Explorations for Water Supplies

on the Public Domain, 1960

mm
.^L~V

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
CIRCULAR 461 4«-^ -*r
Eym-ias" ! fe
§
'<*&
^SP t$
&!^8&$gj&%>
wjdila&si^lM1 .irtiviw
PPFPAPFH AC PAPT DF THF VMI AKIH
Explorations for Water Supplies
on the Public Domain, I960

By Wm. S. Eisenlohr, Jr., and others

Prepared as part of the Soil and Moisture Conservation Program of the Department of the Interior

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 461

Washington
7962
United States Department of the Interior
STEWART L. UDALL, SECRETARY

Geological Survey
THOMAS B. NOLAN, DIRECTOR

Free on application to the U.S. Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C.

 CONTENTS

Page Page
Abstract _____________________________ 1 Nevada, by C. T. Snyder______________ 13
Introduction __________________________ 1 Bureau of Land Management Elko
Soil and moisture conservation program, Grazing District _________________ 13
by K. R. Melin ____________________ 1 Bureau of Land Management
Arizona, by C. T. Sumsion_____________ 2 Pyramid Grazing District ________ 14
Bureau of Land Management Grazing Oregon, by C. T. Snyder ______________ 16
District !________________________ 2 Bureau of Land Management Vale
Bureau of Land Management Grazing Grazing District _________________ 16
District 2______________«_________ 2 Bureau of Land Management Prine -
Bureau of Land Management Grazing ville Grazing District ____________ 18
District 3______________________ 3 Utah, by Charles E. Sloan ____________ 18
California, by C. T. Snyder ____________ 5 Bureau of Land Management Grazing
Bureau of Land Management Bakers- District 6_______________________ 18
field Grazing District _____________ 5 Bureau of Land Management Grazing
Colorado, by M. C. Van Lewen _________ 6 District 9_______________________ 19
Bureau of Land Management Grazing Wyoming ___________________________ 21
District 8________________________' 6 Bureau of Land Management Grazing
Montana _____________________________ 7 District 2, by M. C. Van Lewen____ 21
Bureau of Land Management Grazing Bureau of Land Management Grazing
District 2, by M. C. Van Lewen ____ 7 Districts 4 and 5, by M. C. Van
Bureau of Land Management Grazing Lewen __________________________ 22
District 3, by M. C. Van Lewen ____ 8 Bureau of Land Management Grazing
Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 6, by Charles E.
District 4, by N. J. King___________ 8 Sloan ___________________ _ 23

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page
Figure 1. Index map showing by dots or pattern the general location of areas described.
Numbers identifying areas are those shown in table for appropriate State.__ _ IV

TABLES

Page
Table 1. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Arizona, 1960__________________ 4
2. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in California, 1960________________ 6
3. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Colorado, 1960_________________ 7
4. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Montana, 1960 _________________ 10
5. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Nevada, 1960_ _______________ 15
6. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Oregon, 1960___________________ 17
7. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Utah, 1960___________________-_ 20
8. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Wyoming, 1960_________________ 24

III
IV

Figure 1. Index map showing by dots or pattern the general location of areas described. Numbers identifying areas are those
shown in table for appropriate State.
 Explorations for Water Supplies on the Public Domain, I960
By Wm. S. Eisenlohr, Jr., and others

ABSTRACT places where water has already been found is

important information when looking for new
In making reconnaissancesfor water supplies on the public
sources of water. For this reason, known
domain as part of the Soil and Moisture Conservation Pro-
gram of the Department of the Interior, the Geological Sur-
sources of water, such as wells and springs,
vey obtains information on the availability of water that is are listed for the areas investigated. Almost
useful for other purposes or in other areas. This report con- equally important are known failures to find
tains the information thus collected during the calendar year water, if adequate information about the ven-
1960 in 46 areas scattered throughout 8 Western States. ture is available. In the tables of well and
The accompanying tables list the sites of wells investi-
gated, existing wells, springs, and wells drilled in 1960 as
spring locations for each State, arranged by
a result of investigations in that or previous years. grazing district, are given in order: the sites
investigated, existing wells, known springs,
and finally wells drilled in 1960 as part of
the Soil and Moisture Conservation Program.
INTRODUCTION
This information is presented as a guide to
others faced with the problem of obtaining
This report summarizes the explorations
water supplies in these parts of the arid
for water, for use by stock grazing on the
West.
public domain,that were made in eight West-
ern States (fig. 1) in 1960 as part of the Soil
The report was prepared by Wm.S. Eisen-
and Moisture Conservation Program of the
lohr, Jr., who supervised the writing of the
Department of the Interior. Explorations
contributions by the authors named.
made in previous years as part of this pro-
gram are being summarized by areas for
publication as water-supply papers. SOIL AND MOISTURE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

The investigations on which this report is By K. R. MELIN

based were made for other bureaus of the
Department of the Interior. They were con- Under the Soil and Moisture Conservation
cerned with finding water within a specified Program of the Department of the Interior,
area and resulted in detailed recommenda- the Geological Survey conducts investigations
tions on how to develop the needed water and research to provide basic information
supply. The recommendations made are be- needed in all facets of conservation of lands
yond the scope of this report, but some in- administered by the Department. The con-
formation of general interest on the availa- servation program, in abroad sense, includes
bility of water was usually obtained in each the protection of the land to achieve optimum
investigation. The purpose of this report is production of forage as well as to retard
to present the useful information obtained downstream damage resulting from floods,
during the calendar year 1960. such as channel cutting or deposition of sedi-
ment eroded from upland areas.
The reconnaissances for water supplies
rarely covered more than a few days in any For the most part, the lands considered in
area. Thus the geologic information given is this report are arid or semiarid, and the
usually very general and should be used with vegetation they bear is generally sparse.
caution when inferring conditions at any dis- Nevertheless, despite their relatively low
tance from the site being described. The unit forage production, the lands traditionally
 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

