STATE OF NEVADA ·DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES Carson City /

Photograph by Lawrence Radiation Laboratory· Sedan Crater was formed in the dry a ll uv ium of Yucca Flat by on underground atomic detonation. WATER RESOURCES-RECONNAISSANCE SERIES REPORT 54

REGIONAL GROUND-WATER SYSTEMS IN THE NEVADA TEST SITE AREA, NYE, LINCOLN, AND CLARK COUNTIES, NEVADA

By F. Eugene Rush

Prepared cooperatively by the Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior

1970 WATER RESOURCES - RECONNAISSANCE: SEJUES

REPORT 54

·. REGIONAL GROUND-WATER SYSTEMS·IN THE NEVADA TEST SITE AREA,

NYE, LINCOLN, AND CLARK COUN'riE:S, NEVADA By

F. Eugene Rush

PreparBd cooperatively by the

Geological Survey, u.s. Department of the Interior 1971 -\

FOREWORD

The progr~m of reconnaissance water-resources studies was authorized by the 1960 Legislature to be carried on by Division of Water Resources of the Departc.ment of· Conservation and Natural Resources in cooperation with the u.s. Geological Survey.

This report is the 54th in the series to be prepared by the staff of the Nevada District Office of the U.S. Geological Survey. These 54 reports describe the hydrology of 185 valleys.

The reconnaissance surveys make available pertinent information of great and immediate value to many State and Federal agencies, the State cooperating agency, and the public. As development takes place in any area, ,]c,,mands for more detailed information will arise, and studies to supply such information will be undertaken. In the meantime, these reconnaissance studies are timely and adequately In<'eet tlle immediate needs for information on the wate.r resources of the areas covered by the reports.

/;(4 .. /)#. (~J~ Roland D •. Westergard{/· State F,;nglneer

1971 Division of water Resources CONTENTS •• Page SUMMARY • • • 1

IN'l'RODUC'l'ION 3 Purpose and scope of t:he .si::udy· 3 Previous·work 3

HYDROLOGIC ENVIRONMENT 4 Location . ; . . . 4 Clim~te and precipitation 4 Geology . . . . . 7

GROUND-WATER PESERVOIRS 8

REGIONAL GROUND-WATER FLOW SYSTEMS 10 Ash Meadows ground -water c;ys·tem 10 Pahute Mesa ground-w~ter system ll S~rcobatus Flat qround-~a·ter s~~tem ll

RECHARGE: Fl{QM Pl1.ECIPITJ\'I'ION 12

GROUND--W/\T.BR DISCHAPGE. 16

GROUND-WA'I'ER BUDGET 17

PERENNIAL YIELD 19

GROUND WA'I'ER. IN STORAGE 20

REFERENCTI:S. . • 21

LIST OF PREVIOUSLY PUBLif;HJJ:D REPOE'I'il 23 ILLUS1.'Ri\TIONS

Pago;

Plate. l. G(~n<-::ralized .hyc.i.rO~{(;:;ology of t.he Nevada Test Site a.r·ea In pocket

Figu;re· l. Mu.p showi:i1g area in N~~vacl.r.:•. \.lr:3~cx:·ibe..d itl previous reports of the Water Resources­ Recsnnaissanc~ Seriest anq the area 5 de~cribed in this report . .

TAB LEo)

Table 1. Summary of physiography. 6

2. Minimum depths to water beneath valley .. flc;:~ors ~ 9

3. Estimated average ·annual precipl.tation and ground-water u~charge . 13 •

, •. -tJ REGIONAL GROUND·-WA'l'ER fOYS'I'EMS IN 'I'HE NEV:'IDh 'l'ES'l' SI'l'E -7\REl\, ' NYE, LINCOLN, _AND CI,ARK COLJN'J'IES, NEVADA

By ·F. Eug6nc Rusl1

The area covered by this report_ includes 16 hydrographic .areas betwe.en Tonopah und :r.~as · Vega.s, _Nevada; ~nd cen t.er s i3 bot~ _t ·the,. NeVada Test Site of the u.s. Atomic Energy Commission. 'I'he area·is arid to semiarid, having an average ann~al precipitation of about 5 inches on the villey floors to as much as 20 inches in the wetter mountains.

The.consolidilted rocks of the area are ~~stly ·volcanic rocks·;· hoWever, some ext0nsive areas ol: carbo11a.tt:!-."rOcl<:.s h.:i.ve· been mapped.

Three types of ground-water reservoi.rs are identified: valley-fill, volcanic-iock, and caibonate-rock aquifers. Alluvium beneath vu.lley floors is ccmm1only c;at.urated only at great depth. water in the valley-fill reservoirs generally leaks downward to underl yin9 vol cc1nic c::r ca1:-bcn:.a. t.e J70Cks ~

Volcu.ni.c-rock aquifers in the r2astern pc.u~t. of t:he Gtudy area locally tran~mit water downward to carbonu.te-rock aquifers. In the western petri; of t"he area, the volcani.c-rock aquifere; transmit u. regional flow of water, as do the carbonate-rock aquifers of the eastern part of the area.

The transmissivity of volcu.nic-rock aquifers of the western part of the study area averu.ges about 10,000 gallons per day per foot. The transmissivity of the carbonate-rock aquifer generally is much higher, re(,;ul t.i.ng in low flow gradients.

~hree regional interbasin ground-water flow systems h~ve been identified: The Ash Meadows system in the eu.atern two­ thirds of ·th~ area~ the Pahute Mesa s~stem in tt1e western thirdr and the Sarcobatus Flat system west of the c;tudy area and including Cactus Flat. _ G>:ound wa·ter in the 1\.sh Meadows c;ystem flows generu.lly sout.hward 'to A.sh Meadows to :u.nc;piration, and possibly by c;ubsurfacc outflow across a fault bu.rrier to the south end of the Pahute Mesa system in .l\margosa Desert_ The Pa.bute Mesa. system flo\'"':~ qenf-2rally south-~ wu.rd to discharge l;l,l;gely by evu.pot:ranropiration in AmC~rqosa Desert. Ground· wa'ter is believed 'l~o flow southwest.ward fro"' '.•

1

. - Cactus Flat to Sarcobatus Flat where it is latgely discharged by evapotranspiration. Some of the water in the first two systems may move southwestward as underflow to Death Valley through the carbonate rocks of the Funeral Range.

The estimated average annual recharge and discharge for the Ash Meadows regional system are 33,000 and at least 17~000 acre­ feet, respectively; for the Pahute Mesa regional system these estimates are 11,000 and 9,000 acre-feet, respectiveli; and for Sarcobatus Flat regional system, 3,500 acre~feet. For the Ash Meadows and l'ahute. Mesa systems; which join in Amargosa Desert, the computed excess of.recharge ove.r discharge of some 18,000 acre.-feet per year may flow southwestward t.o Dea·th VallEly, asstiming of course. that substantial e.rrors in the estimates do no·t exist.

