USGS WRIR 96-4109 Table 3

Table 3. General characteristics of ground-water subbasins of Nevada Test Site and vicinity

[NTS, Nevada Test Site]

Ground-water subbasin Surface area (square miles) Relation to NTS underground test areas Principal water-bearing rocks Inflow¹ Outflow¹

Oasis Valley
[OV] 550 Includes westernmost part of Pahute Mesa test area in northwestern NTS Welded tuffs and lava flow; valley-fill alluvium locally important at Gold Flat and Oasis Valley Precipitation recharge near Black Mountain; subsurface inflow from Cactus Flat Springflow and evapotranspiration at Oasis Valley; subsurface outflow to AFFCR south of Beatty, Nev.

Alkali Flat-Furnace Creek Ranch
[AFFCR] 2,800 Includes most of Pahute Mesa and all Buckboard Mesa and Dome Mountain test areas in western NTS; Rainier Mesa and Shoshone Mountain test areas are along boundary between AFFCR and AM Welded tuffs and lava flows in test areas; limestone, dolomite, and valley-fill alluvium south of test areas and at discharge area Precipitation recharge at Belted Range, Kawich Range, Quinn Canyon Range, Pahute Mesa, and Rainier Mesa and possibly at Timber Mountain and Fortymile Wash; subsurface inflow from Cactus Flat and from across discharge areas of OV and AM Springflow at Death Valley and evapotranspiration from Alkali Flat and Death Valley

Ash Meadows
[AM] 4,000 Includes all Yucca Flat and Frenchman Flat test areas in central, eastern, and southern NTS; Rainier Mesa and Shoshone Mountain test areas are along boundary between AM and AFFCR Welded and nonwelded tuffs, limestone, dolomites and valley-fill alluvium in test areas; limestone, dolomite and valley-fill alluvium south and west of test areas and at discharge areas Precipitation recharge at Belted Range, Reveille Range, Rainier Mesa, Timpahute Range, Pahranagat Range, Sheep Range, Spring Mountains, and possibly at Desert Range; subsurface inflow from Railroad Valley and Pahranagat Valley Springflow and evapotranspiration at Ash Meadows springline; subsurface outflow beneath Ash Meadows to AFFCR

¹ Based on information from Winograd and Thordarson (1975), Waddell and others (1984), and Harrill and others (1988).

Ground-water subbasin	Surface area (square miles)	Relation to NTS underground test areas	Principal water-bearing rocks	Inflow¹	Outflow¹
Oasis Valley [OV]	550	Includes westernmost part of Pahute Mesa test area in northwestern NTS	Welded tuffs and lava flow; valley-fill alluvium locally important at Gold Flat and Oasis Valley	Precipitation recharge near Black Mountain; subsurface inflow from Cactus Flat	Springflow and evapotranspiration at Oasis Valley; subsurface outflow to AFFCR south of Beatty, Nev.
Alkali Flat-Furnace Creek Ranch [AFFCR]	2,800	Includes most of Pahute Mesa and all Buckboard Mesa and Dome Mountain test areas in western NTS; Rainier Mesa and Shoshone Mountain test areas are along boundary between AFFCR and AM	Welded tuffs and lava flows in test areas; limestone, dolomite, and valley-fill alluvium south of test areas and at discharge area	Precipitation recharge at Belted Range, Kawich Range, Quinn Canyon Range, Pahute Mesa, and Rainier Mesa and possibly at Timber Mountain and Fortymile Wash; subsurface inflow from Cactus Flat and from across discharge areas of OV and AM	Springflow at Death Valley and evapotranspiration from Alkali Flat and Death Valley
Ash Meadows [AM]	4,000	Includes all Yucca Flat and Frenchman Flat test areas in central, eastern, and southern NTS; Rainier Mesa and Shoshone Mountain test areas are along boundary between AM and AFFCR	Welded and nonwelded tuffs, limestone, dolomites and valley-fill alluvium in test areas; limestone, dolomite and valley-fill alluvium south and west of test areas and at discharge areas	Precipitation recharge at Belted Range, Reveille Range, Rainier Mesa, Timpahute Range, Pahranagat Range, Sheep Range, Spring Mountains, and possibly at Desert Range; subsurface inflow from Railroad Valley and Pahranagat Valley	Springflow and evapotranspiration at Ash Meadows springline; subsurface outflow beneath Ash Meadows to AFFCR

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