have been used for grazing, and because of Well sites 1 3 (table 1) were examined in
the great extent of lands involved, this use the area east and southeast of the Virgin
has formed and continues to form an impor^ Mountains in October.
tant part of the economy of several Western
States. Site 1 is adjacent to Tom and Cull Wash, an
ephemeral stream that flows in a channel
Owing to the sparse cover of vegetation as underlain to considerable depth by unconsoli-
well as to the inherent erodibility of the soils dated alluvium. Runoff from the drainage
in many areas, grazing must be managed basin upstream from the site should provide
carefully to prevent permanent deterioration adequate recharge to maintain perennial un-
of the forage, as well as to prevent erosion, derflow in the alluvium of the wash. The
which will occur when concentrations of live- estimated depth to water is based on the in-
stock are such that vegetation is depleted, ferred thickness of alluvium at the site.
soil is compacted, and stock-trails become
intrenched. A very important aid to manage- Site 2 is near Cedar Wash in the outcrop
ment is proper spacing of water supplies. area of the Shinarump Member of the Chinle
The required spacing differs from one area Formation of Late Triassic age. In this area
to another depending upon distribution of for- the Shinarump Member is largely sandstone
age and character of terrain. Economic fac - with some lenses of conglomerate. Records
tors, such as the cost of water development of test holes drilled previously in this imme-
in relation to the forage crop, must also be diate area show that water can be found in
considered by the land-administration agen- these rocks at a depth of about 40 feet.
cies.
The terrain at site 3 is similar to that at
In many localities water supplies about 2 Jacobs Well (El, table 1), which is about 9
miles apart are desirable, but in others wider miles north of site 3, and obtains water from
spacing generally will suffice. On the other unconsolidated sediments deposited in Grand
hand, in areas where forage production is in- Wash trough at the southeast end of the Virgin
creased by mechanical treatments of the Mountains; A second well (E2, table 1) about
land, even closer spacing of water supplies 4 miles southeast of the site also obtains
may be advantageous. Generally, however, water from the alluvial fill in Grand Wash
these objectives in range-water development trough. The estimated depth to water at site
have been achieved on only a relatively small 3 is based on the depth to water at these wells
part of the lands of the Department of the with appropriate compensations for differ-
Interior. Consequently, the program of stock- ences in elevation and probable differences
water development is expected to continue to- in the configuration of the bedrock floor of
gether with installation of other conservation Grand Wash trough.
practices. To furnish basic information nec-
essary for such development, additional in- Water in this area is reported to be of good
vestigations will be made and reports pre - quality for both stock and domestic use.
pared by the Geological Survey.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 2
ARIZONA
Bureau of Land Management Grazing Dis -
By C.T. SUMSION trict 2 comprises parts of Mohave and
Yavapai Counties. Explorations for water in
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 1 1960 were made in 2 areas where 10 well sites
were located. Recommendations for stock-
The Bureau of Land Management Grazing water sources were based on field examina-
District 1 comprises parts of Mohave and tions by the author.
Coconino Counties. Explorations for water in
1960 were made in the Virgin Mountains area Yucca area
(1, fig. 1) where three well sites were se-
lected. Recommendations for stock-water An area east of Yucca (2, fig. 1) on the
sources were based on field examinations by west slopes of the Hualpai and McCracken
the author.
 ARIZONA

Mountains was examined in January to deter- BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING t 1SFRICT 3
mine the prospects of developing stock-water
supplies at nine well sites selected by the The Bureau of Land Management Grazing
Bureau of Land Management. Both mountain District 3 comprises parts of Maricopa,
ranges are composed largely of granite and Yuma, Pima, Final, and Yavapai Counties.
granitic gneiss of low permeability. Small Explorations for water in 1960 were made in
springs or seeps issue locally where the bed- two areas where three well sites were located.
rock is sufficiently fractured to intercept Recommendations for stock-water sources
surface flows, but predictable occurrences of were based on field examinations by the author.
ground water are limited mainly to local un-
derflow in the coarse, unconsolidated alluvial Wickenburg area
deposits that underlie the larger washes.
Several comparatively shallow wells have Well sites 14 15 (table 1) were examined
been dug or drilled into these channel deposits in the vicinity of Wickenburg (4, fig. 1) in
to tap the ground water, but commonly these September.
wells are seasonal rather than perennial
sources of water. The geologic and topographic settings of
the two sites, No. 14 in the Vulture Mountains
All but one of the proposed sites (5-12, table about 10 miles southwest of Wickenburg, and
1) are in washes where wells or springs, No. 15 immediately west of a basalt hill
either upstream or downstream from the known locally as Funeral Mountain about 10
sites, attest to the occurrence of underflow in miles south of Wickenburg, are similar. Both
the channel alluvium. The other site (4, table sites are underlain by alluvium in unnamed
1) is underlain by impermeable granitic bed- washes whose drainage areas are considered
rock, and therefore, drilling was not recom- to be large enough to supply underflow be-
mended. neath the sites throughout the greater part of
the year. The estimated depths to water of
Water in this area is reported to be of suit- suitable quality are based on the inferred
able quality for both stock and domestic use. thickness of alluvium at the sites.

Kingman area Table Top Mountain area

In June, well site 13 (table 1) near the Bureau A broad alluvial fan deposit that extends
of Land Management's warehouse compound southwestward from Table Top Mountain into
about 2 miles southwest of Kingman (3, fig. 1) Vekol Valley (5, fig. 1) was examined in
was examined to determine if water could be September to determine the occurrence of
obtained that would be suitable for both ware - ground water. Three basalt hills protrude
house and livestock use. from the deposit near the head of the fan. The
alinement of these bedrock outcrops in a
An outcrop of granitic rock immediately northwest direction suggests local faulting as
south of the compound indicates impermeable the probable cause of the present bedrock re-
bedrock at shallow depth beneath the ware- lief. If a well is drilled southwest of the ba-
house area. About a half mile north and salt hills over what is inferred to be the
northwest of the compound, volcanic rocks of downdropped block, the well should not reach
both rhyolitic and basaltic composition crop bedrock above the level of the local water
out to form steep cliffs. The area between table as indicated by the static water level in
these cliffs and the outcrop of granitic rock a well (E12, table 1) near Vekol Wash. Con-
is covered by alluvium and volcanic debris of sequently, there can be little doubt of finding
undetermined thickness below which may lie water in this part of the fan. If, however, a
either granitic or volcanic rocks. As wells in well is drilled northeast of the basalt hills
the vicinity of Kingman (E9 Ell, table 1) near the head of the fan, it may reach bedrock
prove that water suitable in quality for the at shallow depth. Water may be found at the
intended use can be obtained from the volcanic contact of the alluvium and bedrock or in the
rocks, the most promising location for a well volcanic rocks that are believed to underlie
appears to be in the proximity of the outcrop this part of the fan, but there is some risk of
of volcanic rocks. obtaining a dry hole.
4 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

Table 1. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Arizona, 1960

[Site number without prefix indicates site only and depth of well and depth to water are estimates
and aquifer is inferred; E with site number indicates existing well at time of examination.
Names of aquifers are shown by standard symbols for formations: "Ecs, Shinarump Member of
Chinle Formation; TV, volcanic rocks; Tb, basalt; Qal, alluvium]

Location Eleva-
Depth Depth
tion of of of Yield
Site
Section Name land Aquifer Remarks
No. Area on well water (gpm)
fig. 1
T. R. surface (feet) (feet)
Quarter No. (feet)
Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 1

1 1 NE 7 37 N 15 W. 3,680 100-200 Qal

2 1 SW 27 37 N. 16 W. 3,800 40-50 "Res
3 1 SW 9 36 N. 15 W 3,010 500-700 Qal
El 1 SW 27 38 N. 15 W. Jacobs Well 4,155 806 780 Qal
E2 1 NW 36 36 N. 15 W 2,700 548 518 Qal

Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 2

4 2 NW 6 18 N. 16 W. 3,850 Drilling not

recom-
mended.
5 2 NW 5 18N. 16 W. 4,300 100-150 Qal
6 2 NWSW 5 18 N. 16 W. 4,100 100-150 Qal
7 2 NW 8 18N. 16 W 4,000 40-50 Qal Previously
drilled to 25
ft. depth.
8 2 NE 24 17N. 16 W 3,800 100-150 Qal
9 2 NW 30 17N. 15 W. 3,950 100 150 Qal
10 2 W center 18 16 N. 15 W. 4,350 150-200 Qal
11 2 SW 32 16 N. 15W. 4,100 100-150 Qal
12 2 center 30 13N. 15W. 1,950 100-200 Qal
13 3 NW 34 2 IN. 17 W. 3,000 100-125 Qal or
TV
E3 2 NW 33 19N. 16 W. 5,500 70 30 Qal
E4 2 NW 19 17 N. 15 W. 3,900 189 139 Qal
E5 2 NW 26 17 N. 16 W. 3,500 256 60 Qal
E6 2 SW 14 16 N. 16 W. 3,950 190 50 Qal
E7 2 NW 33 16 N. 15 W. 4,600 28 25 Qal
E8 2 SE 26 13N. 16 W. 1,950 100 80 Qal
E9 3 NWSE 34 21 N. 17 W. 2,950 60 56 Tb
E10 3 NW 35 21 N. 17 W. 2,990 106 73 TV
Ell 3 SE 34 2 IN. 17 W. 2,950 80 64 TV

Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 3

14 4 SE 20 6N. 5W. 2,200 100-200 Qal

15 4 NE or SE 26 6N. 5W. 2,000 300-500 Qal
16 5 90 8S ?,F, 2,200 500-700 Qal
wi 28,
29,
32,
wi 33
E12 5 NW 14 8S. IE. 1,940 ________ 332 Qal
 CALIFORNIA

Owing to the favorable conditions of re- dry despite the fact that the wells are only a
charge at the upper part of the fan and the few yards apart. It was concluded that the
large size of the recharge area, prospects of underflow in the wash could be developed as
finding water of suitable' quality for stock a spring for stock water.
use are generally favorable anywhere on the
fan deposit. Therefore, a specific well site Piute Valley
was not selected.
In Piute Valley a site (2, table 2) was se-
lected for exploratory drilling on the alluvial
CALIFORNIA fan of an unnamed wash that flows eastward
from the Piute Range to Piute Wash (3, fig. 1).
By C T. SNYDER The alluvial fan is fairly small and overlies
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT BAKERSFIELD east ward-dipping beds of basalt and bedded
GRAZING DISTRICT tuff of Tertiary age, but is in the area where
water is needed near the foot of the moun-
Bakersfield Grazing District extends from tains. The Piute Mountains west of the site
San Bernardino County on the south to Mono are an uplifted fault block of eastward-dipping
County on the north and includes intervening volcanic and pyroclastic rocks. Water may
counties in southern and eastern California. occur in the alluvial fan or in permeable
Explorations for water in 1960 were made in parts of the underlying beds. No wells or
four areas where one spring and three well springs are known to occur nearby, but the
sites were examined. Recommendations for material in the alluvial fans and the under-
the development of stock water in these areas lying beds are potentially water bearing. As
were based on fieldwork by the author and a no other sources of water are available, ex-
report by Gilbert (1941). ploratory drilling here seems to be justified.

Ivanpah Valley Mono Lake area

Ivanpah Valley (1, fig. 1) was visited in The Mono Lake area (4, fig. 1) was visited
mid-February. Well site 1 (table 2) was se- in June, and well site 3 (table 2) was selected
lected for drilling on the alluvial fan at the near the head of an alluvium-filled basin in
head of an unnamed tributary to Ivanpah Val- the Cowtrack Mountains about Smiles south-
ley. This site, centrally located on the allu- east of Mono Lake. The geology of the area
vial fan, was recommended for drilling to has been mapped by Gilbert (1941). The only
explore the alluvium for ground water that place where it appears that a successful well
may be moving westward from the slopes of could be drilled is in a basin that has been
the New York Mountains toward Ivanpah Val- formed by erosion and faulting of the Terti-
ley. No wells have been drilled into this al- ary and Quaternary volcanic rocks of the
luvial fan, but wells drilled into similar fans surrounding mountains. The rocks exposed
elsewhere are usually successful. Water has there are dense and appear to be non water
also been found in the valley fill of Ivanpah bearing so that the best chance for obtaining
Valley. water would be the alluvium. No wells or
springs have been reported in the area near-
Old Dad Mountain area by. The alluvium appears to be sufficiently
permeable to permit rapid infiltration of
The investigation in Old Dad Mountain area precipitation, as there are no signs of an al-
was made to determine the feasibility of de- luvial fan nor of dry stream channels in the
veloping a potential spring (SI, table 2) along basin. There is a large risk, however, that
an unnamed dry wash east of Old Dad Moun- no water can be obtained at this site.
tain (2, fig. 1). This area is called Burro
Holes because wild burros dig into the sand
for water that is moving as underflow through REFERENCE FOR CALIFORNIA
the alluvium about 2 feet below the surface.
One such hole, still containing water, was Gilbert, C. M., 1941, Late Tertiary geology
found during the examination. A well drilled southeast of Mono Lake, California: Geol.
into the alluvium of the stream channel also Soc. America Bull. v. 52, no. 6, p. 781-
contained water, but a well drilled into the 815.
bedrock on the south bank of the wash was
 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

Table 2. Well and,spring locations examined or drilled in California, 1960

[Site number without prefix indicates site only and depth of well and depth to water are estimated
and aquifer is inferred; S with site number indicates spring. Names of aquifers are shown by
standard symbols for formations: Qal, Quaternary alluvium; QTv, Quaternary and Tertiary
volcanic rocks, undifferentiated; TV, Tertiary volcanic rocks, undifferentiated]

Location Eleva -
Depth Depth
Site tion of of to Yield
No. Area Section Name land well water Aquifer (gpm)
Remarks
on T. R. surface (feet) (feet)
fig.l Quarter No. (feet)
Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Grazing District

1 1 fi 15N. 17E. Karl Weikel 4,070 Qal

2 3 NE 24 13N. 18E. V.G. Brown 2,780 ------- ----- Qal,Tv -----
3 4 NW 29 IN. 29E. 7,400 Qal, Large risk of
QTv no water.
S1 2 NE,SW 1fi 12 N. HE. Burro Holes 2,960 2 Oal