Because virtuaJ.ly all the ground-water discharge from the hydrographic areas is by subsurface outflow at conside.rable deptll, most ground--water development probably will be from ground water in storage. One exception is the western part of Groom.Lake Valley where an estimated 2,500•acre-feet per year could be salvaged. Beneath valley floors, an estimated 10 million acie~feet of ground water is in transient stbrage in the uppermost 100 feet .of satur.ation. •

2 . INTRODUCTION

Many reports have·been ~ritten or1 various aspects of the hydr.ogeology of the Nevada TeEt Site (NTS) and adjoinincj areas, but most' of them were :prepared on behalf of the U.S .. h·tornic Energy Commi.ssion by 'tllf.' {}.~3. Geoloc;:i.cal Survey as atds ·to t:he Commission's tes t.i.ng· pr-::,Jgrarn. Bec.:~.n::;E:\ .of the lim.it.ed dist.ribu­ tion of these reports, much of the i_nfcrnwtion in t.hcm is not readily available to the general J?'.lbi :Lc. Th;p; repor.t. has been writt.en to mak0 ·th

Mesa 1 and ~~c1.rcobatus Flat~ regional gronnd·-:v.r.=.:ct::t:~r sy~::;t.E":'!J.il.S of this report. · • ·rh(~ compilation of infortl\ation thiJ.t forms the bu.sis of this report was made largely in January and February 1970.

Pre1r.i.ous WoJ.:k

A li.irge number of .reports have been w:r;i.'tt:en on var."LolJS aspects df the hydrogeology of the area, Many of the conclu­ sion~ in ·t.his report are bt:t~ed On th0 findings of I~akin cuHl otJH:jr~-=' (1963), I, J. Winoqrad and otheJ~s (wr,;i.ttcm commun., 1970), Winograd and.Thordarson (1968), Winograa (1963), ~nd R. K. !Jlankcnnagel and ,J. E. weir ('ATritt:en commun,, 1970). Jn add.H:ion, geologic maps have been prepared o.f the southe.J.:n J?•J.J;"t: of Nye County by Cornwcill (1967), r.incoln County :by Tschanz and Pampeyan (1961), and Clark County by Long,Tell a.ncl ot:hers (1965). Several hundred additiortal reports or1 vctriotts aspects of tho hydr6logy and geology of the Nevada Teet·sitc are listed bv · Ohl ( 1967).

3 HYDROLOGIC ENVIRONM8NT

Location

The arect covered.by this report is in southern Nevada, as shown in figure l, ctnd includes 16 hydrographic arects plus the extreme northern pctrt of Las Vegas Valley, as shqwn by Rush (1968) and as shown on plctte 1 and listed in table 1. The project area is J.n the southern part of the Great Basin and covers about 6,200 square miles.

Las Vegcts is 30 mJ.les sout.lieast of the areu; Tonopah, 3 0 miles to the northwest. U.S. Highway 9 5 travc'rses the southern part of the area and State Route 25,. the northeast part. The small towns of Indian Springs, Cactus Springs, Lathrop Wells, and Beatty are on Highway 95 in t.he southern part of the area (pl. l).

Prior to the development of the Nevada 'l'est Site by the U.S. Atomic Snergy. Commissi.on, lit.tl.e humctn activity took place in the area. Since. World Wctr II, inost of the area. hcts been usee! as a bombing and gunnery range for NGll.is Air Force Bctse, Las Vegas.

Climate and Precipitation

The area is characterized by short, mild winters with light snow in the mountai.ns ctnd long, hot, and dry summers. At the .. ';- higher altitudes, the summer night.s. are cool. •

The arect is generally semiarid to arid. Precipitation ranges from less than 5 to more than 20 in.ches. The distribu·tion of precipitation is related to the altitudG of the land surfacG and .. latitude--the higher mountains in the southeastern part o.f: the area .r.eceive the largest amounts of .precipit-a.tion and ·the northwestern vallGy floors the leas·t. Most of the precipitation falls in the winter, but'somG precipitation occurs in the.surnmGr as thunderstorms.

'l'hG estimated average annual precipiL'ltion is summarized by hydrographic areas in the sec'L:ion· on rechar.qe (table 3). 'l'he distribution of precipitation use~ in this repbrt is based on e~timates presented in·other hydrologic reports of this report s·eries (listed in the· back of the report) for adjacent areuB. The hydrographic area having the smallest average annual precip­ itation is Rock Valley, receiving an averaqe slightly less than 6 inches; the wettest is that part of Las V~gas ValJ.ey included in the report, receiving an average of about ll inches. Most of the hydrographic areas receive an average of between 6 and 8 inches per year. •• 4 • [/Vit.!pt~~d fr0m H1tr-:>h, .l9(~H! ------·--·-·- Approxim~l.t.E;. 1\ppioximate.. S tr·r:am rJr.c.a .::-llt.t tude of "Ln(lmv Hydrogr~Pitic n~~;± (squ.:.t.Lc~ vaLLey .floor tmd m.f.]c~.~!) ·----'(!:t2.::..fl___ _,c""nl ~-L lc_!i CENTRt;},__@,JHI£::1(APHI.!:_B}'/; IS!_Ji

c:a~ttlf; Flat ---·~------~------­ :,o 3 5,400 H(.me Gn.l..J 11 '.1 ~t. -----~·~--·-~-~------~~-----~-~­ f:1 n/~ 5,200 t1one Er~,."d.c.h Vallev --··~------·-~------­ 3~0 5,500 None. Yttc:c;{ FJ.at ~-----•m------­ 305 Lf :1' 000 Ncm~.:: Fr.C".Tl chman Fla r ------~~·---­ /1 () :·1 3,200 Non~ !! n.pOUt-'1~ Lnk e vR J.J.c:y -~------w·~-·-~-~ lO /~ ~,GOO l;on( Groom J.nkc Vnlley ------~------­ 6G3 1.,()00 ~jon c: Tikapuo V.:.~J.J.'~'-J: Not·thern p.:.~rt --~·~-~~------~--­ fl :.: "/ /i ~ 300 Out f lc~; Soli the: rn p.~·t':" l ------·~------­ :;BO J,l,l)() 1nfl()tl· '111rcc.~ L~:tkes V~d.l~~y; N c~r the~ l·n p;rl: t:. ,~·------~-----~----~ 293 3,600 NonE: T.nd i . .:1n S p ri.n g~·= Valley ------·- h55 3,200 None~ i:.LJplKAD.!,l l(lVFH f1ASIN

Thr-ee r .nkc~s. Valley: Sont:hcrn part.:: --~-~------;-;------~- JJ.l 3' l()() In ;:J.ov.r Lr1:..; Vc:gu~; VallEy~ westf:).rn slope o.f • Shcc.p Rdnw::: on.l.y ------~.,-~-~--~------gH 3,400 Outflow

HiiC.kb0.ani "1'-·l~~.;e:t 2 !!() 5 , OliO Outflc!w Mercury \/alley JJJ) 3,100 Ou;;:flc.1w Rock Val ley --~-~------82 J,JOO Our.fl.c•1d J :.1c.kns r.; Plat~·:; -~~------~·-·-- /79 :1, :iOO Jlotl.> Cr~tor F].cit -----~------~--- lH2 3;2.00 Ou tfln\..J

~·-~~·-

'"' h - • c;eoloqy

The distribution of consolidated rocks and alluvium is shown on plate 1. The cons_olidated rocks are mostly volcanic rocks- of Ter·tj.ary .age; however, there are ext.ensi ve outcrops of carbonate rocks of Paleozoic age that have been mapped by Cornwall _(1967), Tschanz and Pampeyan (196.5), and Longwell and others (1965). The alluvium is of late Tertiary and Quaternary age.

