RIVER-QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE TRUCKEE AND CARSON RIVER SYSTEM, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA HYDROLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS By WILLIAM M. BROWN III, JON 0. NOWLIN, LAWRENCE H. SMITH, and MARY R. FLINT U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 84-576 A product of the River-Quality Assessment of the Truckee and Carson River Basins, Nevada and California I oo a- o 00 Sacramento, California 1986 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report write to: can be purchased from: Open-File Services Section District Chief Western Distribution Branch U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Federal Building, Room W-2234 Box 25425, Federal Center 2800 Cottage Way Denver, CO 80225 Sacramento, CA 95825 Telephone: (303) 236-7476 CONTENTS Page What this report is about 1 Introduction 2 The area and the time period considered 4 An overview of basin topography 4 The land and the rivers - 7 A framework for hydrologic study 10 Brief descriptions of the hydrologic subunits -- 12 Detailed descriptions of the hydrologic subunits * 14 Lake Tahoe 14 Upper Truckee River 15 Middle Truckee River 16 Fernley area 18 Lower Truckee River 18 Pyramid Lake 20 Upper West Fork, Carson River - -- 23 Upper East Fork, Carson River 23 Carson Valley 24 Eagle and Dayton Valleys -- 25 Churchill Valley 26 Fallen agricultural area 27 Carson Sink and Carson Lake* - - 28 How the hydrologic system works 29 The hydrologic budget 29 Operating procedures for major reservoirs 32 Specified flows 32 Annual operations 36 Traveltime for Truckee River flows - - 37 Water-quality characteristics- 44 Historical data - r 44 Characteristics of interest and period of record- - 44 Stream temperatures 45 Dissolved solids 56 Nitrate-nitrogen-- - 60 Information used in hydrologic studies 62 Computerized data files 64 Special files for the study area 64 Maps and orthophotographs 65 Aerial photography and imagery > 66 River and basin morphology 70 Computation of drainage areas - -- -- 70 Determination of river mileage and profiles - 71 Summary - ------ - 72 Acknowledgments - - 75 Selected references 76 Supplemental data - 77 A. Physiographic information for the Truckee and Carson River basins --- --- --- --- « -- - -- - 80 B. Inventory of hydrologic data sites, Truckee and Carson River basins « . - .- . 155 III PLATES (in pocket) 1. Plan and profile views of the Truckee and Carson River system. 2. Diversion systems, gaging and sampling sites, and other riverine features of the Fallen area, Truckee River and Canal, and Carson Valley. 3. Streamflow characteristics of the Truckee and Carson River system. FIGURES Page 1. The Truckee-Carson river-quality assessment study consists of the six integrated elements shown in this schematic- 3 2. The Truckee and Carson River basins lie in eastern central California and western central Nevada -- - 5 3. The Truckee and Carson River basins span the California- Nevada State line, and enclose the built-up areas near Lake Tahoe, Reno-Sparks, and Carson City 6 4. The basins were divided into 13 hydrologic subunits on the basis of study requirements and the input of local people-- 11 5. The water-surface altitudes of Pyramid Lake, measured systematically since 1911, show a long-term declining trend with periods of gain related to above-average flows of the Truckee River - 21 6. As the inflow to Pyramid Lake decreases, the dissolved- solids concentration increases- 22 7. The mean monthly flows at Truckee River at Farad (10346000) for a wet year and a dry year reflect the variability in the system with respect to Floriston rates 35 8. The traveltime and dispersion characteristics of the Truckee River and Truckee Canal differ greatly depending upon flow and location-- - 39 9. Traveltime for the Truckee River between the Highway 267 bridge at Truckee and the Boca bridge may be estimated from these curves using discharge at the index station Truckee River near Truckee (10338000) 40 10. Traveltime for the Truckee River between the Boca bridge and the Vista gage may be estimated from these curves using discharge at the index station Truckee River at Farad (10346000) 41 11. Traveltime for the Truckee River between the Vista gage and Derby Dam may be estimated from these curves using discharge at the index station Truckee River at Vista (10350000) 42 12. Traveltime for the Truckee River between Derby Dam and Marble Bluff Dam may be estimated from these curves using discharge at the index station Truckee River below Derby Dam (10351600) 43 13. Harmonic analysis of data for 1970-79 water years shows that water temperatures peak in July and August in the Truckee and Carson Rivers -- ------- 49 14. Temperature profiles for the Truckee River show that the harmonic maximum temperatures are within the limits of the Nevada water-quality standards- 51 IV FIGURES (Continued) Page 15. Temperature profiles for the Carson River show that the harmonic maximum temperatures are within the limits of the Nevada water-quality standards 52 16. Relations between stream-temperature