Springs along the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, are important ecological and cultural resources in Grand Canyon National Park and are discharge points for regional and local aquifers of the Coconino Plateau. This study evaluated the applicability of electrical resistance (ER) sensors for measuring diffuse, low-stage (<1.0 cm) intermittent and ephemeral flow in the steep, rocky spring-fed tributaries of the south rim. ER sensors were used to conduct a baseline survey of spring flow timing at eight sites in three spring-fed tributaries in Grand Canyon. Sensors were attached to a nearly vertical rock wall at a spring outlet and were installed in alluvial and bedrock channels. Spring flow timing data inferred by the ER sensors were consistent with observations during site visits, with flow events recorded with collocated streamflow gauging stations and with local precipitation gauges. ER sensors were able to distinguish the presence of flow along nearly vertical rock surfaces with flow depths between 0.3 and 1.0 cm. Laboratory experiments confirmed the ability of the sensors to monitor the timing of diffuse flow on impervious surfaces. A comparison of flow patterns along the stream reaches and at springs identified the timing and location of perennial and intermittent flow, and periods of increased evapotranspiration.
to and guiding our initial trips to study areas on the reservation. The Hualapai Game and Fish Department manager Scott Crozier made sure that access permits were available for our work. A special thanks is extended to Ruth Thayer (Bureau of Reclamation), who facilitated a number of meetings with the Department of Interior Federal Indian Water Rights Negotiation Team that negotiated the objectives of this study. George Billingsley, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) emeritus geologist, provided valuable insight into the geology of the southern Hualapai Reservation and the Truxton basin. The authors also thank the field crews from the USGS Arizona Water Science Center for their hard work during winter conditions in helping to collect the geophysical data for this study; specifically, Joel Unema, Jon Mason, Cory Sannes, Curt Crouch, and Lucien Bucci.
Inch/Pound to SI Multiply By To obtain Length foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) Volume acre-foot 0.001233 cubic hectometer Flow rate cubic foot per second (ft 3 /s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m 3 /s) Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows: °F=(1.8×°C)+32 Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983. Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum. Specific conductance is given in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (µS/cm at 25 °C). Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given in milligrams per liter (mg/L). v loss in June 2007 (11 cubic feet per second or less). Two reaches heavily affected by ditch diversions were difficult to interpret because of the large number of confounding human factors. Possible lower and upper bounds of net groundwater flux were calculated for all reaches, including those heavily affected by ditches.
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