COLORADO the valley. This material, although poorly

sorted and in some zones weakly cemented
By M. C. VAN LEWEN with calcium carbonate, is moderately per-
meable, and wells drilled below the level of
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 8 the water table in the valley obtain adequate
amounts of water for stock and domestic use.
The Bureau of Land Management Grazing Many irrigation wells of high yield have been
District 8 comprises parts of Saguache, Rio developed in this material in the central part
Grande, Conejos, and Alamosa Counties. Ex- of the valley.
plorations for water in 1960 were made in
northwestern San Luis Valley (l,fig. 1) where The ground-water reservoir is recharged
two well sites (Dl, D2,table 3) were located. by perennial streams such as San Luis and
Wells were drilled at these sites, but drilling Kerber Creeks, and by numerous small e-
was stopped at Dl before the estimated depth phemeral streams. Its surface is probably
to water was reached. Recommendations for parallel to the valley floor as in the central
stock-water sources were based on field ex- part of the valley (Powell, 1958). Wells
aminations by the author and a report by drilled on alluvial fans at the mouths of e-
Powell (1958). phemeral streams may obtain water at ele-
vations somewhat above the regional water
The area lies on each side of U.S. Highway table.
285 from 5 miles east of Saguache to 7 miles
north of Villagrove. The western boundary Wells El and E2 (table 3) drilled into frac-
is the bedrock hills that rise abruptly from tured igneous rock and volcanic ash beds,
the gently sloping alluvial valley fill, and the indicate that the zone of saturation extends
eastern boundary is the extent of public from the valley fill into the surrounding bed-
grazing land east of Highway 285, generally rock.
about 2 to 4 miles.

The north end of the San Luis Valley has REFERENCE FOR COLORADO
been filled to a depth of several hundred feet
with silt, sand, gravel, and boulders derived Powell, W. J., 1958, Ground-water resources
from the surrounding mountains and trans- of the San Luis Valley, Color ado: [Link].
ported and deposited by streams flowing into Survey Water-Supply Paper 1379.
 MONTANA

Table 3. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Colorado, 1960

[E with site number indicates existing well at time of examination; D with site number indicates
well drilled in 1960. Aquifers indicated by standard formation symbols: p g, Precambrian
granite; Qtf, compound alluvial fans and torrential wash]
Location Eleva-
Depth Depth
Site tion of of to Yield
land Aquifer Remarks
No. Area Section Name well water (gpm)
on T. R. surface (feet) (feet)
fig. 1 Quarter No. (feet)

Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 8

E1 1 NESE 12 45N. 8E. 8,240 170 26 rvf rt

P^S Well aban-
doned.
E?, 1 NWNE 2fi 45N. 8E. 7,960 173 98 Qtf
E3 1 SW 11 46 N. 9F,. 8,030 144 138 Qtf Do.
F,4 1 NE 34 47 N. 9E. 7,970 10 3 Qtf Dug well.
D1 1 SESE 32 47 N. 9E. Alexander. 8,400 380 None None Drilling
stopped at
less than the
estimated
depth to
water. Site
examined in
1960.
D2 1 SWNW 29 47 N. 9E. BagwelL__ 8,270 115 40 Qtf 10+ Site selected
in 1960.

MONTANA the Fort Union Formation of Paleocene age,

and thus ground water occurs under similar
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 2 conditions.

By M.C VAN LEWEN In eastern Montana the Fort Union Forma-

tion consists, from the base upward, of the
The Bureau of Land Management Grazing Tullock, Lebo Shale, and Tongue River Mem-
District 2 comprises all of Garfield, McCone, bers.
and Dawson Counties and parts of Rosebud,
Custer, and Prairie Counties. Explorations The Tullock Member averages about 250
for water in 1960 were made in 3 areas (2 4, feet in thickness and is predominantly dark
fig. 1) where 11 well sites were located. In- clay shale, with lesser amounts of sandy
formation is given on one well drilled as a shale and crossbedded sandstone. A few thin
result of recommendations made in 1960. coal beds occur in the member. The Tullock
Recommendations for stock-water sources contains enough permeable sandstone that a
were based on field examinations by C. E. well drilled to a moderate depth has an ex-
Sloan and the author and on reports by Perry cellent chance of obtaining adequate water
(1934, 1935), Dobbin and Erdman (1955), and suitable for stock use.
Collier and Knechtel (1939).
The Lebo Shale Member, which consists of
Areas near Van Norman, Garfield County about 300 feet of very dark clay shale and
(1 3, table 4), near Weldon, McCone County carbonaceous shale, contains some lenses
(4, D2, table 4), and between Rock Springs and and pockets of gray to buff crossbedded sand-
DeGrand, Prairie and Custer Counties (5 9, stone, but because these lenses are randomly
E6, table 4) were examined to select sites for distributed and make up only a small part of
wells. Although these areas are widely sep- the total thickness of the Lebo Shale Member,
arated geographically, all are underlain by there is some risk that a well drilled into
8 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

this member will not obtain water. However, not yield adequate amounts of water suitable
most wells drilled into the Lebo Shale Mem- for stock use. In general, the prospects are
ber in the areas under consideration have unfavorable for the development of stock wa-
been successful. ter from drilled wells near the crest of Cedar
Creek anticline, which extends from Baker to
The Tongue River Member consists of in- Glendive. Water supplies may be developed,
tercalated beds of dark-gray to light-yellow however, on the flanks of the anticline from
shale, sandy shale, and sandstone. It is a wells drilled into sandstones in the Fox Hills
very reliable aquifer that in this part of and Hell Creek Formations both of Late Cre-
Montana it ranges in thickness from about taceous age.
700 feet near Weldon (Collier and Knechtel,
1939) to about 1,200 feet near Mildred (Perry,
1935). However, because sandstones of this BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 4
member grade laterally into sandy shale and
shale, commonly in a short distance, it is By M J. KING
difficult to predict closely the depth to water.
The Bureau of Land Management Grazing
In each of the areas examined, water in the District 4 occupies part of Carbon County.
Fort Union Formation is under artesian pres- Explorations for water in 1960 were made in
sure, and a rise of water in a drilled well, 3 areas where 10 well sites were examined.
often a substantial part of the total depth, Information was obtained on three wells (D3
may be expected. Water obtained from the D5, table 4) that were drilled as a result of
Tongue River Member generally contains less recommendations made in and before 1960.
dissolved solids than does water from either Recommendations for stock-water sources
the Tullock or Lebo Shale Member. So far were based on field examinations and study
as is known all water produced by wells tap- of the "Geologic Map of Montana" (Rose,
ping the Fort Union Formation is suitable for Andrews, and Witkind, 1955) by the author.
stock use.
Belfry area
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 3 Two well sites were selected in the moder-
ately dissected upland area southwest of
By M. C. VAN LEWEN Belfry (6, fig. 1). Both sites are in ephem-
eral-stream valleys that are incised in inter-
The Bureau of Land Management Grazing bedded sandstone and shale of the Fort Union
District 3 comprises all of Fallon and Carter Formation. The stream valleys commonly
Counties and parts of Prairie, Custer, and are sinuous, following neither the dip nor the
Powder River Counties. Explorations for strike of the beds. Consequently, sandstone
water in 1960 were made in the Mildred area beds that underlie dip slopes in one valley
(5, fig. 1) where six well sites (10 15, table 4) reach may be truncated and drained at some
were examined. Recommendations for stock- downstream point where the valley is incised
water sources were based on field examina- across the dipping beds.
tions by C. E. Sloan and the author and re-
ports by Perry (1935) and Dobbin and Larsen Except near the drainage divides where the
(1936). slopes are steep and the opportunity for re-
charge to potential aquifers is limited, wells
The six well sites are grouped around the should yield suitable supplies of water for
community of Mildred. All but the Severson stock use. The depth to water may be ex-
site (15) are immediately underlain by gently pected to range considerably from one part
folded beds of the Fort Union Formation of of the area to another depending on the local
Paleocene age whose water-bearing charac- stratigraphy and the balance between ground-
teristics are discussed under Grazing Dis- water recharge and drainage as determined
trict 2. by the topography. At site 16 (table 4) the
beds dip in the opposite direction from the
The Severson site is near the crest of the land surface. Sandstone beds underlying the
Cedar Creek anticline and is underlain by site should not be drained below the level
more than 1,000 feet of the Pierre Shale of where they crop out in the channel down-
Late Cretaceous age, which in this area does stream from the site. This corresponds to a
 MONTANA

