PRELIMINARY REPORT of INVESTIGATIONS of SPRINGS in the MOGOLLON RIM REGION, ARIZONA By
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United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey PRELIMINARY REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS OF SPRINGS IN THE MOGOLLON RIM REGION, ARIZONA By J. H. Feth With sections on: Base flow of streams By N. D. White and Quality of water By J. D. Hem Open-file report. Not reviewed for conformance with editorial standards of the Geological Survey. Tucson, Arizona June 1954 CONTENTS Page Abstract ................................................... 1 Introduction................................................. 3 Purpose and scope of investigation.......................... 3 Location and extent of area ................................ 4 Previous investigations.................................... 5 Personnel and acknowledgments ............................ 5 Geography .................................................. 6 Land forms and physiographic history ...................... 6 Drainage ................................................ 6 Climate ................................................. 6 Development and industry.................................. 8 Minerals"................................................. 9 Water ................................................... 9 Geology .................................................... 10 Stratigraphy ............................................. 10 Rocks of pre-Mesozoic age ............................. 10 Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks .................... 10 Tertiary and Quaternary sedimentary rocks .............. 11 Lake beds .......................................... 11 San Carlos basin .................................... 12 Other basins ........................................ 12 Origin of sodium sulfate in Verde basin ................ 13 Alinement of lake-bed areas .......................... 13 Travertine ......................................... 14 Size ............................................... 14 Age ............................................... 14 Relation to drainage ................................. 15 Occurrence of strontium ............................. 15 Igneous activity .......................................... 15 Pre-Cambrian and Cambrian(?) intrusive rocks ........... 15 Extrusive rocks........................................ 16 Canyon basalts ...................................... 17 Structure ................................................ 18 Folding ............................................... 18 Faulting............................................... 19 Faulting transverse to rim ........................... 19 Evidence of Supai formation .......................... 19 Faulting parallel to rim .............................. 20 Age of regional structures in central Arizona .......... 21 Geologic history .......................................... 23 Water resources ............................................ 24 Surface water ............................................ 24 Lakes, ponds, and marshes ............................ 24 A study of perennial base flow in major south-flowing streams in Mogollon Rim region, by N. D. White......... 25 CONTENTS Page Water resources (continued) Surface water (continued) Field observations .................................... 26 Tonto Creek ....................................... 26 Oak Creek and Verde River ......................... 27 Gila River ......................................... 28 Summary .......................................... 28 Ground water............................................ 28 Source ............................................... 28 Occurrence .......................................... 29 Water-table conditions .............................. 29 Artesian conditions ................................. 30 Recharge ............................................ 31 Potentialities for artificial recharge.................. 32 Discharge ............................................ 33 Nonartesian springs ................................ 33 Artesian springs ................................... 35 Summary of spring discharge ........................ 35 Influence of faulting in localizing springs ................ 36 Potentialities for development of springs ................ 37 Quality of water, by J. D. Hem ........................... 38 Scope of chemical-quality studies ....................... 38 Methods of analysis ................................... 38 Relation of chemical character of water to aquifers ....... 39 Pre-Cambrian rocks ............................... 39 Rocks of Paleozoic age ............................. 40 Redwall limestone .................................. 40 Supai formation .................................... 40 Coconino sandstone ................................. 41 Extrusive rocks .................................... 41 Source of certain constituents of dissolved matter in ground waters .............................................. 42 Silica ............................................. 42 Calcium and magnesium ............................ 42 Sodium ............................................ 42 Bicarbonate........................................ 42 Sulfate ............................................ 43 Chloride .......................................... 43 Chemical character of water in relation to use ........... 43 Deposition of travertine ............................... 44 Suggested lines of further investigation .................. 45 Temperatures of the springs ......................... 45 Hypothesis regarding origin of salty springs ................ 46 Bibliography ............................................... 49 ILLUSTRATIONS Plate 1. Map of Arizona showing streams, towns, and other features mentioned in text. 2. Correlation chart of formations of Paleozoic age in the Mo£ollon Rim region. 3. Diagrammatic geologic sections. 4. Reconnaissance geologic map and sections, Sedona-Cornville area. 5. Reconnaissance geologic map and cross sections of area between Psyson and Ellison Creek. Figure 1. Index map of Arizona showing area investigated and location of escarpments. 2. Characteristic Mogollon Rim topography. 3. Index map of Arizona showing lake -bed basins, location of travertine terraces, areas mapped, and location of geologic proxies. 4. Strab'graphic sections, lake beds probably equivalent to Gila conglomerate, San Carlos Indian Reservation, Ariz. 5. Sodium stili'ate quarry near Camp Verde, Ariz. 6. Salt Banks on Salt River, Ariz. 7. View on Fossil Creek showing travertine terrace, and hill of Supai formation rocks (right). 8. Corduroy terrace on Forestdaie Creek. 9. Sketch section showing occurrence of travertine on East Verde FUver, Ariz. , near Ellison Creek. 10. Sketch map of an area on Fossil Creek showing known geology and spring area. 11. Verde formation overlying basalt. 12. Generalized geologic profile, Ash Flat area, San Carlos Indian Reservation* Ariz. 1 3. Graph showing relation between precipitation and stream discha: 14. Park, cienaga, and lake, plateau portion of rim region. 15. Salt Banks on Salt River, showing travertine deposited on pre-Cambrain quartzite. 16. Columbine Terrace on the White River. 17. Columnar jointing in basalt about 3 miles north of Lakeside, Ariz. 18. Sketch map showing faults and spring in Sycamore Canyon. 19. Sketch map of Warm Springs area near San Carlos, Ariz. , showing geology. 20. Reconnaissance geologic map of Wailing Cow Ranch area near Payson, Ariz. , showing occurrence of springs. 21. Redwall limestone exposure in Sycamore Canyon, showing 22. Graphs showing relations between altitude and mean annual air temperatures and water temperatures. ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 23. Analyses of water from seven springs in Mogollon Rim region, Ariz. 24. Explanation of standard well- and spring-numbering system, Ariz. district (GW). TABLES Page Table 1. Climatological data ............................... 7 2. Altitude of the base of the Devonian Martin formation at points in the Payson region .................... 20 3. Monthly mean discharge at selected stations ......... 52 4. Median annual minimum discharge at selected stations and total minimum surface flow at five stations .... 54 5. Comparison of discharge, temperature, and chemical quality of waters in Tonto Creek and tributaries. ... 55 6. Comparison of discharge, temperature, and chemical quality of waters in Verde River and Oak Creek. ... 57 7. Summary of maximum aggregate discharge of springs 59 8. Records of springs in or near Mogollon Rim region... 60 9. Fluctuations in discharge of selected springs ........ 73 10. Analyses of water from representative springs ...... 75 ABSTRACT The Geological Survey has made a reconnaissance of springs in the Mogollon Rim region in central Arizona. This region is the source of much of the water in the Gila, Salt, and Verde Rivers. The region has not pre viously been systematically studied with respect to the occurrence of ground water. The Mogollon Rim is an escarpment that extends about 200 miles in a northwest direction from near Clifton and Morenci in southeastern Arizona and gradually disappears north of Prescott. Lumbering, ranching, and in local areas copper mining are the principal industries. Main lines of drainage extend north on the plateau, north of the rim, and south or southwest below the rim. For convenience in discussion and because of structural differences, the region has been separated into western, central, and eastern divisions. Pre-Cambrian to Recent rocks crop out. Pre-Cambrian formations and those of Paleozoic age constitute the thickest sections. Recent basalt flows cap the plateau portion, except in the central