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Water budget of the upper Chehalis River Basin, southwestern Washington

Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5084
Prepared in cooperation with the City of Centrailia
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185084

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Abstract

Groundwater and surface water collectively supply the domestic, agricultural, and industrial needs of the 895-square mile upper Chehalis River Basin upstream of Grand Mound, Washington, while providing streamflow for fish and other aquatic species in the Chehalis River and its tributaries. To support sustainable water management decision-making, a water budget (including precipitation, interception, groundwater recharge, surface runoff, and groundwater pumping) was developed for the upper Chehalis River Basin during October 2001–September 2015. Water-budget components were estimated from the U.S. Geological Survey Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) model except for groundwater pumping, which was estimated from public water purveyor records, annual system data from the Washington State Department of Health, census population data, and water-use estimates. Groundwater recharge estimated from the SWB model was compared to base flow, a proxy for groundwater recharge, independently estimated from separation of the hydrograph recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage at the outlet of the basin. Mean annual precipitation for the basin was estimated at 72.6 inches, of which 35 percent was lost to evapotranspiration, 30 percent was recharged to groundwater, 30 percent was surface runoff, and 5 percent was lost to interception. SWB model estimates of groundwater recharge were 17 percent less than estimates of base flow from hydrograph separation. Groundwater pumpage in the basin was estimated at 1 percent of groundwater recharge estimated by SWB and 0.8 percent of base flow estimated by hydrograph separation. These estimates form a baseline for understanding future changes to components of water use and may be used to inform numerical groundwater models to support sustainable management of water resources in the upper Chehalis River Basin.

Suggested Citation

Gendaszek, A.S., and Welch, W.B., 2018, Water budget of the upper Chehalis River Basin, southwestern Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5084, 17 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185084.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Purpose and Scope
  • Description of Study Area
  • Water Budget
  • Methods
  • Water Budget Results
  • Discussion
  • Summary
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Water budget of the upper Chehalis River Basin, southwestern Washington
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2018-5084
DOI 10.3133/sir20185084
Year Published 2018
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Washington Water Science Center
Description v, 17 p.
Country United States
State Washington
Other Geospatial Chehalis River Basin
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details