U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5237
Conceptual Model and Numerical Simulation of the Ground-Water-Flow System in the Unconsolidated Deposits of the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington
Prepared in cooperation with the Colville River Watershed Planning Team, for the 2000–2004 WRIA 59 Colville River Watershed Project
by D. Matthew Ely and Sue C. Kahle
Table of Contents
Conversion Factors and Datums
Abstract
Introduction
Conceptual Model of the Ground-Water System
Numerical Simulation of the Ground-Water-Flow System
Model Limitations
Model Applications
Summary
References Cited
Appendix A. Simplified Monthly Water Budget for the Colville River Watershed
References Cited
Figures
Figure 1. Location of Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 2. Lithologic and hydrologic characteristics of the hydrogeologic units in the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 3. Simplified conceptual model of hydrogeologic system of the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 4. Areal extent and direction of ground-water flow in the Upper outwash aquifer in the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 5. Areal extent, water-level altitudes, and direction of ground-water flow in the Lower aquifer in the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 6. Location and extent of the ground-water-flow model for the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 7. Areal extents of model layers 1-3, and 5-6 and locations of river, drain, and general head cells, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 8. Location of ground-water pumping rates of public-supply wells, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington, September 2001.
Figure 9. Locations and numbers of exempt wells (private) used to simulate ground-water pumping rates, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington, September 2001.
Figure 10. Mean annual precipitation for National Weather Service climate station 451395, Chewelah, Washington, and September mean streamflow for U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station 12409000, Colville River at Kettle Falls, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington, water years 1990-2001.
Figure 11. Distribution of initial simulated zones of recharge from precipitation, Colville River Watsrshed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 12. Locations of U.S. Geological Survey continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations, and other sites at which measurements of discharge were made during 2001-02 in the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington
Figure 13. Initial normalized composite scaled sensitivities of model parameters.
Figure 14. Final normalized composite scaled sensitivities of model parameters.
Figure 15. Simulated zones of horizontal hydraulic conductivity for model layer 1, Upper outwash aquifer, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 16. Distribution of final simulated zones of recharge from precipitation, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 17. Weighted residuals as a function of weighted simulated residuals in the ground-water-flow model of the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 18. Weighted observations as a function of weighted simulated values in the ground-water-flow model of the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 19. Final parameter values and 95-percent confidence intervals for the parameter values for the ground-water-flow model of the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 20. 95-percent confidence intervals as a percentage of the final parameter values for the ground-water-flow model of the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 21. Locations and simulated magnitudes of hydraulic-head residuals for model layers 1, 3, and 5, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 22. Simulated directions of vertical ground-water flow, Colville River, Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 23. Simulated and measured discharge of the Colville River, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 24. Statistical summary of mean daily discharges at the Colville River at Kettle Falls, Washington (station 12409000) during July – November for 1923-2001 and for 2001.
Figure 25. Spatial extent and magnitude of simulated drawdown in response to increased ground-water pumping, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 26. Spatial extent and magnitude of simulated drawdown in response to increased ground-water pumping from unit UA at the City of Chewelah North public-supply wells (unit UA), Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 27. Spatial extent and magnitude of simulated drawdown in the Upper outwash aquifer in response to a 20-percent increase in current ground-water pumping at the City of Colville public-supply wells, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 28. Spatial extent and magnitude of simulated drawdowns in the Lower aquifer in response to an additional 1.44 million gallons per day ground-water pumping near Colville and Chewelah, Stevens County, Washington.
Figure 29. Spatial extent and magnitude of simulated drawdown in the Lower aquifer in response to four separate ground-water pumping rates of 0.36 million gallons per day.
Figure 30. Simulated water-level change of current conditions from predevelopment conditions in the Upper outwash aquifer, Colville Valley confining unit, and the Lower aquifer, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Tables
Table 1. Summary of estimated horizontal hydraulic conductivities by hydrogeologic units in the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Table 2. Initial parameter values used in the model simulation, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Table 3. Pumping rates from public-supply wells used in model simulation, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Table 4. Miscellaneous discharge measurements made in the Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington, 2001 and 2002.
Table 5. Estimated values and the 95-percent linear confidence intervals for the estimated parameters of the final calibrated model, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Table 6. Simulated and measured discharge and residuals from the calibrated model, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Table 7. Location of simulated ground-water pumping rates and major sources of water for the ground-water pumping alternatives, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
Table 8. Locations of simulated ground-water pumping rates along the Colville River valley floor, and major sources of water for the ground-water pumping alternatives, Colville River Watershed, Stevens County, Washington.
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Send questions or comments about this report to the authors, D.M. Ely, (253) 428-3600 ext. 2622 and S.C. Kahle, (253) 428-3600 ext. 2616.
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