U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Discharge Determined from Estimates of Evapotranspiration, Death Valley Regional FlFlowow System, NNevadaevada and CaliCaliforniafornia Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4195 Prepared in cooperation with the OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office, under Interagency Agreement DE-AI08-96NV11967 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Discharge Determined from Estimates of Evapotranspiration, Death Valley Regional Flow System, Nevada and California By Randell J. Laczniak, J. LaRue Smith, Peggy E. Elliott, Guy A. DeMeo, and Melissa A. Chatigny, U.S. Geological Survey; and Gaius J. Roemer, GeoTrans Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4195 Prepared in cooperation with the OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office, under Interagency Agreement DE-AI08-96NV11967 Carson City, Nevada 2001 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES G. GROAT, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government For additional information contact: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey 333 West Nye Lane, Room 203 Carson City, NV 89706–0866 email: [email protected] http://nevada.usgs.gov CONTENTS Abstract.................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Purpose and Scope ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgments...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Stewardship ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 General Description and Setting............................................................................................................................................ 4 Physiography and Geology........................................................................................................................................ 4 Climate ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Vegetation and Wildlife.............................................................................................................................................. 6 Drainage ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Hydrogeology............................................................................................................................................................. 6 Estimation of Annual Evapotranspiration and Ground-Water Discharge.............................................................................. 8 Evapotranspiration ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 Evapotranspiration Units............................................................................................................................................ 10 Evapotranspiration Rate and Volume Estimates ........................................................................................................ 16 Ground-Water Discharge ........................................................................................................................................... 26 Limitations of Methodology ...................................................................................................................................... 31 Summary................................................................................................................................................................................ 37 References Cited.................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Appendix: Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis of Annual Estimates of Ground-Water Discharge for Death Valley Regional Flow System, by G.J. Roemer ..................................................................................... 43 FIGURES 1. Map showing major areas of natural ground-water discharge in Death Valley regional flow system ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Map showing major areas of Federally administered land in Death Valley regional flow system......................... 5 3. Map showing hydrographic areas of Death Valley regional flow system............................................................. 7 4. Graphs showing spectral response of land covers having different vegetation, soil, and moisture conditions................................................................................................................................................ 11 5. Map showing pseudo-color infrared false color composite of Death Valley regional flow system ............................................................................................................................................................ 14 6. Graphs showing spectral clusters used to classify evapotranspiration units in discharge areas of Death Valley regional flow system........................................................................................................... 15 7–15. Maps showing classification of evapotranspiration units in: 7. Ash Meadows, Nevada and California............................................................................................................ 17 8. Chicago Valley, California .............................................................................................................................. 18 9. Franklin Lake, California................................................................................................................................ 19 10. Franklin Well area, California......................................................................................................................... 20 11. Oasis Valley, Nevada....................................................................................................................................... 21 12. Sarcobatus Flat, Nevada.................................................................................................................................. 22 13. Shoshone area, California ............................................................................................................................... 23 14. Stewart Valley, California ............................................................................................................................... 24 15. Tecopa/California Valley area, California....................................................................................................... 25 16. Map showing modified soil-adjusted vegetation index of Death Valley regional flow system ............................. 27 CONTENTS III 17. Graph showing parameters having the greatest effect on simulated annual ground-water discharge, measured by Rank Correlation, from: A. Ash Meadows .......................................................................................................................................... 49 B. Chicago Valley......................................................................................................................................... 49 C. Franklin Lake........................................................................................................................................... 49 D. Franklin Well area.................................................................................................................................... 49 E. Oasis Valley ............................................................................................................................................. 49 F. Sarcobatus Flat ........................................................................................................................................ 49 G. Shoshone area .......................................................................................................................................... 49 H. Stewart Valley .......................................................................................................................................... 49 I. Tecopa/California Valley area.................................................................................................................. 49 18. Frequency charts generated from 1,000 realizations of simulated annual