U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 810, 35 P

Prepared in cooperation with White Sands Missile Range

Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008

Data Series 810

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008

By C.A. Naus, R.G. Myers, D.K. Saleh, and N.C. Myers

Prepared in cooperation with White Sands Missile Range

Data Series 810

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior SALLY JEWELL, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2014

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Suggested citation: Naus, C.A., Myers, R.G., Saleh, D.K., and Myers, N.C., 2014, Compilation of hydrologic data for White Sands pupfish habitat and nonhabitat areas, northern Tularosa Basin, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 810, 35 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds810.

ISSN 2327-638X (online) iii

Contents

Abstract ...... 1 Introduction ...... 1 Purpose and Scope ...... 3 Site-Numbering Systems ...... 3 Acknowledgments ...... 8 Description of Study Area ...... 8 White Sands Pupfish Habitat ...... 12 Hydrologic Data ...... 13 Quality Assurance and Quality Control ...... 13 Salt Creek ...... 17 Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh ...... 26 Main Mound Spring ...... 31 Lost River ...... 31 Sites Located in Pupfish Nonhabitat Areas ...... 31 Summary ...... 32 References ...... 33 Appendixes (available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/810/) 1. Photographs of Pupfish Habitat Areas Within the Tularosa Basin, New Mexico 2. Hydrologic Data Compiled for 67 Sites Located in the Northern Tularosa Basin, New Mexico, on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base

Figures

1. Map showing location of study area in White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 2 2. Diagram showing system for identifying site locations according to the Public Land Survey system of subdivision of sectionized land in New Mexico ...... 8 3. Map showing locations of White Sands pupfish habitat areas and sites in and near pupfish habitat areas, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 9 4. Map showing locations of sites in the White Sands pupfish Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh, Main Mound Spring, and northern Salt Creek habitat areas and surrounding areas, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 10 5. Map showing locations of sites in the White Sands pupfish southern Salt Creek and Lost River habitat areas and surrounding areas, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 11 6. Stiff diagrams showing major-ion chemistry (averaged for sites with more than one sample) of water samples collected from sites in White Sands pupfish habitat and nonhabitat areas, 1983–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 14 7. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in the White Sands pupfish Salt Creek habitat area, 1983–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 15 iv

8. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in the White Sands pupfish Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh habitat area, 1982–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 15 9. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in the White Sands pupfish Main Mound Spring and Lost River habitat areas, 1982–2006, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 16 10. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in White Sands pupfish nonhabitat areas, 1954–2006, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 16 11. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from White Sands pupfish habitat and nonhabitat areas, 1954–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico ...... 17 12. Graphs showing daily mean streamflow at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow- gaging station Salt Creek near Tularosa, New Mexico, for water years 1995–2008...... 18 13. Graph showing daily mean and instantaneous streamflow at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station Salt Creek near Tularosa, New Mexico, calendar years 1995–2008 ...... 23 14. Graphs showing instantaneous streamflow, dissolved-solids concentration, and pH at Salt Creek surface-water sites ...... 24 15. Graph showing dissolved-solids concentrations and streamflow during a seepage (gain-loss) study along a 24.5-mile reach of Salt Creek, New Mexico, August 12–13, 2002 ...... 26 16. Graphs showing daily mean streamflow at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow- gaging station Malpais Spring near Oscura, New Mexico, for water years 2004–8 ...... 27 17. Graph showing daily mean and instantaneous streamflow at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station Malpais Spring near Oscura, New Mexico, calendar years 2003–8 ...... 29

Tables

1. Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, and land-surface altitudes of water-sampling sites on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008 ...... 4 2. Water types of samples collected from sites on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008 ...... 30 v

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain Length inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm) inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm) foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) Area acre 0.004047 square kilometer (km2) square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) Volume acre-foot (acre-ft) 1,233 cubic meter (m3) Flow rate cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s) gallon per minute (gal/min) 0.06309 liter per second (L/s)

SI to Inch/Pound

Multiply By To obtain Length meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) Area square kilometer (km2) 247.1 acre Mass gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: °F=(1.8×°C)+32 Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum. Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given in either milligrams per liter (mg/L) or micrograms per liter (µg/L).

Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008

By C.A. Naus, R.G. Myers, D.K. Saleh, and N.C. Myers

Abstract Main Mound Spring water sample collected in 1982 indicated that the water was about 19,600 years old. Dissolved-solids concentrations of Lost River samples The White Sands pupfish Cyprinodon( tularosa), listed collected from 1984 to 1999 ranged from 8,930 to 118,000 as threatened by the State of New Mexico and as a Federal (estimated) mg/L. species of concern, is endemic to the Tularosa Basin, New Dissolved-solids concentrations in samples from Mexico. Because water quality can affect pupfish and the nonhabitat area sites ranged from 1,740 to 54,200 (estimated) environmental conditions of their habitat, a comprehensive mg/L. In general, water collected from pupfish nonhabitat compilation of hydrologic data for pupfish habitat and area sites tends to have larger proportions of calcium, nonhabitat areas in the northern Tularosa Basin was magnesium, and sulfate than water from pupfish habitat area undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with sites. Water from springs associated with mounds in pupfish White Sands Missile Range. nonhabitat areas was of a similar type (calcium-sulfate) to The four locations within the Tularosa Basin that are water associated with mounds in pupfish habitat areas. Alkali known pupfish habitat areas are the Salt Creek, Malpais Spring had a sodium-chloride water type, but the proportions Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh, Main Mound Spring, and Lost of sodium-chloride and magnesium-sulfate are unique as River habitat areas. Streamflow data from the Salt Creek near compared to samples from other sites. Tularosa streamflow-gaging station indicated that the average annual mean streamflow and average annual total streamflow for water years 1995–2008 were 1.35 cubic feet per second Introduction (ft3/s) and 983 acre-feet, respectively. Periods of no flow were observed in water years 2002 through 2006. Dissolved-solids The White Sands pupfish Cyprinodon( tularosa) is the concentrations in Salt Creek samples collected from 1911 only endemic fish species of the Tularosa Basin in south- through 2007 ranged from 2,290 to 66,700 milligrams per central New Mexico (fig. 1). The species is listed as threatened liter (mg/L). by the State of New Mexico (19 NMAC 33.1) and as a Federal The average annual mean streamflow and average species of concern (50CFR 17:64481-64485) (Pittenger and annual total streamflow at the Malpais Spring near Oscura Springer, 1999). A cooperative agreement among White streamflow-gaging station for water years 2003–8 were Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico 6.81 ft3/s and 584 acre-feet, respectively. Dissolved-solids Department of Game and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, concentrations for 16 Malpais Spring samples ranged from and White Sands National Monument was signed in 1994 3,882 to 5,500 mg/L. Isotopic data for a Malpais Spring near (Pittenger and Springer, 1996) to establish an interagency Oscura water sample collected in 1982 indicated that the water team to develop and implement conservation measures for the was more than 27,900 years old. White Sands pupfish (Pittenger and Springer, 1999). Because Streamflow from Main Mound Spring was estimated water quality can affect pupfish and the environmental at 0.007 ft3/s in 1955 and 1957 and ranged from 0.02 to conditions of their habitat, a comprehensive compilation 0.07 ft3/s from 1996 to 2001. Dissolved-solids concentrations of hydrologic data for pupfish habitat and nonhabitat areas in samples collected between 1955 and 2007 ranged from in the northern Tularosa Basin was undertaken by the U.S. an estimated 3,760 to 4,240 mg/L in the upper pond and Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with White Sands 4,840 to 5,120 mg/L in the lower pond. Isotopic data for a Missile Range. 2 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin

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Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 0 10 20 30 40 50 MILES and White Sands Missile Range (2003) Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 13 0 10 20 30 40 50 KILOMETERS North American Datum of 1983

Figure 1. Location of study area in White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Introduction 3

Purpose and Scope quarters. The first digit of the fourth segment of the location number denotes the 160-acre quarter section. Then, the 160- This report presents a compilation of hydrologic data for acre quarter section is divided into four quarters numbered springs, streams, and ponds of White Sands pupfish habitat in the same manner, and the second digit in the fourth and nonhabitat areas on White Sands Missile Range and segment of the location number denotes the 40-acre tract. Holloman Air Force Base in the northern Tularosa Basin. Finally, the 40-acre tract is divided into four quarters, and Data compiled include daily and instantaneous streamflow, the third digit in the fourth segment of the location number suspended-sediment concentrations, streamflow and water- denotes the 10-acre tract. For example, site 14S.08E.35.144 quality data collected during a seepage (gain-loss) study, is located in the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of and physical and chemical water-quality data. Data were the northwest quarter of section 35, Range 08 East, Township collected by the USGS and the Department of Fishery and 14 South (fig. 2). If more than one site has the same location Wildlife Sciences at New Mexico State University between number, then the letter “a” is appended to the fourth segment 1911 and 2008 and compiled from the USGS National Water of the location number of the second site, the letter “b” is Information System database (U.S. Geological Survey, 2013), appended to the location number of the third site, and so on. other published (Meinzer and Hare, 1915; Weir, 1965) and Where sections are irregularly shaped, the site is located by unpublished USGS data (data on file with the U.S. Geological superimposing a regular square section grid on the irregular Survey, New Mexico Water Science Center, Albuquerque, section with the southeastern corners and eastern section lines New Mexico), and a New Mexico State University report of the grid and irregular section matching. The site is then (Turner, 1987). numbered by its location in the superimposed square grid. Documentation of water-quality and streamflow Location numbers for sites identified according to the conditions in White Sands pupfish habitat areas in the grid system of latitude and longitude (USGS location number northern Tularosa Basin in White Sands Missile Range will in table 1) consist of three parts: a latitude value, a longitude aid in the evaluation of current and future management and value, and a two-digit sequence number. The latitude and research activities, the assessment of cumulative effects of longitude values (denoted in degrees [°], minutes [′], and military activities, and adherence to National Environmental seconds [″]) are based on an initial determination of site Policy Act documentation with regard to White Sands pupfish location rounded to the nearest second. The third part of the habitat conservation. USGS location number is a two-digit sequence number that is used to uniquely identify sites that have the same latitude Site-Numbering Systems and longitude. The first site generally is assigned a sequence number of “01,” the second site with the same latitude and Three systems of identifying site locations are used in longitude is assigned a sequence number of “02,” and so on. this report: one based on the Public Land Survey (PLS) system This type of USGS location number consists of 15 digits. of subdivision of sectionized land, one based on the grid For example, the site for which the PLS location number system of latitude and longitude, and one based on the order of was described above (14S.08E.35.144) is located at latitude sites along streams. Unless otherwise noted, site locations are 33o 03′ 23″ North and longitude 106o 09′ 38″ West and has a presented as they appear in data sources. In some instances, it USGS location number of 330323106093801. Once a USGS was not possible to locate the site for which data are presented location number is established it is never changed even if in this report, and so no location information is given herein. the latitude and longitude of the site is refined or corrected Sites are shown on maps in this report only if latitude and through subsequent measurements. Even though the 15-digit longitude were available or if sites were depicted on maps USGS location number is based on latitude and longitude it with identifiable landmarks in the source publication. should never be used as a substitute for the actual latitude and Location numbers for sites identified according to the longitude of a site. PLS system of subdivision of sectionized land (PLS location The downstream-order system is used to assign USGS number in table 1) consist of four segments separated by location numbers to some surface-water sites (usually periods and define the location of the site to the nearest streamflow-gaging stations) in river basins. Numbers are 10-acre tract of land, when possible. The four segments assigned, from lowest to highest (upstream to downstream), denote, from left to right, the township south (S.) of the New along the primary (main) stream in a river basin. Downstream Mexico base line, the range east (E.) of the New Mexico order numbers for tributaries also are assigned location principal meridian, the section, and the particular 10-acre tract numbers in downstream order, but the sites on tributaries within the section. The fourth segment of the number, which are numbered such that their values fall between those of consists of three digits, denotes from left to right the 160-, sites on the main stream that are upstream and downstream 40-, and 10-acre tracts within the section in which the site is of the tributary. Sites numbered according to this system located. To delineate the fourth segment of the number, the have location numbers that consist of eight digits: the first section is divided into four quarters, numbered 1, 2, 3, and two digits identify the major river basin (for example, “08” 4, in the normal reading order (from left to right from top to designates the Rio Grande Basin), and the six subsequent bottom), for the northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast digits designate the downstream order of the sites. 4 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin Source Hare (1915). Hare (1915). Meinzer and Meinzer and USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. (1987). Turner (1987). Turner USGS NWIS. (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner ------4,118 4,125 4,125 3,940 4,135 (feet) Land- surface altitude