characteristics and altitude in the Carson River basin can be used to estimate the temperature regimen for ungaged sites 54 17. Relations between stream-temperature characteristics and altitude in the Truckee River basin can be used to estimate the temperature regimen for ungaged sites 55 18. Dissolved-solids profiles for the Truckee River show that California and Nevada water-quality standards for annual mean concentrations were generally met for 1970-79- - 57 19. Dissolved-solids profiles for the Carson River show that Nevada water-quality standards for annual mean concentrations were generally met for 1970-79 - 58 20. Nitrate-nitrogen profiles for the Truckee River show that concentrations exceeded certain California and Nevada water-quality standards for 1970-79 61 21. Nitrate-nitrogen profiles for the Carson River show that Nevada water-quality standards were generally met for 1970-79 63 22. The Truckee and Carson River basins cover about 7,300 square miles, for which a variety of maps and orthophotographs exist 67 23. This satellite image of the Fallen area, computer-enhanced from data received on September 16, 1979, shows the location and extent of irrigated fields in bright red against the lighter hues of the surrounding desert 69 TABLES Page 1. The major sources of treated municipal and domestic sewage are the built-up areas surrounding Lake Tahoe, and in the Truckee Meadows, Carson Valley, and Eagle Valley - 9 2. The hydrologic budget for the Truckee-Carson system is approximated on the basis of streamflow, precipitation, ground-water discharge, and evaporation data - - 30 3. The factors affecting the integrated operation of major reservoirs in the Truckee and Carson River basins indicate the complexity of the system 33 4. The Floriston rates specify the minimum flows for the Truckee River at Farad, California, according to the season and the stage of Lake Tahoe 34 5. Periodic stream-temperature data for 1970-79 water years were analyzed to produce predictive information for the Truckee River basin 46 6. Periodic stream-temperature data for 1970-79 water years were analyzed to produce predictive information for the Carson River basin -- - 48 CONVERSION FACTORS The inch-pound system is used in this report. For those who prefer metric units, the conversion factors for the terms used in this report are listed below: Multiply By. To obtain acre-ft (acre-feet 0.001233 cubic hectometers acre-ft/yr (acre-feet 0.001233 cubic hectometers per year) per year acres 0.4047 square hectometers ft (feet) 0.3048 meters ft3/s (cubic feet 0.02832 cubic meters per second) per second ft/mi (feet per mile) 0.1894 meter per kilometer inches 25.4 millimeters Ib (pounds) 0.454 kilograms Mgal/d (million gallons 3785 cubic meters per day per day) mi (miles) 1.609 kilometers mi 2 (square miles) 2.590 square kilometers ton/d (tons per day) 0.9072 megagrams per day Use the following to convert degrees Fahrenheit (°F) to degress Celsius (°C) (°C) = 5/9 (°F -32) ABBREVIATIONS Landsat Any of three satellites that collect radiometric data used to produce a variety of images of the Earth's surface. mg/L Milligrams per liter. STORET Storage and Retrieval system of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. WATSTORE - National Water Data Storage and Retrieval system of the U.S. Geological Survey. STATPAC Library of computer programs of the U.S. Geological Survey designed to perform a variety of statistical analyses, primary on large bodies of data. SAS Statistical Analysis System. NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration. EROS Earth Resources Observation System. NDEP Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. DRI Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nev. SPPC Sierra Pacific Power Company. VI RIVER-QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE TRUCKEE AND CARSON RIVER SYSTEM CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA HYDROLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS By William M. Brown III, Jon 0. Nowlin, Lawrence H. Smith, and Mary R. Flint WHAT THIS REPORT IS ABOUT The hydrologic story of the Truckee and Carson Rivers is dominated by four principal themes. First is the geomorphic uniqueness of the region through which the rivers flow. The second relates to the ways that the rivers are connected by pipes, flumes, and canals and controlled by dams and gates. Third is the relentless demand by numerous interests for the limited supplies of water that the rivers provide. And the fourth encompasses the institutions that direct the allocation of water among existing and prospective users. All these themes must be considered in concert as well as in individual detail in order to make the hydrologic story complete; that is, to tell of the amounts and quality of water in the rivers that result from the combined actions of people and nature. The U.S. Geological Survey began a study on the Truckee and Carson Rivers in October 1978 to assess the cause-and-effect relations between human and natural actions and the quality of water at different times and places along the rivers.