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Studies of Geology and Hydrology in the Basin and Range Province

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Studies of Geology and Hydrology in the Basin and Range Province Studies of Geology and Hydrology in the Basin and Range Province, Southwestern United States, For Isolation of High-Level Radioactive Waste Characterization of the Death Valley Region, Nevada and California U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1370-F Prepared in cooperation with the States of Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah Studies of Geology and Hydrology in the Basin and Range Province, Southwestern United States, For Isolation of High-Level Radioactive Waste Characterization of the Death Valley Region, Nevada and California Edited by M.S. BEDINGER, K.A. SARGENT, and WILLIAM H. LANGER STUDIES OF GEOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY FOR ISOLATION OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1370-F Prepared in cooperation with the States of Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1989 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Studies of geology and hydrology in the Basin and Range province, southwestern United States, for isolation of high-level radioactive waste characterization of the Death Valley region, Nevada and California. (U.S. Geological Survey professional paper ; 1370-F) "Prepared in cooperation with the States of Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah." Supt. of Docs, no.: I 19.16:1370-F 1. Geology Death Valley (Calif, and Nev.) 2. Water, Underground Death Valley (Calif, and Nev.) 3. Mines and mineral resources Death Valley (Calif, and Nev.) 4. Radioactive waste disposal in the ground Death Valley (Calif, and Nev.) I. Bedinger, M. S. II. Sargent, Kenneth A. III. Langer, William H. IV. Series. QE90.D35S78 1989 557.94'87 86-600323 For sale by the Books and Open-File Reports Section, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center Box 25425 Denver, CO 80225 Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. WORKING GROUP AFFILIATIONS III BASIN AND RANGE PROVINCE WORKING GROUP U.S. Geological Survey Members Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology University of Nevada, Reno Chairman of the Province Working Group: Reno, NV M.S. Bedinger Hydrologist Alternate: Denver, CO Susan L. Tingley Deputy to the State Geologist Member: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology K.A. Sargent University of Nevada, Reno Geologist Reno, NV U.S. Geological Survey Denver, CO NEW MEXICO State Members and Alternates Member: ARIZONA James M. Hill Chief, Bureau of Geology Member: New Mexico Energy and Minerals Department Larry D. Fellows Santa Fe, NM State Geologist and Assistant Director Arizona Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology Alternate: Tucson, AZ Frank E. Kottlowski Director Alternate: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources H. Wesley Peirce Socorro, NM Principal Geologist Arizona Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology TEXAS Tucson, AZ Member: CALIFORNIA Christopher D. Henry Member: Geologist Robert Streitz Texas Bureau of Economic Geology Geologist University of Texas at Austin California Division of Mines and Geology Austin, TX Sacramento, CA Alternate: Douglas Ratcliff IDAHO Associate Director Member: Texas Bureau of Economic Geology Frank B. Sherman University of Texas at Austin Chief, Ground-Water Section Austin, TX Idaho Department of Water Resources Boise, ID UTAH Alternate: Member: Darrel Clapp Genevieve Atwood Chief, Technical Services Bureau State Geologist Idaho Department of Water Resources Utah Geological and Mineral Survey Boise, ID Salt Lake City, UT Alternate: NEVADA Don R. Mabey Member: Senior Geologist John Schilling Utah Geological and Mineral Survey State Geologist Salt Lake City, UT CONTENTS Page Abstract ........................................... Fl Potential host media for radioactive waste, by K.A. Sargent- Introduction, by M.S. Bedinger and K.A. Sargent ........ 2 Continued Background and purpose ......................... 2 References cited ................................. F22 Geographic setting ............................... 2 Quaternary tectonism, by K.A. Sargent and T.L.T. Grose . 24 Acknowledgments ............................... 3 Seismicity ...................................... 24 References cited ................................. 4 Heat flow ...................................... 24 Geology, by T.L.T. Grose and George I. Smith .......... 5 Quaternary faulting .............................. 26 Early and Middle Proterozoic crystalline basement Late Cenozoic volcanics ........................... 26 rocks ..................................... 5 Vertical crustal movement ........................ 26 Middle and Late Proterozoic sedimentary rocks ...... 