Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Hydrogeologic and Geochemical Characterization of Groundwater Resources in Deep Creek Valley and Adjacent Areas, Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah, and Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5097 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Windmill over an abandoned stock well on the Goshute Indian Reservation looking east with the Deep Creek Range in the background. Hydrogeologic and Geochemical Characterization of Groundwater Resources in Deep Creek Valley and Adjacent Areas, Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah, and Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada By Philip M. Gardner and Melissa D. Masbruch Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5097 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior SALLY JEWELL, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2015 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner. Suggested citation: Gardner, P.M., and Masbruch, M.D., 2015, Hydrogeologic and geochemical characterization of groundwater resources in Deep Creek Valley and adjacent areas, Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah, and Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5097, 53 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155097. ISSN 2328-0328 (online) iii Contents Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................3 Physical Characteristics of the Study Area .....................................................................................3 Population and Land Use ...........................................................................................................4 Precipitation .................................................................................................................................4 Streamflow ...................................................................................................................................4 Geology .........................................................................................................................................6 Groundwater Hydrology ...............................................................................................................................7 Hydrogeology ........................................................................................................................................8 Hydraulic Properties ..........................................................................................................................10 Occurrence and Movement of Groundwater .................................................................................10 Groundwater Budget .........................................................................................................................14 Recharge .....................................................................................................................................16 Precipitation ......................................................................................................................17 Unconsumed Irrigation from Well Withdrawals .........................................................19 Subsurface Inflow from Tippett Valley ..........................................................................21 Discharge ....................................................................................................................................21 Evapotranspiration ..........................................................................................................21 Mountain Springs and Base Flow to Mountain Streams ...........................................23 Well Withdrawals .............................................................................................................23 Subsurface Outflow to Great Salt Lake Desert ...........................................................23 Water-Level Fluctuations ..................................................................................................................23 Groundwater Geochemistry ......................................................................................................................26 Sample Collection and Analysis ......................................................................................................26 Geochemical Methods ......................................................................................................................29 Oxygen-18 and Deuterium ........................................................................................................29 Tritium and Helium ....................................................................................................................30 Carbon-14 ...................................................................................................................................31 Dissolved Noble Gases ............................................................................................................31 Results ..................................................................................................................................................32 Major Ions, Nutrients, and Selected Trace Metals .............................................................32 Oxygen-18 and Deuterium .......................................................................................................34 Tritium and Helium ....................................................................................................................34 Carbon-14 ...................................................................................................................................35 Noble-Gas Recharge Temperatures .......................................................................................36 Discussion ....................................................................................................................................................41 Principal Aquifer Characteristics ....................................................................................................41 Potential Interbasin Connection ......................................................................................................41 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................45 References Cited .........................................................................................................................................46 Appendix 1. Data Tables .............................................................................................................................51 Appendix 2. Groundwater Budget Uncertainty ......................................................................................53 iv Figures 1. Map showing location of Deep Creek Valley and adjacent hydrographic areas, Utah and Nevada .......................................................................................................................... 2 2. Map showing average annual precipitation, 1981–2010, in Deep Creek Valley, Utah and Nevada .......................................................................................................................... 5 3. Graph showing long-term annual precipitation recorded at four weather stations in or near Deep Creek Valley, Utah and Nevada ..................................................................... 6 4. Graph showing streamflow measured in Fifteenmile, Sams, and Steves Creeks for 1964–1967, Deep Creek Valley, Utah and Nevada ............................................................. 7 5. Graph showing average daily streamflow for 1964–1968 and peak streamflow for 1959–1968, measured in Deep Creek, Deep Creek Valley, Utah and Nevada ............... 8 6. Map showing surficial extent of hydrogeologic units, major faults, and lines of cross sections, in Deep Creek Valley and adjacent areas, Utah and Nevada ................... 9 7. Map showing hydrogeologic cross sections for selected locations in Deep Creek Valley and adjacent areas, Utah and Nevada ....................................................................... 11 8. Map showing regional water-level surface map and general direction of ground- water movement for Deep Creek Valley and adjacent areas, Utah and Nevada ............ 15