograph of Sonoma Creek at Agua Caliente, Sonoma County, California, by Marisa Cox, U.S. Geological Survey Geohydrologic Characterization, Water- Chemistry, and Ground-Water Flow Simulation Model of the Sonoma Valley Area, Sonoma County, California By Christopher D. Farrar, Loren F. Metzger, Tracy Nishikawa, Kathryn M. Koczot, and Eric G. Reichard With a section on Basement Rock Configuration Interpreted from Gravity Data By Victoria E. Langenheim In cooperation with the Sonoma County Water Agency Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5092 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior P. Lynn Scarlett, Acting Secretary U.S. Geological Survey P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS--the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Farrar, C.D., Metzger, L.F., Nishikawa, Tracy, Koczot, K.M., and Reichard, E.G. 2006, Geohydrologic characterization, water-chemistry, and ground-water flow simulation model of the Sonoma Valley area, Sonoma County, California, with a section on basement rock configuration interpreted from gravity data by Victoria E. Langenheim: U.S. Geologi- cal Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5092, 167 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Location of the Study Area ..................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope .............................................................................................................................2 Land and Water Use .............................................................................................................................5 Climate ..................................................................................................................................................13 Previous Investigations and Databases .........................................................................................16 Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................................................16 Physiography and Geologic Setting .........................................................................................................16 Geology ..........................................................................................................................................................19 Basement Rocks ................................................................................................................................19 Basin Fill ...............................................................................................................................................20 Tertiary Sedimentary Rocks .....................................................................................................20 Sonoma Volcanics ....................................................................................................................26 Huichica Formation ...................................................................................................................26 Glen Ellen Formation ................................................................................................................27 Quaternary Alluvial Units .........................................................................................................27 Bay Mud Deposits......................................................................................................................27 Geologic Structure..............................................................................................................................28 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................................28 Surface-Water Hydrology .................................................................................................................28 Ground-Water Hydrology ..................................................................................................................29 Water-Bearing Properties ........................................................................................................30 Effects of Geologic Structures on Ground-Water Movement ...........................................36 Recharge .....................................................................................................................................36 Discharge ...................................................................................................................................37 Streamflow Gains and Losses .................................................................................................37 Methods of Data Collection and Analysis ....................................................................37 Streamflow Measurements and Estimated Gains and Losses .................................37 Watershed Hydrologic Budget .........................................................................................................41 Ground-Water Levels and Movement .............................................................................................42 Comparison of Water-Level Contour Maps: 1950, 1980, and 2003 .....................................46 Long-Term Changes in Ground-Water Levels in Different Parts of the Sonoma Valley ...................................................................................................46 Surface-Water and Ground-Water Chemistry .......................................................................................51 Methods of Water Sampling and Analysis .....................................................................................53 General Chemical Composition of Surface, Spring, and Ground Water ....................................53 Constituents of Potential Concern ...................................................................................................60 High-Salinity Waters ..........................................................................................................................62 Ground-Water Temperature .............................................................................................................67 iv Chemical Composition of Thermal Waters .....................................................................................70 Oxygen-18 and Deuterium ................................................................................................................71 Background.................................................................................................................................71 Stable Isotope Results ..............................................................................................................72 Ground-Water Flow Model .........................................................................................................................76 Model Discretization ..........................................................................................................................76 Spatial Discretization ................................................................................................................76 Temporal Discretization ............................................................................................................76 Model Boundaries ..............................................................................................................................76 Subsurface Properties .......................................................................................................................79 Hydraulic Conductivity ..............................................................................................................79 Storage Coefficient and Specific Yield...................................................................................80 Faults... ..................................................................................................................................................80 Stream-Aquifer Interactions .............................................................................................................83 Model Inflow ........................................................................................................................................83