------(west) Longitude 106° 29′ 46″ 106° 09′ 38″ 106° 09′ 36″ 106° 22′ 03″ 09″ 106° 11′ 106° 17′ 12″ 106° 09′ 13″

------(north) Latitude 33° 05′ 34″ 33° 03′ 23″ 33° 03′ 23″ 33° 04′ 44″ 33° 04′ 50″ 33° 25′ 01″ 33° 03′ 31″ b b b b b c

------number 12S.06E.12.3 12S.06E.14.2 PLS location 14S.08E.35.144 14S.08E.35.144 14S.06E.23.342 14S.08E.21.424 10S.06E.26.242 14S.08E.35.223 16S.08E.28.322

AFB, Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman Air Force Base; mi, mile; NE, northeast; NM, New Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman AFB, AFB, Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman Air Force Base; mi, mile; NE, northeast; NM, New Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman AFB, ------number USGS location 330534106294610 330323106093810 330323106093601 330444106220310 330450106110910 332501106171201 330328106091401

used in this report) (if different from that database or publication Site name or description in source WSMR Range Road 9 downstream from the dirt road that crosses Malone Draw channel less than about 0.3 mi down the drainage and upstream from where a power line crosses Lost River WSMR Range Road 9 culvert under WSMR Range Road 9 downstream from Water immediately below surface of Alkali Flat immediately below surface of Water Alkali Flat immediately below surface of Water WSMR Alkali Spring on NM Tularosa, Pond north of Barrel Spring near 14S.08E.35.144 Barrel Spring-South Pond NM Tularosa, Big Salt Lake near NM Tularosa, WSMR Road 6 near Brazel Lake at Dead Oryx Mound Spring near Oscura, NM --- Upper Pond at Double Mound Spring --- upstream from culverts under Lost River-just pool containing pupfish Lost River-first water at the head of an eroded Lost River-flowing WSMR Range Road 9 from Lost River-upstream below the west end of north Lost River-just fishless reach about 0.9 mi Lost River-shallow,

a a a a a a a Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, and land-surface altitudes of water-sampling sites on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, land-surface altitudes of water-sampling Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, and land-surface altitudes of water-sampling sites on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, land-surface altitudes of water-sampling a a

shown on figures) (site names in bold are Pond Pond and (or) tables in this report Site name as shown on maps Alkali Flat 1 Alkali Flat 2 Alkali Spring Spring-North Pond Barrel Spring-South Pond Barrel Big Salt Lake Brazel Lake Dead Oryx Mound Spring Double Mound Springs-Lower Double Mound Springs-Upper Guilez Spring (Turner) Lost River Lost River 1 Lost River 2 Lost River 3 Lost River 4 Lost River 5 Table 1. Table Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008.—Continued [Location information as published in source database or publication unless otherwise indicated. ---, no data; White Sands Missile Range] WSMR, Information System; PLS, Public Land Survey; USGS, U.S. Geological Water northwest; NWIS, National Mexico; NMSU, New Mexico State University; NW, Table 1. Table Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008. [Location information as published in source database or publication unless otherwise indicated. ---, no data; White Sands Missile Range] WSMR, Information System; PLS, Public Land Survey; USGS, U.S. Geological Water northwest; NWIS, National Mexico; NMSU, New Mexico State University; NW, Introduction 5 Source Hare (1915). Hare (1915). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. Meinzer and (1987). Turner (1965). Weir (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner Meinzer and ------4,047 4,150 4,160 4,350 (feet) Land- surface altitude

------(west) Longitude 106° 09′ 55″ 106° 17′ 07″ 106° 17′ 05″ 106° 18′ 50″ 106° 19′ 11″ 106° 18′ 33″

------(north) Latitude 32° 52′ 51″ 33° 25′ 28″ 33° 25′ 35″ 33° 16′ 57″ 33° 16′ 22″ 33° 17′ 15″ b b b b c

------number PLS location 10S.06E.23.442 10S.06E.24.313 12S.07E.08.434 12S.07E.08.424 12S.07E.9.3 12S.07E.08.422 12S.07E.21.332 10S.06E.26

AFB, Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman Air Force Base; mi, mile; NE, northeast; NM, New Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman AFB, ------number USGS location 325251106095310 332528106170710 332535106170501 331657106185010 331622106191110 08480594

used in this report) (if different from that database or publication Site name or description in source between Holloman AFB and White Sands AFB and between Holloman National Monument National Monument south of the springhead near Road 316 from the spring Spring Lost River-ponded area near HAFB Building 1176 Lost River-ponded upstream from the boundary Lost River-just White Sands western pool on Lost River-most Air Force Base, NM Lost River on Holloman Lower Mound Spring Pond near Oscura, NM Mound Spring (Upper Pond) near Oscura, NM Malpais Marsh near Oscura, NM WSMR, NM Salt Marsh Lower Lake, Site 8 on Malpais Spring near Oscura, NM ------Manmade pond that is located approximately 2 mi ------Middle of the marsh that received outflow Near the upper end of study site on Malpais ------a d

a a a a a a a a Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, and land-surface altitudes of water-sampling sites on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, land-surface altitudes of water-sampling a a

shown on figures) (site names in bold are Pond Pond Lake Hare) marsh and (or) tables in this report Site name as shown on maps Lost River 6 Lost River 7 Lost River 8 AFB on Holloman Lost River Main Mound Spring-Lower Main Mound Spring-Upper Malpais Salt Marsh Malpais Salt Marsh Lower Oscura Malpais Spring near Malpais Spring (Meinzer and Malpais Spring (Turner) Malpais Spring (Wier) Malpais Spring Pond Malpais Spring-at springhead Malpais Spring-edge of marsh Malpais Spring-middle of Malpais Spring-upper end Mound Spring (Turner) Mound Spring 25 Table 1. Table Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008.—Continued [Location information as published in source database or publication unless otherwise indicated. ---, no data; White Sands Missile Range] WSMR, Information System; PLS, Public Land Survey; USGS, U.S. Geological Water northwest; NWIS, National Mexico; NMSU, New Mexico State University; NW, 6 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin Source Hare (1915). Hare (1915). Hare (1915). Meinzer and (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner USGS NWIS. Meinzer and Meinzer and USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. (1987). Turner USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. ------4,350 3,960 3,950 3,990 4,000 4,050 4,040 4,050 4,050 4,100 (feet) Land- surface altitude