Only ·two hydrographic areas do not. have_ outcrops- of carbonate rocks--Cactus and Gold Flats (pl. 1). Kawich Valley and Buckboard M8sa have only a small part of the consolidated rock cropping out. as carbonate rocks. All other hydrographic areas included in this report have a moderate to large proportion of carbonate rocks making up the consolidated rocks. 0ncler the valley fill, a similar distribution of carbonate rocks is probabl"' ;.

'l'he dis·tribution- of carbonate rocks has hydrologic signi­ ficance because _in this area, as well as in many areas of Nevada, th8y transmit flow in regional ground-wat8r systems beneath topographic divides.

7 GROUND-Wl\TEP. RESERVOIP.S

Three types of ground-water reservoirs or ~quifers were identified by I. J. Winograd and others (written commun., 1970) and E. K. Blankennagel and J. E-. Weir (written conunun., 1970) valley-fill, volcanic-rock, and carbonate-rock aquifers.

Alluvium up to 2,000 feet in thickness (Winograd and others, written commun., 1970), derived from the surrounding· mounte~ins, underlies the valley floors and where saturated is a reservoir for- ground water. Depth-to-water data beneath ve~lley floors are provided in table 2. These data indicate that in some areas the valley fill may not be saturated and often, where saturated, only at gree~t depths. In all valleys, little ground water is discharged to the atmosphere, except at a few springs such as Indian Springs. Indian Spring discharge, less the~n 500 gpm (gallons per minute) , is small in relation to the totul recharge to the area. In the topographically closed hydrographic areas, ground water flows through the valley fill and moves laterally or vertically downward to volcanic-rock or curbonate-rock aquifers. Beneat.h Yucca and Frenchman Flats, Winograd and others (written commun., 1970) estimated that the downward leakage to the carbonate-rock aquifers is less the~n 100 acre-feet per year in each valley.

The volcanic-rock aquifers locally transmit water through­ fractures in the eastern two-thirds of the project.area. This flow, as in alluvium, is to underlying carbonate-rock aquifers. However, in the wester.n third of the area, where carbonatE rocks • are absent, the fr.actured volcanic-rock aquifers transmit ground water beneath topographic divides and.unite the area into a regional ground-water flow system. l3lankennagel and Weir (wri·t·ten commLm. , 197 0) estimated t.ha t the transmissivity of the volcanic-rock aquifers ranges between 1,400 gpd (gallons per day) per foot to mo.re than 100,000 gpd per foot and muy have a mean value near 10,000 gpd per foot.

Several thousand feet of satfirated curbonate-rock aquifers is believed to underlie most of the eastern two-thi.rds of the area. These aquifers are highly fractured limestone and dolomite, having transmissivities ranging from as small as about 6 to as large as 6 million gpd per foot (Winograd and others, written commun., 1970). Ground water is transmitted through carbonate­ rock aquifers on a regional basis to form a large ground-wuter system. The grudient of the piezometri.c surface is commonly only il few feet per mile (pl. l); however, across major faults, water-level altitudes muy differ as much as 500 feet within a valley and 2,000 feet between vulleys (Winograd and others, written commun., 1970).

8 Tnble. 2.--Hi.ni.rnum depths to v..rater beneath valley floors

[Principally L<1serl on data b~om \,Jinograd .:.mil others. and BJ.3.nkc.~Tinagcl anJ l.Jeir (w1~i.t.tcn commun., 1970)]

Approximrtte Approximat1?. 8lt:Ltude of rniniumm fkpth wat~r t>urLJcc "t-7hGT.~ depth

t{) ,.mtr.:r to watt:r i.s a min:·.. mum ---'-H"vJiE_graphic are;L ____A=y-"u~ifr:,".r'- _____( fn~~):...______,(!...\~!nt ahnve sea lr:vr::,!L

Groom T.akE~ VB.lle.y All11Vi.u!:l ]_(){) 4,31,() Papoose Lake: Valley Carbonate~ r~ock 2,100 2,500 Tikapoc V:1lle.y Norther-n part (unl.:no\Jn) >500 <3,700 Southern !' nT t Las Vcg;w V11lley t.festern slope of Sht•.e p Ran gr. ,;n ly Three l.,nlu~::_;· VallC"'.y Northr.r.n part Southcn1 parl Alluvi.nm lOIJ- 300 2 '7.'50-1, 900 Indian Sprir1gH Vnlley A,l.luvturn 3,100-3,175 Yucca F.lnt Al.ltJV:iUlil h 1, 500 7.,400 F.rc~n chman Fl. at. 1\.l.Juvi.um c: HOO 2' .1100 J<..-H.:kas~.; Fl.'lts -=· Erwtr::rn one-thi.r:d only • Rock V;:lley Al.ltJViutn or 1,150-l,JOO 1. :mo-7., 35D voJcan i.C""'. ~ocks M" rcu ry V e1lle.y eo~.J·-S.Jo

Cold FLn Alluvium :z.:Hl-)50 I,, H80~4, 9 70 Kawicb Valley ( uuknoi\rn) I,Q() 1,, 200-s, tioo Iluckhoard Hesal/ Vnl.c.Mn.ic rock J 400-450 5,700-5,800 .Jacknss Flats \Ve.s tern tt•Jo-thirJs only Alluvium or e .300-3.SO ?., 300-2,350 voJ.canir..: rocks Crater Flat Alluv i urn or ), 300-2.400 volc:mi.c rocb;

Si\RCfJIJATUS FLA'I' CIWUND-Wi\TER SYSTJ•:M.ic/ C;qc.tu.s Flat d 90-150 s·,2o0-5,300

l. Also includes the." eastern pnrt of Amargosa Desert. 2. Also includes Oasi.s Val.h~y, t..;rcstern part of Am,:n:~osa Dc.~;r.rt., And possibly thr. soutl1c-~rn part.: o.f Rcueill.e V!l~.] f.:y. 3. No vallP.y floor prr..scnt; d~pth is hc}_ow nte~a. 4. nostly i•J<:~st of n~port r~.n_'CI. Cac:tw> l'];.lt may he part of P.:.1ltute Mt~~;a gro11nd-· wat~r t;ystem .

