Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5050
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5050
Version 1.1, April 2010
Ground-Water Hydrology of the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California
Prepared in cooperation with the Oregon Water Resources Department
By Marshall W. Gannett, Kenneth E. Lite Jr., Jonathan L. La Marche, Bruce
J. Fisher, and Danial J. Polette
Table of Contents
Conversion Factors and Datums
Location System
Mapping Sources
Abstract
Introduction
Geologic Framework
Ground-Water Hydrology
Summary and Discussion
Acknowledgments
References Cited
Appendix A. Landsat Analysis Methods
Figures
Figure 1. The upper Klamath Basin,
Oregon and California, and major geographic features.
Figure 2. Distribution of precipitation
in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California, and mean monthly precipitation
at selected precipitation measurement stations.
Figure 3. Irrigated areas in the Bureau
of Reclamation Klamath Project, Oregon and California.
Figure 4. Hydrogeologic units of the
upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Figure 5. Cumulative distribution of
transmissivity values estimated from specific-capacity tests for wells producing
from Quaternary sediment, Tertiary sedimentary rock, and Tertiary volcanic rock
in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Figure 6. Schematic representation
of sources of ground-water recharge, flow paths, and mechanisms of ground-water
discharge in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Figure 7. Principal areas of ground-water
discharge to streams and major springs in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and
California, and selected stream-gaging stations.
Figure 8. Annual precipitation at Crater
Lake National Park, Oregon, and the cumulative departure from average precipitation
from 1932 to 2005.
Figure 9. September mean discharge
of the Sprague River near Chiloquin, Oregon (USGS gaging station number 11501000),
and the cumulative departure from average precipitation at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 10. Monthly mean discharge
and September mean discharge of the Williamson River below Sheep Creek near
Lenz, Oregon (USGS gaging station number 11491400), and the cumulative departure
from average precipitation at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 11. Relation between the September
mean discharge of the Williamson River below Sheep Creek near Lenz, Oregon (USGS
gaging station number 11491400), and the cumulative departure from average precipitation
at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 12. Discharge measurements
of Spring Creek, estimated ground-water discharge to the lower Williamson River
between Kirk and Chiloquin, and cumulative departure from average precipitation
at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 13. Monthly mean discharge
and January to March mean discharge of Annie Spring near Crater Lake, Oregon
(USGS gaging station number 11503000), and the cumulative departure from average
precipitation at Crater Lake.
Figure 14. Discharge of the Wood River
as measured or estimated at various sites, and the cumulative departure from
average precipitation at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 15. Discharge of Bonanza Springs
and cumulative departure from average precipitation at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 16. August mean gains in flow
(a proxy for ground-water discharge) between Keno (USGS gaging station number
11509500) and the John C. Boyle power plant (11510700), estimates of inflow
by PacifiCorp, and the cumulative departure from average precipitation at Crater
Lake, Oregon.
Figure 17. September to November mean
gains in flow (a proxy for ground-water discharge) between the John C. Boyle
power plant (USGS station number 11510700) and Iron Gate Dam (11516530), and
the cumulative departure from average precipitation at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 18. Areas irrigated with ground
water in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California, during the 2000 water year, and areas
with primary ground-water irrigation rights in Oregon.
Figure 19. Growth in total acreage
with ground-water irrigation rights (primary and supplemental) in the upper
Klamath Basin in Oregon through 2005.
Figure 20. Distribution of ground-water
pumping for the Bureau of Reclamation pilot water bank during water years 2003
and 2004, upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Figure 21. Generalized water-level
contours and approximate directions of regional ground-water flow in the upper
Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Figure 22. Selected observation wells
in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Figure 23. Water-level fluctuations
in well 30S/07E-06AAA near Bear Creek northeast of Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 24. Water-level fluctuations
in well 36S/14E-25BCB near Bly and the cumulative departure from average precipitation
at Crater Lake, Oregon.
Figure 25. Water-level fluctuations
in well 35S/12E-26DCD north of Beatty, Oregon.
Figure 26. Water-level fluctuations
in well 40S/12E-32CDB northwest of Malin, Oregon.
Figure 27. Water-level fluctuations
in well 40S/09E-28ADB on the southwest side of the Klamath Hills, Oregon, and
monthly discharge in the nearby North Canal.
Figure 28. Water-level fluctuations
in shallow and deep water-bearing zones in double-completion well 39S/12E-35ABB
near Lorella, Oregon.
Figure 29. Water-level fluctuations
in shallow and deep water-bearing zones in double-completion well 39S/12E-35ABB
near Lorella, Oregon, with time scale expanded to show effects of nearby ground-water
pumping.
Figure 30. Water-level fluctuations
in well 35S/06E-10ACC near Pelican Butte and stage in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon.
Figure 31. Water-level fluctuations
in well 38S/09E-17CBC in the north part of Klamath Falls and stage in Upper
Klamath Lake, Oregon.
Figure 32. Water-level fluctuations
in wells 36S/14E-25BCB near Bly, 39S/11E-20AAD near Bonanza, and 41S/14E-08CCA
in the southern Langell Valley, Oregon.
Figure 33. Water-level fluctuations
in wells 36S/10E-14ACC and 36S/11E-20DCA in the Sprague River Valley, Oregon.
Figure 34. Water-level fluctuations
in well 46N/01E-06N01 in Butte Valley, California.
Figure 35. Water-level fluctuations
in wells 40S/11E-11BAD in the southern Poe Valley and well 40S/12E-30DCB north
of Malin, Oregon.
Figure 36. Water-level fluctuations
in wells 39S/11E-26ABD and 39S/12E-35ADD in the western Langell Valley, Oregon.
Figure 37. Water-level fluctuations
in well 41S/09E-12AAB at the southern end of the Klamath Hills, Oregon.
Figure 38. Water-level decline between
spring and fall 2004 in the Klamath Valley and Tule Lake areas, upper Klamath
Basin, Oregon and California.
Figure 39. Water-level fluctuations
in well 48N/04E-35L02 near the town of Tulelake, California.
Figure 40. Water-level decline between
spring 2001 and spring 2004 in the Klamath Valley and Tule Lake areas, Oregon
and California.
Tables
Table 1. Generalized hydrogeologic units
in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Table 2. Summary of selected aquifer
tests, upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Table 3. Estimates of major hydrologic
budget elements of the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Table 4. Estimated ground-water pumping
for irrigation in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California, during water
year 2000.
Table 5. Ground-water pumping for the
Bureau of Reclamation pilot water bank and ground-water acquisition program,
upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
Table 6. Estimated ground-water discharge
to principal stream reaches in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California.
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Send questions or comments about this report to the author,
M.W. Gannett, (503) 251-3233.
For more information about USGS activities in Oregon, visit the USGS
Oregon Water Science Center home page.
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Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological
Survey