Plan of study for the regional aquifer-system analysis of the Snake River plain, Idaho and eastern Oregon

Abstract

Volcanic rocks of Quaternary age, chiefly basalt, underlie much of the eastern Snake River Plain in southern Idaho and are a major source of water. Sedimentary rocks are a secondary source but supply most of the ground water in the western part of the plain. The economy of the Snake River Plain is based largely on irrigated agriculture, as attested by the more than 3 million acres of irrigated land. Ground water plays a vital role, both as a source of water to wells and as discharge from springs that sustain flow in the Snake River. Because surface water is totally appropriated in some years, ground water is needed for expanded irrigation development. There is uncertainty, however, about the effects increased withdrawals may have on groundwater levels, spring discharges, and consequently, flow in streams. The U.S. Geological Survey has begun a comprehensive study of the regional groundwater system in the Snake River Plain. The purpose of the study is to refine knowledge of the regional groundwater flow system, determine effects of conjunctive use of ground and surface water, and describe the water quality. Regional groundwater flow models will be used in the study to aid analysis. Hypotheses concerning the groundwater system will be tested, and the system's response to various ground-watermanagement alternatives will be evaluated. This report describes the objectives, approach, and plan of study, and establishes a time frame within which the work will be accomplished.

Waste Area Group 10, Operable Unit 10-08, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Annual Status Report for Fiscal Year 2006

“…Numerical models for INL groundwater problems were utilized as early as the mid-1970s (Robertson 1974). The USGS Regional Aquifer-System Analysis program produced several SRPA models at various scales for use as characterization tools dealing with regional water-resource issues (Lindholm 1981;. Recent numerical modeling efforts have included the State of Idaho Regional Water Resource Model ) and the ongoing USGS Subregional Model.…”

Ground Wave Emergency Network. Final Operational Capability. Environmental Assessment for Southeastern Idaho Relay Node, Site No. RN8W927ID

“…The CGSs are above the alluvial part of the Snake River Plain (Chance, 1990) Whitehead, 1984). Groundwater is of good quality (Lindholm, 1981).…”

“…The SSA in southeastern Idaho is a circular, 250-square-mile area in Bingham County, Grande lava field, which enters the SSA at the western boundary, and the Lemhi Ridge 3-1 lava flow that extends into the northeastern portion of the SSA (Chance, 1990;Lindholm, 1981).…”

Effects of well discharges on hydraulic heads in and spring discharges from the geothermal aquifer system in the Bruneau area, Owyhee County, southwestern Idaho

“…The main purposes of the study were to refine knowledge of regional groundwater-flow systems, determine effects of conjunctive use of ground and surface water, and describe ground-water chemistry (Lindholm, 1981). Interpretive RASA reports that include the Bruneau study area are: (1) a regional water-table map and description of the ground-water-flow system (Lindholm andothers, 1983 and; (2) a description of the geohydrologic framework (Whitehead, 1986 and1992); (3) water budgets and streamflow in the Snake River and groundwater budgets for the Snake River Plain (Kjelstrom, 1986 and1992); (4) water use (Bigelow and others, 1987;Goodell, 1988); (5) a map showing irrigated land and other land uses (Lindholm and Goodell, 1986); and (6) results of ground-water-flow modeling of the western Snake River Plain (Newton, 1991). About 300 model cells out of 3,000 active model cells were used to represent the Bruneau study area.…”