DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIKECTOK WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 290 SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OP THE UNITED STATES 1910 PART X. THE GREAT BASIN PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF M. 0. LEIGHTON BY E. C. LA KITE, F. F. HENSHAW, AND E. A. POKTEK WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1912 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTI8 SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 290 SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OP THE UNITED STATES 1910 PART X. THE GREAT BASIN PEEPAEED UNDER THE DIEECTION OF M. 0. LEIGHTON BY E. C. LA RUE, F. F. IIEJSTSHAW, AND E. A. PORTER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT FEINTING OFFICE 1912 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction................................................................ 7 Authority for investigations...................................."......... 7 Scope of investigations................................................... 8 Publications.......................................................... 9 Definition of terms..................................................... 12 Convenient equivalents................................................ N 13 Explanation of data.................................................... 14 Accuracy and reliability of field data and comparative results............. 16 Cooperative data...................................................... 18 Cooperation and acknowledgments.........'.............................. 18 Division of work...................................................... 20 General features of the Great Basin.......................................... 21 Great Salt Lake basin...................................................... 27 General features......................................................... 27 Bear River basin........................................................ '28 General features................................................... 28 Bear River at Dingle, Idaho....................................... 30 Bear River near Preston, Idaho.................................... 33 Bear River near Collinston, Utah.................................... 35 Logan River near Logan, Utah..................................... 38 Blacksmith Fork near Hyrum, Utah................................ 40 Blacksmith Fork power-plant race near Hygmm, Utah............... 43 Box Elder Creek at Brigham, Utah ................................. 45 Weber River basin..................................................... 48 General features........... ^....................................... 48 Weber River near Oakley, Utah..................................... 49 Weber River at Devils Slide, Utah.................................. 52 " Weber River near Plain City, Utah.................................. 54 Ogden River near Ogden, Utah..................................... 56 Jordan River basin..................................................... 62 General features................................................... 62 Utah Lake tributaries.............................................. - 64 Summit Creek near Santaquin, Utah............................ 64 Peeteetneet Creek near Payson, Utah............................ 66 Spanish Fork at Thistle, Utah.................................. 68 Spanish Fork near Spanish Fork, Utah........................... 71 United States Reclamation Service power canal near Spanish Fork, Utah................................................. 73 Spanish Fork at Lake Shore, Utah.............................. 75 Diamond Fork near Thistle, Utah............................... 77 Hobble Creek near Springville, Utah...^........................ 79 Maple Creek near Springville, Utah............................. 81 Provo River above Telluride Power Co.'s dam near Provo, Utah.. 82 3 4 CONTENTS. Great Salt Lake basin Continued. Page. Jordan River basin Continued. Tributaries of the Jordan............................................. ' 85 Little Cottonwood Creek near Salt Lake City, Utah.............. 85 Big Cottonwood Creek near Salt Lake City, Utah................. 86 Mill Creek near Salt Lake City, Utah............................ 88 Parleys Creek near Salt Lake City, Utah........................ 89 Emigration Creek near Salt Lake City, Utah.................... 90 Sevier Lake basin.......................................................... 91 General features....................................................... 91 Sevier River near Marysvale, Utah..................................... 92 Sevier River near Gunnison, Utah...................................... 94 Beaver River at Minersville, Utah...................................... 96 Thousand Springs Creek basin............................................... 98 Thousand Springs Creek near Tecoma, Nev............................. 98 Salton Sink .............................................................. 99 Salton Sea near Salton, Cal............................................. 99 Alamo River near Brawley, Cal........................................ 102 New River near Brawley, Cal.......................................... 104 Owens Lake basin...................'........................................ 105 General features....................................................... 105 Owens River near Round Valley, Cal.,................................. 108 Owens River near Tinemaha, Cal....................................... 110 Owens River near Lone Pine, Cal...................................... 112 Rock Creek near Round Valley, Cal...............................'..... 114 Pine Creek near Round Valley, Cal..................................... 116 Bishop Creek near Bishop, Cal.......................................... 118 Baker Creek near Big Pine, Cal........................................ 121 Big Pine Creek near Big Pine, Cal...................................... 121 Birch Creek near Tinemaha, Cal......................................... 123 Tinemaha Creek near Tinemaha, Cal.................................... 125 Taboose Creek near Aberdeen, Cal...................................... 127 Goodale Creek near Aberdeen, Cal...................................... 130 Division Creek near Independence, Cal................................. 132 Sawmill Creek near Independence, Cal.....'............................. 133 Oak Creek near Independence, Cal...................................... 133 Little Pine Creek near Independence, Cal............................... 136 Shepard Creek near Thebe, Cal........................................ 138 Bairs Creek near Thebe, Cal............................................'. 138 George Creek near Thebe, Cal.......................................... 139 Lone Pine Creek near Lone Pine, Cal.................................... 139 , Tuttle Creek near Lone Pine, Cal........................................ 141 Cottonwood Creek near Olancha, Cal..................................... 144 Ash Creek near Olancha, Cal........................................... 146 Mono Lake basin........................................................ 1. 146 General features....................................................... 146 Rush Creek near Mono Lake, Cal......................................!.. 147 Leevining Creek near Mono Lake, Cal.................................. 149 Walker Lake basin .......................................................... 150 General features....................................................... 150 East Walker River near Mason, Nev ..................................... 151 Walker River at Mason, Nev............................................ 152 Robinson Creek near Bridgeport, Cal.'.................................... 153 , Buckeye Creek near Bridgeport, Cal.................................... 154 CONTENTS. 5 Page. Carson Sink basin......................................................... 155 General features................................................'....... 155 Carson River basin. ......\............................................ 155 General features................................................... 155 East Carson River near Markleeville, Cal........................... 156 East Fork of Carson River near Gardnerville, Nev................... 156 Carson River and Brunswick Mill power canal near Empire, Nev..... 159 Carson River near Hazen, Nev..................................... 163 Silver Creek near Markleeville, Cal................................. 165 Markleeville Creek at Markleeville, Cal.............................. 165 Pleasant Valley Creek at Markleeville, Cal........................... 166 West Fork of Carson River at Woodfords, Cal........................ 167 Humboldt River basin.................................................. 171 General features................................................... 171 Humboldt River near Golconda, Nev............................... 172 Humboldt River near Oreana, Nev.................................. 173 Bishop Creek near Wells, Nev...................................... 174 North Fork of Humboldt River near Halleck, Nev................... 176 South Fork of Humboldt River near Elko, Nev....................... 177 Pyramid and Winnemucca Lake basins...................................... 179 General features....................................................... 179 Truckee River basin.................................................... 180 General features.......................................*........... 180 Lake Tahoe at Tahoe, Cal............................1............. 181 Truckee River at Tahoe, Cal........................................ 183 Truckee River at Nevada-California State