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Snake Valley Ground-Water Monitoring-Well Project
(Snake Valley and Adjacent Areas)
Project DescriptionOverview
In early 2007 the Utah State Legislature requested the UGS to establish a ground-water monitoring-well network in Utah’s west desert, in response to proposed water-development projects in east-central Nevada and west-central Utah. The general objectives of this program are to improve our understanding of the ground-water flow systems and resources, characterize baseline ground-water levels and chemistry, and measure future changes in these parameters. The information listed below describe the project in more detail and present basic drilling data and other work that the UGS has performed in the area during the past several years. The monitor-well-drilling project is complete as of mid-2009. Also, we are adding a series of spring and surface-flow monitoring points throughout the valley, and this will be complete by the end of 2009. This website represents our best knowledge of the results and plans at the date of writing. We are constantly re-evaluating our plans, ideas, and data, so project details and information posted may change in the future. A pending open-file report will contain the most complete and accurate representation of our entire data collection for the project. UGS’ Ground-Water
Monitoring Project in Utah’s West Desert (pdf) Project UpdatesDrilling Update
The first phase of monitor-well drilling occurred from early July to early December 2007. The second phase occurred from late March to late May 2008. The third phase commenced in early June and ended in early July 2008. The final phase of drilling started in August 2008 and wrapped up in April of 2009. Monitor wells were installed at 27 sites, including 46 boreholes and 64 piezometers (a piezometer is a 1.0-inch, 2.0-inch, or 2.5-inch-diameter PVC pipe that is slotted and, therefore, open to the aquifer, over a limited depth range) (see data section). Most of the wells have pressure transducers installed to monitor water levels over the long term. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Region Research Drilling Program and Central Region Drilling Program drilled the majority of the wells using mud rotary and direct-air techniques. At some sites with shallow wells near upwelling areas, Geoprobe and auger drilling methods were used. A series of wells near agricultural areas was drilled by private driller Bob Roche. (See project map.) Aquifer Test During spring 2009, two aquifer tests were performed in deep holes in the carbonate aquifer, surrounded by a network of monitor wells. At site 11 (Ely Limestone), 1200 gpm was pumped for 17 days. At site 3 (Guilmette Formation), 180 gpm was pumped for 12 days. Data from these tests are pending. Surface Monitoring In the summer of 2009, a program to install surface and spring-flow gages will be undertaken to cover areas that are 1) previously unmonitored, 2) reasonable to monitor, and 3) important to monitor. This includes Twin Springs, Foote Reservoir, Miller Springs, Beck Springs, Clay Springs, and springs along Lake Creek near Dearden Ranch in Burbank. We plan to have real-time data from these sites available on this website once the network is installed.Project Data
Project MapProject PhotosProject PersonnelMain Project Contact: Mike Lowe - Ground-Water and Paleontology Program Manager Previous UGS Work in Snake ValleyHydrogeologic setting of
the Snake Valley Hydrologic Basin, Millard County, Utah, and White
Pine and Lincoln Counties, Nevada -- Implications for possible effects
of proposed water wells (pdf - 88MB) Related LinksBasin and Range Carbonate Aquifer System Study (BARCAS), U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Development Projects, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) Environmental Impact Statement process for SNWA ground-water development project in eastern Nevada, U.S. Bureau of Land Management Nevada Division of Water Resources Current Issues (including Snake Valley), Utah Division of Water Rights |
