B, Descriptive Geology, f 1 I, Irrigation, 20 ) 0, Underground "Waters, 51 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIEECTOE THE GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES EASTERN PORTION OF THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS BY CHARLES WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1906 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction _,_._....._-._--.----.------_..-----.----------.------------ 7 Area covered_..__ __.....___.__.__._.__.-.----_--------.--. 7 Sources of data ..............^............................... 7 Topography .__._.__.__.._...--_._..___..__._.__._.__------.---.---------- 8 General features...-...---.----------____---_--_------------------.- 8 High Plains .................^...............-...-....-...-..^....... 8 Surface features .----__-.---_.___._.___.- .....--..-.---.-..- 8 Valleys and canyons.__.----..__.____.__.--._--.-.---_-----.- 9 Escarpment .................................................. 9 Eroded plains-_...--_..-.-..-_------_.___..._---.- .................. 10 Interstreamhighlands ._----,__.______..------------..------- 10 Valleys and canyons -._____________.______-._..--.-.-----._.. 10 Sandhills .___...__._..._-_...-_--.-....-..._....- .--..--.-----. 11 River plains _____..-----.----.-.----._--------_--------------------.- 11 Canadian River Valley. ...............L...................... 11 Wolf Creek Valley....__. ._._-..--.-..---.-- -. ------- 12 Washita River Valley__......______..__.__..._......_-.---_-_ 12 Forth Fork of Red River Valley----------------------------- 12 Elm Fork of Red River Valley ........ .__-_-....-...------... 12 Salt Fork of Red River Valley...._......-............._...... 12 Prairie Dog Fork of Red River Valley-..-..-.-......... ------ 12 Minor stream valleys ....---...........---------..-.....--... 13 Geology.......... _.._...___.---..___.-.___.._._..__-.___.-.....-_..-... 13 General relations -..--.-.-..----_--.-...--...--..--.-. ............... 13 Permian red beds .............................^...................... 15 General statement-......... ----.......-...--------.---_----..... 15 Permian in the Panhandle region,.-..........--.....-.--..--.-... 18 Greer formation..---.-.-.--.......-.....-.......-.--.-..-... 18 Quartermaster formation..................................... 31 Triassic red beds................................--.-.....----....-... 28 Dockum formation.....----,._.....-...-..-.-.--.-.------.... S3 Tertiary and Quaternary formations ................................. 24 Reference list of publications .............. --------------------- 34 Stratigraphy .__..________......_.____.__..._.-....--..._........ 35 General statement..............................-...---...... 25 Loup Fork formation.....--..................-.---..-...-... 25 Goodnight formation._._._..__.__.._....._......-.___....._. 26 Blancoformation -..-.._..--..............-....--.-..-..._... 26 Tuleformation ........._.................................... 26 Age of beds--...----.---.--.....-.---.-.-.-----.-_---.._.,... 27 Origin.-.........--.---.......--...-..-..-...-......-...-.-...... 27 General character ................................................ 28 Sandhills ..............................._........................ 30 Alluviiim................._ ...................................... 30 3 4: CONTENTS. Page. Water resources ..._--._...---.,..._.__--._.._.__.__-..____._,.____.______ 31 Underground waters. ................................................ 31 General conditions.. _ _.__..._..____.___________ .. .............. 31 Water from the red beds--.___.._._._______________.___.._... .... 31 Character ....................._........... ................. 31 Occurrence ............................................^..... 32 Water from Tertiary rocks................. ..___.....___..-....._ 32 Character ................................................... 32 Occurrence........ ..........._.............-.....-......-. 33 Source ...--.-.--.._._____..._.__...____._. .._____-_____._ __. _. _ 35 The water table-..-..___-...__-_--_._. _._...____...__.._...__._ 36 Use of windmills ..................... ............ ............. 36 Deep-seated waters --..-__-___._-_--__-._---__._-_-_-..---.._.- 37 Springs..-......----..-.-..,.-..-..-....-.--..---..... __..___-._____ 38 Red-beds springs ...................... ..........---....---...-. 38 Salt springs....--...---....--....---....---.....-.-.------..- 38 Gypsum springs ___.-._____..____._..__.____._____._-..._._-- 39 Fresh-water springs --.--._.-.-.-..---.-..---____-----_-__-___ 39 Tertiary springs ----------- ................_-.....--.....-.-..... 40 Streams ----..-.------.-....-. -.____--_.--.-.--.-.-.____--._--__.--- 40 Classification of drainage. .......... ...---...---.-.--....---.-.-. 40 North Fork of Canadian drainage --.