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WRIR 99-4079: Estimates of Ground-Water Discharge as Determined from Measurements of Evapotranspiration, Ash Meadows Area, Nye County, Nevada

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Table 8. Summary of annual fluctuations in water levels measured in shallow water-table wells and at staff gage in Ash Meadows area, Nevada

[Sites grouped by ET unit (table 3). Well depth referenced to land-surface datum. Gage depth at Peterson Reservoir referenced to top of vertical outflow pipe. Negative depth implies water level above datum. Double dash indicates missing or non-applicable entry.]

Site name: Identifies well or staff gage. All CS wells measured by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Site location given in table 12.

Depth-to-water measurement: Minimum and maximum are first occurrence of measured value during year. (mn) is annual minimum for ET unit over duration of study. (mx) is annual maximum for ET unit over duration of study. Measurements affected by local precipitation, short-term flooding, or long-term rise in water level are given in table but are not used in determining the annual minimum or maximum.

Site name Well
depth
(feet)
Year1

Depth-to-water measurement

Comments

Annual minimum Annual maximum Annual
fluctuation
(feet)

Feet

Month and day

Feet

Month and day

Open Water Body (OWB)

Peterson Reservoir staff gage -- 19962
1997
-0.3
-0.2
03/04
03/29
2.3
2.3
09/08
09/05
2.6
2.5
Water-surface elevation moderated by discharge from outflow pipe and perennial inflow.

Dense Wetland Vegetation (DWV)

Fairbanks Swamp Well 8.25 21995
1996
1997
.3(mn)
.3(mx)
.3
05/09
03/29
03/15
2.4(mx)
1.6
0.7(mn)
09/17
07/25
08/21

2.1(mx)
1.3
0.4(mn)

Water level sustained in part by perennial flow in nearby springflow drainage.

Dense Meadow Vegetation (DMV)

Carson Meadows Well 10.9 1995
1996
1997

 

3-.6
2.0
3-.2
3.3
3.8
03/14
02/23
03/05
02/27
02/08
--
6.5
--
8.4
6.7
--
09/08
--
09/27
09/18
--
4.5
--
5.1
2.9
Decreased annual water-level fluctuation measured in 1997 may be result of brushfire in March 1997 that destroyed much vegetation in general area.
Cold Spring Well 17.35 1995
1996
1997
-.63
4.2
3.1
03/14
04/26
05/09
8.4
7.9
7.3
10/10
10/02
09/18
--
3.7
4.2
 
CS-03 8.4 1995
1996
1997
1.8
1.3(mn)
1.6
04/24
03/25
03/19
4.8 (mn)
5.7
6.2
08/14
09/20
08/18
3.0
4.4
4.6
 
CS-06 13.2 1995
1996
1997
3.7
2.2
2.7
05/22
04/18
04/18
10.3
9.1
9.1
09/21
09/20
09/21
6.6
6.9
6.4
 
CS-09 20.0 1995
1996
1997
11.0(mx)
6.3
3.5
05/22
04/18
04/18
16.84
14.8
13.7
12.3
01/24
09/21
09/20
09/21
--
3.8
7.4
8.8
Long-term rise in water level noted in record and may be related to eradication of saltcedar by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
CS-10 20.0 1995

1996
1997

--
10.0
10.0
6.7
--
05/25
04/18
04/18
418.0
15.5
16.3(mx)
14.2
01/24
10/16
09/20
09/21
--
5.5
6.3
7.5
 
CS-11 15.5 1995
1996
1997
32.0
4.6
2.5
03/17
04/18
04/18
13.7
14.0
11.5
11/20
09/20
09/21
--
9.4 (mx)
9.0
 
CS-12 11.3 1995
1996
1997
32.6
6.8
5.9
03/17
04/18
04/18
8.8
9.2
9.7
10/16
09/20
08/18
--
2.4 (mn)
3.8
 

Dense Grassland Vegetation (DGV)

American Resources Well 9.7 1995

1996
1997

30.0
.2
.8
3.2
04/17
02/02
03/27
04/04
--
8.4
8.7
7.9
--
10/10
10/02
09/18
--
8.2
7.9
4.7
 
CS-01 10.6 1995
1996
1997
5.5
5.0
5.0
04/24
03/25
03/19
9.2
8.8
9.3
09/21
08/19
08/18
3.7
3.8
4.3
 
CS-05 13.5 1995
1996
1997
7.1
6.9
7.0
04/24
04/18
03/19
11.4
11.1
10.7
09/21
09/20
09/21
4.3
4.2
3.7
 
CS-07 17.4 1995
1996
1997
9.7
5.4
4.0
03/17
03/25
02/18
16.4
15.6
13.1
10/16
09/20
08/18
6.7
10.2(mx)
9.1
Long-term rise in water level noted in record and may be related to eradication of saltcedar by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
CS-08 20.0 1995
1996
1997
11.3(mx)
7.8
6.4
03/17
04/18
03/19
16.8(mx)
16.0
13.3
10/16
09/20
09/21
5.5
8.2
6.9
Long-term rise in water level noted in record and may be related to eradication of saltcedar by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
F-Meadows Well 6.8 21997 .4 04/04 2.8(mn) 08/04 2.4(mn)  
Rogers Spring ET2 Well 5.8 1994
1995
1996
1997
.0(mn)
.0
.2
.3
12/25
01/26
02/05
01/09
4.7
4.0
4.5
3.7
09/02
09/08
09/12
08/04
4.7
4.0
4.3
3.4
 

