Hydrology of Hungry Horse Reservoir, Northwestern Montana
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Hydrology of Hungry Horse Reservoir, Northwestern Montana By W. D. SIMONS and M. I. RORABAUGH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 682 Prepared in cooperation with the Bonneville Power Administration UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1971 Hydrology of Hungry Horse Reservoir, Northwestern Montana By W. D. SIMONS and M. I. RORABAUGH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 682 Prepared in cooperation with the Bonneville Power Administration UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1971 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ROGERS C. B. MORTON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY William T. Pecora, Director Library of Congress catalog-card No. 70-610287 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Price 65 cents (paper cover) CONTENTS Page Page Abstract ___-______.___._--__-__---_------_------ 1 Analysis of data Continued Introduction ____._-___________-__--._.----------- 1 Development of equations ------------------- 34 Purpose and scope .__.__.._-_-_-_----_-------. 1 Volumes _.__-__-_--_----__----__------ 37 Background --------------------------------- 2 Selection of dimensional constants ------- 38 Hungry Horse Project .______-._-____-_--. 2 Hydrologic constants ---------------------- 38 Location and description ------------- 2 Outwash, Dry Park area --------------- 38 South Fork Flathead River drainage basin - 4 Till, Canyon Creek area ---------------- 39 Meteorological observations __.___--___--_. 4 Till, Mclnernie-Riverside area ---------- 40 Hydrology _._..__.___.-____________-_._.. 5 Theoretical solutions and comparison with Previous investigations ------------------- 8 preliminary water budget ------------ 41 Acknowledgments ----------------------------- 11 Trial Af, ------------------------------ 42 Theoretical considerations -------------------------- 11 Trial Aft ------------------------------ 42 Inflow ----__--_.--..__---_---....------------- 11 Water-budget modifications ----------------- 43 Outflow ---_-----_----_--_---_----_--------._-- 12 Revised water-budget computations --------- 46 Change in storage ----------------------------- 13 Selection of model constants ---------------- 46 Data-collection program ___________________________ 15 Single solutions ----------------------- 46 Gaging-station networks ._-_-_-_--.--_._-______- 15 Reservoir stage as a parameter --------- 47 Drainage areas ---------------------------- 18 Significance of model characteristics _.__ 49 Change in reservoir contents _._--_____-__--_____ 20 Model solutions with two sets of con Evaporation _._.___._______.__._____._-____._. 20 stants ------------------------------ 49 Ancillary meteorological observations ----------- 23 Inherent errors in discharge records --_. 51 Ground-water observation wells -___._.____.-_.__ 23 Sensitivity ____________________________ 53 Geology of the reservoir area ----------------------- 23 Choice of model constants -------------- 53 Consolidated rocks __--__--__---_----__---_-_-_- 23 Aquifer storage __--_____-______----__----_ 53 Unconsolidated rocks -_-_------__--__-__-----_- 24 Use of the model __._-_-____.________-____- 54 Analysis of data ___________________________________ 25 Low-flow forecasts -------------------------------- 55 Approach to problem _.--__--____._______.._... 25 Natural conditions ----------------------------- 55 Water budget _-_..._____._.._..._______.__._._ 25 Regulated conditions -------------------------- 56 Inflow -----_---------------.---_.__-...__- 26 Inflow to Hungry Horse Reservoir ----------- 56 Primary gaging-station network ---___._ 26 Recession characteristics -.___-__-._-___ 58 Secondary gaging-station network ______ 27 Inflow forecasts -__-___--__________-___ 59 Ungaged areas _-----------__----__._-_ 29 Precipitation _______--_-__-____-_____-_____ 62 Precipitation __________________________ 30 Evaporation ______________________________ 62 Total reservoir inflow -_____-__-___-__-. 30 Storage changes --------------------------- 63 Outflow -----_-_--------__-_____--_-.-_---_ 30 Water available _._..___.__....___..____.._ 63 Change in reservoir contents --___._._______ 33 Summary and conclusions __________________________ 64 Water-budget residual -_------__.____.____. 33 References ________________________________________ 66 Mathematical model .-----------.--_-_--__-__-_ 34 Index ----__----_-----____--_--_-----_-__.-_--_.... 66 m IV CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS Page FIGURE 1. Map showing location of the Hungry Horse Project ...--_____----___-_____------____--___---_------- 2 2. Summary hydrograph of daily discharges, South Fork Flathead River near Columbia Falls ------------ 5 3. Summary hydrographs of monthly mean discharges, South Fork Flathead River near Columbia Falls, water years 1929-51 and 1952-68 ___-..