DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 278 WATER EESOURCES OP ANTELOPE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA HARRY R. JOHNSON WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1911 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................. 7 Topography............................................................... 10 Drainage................................................................. 10 General features....................................................... 10 Streams.............................................................. 12 Lakes................................................................ 14 Climate.................................................................. 14 Rainfall............................................................. 14 Temperatures.......................................................... 17 Wind................................................................. 18 Healthfulness........................................................... 18 Natural resources........................................................... 18 Geologic features............................................................ 20 Physiography......................................................... 20 Non water-bearing rocks ............................................... 22 Metamorphic and granitic marginal rocks............................. 22 Unaltered sedimentary rocks ........................................ 25 Volcanic rocks...................................................... 25 Water-bearing rocks..................................................... 27 Origin and distribution.............................................. 27 Physical character................................................. 29 Structure.......................................................... 30 Sand dunes......................................................... 30 Playa deposits..................................................... 31 Water resources............................................................. 31 Influence of rainfall.................................................... 31 Surface supply......................................................... 32 Developments on Rock Creek....................................... 32 Developments on Little Rock Creek................................ 33 Underground water..................................................... 36 Origin............................................................. 36 Data concerning wells .............................................. 37 West of Fairmont.............................................. 37 Vicinity of Willow Springs ..................................... 37 Vicinity of Rosamond............................................ 37 Vicinity of Redman............................................ 38 Vicinity of Reid ranch.......................................... 38 Vicinity of Oliver Miller's ranch.....'........................... 39 Vicinity of Lancaster.......................................... 39 Vicinity of Coleman's ranch..................................... 42 Vicinity of Esperanza .......................................... 42 Vicinity of Palmdale.......................................... 43 Vicinity of Oban.............................................. 43 Vicinity of Del Sur.........................................'.... 43 3 4 CONTENTS. Water resources Continued. Underground water Continued. Page. Other data........................................................... 44 Distinction between artesian and nonartesian waters.................. 44 Artesian waters.................................................... 45 Flowing area................................................... 45 Nonflowing area................................................ 46 Variations in water level........................................ 46 Artesian springs............................................... 47 Buckhorn Springs.......................................... 47 Spring southwest of Lancaster.............................. 48 Indian Springs............................................ 49 Willow Springs............................................ 49 Nonartesian waters................................................ 51 Distribution.................................................. 51 Nonartesian springs............................................. 52 Springs of Antelope Buttes................................. 52 Lovejoy (Croswell) Springs................................. 52 Moody Springs............................................. 53 Bedrock springs................................................... 53 Springs on southwest slope of Tehachapi Range................... 53 Gerblick Spring............................................... 53 Barrell Spring.................................................. 54 Newquist ranch springs........................................ 54 Springs on Mrs. Dahl's ranch.................................... 54 Spring at Keeves ranch........................................ 54 Spring at Simmons's ranch...................................... 54 Mulford(?) Spring............................................. 55 Springs at Geier's ranch........................................ 55 Neenach water supply......................................... 55 Spring at La Liebre ranch house................................. 55 Chemical character of ground waters................................ 55 Origin. .............................s......................... 55 Analyses....................................................... 56 Formation of alkali............................................ 57 Quantity of dissolved solids..................................... 58 Hygienic conditions............................................ 59 Fallacies regarding underground waters............................. 59 Suppositional sources.......................................... 59 Use of the "water witch"....................................... 61 Inexhaustibility of artesian supply.............................. 61 Present economic development........................"............. 62 Number of wells............................................... 62 Nonartesian wells............................................... .62 Artesian wells................................................. 62 Pumping plants............................................... 63 Cost of wells................................................... 63 Examples of well development.........1....................... 63 Post ranch................................................ 63 Marigold ranch............................................. 65 Coleman ranch............................................ 61. Other ranches.............................................. 65 Abuse of artesian resources.......................................... 66 Future economic development...................................... 67 Maps and well data........................................................ 68 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Outline map of southern California.............................. 8 II. A, Yuccas on Mohave River south of Rancho Verde; B, Mud flow from cloud-burst in canyon of Midway oil district, California... 18 III. A, Faulted, folded, and overturned alluvial beds near head of Cajon Canyon; B, Gravel inface about 6 miles east of Tilghman. 30 IV. Well sections and diagram showing probable underground condi­ tions at Lancaster and vicinity, as indicated by well logs...... 40 V. A, Palmdale reservoir, looking northwest; B, San Andreas fault trace near Anaverde ranch, looking northwest................. 42 VI. Reconnaissance hydrographic map of Antelope Valley region, California.............................................. In pocket. VII. A, Type of well drilling rig used in Antelope Valley; B, Inserting perforated casing in partly completed artesian well............ 62 FIGURE 1. Diagram showing probable block and fault systems of the Antelope Valley region................................................. 22 2. Section of Antelope Buttes, showing attitude of tuffs and lava and their relations to granitic rocks................................. 26 3. Diagrammatic plan and sections of alluvial fan, showing arrange­ ment of debris................................................ 28 4. Diagram showing artesian conditions in Antelope Valley......... 36 5. Sketch map of Lancaster and vicinity, showing location of wells.. 41 6. Diagrams showing possible origin of Buckhorn Springs........... 48 7. Sketch map of Willow Springs and vicinity..................... 49 8. Diagrams showing possible origin of Willow Springs.............. 50 9. Diagram showing the origin of Lovejoy Springs.................. 52 10. Diagram showing possible origin of Gerblick Spring.............. 54 11. Sketch map of Post ranch....................................... 64 5 WATER RESOURCES OF THE ANTELOPE YAHEY. CALIFORNIA. By HAEET K. JOHNSON. INTRODUCTION. Before the problem of making productive the waste spaces of the great West had been attacked with the vigor which during the last 20 years has wrought so great a change in portions of the western States- and Territories, the term "desert," carrying a picture of utter desolation of miles of treeless sand or, at best, of waterless sage­ brush plains and barren mountains was applied to great stretches of country having unrecognized potentialities, so that the idea be­ came fixed in the public mind that such areas were practically worth­ less. This idea was reflected in the maps of the