------(west) Longitude 106° 17′ 20″ 106° 23′ 45″ 106° 21′ 13″ 106° 22′ 57″ 106° 22′ 25″ 106° 24′ 38″ 106° 25′ 35″ 106° 26′ 07″ 106° 26′ 14″ 106° 25′ 01″ 106° 23′ 19″ 106° 22′ 02″

------(north) Latitude 33° 26′ 06″ 33° 07′ 16″ 33° 20′ 57″ 33° 06′ 08″ 33° 05′ 12″ 33° 08′ 47″ 33° 09′ 44″ 33° 10′ 42″ 33° 13′ 46″ 33° 14′ 54″ 33° 17′ 22″ 33° 18′ 45″

c b b b b b b b b c b b b b

------number PLS location 10S.06E.23 12S.06E.31.322 11S.06E.24.322 10S.06E.23.221 12S.06E.15.2 13S.06E.19.2 14S.06E.04.441 11S.06E.24.144 14S.06E.15.213 14S.06E.23.113 13S.06E.32.224 13S.06E.29.111 13S.06E.18.433 12S.06E.31.234 12S.06E.29.223 12S.06E.10.144 11S.06E.35.434

AFB, Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman Air Force Base; mi, mile; NE, northeast; NM, New Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman AFB, ------number USGS location 332606106172001 330716106234510 332057106211310 330608106225710 330512106222510 330847106243810 330944106253510 331042106260710 331346106264410 331454106250110 331722106231910 331845106220210

used in this report) (if different from that database or publication Site name or description in source Double Mound Springs 12 S., R.6 E. T. 1/4 Sec. 15, 13 S., R.6 E. T. 1/4 Sec. 19, WSMR, NM --- Single Mound Spring located northwest of the ------North Mound Spring near Oscura, NM Salt Creek-sample taken at road crossing in NE Salt Creek-sample taken at road crossing in NE WSMR, NM Salt Creek 3 at Range Road 6 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek 4 at Range Road 7 on Salt Creek above Big Lake at mile 1.2 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek at Big Lake on --- WSMR, NM Salt Creek at stream mile 5.8 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek at stream mile 6.4 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek at stream mile 8.4 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek at stream mile 12.5 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek at stream mile 14.5 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek at stream mile 18.1 on WSMR, NM Salt Creek at stream mile 21.1 on

a a a a a Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, and land-surface altitudes of water-sampling sites on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, land-surface altitudes of water-sampling

shown on figures) (site names in bold are Mound Springs 6 7 Lake at mile 1.2 12.5 14.5 18.1 21.1 and (or) tables in this report Site name as shown on maps Mound Spring 7 of Double Mound Spring, NW study site NMSU lower study site NMSU upper North Mound Spring Salt Creek 1 Salt Creek 2 3 at Range Road Salt Creek 4 at Range Road Salt Creek above Big Salt Salt Creek at Big Salt Lake Salt Creek Salt Creek at Road 6 mile 5.8 at stream Salt Creek mile 6.4 at stream Salt Creek mile 8.4 at stream Salt Creek mile at stream Salt Creek mile at stream Salt Creek mile at stream Salt Creek mile at stream Salt Creek Table 1. Table Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008.—Continued [Location information as published in source database or publication unless otherwise indicated. ---, no data; White Sands Missile Range] WSMR, Information System; PLS, Public Land Survey; USGS, U.S. Geological Water northwest; NWIS, National Mexico; NMSU, New Mexico State University; NW, Introduction 7 Source Turner (1987). Turner USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner (1987). Turner USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. USGS NWIS. ------4,175 (feet) Land- surface altitude

------(west) Longitude 106° 21′ 02″ 106° 23′ 50″ 106° 26′ 57″ 106° 17′ 39″ 106° 08′ 59″ 106° 17′ 34″

------(north) Latitude 33° 21′ 39″ 33° 16′ 32″ 58″ 33° 11′ 33° 24′ 20″ 33° 05′ 08″ 33° 25′ 08″ b b c b b b b c

------number PLS location 11S.06E.13.414 12S.06E.16.244 13S.05E.12.422 11S.06E.13.234 12S.06E.03.422 10S.06E.35.122 14S.08E.24.133 10S.06E.26.213

AFB, Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman Air Force Base; mi, mile; NE, northeast; NM, New Air Force Base; HAFB, Holloman AFB, ------number USGS location 332139106210210 08480595 331158106265710 332420106173901 330508106085910 332508106173401

used in this report) (if different from that database or publication Site name or description in source Salt Creek at Range Road 316) NM --- WSMR, NM Salt Creek below Spring on NM (formerly named Tularosa, Salt Creek near WSMR, NM on Salt Creek near NW-50 ------South Mound Spring near Oscura, NM Tularosa, WSMR Road 9, near Creek at Tularosa Mound Spring near Oscura, NM West a

a a a Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, and land-surface altitudes of water-sampling sites on White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Site names and descriptions, identification numbers, locations, land-surface altitudes of water-sampling

shown on figures) (site names in bold are Derived from location plotted by using latitude and longitude published in NWIS. Previously USGS site number 331715106183301. Not shown on maps because of insufficient location information. Derived from location approximated by using maps in source publication. and (or) tables in this report a b c d Site name as shown on maps Salt Creek at Wit Road Bridge Wit Salt Creek at below Salt Spring Salt Creek Tularosa near Salt Creek NW-50 near Salt Creek Salt Creek-Road 6 bridge Road Salt Creek-Wit Salt Creek-Road 6 of drainage Salt Creek-top Salt Creek-waterfall South Mound Spring Creek Tularosa Mound Spring West Table 1. Table Force Base, New Mexico, 1911–2008.—Continued [Location information as published in source database or publication unless otherwise indicated. ---, no data; White Sands Missile Range] WSMR, Information System; PLS, Public Land Survey; USGS, U.S. Geological Water northwest; NWIS, National Mexico; NMSU, New Mexico State University; NW, 8 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin

