UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Survey of helium in natural water wells and springs in

southwest Montana and Imperial Valley, California

Part VI - Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, ,1983

by

W. P. Doering and Irving Friedman

Open-File Report 84-422

1984

This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S,

Geological Survey editorial standards. Any use of trade names is for

descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the USGS.

Survey of helium in natural water wells and springs in southwest Montana

and Imperial Valley, California

Part VI - January 1 - December 31, 1983

This report is of a continuing project begun in 1977 to evaluate a method

to predict earthquakes. It involves a comparison of significant changes in

helium found in natural water wells and springs with recorded earthquakes in

the immediate vicinity of the wells or springs. A positive correlation was

reported in the research done by Bulasevich and Bashorin (1974). Work in

previous years on this project is reported by Doering and others (Doering and

Friedman, 1980a, 1980b, 1982, 1983, and Doering and others, 1981).

We received water samples from eight wells and four springs situated

northwest of Yellowstone National Park and from four wells in the Imperial

Valley of southern California. These sixteen stations located in the Hebgen

Lake area of Montana and southern terminus of the San Andreas fault zone of

California were chosen because the water contains measurable amounts of helium

and they are in active seismic regions. We received samples from all but

three of these stations during all of the year 1983. Table 1 gives a short

description of these stations and Figures 1 and 2 shows their approximate

location on maps.

The sample collectors withdraw about 9 milliliters of well or spring

water into a plastic syringe and then injected it into a partially evacuated

collection tube. A sample is usually taken once a day. When five tubes are

thus filled they are mailed to the Geological Survey laboratory at the Denver

Federal Center. The gas in the ullage space above the water in the sample

tube is extracted and analyzed for helium on a mass spectrometer. The method

is described in Doering and others, 1981.

The analytical precision is ±5%. An additional ±15% estimated error is

due to station variations such as water temperature, amount of water

collected, the rate at which water is collected and daily time of sample

collection. At the well stations the helium concentrations may be affected by

the quantity of water being pumped just before the sample was taken. The

daily record of the amount of helium present at each station is shown on

Figures 3 through 19. Four scales are used on the graphs because there are

large helium concentration differences between stations. There are a total of

8,340 individual analysis reported. Numerical (Julian) dates are given on

these graphs but they may be converted to normally used calendar dates by use

of Figure 20.

The National Earthquake Information Service located at Golden, Colorado

reported six earthquakes having a magnitude greater than 3.5 that occurred in

the areas shown in figures 1 and 2 during 1983. Table 2 lists the date,

epicenter location and magnitude of the two earthquakes that occurred in the

Imperial Valley and four earthquakes close to the Montana sampling network.

These quakes are indicated by tick marks and labeled "EQ" on the dates of

occurrence on the graphs of Figures 3 through 19.

Table 3 presents a summary of the helium data as related to changes in

helium and earthquakes. These changes are listed by station number and Julian

date. A + indicates there was a significant increase and a - indicates a

significant decrease in helium beginning with the date shown and continuing

for over 5 days. A significant change is defined as a helium variation

exceeding 20% of the average amount present that continues for at least 5

days. The dates of earthquakes are shown in column three. Column four shows

the relationship of helium changes to earthquakes. A + indicates there was a

change in helium preceeding or about the same time as the occurrence of an

earthquake. A - indicates there was a change in helium but no earthquake the

preceeding 30 days. At station 316 there was a sudden decrease in helium on

day 146 (May 26) and a gradual increase beginning about day 314 (Nov. 10).

This has occurred every year since 1980 when collecting was begun. These

changes coincide with irrigation in the nearby fields.

Table 1. Localities of helium-sampling stations

Station ^Station Address CommentsNo. Name

300 Miller

301 Beer

305 Veronda

307

308

Hunter's

Lapp

310 Chico

Dick MillerRiver Route, Box 490Gardiner, MT 69030

Paul HantelmenU.S.G.S.Box 1049West Yellowstone, MT59758

Guida Veronda Star Route 1 Box 78 Ennis, MT 59729

Harold JohnsonBox 132Springdale, MT 59082

Alien L. LappBox 503West Yellowstone, MT59758

Mrs. Rosemary BernethyBox 3Pray, MT 59065

58.5 m (192 ft) deep well; pump at 50.3 (165 ft); pumped continuously at 7.6 1pm (2 gpm); water temp. 67°C, (153°F). This well is about 300 m (984 ft) from a small warm spring, and 1000 m (3281 ft) from La Duke Hot Springs, a large hot spring. The water is high in fluorine and iron.