-._..__.______._-._.____.__.__..--_____._______----____ 6 4. Hydrographs of water-surface elevations, Hungry Horse Reservoir, water years 1952-68 -------------- 7 5. Graph showing range of monthly change in contents, Hungry Horse Reservoir, water years 1952-68 - - - - 8 6-11. Maps: 6. Location of gaging stations prior to the start of this investigation ____---__--______-________- 9 7. Location of gaging stations in primary network, water years 1965-67 ---------------------- 16 8. Location of gaging stations in secondary network, water years 1965-67 __-_-___-________----- 17 9. Drainage areas of subbasins in South Fork Flathead River basin, downstream from Spotted Bear Ranger Station --__-.____-___-_____..___-_____.______-_______-__-_______--_-___ 19 10. Location of data-collection sites for energy budget study of evaporation .____-___--_----_____ 21 11. Location of ancillary meteorological observation sites and ground-water observation wells ____ 22 12. Graph showing vertical distribution of unconsolidated sediments adjacent to Hungry Horse Reservoir 25 13. Mass curve of accumulated water-budget residuals and month-end reservoir elevations ________---____- 34 14. Schematic sketches of aquifer showing assumed conditions ----------------------------------------- 35 15. Hydrographs showing comparison of ground-water levels with stage of Hungry Horse Reservoir ------- 40 16-28. Graphs: 16. Cumulative apparent gains to reservoir determined from unadjusted water budget and from M2 and accumulated differences between water budget and M2 --------------------------- 42 17. Revised mass curve of accumulated water budget residuals and month-end reservoir elevations _ 46 18. Reservoir elevation versus cumulative difference of water-budget volumes and those computed by M2 ______________________________________________________________________________ 48 19. Comparison of volumes of water from water-budget residuals and those computed by Af2+230 cfs-days per foot of stage change __-___-______.___-____________---___-_________-----__ 48 20. Accumulated volume of ground-water outflow computed using M*+230 cf s-days per foot of stage change ________________________________________________________________________ 49 21. Comparison of volumes of water from water-budget residuals and those computed using 0.6_tf,+0.4_tf« _________________________________________________________________________ 50 22. Comparison of volumes of water from water-budget residuals and those computed using M2+0.4M4 __________________________________________________________________________ 50 23. Accumulated volume of ground-water outflow computed using M2+OAMt --------------------- 51 24. Cumulative residuals for a sequence of assumed inherent errors _________-_---__-______-____ 52 25. Aquifer storage-capacity curves for solutions A, B, and C ___-----___---________--_-_---_--_ 53 26. Aquifer storage and storage capacity computed from solution B, 0.8(Af2+0.4Af4) --------------- 54 27. Frequency diagrams of accumulated monthly runoff for various time periods, South Fork Flat- head River near Columbia Falls, 1929-51 _______---_-__-__-_.-_--_----_--------------- 57 28. Ratio of evaporation amounts calculated by energy budget and by class A pan, Hungry Horse Reservoir, 1965 and 1966 .______----___-_._.._____-_____-_---.__--------__--_-_------- 63 CONTENTS V TABLES Page TABLE 1. Prime power benefits of the Hungry Horse Project at site and at existing downstream projects _________ 4 2. Summary of monthly meteorologic observations, Hungry Horse Dam, for water years 1948-68 .-_-____-___ 5 3. Summary of monthly and annual discharges, South Fork Flathead River near Columbia Falls _--_-_--_ - 7 4. Summary of monthly change in contents Hungry Horse Reservoir, water years 1952-68 ------------------ 8 5. Drainage areas of subbasins, South Fork Flathead River basin, downstream from Spotted Bear Ranger Station _____._.____...___._____-.____-___--_.___......__._._____._-..____-.___-..--_---.------- 18 6. Vertical distribution of saturated unconsolidated material in the reservoir area ------------------------ 25 7. Summary of monthly runoff for gaging stations on east-side tributaries to Hungry Horse Reservoir _______ 26 8. Summary of monthly runoff for gaging stations on west-side tributaries to Hungry Horse Reservoir ______ 27 9. Summary of monthly inflow to Hungry Horse Reservoir from stations in primary gaging-station net work -___-_____--------------_-_-------_--_____---___________--____-_--_---_------------------_ 27 10. Summary of monthly runoff for secondary-network stations on east side of Hungry Horse Reservoir ______ 28 11. Summary of monthly runoff for secondary-network stations on west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir _______ 28 12. Summary of monthly