DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 333 GROUND WATER IN BOXELDER AND TOOELE COUNTIES UTAH BY EVERETT CARPENTER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 «1 3 CONTENTS. Introduction.............................................................. 7 Physiography.............................................................. 7 General features....................................................... 7 Stream topography.................................................... 9 Lake topography....................................................... 9 Geology.................................................................. 9 Formations........................................................... 9 Structure.............................................................. 12 Geologic history........................................................ 12 Pre-Pleistocene time.............................................. 12 Ple'istocene epoch................................................. 12 Recent epoch...................................................... 14 Climate.................................................................... 16 Temperature........................................................... 16 Precipitation........................................................... 17 Records.......................................................... 17 Annual variation.................................................. 18 Seasonal variation................................................. 19 Relation of rainfall to dry-farming................................... 21 Vegetation................................................................. 21 Soil....................................................................... 22 Streams................................................................... 22 Industrial development.................................................... 23 Occurrence of ground water................................................. 23 Bedrock.............................................................. 23 Unconsolidated sediments.............................................. 25 Source and disposal of ground water..................................... 26 Artesian conditions..................................................... 27 Bedrock.......................................................... 27 Unconsolidated sediments.......................................... 27 Springs............................................................... 29 Mountain springs................................................... 29 Valley springs...................................................... 29 Hot springs..'.................................................... 30 Quality of ground water.................................................... 30 Substances contained in water.......................................... 30 Method of analysis..................................................... 31 Substances dissolved in waters of northwestern Utah.................;... 32 Relation of dissolved substances to domestic use.......................... 32 Relation of dissolved substances to use in irrigation...................... 34 Source of alkali.....................................'.............. 34 Limits of alkali in soil............................................. 34 Limits of alkali in water........................................... 36 3 4 CONTENTS. Page. Water supply by areas..................................................... 37 Malad and lower Bear River valleys.................................... 37 Topography....................................................... 37 Geology.......................................................... 38 Bedrock...................................................... 38 Unconsolidated sediments...................................... 38 Surface water..................................................... 39 Streams. ............................................^......... 39 Quality of surface water........................................ 39 Irrigation with surface water................................... 41 Ground water...................................................... 42 Springs....................................................... 42 Artesian wells................................................. 42 Nonflowing wells.............................................. 42 Quality....................................................... 43 Pumping tests................................................. 49 Irrigation..................................................... 50 Blue Spring and Pocatello valleys...................................... 50 Topography and geology............................................ 50 Development...................................................... 51 Springs and streams................................................ 52 Ground water...................................................... 52 Quality of water.................................................... 53 Irrigation with ground water....................................... 55 Hansel Valley.......................................................... 55 Physiography...................................................... 55 Geology.......................................................... 56 Vegetation......................................................... 56 Development...................................................... 56 Springs........................................................... 56 Wells............................................................. 57 Quality of water.................................................... 58 Curlew Valley............... t ......................................... 58 Topography....................................................... 58 Geology.......................................................... 59 Precipitation....................................................... 60 Development-..................................................... 60 Vegetation......................................................... 00 Streams and springs................................................ 60 Wells............................................................. 61 Quality of water.................................................... 62 Irrigation with ground water...........,.........'.................. 64 Park Valley............................................................ 64 Topography and geology............................................ 64 Vegetation......................................................... 65 Streams........................................................... 66 Springs........................................................... 66 Flowing wells..................................................... 66 Nonflowing wells.................................................. 67 Quality of water.................................................... 68 Irrigation......................................................... 70 Grouse Creek valley and Pilot Mountain area............................ 71 Topography and geology........................ 1................... 71 Precipitation and vegetation....................................... 72 COHTEHTS. 5 Water supply by areas Continued. Grouse Creek valley and Pilot Mountain area Continued. Page. Streams and springs................................................ 72 Wells.............................................................. 73 Quality of water................................................... 73 Ground-water prospects............................................. 75 Tooele and Rush valleys.............................................. 75 Topography and geology .......................................... 75 Streams and springs .............................................. 77 Flowing wells..................................................... 78 Nonflowing wells................................................. 78 Ground-water prospects........................................... 79 Skull Valley........................................................... 79 Topography and geology............................................ 79 Precipitation..................................................... 80 Vegetation......................................................... 81 Streams and springs................................................ 82 Ground water...................................................... 82 Watering places on routes of travel.......................................... 83 Boxelder County...................................................... 83 Railway stations and their connections.............................. 83 Wagon roads...................................................... 84 Brigham to Kelton via Promontory.............................. 84 Brigham to Kelton via Snowville................................ 84 Kelton to Lucin............................................... 84 Kelton to Park Valley, Raft River valley, and Snowville ........ 85 Park Valley to Grouse Creek and Junction Creek................. 85 Snowville to east and west arms of Curlew Valley, Raft River valley, and Park Valley..................................... 85 Lucin to Wendover and Ibapah................................ 86 Lucin to Grouse Creek.......................................... 86 Tooele County......................................................... 86 Railway stations and their connections.............................. 86 Wagon roads...................................................... 86 Index..................................................................