Water-Sttpply and Irrigation Paper No. 142 Series 0, Underground ¥raters, 45 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR THE HYDROLOGY OF SAN BERNARDS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA BY WALTER C. MENDENHALL - -""'"OGICA! WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905 CONTENTS. Letter of transmittal................... .................................. 7 Introduction............................................................. 9 Geographic situation ................................................. 9 Settlement........................................................... 10 Development of irrigation............................................. 10 Bibliography ........................................................ 13 Rainfall ................................................................. 15 Soils...................:................................................ 20 Water supply ............................................................ 23 Effect of forests ...................................................... 23 Return waters....................... ............... ................ 26 San Bernardino artesian area.............................................. 29 Origin of San Bernardino basin... .................................... 30 Depth of the basin ................................................... 31 General classes of rocks,.............................................. 32 Alluvial fans......................................................... 35 Well records......................................................... 38 The cienaga................... ...................................... 47 Underground circulation.............................................. 48 Origin of head within the artesian belt................................. 52 Decline of the waters ................................................. 56 ' Other artesian areas ...................................................... 67 Yucaipe basin........................................................ 67 Riverside basin ........................................... .......... 70 Ground waters ........................................................... 71 Temperatures............................................................ 72 Chemical character of the waters ........................................... 76 Tables of flow............................................................ 79 Mill Creek........................................................... 79 Santa Ana River ..................................................... 81 Plunge Creek ........................................................ 83 City Creek........................................................... 83 East Twin Creek ..................................................... 84 West Twin Creek .................................................... 84 Lytle Creek.......................................................... 85 Canals above Colton.................................................. 86 List of wells ............................................................. 87 Wells in Redlands quadrangle......................................... 88 Wells in San Bernardino quadrangle................................... 100 Index ...-.......:.........................-..........--.........-....... 119 3 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Outline map of southern California .._............--..-..-..--...- 8 II. A, Riverside-Highlands irrigation district; -B, Baldwin Lake ....... 12 III. View of the West Eiverside district............................... 14 IV. View of East Eiverside mesa and Santa Ana Valley................ 16 V. Redlancls and San Bernardino and San Gorgonio peaks ............ 20 VI. A, Later alluvium exposed along the edge of East Riverside n?esa; B, The later alluvial fan about Kenwood........................ 34 VII. Map showing changes in artesian areas and water levels in the San Bernardino basin..._........._....____......-__.....-....--. Pocket. VIII. Artesian areas in the valley of southern California............... Pocket. I.. View of San Timoteo Canyon and the northward-dipping earlier alluvium...................................................... 68 X. A, Yucaipe Valley and artesian lands; B, Nonartesian water-bearing lands in Santa Ana Valley. ....................i................ 70 XL The Bunker Hill dike ........................................... 72 XII. Hydrologic map of San Bernardino, Redlands, and vicinity, showing irrigated lands .............................................. Pocket. FIG. 1. Chart showing variation from average rainfall at San Bernardino, Gal.. 19 2. Approximate section across San Bernardino Valley along the line A-B,PL XII................................................... 32 3. Diagrammatic longitudinal section of alluvial fan ................... 36 4. Section of the Bucher well ........... ............................ 38 5. Well sections along line A-B, PL XII.............................. 40 6. Well sections along line E-F, PL XII.............................. 42 7. Section of the South Mountain Water Company's deep well in Yu­ caipe Valley ................................................... 43 8. Section of Frink Brothers' well in Yucaipe Canyon ................. 44 9. Well sections along line G-H, PL XII ............................. 45 10. Diagrammatic cross section of summer and winter water table beneath a stream channel .......................^....................... 49 11. Diagram showing sinking of flood waters of Santa Ana River in stream bed..................................................... 52 12. Chart showing variation of water level in Williams well............. 60 13. Chart showing variation of water level in Johnson well, near San Bernadino..................................................... 62 14. Chart showing variation of water level in Neff well, near Anaheir?... 63 15. Approximate section across the Crafton Hills and Yucaipe Valley along the line C-D, PL XII..................................... 68 16. Diagrammatic cross section of drained prism in alluvial-fan materal.. 72 5 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL, SURVEY, HYDROGRAPHIC BRANCH, Los Angeles, Gal., February 16, 1905. SIR: I transmit herewith the manuscript of a report on the hydrol­ ogy of the San Bernardino Valley, California, and recommend that it be published as a water-supply paper. This report has been prepared by Mr. W. C. Mendenhall, geologist, under the general direction of Mr. N. H. Darton. It is one of a series of reports on the under­ ground waters of the valley of southern California. In this valley, where irrigation practice has attained a high degree of perfection, the underground waters are of very great importance, two-thirds of the irrigated acreage being dependent upon them either wholly or in part. In this paper those phases of the geology which throw light upon the amount, distribution, and movements of these waters are described, and the effects of development and drought in bringing about those changes in water levels which have taken place in recent years are discussed. The author has had constantly in mind, in the preparation of the paper, the needs of the practical irrigator and the questions which must arise in disputes concerning title to percolating waters. Veiy respectfully, F. H. NEWELL, Chief Engineer. Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director United States Geological Surety. 7 U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER J'O. 142 PL. I Scale o zs so 75. 100 miles OUTLINE MAP OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. HYDROLOGY OF SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. By WALTER 0. MENDENHALL. INTRODUCTION. GEOGRAPHIC SITUATION. The San Bernardino basin lies near the eastern end of the valley of southern California. Under the latter term is included that general lowland area which is definitely limited on the north by the Sar Gabriel and San Bernardmo ranges and on the east by the latter range and the San Jacinto group, but whose southern boundary is irregular and dim- cult to define. In this direction there is an interdigitation of ridges and valleys as the Sierra Madre Range of San Diego County dies out toward the north. The more or less indefinite heights that represent its extension in this direction are separated by lowlands, which in turn are to be regarded as southwest lobes of the well-defined east-west valley that lies along the base of the San Gabriel Range. Toward the west this greater valley opens directly to the Pacific, without the intervention of any extensive heights. The Spnta Ana Mountains and the San Jose Hills project well into it from tl °, south­ east, at a distance of about 25 miles from the Pacific shore line, in the vicinity of Lordsburg, and reduce its width at this point to but. a few miles. The San Gabriel basin and the coastal plain, separated by the low Los Angeles and Puente hills, lie west of this ridge. East of it are the Cucamonga and Chino plains, the Riverside basin, the numer­ ous more or less isolated valleys of the upper San Jacinto drainage area, and the San Bernardino basin, which together form an interior subdivision of the greater valley. The San Bernardino basin is the northeastern part of this interior subdivision, and from the point of view of water supply is most important. It is separated on the east and south from the adjacent lowlands by the Crafton Hills, the ridge known as the Badlands, and the Jurupa Mountains. Toward the west it opens directly into the wide Cucamonga plains. It lies wholly within the valley portion of San Bernardino County and forms a