Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5007

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5007
Version 1.2, April 2009

Estimates of Ground-Water Recharge to the Yakima River Basin Aquifer System, Washington, for Predevelopment and Current Land-Use and Land-Cover Conditions

Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, Yakama Nation, and Washington State Department of Ecology

By J.J. Vaccaro and T.D. Olsen

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Revision history

Table of Contents

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations and Acronyms

Description of Study Area

Methods Used to Estimate Ground-Water Recharge

Estimates of Ground-Water Recharge

Factors Controlling Recharge

Potential Sources of Error in Recharge Estimates

Summary and Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References Cited

Figures

Figure 1. The Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 2. Land use and land cover, Yakima River Basin, Washington, 1999.

Figure 3. Selected tributaries, diversion canals, return flows, and stream-gaging stations, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 4. Simplified surficial geology of the Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 5. Location of weather-data sites and distribution of mean annual precipitation, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 6. Surface-water irrigation districts, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 7. Areas modeled to estimate recharge for predevelopment conditions, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 8. Areas modeled to estimate recharge for current conditions, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 9. Spatial distribution of mean annual recharge for predevelopment conditions, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 10. Spatial distribution of mean annual recharge for current conditions, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 11. Spatial distribution of mean annual recharge for predevelopment conditions in the Ahtanum area, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 12. Spatial distribution of mean annual recharge for current conditions in the Ahtanum area, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Figure 13. Calculated annual values of selected water-budget components for the lower Naches area.

Figure 14. Relation between mean annual recharge and the mean annual total water input (precipitation or precipitation plus irrigation) for the modeled areas for predevelopment and current conditions.

Figure 15. Relation between mean annual recharge and the ratio of the total quantity of water that can be stored in the root zone to the total water input for the areas modeled using the Deep Percolation Model for predevelopment and current conditions.

Figure 16. Annual precipitation and estimated predevelopment recharge for the Prosser area, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Tables

Table 1. Characteristics of the modeled areas, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

Table 2. Summary of estimates of mean annual recharge for the modeled areas, Yakima River Basin, Washington.

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Download the report (PDF, 3.75 MB)

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Send questions or comments about this report to the author, J.J. Vaccaro, (253) 552-1620.

For more information about USGS activities in Washington, visit the USGS Washington Water Science Center home page.

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