Water resources of Great Basin National Park in relation to climate, geology, and vegetation

David E. Prudic, Donald S. Sweetkind, Tracie R. Jackson, K. Elaine Dotson, Russell W. Plume,

Christine E. Hatch, and Keith J. Halford

In Cooperation with: National Park Service

Bureau of Land Management U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Forest Service

INTRODUCTION Detailed studies of the water resources in and near Great Basin National Park began in 2002. Studies culminated with printing of USGS Professional Paper 1819 Water resources in the park are a function of topography, climate, geology, and vegetation. .

Mean Annual Precipitation Mean annual precipitation is dependent on topography. Land surface ranges from about 5,000 feet amsl in the valleys to 13,000 feet at the crest. The southern Snake Range is asymmetric with steeper slopes on the west side of the crest than on the east side.

Mean annual precipitation on east side is 223,000 acre-feet , whereas on west side, it is 113,000 acre-feet.

Higher elevations dominated by winter precipitation

More annual precipitation produces more streamflow

Geology Rocks in GBNP range in age from Precambrian to Recent. North end of GBNP is dominated by quartzite and granite. Granite intruded during the age of dinosaurs. South end largely limestone.

Geology Geology is complex. Southern Snake Range detachment fault is a prominent structural feature along with numerous other faults. Type of rock and location of faults affect type of water resources.

Hydrogeologic zones Five hydrogeologic zones identified—mountain upland, karst limestone, upper piedmont, lower piedmont, and valley floor. Baker, Lehman, Snake, and Strawberry Creek drainage basins account for much of the east-side streamflow into Snake Valley.

Connection of aquifers to springs and streams in the mountain-upland and karst-limestone

zones of Baker and Lehman Creek drainage basins

Diagram not to scale

Connection between Baker

Creek and Rowland Spring

Chemical dyes placed in Baker Creek, Pole Canyon, and Wheelers Deep Cave in fall of 2011 were detected at Model Cave and at Rowland Spring

South end Groundwater is at shallow depth beneath Baking Powder Flat and along Big Spring Creek/Lake Creek in southern Snake Valley. Depth to water more than 100 feet below land surface elsewhere.

Most of the water that exits the southern end of GBNP is groundwater

Water Yield in GBNP

Yield= 0.03*P>12-16+0.07*P>16-24+0.22*P>24-28+0.79*P>28

Water yield (streamflow plus groundwater flow)

Yield= 0.10*P>12-28+0.83*P>28

Equation 1

Equation 2

Estimated water yield from east side is about 37,000 acre-feet per year (17%) and west side is about 16,000 acre-feet per year (14%).

Relation among precipitation, water yield, and climate types, Great Basin National Park

Mean annual water yield and ET for selected precipitation zones and equation with 4 zones

Conclusions 1. Primary source of water in Snake Valley is stream-

flow generated in the mountain-upland zone or groundwater in karst-limestone zone.

2. Most water yield is generated above tree line where precipitation is highest and temperatures are cold.

3. Groundwater flow increases in the karst-limestone zone where rocks are permeable.

4. Most of the larger springs are at the end of the karst-limestone zone where limestone is offset by faults or covered by younger deposits.