Sparse Grassland Vegetation (SGV)

Ash Forest Well 8.5 1995
1996
1997
1.1
1.4
1.6
02/23
03/27
04/04
5.3
4.5
5.0
09/21
09/12
09/18
4.2
3.1
3.4
Annual fluctuation in water level may be moderated by local recharge from Crystal Reservoir
B-Spring South Well 14.1 1996
1997
1.9
1.9
03/27
04/04
7.3
7.1
09/12
09/18
5.4
5.2
Standing water noted at surface during period from February through March, but water level remained well below land surface.
Big Spring Well 9.25 1995
1996
1997
1.8
1.9
1.9
02/13
03-27
04/04
2.8
3.0
2.6(mn)
09/21
08/01
09/18
1.0
1.1
0.7(mn)
Annual fluctuation in water level moderated by drainage from Big Spring.
Carson Slough 3 Well 13.25 1994
1995
1996
1997
0.5
30.0
0.5
0.5
0.4
02/25
02/02
02/23
03/10
03/05
7.4
--
7.2
7.4
6.1
10/04
--
10/10
10/02
09/18
6.9
--
6.7
6.9
5.7
Minimum depth-to-water measurement may be affected by recharge from intermittent flow in Carson Slough.
Carson Slough South Well 12.35 1995
1996
1997
0.1
0.1
0.1
02/02
03/27
04/04
6.7
6.3
5.8
10/10
10/02
09/18
6.6
6.2
5.7
Water-level fluctuation moderated by intermittent flow in nearby drainage channel.
Carson Slough Terrace Well 12.7 1996
1997
1.1
1.1
03/10
03/05
7.9
6.7
10/02
09/18
6.8
5.6
Minimum depth-to-water measurement may be affected by recharge from intermittent flow in Carson Slough.
Carson West Well 17.8 1995
1996
1997
0.1(mn)
0.2
0.1
03/04
03/31
04/04
9.3
9.2
7.7
11/09
10/02
08/04
9.2(mx)
9.0
7.6
Minimum depth-to-water measurement may be affected by recharge of standing water noted at surface during period February through May.
CS-02 11.5 1995
1996
5.1
4.6
04/24
03/25
8.5
8.9
08/14
09/20
3.4
4.3
 
CS-04 11.0 1995
1996
1997
5.6
5.5
5.4
04/24
04/18
03/19
9.8
9.6
9.1
09/21
09/20
08/18
4.2
4.1
3.7
 
Peterson Reservoir Well 10.7 1995
1996
1997
3-0.2
0.5
0.7
0.9
02/02
03/30
03/10
04/04
--
3.7
4.4
4.1
--
09/21
09/12
09/18
--
3.2
3.7
3.2
Water-table fluctuation may be moderated by recharge from Peterson Reservoir.
Rogers Spring ET1 Well 6.25 1994 0.7 02/24 7.4 09/14 6.4 Well went dry in July. Well replaced with Rogers Spring ET1-D well on July 25, 1994.
Rogers Spring ET1-D Well 10.0 1995

1996
1997
3-0.2
0.7
0.5
0.6
03/11
01/22
04/01
04/04
--
7.0
7.0
5.7
--
09/19
09/21
08/04
--
6.3
6.5
5.1
 
Spring Meadows Rd Well 14.2 1995
1996
1997
3.8
3.6
3.9
04/17
03/28
04/04
7.6
7.4
6.9
09/21
10/08
08/22
3.8
3.8
3.0
 
SW Drainage North Well 14.5 1995
1996
1997
5.6
6.6
6.8(mx)
03/30
03/10
04/08
10.0
10.6(mx)
8.9
09/21
10/02
09/18
4.4
4.0
2.1
Decreased annual water-level fluctuation measured in 1997 may be result of brushfire in March 1997 that destroyed much of vegetation in general area.
SW Drainage South Well 9.75 1995
1996
1997
3.8
3.4
2.0
04/24
12-03
02/05
8.1
8.1
7.3
07/05
07-02
09/18
4.3
3.7
5.3
Water levels affected by controlled flow in local drainage channel and occasional surface flooding.

Moist Bare Soil (MBS)

B-Spring North Well 13.2 1996
1997
0.0
-0.1
04/21
04/16
6.0 (mx)
4.2
10/20
09/18
6.0(mx)
4.3
 
Lower Crystal Well 12.0 1995
1996
1997
-0.1(mn)
0.2(mx)
0.1
01/09
02/27
01/05
1.8
2.5
1.7(mn)
09/05
09/27
08/21
1.9
2.3
1.6(mn)
Water-table fluctuation may be moderated by recharge from nearby reservoirs.

Unclassified (UCL)

Amargosa Flat Playa Well 14.5 1995
1996
1997
3.9
4.2
4.1
03/14
03/27
04/04
5.6
5.7
5.1
09/20
09/19
09/18
1.7
1.5
1.0
 

1 Calendar year 1997 measurements ended September 1997.
2 Annual statistics based on a partial year of record but assumed to cover annual fluctuation.
3 Minimum depth-to-water measurement affected by local precipitation or flooding.
4 Water level rose during calendar year.