Physical and Temporal Isolation of Mountain Headwater Streams in the Western Mojave Desert, Southern California1
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JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION Vol. 43, No. 1 AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION February 2007 PHYSICAL AND TEMPORAL ISOLATION OF MOUNTAIN HEADWATER STREAMS IN THE WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA1 John A. Izbicki2 ABSTRACT: Streams draining mountain headwater areas of the western Mojave Desert are commonly physic- ally isolated from downstream hydrologic systems such as springs, playa lakes, wetlands, or larger streams and rivers by stream reaches that are dry much of the time. The physical isolation of surface flow in these streams may be broken for brief periods after rainfall or snowmelt when runoff is sufficient to allow flow along the entire stream reach. Despite the physical isolation of surface flow in these streams, they are an integral part of the hydrologic cycle. Water infiltrated from headwater streams moves through the unsaturated zone to recharge the underlying ground-water system and eventually discharges to support springs, streamflow, isolated wetlands, or native vegetation. Water movement through thick unsaturated zones may require several hundred years and subsequent movement through the underlying ground-water systems may require many thousands of years – contributing to the temporal isolation of mountain headwater streams. (KEY TERMS: hydrologic cycle; infiltration; recharge; vadose zone; surface water ⁄ ground-water interactions; arid lands.) Izbicki, J.A., 2007. Physical and Temporal Isolation of Mountain Headwater Streams in the Western Mojave Desert, Southern California. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 43(1):26-40. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2007.00004.x INTRODUCTION have discussed the extent of ‘‘waters of the United States,’’ including streams in arid areas that are iso- lated from larger hydrologic systems. Several of these The Clean Water Act regulates the discharge of recent decisions find that waters that can convey pol- pollutants from point sources and the discharge of fill lutants to downstream navigable waters for even material into ‘‘navigable waters,’’ which the act brief periods are jurisdictional because ‘‘pollutants defines as ‘‘waters of the United States.’’ The extent need not reach interstate bodies of water immediately to which ‘‘waters of the United States’’ include small or continuously in order to inflict serious environmen- isolated hydrologic systems was questioned in a 2001 tal damage’’ (United States vs. Eidson, 94–2330). U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited the U.S. Surface flow in streams draining mountain head- Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction under the water areas in the arid western United States is com- Clean Water Act over isolated waters (SWANCC vs. monly physically isolated from downstream playa U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 98-2277). Since the lakes, wetlands, or larger streams and rivers by SWANCC decision, many Federal Court decisions stream reaches that are dry much of the time. The 1Paper No. J06013 of the Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA). Received February 3, 2006; accepted July 17, 2006. ª 2007 American Water Resources Association. No claim to original U.S. government works. 2Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 4165 Spruance Road, San Diego, California (E-Mail ⁄ Izbicki: [email protected]). JAWRA 26 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION ISOLATION OF MOUNTAIN HEADWATER STREAMS physical isolation of surface flow in mountain head- through Cajon Pass and precipitate without passing water streams (whether perennial or intermittent) over the higher altitudes of the San Gabriel and San from downstream systems may be broken for brief Bernardino Mountains. Precipitation near the pass periods after rainfall or snowmelt when runoff is suf- can give rise to streamflow along the entire length of ficient to allow flow along the entire downstream the Mojave River and flow in smaller streams near reach. Despite the physical isolation of surface flow the pass, such as Oro Grande Wash. A similar gap in these streams, they are an integral part of hydro- between the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Moun- logic systems in arid regions. Water infiltrated from tains, San Gorgornio Pass, to the southeast of the headwater streams moves through the unsaturated study area (not shown in Figure 1), also allows cool zone to recharge the underlying ground-water sys- moist air to enter the desert and gives rise to winter tem. This ground water eventually discharges to sup- precipitation and intermittent streamflows in that port springs, streamflow, isolated wetlands, or native area – although the effect is smaller than near Cajon vegetation far from recharge areas. In some systems, Pass (Izbicki, 2004). Although summer thunderstorms ground-water movement from recharge areas to dis- occur, especially in the eastern part of the study area, charge areas may require many thousands of years. summer monsoonal precipitation is of lesser import- In addition to their physical