Water Resources of the Basin and Range Carbonate-Rock Aquifer System, White Pine County, Nevada, and Adjacent Areas in Nevada and Utah

Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5261

Table 2. Lithologic characteristics and occurrence of basin-fill deposits, Basin and Range carbonate-rock aquifer system study area, Nevada and Utah.

Hydrographic area name	Volcanic rocks	Sedimentary rocks and lake sediments
Butte Valley	Eocene lavas extensive at the south end of the valley (Feeley and Grunder, 1991), also along western basin margin, and in east-central part of basin (Gans and others, 1989). Surface and subsurface occurrences of these volcanic rocks are expressed as relatively high-amplitude magnetic anomalies.	Tertiary tuffaceous sedimentary rocks exposed in small areas at the southern and northern ends of the basin. A late Pleistocene lake existed in the central part of Butte Valley (Reheis, 1999).
Cave Valley	Oligocene volcanic extensively exposed in the Egan Range adjacent to the northern subbasin and at the southern end of the southern subbasin. However, none of the oil and gas wells in southern Cave Valley report encountering volcanic units below alluvium (Hess and others, 2004).	Subsurface data from oil and gas wells (Hess and others, 2004) include Miocene sediments and Eocene sediments, with no intervening volcanic rocks. Miocene sediments exposed on the east flank of the Egan Range are fluvial and tuffaceous, with a thickness of 2,000 ft (Kellogg, 1964). A Late Pleistocene lake existed in the southern part of the southern subbasin (Reheis, 1999).
Jakes Valley	Oligocene volcanic rocks extensive at the northeastern margin of the valley.	Pleistocene lake existed in the central part of the valley (Reheis, 1999).
Lake Valley	Tertiary volcanic rocks are extensively exposed in ranges flanking the valley and the northern margin of the Indian Peak caldera complex has been inferred to extend roughly west-southwest beneath Lake Valley (Best and others, 1989). Well data (Hess and others, 2004) and aeromagnetic data indicate that thick volcanic rocks are present at depth in the northern part of the valley but not in central Lake Valley.	Quaternary lacustrine deposits are exposed in the floor of the northern half of the valley. The northern part of Lake Valley contained a Pleistocene lake; none was present in the southern part (Patterson Valley) (Reheis, 1999). Late Miocene to Pliocene Panaca Formation is exposed in the southern half of the valley (Patterson Valley) (Phoenix, 1948); its presence in the northern half of the valley is unknown.
Little Smoky Valley (northern part)	Tertiary volcanic rocks are exposed locally along the eastern and southern margins of the valley; however, subsurface data from oil and gas exploration wells (Hess and others, 2004) indicate that there are no volcanic rocks within the basin fill.	Well data (Hess and others, 2004) indicate that the basin fill consists of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments. The northern half of the valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999); the entire valley is covered by Quaternary sediments.
Little Smoky Valley (central part)	Tertiary volcanic rocks are exposed locally along the eastern and southern margins of the valley; however, subsurface data from oil and gas exploration wells (Hess and others, 2004) indicate that there are no volcanic rocks within the basin fill.	Well data (Hess and others, 2004) indicate that the basin fill consists of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments. The northern half of the valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999); the entire valley is covered by Quaternary sediments.
Long Valley	Eocene-Oligocene volcanic rocks and small outcrops of tuffaceous Tertiary sedimentary rocks are exposed on the western side of the valley; but not on the eastern side. Data from oil and gas exploration wells (Hess and others, 2004) report depths to Oligocene volcanic rocks that range from 460 to 1,900 ft and have thicknesses of 194 to 2,434 ft, consistently thinning to the north from the center of the basin. The presence of these volcanic rocks is confirmed by aeromagnetic data.	Most of the valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999).
Newark Valley	Oligocene to early Miocene (36–20 Ma) volcanic rocks and minor Miocene sediments that are likely ash rich are present at the southern end of the valley; oil and gas wells (Hess and others, 2004) provide no data regarding the presence or absence of volcanic rocks at depth.	Newark Valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999) except in the southeastern arm of the valley to the east of the Pancake Range. Paleogene sediments are exposed at the northern end of the valley. Lithologic logs from oil and gas exploration wells in the valley (Hess and others, 2004) do not differentiate any of the Tertiary and Quaternary units, referring to the entire section as “valley fill.”
Snake Valley	Volcanic rocks are absent in subbasins 1–3 and flanking ranges. Three wells (Hess and others, 2004) in subbasin 4 all penetrated volcanic rocks at depth. Drill-hole data and seismic data do not support the postulated existence of a source caldera for the Cottonwood Wash Tuff (Best and others, 1989). Subbasin 5 is primarily filled with volcanic rocks of the Indian Peak caldera complex. Basin depths likely reflect a much thicker volcanic sequence in this area rather than a deeper post-volcanic basin.	West-dipping Miocene synorogenic sediments are exposed east of Sacramento Pass between the northern Snake and Kern Mountains; these sediments may be present at depth beneath Snake Valley. Lake Bonneville-related lacustrine sediments are present in the valley as far south as Baker. Three wells (Hess and others, 2004) in subbasin 4 penetrated Quaternary and Tertiary sediments, underlain in two wells by thick sections of anhydrite. Alam (1990) divided the Quaternary and Tertiary units into three groups in southern Snake Valley, the oldest related to Miocene detachment (and containing the anhydrite) and the younger two related to ongoing and subsequent high-angle normal faulting and graben formation.
Spring Valley	In northern Spring Valley, basin fill includes thick Oligocene volcanic rocks, locally derived from the vicinity of the northern Schell Creek Range (Gans and others, 1989). A source area for the Kalamazoo Tuff (Gans and others, 1989) is inferred in the northern part of Spring Valley. A small outcrop of middle Tertiary rhyolite is present in the central part of the valley.	Spring Valley is covered by Quaternary sediments; a late Pleistocene lake covered most of the valley (Reheis, 1999). A drill hole penetrated 3,600 ft of upper Cenozoic sediments, 1,230 ft of Oligocene volcanic rocks, and 870 ft of lower Tertiary (?) sediments (Hess and others, 2004).
Steptoe Valley	The basin fill in portion of Steptoe Valley north of Ely includes Oligocene volcanic rocks, locally derived from Kalamazoo Pass area (Gans and others, 1989).	Eocene and Oligocene volcanic and sedimentary rocks at depth in the valley dip much more steeply than the overlying Quaternary and Miocene-Pliocene sedimentary and volcanic rocks (Gans and Miller, 1983; Smith and others, 1991). Miocene sediments are exposed only at the northernmost end of the valley; they are fine-grained, ash-bearing lacustrine units with some siliciclastic interbeds. The valley did not contain a Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999).
Tippett Valley	Oligocene volcanic rocks as much as 0.6 mi-thick likely present throughout basin (Gans and others, 1989). Younger basin-fill likely to be ash-rich, similar to exposed rocks near Ibapah to the northeast.	Most of the valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999).
White River Valley	Oligocene volcanic rocks commonly intercepted by oil and gas wells (Hess and others, 2004). Seismic data indicate that volcanic rocks lie near floor of basin fill.	Cenozoic units reported from drilling include Quaternary alluvium, Miocene sediments, Oligocene volcanics, and Eocene sediments (Hess and others, 2004). Pre-Eocene units are present and variably thick in all wells; the Eocene Sheep Pass Formation commonly is present but not in all wells between the volcanic rocks and the Paleozoic bedrock. No late Cenozoic lake was present in the valley (Reheis, 1999).