drilling depth of about 75 feet. Site 17 (table which canyons are again becoming deeply in-
4), however, is on a dissected dip-slope sur- cised. As the dip of the beds is in the same
face that, when traced southeastward along direction, but at a greater angle than the slope
the strike of the beds, ends abruptly against of the land surface,progressively older for-
the valley of the Clarks Fork Yellowstone mations are exposed toward the mountain
River. Very likely, therefore, permeable front. Consequently, runoff from the moun-
beds underlying the site are drained to about tain crosses the outcrop areas of formations
the river level, which corresponds to a drill- underlying the site, thus affording an excel-
ing depth of 220 feet. lent opportunity for recharge to beds capable
of transmitting water. Despite the opportu-
Elk Basin area nity for recharge, however, drilling was not
recommended as the site is underlain to a
Four well locations selected by the Bureau depth of more than a thousand feet by shale
of Land Management were examined in Octo- and limestone beds of Paleozoic age that are
ber to determine the prospects of finding not considered to be water-bearing. An al-
water. The locations under consideration (7, ternate site (24,table 4) was selected farther
fig. 1) are on the northeast flank of Elk Basin west where water can be obtained from the
anticline where most streams flow in strike Tensleep Sandstone of P ennsyIvanian and
valleys cut in shale one side steep, the other Early Permian age. The depth to water and
a dip-slope surface generally underlain by pumping lift are based on data from wells E17
sandstone. Thus potential aquifers in the and D5 (table 4).
form of sandstone beds of Mesozoic and Ter-
tiary age can be reached at comparatively Site 22 (table 4) is on the east side of a
shallow depths in most of the strike valleys. strike valley eroded insouthwestward dipping
The drilling program to date shows the aver- beds of Jurassic age. In most respects the
age depth to water on the valley floors to be setting is like that at site 24 (table 4) except
less than 150 feet. The depth to water in- that the inferred aquifer is sandstone in the
creases with increasing distance up the val- Sundance Formation of Late Jurassic age.
ley sides and very likely is excessive near The main difference is that beds underlying
the drainage divides. Yields of existing wells the site are not recharged directly by runoff
seldom exceed 20 gpm, and no wells yield from the mountain because they are truncated
water that is not suitable for stock use. around the margins of Black Butte dome, a
small upwarp that lies between the site and
Sites 18 20 (table 4) are in strike valleys the mountain front. In the absence of any
underlain by potential aquifers so that pros- wells or springs in the strike valley under
pects of completing stock-water wells at consideration, the occurrence and depth to
these locations are believed to be good to ex- water can only be inferred.
cellent. Site 21 (table 4), however, is on the
high surface of Polecat Bench about 2 miles Site 25 (table 4) is near the axis of Gypsum
southeast of the point where the thick sand- Creek syncline at the south end of Big Pryor
stone bed that underlies the site crops out in Mountain. The site is underlain by inter-
the bottom of Hunter Creek canyon. The ab- bedded sandstone and shale of the Chugwater
sence of a spring in the canyon at the outcrop Formation of Triassic age. A spring (S4,
indicates that the inferred aquifer may be table 4) issues from a sandstone bed in the
drained in the vicinity of the site. Therefore, Chugwater Formation about half a mile north-
there is some risk of obtaining a dry hole. east of and at a higher altitude than the site.
It is virtually assured that water will be
Pry or Mountain area found in this sandstone bed at the site at
about the estimated depth. The water will be
To determine the prospects of finding water high in mineral content, but like that of the
in the proximity of three locations (22, 23, 25, spring, it should be suitable for watering
table 4) selected by the Bureau of Land Man- stock.
agement, an examination was made of the
foothills area along the south and west sides REFERENCES FOR MONTANA
of Big Pryor Mountain (8, fig. 1).
Collier, A. J., and Knechtel, M.M., 1939, The
Near site 23 (table 4) the beds have been coal resources of MoCone County, Montana:
truncated by an old, erosional surface into U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 905.
10 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

^cu sO 3
o -M -5rn $*. S CU
*-"
£
fJ
rQ
rH
X
d
£
rrt " 5-i 5n rt . " 2 O
£ a o 2 d CU
£ 3 £ 5 0 rQ ^ O r^H «*H «

w S a1* d "d "?, H m cu 3

a § 8* a
0 CO 0 ^. 5-,
CO
CU
"cu S
Co
2 ^
CU
2 § o o a
. ^
" H.J
5n
CU
-a
CU
«
%
£ _ CM H O CO ^ ' ^^ fli ^y "n? u
SH £ gj PH rt o ° 5n - ^ ^ ^ U
CM 'S cu »-H d
w 1,5 » -rH
°
acu cu
d
rH t/J CD i 1
PH
CO .«* W « d '^ ^ r> ^ <w '""' ^ Irt f->
"- 0 S? . P rt
*, co 2 d -e XCU . , S,^ *i -9 2 r* '-S to* S-TJ
o3 oi J3 o T, 00 « d5 ^ J a2^y W cufl
oL t-l O lH O , "3
« o»
3 d - <S fc In T-I s^ t^ 'O t ' ^^ t% ^ ^. (U ^ nj
CT1 -rH 0 g «
CO r^ P5 CO HH
rt rQ en ^ O
rp, CU

d 3 « PH cu
.» O «,
21
cu &
^ 1 CO

rt T: g 44 §
CO TJ -ft CU S
!T1 OJB
PH >_
-i-> ^j, TJ 5., i^ 5_,
O CO g; d r ) f^ CU
VO d h> rt ^ 5H 5H 5H 5H 5H 5H