a. Near Indi.an Sprinf~s._ cl. s~mi.rercheJ water. h. Eakin ar1d others (l~iG3, table J.) ·~~. Near l.athrop hle.lls .. •• re~orts 670 feet. f. Southern part of valley floor. c. Eakin ;Jntl othc~rs (10GJ, tRlJle J.) repor-ts ()HJ fe.et. - 9 - RBGJONAL GROUND-WATER FLOW SYSTEMS

Three regional interbasin ground-water systems have been identifi~d in the study area (pl. 1): (1) the Ash Meadows ground­ ... .•· water system in the eas·tern part of the area (the Ash Meadows GroLtnd­ Wat.er Basin o.f Winograd ·and others, written commun.·, 1970); (2) th~· Pahute Mesa ground-water syst.em in the western part (informally designated by.wi·nograd as the Oasis Valley-l"ortymile Cariyon basin);· and (3) ·the Sarcobatus Flat ground-water system, mos·tly west of the report area and probably· including'· Cactus Flat. Because the first two .flow systems converge in the Amargosa Desert, they act.uaJ.ly may be parts of one large regional ground-water basin that could extend southward to and include much of Death Valley.

Plate l and tables l and 2 show that th~ bulk of the Ash Meadows and Pahute Mesa ground-water systems are made up of the 16 hydrographic areas described in this report .. Of these.hydro­ graphic areas, 10 are topographically closed valleys. The piezometric contours of plate 1 show that the regional ground­ water flow generally is southwes·tward to the Amargosa Desert. ·

The north-trending boundary between the 7\sh Meadows and Pahute Mesa ground-water systems is largely based on the great difference in water levels of at least 2,000 feet near the central part of the area (pl. l). Southward, the disparity is less pronounced, amount.ing to less than 100 feet in the Amargosa Desert. Northward, the disparity also seems to decrease, .but ·water-level data are lacking to define the amount. Moreover, the northern extent of the ··boundary has not been de£ ined 1i~: .

Ash Meadows Ground~Water system

The boundaries of the Ash Meadows ground-water system have not bee~ precisely fixed, esp~cially at-its northern end. A reconnaissance was made of water levels in wells that. tap alluvium in the southern part of Penoyer Valley (pl. 1). The water-level data indicate that-the local flow in alluvium i~ northward, suggesting the presence of a ground-water divide probably in the vicinity of the topographic divide between Penoyer Valley and Tikapoo and Groom Lake Valleys. According to Eakin and others (1963, p. 13) Penoyer Valley probably is hydrologically closed.

East of Tikapoo vailey, Eakin (1966) described a separate regional ground-wat.er flow system in the White River area, which may be hydrologically separate from the Ash Meadows system (pl. 1)

The southwestern boundary of the system is ~ithin the Spring Mountains. For the purposes of this report. it is assumed to coincide with topographic divides, as shown on plate l and

10

I • ! ' ; limited to. the study area. In addition,.the western fl.ank of the Sheep_Range of Las Vegas Valley (pl. l) probably contri­ 'I butes water to the Ash Meadows system (Winograd and others, written commun., 1970).

At Ash Meadows in the Amargosa Desert one or more faults (pl. 1) form ·a barrier to ground-water flow, probably causing water from the system to be discharged as springs (Winograd and others, written commun., 1970). However, the effect.iveness of the barrier to ground-water flow is not known. Appreciable leakage across the barrier may occur.

Pahute Mesa Ground-Water System

The Pahute Mesa regional ground-water system probably includes th~ western one-third of the study area (excluding Cactus Flat), Oasis Valley, Amargosa Desert·west of the Ash Meadows fault; and possibly that part of Reveille Valley south of the topographic divide near its center in T. lN., (Blanken­ nagel and Weir, ·written commun., 1970), Cactus Flat (pl. l) may drain southwestward to Sarcobatus Flat ·as part of the Sarcobatus Flat regional ground-water system. The southern part of Reveille Valley, north of Kawich Valley and an extension of Railroad Valley (~1. l) may contribute ground water ~ither •-=. southward to the study area or eastward to R~ilroad Valley. Ground water in the system gene~ally flows through inter­ connected faults and joints southwestward toward Oasis Valley and southward to the Amargosa Desert where most of the water is believed to be discharged (Blankennaqel and Weir, written coinmun., 1970). The volcanic-rock aquifer is the principal medium through which the regional flow occurs; however, the valley-fill aquifer also transmits flow beneath the Amargosa Desert. Part of the combined ground-water outflow from the llsh Meadows and Pahute Mesa,regional systems, as previously mentioned, may flow southw'a'rd through carbonate rocks to Death Valley.

Sarcobatus Flat Ground-Water System

As stated earlier, Cactus Flat may be part of either the Pahute Mesa of Sarcobatus Flat ground-water systems. Because no local ground water is discharged by evapotranspiration, the drainage may be southwestward toward Sarcobatus Flat or south­ eastwar:d toward Gold Flat. For the purpose of compiling ground­ water budgets in this report, flow is assumed to be toward Sarcbbatus Flat. Other areas that probably drain to Sarcobatus Flat are Stonewall Flat and Lida Valley, both west of the sfudy· area and north of Sarcobatus Flat. Ground water may also ,. drain to Sarcobatus Flat from Ralsto~ and Stone Cabin Valleys, northwest of Cactus Flat (Rush, 1968, p. 27).

11 1:-,. RECHARGE !"ROM PR8CIPITATION On the valley floors, where the amount of precipitation is • small, little of the precipitation directly infiltrates to the \ ground-water reservoirs. The· greater amounts of prec.i.pi tcit.ion in the mountains p.rovKle moS't of the recharge principally by seepage losses from streams; some reaches the ground-water reservoirs from the mountains by lateral or vertical seepage. Most of the precipitation is evaporated ei t.ber before in fil tra­ tion or after it £emporarily adds to soil mois11re at shallow depths. The general distribution of precipitation in the area has been compiled on a mi'lp by Hardman (1965)

A method described by Eakin and others (1951, p. 79-81) is used to estimate recharge in this report as in the other reconnaissance reports in Nevada. The method assumes that a percentage of the average annual precipitation recharges the ground-water reservoirs. Table 3 summarizes the estimated average annual recharge.for each of the hydrographic areas and the ~hree regional ground-water systems ·cove~ed by this report. Eakin and others (196'3) computed differ.ent values for rechar.g,e in some of the valleys. Since that time, additional precipitation and other hydrologic data have become available allowing crude refinements in the earlier reconnaissance estimates. According to Blankennagel and Weir (wr.itten commun., 1970), the estimated average annual recharge to the northern half of ~ahute Mesa ground-wa t.er system ·is· on the order of 8, 00 0 acre-feet, which is slightly smalier than the estimate of the recharge for the entire system in this report. ••

For the Ash Meadows system, recharge averag.es only about.. 2 percent of the total precipitation; for the Pahute Mesa sysf~m. about 1 percent.

