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Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4178

Trend Analysis of Ground-Water Levels and Spring Discharge in the Yucca Mountain Region, Nevada and California, 1960-2000

By Joseph M. Fenelon and Michael T. Moreo

Report availability: Portable Document Format (PDF).

CONTENTS

Abstract
Introduction
Purpose and Scope
Acknowledgments
Description of Study Area and General Hydrogeology
Ash Meadows Ground-Water Subbasin
Alkali Flat-Furnace Creek Ranch Ground-Water Subbasin
Data Collection
Monitoring Sites
Periodic Water-Level Data
Continual Water-Level Data
Ground-Water Discharge Data
Precipitation Data
Ground-Water Withdrawal Data
Sources of Fluctuations in Water Levels and Spring Discharge
Barometric Pressure and Earth Tides
Precipitation
Evapotranspiration
Ground-Water Withdrawal
Seismic Activity
Analysis of Trends in Ground-Water Levels and Spring Discharge
Ash Meadows Ground-Water Subbasin
  • Mercury Valley
  • Devils Hole and Eastern Amargosa Desert
    • Climate Change
    • Ground-Water Withdrawals
    • Seismic Events
Alkali Flat-Furnace Creek Ranch Ground-Water Subbasin
  • Jackass Flats
  • Amargosa Desert
  • Death Valley
Summary
References Cited
Appendix A: Basic Data Plots
Appendix B: Supplemental Notes for Selected Sites

FIGURES

  1. Map of Yucca Mountain region, southern Nevada and eastern California, showing (A) regional area and location of primary and miscellaneous monitoring sites and (B) study area and location of primary monitoring sites
  2. Map showing major factors controlling ground-water flow in the Yucca Mountain region, southern Nevada and eastern California
  3. Hydrogeologic section from Death Valley to Mercury Valley showing major controls on flow system
  4. Map showing precipitation sites used to create precipitation indices in the Yucca Mountain region, southern Nevada and eastern California

5-8. Graphs showing:

    1. Response of water levels at sites AD-6 (Tracer Well 3) and JF-3 to barometric pressure and earth tides, June 1994
    2. Annual precipitation and cumulative departure from mean annual precipitation at index sites in the Spring Mountains, Pahranagat Valley area, and Pahute Mesa area, 1964-2000
    3. Cumulative departures from mean annual precipitation for index sites in the Spring Mountains, Pahranagat Valley area, Pahute Mesa area, and south-central Nevada, 1964-2000, and for south-central Nevada, 1900-2000
    4. Effects of evapotranspiration on seasonal fluctuations in water levels in selected wells in the Yucca Mountain region and precipitation at Amargosa Farms, 1992-2000

9-10. Graphs showing estimates of annual ground-water withdrawals in:

    1. Jackass Flats, Mercury Valley, Crater Flat, and Amargosa Desert, 1966-2000
    2. Selected major pumping centers for the Yucca Mountain regional area, 1960-2000
  1. Map showing reported regional ground-water withdrawals, totaled by square-mile section for 1987-98, in the Yucca Mountain region, southern Nevada and eastern California
  2. Graphs showing water-level altitudes and discharge, 1992-2000, for wells and springs in the Yucca Mountain region that may have been affected by major earthquakes:
      1. Site AD-4a (Amargosa Desert 4a)
      2. Site AM-4 (Devils Hole)
      3. Site AM-5 (Devils Hole Well)
      4. Site AM-2 (Five Springs Well)
      5. Site AD-10 (NA-9 Well)
      6. Site AD-6 (Tracer Well 3)
      7. Site AM-6 (Point of Rocks North Well)
      8. Site AM-7 (Point of Rocks South Well)
      9. Site JF-2a (UE-25 p #1)
      10. Site DV-2 (Navel Spring)
      11. Nevares Springs
      12. Site RV-1 (TW-5)
      13. Site CF-1 (GEXA Well 4)
      14. Site DV-3 (Travertine Point 1 Well)

13-16. Graphs showing:

    1. Smooths of water levels in wells with statistically significant upward trends from 1992 to 2000:
      1. Site CF-1 (GEXA Well 4)
      2. Site CF-2 (USW VH-1)
      3. Site JF-1 (UE-25 WT #15)
      4. Site JF-2 (UE-25 WT #13)
      5. Site JF-2a (UE-25 p #1)
      6. Site J-11 (J-11 WW)
      7. Site RV-1 (TW-5)
      8. Site MV-1 (Army 1 WW)
      9. Site AD-11 (GS-3 Well)
      10. Site AD-13 (S-1 Well)
      11. Site AD-14 (Death Valley Jct Well)
      12. Site AM-7 (Point of Rocks South Well)
    2. Smooths of water levels in wells and discharge from a spring with statistically significant downward trends from 1992 to 2000:
      1. Site CF-1a (GEXA Well 3)
      2. Site CF-3 (Crater Flat 3)
      3. Site AD-1 (NA-6 Well)
      4. Site AD-2 (Airport Well)
      5. Site AD-3a (Amargosa Desert 3a)
      6. Site AD-4a (Amargosa Desert 4a)
      7. Site AD-5 (USBLM Well)
      8. Site AD-6 (Tracer Well 3)
      9. Site AD-7 and AD-7a (Amargosa Desert 7 and 7a)
      10. Site AD-9 (Amargosa Desert 9)
      11. Site AD-10 (NA-9 Well)
      12. Site AD-12 (GS-1 Well)
      13. Site AM-6 (Point of Rocks North Well)
      14. Site DV-3 (Travertine Point 1 Well)
      15. Site DV-2 (Navel Spring)
    3. Smooths of water levels in wells (and in Devils Hole) with no statistically significant trends from 1992 to 2000:
      1. Site J-13 (J-13 WW)
      2. Site J-12 (J-12 WW)
      3. Site JF-3 (JF-3 Well)
      4. Site AD-2a (NDOT Well)
      5. Site AD-3 (Amargosa Desert 3)
      6. Site AD-8 (Amargosa Desert 8)
      7. Site AM-1 (Rogers Spring Well)
      8. Site AM-2 (Five Springs Well)
      9. Site AM-3 (Ash Meadows 3)
      10. Site AM-4 (Devils Hole)
      11. Site AM-5 (Devils Hole Well)
    4. Smooths of discharge from springs and one flowing well with no statistically significant trends from 1992 to 2000:
      1. Site AM-1a (Fairbanks Spring, USGS data)
      2. Site AM-1a (Fairbanks Spring, USFWS data)
      3. Site AM-2 (Five Springs Well)
      4. Site AM-5a (Crystal Pool, USGS data)
      5. Site AM-5a (Crystal Pool, USFWS data)
      6. Site AM-8 (Big Spring, USGS data)
      7. Site AM-8 (Big Spring, USFWS data)
      8. Site DV-1 (Texas Spring, USGS data)
      9. Site DV-1 (Texas Spring, NPS data)
  1. Map showing trends in water levels or spring discharge and total ground-water withdrawals from each square-mile section for the study area between 1992 and 2000

18-20. Graphs showing:

    1. Relation of seasonal fluctuations in continual water levels at two sites in the regional carbonate-rock aquifer (Devils Hole and site AD-6) and one site in a volcanic-rock aquifer (site JF-3), 1993-2000
    2. Relation of water levels in Army 3 and Army 1 WW to cumulative departure from mean precipitation in the Spring Mountains and annual ground-water withdrawals at Army 1 WW, 1960-2000
    3. Relation of annual average water levels from the carbonate-rock aquifer in the Ash Meadows ground-water subbasin, and cumulative departure from mean precipitation for the south-central Nevada precipitation index, 1960-2000:
      1. Well TW-3
      2. Well UE-7nS
      3. Well TW-D
      4. Well TW-F
      5. Site AD-6 (Tracer Well 3)
      6. Site AM-4 (Devils Hole)
  1. Hydrogeologic section along Fortymile Wash in Jackass Flats

22-26. Graphs showing:

    1. Relation among cumulative departure from mean annual precipitation on Pahute Mesa area, annual pumpage in Jackass Flats, and smoothed periodic or monthly mean water levels in six wells along Fortymile Wash, 1983-2000
    2. Relation among cumulative departure from mean annual precipitation on Pahute Mesa area, monthly pumpage in Jackass Flats, and hourly water levels in well JF-3 uncorrected and corrected for instantaneous effects of barometric pressure, 1992-2000
    3. Relation between smooth of daily mean water levels in well JF-3 corrected for instantaneous effects of barometric pressure, barometric pressure at well JF-3, and smooths of daily mean pumpage from wells J-12 and J-13, 2000
    4. Relation between water levels in selected wells and estimated annual ground-water withdrawals in the Amargosa Farms area, 1964-2000
    5. Relation among (A) water levels at site AD-10 (NA-9 Well) and NA-9 Shallow Well; (B) water levels at site DV-3 (Travertine Point 1 Well); and (C) discharges at site DV-2 (Navel Spring) and Travertine Springs, 1992-2000

27-30. Graphs showing water levels from 1960 to 2000 for selected sites at which primary contributing units are:

    1. Carbonate rock:
      1. Site JF-2a (UE-25 p #1)
      2. Site MV-1 (Army 1 WW)
      3. Site AD-6 (Tracer Well 3)
      4. Site AM-2 (Five Springs Well)
      5. Site AM-4 (Devils Hole)
      6. Site AM-7 (Point of Rocks South Well)
      7. Site DV-3 (Travertine Point 1 Well)
    2. Volcanic rock:
      1. Site CF-1 (GEXA Well 4)
      2. Site CF-2 (USW VH-1)
      3. Site JF-1 (UE-25 WT #15)
      4. Site JF-2 (UE-25 WT #13)
      5. Site J-13 (J-13 WW)
      6. Site J-11 (J-ll WW)
      7. Site J-12 (J-12 WW)
      8. Site JF-3 (JF-3 Well)
    3. Valley fill:
      1. Site CF-3 (Crater Flat 3)
      2. Site AD-1 (NA-6 Well BGMW-10)
      3. Site AD-2 (Airport Well)
      4. Site AD-2a (NDOT Well)
      5. Site AD-3 (Amargosa Desert 3)
      6. Site AD-3a (Amargosa Desert 3a)
      7. Site AD-4a (Amargosa Desert 4a)
      8. Site AD-5 (USBLM Well)
      9. Site AD-7 and AD-7a (Amargosa Desert 7 and 7a)
      10. Site AD-8 (Amargosa Desert 8)
      11. Site AD-9 (Amargosa Desert 9)
      12. Site AD-10 (NA-9 Well)
      13. Site AD-11 (GS-3 Well)
      14. Site AD-12 (GS-1 Well)
      15. Site AD-13 (S-1 Well)
      16. Site AD-14 (Death Valley Junction Well)
      17. Site AM-1 (Rogers Spring Well)
      18. Site AM-3 (Ash Meadows 3)
      19. Site AM-5 (Devils Hole Well)
      20. Site AM-6 (Point of Rocks North Well)
    4. Undifferentiated sedimentary rock:
      1. Site CF-1a (GEXA Well 3)
      2. Site RV-1 (TW-5)
  1. Graph showing daily average water levels at site JF-3, May 1992 through December 2000, and at site AD-6, July 1992 through December 2000

32-34. Graphs showing discharge at:

    1. Sites AM-1a (Fairbanks Spring), AM-5a (Crystal Pool), and AM-8 (Big Spring), 1960-2000
    2. Sites AM-2 (Five Springs Well) and DV-2 (Navel Spring), 1990-2000
    3. Site DV-1 (Texas Spring), 1989-2000

TABLES

  1. Index to primary monitoring sites in Yucca Mountain region monitored between 1992 and 2000
  2. Well-completion data at monitoring sites in Yucca Mountain region
  3. Characteristics of miscellaneous monitoring sites with water-level or spring-discharge data
  4. Location and elevation information for precipitation sites used to create precipitation indices
  5. Hydrographic areas and data sources for available withdrawal data
  6. Analysis of water-level trends, using the Mann-Kendall test, for selected wells in the Yucca Mountain region
  7. Analysis of trends in discharge, using the Mann-Kendall test, for selected springs and one well in the Yucca Mountain region

Return to WRIR 02-4178.

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