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Mapping Structural Control Through Analysis of Land-Surface Deformation for the Rialto-Colton Groundwater Subbasin, San Bernardino County, California, 1992–2010

Open-File Report 2022-1030
Water Availability and Use Science Program
Prepared in cooperation with the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
By:
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221030

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Abstract

The locations of many faults in and near the Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin are not precisely known because the spatial density of existing lithologic and hydrologic data used to infer the locations of faults can be sparse. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, analyzed structural control of groundwater flow in and near the Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) methods. Faults commonly are barriers to groundwater flow, and the high spatial resolution of InSAR imagery can be used to infer the locations of buried faults where groundwater pumping occurs. InSAR results have revealed three areas in and near the Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin where buried faults are interpreted as groundwater-flow barriers: the northwestern area about 3 miles northwest of the City of Rialto, the San Jacinto fault area west of the City of San Bernardino, and the southeastern area about 2 miles southeast of the City of Colton. The InSAR results were combined with knowledge gained from previous studies to better define the location and extent of faults acting as groundwater-flow barriers. New data about faults acting as groundwater-flow barriers can be incorporated into future conceptual and hydrologic models of the Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin and provide water managers information to help effectively manage groundwater resources.

Suggested Citation

Brandt, J.T., 2022, Mapping structural control through analysis of land-surface deformation for the Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin, San Bernardino County, California, 1992–2010: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2022–1030, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221030.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments 
  • Abstract 
  • Introduction 
  • Geohydrologic Setting 
  • Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar 
  • Mapping Structural Control of Groundwater Flow 
  • Identification of Lineaments in Interferograms 
  • Differentiating Pumping-Induced Deformation from Tectonic Deformation 
  • Correlation of Changes in Pumping, Groundwater Levels, and Deformation 
  • Summary 
  • References Cited 
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Mapping structural control through analysis of land-surface deformation for the Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin, San Bernardino County, California, 1992–2010
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2022-1030
DOI 10.3133/ofr20221030
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) California Water Science Center
Description Report: vi, 11 p.; Data Release
Country United States
State California
County San Bernardino County
Other Geospatial Rialto-Colton groundwater subbasin
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details