12 · =·• Tnbl:= J.--J.~sti_ll]ated avc~1~a;:;e t.:u:r.;=\tc!d prec.l.pJ.tttl::.t.on t·:~::timatcd :rechFII;".f,E' -----~--~·--·-··-·~·--··-·--~---~-~~-··-·~-·----~---~·~ .. ---·--~ ,.. (t:J·l0U!:::.::l,H1~; of An,~n R0.nw.!. ;\·F(:~T'-1!.~.'.-.'. /\.vnT-St£;1:: Pt~rc.~~~"'!t.''2ge o£ ____ X1.~:5'.:. 0._____ . _Ll:":·X~:~>_l__,.,~(-~:!~::..U.~p_aL_ __(EL~~-t. ___ CP.(:'-~!:~~JL~:::.C_0__ .J?J~.!".:.L£:~~-t-~·~.t.is.~~___1:i.Z2 =.:f e ~!.;.

_.y::; l i__ll_GA ~~~}\-!::.; (~ll9..!.!_~J_)-i:{!\T ~~!U:~~2..J~i~!I_

GP0(}~1 IJ1\KE V.·\LLT::Y

. !.l ') 0 :-:w l.D 9(1 2.5 20 8-

Suhtot.al ( ro!JllJe.d) 4:.22 t 000 .6 2 'JO, ()00 J. :) , 200

PAI'100SE LAIfl • ,,f3 ).30 :~ _, 10 <() i~JJli_)_

hO ', :~: () ·'' .n .LI 0 25 :10 8--'' 1, ~Jt~o l.:·.i-ZO l. :) 2,:100 J..~i 340 7-11 L_l, t,Qo 12-15 l.J. 1:3 '000 7 l,OOO h-1' .51' 01!11 8-12 . u 41,000 J 1,?00 <6 .L~· ,ooo ·il --. ( J}ll ,J!Scl.cll M:!-J!!J.E. SuLtolal (roun<1e.tl) l,.o.L,OOO .b )3() '()()() 1 ? , ()()() TIYAPOO VALLEY, SUOTII.IJ\N P/\KT

•H r,no 20 l.B 1 '1(10 25 :)00 7-ll 5,180 lJ-2() .1..5 7,800 15 1,200 6-7 12,()()() JL-Li 1.1 LJ,OOO 7 "10 5-6 /~.3~200 8-1:2 .8 .1<5,000 3 1,(;00 •:5 c .!R2 ,OOQ_

LAS VEG,\S VAT.J,r:Y (WESTI'.I

•·8 6,720 >20 .1..8 12,000 ,?' .. .J .l '000 7-8 4. 5 Jll l'i-20 1. ~) 6,800 15 .1,000 6-7 6, no 1:'-l'i 1.1 7' 1,00 7 520 _f)-h 7,340 8-12 .8 5,900 3 J 80 c ··:5 30' 650

., ..s 780 >2(1 :l.fl 1' ,, 00 2S 350 7-3 l,"l50 lS-/0 l.S 1,900 1''_) ;) 80 1 6-7 7,970 1.7-1. ) l.l 8,800 7 620 5-6 36,000 H-12 . n 19,000 ] 870 r ,. < ~i )- 4 §.,_ilQ_(~ < ::~ _IJ, 000 . -' -~., Subtotal ( ruun de d) ln,ooo • 6 ll.O,OOO " 2 , 1)1)0 - l.J - Prc:.cipitation E.s t irna tf~.d p r('.C ipJ t-~ t ion E~t·i.mat.:e.d re.cba.rge zunc --- (thousands of Area Range 1\ve. .ragc~ 1\vc.ragc Pe:~rcent.:.age. of --~f. C <-co't'-"----- ( .•1C r"s) i i. n c It e ';)__ ( f

.8 6,200 -:.-?0 1.1~ 11,001) 25 2,HOO 7 ·<~ (),/20 15-:-:o 1.5 10, ()()() 15 1,500' 6--7 .U, 3011 12-15 .l..J. ]_/, ' (II) II 7 <) 80 ~)--6 26~500 il-12 • H 21,000 3 630 .,') _l47,000 -:8 • _l_j_,.Q 0 (~ .!iino~ ~ .•. .-~ ------Suhtotnl (round~ d) 199,001! . 7 1_30,0()(1 5 G . 000 IN!ll1\N S f.1 RL);CS VAT.I,/C'I

>8 7,.')(1() •?(I l.fl _1/,' 0()(1 25 3,.500 7-R Jli '200 1.. :5-:~o 1.5 ?1,0110 1.5 3,200 1;-7 22,800 17-l.~) l.l 2 5 '000 7 1,800 s-·r, 69,100 il-l?. .II 55,000 J ·1,.600 .,-5 J o!±..,~o ... r~c.~ 7 3,0110 >12 l.l J,JOO 7 7.30 6-7 10, I)()() 8-L! • R 16,000 480 ,. :l. <6 .lh'i_,DQI_~ ·•-R _ •.J._ g;.'! ouo M.i_r~ • Subtot.ol ( round~_d) 19? '(!:Ill . 5 100,000 0.7 700 I''REN C:H,'I AN HAT >() 4,000 >8 .P. J,2.00 3 100 <: () 2 n, ooo -·: il ..:.;2_ l50_J~~i~ Mii.!fL!:_

c .Subtotnl (rounded) 2 96 '000 .. ) 1..50,0()0 0.07 100 .JACKASS FLII'I'S_l_/

~· -; Minor > 1.1 l ..'.) 1.5 6-1 l,li40 12-15 Ll 1,700 7 110 :j-h 7, 1 1i1 8-L! .G 5,701) 3 1.70 LLEY >S 1,100 _:-g . 8 9110 3 30

-~ 1.·.: 11.CURY VALLEY

>7 200 •·-u 1.5 ]()() J.. ·­ ) 50 6-7 1,250 lL--J~) Ll J., !,()() 7 ].()() 1 ., )-6 !.1., 380 8-~ 2 . 8 I, 500 .) JOO .., __ .:..2_ ,, . 5 66' lj!Jl_ ·,._) 33,000 _J 1.110 .r Subtotal (rounded) 71,9110 . 5 :lfl, II() 0 0. 7 " li+ - ,Precipitation Estimated precipj.tati.on l~sttmatec.l re.charge zone ( thmwands of Area Range _Average Average :Percentage~ of feet) (acres) (in"ches) · (feet) (acre-feet) precipitation A<..:re-fe.et

OTHER AREAS - Eastern part of. Amargosa De~;ert t<1i.nor ·, TOTAL FOR ASH }!EADO\

PAII.Un: Mt':SA CROlJND-WA'l'ER S_':iSTEt:J.

