AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT – CALIENTE RAIL ALIGNMENT Figure 3-72. Groundwater usage in Nevada in 2000. (Source: DIRS 175964-Lopes and Evetts 2004, p. 7.) There are a number of published estimates of perennial yield for many of the hydrographic areas in Nevada, and those estimates often differ by large amounts. The perennial-yield values listed in Table 3-35 predominantly come from a single source, the Nevada Division of Water Planning (DIRS 103406-Nevada Division of Water Planning 1992, for Hydrographic Regions 10, 13, and 14); therefore, the table does not show a range of values for each hydrographic area. In the Yucca Mountain area, the Nevada Division of Water Planning identifies a combined perennial yield for hydrographic areas 225 through 230. DOE obtained perennial yields from Data Assessment & Water Rights/Resource Analysis of: Hydrographic Region #14 Death Valley Basin (DIRS 147766-Thiel 1999, pp. 6 to 12) to provide estimates for hydrographic areas the Caliente rail alignment would cross: 227A, 228, and 229. That 1999 document presents perennial-yield estimates from several sources. Table 3-35 lists the lowest (that is, the most conservative) values cited in that document, which is consistent with the approach DOE used in the Yucca Mountain FEIS (DIRS 155970-DOE 2002, p. 3-136). DOE/EIS-0369 3-173 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT – CALIENTE RAIL ALIGNMENT Table 3-35 also summarizes existing annual committed groundwater resources for each hydrographic area along the Caliente rail alignment. However, all committed groundwater resources within a hydrographic area might not be in use at the same time. Table 3-35 also includes information on pending annual duties within each of these hydrographic areas. A pending annual duty represents the amount of water for which an appropriation application has been submitted to the State Engineer for consideration and that the State Engineer has classified as a pending annual duty value within a hydrographic area in accordance with applicable state statutes. Unless otherwise noted, the source of data for pending annual duties in the hydrographic areas the alignment would cross is the Water Rights Data Update (DIRS 183992-Luellen 2007, all). These data were acquired on May 30, 2007. As part of an effort to assess water resources in the vicinity of the Caliente rail alignment, DOE performed studies to identify groundwater conditions, the locations of springs, seeps, and other surface- water-right locations, and the locations, use, and water-rights status of groundwater-supply wells within 32 kilometers (20 miles) of either side of the centerline of the rail alignment. Information on groundwater characteristics in hydrographic areas the rail alignment would cross and identified groundwater uses and use types within the 62-kilometer (39-mile) search area are compiled in the Water Resources Assessment Report, Caliente Rail Corridor, Yucca Mountain Project, Nevada, Task 3.4, Rev. 0 (the Water Resources Assessment Report, Caliente Rail Corridor) (DIRS 182821-Converse Consultants 2007, all). DOE reviewed several other published reports and maps providing information regarding hydrogeologic and groundwater characteristics in hydrographic areas the rail alignment would cross to obtain information to support the groundwater resources impacts assessment. DOE reviewed several well, water-rights, and spring databases, including Nevada Division of Water Resources (NDWR) and U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (USGS NWIS) databases to identify existing wells with certificated water rights, permitted (PER) wells, domestic wells, springs, seeps, and other surface-water-right locations within the potential region of influence of proposed new groundwater withdrawal wells. Unless noted otherwise, the sources for the spring, seep, other surface-water-right location, and well data in this section are as follows: DIRS 176325-USGS 2006, all; DIRS 177712-MO0607NHDPOINT.000, all; DIRS 177710-MO0607NHDWBDYD.000, all; DIRS 183992-Luellen 2007, all; DIRS 184045-Luellen 2007, all; DIRS 177293-MO0607PWMAR06D.000, all; DIRS 177294-MO0607USGSWNVD.000, all; DIRS 182821-Converse Consultants 2007, all; and DIRS 176979-MO0605GISGNISN.000, all. An initial screening process identified existing wells within 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) of the centerlines of the respective alternative segments, or within 1.6 kilometers of DOE-proposed new wells. As described later in this section, before analyzing potential impacts to groundwater resources, DOE extended the search radius for identifying existing beneficial-use wells, springs, seeps, or other surface-water-right locations up to 2.8 kilometers (1.75 miles) away from a proposed new well if the initial search for such wells or springs within 1.6 kilometers did not reveal the presence of any such wells, springs, seeps, or other surface-water-right locations. Additional