Sierra Counties, New Mexico. Surface water and springs in the study area are located in alluvium of Quaternary and Tertiary age on the floor of the Tularosa Basin (Hawley, 1983, 1993). The Tularosa Basin is contained within a large structural basin in the Mexican Highland section of the Basin and Range physiographic province (Fenneman and Johnson, 1946). The combined thickness of Tertiary- and Quaternary-age bolson- fill sedimentary deposits in the basin is as great as 10,000 feet (ft) (Risser, 1988; Orr and Risser, 1992). The present basin- and-range configuration of the Tularosa Basin developed in response to late Tertiary crustal extension associated with the Rio Grande rift. The Tularosa Basin is a closed surface-water drainage system, separated from the Hueco Bolson (a through-flowing basin) by a subtle high that forms a surface divide near the New Mexico-Texas State line (fig. 1 inset map; Basabilvazo and others, 1994). Much of the surface-water runoff from the mountains bordering the Tularosa Basin infiltrates before reaching the basin floor (Naus, 2002), but surface-water Site 14S.08E.35.144 flow during summer thunderstorms may reach depressions and playas on the basin floor, forming ephemeral lakes that eventually evaporate and develop into alkali flats (Basabilvazo and others, 1994). During the last glacial-pluvial time toward the end of Figure 2. Diagram showing system for identifying site locations the Pleistocene Epoch, a large ephemeral lake now called according to the Public Land Survey (PLS) system of subdivision Lake Otero was present in Tularosa Basin. Lucas and Hawley of sectionized land in New Mexico. (2002) indicated that Lake Otero might have covered about 810 square miles. A large stream, the ancestral Salt Creek, which drained the northern portion of the basin, formed the Acknowledgments main tributary to Lake Otero (Weir, 1965; Hawley, 1993). Dating of organic sediment associated with Lake Otero The authors wish to acknowledge White Sands Missile indicates that the lake persisted in the Tularosa Basin until Range personnel for their support of the long-term data- about 10,000 years ago, when a change of climate to more arid collection efforts that provided the basic data included in this conditions resulted in the recession and drying of Lake Otero report. We also wish to acknowledge the field data collection (Pittenger and Springer, 1999). Lake Lucero (fig. 1) is a small efforts of the many USGS and non-USGS personnel who remnant of Lake Otero (White Sands National Monument, labored in sometimes inclement conditions to obtain the n.d.). Pittenger and Springer (1999) postulated that White field data. Sands pupfish inhabited Lake Otero and its tributaries such as The White Sands Missile Range Operational Security the ancestral Salt Creek. review of this report was completed on June 22, 2012, and Four locations within the Tularosa Basin are known the information contained in this report has been approved for pupfish habitat areas: Salt Creek, Malpais Spring and Malpais public release by White Sands Missile Range. Salt Marsh, Main Mound Spring, and Lost River (figs. 3, 4, and 5). The pupfish habitat areas are on property under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense. The Salt Creek, Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh, and Main Mound Description of Study Area Spring habitat areas are within the boundaries of White Sands Missile Range, and Lost River flows through Holloman Air The study area (fig. 1) is located in the northern part of Force Base. Photographs of springs, streams, and ponds the Tularosa Basin on the White Sands Missile Range and in pupfish habitat and nonhabitat areas are included in Holloman Air Force Base, in Doña Ana, Lincoln, Otero, and appendix 1. Description of Study Area 9

106°45’ 106°30’ 106°15’ 106°00’ EXPLANATION T08S Water-quality site (lake-reservoir) Oscura Mountains LINCOLN Water-quality site (spring) T09S 33°30’ COUNTY Water-quality site (stream) SOCORRO COUNTY Area shown in figure 4 Seepage study site (stream) SIERRA COUNTY Water-quality and seepage site (stream) Mound Spring habitat area Sacramento T10S Mountains New Mexico State University (NMSU) study site

Carrizozo NMSU upper study site lava flow s T11S in ta n u o M

s e r Malpais Spring and d T12S 33°15’ n Malpais Salt Marsh A

n NMSU lower study site habitat area a

S Salt Creek Salt Creek habitat area T13S 54 White Sands Alkali Missile Range Spring Big Salt Lake boundary T14S

33°00’ Lost River T15S Area shown SIERRA COUNTY habitat in figure 5 area

Study area Malone HOLLOMAN Draw T16S AIR FORCE BASE Lost River Ritas SAN ANDRES Draw NATIONAL WILDLIFE 70 WHITE SANDS T17S REFUGE NATIONAL MONUMENT

COUNTY

DOÑA ANA DOÑA 32°45’

OTERO COUNTY T18S Lake Lucero

T19S

R02E R03E R04E R05E R06E R07E R08E R09E

Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 0 5 10 MILES and White Sands Missile Range (2003) Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 13 0 5 10 KILOMETERS North American Datum of 1983

Figure 3. Locations of White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) habitat areas and sites in and near pupfish habitat areas, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. 10 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin

106°30’ 106°25’ 106°20’ 106°15’ 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 1 6 5 6 5 4 3 2 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 7 8 11 12 9 10 11 7

16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 8 14 13 18 17 17 16 15 s SIERRA 14 in North Mound Spring ta n COUNTY u Main Mound Spring-Upper Pond T10S o 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 23 24 19 20 20 21 22 M 23

Main Mound Spring-Lower Pond 33°25’ s West Mound Spring e r 26 25 d 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 Dead25 Oryx30 Mound 29Spring n 28 27 26 A

n South Mound Spring

a S 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 35 36 31 32 33 34 LINCOLN COUNTY 35 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 OTERO COUNTY 9 10 11 11 12 7 8 9 12 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 Salt Creek-top of drainage 16 15 14 14 13 18 17 13 18 17 16 15 Salt Creek below Salt16 Spring15 14 13 18 17 16 15 Salt Creek 4 at Range Road 7 21 22 23 24 23 24 19 T11S 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 7 NMSU upper study site 22

33°20’ 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 Carrizozo25 30 29 28 27 lava 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 flow Salt Creek at stream mile 21.1 35 36 31 32 33 34

