STREAMFLOW CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE BLACK HILLS OF SOUTH DAKOTA, THROUGH WATER YEAR 1993 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4288 Prepared in cooperation with the SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES and the WEST DAKOTA WATER DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT STREAMFLOW CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE BLACK HILLS OF SOUTH DAKOTA, THROUGH WATER YEAR 1993 By LISA D. MILLER and DANIEL G. DRISCOLL U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4288 Prepared in cooperation with the SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES and the WEST DAKOTA WATER DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT Rapid City, South Dakota 1998 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas J. Casadevall, Acting 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 Branch of Information Services 1608 Mt. View Road Box 25286 Rapid City, SD 57702 Denver, CO 80225-0286 CONTENTS Abstract.................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Description of study area............................................................................................................................................. 2 Physiography and climate.................................................................................................................................. 2 Hydrogeology .................................................................................................................................................... 5 Reservoirs and water use ................................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Summary of streamflow gaging in the Black Hills ............................................................................................................... 9 History of streamflow gaging ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Summary of streamflow records.................................................................................................................................. 10 Stations with records of only monthly mean flow............................................................................................. 16 Stations with less than 5 years of daily record .................................................................................................. 18 Stations with 5 to 9 years of daily record .......................................................................................................... 18 Stations with 10 or more years of daily record.................................................................................................. 18 Streamflow characteristics for selected basins ...................................................................................................................... 28 Methods for categorizing basins.................................................................................................................................. 29 Comparison of streamflow characteristics for selected hydrogeologic settings.......................................................... 34 Factors affecting streamflow variability ...................................................................................................................... 41 Summary and conclusions..................................................................................................................................................... 42 Selected references ................................................................................................................................................................ 44 Supplemental information ..................................................................................................................................................... 47 ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Map showing area of investigation for the Black Hills Hydrology Study showing locations of gaging stations outside of study area for which data are presented ........................................................................... 3 2. Map showing generalized outcrop of Madison Limestone and outer extent of Inyan Kara Group, within study area for Black Hills Hydrology Study ................................................................................................... 4 3. Stratigraphic section for the Black Hills .................................................................................................................... 6 4. Generalized geologic section A-A’ ............................................................................................................................ 7 5. Schematic showing simplified hydrogeologic setting of the Black Hills area .......................................................... 8 6. Map showing location of gaging stations within study area for which only monthly records are available ................................................................................................................................................... 17 7. Map showing location of gaging stations within study area with less than 5 years of daily record .......................... 20 8. Map showing location of gaging stations within study area with 5 to 9 years of daily record ..................................22 9. Map showing location of gaging stations within study area with 10 or more years of daily record ......................... 25 10. Location of selected gaging stations relative to selected geologic outcrops ............................................................. 33 11. Graphs showing distribution of streamflow variability for selected gaging stations in selected hydrogeologic settings ............................................................................................................................................... 38 12. Map showing distribution of annual yield for gaging stations representative of selected hydrogeologic settings ............................................................................................................................................... 40 Contents III TABLES 1. Continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations operated in Black Hills area............................................................ 11 2. Site information for gaging stations for which only monthly streamflow records are available ............................... 16 3. Site information for gaging stations with less than 5 years of daily record ............................................................... 19 4. Site information for gaging stations with 5 to 9 years of daily record....................................................................... 21 5. Site information for gaging stations with 10 or more years of daily record .............................................................. 23 6. Summary of storage information for selected large reservoirs in Black Hills area.................................................... 26 7. Rationale for selection of statistics period for selected gaging stations..................................................................... 27 8. Hydrogeologic setting and degree of regulation for selected long-term gaging stations (generally those with 10 or more years of record) .................................................................................................... 30 9. Criteria for categorizing degree of regulation for Black Hills streams ...................................................................... 34 10. Comparison statistics for selected stations with various hydrogeologic settings....................................................... 35 CONTENTS OF SUPPLEMENTAL SECTIONS Section A. Reservoir contents —Tables of monthend contents, in acre-feet, for stations: A1. 06401000, Angostura Reservoir near Hot Springs ............................................................................................ 51 A2. 06409500, Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City................................................................................................... 52 A3. 06411000, Pactola Reservoir near Silver City................................................................................................... 53 A4. 06427000, Keyhole Reservoir near Moorcroft, WY ......................................................................................... 54 A5. 06435000, Belle Fourche Reservoir near Belle Fourche ................................................................................... 55 Section B. Summary of streamflow records for stations with records of only monthly