Hydrographic area name

Volcanic rocks

Sedimentary rocks and lake sediments

Butte Valley

Eocene lavas extensive at the south end of the valley (Feeley and Grunder, 1991), also along western basin margin, and in east-central part of basin (Gans and others, 1989). Surface and subsurface occurrences of these volcanic rocks are expressed as relatively high-amplitude magnetic anomalies.

Tertiary tuffaceous sedimentary rocks exposed in small areas at the southern and northern ends of the basin. A late Pleistocene lake existed in the central part of Butte Valley (Reheis, 1999).

Cave Valley

Oligocene volcanic extensively exposed in the Egan Range adjacent to the northern subbasin and at the southern end of the southern subbasin. However, none of the oil and gas wells in southern Cave Valley report encountering volcanic units below alluvium (Hess and others, 2004).

Subsurface data from oil and gas wells (Hess and others, 2004) include Miocene sediments and Eocene sediments, with no intervening volcanic rocks. Miocene sediments exposed on the east flank of the Egan Range are fluvial and tuffaceous, with a thickness of 2,000 ft (Kellogg, 1964). A Late Pleistocene lake existed in the southern part of the southern subbasin (Reheis, 1999).

Jakes Valley

Oligocene volcanic rocks extensive at the northeastern margin of the valley.

Pleistocene lake existed in the central part of the valley (Reheis, 1999).

Lake Valley

Tertiary volcanic rocks are extensively exposed in ranges flanking the valley and the northern margin of the Indian Peak caldera complex has been inferred to extend roughly west-southwest beneath Lake Valley (Best and others, 1989). Well data (Hess and others, 2004) and aeromagnetic data indicate that thick volcanic rocks are present at depth in the northern part of the valley but not in central Lake Valley.

Quaternary lacustrine deposits are exposed in the floor of the northern half of the valley. The northern part of Lake Valley contained a Pleistocene lake; none was present in the southern part (Patterson Valley) (Reheis, 1999). Late Miocene to Pliocene Panaca Formation is exposed in the southern half of the valley (Patterson Valley) (Phoenix, 1948); its presence in the northern half of the valley is unknown.