5 Photolineations .................................. 26 Latest Proterozoic and Lower Cambrian clastic rocks . 7 References cited ................................. 26 Middle Cambrian through Permian carbonate and clastic Ground-water hydrology, by M.S. Bedinger, William H. Langer, rocks . .................................. 7 and J.E. Reed ............................. 28 Triassic and Jurassic sedimentary and volcanic rocks . 8 Major hydrogeologic units ........................ 28 Cretaceous through middle Eocene sedimentary rocks . 9 Ground-water flow regime ......................... 28 Upper Eocene to Holocene sedimentary and volcanic Ground-water flow analysis ....................... 29 rocks ..................................... 9 Areal ground-water flow ....................... 29 Mesozoic and Cenozoic plutonic rocks ............... 10 Cross-sectional models ........................ 31 Structural and tectonic features .................... 10 Quality of ground water .......................... 32 Geomorphology ................................. 13 Pleistocene hydrologic conditions .................. 33 References cited ................................. 14 References cited ................................. 35 Potential host media for radioactive waste, by K.A. Sargent 20 Mineral and energy resources, by B.T. Brady ........... 36 Intrusive rocks .................................. 20 Metallic mineral resources ........................ 36 Tuffaceous rocks ................................ 21 Industrial mineral resources ....................... 45 Basaltic rocks ................................... 22 Geothermal resources ............................ 46 Argillaceous rocks ............................... 22 Coal, oil, and gas resources ........................ 46 Unsaturated zone ................................ 22 References cited ................................. 47 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates are in pocket] PLATE 1. Map showing physiographic features of the Death Valley region and vicinity, Nevada and California. 2. Geologic sections of the Death Valley region, Nevada and California. 3. Map showing potential host rocks and areas of thick unsaturated zones, Death Valley region, Nevada and California. 4. Map showing hydrogeologic units and relative velocities of ground water at the water table, Death Valley region, Nevada and California. 5. Map showing relative ground-water traveltime, flow paths, and natural discharge areas, Death Valley region, Nevada and California. 6. Hydrogeologic sections showing ground-water flow paths and relative traveltime, Death Valley region, Nevada and California. 7. Map showing dissolved-solids concentration in ground water, Death Valley region, Nevada and California. 8. Map showing principal mining districts, Death Valley region, Nevada and California. Page FIGURE 1. Photograph of the Racetrack, the dry playa of a small closed basin northwest of Death Valley .................. F3 2. Map showing geographic features of the Death Valley region and vicinity, Nevada and California ........ 6 3. Map showing tectonic features of the Death Valley region and vicinity, Nevada and California .......... 12 4. Photograph of the Garlock fault scarp on the southern side of the Slate Range ....................... 14 5. Photograph of Wildrose graben in Panamint Valley ............................................... 15 6. Map showing Quaternary tectonic features in the Death Valley region and vicinity, Nevada and California 25 7. Photograph from Badwater Basin to the Panamint Range ......................................... 30 8. Photograph of Death Valley looking north ....................................................... 31 9. Map showing distribution of chemical types of ground water in the Death Valley region ............... 34 VI CONTENTS TABLES TABLE 1. Hydraulic properties of hydrogeologic units and hydraulic gradients used in estimating relative ground-water velocities at the water table .................................................................................. F32 2. Hydraulic properties of units modeled in hydrogeologic sections ............................................ 33 3. Metallic mineral districts of the Death Valley region of Nevada ............................................ 37 4. Metallic mineral districts of the Death Valley region of California ........................................... 42 CONVERSION FACTORS For use of readers who prefer to use U.S. customary units, conversion factors for terms used in this report are listed below. Multiply SI unit By To obtain U.S. customary unit Length millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch (in.) meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi) Area hectare (ha) 2.471 square kilometer (km2) 0.3861 square mile (mi2) Volume liter (L)
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