well locations identified for consideration included PER wells. Also considered were proposed future wells for which water-rights applications had been submitted to the State Engineer and that had been assigned a status of “Ready for Action (RFA)” or “Ready for Action, Protested (RFP)” by the State Engineer at the time the data were acquired (Section 5.2.1.3.2). Additionally, on a case-by-case basis (see Section 4.2.6 and Appendix G), for a selected set of new groundwater withdrawal wells specifically targeted for installation within a fault zone or an extensive fracture zone, DOE identified the locations of existing wells and springs, seeps, or other surface-water-right locations up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) away from each such proposed well (to address the possibility of fault zones or extensive fracture zones acting as conduits for groundwater flow). The Department derived information for completing this compilation through a review of well-log data and water-rights information obtained from the NDWR. NDWR well- log database entries include a general and legal description of the location of existing wells, along with borehole and well completion information and well testing data (if available). The NDWR water-rights database includes data on the locations, manner of use, and appropriations status of wells having DOE/EIS-0369 3-174 FFECTED NVIRONMENT ALIENTE AIL LIGNMENT A E – C R A Generalized groundwater flow direction through alluvial valley-fill and consolidated rock aquifers in the vicinity of Generalized groundwater flow direction through alluvial valley-fill and consolidated rock Figure 3-73. the Caliente rail alignment. DOE/EIS-0369 3-175 FFECTED NVIRONMENT ALIENTE AIL LIGNMENT A E – C R A Hydrographic areas the Caliente rail alignment would cross. Figure 3-74. DOE/EIS-0369 3-176 DOE/EIS-0369 3-177 Table 3-35. Perennial yield and annual committed groundwater resources of hydrographic areas the Caliente rail alignment would cross (page 1 of 2). Annual committed groundwater Designated Hydrographic Perennial yield resources/pending annual groundwater Rail line segment areaa number Hydrographic area name (acre-feet)b,c groundwater duties (acre-feet)d basine Caliente alternative segment, Eccles alternative 204 Clover Valley 1,000 3,787/0 No segment Caliente alternative segment, Eccles alternative 203 Panaca Valley 9,000 31,367/0 Yes segment, Caliente common segment 1 Caliente common segment 1 181 Dry Lake Valley 2,500 57/21,824 No A FFECTED Caliente common segment 1 208 Pahroc Valley 21,000 30/0 No Caliente common segment 1 207 White River Valley 37,000 31,819/42,512 No E Caliente common segment 1; Garden Valley 171 Coal Valley 6,000 38/33,071 No NVIRONMENT alternative segments 1, 2, 3, and 8 Garden Valley alternative segments 1, 2, 3, and 172 Garden Valley 6,000 559/12,224 No 8; Caliente common segment 2 – C – Caliente common segment 2 170 Penoyer Valley (Sand 4,000 14,461/11,888 Yes ALIENTE Spring Valley) Caliente common segment 2; South Reveille 173A Railroad Valley, 2,800 3,867/0 No alternative segments 2 and 3; Caliente common southern part R segment 3 AIL Caliente common segment 3 156 Hot Creek Valley 5,500 4,231/0 No A LIGNMENT Caliente common segment 3 149 Stone Cabin Valley 2,000 11,532/6,400 Yes Caliente common segment 3; Goldfield 141 Ralston Valley 6,000 4,330/1 Yes alternative segments 1, 3, and 4 Goldfield alternative segments 1 and 4 142 Alkali Spring Valley 3,000 2,596/0 No Goldfield alternative segments 1 and 3 145 Stonewall Flat 100 12/0 No DOE/EIS-0369 Table 3-35. Perennial yield and annual committed gro undwater resources of hydrographic areas the Caliente rail alignment would cross (page 2 of 2). Annual committed groundwater Designated Hydrographic Perennial yield resources/pending annual groundwater Rail line segment areaa number Hydrographic area name (acre-feet)b,c groundwater duties (acre-feet)d basine Goldfield alternative segments 1, 3, and 4; 144 Lida Valley 350 72/0 No Caliente common segment 4; Bonnie Claire alternative segments 2 and 3 Bonnie Claire alternative segments 2, 3, and 5 146 Sarcobatus Flat 3,000 3,591/0 Yes Common segment 5; Oasis Valley alternative 228 Oasis Valley 1,000 1,299/0 Yes A segments 1 and 3; common segment 6 FFECTED Common segment 6 229 Crater Flat 220 1,147/82 No f f Common segment 6 227A Fortymile Canyon, 880 58 /5 No E Jackass Flats NVIRONMENT a. Source: DIRS 106094-Harrill, Gates, and Thomas 1988, Summary, Figure 3, with the proposed rail alignment map overlay. b. Source: DIRS 103406-Nevada Division of Water Planning 1992, Regions 10, 13, and 14, except hydrographic areas 227A, 228, and 229, for which the source is DIRS 147766-Thiel 1999, pp. 6 to 12. The perennial yield value shown for area 228 is the lowest value in range of estimated values (1,000 to 2,000 acre-feet per year) presented by Thiel Engineering Consultants 1999. 3-178 5 – C – c. To convert acre-feet to cubic meters, multiply by 1,233.49.