Little Smoky Valley (northern part)

Tertiary volcanic rocks are exposed locally along the eastern and southern margins of the valley; however, subsurface data from oil and gas exploration wells (Hess and others, 2004) indicate that there are no volcanic rocks within the basin fill.

Well data (Hess and others, 2004) indicate that the basin fill consists of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments. The northern half of the valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999); the entire valley is covered by Quaternary sediments.

Little Smoky Valley (central part)

Long Valley

Eocene-Oligocene volcanic rocks and small outcrops of tuffaceous Tertiary sedimentary rocks are exposed on the western side of the valley; but not on the eastern side. Data from oil and gas exploration wells (Hess and others, 2004) report depths to Oligocene volcanic rocks that range from 460 to 1,900 ft and have thicknesses of 194 to 2,434 ft, consistently thinning to the north from the center of the basin. The presence of these volcanic rocks is confirmed by aeromagnetic data.

Most of the valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999).

Newark Valley

Oligocene to early Miocene (36–20 Ma) volcanic rocks and minor Miocene sediments that are likely ash rich are present at the southern end of the valley; oil and gas wells (Hess and others, 2004) provide no data regarding the presence or absence of volcanic rocks at depth.

Newark Valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999) except in the southeastern arm of the valley to the east of the Pancake Range. Paleogene sediments are exposed at the northern end of the valley. Lithologic logs from oil and gas exploration wells in the valley (Hess and others, 2004) do not differentiate any of the Tertiary and Quaternary units, referring to the entire section as “valley fill.”

Snake Valley

Volcanic rocks are absent in subbasins 1–3 and flanking ranges. Three wells (Hess and others, 2004) in subbasin 4 all penetrated volcanic rocks at depth. Drill-hole data and seismic data do not support the postulated existence of a source caldera for the Cottonwood Wash Tuff (Best and others, 1989). Subbasin 5 is primarily filled with volcanic rocks of the Indian Peak caldera complex. Basin depths likely reflect a much thicker volcanic sequence in this area rather than a deeper post-volcanic basin.

West-dipping Miocene synorogenic sediments are exposed east of Sacramento Pass between the northern Snake and Kern Mountains; these sediments may be present at depth beneath Snake Valley. Lake Bonneville-related lacustrine sediments are present in the valley as far south as Baker. Three wells (Hess and others, 2004) in subbasin 4 penetrated Quaternary and Tertiary sediments, underlain in two wells by thick sections of anhydrite. Alam (1990) divided the Quaternary and Tertiary units into three groups in southern Snake Valley, the oldest related to Miocene detachment (and containing the anhydrite) and the younger two related to ongoing and subsequent high-angle normal faulting and graben formation.

Spring Valley

In northern Spring Valley, basin fill includes thick Oligocene volcanic rocks, locally derived from the vicinity of the northern Schell Creek Range (Gans and others, 1989). A source area for the Kalamazoo Tuff (Gans and others, 1989) is inferred in the northern part of Spring Valley. A small outcrop of middle Tertiary rhyolite is present in the central part of the valley.

Spring Valley is covered by Quaternary sediments; a late Pleistocene lake covered most of the valley (Reheis, 1999). A drill hole penetrated 3,600 ft of upper Cenozoic sediments, 1,230 ft of Oligocene volcanic rocks, and 870 ft of lower Tertiary (?) sediments (Hess and others, 2004).

Steptoe Valley

The basin fill in portion of Steptoe Valley north of Ely includes Oligocene volcanic rocks, locally derived from Kalamazoo Pass area (Gans and others, 1989).

Eocene and Oligocene volcanic and sedimentary rocks at depth in the valley dip much more steeply than the overlying Quaternary and Miocene-Pliocene sedimentary and volcanic rocks (Gans and Miller, 1983; Smith and others, 1991). Miocene sediments are exposed only at the northernmost end of the valley; they are fine-grained, ash-bearing lacustrine units with some siliciclastic interbeds. The valley did not contain a Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999).

Tippett Valley

Oligocene volcanic rocks as much as 0.6 mi-thick likely present throughout basin (Gans and others, 1989). Younger basin-fill likely to be ash-rich, similar to exposed rocks near Ibapah to the northeast.

Most of the valley contained Pleistocene lakes (Reheis, 1999).

White River Valley

Oligocene volcanic rocks commonly intercepted by oil and gas wells (Hess and others, 2004). Seismic data indicate that volcanic rocks lie near floor of basin fill.

Cenozoic units reported from drilling include Quaternary alluvium, Miocene sediments, Oligocene volcanics, and Eocene sediments (Hess and others, 2004). Pre-Eocene units are present and variably thick in all wells; the Eocene Sheep Pass Formation commonly is present but not in all wells between the volcanic rocks and the Paleozoic bedrock. No late Cenozoic lake was present in the valley (Reheis, 1999).

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