4 3 2 1 5 4 3 Salt2 Creek-waterfall1 6 5 3166 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 Salt Creek at stream mile 18.1 Malpais Spring near Oscura 99 10 7 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12 7 11 Malpais12 Salt Marsh 8 9 10 Salt Creek near Tularosa Malpais Salt Marsh 14 13 16 15 14 13 13 18 17 18 17 16 15 14 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 7 Malpais Salt Marsh T12S Lower Lake 21 22 24 19 23 24 19 20 Salt 21Creek 22 23 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 Malpais Spring Pond 21 22 33°15’ Salt Creek at stream mile 14.5 316 28 27 26 25 28 27 26 25 30 29 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 NMSU lower study site Salt Creek at stream mile 12.5 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34

R05E R06E R07E R08E Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 0 5 MILES and White Sands Missile Range (2003) Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 13 0 5 KILOMETERS North American Datum of 1983

EXPLANATION Water-quality site (lake-reservoir) State highway Water-quality site (spring) Paved two-lane road Water-quality site (stream) Gravel road Seepage study site (stream) Water-quality and seepage site (stream) New Mexico State University (NMSU) study site

Figure 4. Locations of sites in the White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh, Main Mound Spring, and northern Salt Creek habitat areas and surrounding areas, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Description of Study Area 11

106°25’ 106°20’ 106°15’ 106°10’ T12S 1 6 5 4 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6

12 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 Salt Creek near NW-50

18 17 16 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18 Salt Creek at stream mile 8.4 Salt Creek 2 T13S 19 20 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 33°10’ Salt Creek at stream mile 6.4 Salt Creek 30 29 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30

31 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 Salt Creek at stream mile 5.8 Three Rivers

1 6 5 4 Salt3 Creek 23 at Range1 Road6 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 6 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 Salt Creek above Big Salt Lake at mile 1.2 Tularosa Creek 13 18 17 16 15 14 13Big Salt18 Lake17 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18 Salt Creek at T14S Big Salt Lake 33°05’ 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 Big Salt Lake Brazel Lake 6 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 Guilez Spring

36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 Barrel31 Spring-South32 33 Pond34 35 36 31

1 6 5 4 Barrel Spring-North Pond 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 SIERRA COUNTY 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7

13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18

33°00’ OTERO COUNTY T15S

24 19 20 21 22 23 24 COUNTYANA DOÑA 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 19

25 30 29 28 27 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30

36 31 32 33 34 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31

5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4

12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 8 9 HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE 17 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 32°55’ T16S 19 20 21 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 Lost River (Turner) 30 29 28 28 27 Lost26 River25 on 30 29 28 29 28 27 26 25 27 26 25 30 29 Holloman AFB er 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 33 34 35 36iv 31 32 33 32 33 R st Lo 5 4 3 2 1 6 5 WHITE4 SANDS3 2NATIONAL1 6MONUMENT5 4 3 2 1 6 5 4 T17S R05E R06E R07E R08E Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 0 5 MILES and White Sands Missile Range (2003) Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 13 0 5 KILOMETERS North American Datum of 1983 EXPLANATION Water-quality site (lake-reservoir) State highway Water-quality site (spring) Paved two-lane road Water-quality site (stream) Gravel road Seepage study site (stream) Water-quality and seepage site (stream) New Mexico State University (NMSU) study site

Figure 5. Locations of sites in the White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) southern Salt Creek and Lost River habitat areas and surrounding areas, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. 12 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin

Salt Creek is a perennial stream in the northern Tularosa basalt as an aquifer and was the first to suggest that stream Basin (fig. 3) and is one of two endemic habitat areas of sediment buried beneath the basalt was an additional source the White Sands pupfish. The lower reach of the stream, of water. The Main Mound Spring habitat area (fig. 3), which which drains into Big Salt Lake (fig. 5), is intermittent and includes an upper pond and a lower pond, is part of a group of ephemeral. The Salt Creek drainage basin includes parts of the springs associated with mounds between Salt Creek and the northern San Andres and Oscura Mountains (fig. 1) that are Carrizozo lava flow. The mounds were formed by deposition west of the Quaternary Carrizozo lava flow (figs. 1, 3, and 4), of windborne sediments in and around vegetation supported a 5,000-year-old olivine basalt (Salyards, 1991; Dunbar, by water from the springs. The mounds are typically low, 1999). Much of the ancestral Salt Creek stream channel in flat, symmetrical domes that can be as large as 600 ft in the northern Tularosa Basin was buried by the Carrizozo diameter and 15–20 ft high (Meinzer and Hare, 1915). Mound lava flow (Hawley, 1983). Lava occupying the ancestral Salt composition can include silt, plant matter that has been Creek stream channel probably blocked tributary outlets partially converted to peat, and gypsum precipitated from to the ancestral channel and caused shallow depressions to springwater and deposited by wind. When Meinzer and Hare form at the tributary terminuses along the margins of the lava (1915) mapped 29 mounds in Township 10 South, Range 7 flow (Meinzer and Hare, 1915). Surface-water runoff from East (fig. 4), there were more inactive than active (water- the Sacramento Mountains now drains to playas east of the bearing) mounds. lava flow, and surface-water runoff from the Oscura and San The Lost River (figs. 3 and 5) originates in the Andres Mountains drains to playas or Salt Creek on the west Sacramento Mountains (fig. 1) and extends onto White Sands side of Tularosa Basin. Much of the runoff from the Oscura National Monument (figs. 3 and 5). Many sections of the Mountains is diverted southwestward by the western edge stream channel on Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands of the lava flow and flows to Salt Creek by way of a major National Monument are ephemeral and (or) intermittent. intermittent and ephemeral stream channel. Salt Creek is now the major perennial stream of the Tularosa Basin floor. The Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh habitat area, located at the southwestern edge of the Carrizozo lava White Sands Pupfish Habitat flow (fig. 3), is the other endemic habitat area of the White Sands pupfish. As noted by Pittenger and Springer (1999), The White Sands pupfish Cyprinodon( tularosa) was first reports of fish in the Malpais Spring area were published as described as a distinct species by Miller and Echelle (1975). early as 1900 (Herrick) and 1913 (Ligon). The first White Other papers of interest are Suminski (1977), Jester and Sands pupfish specimens were collected in July 1927 during Suminski (1982), and Turner (1987). Pittenger and Springer the University of Michigan-Walker-Harris expedition to New (1999) determined through a record, literature, and oral history Mexico (Bradley and others, 1927) and currently reside in the search that White Sands pupfish were endemic to the Salt University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (Cody Thompson Creek and Malpais Spring habitat areas and that White Sands and Douglas Nelson, University of Michigan Museum of pupfish were introduced to Lost River in 1970 and Main Zoology, written commun., 2013). Groundwater discharges Mound Spring between 1967 and 1973. Stockwell and others from several springs and seeps that issue from the base of the (1998) confirmed the genetic relations of the Main Mound terminus of the Carrizozo lava flow in the Malpais Spring Spring and Lost River pupfish populations to pupfish in Salt area. The accumulated groundwater discharges form a stream Creek. Stockwell and others (1998) also established genetic that flows to wetlands, identified as the Malpais Salt Marsh evidence of two evolutionarily significant units. (fig. 4), which encompassed approximately 1,188 acres in Water-quality characteristics of the White Sands pupfish 1997 (Lichvar and Sprecher, 1997) and have a salt marsh habitats can affect pupfish and the environmental conditions ecosystem. Dominant species of marsh vegetation in the area of their habitats. Results from genetic studies by Stockwell include saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), iodinebush (Allenrolfea and others (1998) illustrated the ability of White Sands occidentalis), and spikerush (Eleocharis palustris). Some pupfish to survive in water-quality conditions that may change areas of the wetland are seasonally inundated by water. At one rapidly because of precipitation and runoff events. Water- time, the water from the spring area was diverted to a ditch for quality characteristics also are important in regard to the body stock water and, later, military use. morphology of White Sands pupfish and populations of fish The aquifer that discharges at Malpais Spring was parasites and aquatic snails that can be associated with fish described by Meinzer and Hare (1915) as consisting of basalt parasites (Collyer, 2003; Harstad, 2003). of the Carrizozo lava flow. Weir (1965) also recognized the Hydrologic Data 13