-...--......--.....-..... 41 Canadian drainage.-.___-.-___-_--,_.--..-. .._._.-.---_._.-_ 41 Bed River drainage-------.--_.-.--------.-.-.--------,-..--- 41 Streams in detail...--...---....----..----.-....-.._-_..-.____-__ 41 Coldwater Creek.....-....._......----.,-----.___--...-- ..__ 41 Palo Duro Creek........................-......-.___-.--_..__ 41 Wolf Creek.................................................. 42 Canadian River.......---...---....-.....---._-__-__--.------ 42 Washita River. ........'..................................^... 43 North Fork of Red River. __---_..-_.--._.-.-._--_...-----.--- 43 EhnFork of RedRiver............._. ............ -....-..-. 44 Salt Fork of Red River ....-...-.-.--..-.-......---....--.--- 44 Prairie Dog Fork of Red River....-_.__... .... .___.___ .. 44 Drainage of the High Plains. ......... ^.............. ........^. -.. 45 Irrigation ... ...--.-...--.-----.-.-----------------.---.------------ 46 Need of irrigation.-..-...-_.-_.._---..___-.______.-_..._.---- 46 Possible methods of irrigation. ................................ 46 Irrigation from streams.......__.-..-.-.. .-....-..--....-.... 46 Irrigation from springs. ........ ^.............. .. .......... 47 Irrigation from storm waters. __..._-_.--.--....____-. _.__.._ 48 Irrigation from wells-..----,--_- -----...-.-..-....--.-_-.... 48 Future of irrigation......--............-.--..--.--.-.-.----..-.-. 49 Water conditions by counties.......---...--.---.--..---.-.------...-- 49 Lipscomb County --_---_,.-__--.-_.--.-.-__-._.__-. ___._._.--._ 49 Topography .......................-....-_-.....----.......-. 49 Geology ..^.............................................. - . 49 Water supply...... -.-----.-.---.-.---...-..----------.--.-.-- 50 Ochiltree County .-.---..--,--.--.---.-----------.-------..---.-- 50 Topography ......................J._........................ 50 Geology .........................-......-.-..-.-----.-.-..-. 50 Water supply............................... ..--........-..- 51 CONTENTS. 0 Water resources Continued. Page. Water conditions by counties Continued. Hansf ord County _-_.__--__.____ _ _ _____________ __._-..-_ 51 Topography _ _ _ _. ...... ......_... .. _. ___-,_.___ -__._._ 51 Geology.... _..........- __._____-______--.-_-_-__----_-.--- 51 Water supply__--..___.--._-.---__--_--._--.-- . .....---..'--- 51 Hutchinson C , unty_-._______._-___-__________- ___.-___-_--__-_. 52 Topography ................ ... _____.-____-_----_----____- 52 Geology-_--..___---___-_.______ _-.-____--_----_--_----_ 52 Water supply.._-_-_.- .................................. 52 Roberts County.......................-...-..-...--..---.-.-.-- _ - 53 Topography .. _______ ..................---.-.----....--.--- 53 Geology ..........^....................... -......... ..... .. 53 Water supply.-.. ........... ................................ 53 Hemphlll County----,---.. ....- ---.-...--..... _--______--_-._-- 53 Topography -..-__..._ _......... ........................... 53 Geology.......-...-...-...-...-. ...-.--. ---------- _ - .... 53 Water supply. _.-__-._______._.____--___-_--_ .. ..^........... 54 Wheeler County ...--_--.--- _-_ ............................... 54 Topography ...--..-._...... ..__.______-____........ ..... 54 Geology -......--..-..--......--.-.------.-----------....--. f 4 Water supply .......^............................ .......... 55 Gray County ..._..--....---..--...-.-..---_-_-.---.----.-.------ 55 Topography .......................... .----..,....-, .-.---. 55 Geology -...-..--.-....-.---..-..-.--------.----------.----.- 55 Water supply..-,.- .................................... ..... 56 Carson County.--.----------..-__.---__.._- .-.-... .............. 56 Topography ..........................-._-..-.---....-..----- 56 Geology ..................................................... 56 Water supply. - -__--_-.___- ...........-.---..-----._.--.---.- 56 Armstrong Co nty...................................... _______ 57 Topography -.___.-__--..--__-________-_--------_- -_-__-__.. 57 Geology_....--...-...-..-.-..-..--.-------..- _._.-.____--_- 57 Water supply.. .............................................. 57 DonleyCounty....---...-._- ._... ........................ ... 58 Topography _.-...--..-.. _.---._____.___.----_---__.--.,_-... 58 Geology ........ T ............ _ _ -__._.-.--_-..-.,...--_-_ _ _ 58 Water supply ............................................^... ' 58 Collingsworth County. - -...-..-......---------,-----..-.--.--.--- 59 Topography .............................................. .. 59 Geology ..................................................... 59 Water supply. .............. ................................ 59 Index.. ..............^................................. ................. 61 ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATE I. Map