en H £ rn . cu Mtt-l 4^5 tt^4H erH tl--I ttH tTH4H tlH ttH 'tH'tH

- £ m culu rt 0^ HH H HHHHHHHEHH HH
a $ cu cu w £ **!
5 ^ -S cu ^ co T-l

a ... rt ^ ^ om oo o'coocooo
O
"o OCM om mi COT^COOI
rH
-i-> CU -T-" CO
1 jjiirll
S- 5-1 -i-l E-H ( I
CU O -t^ CU
cu + » rt cu o
rH T-H CM

in1
"*

oill
in o
<M CM '

i1
T-H

p ^ tl rH r-H CO c- in CM o '
*p a) cu -r-> o «« P rH CO CM CM I
P

5 s i* a s
-S £ 0 fc £ ^
OJO c-
5
a**-1 71 ^
r-H 'HJ .a
N
00
OJO
d
rH
o o
CM'*
o
m
tn in o CM c^ in co CM ^*
<*CMCMCOT-HCMT-IT-HCO
^* 10
T-HT-H
te ,-. d CQ £ O - cu o 2J cu rt N oci o oooinino
rt
__ -r-> CU 7^ ° -'-' p *- 5-1 mo
T-HT-H
tn
TJ«
ininoc-cMO
COT-IT-HCMT-HCM
^
H &a
§ « ri1 fe5^ ga ^ra
rH
O
O

i <U
S o -f-> inin o ooooomooo oo
S
§ -ad 5 rH
5? > o .2 E CU ^ 3
CU o d T-HCO CO lOCOOOOOilOr-llOCM CMCO
x a m .S CTH > > rH 'd 45 "S cu coc- c- cooooc-oininin cooo
** rt ^ d (£ ^ cu CM g (M(M (M CMCOCOCOCMCOCMCMCM CMCM
W 3 "* S ^
r5 g § tl £

OJO cu
= r-^ Q -i-l -d O rrj OJO
.2 <u rt
^2 fe - a a 'rid
rt irj « d rt
2o io -g a?t3rt
^ ^ Or
rt d
rt 1

§ CU
TJ »>» «
d d rt
-1 tl-gi&fe § rt
S, CU H * "*« CM -rH cu . i rt T-H CM d

"" ^ rt rg > 0 -g,

a of
]
Bureau L
Bureau
of
d d CU

1= -s^o^rt-go
s a1 s g rt
125
Matovich b
cu
!2
0 ° a
ex, ^ ^ rt
rjOOCQ
rt
c-
CU^cS
cu
rjCQ
<k> r*j . d H W g CO rH'^'^CUdJrHfHTCQ fiCU

Sf ^ grC^S^ d

I
^-
°cu 5 -a £ 2 .2
-T-" cu " ^ d
«, S -M *3 5H « P
.a w rt g a; 0 ^
ww w wwwwwwwww ww
H iiilffi W
O FA «"^ »rH I? » 1 tj

tf o OT-H co incococ-incoooco inc-

CO
.2 w> « fe a -g 125*
-0 .S rt * EH ^ Sr5 <& <Hr5r5<Hr5r5r5r5S £4 f+

H <M 0000 O3 CMCOCOCOTt<inoOOOCi CMCO

S to ffl 2 ^- «
rl
ZEj
^
CU
S
«S
b" §
d -rH
1
H
S I T
qj -rH O -g CU 00 COOO OO OiCMT(<OONC-'C-'OOOi OC-
t-4 "J pJ . % -^ ^>
jj O (M CM eMNNNCOCM T-HCOM
a^^ rt g -f rt
0
£
o
r5
1
15 S^ 1 o ^3 O TH IH
0 rg ti 0 fe >

5 d .2 PH d pc? J 1 *rt W fe r^ CU ^ W r^

rH -i-i r1 o W
K CO £ c g £ £
£ »-1 CU .,H CU

5 w
to
feW
coS
fe
to
WWW^fecufer^W
totocOr5coOco!2ir?!!
Ww
Sco
5n ® w d § 3)
^ -9 co rt d rt ^
rO q cu "O ** O
§ § 13 § O H 5-i § OJD T-H (MM CM COrJ<[Link]<TtiTj<CM<M(N COrt4
2 T 0 CO rH - <! «M

a o" T-H T-HN co rj<incoc-'CooiT-ic<jco -^ m

S^lSSH p WWW W W
to^ CO r5
E6 4 SE 28 13 N. 47 E. ___ do ____ ____ 3,050 50-60 50 Tftr 1 Diameter could be enlarged
to increase yield. See also
site 7.
E7 4 SENE 28 13 N. 47 E. __.__do ____________ 3,060 147 50 Tftr 1
E8 4 NW 34 15 N. 46 E. B. L. M. 1 ______ . 3,080 261 Tftr 13 8 gpm at 85-94 feet.
E9 4 NE 18 15 N. 47 E. 3,215 140 92 Tftr
D2 3 SESW 32 22 N. 45 E. Spillum 1 __________ 2,710 200 Tftr 1 Yield inadequate; site exam-
ined July, 1960.
SI 2 NE 28 18 N. 41 E. Ross ______________ 2,785 Tftr 1 Contact spring.
S2 4 NE 17 15 N. 47 E. 3,100 Tftr 1 Do.

Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 3

10 5 NWNW 10 10 N. 52 E. Pasture 6 __________ 2,765 '200-250 100-150 Tftr

11 5 SE 9 10 N. 54 E. Art Rock__ _________ 2,540 100-200 20-50 Tftr
12 5 NWSE 29 10 N. 54 E. Hamilton Bros______ 2,665 250-300 200 Tftr
13 5 SW 2 11 N. 56 E. Pasture 3b _________ 2,635 125-175 75-100 Tftr
14 5 NE 3ft 12 N. 56 E. Pasture 3a _________ 2,725 175-225 100-150 Tftr
15 5 NW 28 13 N. 56 E. Sever son ___________ 2,475 None Site underlain by Pierre
Shale; drilling not recom-
mended.
E10 5 NW 4 10 N. 53 E. Evertz _____________ 2,460 98 33 Tftr
Ell 5 SESE 4 10 N. 54 E. Ayers Ranch _______ 2,400 500+ Flows Tft Reported depth 700 feet;
water also encountered at
upper horizons.
E12 5 SENE 30 10 N. 54 E. Hamilton __ _______ 2,620 298 220 Tftr
E13 5 NW 33 11 N. 54 E. Mathiason. _ ________ 2,450 175 95 Tftr
E14 5 SENE 4 11 N. 56 E. Sam Iron__ _________ 2,650 87 28 Tftr
E15 5 NENE 11 11 N. 56 E. 2,690 115 7"i Tftr

Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 4

16 6 NWSE 10 8 S. 21 E. Chato ______ ___ _ 4 410 70- 70 Tf Water will likely be highly
150 mineralized, but suitable
for stock.
17 6 NWSW 21 8 S. 22 E. Aquanada __________ 4 070 220+ Tf Water expected from first
permeable bed below a
depth of 220 feet.
18 7 NWSW 24 9 S. 22 E. West Gobbler Draw__ 4,410 150 + Tf
19 7 NWSW 22 9 S. 23 E. Arroyo ____________ 4,500 ISO- 100- Khc Interpretations based on
150 130 spring S3.
20 7 SWNW 17 9 S. 24 E. West Fork _________ 4,290 <150 <100 Tf Site is in the bottom of a
strike valley.
12 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

o
iH ii i
CQ ^
*0

i (
O CQ «M
Marmdiastoi ns;
Foand
rdrnot
ecomilenidnedg a
0 Speci
examined f
Site
1958.
foot
capaci
0.5
gpm
perty
Speci
4.2
capaci
gpmfitcy beds
sandstone
wher
in-
by
cised
smalcanyon.l ithat
ntrclavienrsedes
CQ J3 bo O Site
Amsunderdlaein
by based
Inteonrpretations Inteonrpretations
based botwash
of
TSSItoIPmS
in
w 'in CQ
,£> Good
qual
wateirt.y draper
foot
wdown.
rt ""O Qt **^ o
a tuo
sandstone
beds.
rt *oa
W rn O E16.
well S4.
spring .a
CQ drawdown.
rt
'2 r^
m
^
IT 0 noie.
<U !>
S3 * ^
i
££ *

1| m
rH
oo m
rH N
O3 rH
<N
r- cc
A
U

o
H
a,- I
£ 0
i 1
rt -t->
a. K>
tM
H £ S
C.

p
c
|

0 m 03 m m 03
^
"&l
SH ^^ rH 00 <N CO N
* (M rH
O ^» CD
-^ rt
QJ QJ (->
Q ^ 2i o
0 0 0 03 m oo rH O3

"S to
1-1 0 0 0-350 m m r-t rH f CO
CO (N
2 CO rH rH

o| QJ Q
QJ
bo m c-
Q
.atsi CM rH

i 'w 0) 0 0 in O 0 0 0 0 O O C IT.
rt O T3 ^ +? CM m CM 0 C" CO C- CC
m S3 5 *trl m o oo m rH O3 00 rH O CO m oo cc C
-H O
.M J2' rt
3 «M
^'
m <* m T# m
W -^ CQ (I)
fi 1
(I)
OJO
rt CJ
S3 0
rt 0>
QJ
a aM
rt S3
O
£*
& «
"rt 11
Q
rt
rt
13 S3 O Q CQ
o S3 ii rt
§

0)
91i rt
QJ JH
<a TJ
Q)
*O JH
rt CQ
£> rt
0>
0 rt

. <J O PQ ffi
KH 0 PH H-l "-3

PQ ww w W W W W W W W r^ P
Tt* ^f m m c- CO CO ^ co m cc c-
CM N CM <M <N <N CM CM CM N C>5 cs
CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO co co c/: w
E-t O3 00 CO CO O3 O3 O3 CO 03 00 CT o:
f-l

-s§ S3
o'
CO rH
m
rH
m
rH
00
rH
O3 N CO ^<
CM
r-
CV1
m
r-

CJ S3
0 0
M
HH
+-> fc
O
0)
CO
^H
0)
NESW NENE SENW NWSW wg
co S3
jj fe
5 OT
W
^
^
!z
CO
W wi J> K^
t*1 S
J>
>> W
CO S3 S3 co S3 co iz w
rt rH
t- 00 CO 00 00 f 00 C~ C- 00 C- oc

rH (N CO m CO c-
0) . (N (N CM 3 N rH rH CO ^ m en ^
co S3 w W Q Q Q a CC
 NEVADA 13

Dobbin, C. E., and Erdmann, C. E., 1955, of alluvium overlying bedrock was found
Structure contour map of the Montana to be non-water-bearing.
plains: U.S. Geol. Survey Oil and Gas Inves.
Map OM 178. Salmon Falls River area
Dobbin, C. E., and Larsen, R. M., 1936, Geo-
logic and structure contour map of the Salmon Falls River area (2, fig. 1) was
Cedar Creek anticline, Dawson, Prairie, visited in September by F.F. Zdenek who se-
Wibaux, and Fallon Counties, Montana, and lected site 1 (table 5) along a dry wash that
Bowman County, North Dakota: U.S. Geol. is tributary to the Salmon Falls River. In
Survey General Mineral Resource Map. this area the river occupies a fault-formed
Perry, E.S., 1934, Geology and artesian water valley that has been filled with fluvial and
resources along Missouri and Milk Rivers lacustrine deposits that are part of the Hum -
in northeastern Montana: Montana State boldt Formation of (Miocene and Pliocene (?))
Bur. Mines and Geology Mem. 11. Tertiary age. In places Quaternary alluvial
1935, Geology and ground-water re- deposits overlie the Humboldt Formation.
sources of southeastern Montana: Montana These formations are almost everywhere
State Bur. Mines and Geology Mem. 14. permeable and are aquifers in nearby areas.
Ross, C.P., Andrews,D.A.,and Witkind, 1*3., Zdenek visited well E2 (table 5) which had
1955, Geologic Map of Montana: U.S. Geol. water at a reported depth of 87 feet. Differ-
Survey, scale, 1:500,000. ences in elevation between this well and the
proposed site make it appear that drilling
may have to be continued to a depth of 600
NEVADA feet unless shallower permeable beds are
By C. T. SNYDER discovered.

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT ELKO GRAZING Susie Creek Valley