61 m (200 ft) deep well; water source for service facility at Yellowstone National Park.

Domestic well, over 61.0 m (200 ft) deep.

Hunter's Hot Springs.

Town well, 67.7 m (222 ft) deep; cased to 45.7 m (150 ft).

Hot Spring.

313 Orr

314 Bozeman

Wesley OrrEnnis National FishHatchery,Ennis, MT 59729

E. M. Drake133 Lower Rainbow Rd,Box 21Bozeman, MT 59715

Flowing spring; 1515 1pm(400 gpm); water temp, is 12°C(54°F).

Well that taps Bozeman Hot Spring, 167.6 m (550 ft) deep, having a flow of 2841 1 pm (750 gpm); water temp, is 53.9°C (129°F).

Table 1.--Localities of helium-sampling stations (Cont'd)

Station No.

^Station Name

Address Comments

316 Blakeley Shirley BlakeleyRoute 38 Box 2249 Livingston, MT 59047

317 MacMillan Richard MacMillanP. 0. Box 761 Ennis, MT 59729

318 Thexton AT ex YennyP. 0. Box 748 Ennis, MT 59729

321 Murphy Jim MurphyOx Yoke Ranch Emigrant, MT 59027

343 Blevins Roy Blevins5605 Butters Road Brawley, CA 92227

344 Bowles Mrs. Charles BowlesBox 74 Calipatria, CA 92233

348 White Mrs. Dorothy WhiteP. 0. Box 184 Ocotillo, CA 92259

349 Rodia Jim RodiaP. 0. Box 86 Ocotillo, CA 92259

119 m (390 ft) fully cased well

Domestic well, 42.7 m (140 ft) deep; 113.8 1pm (30 gpm) flow; water contains H?S; temp, is 53.3°C (128°F7.

Thexton Hot Springs, water temp, is 84°C (183°F).

79.2 m (260 ft) deep well; perforated from 45.7-68.6 m (150-225 ft).

Old well of unknown depth, dug 50 years ago; temp, about 60°C (140°F).

356 m (1167 ft) deep artesian well; cased to 305 m (1000 ft); 663 1pm (185 gpm); temp, is 41.1°C (106°F).

88.4 m (290 ft) deep well.

183 m (600 ft) deep well; temp, is 33°C (92°F).

Table 2.--Earthquakes In reporting areas in 1983

Julian date

12

37

47

194

225

^Calendar date

. Jan. 12

FebJ 6

Feb. 16

July 13

Aug. 13

Latitude Longitude Region Magnitude N. W. '

31.53 115.69 S.W. of EICentro, CA

44.56 110.64 N. of West Thumb, YNP, WY

45.94 111.51 Near Three Forks, MT

33.26 115.56 N. of Calipatria, CA

44.72 111.80 W. of West Yellowstone,

4.5

4.7

3.7

4.2

3.9MT

» -

226 Aug. 14 44.76. 111.80 W. of West Yellowstone, 4.1MT

Table 3. Dates of significant He changes and correlation with earthquakes

Station No.

300300300300

301301301301

305305305

307307307

308308308308308308308 308

313313313313313

314314314314314

Julian date of start of significant He change (+increase, -decrease)

59+

162+

30+34-40-

37+43-

203-

13+27-

52-118-128+224+ 251+

21-42-49-

181-

58+182+214+

Date(s) of earthquake(s)

3747

225,226

3747

225,226

373747

3747225,226

3747

225,226

3747

225,226

3747

225,226

Significant He change and earth­ quake correlation (+ earthquake, - no earthquake)

_---

_---

+++

+++

++----+

++-_-

_---+

Table 3.--Dates of significant He changes and correlation with earthquakes, (Cont'd)

StationNo.

