Shallow Ground-Water Influence on Salt Budgets for Newlands Project

Conceptual evaluation of ground-water flow and simulated effects of changing irrigation practices on the shallow aquifer in the Fallon and Stillwater areas, Churchill County, Nevada

“…Flow in the drains is distributed to wetlands and entitled water rights outside of the irrigated agricultural areas. Approximately 57 percent of this flow discharges from the shallow aquifer (Chambers and Guitjens, 1995).…”

“…4 Only one cell assigned to drain number. entitlement, about two thirds (28 in/yr) is consumed by crops (Chambers and Guitjens, 1995). This difference implies that about 14 in/yr could percolate downward and recharge the shallow aquifer.…”

“…4 Assumes one-third of applied irrigation recharges shallow aquifer. Fraction is based on estimates from Chambers and Guitjens ( 1995).…”

“…Total outflow also was 11,500 acre-ft/yr (86 percent by ET, 13 percent seepage to drains, and less than 1 percent each of withdrawals from wells and seepage to canals). In comparison, Chambers and Guitjens (1995) estimated that about 54 percent of inflow to the shallow aquifer is from applied irrigation at the headgate (includes small canals in fields) and 46 percent is from canal seepage for the entire Newlands Project area. They also estimated that outflow was evenly divided between ET and seepage to drains.…”