C:ou.J FLAT

~_. e 1,260 ·:·lS l . _f) 1,900 l.S 280 7-8 1"1 ' 400 12 -1.') l.l 1:!,000 7 :, '300 (i -7 91,0011 8-12 .8 73,000 3 ::,200 ,.g ,. di :!25,000 .. ) 160,000 Minor Subtota-l (rounded) 40\.'i,OOO .6 2'i0 ,000 2 KAWICH VAI.J.F:Y >H :wo >15 1.5 450 15 70 7-B 18,200 12-15 LJ 70,000 7 1,400 6-7 85,0110 8-12 .8 68,000 3 2,000 <6 12 7 '()()() <8 . ') 64 001) Hi. nor Subtotal ( ronnd

>7 6' /+_()() ·12 1.1 7,0110 7 4<)() fi-7 39,400 8-12 .8 32,000 3 960 <6 l05.>..2Q_Q •8 __o2 5:2,000 Minor • • Snbtotal ( ronndccl) 151,000 • 6 'Jl,OOO 2 JACKASS FJ.ATS~.f >7 Minor >15 1.5 15 6-7 3,280 12-lS l.l 3,600 7 250 5-6 lil. 300. 1--)-12 • 8 11,000 3 330 ,. .·:5 101,000 <8 . J ~.:o, ooo Mi.no1~ Subtot"l (rounded) 1.19,000 -5 (>5 ,000 O.Y 580 CRATE I( FLAT

·,. (l Z20 >12 1.1 240 7 20 .'5-6 H,OHO o-u .8 6,500 3 200 <5 lOH,OOO

Subtotal (rounded) 116,000 ~5 61,000 '(). 4 120 OASIS VALLEY >7 420 >12 .l . .l 460 7 30 6-7 39' 300 G-12 • u0 33,000 3 990 <6 ns,ooo ::H • 5 120 000 ---Mi.nor Sub to ta 1 (rounded) 278,000 .5 150,000 0.7 l,OOD

OTHER AREAS

Wc~tcrn pa.rt of Amargosn Desert Minor Southern part of J{eve:lll.c~ Valley " 1,000 TOTAL l'OR PAHUTI·; MESA GROlJND-Wi\TER SYSTEN (rounded) 12,000 ·~

Precipitation EstimAted p rec:i.p i t;-t tion Ef:;timat.ed recharge. 7. one. . ·t ( thonsa::.1.ds of /\rc~a JL=mgc Averafw Ave. rage.. Percentage of fee. U: _____!._( "''"-c"'rEe!"SL_) __U!.1 c.h~t;) ( ff'.C:l) (ac:re.-fc:et) precipitatio-n Acre-fe:~t · SARC:ORI\TlJS FLAT r;IWUNII-HATF.R ~;YSTEH1/ ' . C:M:TlJS FT.AT.!c/ >9 101) >15 l . .J 150 '.1.5 20 .. ~~id '-"':· 8-Y J,no .L'-15 1.1 3,600 7 250 ·' .,,. ;: .. 7-H .Ll, SrI() 8-17. .H Ll ,000 :l 330 •• 7 2·~0,000 .-:8 • 5 120 '()()() ----Minor Suht:otnl (rounded) 257,000 .s LJO, 000 0. :) 600

OTHER AIUNil-HNrr:R SYSTEM 2,400

1. Eastc-:·rn onc-t.:h:i..n.l cml.y. :~. He;, tc: rn tvJo~ thirds nn Jy . .'3. Compo:3ed of scv.-:-~ral hydrographic. ;n.-~~as draining l:O Sarci

- ](, - .e GROUND-WI\~rF.:R DISCHARGE Most natural disch~rge of ground wa~er from the study area is by regional subsurface outflow to 7\sh Meadows, Amargosa Desert, Sar.cobatus Flat, Oasis Valley, and possibly Death Valley, as sho-wn on plate l. 1\J.J. devths ·to water are t.oo grea·t for local discharge by phr.eatophytes (greater than 50 feet) or by appreciable evaporation from bare-soil ar~as (greater than 15 feet). A few sp~ings, such as Indian Springs (flows abou£ 500 acre-feet per yea.r'), discharge a relatively small net amount of water in relation ·to the total recharge ·to the report area.

water supplies have been develop~d by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commi.ssion and the milit.ary; the bulk of t.he water is apparently used for various operational, maintenance, and construction purposes attendant to the nuclear testing program and camp facilities on _the Nevuda Test Site. The Atomic Energy Commission report

The estimated averuge annual discharge from just the springs at Ash Meadows is 17,000 acre-feet, according_to Walker and Eakin (1963, p. 21) and Winograd and others (written commun., 1970). Additional discharge from the Ash Meadows ground-water system may occur (l) by evapotranspiration in and ·wGst of the spring area, and (2) by subsurface flow acros.s ·the llsh Meadows fault burrier (pl. l) to the wes-tern pa.r.t of Amargosa Desert • and thence to Death Valley. The Gstimated averuge annuill dischurge from the Puhute Mesa ground-water system is 9,000 acre-feet. Of this amount, 2,0DO acre-feet is discharged in QQsis Vulley (pl. l), according to Malmberg and Eakin (1962, p. 25); the remainder, about 7,000 acre-feet, is discharged west of the Ash Meadows fault (Blariken­ nugel and Weir., written commun., 1970).

For the Sarcobatus Flut ground-wuter system, the estimated average annual discharge is possibly 3,500 acre-feet. Of this total, 3,000 acre-feet is estimated to discharge by evapotran­ spiiution from .Sarcobatus Flat and possibly 500 acre-feet as subsurface outflow from Sarcobatus Flat to Grapevine Canyon (nort.hwest of Sarccibatus Flat.) (Malmberg and Eakin, 1962, p .. 22) .

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17 GPOUND-WATER BUDGET --• For long-·term 'concH tica1s, recharg,;•. to ancl di schurge from a ground-water .system are about equal, if there bus been no net ch~nge in stored water in the system resulting from ldng-term climatic changes or diversions from storage d~e to de~elopment.

Thus 1 the purpose of preparing a water budget· ~s to compare· ;the estimates of recharge and discharge, to determl.he the magriittide of the difference between estimates, and wheJ) posiible to ·sel,ect a value that may reasonably represent both the recharge and . discharge. The following tabulation shows the water budget for the 7\.sh Meadows, Pahute Mesa, and Sarcoba·tus Flat: _regj.ona.l. ground­ water systems:

Est1mated average EStimated average :;oit'IiTrti·al·:t· -~r:o·u:n:d-~wa·t·ej:·· annual ground-wat.er •: . -~o!''J:;...;.---~.----.-;'1- . '.,,,.,·.\•,- .. . Regional ground­ recharge (table ,3) d~scharge . (.p·. r Imbalance water system (acre-feet) (acre-feet) (acre-feet) ( l) '"' (2) '(l)- (2)

Ash Meadows· 33,000 a 17,000 Pahute Mesa 1_2,000 b 9,000 Sarcobatus ~'lat 2,400 3,500 a. Discharge 1n Amargosa Desert east of Ash Meadows fault, largely from springs. • b. Discharge in Amargosa Desert we.st of Ash Meadows fault about 7,000 acre-feet; discharge in Oasis Valley, about·2,000 acre-feet.