316316316316316316316

318318318318318318318318318

321321321

344344344344344

348348348348348348348

349349349349349

Julian date of start ofsignificant He change(+increase, -decrease)

45+96+

134-146-

314+

21-31-94+

106-122+138-210-221-291+

218-

116-164+

205+

26+107-177+190-227-241+

355 (1982)-360 (1982)+211+271-282+

Date(s) ofearthquake(s)

3747

225,226

3747 ~

225,226225,226

3747225,226

12

194

12

194

12194

Significant Hechange and earth­quake correlation(+ earthquake,- no earthquake)

_+_-

--

++----++-

__+

_-__-

_--++--

++-__

REFERENCES

Bulashevich, Yu. P., and Bashorin, V. N., 1974, Combined use of helium

surveying and seismic methods in the study of fault tectonics:

Geologiya; geofisika, v. 15, p. 101-104.

Doering, W. P. and Friedman, I., 1980a, Survey of helium in natural water

wells and springs in southwest Montana and vicinity: U.S. Geological

Survey Open-File Report 80-181, 42 p.

Doering, W. P. and Friedman, I., 1980b, Survey of helium in natural water

wells and springs in southwest Montana and vicinity, Part II-July 1-Dec.

31, 1979: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-1257, 18 p.

Doering, W. P., Friedman, I, and Veronda, G., 1981, Survey of helium in

natural water wells and springs in southwest Montana and vicinity and

Imperial Valley, California, Part Ill-Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1980: U.S.

Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-893, 58 p.

Doering, W. P. and Friedman, I., 1982, Survey of helium in natural water wells

and springs in southwest Montana and vicinity and Imperial Valley,

California, Part IV-Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1981: U. S. Geological Survey Open-

File Report 81-486, 33 p.

Doering, W. P. and Friedman, I., 1983, Survey of helium in natural water wells

and springs in southwest Montana and Imperial Valley, California, Part V-

Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1982: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-500,

32 p.

U. S. Geological Survey, 1982, Preliminary determination of epicenters, No. 2-

83 Feb. 2, 1983, No. 6-83 Mar. 2, 1983, No. 7-83 Mar. 10, 1983,

No. 28-83 Aug. 3, 1983, No. 33-83 Sept. 9, 1983: U. S. Geological Survey

National Earthquake Information Service.

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Figure 2.--Helium sampling" stations (shown by number) in Imperial Valley, CA. Scale 1:250,000 (1 inch

. _ to 3.95 miles).

11

47

74 ..

110 ..

292t

329 1

HELIUM IN PPM/ML

roS S

U) S S S

H I

147

CD CO U)

183

219 1225 J EQ226 ~^~ EQ

256

01

CO ctQ ctH-

03

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365

Figure 3.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Gardiner, Montana12

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

U) U\ 13

CD CD (D

110

147

183

256 .

292 .

329 .

365 I

DO

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00

Figure 4.--Helium concentrations in water samples, West Yellowstone, Montana13

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

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110

147

CD 00 O)

183

219225226 =

256 .

292.

329 .

365 1

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Figure 5.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Ennis, Montana14

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GO (3 01

HELIUM IN PPM/ML

74 ..

110 ..

147

CD 00 (JO

183 ..

219 i 225. 226 ~T- E(

256 ..

(D UI ODr\) 0)

n: c

01

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292

329 ..

365 i

Figure 6.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Springdale, Montana

15

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

01 0) GO (0

rQ~D

Tl

CO ci- Q

0300 SI 00

365 1

Figure 7. Helium concentrations in water samples, West Yellowstone, Montana

16

HELIUM IN PPM/ML

a:47-

74 1

1101

147 1

(D 00 GO

1831

219 225 _ 226 T"EQ

256 1

EQ'

292 1

329 i

U)

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0) (0 CDIV) IV) U)

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365 i

Figure 8, -Helium concentrations in water samples, Pray, Montana

17

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

<31 =r

I-1 <3 S

1

l\) S S

,

U) »s c s c 1 h^ Ula Q a Q 1

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| I

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329 1

365 1

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1

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03

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Figure 9.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Enms, Montana

18

HELIUM IN PPM/ML

G)0)

74 ..

110..

