Geohydrology of Pahute Mesa-3 Test Well, Nye County, Nevada U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4239 Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Interagency Agreement DE-A108-86-NV10583) Geohydrology of Pahute Mesa-3 Test Well, Nye County, Nevada By KATHRYN C. KILROY and CHARLES S. SAVARD U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4239 Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Interagency Agreement DE-Al08-86-NV10583) DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsi- bility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Refer- ence herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recom- mendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Carson City, Nevada 1996 US. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GORDON P. EATON, Director Any use of trade names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Government. For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services 333 West Nye Lane, Room 203 Box 25286 Carson City, NV 89706-0866 Denver, CO 80225-0046 CONTENTS Abstract .................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Purpose and Scope ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Location ofthe Study Area ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Previous Work ............................................................................................................................................................ 2 Acknowledgments...................................................................................................................................................... 2 Drilling Procedures and Test-Well Construction ................................................................................................................... 2 Geology.................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Geophysical Logging Methods .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Caliper, Acoustic, and Electric Logs .......................................................................................................................... 6 Caliper ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 Acoustic ......................................................................................................................................................... 12 Resistivity ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 Conductance ................................................................................................................................................... 13 Spontaneous Potential..................................................................................................................................... 14 Nuclear Logs .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Epithermal Neutron ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Density ............................................................................................................................................................ 14 Spectral Gamma Ray ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Gamma Ray .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Borehole Flow Survey ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Temperature Prior to Tracer Survey ............................................................................................................... 15 Tracer Survey.................................................................................................................................................. 16 Temperature During Mphg........................................................................................................................ 16 Discussion .................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Injection Tests ........................................................................................................................................................................ 17 Analytical Methods .................................................................................................................................................... 17 Test Conditions ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 Test Results ................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Interval A ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 Interval B ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Interval C ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Interval D ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Interval E ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Interval F ......................................................................................................................................................... 20 Interval G ........................................................................................................................................................ 22 Discussion .................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Aquifer Test ........................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Analytical Methods .................................................................................................................................................... 22 Unconfined Radial Flow ................................................................................................................................. 23 Confined Radial Flow ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Specific Capacity ............................................................................................................................................ 25 Test Conditions............................................................................................................................................... 25 Analysis of Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 Unconfined Conditions ................................................................................................................................... 26 Confined Conditions ......................................................................................................................................