Fo,r t.he Ash Meadows and Puhu te Mesa systems, t.he es·tj.mated average unnual discharge as measu~ed in Amargosa Desert totals · at least 21 1 000 acre-feet (Walker and Eakin, .1.963, p. 27). The above table shows that the estimated average annual recharge to the two systems totals e>bout 45,000 acre-fee:t. ·The imbulance between recharge and total discharge is s~emingly an excess of 19,000 acre-feet per year. Althobgh the excess may reflect errors in the estimates, a substantial part may be accounted for by subsurface flow to Death Vulley, as prevl.ous.l.y described.

Pistrang and Kunkel (1964, p. Y.l.J.) estimated that about 4,000 acre-feet of discharge occurs in the Furnace Creek Wash ·(southwest of Amargosa Desert), not including uny subsurface flow to the floor of Death_ Valle~ Basecl on their recharge culcula­ tions (p. Y20), probably only a few hundred acre-feet 6f recharge could be generated in the Furnace Creek.watershed.- Therefore, much of the 4,000 acre-feet of discharge in t~e Furnace Creek Wash area may be from the Amargosil Deser·t. Moreover, additional quanti·ties of ground water may flow from t.he Amargosa Desert to the valley floor of Death Valley to discharge largely by evaporation.

18 An evaluation of the entire Death Valley ground-water basin was beyond the scope of this report. Accordingly, whether a contribution of some 19,000 acre-feet per year from this study area to Death Valley is a reasonable value was not determined.

For Sarcobatus Flat, where the imbalance is computed to be 1,100 acre-feet per year, the writer has no more confidence in one estimate than the other. Therefore, the average quantity of 3,000 acre-feet per year is selected for the value of recharge and discharge .

••

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19 ~'=- ' PERENNIAL YIELD •.\ The perennial yield of a ground-water reservoir may be defined as the maximum amount. of natural discharge that cctn be salvaged each year over the long term by pumping without bringing about some undesired result. All the discharge from the project area is subsurface out. flow, except .f.or a few spri.ngs. ThiB outflow could be salvaged at the discharge areas in l\e-.h Meadows, the l'irrial:­ gosa Desert, Oasis Valley, ·sarcobatus Flat, and perhaps in-Death Valley. The yields in all these areas, except Death V~lley, have been described by Walker and ~akin (1963) and Malmberg and Eakin (1962). .

The possibility of salvaging all or part of the outflow by pumping within the study area north of the Amargosa Desert is dependent upon the nature ctnd. ext.ent of the transmitting J.i tho logy, which is only partly known, and the effectiveness of any structural barriers to ground-water flow. Not until substantial development has taken place will the controlling conditions be defined. In the meantime, in most of these hydrographic area, initial ground­ water development probably would be by the depletion of ground water in storage rather than the salvage of any appreciable amount of subsurface outflow.

The only known exceptions to the above general conclusion exists in Groom Lake and Indian Springs Valleys. According to

Winograd and Thordarson (1968 1 p. 37-41), ground water flows from the western part to the eastern part of Groom Lake Valley over a • consolidated-rock "threshold" near the western edge of Groom Luke playa. At ·this threshold the dept.h ·to wuter is about 100 feet. If ground-water levels were lowered to a level below the threshold, this purt of the valley, assuming no other subsurface outlets, would become hydrologically isolated. As a result, the subsurface outflow from this part of the valley could be salvaged. Recharge originating in the western part of the valley is at least 75 percent of the total, or on the order of 2,500 acre-feet. If the western part of Groom Lake Valley becomes hydrologically isolated ;from ·the Ash Meadows ground-wuter system, then ultimately the natural discharge of the system will be reduced a like amount. Because of the very slow rate of ground-water flow in the system and the large distance between Groom Luke playa and Ash Meudows, the nutural discharge probably would not be affected for many centuries. The perennial yield of Indiun Springs Valley is essentially limited to the flow of Indian Springs or about 500 acre-feet.

20' GROUND WATER IN STORAGE

The amount· of ground water stored, or more precisely in transient storage, in the valley-fill, volcanic-rock, and carbonate­ rock aquifers is the product of the selected area, saturated thickness, and specific yield. Although most of the area is under­ lain by one or. more of these aquifers, only·. the valley-floor areas are used to compute the gene~al magnitude of the. stored water in the uppermo~t 100 fee~ of satur~tion. The valley-floor areas are selected largely because they are the areas most likely to be developed for water supplies.

If the specific yield of these aquifers averages 5 to·lO percent, and selected area totals ab6ut 1,200,000 acres, the amount of ground water in storage would be roughly 10 million acre-feet. Obviously, if the highland areas were included, the amount would be considerably more .

•

'

21 REFERENCES -., Cornwall, H. R., 1967, Prelim{nary geological map of southern Nye County, Nevada: u.s. Geol. Survey open-file' report.

Eakin,. T. E., 1966, A regional interba.si'n ·ground-water system in the White River area, southeas·tern Nevada: Nevada Dept·. Conserv." and Nat. Resources, Water ·Resources Bull.: 33.

Eakin, T. E., and others, 1951, contributions. to ihe hYdrology of eastern Nevada: Nevada Dept. Conserv. and Nat. Resources­ Water Re~ources i~Il. 12, p. 14-16. . . 1963, Regional hydtology of a part of southern Nevada: A ---reconnaissance: u.s. Geol. survey TEI-:833, 40 p.

Hardman, George, 1965, Nevada precipitation map, adapted from map prepared by George Hardman and others, 1936: Nevada Univ. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. 183, 57 p.

Longwell, C. R., and others, 1965, Geology and mineral deposits of Clark County, Nevada: Nevada Bur. Mines Bull, 62, 218 p.

Malmberg, G.~ .• and Eakin, T. E., 1962, Ground-water appraisal of Sarcobatus Flat and Oasis Valley, Nye County, Nevada: Nevada.Dept. Conserv. and Nat. Resources, Ground-Water • Resources - Reconn. Ser. Rept. 10, 39 p.

Ohl, J. P., 1967, Bibliography of reports by the Geological Survey, Special Projects Branch personnel, May 16, 1958 to July 31, 1967: U.S. Geol. Survey mimeo. report, 146 p. Pistrang, M: A., and Kunkel, Fred, 1964, A brief geologic and hydrologic reconnaissance of the Furnace Creek Wash area, Death Valley National Monument, California: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1779-Y, 35 p.

