Hydrologic Setting and Conceptual Hydrologic Model of the Walker River Basin, West-Central Nevada

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Hydrologic Setting and Conceptual Hydrologic Model of the Walker River Basin, West-Central Nevada Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation Hydrologic Setting and Conceptual Hydrologic Model of the Walker River Basin, West-Central Nevada Scientifi c Investigations Report 2009–5155 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Upper left: Walker Lake at sunset (photograph by Thomas J. Lopes, March 3, 2005) Upper right: Rabbitbrush in bloom south of Schurz, Nevada (photograph by Thomas J. Lopes, September 28, 2004) Lower left: White pelicans at the mouth of the Walker River (photograph by Thomas J. Lopes, April 23, 2004) Lower right: Southern Mason Valley and white-capped Mount Grant in the distance (photograph by Thomas J. Lopes, June 3, 2008) Hydrologic Setting and Conceptual Hydrologic Model of the Walker River Basin, West-Central Nevada By Thomas J. Lopes and Kip K. Allander Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation Scientific Investigations Report 2009–5155 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2009 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov 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: Lopes, T.J., and Allander, K.K., 2009, Hydrologic setting and conceptual hydrologic model of the Walker River basin, west-central Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009–5155, 84 p. iii Contents Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Description of the Walker River Basin ..............................................................................................5 Physiography ..............................................................................................................................11 Climate .........................................................................................................................................13 Natural and Agricultural Vegetation ......................................................................................16 Population ...................................................................................................................................18 Previous Investigations......................................................................................................................18 Paleohydrology...........................................................................................................................18 Historical Hydrology ..................................................................................................................19 Methods.........................................................................................................................................................22 Surface-Water Measurements ........................................................................................................22 Groundwater Measurements ...........................................................................................................24 Seismic Refraction..............................................................................................................................26 Chemical Sampling .............................................................................................................................27 Statistics ...............................................................................................................................................29 Hydrologic Setting of the Lower Walker River Basin ............................................................................29 Walker River ........................................................................................................................................29 River Quality ................................................................................................................................31 Streams in the Wassuk and Gillis Ranges ......................................................................................33 Soils ..................................................................................................................................................34 Hydrogeologic Units ...........................................................................................................................34 Alluvial Depth and Thickness ..................................................................................................40 Hydraulic Properties .................................................................................................................48 Subsurface-Flow Estimates .....................................................................................................49 Groundwater Quality .................................................................................................................49 Depth to Water ....................................................................................................................................50 Walker Lake .........................................................................................................................................57 Conceptual Hydrologic Model of the Walker River Basin ....................................................................59 Sources of Water and Outflow .........................................................................................................59 Consolidated-Rock Aquifers and Groundwater Divides ............................................................................................................61 Alluvial Aquifers ..................................................................................................................................61 Smith Valley ................................................................................................................................62 Mason Valley ..............................................................................................................................62 Wabuska to Little Dam ..............................................................................................................64 Little Dam to Lateral 2-A ...........................................................................................................69 Lateral 2-A to Walker Lake .......................................................................................................72 Hawthorne Area .........................................................................................................................74 Walker Lake .........................................................................................................................................74 Summary........................................................................................................................................................77 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................80 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................80 iv Plate Plate 1. Map showing water-table contours in Smith Valley, Mason Valley, and lower Walker River basin, autumn 2006. Figures Figure 1. Map showing locations of selected features in the Walker River basin, California and Nevada …………………………………………………………… 3 Figure 2. Photograph of view looking north from the southern end of Walker Lake, Nevada 4 Figure 3. Graph showing lake-surface altitude and dissolved-solids concentrations of Walker Lake, Nevada, from 1882 through September 30, 2008 …………………… 4 Figure 4. Photograph of view looking upstream at the streamflow-gaging station Walker River near Wabuska, Nevada …………………………………………… 5 Figure 5. Photograph of Bridgeport valley, California, looking south from Highway 395 towards Twin Lakes and 12,000-foot peaks of the Sierra Nevada ………………… 6 Figure 6. Photograph of view looking south at Topaz Lake on the West Fork of the Walker River, the upper Antelope Valley, and the snowcapped Sweetwater Range, Nevada and California …………………………………………………… 6 Figure 7. Photograph of view looking southwest at Bridgeport Reservoir, California, on the East Fork of the Walker River, and the Sierra Nevada ………………………… 7 Figure 8. Photograph of alfalfa field in Antelope Valley, Nevada and California, with the Sweetwater Range in the background ……………………………………… 7 Figure 9. Photograph
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