Hydrologic Data percent (106 samples from 28 sites). Ion charge imbalances (C.I.) were calculated by using the following equation: Hydrologic data were compiled for 67 sites (table 1) located in the northern Tularosa Basin on White Sands  sum cations − sum anions  Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base. Compiled C.I. (percent) =  ×100, (1)  sum cations + sum anions  data (app. 2) include streamflow measurements (tables 2–1 and 2–2), selected field water-quality characteristics where including suspended-sediment concentrations (table 2–2), sum cations is the sum of the cations, in measurements from a seepage (gain-loss) study (table 2–3) milliequivalents per liter, and at Salt Creek, and other physical and chemical water-quality sum anions is the sum of the anions, in characteristics of surface water and springs in the Quaternary milliequivalents per liter. and Tertiary alluvial fill. In addition to the general chemistry and trace elements (tables 2–4 and 2–5), some samples were Quality Assurance and Quality Control analyzed for nutrients and anthropogenic constituents such as perchlorate, pesticides, herbicides, organic compounds, To ensure that measurements made in the laboratory and others (tables 2–6, 2–7, and 2–8). The data also include also represent the actual environmental concentrations isotopic values in water samples collected by the USGS at of constituents, the USGS follows prescribed procedures Malpais Spring and Main Mound Spring in 1982 as part of for onsite measurements and for collecting, treating, and a regional hydrochronological study (Cruz, 1983) and from shipping water-quality samples (U.S. Geological Survey, Alkali Spring, Malpais Spring, Main Mound Spring, and Salt variously dated; Wood, 1976). Quality-assurance and quality- Creek in 2006 (table 2–9). Data sources include the USGS control procedures also have been prescribed for streamflow National Water Information System database (U.S. Geological measurements (Benson and Dalrymple, 1967; Matthai, 1967; Survey, 2013), other published (Meinzer and Hare, 1915; Bodhaine, 1968; Rantz and others, 1982). Data generated from Weir, 1965) and unpublished USGS data (data on file with quality-control samples are used to evaluate the quality of the the U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Water Science sampling and processing techniques, as well as to evaluate Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico), and a New Mexico State the data from the environmental samples. Quality-control data University report (Turner, 1987). Unless otherwise indicated, for water samples are identified and stored so that they can be dissolved concentrations were determined from analyses related to corresponding environmental samples. The various of filtered samples. Some constituent concentrations were types of quality-control samples typically collected include determined from unfiltered samples, and in these cases, total blank samples, reference samples, replicate samples, and concentrations are reported and denoted with a capital letter T spike samples (U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated). The in parentheses after the constituent abbreviations (app. 2). USGS National Water Information System database includes For example, cadmium (Cd) concentrations may be reported information about types of quality-assurance and quality- as dissolved concentrations, Cd, or as total concentrations, control procedures associated with water-quality samples, Cd (T). when available. This section of the report summarizes streamflow and Very little quality-assurance and quality-control water-quality characteristics and constituents of water samples information is available for data compiled for this study from collected at sites located in White Sands pupfish habitat areas, USGS reports published prior to 1970 (Meinzer and Hare, as well as at sites in pupfish nonhabitat areas. Throughout the 1915; Weir, 1965) and from non-USGS reports. Turner (1987) section, dissolved-solids concentrations are presented as the cited Orth (1983) for methods used in the New Mexico State sum of constituents (unless otherwise noted) because results of University study for streamflow measurements. In that study, determination by residue on evaporation are not available for water-quality samples collected by the New Mexico State all samples. Discussions of minor and trace elements refer to University Department of Fishery and Wildlife Sciences were dissolved concentrations unless otherwise specified. Stiff and analyzed by the Soil and Water Testing Laboratory at New piper diagrams (figs. 6–11) illustrate the major-ion chemistry Mexico State University (Turner, 1987). of water samples with ion charge imbalances less than ±10 14 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin

EXPLANATION Na Cl Ca HCO Mg SO 3 4 Sampling site and number of samples (n)

Lost River on Holloman AFB (n=1) Lost River habitat area Lost River (n=1)

Malpais Salt Marsh (n=2) Malpais Spring and Malpais Spring (U.S. Geological Survey) (n=8) Malpais Salt Marsh habitat area Malpais Spring (Turner) (n=2)

Main Mound Spring-Lower Pond (n=2) Mound Spring Main Mound Spring-Upper Pond (n=5) habitat area Mound Spring (Turner)

