DEPAETMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIKECTOK WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 231 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE BARNEY BASIN REGION, OREGON BY GERALD A. WARING WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATVER-STJPP:LY PAPBK 231 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE BARNEY BASIN REGION, OREGON BY GERALD A. WARING WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 CONTENTS. Introduction................................................................ 7 Character of reconnaissance..............................-.-.--------... 7 Acknowledgments...................................................... 8 Previous study......................................................... 8 Geography................................................................. 9 Topography........................................................... 9 General character................................................. 9 Streams........................................................... 10 Lakes............................................................ 10 Climate................................................................. 11 Controlling conditions.............................................. 11 Records.......................................................... 12 Vegetation............................................................. 14 Game................................................................. 15 Settlements............................................................ 15 Industries............................................................ 16 Grazing............................................................ 16 Agriculture....................................................... 16 Lumbering........................................................ 17 Minerals and building stone......................................... 17 Geology.................................................................. 18 The rocks and their succession......................................... 18 Age of the rocks.................................................... 18 Plutonic and metamorphic rocks................................... 18 Earlier effusives................................................... 18 Tuffaceous sediments.............................................. 19 Main lava flows................................................... 21 Later eruptive lava................................................ 22 Valley filling....................................................... 23 Geologic structure..................................................... 24 Physiography.............................................................. 26 Topographic changes.................................................. 26 Deformation........................................................... 26 Preservation of later topography......................................... 27 Erosional agencies...................................................... 27 Stream action..................................................... 27 Glaciation......................................................... 28 Weathering....................................................... 28 Lakes................................................................ 29 Surface water............................................................. 30 Divisions............................................................. 30 Harney basin.......................................................... 30 Area and extent................................................... 30 Streams........................................................... 31 Springs........................................................... 35 3 4 CONTENTS. Surface water Continued. Page. Catlow basin.......................................................... 36 Streams-.................................................... ..... 36 Springs........................................................... 36 Alvord basin........................................................... 3'3 Streams........................................................... 3<3 Springs........................................................... 37 Whitehorse basin....................................................... 37 Malheur River drainage................................................. 37 Warner Lake drainage................................................. 33 Plateau region........................................................ 33 Guano Lake basin..................................................... 33 Tables of flow......................................................... 39 Underground water........................................................ 41 Divisions of underground water......................................... 41 Ground water.......................................................... 42 Unconsolidated material............................................ 42 Ground-water level................................................. 42 Rock water........................................................... 43 Artesian conditions..................................................... 43 Conservation of the water supply............................................ 45 Details of the several basins................................................. 46 Harney basin.......................................................... 46 Location and surface character...................................... 46 Lakes............................................................ 46 Settlements......................................................... 47 Agriculture....................................................... 48 Areas tributary to Harney Valley................................... 49 Soil............................................................... 50 Classes........................................................ 50 Alkalinity.................................................... 51 Surface water..................................................... 51 Reclamation projects.......................................... 51 Minor irrigation............................................... 55 Springs....................................................... 56 Ground water...................................................... 58 Rock water....................................................... 61 Structural conditions.......................................... 61 Drilled wells................................................... 61 Warm springs................................................. 63 Catlow basin.......................................................... 61 Description........................................................ 61 Settlement.................................-....'................. 6" Surface water.............................-.-..-...------.--...--. 6^ Ground water. .......................................... ^.......... 6? Geologic structure................................................. 67 Rock water....................................................... 6? Conclusion........................................................ 7? Alvord basin........................................................... 7? Location and extent............................................... 7? Soil and vegetation................................................. 7? Settlement....................................................... 71 Mineral deposits.................................................. 72 Surface water............................................:........ 72 CONTENTS. 5 Details of the several basins Continued. Page. Alvord basin Continued. Ground water...................................................... 74 Rock-water conditions............................................. 77 Resume.................................................'......... 77 Whitehorse basin. .................................................... 78 Description...................................................... 78 Soil............................................................. 78 Settlement....................................................... 78 Surface water.......................:._........................... 79 Ground water..................................................... 79 Geologic structure................................................. 80 Rock water....................................................... 80 Malheur River drainage area........................................... 81 Surface water..................................................... 81 Cultivable land.................................................. 81 Structural conditions...................................:.......... 82 Anderson Valley. ................................................ 83 Description.........'......................................... 83 Surface water and shallow water................................ 83 Artesian conditions........................................... 85 Temperature of underground water......................................... 85 Well-sinking methods and costs........................................... 87 Index.................................................................... 91 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Index map of Oregon, showing location and extent of area examined. 8 II. Reconnaissance map of Harney basin region, Oregon.......... In pocket. III. Reconnaissance geologic and structural map................... In pocket. IV. A, Characteristic scarp at west edge of Harney Valley; B, Valley of Rattlesnake Creek above Harney...............................