Appraisal of the water resources of Death Valley, California-Nevada

Abstract

Water supplies in Death Valley National Monument and vicinity are limited to groundwater sources, almost without exception. Most streams in the desert area flow only ephemerally, typically during flash floods. Ground water supports perennial flow over a few short reaches of some streams. There are several hundred freshwater springs and seeps in the monument, but only a small percentage of these, including most of the large springs, are in areas of present or projected intensive use by man. Most springs are in mountainous areas; most visitor use of the monument is on the floor of Death Valley. Ground water underlies the entire area, but its availability and suitability for use are greatly restricted by the chemical quality and to a lesser extent by the permeability of water-bearing materials. The hydrologic system in Death Valley is probably in a steady-state condition that is, recharge and discharge are equal, and net changes in the quantity of ground water in storage are not occurring. Recharge to ground water in the valley is derived from interbasin underflow and from local precipitation. The two sources may be of the same magnitude. Ground water beneath the valley moves toward the lowest area, a 200-square-mile saltpan, much of which is underlain by rock salt and other saline minerals, probably to depths of hundreds of feet or even more than 1,000 feet. Some water discharges from the saltpan by evapotranspiration. Water beneath the valley floor, excluding the saltpan, typically contains between 3,000 and 5,000 milligrams per liter of dissolved solids. Water from most springs and seeps in the mountains contains a few hundred to several hundred milligrams per liter of dissolved solids. Water from large springs that probably discharge from interbasin flow systems typically contains between 500 and 1,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids.

Reconnaissance Estimates of Recharge Based on an Elevation-dependent Chloride Mass-balance Approach

“…This method has been applied to more than 200 basins in Nevada and in other western states. Controversy over the limitations and accuracy of this method has existed for some time (Watson et al, 1976;Miller, 1977). However, more recent studies by Dettinger (1989) and Avon and Durbin (1992) have indicated that the Maxey and Eakin approach yields recharge estimates that are generally in good agreement with independent estimates.…”

Potential hazards from floodflows in Grapevine Canyon, Death Valley National Monument, California and Nevada

“…The Grapevine Mountains are underlain by intensely folded and faulted sedimentary rocks of Paleozoic age. In the central to northern part of the range, the sedimentary rocks are capped by volcanic basalts of Tertiary age (Miller, 1977).…”

Hydrology of modern and late holocene lakes, Death Valley, California

“…Throughout the study area, Precambrian igneous and metamorphic intrusive (basement) rocks form the cores of mountain ranges. These rocks are overlain by thick sections of Paleozoic sedimentary strata, Mesozoic and Cenozoic intrusive, extrusive, and clastic rock formations, and extensive accumulations of alluvial, colluvial, and eolian sediments (Miller, 1977;Bedinger and others, 1989). The ranges and intervening valleys in the study area are part of the complex horst-and-graben structural framework of the Basin and Range.…”