Evaluating connection of aquifers to springs and streams, Great Basin National Park and vicinity, Nevada

Abstract

For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS.For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/.Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Prudic, D.E, Sweetkind, D.S., Jackson, T.R., Dotson, K.E., Plume, R.W., Hatch, C.E., and Halford, K.J. 2015, Evaluating connection of aquifers to springs and streams, Great Basin National Park and vicinity, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1819, 188 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/pp1819. ISSN 2330-7102 (online) iii AcknowledgmentsThe study was developed cooperatively among the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the University of Nevada, Reno. The National Park Service, as the lead agency, prepared and submitted a proposal for funding through the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act Round 8-Conservation Initiatives category for White Pine County.Many people assisted with the design, oversight, management, data collection, and data verification for this project. First and foremost, we wish to acknowledge the numerous contributions of William P. (Bill) Van Liew, Hydrologist from the National Park Service, Water Resources Division, for his ongoing efforts to understand the hydraulic connection of groundwater in the Great Basin National Park with the groundwater in Snake and Spring Valleys and how pumping in the valleys might affect surface and groundwater resources in the park. Bill also was assigned the task of oversight and project management. Robert Boyd, of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and James Prieur, of Southern Nevada Water Authority, spent many hours in the design of the project and in coordination with ongoing data collection by other agencies. Gary Karst, Hydrologist at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, spent many hours in the removal of fiber-optic cable from Lehman Creek and assisting in the oversight of the drilling of test wells at two places: one next to Snake Creek and the other next to Baker Creek.Andrew Ferguson, former Great Basin National Park Superintendent, oversaw support of the project. This included providing personnel for helping with the permits, providing logistical support for the semi-annual public meetings, obtaining previously collected data, and assisting with data collection. Acknowledgements are extended to park personnel Gretchen Baker (Ecologist) and Benjamin Roberts (Chief of Natural Resources) for their guidance and help in obtaining permits, providing d...

A Conceptual Framework for Integration Development of GSFLOW Model: Concerns and Issues Identified and Addressed for Model Development Efficiency

“…According to Prudic et al (2015), in the study area where the geology is dominated by quartzite and glacial deposits (Fig.2), 10 most of precipitation forms into surface runoff, with minor groundwater flow occurring. Groundwater flow receives a recharge from macrofractures as well as coarse sediment in the glacial deposits and alluvium with small storativities.…”

“…In the area between the intrusion and the downstream watershed boundary, the losing-stream recharges the groundwater through both glacial and alluvial deposits as well as the underlying karst limestone. Also, the groundwater interacts with the neighboring Baker Creek 15 watershed at southeastern boundary (Prudic et al, 2015). To couple the MODFLOW with surface hydrologic PRMS model in a simple and straightforward approach, the identical modeling area and grid mash as used in the PRMS model were applied in the MODFLOW model to ensure the data communication between two sub-systems on both region level and grid level.…”

“…Herein, the spring discharges and the groundwater outflows 20 were considered on the basis of water balance estimation, as the boundary conditions. As the Table 1 shows, the water balance estimation includes vertical infiltration as inflow (1010 m 3 /d), derived from the PRMS model; the system outflows of baseflow (450 m 3 /d; (Prudic et al, 2011(Prudic et al, , 2015), spring discharge (245 m 3 /d; (Halladay and Peacock, 1972;Prudic and Glancy, 2009)), and groundwater outflows at an estimation of 315 m 3 /d. Fig.…”

“…(a) The surface geology map in the Lehman Creek watershed, Great Basin National Park, Nevada and (b) an interpretive geologic cross-section with location indications for Cave Springs and Lehman Caves (adapted from(Prudic et al, 2015)). …”

A Conceptualized Groundwater Flow Model Development for Integration with Surface Hydrology Model

“…In Lehman Creek watershed, while groundwater flow takes only around 2%-10% of the water flow in the study area (estimated from Prudic et al 2015), the spring water, coming from the groundwater flow system, is important water source supplying daily usage in Lehman Cave Visiting Center. Additionally, despite the fact of hydraulic interconnection between surface water and groundwater, a separate consideration of surface hydrologic processes and groundwater flow system may lead to mistaken model simulation (Ghasemizade and Schirmer 2013).…”