Stratigraphy and Transmissivity of the Kaweah River Fan, Visalia, California
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ABSTRACT STRATIGRAPHY AND TRANSMISSIVITY OF THE KAWEAH RIVER FAN, VISALIA, CALIFORNIA The Kaweah River fan is located in the Tulare Basin of the San Joaquin Valley of California. This fluvial fan supplies groundwater for several farms and cities including Visalia. The geology in this region is well studied and is generally similar to all major river fans that flow into the San Joaquin Valley from the Sierra Nevada. However, the hydrogeology of the area is not quantified. The objectives of this thesis were to: (a) Correlate stratigraphic units to hydrologic units in the region; (b) identify the spatial extent and stratigraphy of the lithologic units; (c) use correlations to identify the aquifers; and (d) measure and estimate the aquifers’ hydraulic conductivities and transmissivities. Field core samples were taken from soil surface to 132 feet (40.2 m) below surface. In this process, a new method for sampling unlithified-core for laboratory testing was created to make this study possible. The results show that stratigraphy described by Marchand and Allwardt (1981) is found throughout the study area. Together, the upper Turlock Lake and Riverbank Formations are bound in the Layer 3 aquifer which is a major host for groundwater in the Kaweah River fan and is characterized by a transmissivity of 2492 ft2/day (232 m2/day). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the San Joaquin Valley has two different models for confining beds which are the lacustrine and swamplands deposits for the terminal basin and paleosols for the fluvial fans. Dustin White May 2016 STRATIGRAPHY AND TRANSMISSIVITY OF THE KAWEAH RIVER FAN, VISALIA, CALIFORNIA by Dustin White A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geology in the College of Science and Mathematics California State University, Fresno May 2016 © 2016 Dustin White APPROVED For the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences: We, the undersigned, certify that the thesis of the following student meets the required standards of scholarship, format, and style of the university and the student's graduate degree program for the awarding of the master's degree. Dustin White Thesis Author Zhi Wang (Chair) Earth and Environmental Sciences John Wakabayashi Earth and Environmental Sciences Mara Brady Earth and Environmental Sciences For the University Graduate Committee: Dean, Division of Graduate Studies AUTHORIZATION FOR REPRODUCTION OF MASTER’S THESIS X I grant permission for the reproduction of this thesis in part or in its entirety without further authorization from me, on the condition that the person or agency requesting reproduction absorbs the cost and provides proper acknowledgment of authorship. Permission to reproduce this thesis in part or in its entirety must be obtained from me. Signature of thesis author: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My thesis is a result of countless hours of research yet without the guidance and patience of Dr. Zhi (Luke) Wang this thesis would not have been possible. Therefore, I would like to first thank my advisor Dr. Wang, who along the way always encouraged the development of new ideas backed up by credible research and taught the skills needed to insure my success. Furthermore, I would like to thank my committee members Dr. John Wakabayshi and Dr. Mara Brady for agreeing to work with me and giving excellent advice and guidance necessary to completion of this work. The several hours of philosophical discussions with Dr. Wakabayshi helped formulate many ideas in this thesis in addition to develop and grow. Without Dr. Brady, the stratigraphy would not have been complete. It was her guidance that helped merge field experience with academics. Most importantly, along the way, my family (especially my mom) and close friends gave me the support necessary to finish this thesis. I don’t think I would have been successful without all of their encouragement during the difficult periods. I am truly thankful to everyone who helped with insuring the completion of my thesis. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................ viii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................. ix 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1 1.1 General Statement ....................................................................................... 1 1.2 Description of Region ................................................................................. 1 1.3 Purpose and Scope of This Investigation .................................................... 5 2. GEOLOGIC BACKGROUND ............................................................................ 7 2.1 Cenozoic Formation of the San Joaquin Valley ......................................... 7 2.2 Quaternary Glaciation of the Sierra Nevada ............................................. 13 2.3 Historical Changes in the San Joaquin Valley Water Resources .............. 16 2.4 Soil Basics ................................................................................................. 18 2.5 San Joaquin Valley Stratigraphic Nomenclature ...................................... 21 2.6 Late Pliocene and Pleistocene Stratigraphy of the Eastern San Joaquin .. 22 2.7 Holocene Stratigraphy ............................................................................... 37 2.8 San Joaquin Valley Hydrogeology ........................................................... 39 3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. 57 3.1 General Description of Work .................................................................... 57 3.2 Core Drilling ............................................................................................. 58 3.3 Technique for Sampling Core ................................................................... 64 3.4 Constant Head Permeameter ..................................................................... 65 3.5 Falling Head Permeameter ........................................................................ 70 3.6 Transmissivity ........................................................................................... 73 3.7 Microscopy ................................................................................................ 73 vii vii Page 3.8 Mastersizer 3000 Particle Analyzer .......................................................... 74 3.9 GIS Digital Data ........................................................................................ 74 4. RESULTS ........................................................................................................... 76 4.1 Geologic Formations of the Kaweah River Fan ....................................... 76 4.2 Stratigraphy of the Kaweah River Fan ...................................................... 82 4.3 Hydraulic Conductivities of the Kaweah River Fan ................................. 89 4.4 Malvern Mastersizer 3000 Particle Size Analyses of Impermeable Sections ................................................................................................ 91 4.5 Transmissivity of Kaweah River Fan Stratigraphic Units ........................ 98 5. DISCUSSION ................................................................................................... 100 5.1 Recharging Layer 3 Aquifer in the Kaweah River Fan .......................... 100 5.2 One Borehole Can Improve Knowledge of an Aquifer on a Sub- Regional Scale .................................................................................... 100 5.3 Confining Beds of the River Fans Versus Terminal Basins ................... 102 5.4 Undifferentiated Confining Beds of the Terminal Basin ........................ 102 5.5 The Importance of Transmissivity .......................................................... 103 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................... 104 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 107 APPENDIX: HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY AND TRANSMISSIVITY DATA ..................................................................... 115 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Summary and Correlations from Geologic Background. ......................... 49 Table 2. Hydraulic Properties of Central Valley Soils (from Bertoldi et al., 1991). ....................................................................................................... 56 Table 3. Correlations Between Soil Series and Geologic Formations. .................. 78 Table 4. Results of Hydraulic Conductivity (K) and Transmissivity (T)............... 99 LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Map of the Central Valley of California. .................................................. 2 Figure 2. Map of NE Tulare Basin and surface water. ............................................. 4 Figure 3. The Hydrogeologic Provinces of California (from Belitz et al., 2003). ........................................................................................................ 8 Figure 4. Late Paleocene California coastline (modified from Bartow, 1991). ..... 10 Figure 5. Kings R. fan Chronostratigraphic Diagram (from Weissmann et al., 2002). ...................................................................................................... 15 Figure 6. Soil taxonomy (from Lynn et al., 2002). ...............................................