WRIR 01-4195:
Ground-Water Discharge Determined from Estimates of Evapotranspiration,
Death Valley Regional Flow System, Nevada and California

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CONTENTS

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and Scope

Acknowledgments

Stewardship

General Description and Setting

Physiography and Geology

Climate

Drainage

Hydrogeology

Estimation of Evapotranspiration and Ground-Water Discharge

Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiration Units

Evapotranspiration Rate and Volume Estimates

Ground-Water Discharge

Limitations of Methodology

Summary

References Cited

Appendix: Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis of Annual Estimates of Ground-Water Discharge for Death Valley Regional Flow System

 

FIGURES

Figure 1. Major areas of natural ground-water discharge in Death Valley regional flow system

Figure 2. Major areas of Federally administered land in Death Valley regional flow system

Figure 3. Hydrographic areas of Death Valley regional flow system

Figure 4. Spectral response of land covers having different vegetation, soil, and moisture conditions

Figure 5. Pseudo-color infrared false color composite of Death Valley regional flow system

Figure 6. Spectral clusters used to classify evapotranspiration units in discharge areas of Death Valley regional flow system

Figure 7. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Ash Meadows, Nevada and California

Figure 8. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Chicago Valley, California

Figure 9. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Franklin Lake, California

Figure 10. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Franklin Well area, California

Figure 11. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Oasis Valley, Nevada

Figure 12. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Sarcobatus Flat, Nevada

Figure 13. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Shoshone area, California

Figure 14. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Stewart Valley, California

Figure 15. Classification of evapotranspiration units in Tecopa/California Valley area, California

Figure 16. Modified soil-adjusted vegetation index of Death Valley regional flow system

Figure 17. Parameters having the greatest effect on simulated annual ground-water discharge measured by Rank Correlation

Figure 18A. Frequency chart generated from 1,000 realizations of simulated annual ground-water discharge from Ash Meadows
Figure 18B-I. Frequency charts generated from 1,000 realizations of simulated annual ground-water discharge from major discharge areas

 

TABLES

Table 1. Evapotranspiration units identified and classified in major discharge areas of Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 2. Acreage of evapotranspiration units by major discharge area in Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 3. Location and general description of sites equipped with micrometeorological instruments and used to determine evapotranspiration in Ash Meadows and Oasis Valley, Nevada

Table 4. Estimated evapotranspiration rates for evapotranspiration units classified in major discharge areas of Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 5. Mean annual evapotranspiration  from major areas of ground-water discharge in Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 6. Mean modified soil-adjusted vegetation index value by evapotranspiration unit for major discharge areas in Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 7. Annual precipitation estimated from bulk precipitation measurements taken at evapotranspiration (ET) sites in Ash Meadows, Oasis Valley, and Death Valley areas, Nevada and California

Table 8. Annual precipitation measurements from National Weather Service climate stations near the major discharge areas of Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 9. National Weather Service climate stations near major discharge areas of Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 10. Mean annual ground-water discharge from major areas of ground-water discharge in Death Valley regional flow system, Nevada and California

Table 11. Values of coefficient of variability used in Monte Carlo analysis to simulate ground-water discharge: (A) evapotranspiration rate; and (B) precipitation rate

Table 12. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Ash Meadows

Table 13. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Chicago Valley

Table 14. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Franklin Lake

Table 15. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Franklin Well area

Table 16. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Oasis Valley

Table 17. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Sarcobatus Flat

Table 18. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Shoshone area

Table 19. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Stewart Valley

Table 20. Simulated mean annual evapotranspiration and ground-water discharge from Tecopa/California Valley area

Table 21. Summary statistics data and simulated means of 1,000 realizations by discharge area for the Monte Carlo analysis used to simulate annual ground-water discharge

Table 22. Differences in the standard deviation of ground-water discharge estimates resulting from correlating similar evapotranspiration units in Ash Meadows

CONVERSION FACTORS AND VERTICAL DATUM

Temperature: Degrees Celsius (°C) can be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) by using the formula °F = [1.8(°C)] + 32. Degrees Fahrenheit can be converted to degrees Celsius by using the formula °C = 0.556(°F - 32).

Sea level: In this report, "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929, formerly called "Sea-Level Datum of 1929"), which is derived from a general adjustment of the first-order leveling networks of the United States and Canada.

ACRONYMS

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