DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 320 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES or SULPHUR SPRING VALLEY. ARIZONA BY O. E. MEINZER AND F. C. KELTON WITH A SECTION ON AGRICULTURE BY R. H. FORBES Prepared in cooperation with the Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1913 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction, by O. E. Meinzer.............................................. 9 Geographic sketch...................................................... 9 Historical sketch...................................................... 11 Industrial development..................................... 1........... 15 Relation of the Indians to water supplies................................ 16 Relation of industrial development to water supplies..................... 18 Purpose and scope of the investigation................................... 19 Physiography and drainage, by 0. E. Meinzer..............................;. 20 General features........................................................ 20 Mountains............................................................. 21 Stream-built slopes..................................................... 23 Origin............................................................. 23 Shape and size..................................................... 24 Stream-built divides............................................... 25 Relation of axial watercourses to size of slopes........................ 26 Relation of alkali flat to size of slopes................................. 26 Erosion at north end of valley...................................... 27 Erosion in the south basin.......................................... 28 Erosion of upper parts of slopes...................................... 29 Erosion of middle and lower parts of slopes.......................... 30 Levees............................................................ 31 Buttes................................................................. 31 Distribution....................................................... 31 Origin............................................................. 32 Topographic development........................................... 32 Alkali flats............................................................ 33 Lake features........................................................... 34 Size and position of ancient lake.................................... 34 Ancient beaches.................................................... 34 Ancient lake bed................................................... 37 Features produced by wind............................................ 38 Sand and clay hills.................................................. 38 Relation of the sand and clay hills to direction of storm winds........ 39 Relation of the sand and clay hills to the alkali flat and ancient lake. 41 Features produced by springs............................................ 42 Geology, by 0. E. Meinzer.................................................. 44 Previous work and literature........................................... 44 Pre-Quaternary geology.................................................. 45 Formations........................................................ 45 Pre-Cambriaii schist........................................... 45 Paleozoic quartzites and limestones.............................. 45 Cretaceous sedimentary rocks................................... 46 Igneous rocks.................................................. 47 Structure......................................................... 48 3 4 - CONTENTS. Geology, by O. E. Meinzer Continued. Page. Pre-Quaternary geology Continued. Geologic history................................................... 49 Major divisions................................................. 49 Pre-Paleozoic sedimentation, deformation, volcanism, and meta-% morphism.................................................. 49 Pre-Paleozoic erosion.......................................... 50 Paleozoic sedimentation....................................... 50 Post-Carboniferous deformation, volcanism, and erosion.............. 51 Cretaceous sedimentation........................................... 51 Post-Cretaceous deformation, volcanism, and erosion.................. 52 Quaternary geology.................................................... 52 Formations....................................................... 52 Principal classes............................................... 52 Stream deposits............................................... 52 Distribution and thickness................................. 52 Character................................................. 53 Correlation................................................ 56 Buried lake (?) beds............................................ 57 Beds in the north basin.................................... 57 Beds in the San Simon Valley............................. 59 Beds in the San Bernardino Valley......................... 60 Beds in the San Pedro Valley.............................. 60 Beds in the Ray quadrangle................................. 62 Correlation................................................ 62 Younger lake deposits........................................... 62 Stratified lake beds......................................... 62 Beach materials............................................ 03 Lagoon deposits........................................... 63 Wind deposits................................................. 64 Deposits made by ground water.................................. 65 Caliche.................................................... 65 Alkali.................................................... 66 Sulphides................................................. 66 Knoll spring deposits...................................... 68 Lava beds............................................... 68 Gypsum deposits.......................................... 70 Geologic history. ..................................................... 71 Early history of the rock trough...................................... 71 Epochs of stream work............................................. 72 Lake epochs.......................................:................. 74 Epochs of volcanic activity....................................... 77 Recent changes.................................................. 78 Rainfall, by 0. E. Meinzer................................................ 78 Records.............................................................. 78 Geographic distribution................................................ 83 Seasonal distribution................................................. 85 Fluctuations from year to year......................................... 87 Comparison of 1910 with previous years................................... 89 Occurrence and level of ground water, by 0. E. Meinzer. ................... 91 Methods of investigations. ............................................ 91 Main body of ground water in the valley................................ 92 Function of the rock trough.......................................... 92 Conditions governing slope of water table........................... 92 CONTENTS. 5 Occurrence and level of ground water, by 0. E. Meinzer Continued. Page. Main body of ground water in the valley Continued. Relation of water table to surface.................................. 94 Relation of water table to source of supply.......................... 96 Effect of the buttes on the water table............................. 99 Relation of water table to disposal of ground water................... 99 Variations in the water level........................................ 101 Water above the main body........................................... 102 General relations................................................. 102 North end of valley................................................ 105 Slope adjacent to Chiricahua Mountains............................ 107 Slope adjacent to Swisshelm Mountains............................ 109 Slope adjacent to Perilla Mountains................................. 110 Slope adjacent to Dragoon Mountains.............................. 110 Slope adjacent to Mule Mountains................................. Ill Water in minor rock basins.............................................. Ill Character of basins................................................ Ill Pinaleno Mountains. ............................................. Ill Dos Cabezas Mountains. .......................................... 112 Chiricahua Mountains............................................. 112 Swisshelm Mountains............................................. 113 Perilla Mountains................................................ 113 Galiuro and Winchester mountains................................. 114 Little Dragoon Mountains......................................... 114 Dragoon Mountains............................................... 114 Mule Mountains.................................................. 115 Water prospects................................................... 115 Water in creviced rocks................................................ 115 Tabulated data....................................................... 116 Artesian conditions, by O. E. Meinzer...................................... 122 The north basin ...................................................... 122 Flowing wells..................................................... 122 Nonflowing deep wells...........................................