Hydrogeologic Framework and Selected Components of the Groundwater Budget for the Upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon
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Prepared in cooperation with Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Hydrogeologic Framework and Selected Components of the Groundwater Budget for the Upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5020 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: View of upper Umatilla River Basin looking north into Buckaroo Canyon, Oregon. Photograph by Terrence Conlon, U.S. Geological Survey, October 15, 2004. Hydrogeologic Framework and Selected Components of the Groundwater Budget for the Upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon By Nora B. Herrera, Kate Ely, Smita Mehta, Adam J. Stonewall, John C. Risley, Stephen R. Hinkle, and Terrence D. Conlon Prepared in cooperation with Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5020 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior RYAN K. ZINKE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey William H. Werkheiser, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2017 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 https://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit https://store.usgs.gov. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner. Suggested citation: Herrera, N.B., Ely, Kate, Mehta, Smita, Stonewall, A.J., Risley, J.C., Hinkle, S.R., and Conlon, T.D., 2017, Hydrogeologic framework and selected components of the groundwater budget for the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5020, 57 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ sir20175020. ISSN 2328-0328 (online) iii Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Study Objective and Report Purpose and Scope ............................................................................2 Location and General Features ..........................................................................................................2 Approach ................................................................................................................................................4 Hydrogeologic Framework ...........................................................................................................................5 Hydrogeologic Units ...........................................................................................................................15 Sedimentary Unit .......................................................................................................................15 Columbia River Basalt Group ...................................................................................................16 Groundwater Elevations and Flow Directions ........................................................................................17 Data Sets and Limitations ..................................................................................................................17 General Horizontal and Vertical Flow Directions ..........................................................................17 Trends in Groundwater Levels ...................................................................................................................20 Groundwater Budget ...................................................................................................................................23 Recharge from Precipitation and Applied Irrigation Waters ..............................................23 Discharge to Springs .................................................................................................................27 Recharge from and Discharge to Streams ............................................................................27 Baseflow Analysis ............................................................................................................27 Seepage Run Analysis .....................................................................................................29 Discharge to Wells ....................................................................................................................31 Subsurface Flow Across Study-Area Boundaries ...............................................................33 Budget Summary .......................................................................................................................33 Data Needs ...................................................................................................................................................35 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................36 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................36 Appendix A. Summary of Water-Level Elevation Measurements for Selected Wells in the Upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon, 2008, 2009, and 2012 ......................................................39 Appendix B. Measurements Used to Define Gains and Losses on September 19 and 25, 2007, for the Umatilla River, Oregon ......................................................................................................47 Appendix C. Estimated Groundwater and Surface Water Withdrawals, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon, Water Year 2010 ..................................................................................................57 iv Figures 1. Map showing location of the study area, generalized land cover or land use, and major geographic and cultural features, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ..................3 2. Graph showing mean water year precipitation for Pendleton (1928–2014) and Meacham (1949–1975, and 1998-2014), in the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ..........4 3. Map showing surficial distribution of generalized geologic units in the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ......................................................................................................6 4. Generalized hydrogeologic sections of units trending northwest to southeast, and northeast to southwest in the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ....................................8 5. Maps showing extent and top elevation of the sedimentary unit and Columbia River Basalt Group: Saddle Mountains basalt unit, Wanapum basalt unit, and Grande Ronde basalt unit; upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ........................................................9 6. Maps showing extent and thickness of the sedimentary unit and Columbia River Basalt Group: Saddle Mountains basalt unit, Wanapum basalt unit, and Grande Ronde basalt unit; upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ......................................................10 7. Map showing surficial distribution of selected observation wells, stratigraphic sections, springs, and streamflow-gaging stations throughout the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ....................................................................................................................11 8. Map showing generalized lines of equal hydraulic head and groundwater flow direction in the Columbia River Basalt Group, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon .......19 9. Hydrographs of selected wells, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ..............................21 10. Groundwater elevations for selected wells near Pendleton and Mission, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ...................................................................................................22 11. Groundwater elevations for selected wells during month of February, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ...............................................................................................................................22 12. Annual water year precipitation and estimated annual water year recharge from infiltration of precipitation, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon, 1951–2010 ....................24 13. Maps showing estimated mean annual recharge from infiltration of precipitation for 1951–2010, and from infiltration of irrigation water for 1985–2007, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ....................................................................................................................25 14. Graph showing estimated mean monthly recharge for 2000–10 from infiltration of precipitation, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon ................................................................27 15. Maps showing estimated seepage for selected Umatilla River reaches on September 19, 2007, and September 25, 2007, upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon .......30 16. Map showing location and primary use of groundwater in the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon, water year 2010 ...............................................................................................32