and temporal isola- ance in the western Mojave Desert than elsewhere in tion, the mountain headwater streams in the western the southwestern United States. Mojave Desert are further isolated from other hydro- With the exception of some small streams that logic systems by their geologic setting within the drain the higher altitudes of the San Gabriel and San Basin and Range physiographic province. Under ‘‘pre- Bernardino Mountains and short reaches of the sent-day’’ climatic conditions, many internally Mojave River where ground-water discharges at land drained basins (also known as ‘‘closed basins’’) within surface, there are no perennial streams in the area. the Basin and Range physiographic province are Physical connection between mountain headwater physically isolated from larger drainages that flow to streams (whether perennial or intermittent) and interstate waters or discharge to the ocean by inter- downstream hydrologic systems in the western vening mountain ranges. Mojave Desert occurs only during brief periods of The purpose of this paper is to summarize on the streamflow after precipitation or snowmelt along nor- basis of existing data and published work (1) the brief mally dry downstream reaches that cross alluvial physical connection of selected mountain headwater fans and basin fill deposits. streams in the western Mojave Desert to downstream There are a number of internally drained alluvial hydrologic systems, (2) the connection of water infil- basins in the western Mojave Desert each having dis- trated from these streams through the unsaturated tinct ground-water-flow systems often separated by zone to the underlying ground-water system, and (3) faults and bedrock outcrops. Alluvial deposits in some the longer time-scale connection through the ground- basins are more than 1,000 m thick and saturated water system to discharge areas farther downgradi- deposits may be separated from land surface by unsat- ent. Only brief descriptions of methods are given in urated alluvium as much as 300 m thick near the this paper and the reader is referred to the cited mountain front. Ground-water movement in these work for a more thorough explanation of the meth- basins is generally from recharge areas near the moun- ods, data, and results. tain front and along larger stream channels toward dis- charge areas that include springs, wetlands, or native vegetation near dry lakes. Prior to ground-water pumping in the Mojave River ground-water basin, the HYDROGEOLOGIC SETTING direction of ground-water movement was from alluvial deposits (collectively known as the regional aquifer) to the floodplain aquifer along the Mojave River. In most The western Mojave Desert east of Los Angeles of the regional aquifer, ground-water recharge is small (Figure 1) is arid with hot, dry summers, and cold in relation to the volume of water in storage and travel winters. With the exception of the higher altitudes in times through the aquifer system are often many thou- the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, pre- sands of years (Izbicki et al., 1995; Izbicki and Michel, cipitation is generally about 150 mm ⁄ yr or less, but 2004). In contrast, the floodplain aquifer is more lim- amounts vary greatly from year to year. In most of ited in areal and vertical extent (typically less than the area, precipitation is greater during the winter 2.5 km wide and 80 m thick) than the surrounding rainy season (November-March) and occurs as a alluvial aquifers and is readily recharged by infiltra- result of cyclonic storms moving inland from the Paci- tion of streamflow in the Mojave River. fic Ocean. During winter cyclonic storms, moist air Numerous water-level maps have been prepared of from the Pacific Ocean can enter the Mojave Desert aquifers in the area (Stamos and Predmore, 1995; JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION 27 JAWRA IZBICKI FIGURE 1. Location of Study Area. JAWRA 28 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION ISOLATION OF MOUNTAIN HEADWATER STREAMS Mendez and Christensen, 1997; Smith and Pimentel, headwater areas to downstream reaches of the Mojave 2000; Smith et al., 2004; Stamos et al., 2004). Several River was almost 500 hm3 (5 · 108 m3). Annual flows regional-scale ground-water flow models simulating of this magnitude have a recurrence interval of greater ground-water flow have been completed for the than 50 years (Lines, 1996) and this was the first time Mojave River ground-water basin (Hardt, 1971; Sta- the river flowed continuously since 1983. More mos et al., 2001) and the Antelope Valley (Leighton thorough analyses of the magnitude and frequency of and Phillips, 2003). Smaller scale flow models have surface flows in the Mojave River from stream gaging been completed for some subbasins in the Morongo stations are available in Lines (1996) and Stamos et al. ground-water basin (Londquist and Martin, 1991; (2001). Nishikawa et al., 2004). STREAMFLOW For the purposes of this paper, streamflow in the Mojave River, the largest stream in the study area is discussed separately from the streamflow characteris- tics in smaller streams that drain the mountains. The Mojave River The Mojave River, the largest stream in the study area, drains about 5,500 km2, of which 540 km2 are in the San Bernardino Mountains.