147i

CD 00 (JO

183 ..

219 .. 225 226-

256 A.

E) El

., |

CD0NCD3Q3

CO ci- Q ci-H-

03

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292

329 t

365 1.

Figure 10. Helium concentrations in water samples, Bozeman, Montana

19

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

CO CJ1 CD0)

329 .

365 1

Figure 11.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Livingston, Montana

20

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03

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110..

147 ..

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183 ..

219 -L 225 226 :

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3294t

365 1

Figure 12. Helium concentrations in water samples, Ennis, Montana

21

HELIUM IN PPM/ML

CD 00 O)

U) 0

225226

292 ..

329 ..

365

HT(DX<+03

01 ftQ ctH-

03

U)F *

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Figure 13.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Ennis, Montana

22

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

J\> U) en ta ta

0)ta

vjta ta

GO ta ta

(0ta ta

ta Q ta

74 .:

110.:

147

183

292 .

329 .

365 1

Figure 14. Helium concentrations in water samples, Emigrant, Montana

23

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1

TJ T

X

(tQ

03

O)

HELIUM IN PPB/MLro CO

0) CD (o i\) cn

1 , | , |

CD ^ -^ ->1 1

| | | | |

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74 ..

110 .-

147 4-

EQ

219 t

256

DO i 1(D <H-

3 (0

C/) ct Q ctH-

03

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329

365 -L.

Figure 15.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Brawley, CA

24

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

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COB a

r\) eni

CDro

37

74

110

147

CD 183

219

256 .

292 .

329 .

365 1

EQ

EQ

CO

DO0

(D (0

CO ct Q ci-H-

03

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Figure 16.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Calipatria, CA.

25

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

(D B B

B B

OI B B

CD B B

t\) »-» B B

B B

74..

110..

147..

(D 00O)

183.

194

219.

256.

292.

329 .

365 1

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Figure 17.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Ocotillo, CA,

26

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0) B

i

TH-

ct (D

CO ct Q ctH-

03

0) 4^ 00

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

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CD Q S

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r\>El S

(Jl tS

ro ti)CD

ta

37 ..

74 ..

110 ..

147 .

CD ODro

183 ..

219 ..

256 ..

292 ..

329 ..

365 lr igure 18---Hel ium concentrations in water samples, Ocotillo, CA.

0 Q_H-

Q

CO

Q <tH-

03

CJL)

CD

27

HELIUM IN PPB/ML

0) CD

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37 ..

74 ..

110..

147 t<° 183oo 183 "CO 19^, EQ

219

256

292 i

329i

365 _L

Figure 19.--Helium concentrations in water samples, Ocotillo, CA,

28

0Q_H-

Q

01 ct Q ctH-

03

O) 4^ CD

JULIAN DATE CALENDAR(PERPETUAL)

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Jan

001

002

003

004

005

006

007

008

009

010

Oil

012

013

014

015

016

017

018

019

020

021

022

023

024

025

026

027

028

029

030

031

Feb

032

033

034

035

036

037

038

039

040

041042'

043

044

045

046

047

048

049

050

051

052

053

054

055

056

057

058

059

Mar

060

061

062

063

064

065

066

067

068

069

070

071

072

073

074

075

076

077

078

079

080

081

082

083

084

085

086

087

088

089

090

Apr

091

092

093

094

095

096

097

098

099

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

May

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

June

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

80

181

July

182

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

Aug

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

111

223

224

225

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

233

234

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

Sep

244

245

246

247

248

249

250

251

' 252

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

260

261

262

263

264

265

266

267

268

269

270

271

272

273

Oct

274

275

276

277

278

279

280

281

282

283

284

285

286

287

288

289

290

291

292

293

294

295

296

297

298

299

300

301

302

303

304

Nov

305

306

307

308

309

310

311

312

313

314

315

316

317

318

319

320

321

322

323

324

325

326

327

328

329

330

331

332

333

334

Dec

335

336

337

338

339

340

341

342

343

344

345

346

347

348

349

350

351

352

353

354

355

356

357

358

359

360

361

362

363

364

365

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Figure 20.--Chart showing correlation of Julian and Gregorian calendar.

29