Salt Creek 3 at Range Road 6 (n=9)

Salt Creek 4 at Range Road 7 (n=14)

Salt Creek at stream mile 18.1 (n=1) Salt Creek Salt Creek at stream mile 21.1 (n=1) habitat area Salt Creek below Salt Spring (n=1)

Salt Creek near Tularosa (n=18)

Salt Creek near NW-50 (n=9)

Alkali Spring (n=1)

Barrel Spring-North Pond (n=1)

Barrel Spring-South Pond (n=2) Pupfish Big Salt Lake (n=1) nonhabitat areas Brazel Lake (n=1)

Guilez Spring (n=1)

Tularosa Creek (n=1)

West Mound Spring (n=1)

14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Milliequivalents per liter, times 100

Figure 6. Stiff diagrams showing major-ion chemistry (averaged for sites with more than one sample) of water samples collected from sites in White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) habitat and nonhabitat areas, 1983–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Hydrologic Data 15

EXPLANATION Salt Creek 3 at Range Road 6 80 80 Calcium plus magnesium Salt Creek 4 at Range Road 7

Salt Creek at stream mile 18.1 60 60 Salt Creek at stream mile 21.1

Sulfate plus40 chloride 40 Salt Creek below Salt Spring Salt Creek near NW-50

20 20 Salt Creek near Tularosa

Salt Creek-Road 6 bridge

Salt Creek-Wit Road Magnesium Sulfate

80 Sodium plus potassium 80

Sulfate 60 60

Magnesium Bicarbonate 40 40

20 20

80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80

Calcium Chloride Percent of total milliequivalents per liter

Figure 7. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in the White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) Salt Creek habitat area, 1983–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.

EXPLANATION Malpais Spring (U.S. Geological Survey) 80 80 Calcium plus magnesium Malpais Spring (Turner)

Malpais Salt Marsh 60 60

Sulfate plus40 chloride 40

20 20

Magnesium Sulfate

80 Sodium plus potassium 80

Sulfate 60 60

Magnesium Bicarbonate 40 40

20 20

80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80

Calcium Chloride Percent of total milliequivalents per liter

Figure 8. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in the White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh habitat area, 1982–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. 16 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin

EXPLANATION Main Mound Spring-Upper Pond 80 80 Calcium plus magnesium Main Mound Spring-Lower Pond

Mound Spring (Turner) 60 60 Lost River on Holloman AFB

Sulfate plus40 chloride 40 Lost River

20 20

Magnesium Sulfate

80 Sodium plus potassium 80

Sulfate 60 60

Magnesium Bicarbonate 40 40

20 20

80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80

Calcium Chloride Percent of total milliequivalents per liter

Figure 9. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in the White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) Main Mound Spring and Lost River habitat areas, 1982–2006, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.

EXPLANATION Guilez Spring 80 80 Calcium plus magnesium Brazel Lake

Big Salt Lake 60 60 Barrel Spring-South Pond

Sulfate plus40 chloride 40 Barrel Spring-North Pond Alkali Spring

20 20 West Mound Spring

Tularosa Creek

Magnesium Sulfate

80 Sodium plus potassium 80

Sulfate 60 60

Magnesium Bicarbonate 40 40

20 20

80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80

Calcium Chloride Percent of total milliequivalents per liter

Figure 10. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from sites in White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) nonhabitat areas, 1954–2006, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Hydrologic Data 17

EXPLANATION Pupfish habitat areas 80 80 Calcium plus magnesium Pupfish nonhabitat areas

60 60

Sulfate plus40 chloride 40

20 20

Magnesium Sulfate

80 Sodium plus potassium 80

Sulfate 60 60

Magnesium Bicarbonate 40 40

20 20

80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80

Calcium Chloride Percent of total milliequivalents per liter

Figure 11. Piper diagram showing major-ion chemistry of water samples collected from White Sands pupfish( Cyprinodon tularosa) habitat and nonhabitat areas, 1954–2007, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Salt Creek The average annual mean streamflow and average annual total streamflow at the Salt Creek near Tularosa gaging As part of the hydrologic monitoring program for station for water years 1995–2008 were 1.35 cubic feet per pupfish habitats in White Sands Missile Range, streamflow second (ft3/s) and 983 acre-feet, respectively (table 2–1). The measurements and water samples were collected at seven sites maximum instantaneous streamflow (376 ft3/s) for the period on Salt Creek from 1995 through 2008. USGS streamflow- occurred on May 7, 2007. Periods of no flow at the gaging gaging station 08480595 (Salt Creek near Tularosa [formerly station were observed in water years 2002 through 2006, named “Salt Creek at Range Road 316”]; fig. 4), funded by but small pools of water allowed the White Sands pupfish to the U.S. Army, White Sands Missile Range, is part of the maintain their population. USGS National Streamflow Information Program, a program From 1995 to 2008, the USGS periodically collected designed to ensure the availability of critical information water-quality data, including field measurements and needed to protect and manage rivers in the United States water samples for chemical analysis, in conjunction with (Hirsch and Norris, 2001). Streamflow data for the Salt Creek instantaneous streamflow measurements. Beginning in 1998, near Tularosa gaging station were collected by using both samples were collected for determination of suspended- discrete (instantaneous) measurements and a continuous stage- sediment concentrations (table 2–2). At the Salt Creek near recording device through which either instantaneous or daily Tularosa gaging station, suspended-sediment concentrations mean streamflow may be computed for any time, or any period ranged from 4 to 1,570 milligrams per liter (mg/L) from 1999 of time, during the period of record (figs. 12, 13, and 14; through 2008 (table 2–2). Suspended-sediment concentrations tables 2–1 and 2–2). At the six other streamflow-measurement in water collected from the other six Salt Creek sites during sites on Salt Creek, streamflow data (table 2–2) were obtained the same time period ranged from 17 mg/L at the Salt Creek through instantaneous measurements without using a near NW-50 site to 3,430 mg/L at the Salt Creek 4 at Range continuous stage-recording device. Methods of data collection Road 7 site (table 2–2). and computation are described in Byrd and others (2003). 18 Compilation of Hydrologic Data for White Sands Pupfish Habitat and Nonhabitat Areas, Northern Tularosa Basin

A 500

100