Hydrogeologic Framework of the Wood River Valley Aquifer System, South-Central Idaho
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Prepared in cooperation with Blaine County, City of Hailey, City of Ketchum, The Nature Conservancy, City of Sun Valley, Sun Valley Water and Sewer District, Blaine Soil Conservation District, and City of Bellevue Hydrogeologic Framework of the Wood River Valley Aquifer System, South-Central Idaho Sun Valley Ketchum Hailey Bellevue Gannett Picabo Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5053 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Center: Map showing estimated thickness of Quaternary sediment in the Wood River Valley aquifer system, Wood River Valley, south-central Idaho. Modified from figure 7, this report. Photographs, clockwise from upper left: Glacial deposits below Mill Lake, Prairie Creek drainage, Smoky Mountains, Idaho; view to north. These deposits probably represent morraines of the Boulder Creek advance of Pearce and others (1988). The west face of the Boulder Mountains is visible in the background. Photograph taken August 29, 2011. Pioneer Mountains from the head of Rock Roll Canyon in the Trail Creek drainage, Boulder Mountains, Idaho; view to east. Events related to the formation of the Pioneer Mountains are responsible for much of the geology of the Wood River Valley. Photograph taken August 6, 2011. Basalt of the Picabo desert southeast of Picabo, Idaho. Note hammer for scale. The Basalt of the Picabo desert and the Hay basalt form part of the Wood River Valley aquifer system. Photograph taken August 18, 2011. Quaternary alluvium exposed in a Big Wood River stream terrace south of Glendale Road. Note hammer for scale. This alluvium is representative of the sediments that constitute most of the Wood River Valley aquifer system. Photograph taken November 14, 2011. (All photographs by James R. Bartolino, U.S. Geological Survey.) Hydrogeologic Framework of the Wood River Valley Aquifer System, South-Central Idaho By James R. Bartolino and Candice B. Adkins Prepared in cooperation with Blaine County, City of Hailey, City of Ketchum, The Nature Conservancy, City of Sun Valley, Sun Valley Water and Sewer District, Blaine Soil Conservation District, and City of Bellevue Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5053 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012 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. 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Suggested citation: Bartolino, J.R., and Adkins, C.B., 2012, Hydrogeologic framework of the Wood River Valley aquifer system, south-central Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5053, 46 p. iii Contents Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................3 Groundwater .................................................................................................................................3 Surface Water ..............................................................................................................................3 Previous Work .......................................................................................................................................5 Study Methods ...............................................................................................................................................6 Definition of Aquifer..............................................................................................................................6 Delineation of Aquifer Boundary and Extent ....................................................................................6 Analyses of Well Data ..........................................................................................................................6 Geophysical Surveys ............................................................................................................................8 Compilation of Bedrock Surface and Sediment Thickness Maps ..............................................10 Compilation of Fine-Grained Sediment Map ..................................................................................10 Estimation of Hydraulic Properties ..................................................................................................10 Hydrogeologic Framework .........................................................................................................................12 Geologic Setting ..................................................................................................................................12 Pre-Quaternary History .............................................................................................................12 Quaternary History.....................................................................................................................15 Hydrogeologic Units ...........................................................................................................................15 Paleozoic Sedimentary Rocks .................................................................................................15 Ordovician and Silurian Rocks .......................................................................................15 Milligen Formation (Upper to Lower Devonian) ...........................................................15 Sun Valley Group ...............................................................................................................16 Wood River Formation (Middle Pennsylvanian to Early Permian) ...................16 Dollarhide Formation (Permian) ............................................................................16 Cretaceous Intrusive Rocks .....................................................................................................16 Tertiary Igneous Rocks .............................................................................................................16 Challis Volcanic Group (Eocene) ....................................................................................16 Idavada Volcanics (Miocene) .........................................................................................17 Quaternary Sedimentary Deposits and Basalt .....................................................................17 Coarse-Grained Sedimentary Deposits ........................................................................17 Fine-Grained Sedimentary Deposits ..............................................................................17 Basalts and Associated Deposits ..................................................................................20 Consolidated Rock Surface Underlying Quaternary Sediment and Thickness of Quaternary Sediment .........................................................................................21 Hydraulic Conductivity .....................................................................................................23 Groundwater Movement ...................................................................................................................23 Hydrogeologic Controls on Groundwater/Surface-Water Interaction .............................26 Subsurface Groundwater Flow Beneath Silver Creek and Stanton Crossing .................26 Bedrock Flow Systems and Thermal Springs .......................................................................27 iv Contents—Continued Data Needs and Suggestions for Further Study .....................................................................................27 Summary and Conclusions .........................................................................................................................28 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................30 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................30 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................................37 Appendix A. Well Information Used in the Estimation of the Altitude of the Pre-Quaternary Bedrock Surface and Top of Quaternary Basalt, Wood River Valley Aquifer System, South-Central Idaho ......................................................................................................................45