Conceptual Model of Hydrologic and Thermal Conditions of the Eastbank Aquifer System Near Rocky Reach Dam, Douglas County, Washington
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Prepared in cooperation with Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County Conceptual Model of Hydrologic and Thermal Conditions of the Eastbank Aquifer System near Rocky Reach Dam, Douglas County, Washington Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5071 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Downstream view of Columbia River upstream of Rocky Reach Dam near Wenatchee, Washington. The Eastbank Aquifer system is located in the river-terrace deposit in the center-left of the picture on the front cover. Photograph by Marijke van Heeswijk, U.S. Geological Survey, January 27, 2008. Conceptual Model of Hydrologic and Thermal Conditions of the Eastbank Aquifer System near Rocky Reach Dam, Douglas County, Washington By Marijke van Heeswijk, Stephen E. Cox, Raegan L. Huffman, and Christopher A. Curran Prepared in cooperation with Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5071 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008 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: van Heeswijk, Marijke, Cox, S.E., Huffman, R.L., and Curran, C.A, 2008, Conceptual model of hydrologic and thermal conditions of the Eastbank Aquifer System near Rocky Reach Dam, Douglas County, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5071, 66 p. iii Contents Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................4 Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................4 Previous Investigations........................................................................................................................5 Well-Numbering System ......................................................................................................................6 Methods of Investigation .............................................................................................................................6 Water-Quality Sampling Procedures .................................................................................................6 Laboratory Analytical Procedures .....................................................................................................7 Hydrogeology .................................................................................................................................................7 Geologic Setting ....................................................................................................................................7 Hydrogeologic Units .............................................................................................................................7 Hydrology .....................................................................................................................................................16 Aquifer Conditions Before and After Construction of Rocky Reach Dam .................................16 Sources of Ground-Water Recharge and Discharge ...................................................................16 Historical Ground-Water Discharge ................................................................................................19 Ground-Water Pumpage ...........................................................................................................19 Ground-Water Seepage Through the Subsurface Cutoff Wall ..........................................21 Historical Ground- and Surface-Water Levels ..............................................................................22 Reliability of Historical Water-Level Measurements ...........................................................22 Ground-Water Levels on July 18, 2007 ...................................................................................24 Prior to Cessation of Ground-Water Pumping .............................................................25 Two Hours after Cessation of Ground-Water Pumping ..............................................25 Historical Ground- and Surface-Water Temperatures .................................................................28 Reliability of Historical Water-Temperature Measurements ..............................................29 Trends in Water Temperatures ................................................................................................30 Vertical Temperature Profiles .........................................................................................32 Spatial Patterns ................................................................................................................34 Time Lags ..................................................................................................................34 Annual Temperature Ranges ................................................................................39 Annual Temperature Extremes ..............................................................................39 Water Quality .......................................................................................................................................42 Spatial Patterns ..........................................................................................................................43 Conceptual Model of Hydrologic and Thermal Conditions ...................................................................47 Data Needs ..................................................................................................................................................49 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................49 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................................51 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................51 Appendix 1. Hydrogeologic Cross Sections of the Eastbank Aquifer System, Douglas County, Washington .......................................................................................................................53 Appendix 2. Summary of Down-Hole Camera Surveys of Selected Wells of the Eastbank Aquifer System, Douglas County, Washington, December 11–13, 2007 ................................59 Appendix 3. Natural-Gamma Logs of Selected Wells of the Eastbank Aquifer System, Douglas County, Washington, December 13, 2007....................................................................65 iv Figures Figure 1. Map showing location of Eastbank Aquifer system and vicinity, Douglas County, Washington ……………………………………………………………… 2 Figure 2. Map showing locations of the Eastbank Hatchery, subsurface cutoff wall, wells, weirs, river-monitoring site, and U.S. Geological Survey gaging station, Douglas County, Washington ……………………………………………………… 3 Figure 3. Graphs showing mean monthly precipitation and mean monthly minimum and maximum air temperatures for the Wenatchee climate station (site 459074), Chelan County, Washington, 1971–2000 …………………………………………… 5 Figure 4. Diagram showing well-numbering system used in Washington ………………… 6 Figure 5. Schematic hydrogeologic cross section through the south-central part of the Eastbank Aquifer system, Douglas County, Washington ………………………… 8 Figure 6. Map showing thickness of the Clay Confining Unit, Eastbank Aquifer system, Douglas County, Washington ……………………………………………………… 9 Figure 7. Map showing altitude of the top of bedrock, Eastbank Aquifer system, Douglas County, Washington ……………………………………………………… 10 Figure 8. Map showing thickness of the Lower Aquifer, Eastbank Aquifer system, Douglas County, Washington ……………………………………………………… 11 Figure 9. Map showing wells that are currently (2008) completed in the Eastbank Aquifer system and hydrogeologic units to which they are open, Douglas County, Washington ……………………………………………………………… 13 Figure 10. Map showing water-level and temperature monitoring network, Eastbank Aquifer system, Douglas County, Washington …………………………………… 17 Figure 11. Map showing potentiometric surface of the Lower and Combined Aquifers for post-dam, predevelopment conditions, Eastbank Aquifer system, Douglas County, Washington, 8:30 a.m., July 19, 1977 ……………………………………… 18 Figure 12. Graphs showing annual mean and quarterly mean pumpage