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Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5175

Analysis of Ground-Water Levels and Associated Trends in Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada, 1951-2003

By Joseph M. Fenelon

Report availability: Portable Document Format (PDF).

CONTENTS

Abstract
Introduction
Purpose and Scope
Acknowledgments
Hydrogeology
Water-Level Measurements
Description of Water-Level Database
  • Site, Well-Construction, and Lithology Information
  • Water-Level Data
Borehole Deviation
Land-Surface Altitude
Water Temperature
Causes of Water-Level Fluctuations
Barometric Pressure and Earth Tides
Precipitation
Ground-Water Withdrawals
Underground Nuclear Tests and Earthquakes
Analysis of Water Levels
Naturally Occurring Trends
Anthropogenic Trends
Vertical Water-Level Differences
Summary
References Cited
Appendix 1. Water-level database for Yucca Flat, 1951-2003
Appendix 2. Characteristics of underground nuclear detonations in Yucca Flat and vicinity, Nevada Test Site, 1951-1992

FIGURES

  1. Map showing regional features and ground-water flow in the area near Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site
  2. Map showing location of boreholes with water-level measurements and boreholes having ground-water withdrawals in Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, 1951-2003
  3. Map showing distribution of hydrogeologic units and major faults at the water table in Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site
  4. Graphs showing daily mean water levels from wells in Yucca Flat with continuous water levels measured by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. Diagram showing relations among Microsoft® Access files in the Yucca Flat water-level database
  6. Diagram example of water-level output from Microsoft® Excel workbook
  7. Hydrograph of well TW-7 showing (1) example of general and detailed condition attributes that were assigned to water levels, and (2) relation between water levels and nearby underground nuclear tests
  8. Graphs showing short-term response of water levels in well U-3cn 5 to barometric pressure and Earth tides, October 1995
  9. Graphs showing annual precipitation and cumulative departure from mean precipitation at index sites in the Spring Mountains, Rainier Mesa, and Pahranagat Valley, 1964-2003
  10. Graphs showing ground-water withdrawals by well in Yucca Flat, 1950-2003
  11. Graphs showing total annual withdrawals and withdrawals by aquifer type in Yucca Flat, 1950-2003
  12. Map showing distribution of underground nuclear tests in the Yucca Flat area, Nevada Test Site
  13. Graphs showing relation among water levels with naturally occurring trends from selected wells in carbonate-rock aquifers, Yucca Flat area, 1994-2003
  14. Graphs showing relation among water levels with naturally occurring trends from selected wells in volcanic tuffs, Yucca Flat area, 1994-2003
  15. Graphs showing relation among water levels with naturally occurring trends from selected wells in the Eleana confining unit, Yucca Flat area, 1994-2003
  16. Graphs showing relation between trends in precipitation and steady-state water levels from selected wells in the Yucca Flat area, 1980-2003
  17. Graphs showing relation between ground-water withdrawals and water levels from selected wells affected by withdrawals in Yucca Flat, 1952-2003
  18. Graphs showing relation among trends in water levels from selected wells likely affected by underground nuclear tests, Yucca Flat
  19. Map showing vertical water-level differences, direction of vertical ground-water gradients, and location of underground nuclear tests in the Yucca Flat area, Nevada Test Site

TABLES

  1. Characteristics of wells with at least one water-level measurement through 2003 in the Yucca Flat area, Nevada Test Site
  2. Summary of water-level measurements from wells in the Yucca Flat area, Nevada Test Site
  3. Description of general- and detailed-condition attributes assigned to water levels in Yucca Flat
  4. Water-level corrections for borehole deviations in selected boreholes in Yucca Flat
  5. Survey estimates of land-surface and measuring-point altitudes for water-level monitoring wells in Yucca Flat
  6. Approximate effects of temperature on hydraulic-head estimates for selected wells in the Yucca Flat area
  7. Information for precipitation sites used to create precipitation indices for Yucca Flat
  8. Analysis of water-level trends, using the Mann-Kendall test, for selected wells in the Yucca Flat area
  9. Open-interval and water-level data for selected wells used to analyze vertical water-level differences in the Yucca Flat area
  10. Description of Microsoft® Access database for Yucca Flat water-level measurements

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