Rush, F. E., 1968, Index of hydrographic areas in Nevada: Nevada Dept. Conserv. and Nat. Resources, Div. Water Resources, Water Resources - Info. Ser. Rept. 6, 38 p.

Tschanz, C. M., and Pampeyan, E. H., 1961, Preliminary geologic m~p of Lincoln County, Nevada: U.S. Geol. Survey Mineral Inv. Field Studies Map MF-206.

Walker, G. E., and Eakin, T. E., 1963, Geology and ground water of Amargosa Desert, Nevada-California: Nevada Dept. Conserv. and Nat. Resources, Ground-Water Resources - Reconn. Ser. Rept. 14, 45 p.

22. . -_ '.. ' Winograd, I. :r., 1963, 7\ summctry of the ground-water hydrolo9y •• of the ctrect ·.between the Las Vegcts Vctlley ctnd thG Arndr

Winograd, I. J. , and 'rhordarson, vlilliam, 1968, Structural contr·ol of ground-water movement in mioqeosynclinal rocks of south­ central Nevada in Eckel, E. B., Nevada Test Site: Geol. Soc. America Mern. 110, p. 35-48 .

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23 LIS~ OF PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED REP6RTS .IN f~is SERIES

(See fig. 1)

RGport Report no. Valley or arect no • Valley or ctrea

1 Newctrk (out of print) 30 .Monitor,_ Antelope, Kobeh, 2 Pine (out of print) arid Stevens Basin 3 Long (out of print) 31 Upper. Reese 4 Pine Forest (out of print) 32 Lovelock 5 Imlay area (out of print) 33 Spring (near Ely; out of 6· Dictmond (out of print) print) 7 Desert. 34 Snake, Hctmlin, Antelope, 8 Independence Pleasant, and Ferguson 9 Gabbs Desert (out of print) 10 Sctrcobcttus and Oasis 35 So~th ?ork, Huntington, and 11 Hualapai Flat Dixie CreGk-Tenmile Creek 12 Ralston and s·tone Cctbin (out of pri.nt) 13 Cave 36 Eldorado, Piute, and 14 Arnt:].rgosa De.sert, Mercury, Colorado River Rock, l''ortymile Canyon 37 Crass (near Austin) and Crater Flat, and Oasis Carico Lr::1.k0 . J. 5 Sctge Hen, Guctno, Swan Lake, 38 Hot Creek, Little Smoky,

Massacre Lake, Lonq 1 Mctcy and Little Fish Lctke Flett, Colemctn, Mosquito, 3.9 Eagle (Ormsby County) Warner, and Surprise 40 Walker Lake and Rctwhide Flat 16 Dry I,ake ctnd Delctmar 41 Wets hoe 17 Duck Lctke 42 _Steptoe 18 Garden ctnd Coal 43 Hone:ycLake, Warm Springs, 19 Middle Reese and Antelope Newcomb Lake, Cold Spring, 20 Black Rock Desert, Granite Dry, Lemmon, Red Rock, Basin, H1gh Rock Lake, Spanish Springs, Bedell Mud .Meadow, and Summit Flett, Sun, and A~telope Li::tke 44 Smoke C.J:eek DGsert, Sctn 21 Pahra·na

23 Dixie 1 stingaree, Fairview, Sane Pass) , ahd Sano Pleasant, Eastgate, 45 ClaytOJl, Stonewall Flat, Jersey, and Cowkick Alkali Spring, Oriental 24 Lake Wctsh, Lida, and Grapevine 25 Coyote Spring, Kctne Springs, Canyon ctnd Muddy River Springs 46 Mesquite, Ivanpah, Jean 26 Edwards Creek Lake and Hidden 27 Lower Meadow, Pa~terson, 47 Thousand Springs and Spring (nectr Panacct), (;:cons e Creek Rose, Pi::tnaca, Ectgle, 48 Little Owyhee River, South Clover, ctnd Dry J1'ork Owyhee River, .•>. 28 Smith Creek and lone Independence,' ·owyhee River, .29 Grass. (near Winnemuccct) Bruneau Ri ve.r, ,Jctrbid Creek, 6nd Goose Creek

24

'1-· ~. • 49 Butte 50 Lower Moapa, Black Mountains, Garnet, Hidden, California Wash, Gold Butte and Greasewood 51 Virgin River, Tule Desert, and Escalante Desert 52 Columb~s Salt Marsh, Soda Spring Valley 53 Antelope Valley

•

25 STATE OF NEVADA UN ITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TH E INTERIOR DEPARTMEN T OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES

EX PLANATION ,.. "'<,.. "' < 0 z • 4120 D j::Zffi 116" 45 ' - · Alluvlurn o::: < 1-- Well t~nd altitude of water le~e l w < In teet above sea level ~ · · >- " r 116'15' 0 :z ,.. < "' Spring T P'"""l " < • 1 ~ "'oz N Consolldutod "-....V : ·!· '- ~ : ~ ., / Co ntact ---- .. ,. ---- 110"00' Piezometric co r1\our of regional >'· ..._\ "--•'.-/ 11S" JO' T ground·water syste m. Da shed Faull 2 where approKimatoly located 5

I Scale : i r.

T T 3 I 3 5 \' \ 5 PENOYER .'L. - ' . \ VALLEY "'-· - .·. .:::... 1

T '5

I "' )

"',. I' ~ n 0 ,."' ,1 c! T ' "' s6 ...... ,J

115"15'

p T 7 5

T a 5

T 11 5 ,.< r ~

T 12 5

----~ \ (

T 13 5

38"45'

\ ( ' ~\ \

I I I I I I ( I \ / \ '\ '- I T 16 \ 5 ) / / r:f \

T 17 5

/ \\ +- . ~

/ 1T8 5 "TO R sgE LAS VEGAS

11~ "3(1' \ / ,, / ., ~ I/ / ./ ,,, / , / T T 19 "s 5 R SIIE

R 53E 11S 0JCI' R 57E R SAE 118" 00 ' VA LLE Y R 55E R l56E Hydrcvoolooy b~ F, E, Ru8h, 11170. Goolooy odap1od lrom Cornwall (11167), ansa: U.S. Geotoglcn l S1.1rvcy 1:250,0011 topoornnhlc scr!ea ; Cnllanta (196:2), T•chuntand Pampnyan (19{15), nnd l on"well AI'd other• (1!HIS) . H ~dro tog ~ Oaolh Valley (1961), Gotdflald (1962), nnd Loa Vagna (11HJ2) adaphuJ lrom Wlnogrod nnd other• (Unp1.1bllthad map1, 197CI), Blankonnnpe1 Cortograph~ by C. Bosch nnd P. Ollonhausar nnd Wotr (Uno1.1btlthed m1101, 1910), and Eakin and Olhera(1963).

PLATE 1.-GENERALIZED HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE AREA