USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4026
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Generalized Hydrogeology and Ground-Water Budget for the C Aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and Parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico By Robert J. Hart, John J. Ward, Donald J. Bills, and Marilyn E. Flynn Water-Resources Investigations Report 02—4026 Prepared in cooperation with the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Tucson, Arizona February 2002 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director The use of firm, trade, and brand names in this report is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey. For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Information Services Water Resources Division Box 25286 520 N. Park Aveune, Suite 221 Federal Center Tucson, AZ 85719–5035 Denver, CO 80225–0046 Information regarding research and data-collection programs of the U.S. Geological Survey is available on the Internet via the World Wide Web. You may connect to the home page for the Arizona District Office using the URL http://az.water.usgs.gov. CONTENTS Page Abstract ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and scope....................................................................................................................................... 3 Methods....................................................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................... 4 Availability of data and reports................................................................................................................... 4 Data .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Reports ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Geology.............................................................................................................................................. 8 Hydrogeology..................................................................................................................................... 12 Ground-water models and water budgets...........................................................................................12 Interaction of ground water and surface water...................................................................................12 Description of the Little Colorado River Basin ................................................................................................... 14 Physiography............................................................................................................................................... 14 Climate ........................................................................................................................................................ 14 Geology and ground water.......................................................................................................................... 16 Hydrogeologic units and aquifer systems ............................................................................................................ 17 C aquifer...................................................................................................................................................... 17 Ground-water flow system................................................................................................................. 19 Hydraulic characteristics.................................................................................................................... 21 Redwall-Muav Limestone aquifer............................................................................................................... 27 Ground-water development.................................................................................................................................. 28 Interaction of ground water and surface water..................................................................................................... 29 Ground-water budget............................................................................................................................................ 30 Considerations for additional data collection and monitoring ............................................................................. 39 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 40 Selected references .............................................................................................................................................. 41 Plate Stratigraphic correlation of rock units in the Little Colorado River Basin, Arizona and New Mexico In pocket at back of report Contents iii FIGURES Page 1–10. Maps showing: 1. Location of study area, physiographic features, and generalized boundary of the C aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico ................................................................................................ 2 2. Distribution of wells that discharge water from the C aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico .......................... 5 3. Distribution of wells and springs that discharge water from the Redwall-Muav Limestone aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico ............................................................................... 6 3. Distribution of perennial and regulated streams and of springs that discharge water from the C aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico ............................................................................... 7 5. Locations of streamflow-gaging stations in the Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico ........................................... 9 6. Generalized surface geology of the Little Colorado River Basin, Arizona and New Mexico.................................................................................................................................. 10 7. Precipitation amounts over the Little Colorado river Basin based on the Parameter- Elevation Regressions on Independent Slope Model (PRISM) and areas where there is a potential for direct recharge through outcrops of the Kaibab Formation or Coconino Sandstone................................................................................................................. 15 8. Outcrops of rock units that compose the C aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico ........................................... 18 9. Potentiometric contours, direction of ground-water flow, and locations of ground-water divides in the C aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico ............................................................................... 20 10. Generalized hydrogeologic sections of the Little Colorado River Basin and adjoining areas from A. The Colorado River to the Verde River .................................................................................. 22 B. Near Flagstaff, Arizona, along Interstate 40 to the Arizona-New Mexico State line............. 22 11. Schematic representation of the outflow components of the C aquifer and the interaction of the aquifer with the underlying Redwall-Muav aquifer................................................................... 39 iv Contents TABLES Page 1. Summary of ground-water budget components for the study area from previous investigations ......................................................................................................................... 13 2. Summary of selected well information and aquifer properties for the C aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin, Arizona................................................................................................... 24 3. Estimated ground-water withdrawals from the C aquifer, Arizona and New Mexico, 1976–95 ................................................................................................................................................ 28 4. Estimated spring discharge as base flow at streamflow-gaging stations of the U.S. Geological Survey in Arizona ...................................................................................................... 30 5. Spring discharge from the C aquifer and limestone aquifers from various data sources, Little Colorado, Verde, and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico.......................................... 32 6. Summary of spring discharge