DISTRICT
Susie Creek Valley (4, fig. 1) was visited in
The Elko Grazing District includes all of September, and well site D2 (table 5) was lo-
Elko County and parts of Eureka and Lander cated in a narrow, tributary valley about a
Counties. Explorations for water in 1960 were mile east of Susie Creek. Susie Creek and
made in four widely scattered areas where its tributaries have trenched the Humboldt
four well sites were examined. Information Formation exposing several hundred feet of
on wells drilled as a result of recommenda- lacustrine sediments, largely silt and clay,
tions in 1960 or previous years (wells D4 and interbedded with thick accumulations of wa-
D5) is given in table 5. Recommendations for ter-laid volcanic ash. The Humboldt Forma-
stock-water sources were based on field ex- tion is widely distributed in northeastern
aminations by the author and F. F. Zdenek of Nevada and is usually water bearing at or
the Geological Survey and reports by Hains, slightly above the level of the master stream.
Van Sickle, and Ryals (1949),and Granger and A well was drilled at the selected location,
others (1957). and water was reached at 65 feet, which is
slightly above the level of Susie Creek.
Wendover area
Boulder Valley
The valley northwest of Wendover (3, fig. 1)
was visited in September, and well site Dl The Boulder Valley area (1, fig. 1) was vis-
(table 5) was selected on the flank of the ited in June, and well site D3 (table 5) was
Toana Mountains. The location considered to selected on the valley floor to replace well
be the most favorable for exploratory drilling El which was dry. Boulder Valley appears
was high up on the valley edge in the mouth to have been formed by a meander of the
of a small embayment, known locally as Humboldt River that cut northward into the
Morris Basin. Alluvium from the basin has Tuscarora Mountains. This valley and the
accumulated here, being held in placeby relic valley of the Humboldt River are filled with
terraces left by the Pleistocene Lake Bonne- a continuous body of saturated alluvium.
ville. It was anticipated that water might be After the examination in June the well was
moving out of the mountains eastward toward drilled and an adequate supply of water ob-
the alluvium-filled valley. This site was sub- tained from an aquifer whose top is at a
sequently drilled and abandoned after 90 feet depth of 146 feet.
14 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PYRAMID GRAZING of the valley Desert Valley is crossed by
DISTRICT
the Quinn River from east to west. This
The Pyramid Grazing District includes all valley was visited in July and well site D8
of Humboldt County and parts of Pershing and (table 5) was selected on its northern edge.
Washoe Counties. Explorations for water in Ground water is moving through the valley
1960 were made in four rather widely spaced fill from the mountains toward the Quinn
areas and eight well sites were examined. River, and well site D8, selected on this
Information on five wells drilled as a result basis, was drilled in the fall of 1960. Water
cf recommendations made in 1960 and pre- came into the well at a depth of 52 feet but
vious years is given in table 5. Recommen- stands in the coinpleted well at a depth of 30
dations for stock-water sources were based feet below ground surface.
on field examinations by the author and F. F.
Zdenek of the Geological Survey and a report Trinity Range
by Peter son (written communication, 1945).
The Trinity Range (10, fig. 1), a system of
Quinn River Valley low hills west of Lovelock, was visited in
July and well site D10 (table 5) was selected
Quinn River Valley (7, fig. 1) was visited for drilling into the alluvium along a dry
first in July and later in November and four wash. In the area examined,the Quaternary
well sites (4, D6, D7, and D9, table 5) were alluvium of the streambed overlies Tertiary
selected for drilling into the valley alluvium. basalt flows with interbedded layers of tuff.
Quinn River Valley is a sprawling down- These formations are water bearing in other
dropped valley surrounded by mountains. areas, and exploratory drilling here was be-
The valley alluvium is hundreds to thousands lieved to be justified on the dual basis of
of feet thick in the valley center and a few potential aquifers and need for water. The
tens of feet thick on the valley margins. Al- well was drilled in a nearby canyon having a
luvial fans form a transition zone between similar geologic setting and was abandoned,
the mountains and the valley. Older rocks of dry, at 390 feet.
the down-dropped block underlie the valley
fill. Unless it contains thick bodies of clay Black Rock Desert
or silt the valley fill usually is permeable
and contains ground water that moves from The Black Rock Desert area was visited in
the mountains toward the valley center. Per- July and two widely separated well sites (2,
meability throughout the valley fill is not uni- 3, table 5) were examined. Site 2 was se-
form as the formation is a heterogeneous lected at a location along an unnamed dry
mixture with layers of coarse (permeable) stream channel in the mountains east of the
material interbedded with the impermeable, Black Rock Desert. The alluvium of the
fine-grained, sediments. The geology and hy- stream channel is a narrow thread of per-
drology of Quinn River Valley are character- meable material underlain by generally im-
istic of most valleys of the Pyramid Grazing permeable bedrock. The channel, extending
District. Ground water occurs at varying several miles north of the proposed site,
depths in the valley fill of Quinn River Valley may have water moving as underflow toward
and most wells attempted in the valley have Black Rock Desert. Water is found in simi-
been successful except where there is shal- lar conditions in many places throughout the
low bedrock. Three wells, D6, D7, and D9, the surrounding valleys and may logically be
have been drilled to date (May 1961). Of expected here.
these, the well at site D9 had water at 75 feet
and the drilling at sites D6 and D7 has been Site 3 was selected on the edge of Black
temporarily suspended. Rock Desert about 25 miles northwest of site
2. This part of the desert is an embayment
Desert Valley north of the main desert and west of the
Black Rock Range. It is an alluvial-filled
Desert Valley (8, fig. 1) is an alluvium- basin with alluvial fans around the valley
filled valley that is parallel to and just west edge. Water should occur at a shallow depth
of Quinn River Valley. Unlike Quinn River either in the alluvial fan or in the underlying
Valley where the river flows down the length valley fill.
 Table 5. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Nevada, 1960
[Site number without prefix indicates site only and depth of well and depth to water are estimated and aquifer is inferred; E with
site number indicates existing well at time of examination; D with site number indicates well drilled in 1960; S with site number
indicates spring. Names of aquifers are shown by standard symbols for formation: Qal, Quaternary alluvium; Th, Humboldt
Formation]

Location Eleva-
Depth Depth
Site tion of of to Yield
No. Area Section Name land well water Aquifer (gpm) Remarks
on R. surface (feet) (feet)
fig.l Quarter No (feet)
Bureau of Land Management Elko Grazing District
1 9 3 42 N. 62 E. 6,380 <600 Th
El 1 SWNE R 35 N. 49 E. Cap's Well.. ________ 275 None Dry
E2 2 3 42 N. 62 E.~ 87
Dl 3 36 34 N. 68 E. Deseret Livestock Co_ 5,215 112 Dry
D2 4 SWNW 6 35 N. 54 E. Roy Young __________ 5,750 132 55 Oal
D3 1 NESE 34 35 N. 48 E. Cap's Well A________ 183 110 Qal'
D4 5 SE 1 33 N. 56 E. Faught Well_________ 5,465 258 179 Th Examined in 1954.
D5 6 NE 31 38 N. 60 E. Martin Well _________ 5,485 150 48 Th Small Well abandoned. Examined
in 1956.
Bureau of Land Management Pyramid Grazing District
2 9 5 35 N. 31 E. Antelope Summit_____ 4,500 Qal
3 10 31 38 N. 26 E. Donnelly
*/ Well _______ 3,960
4 7 SE 10 47 N. 38 E. 4,545 125- Qal
175
D6 7 NWNE ?,?, 44 N. 37 E. Hadley Seeding ______ 4,420 140 Dry Bedrock reported at 133 ft.
D7 7 7 44 N. 38 E. Flat Creek Well __ _ 4,510 163 Dry Stopped at 163 ft.
D8 8 11 42 N. 33 E. Radar Well 4,175 220 52 Qal Static level 30 ft.
D9 7 NE 35 40 N. 36 E. Jackson Well ________ 4,180 105 75 Qal Static level 70 ft.
DIG 10 NESE 14 28 N. 29 E. T 1 3 T* a n 0*1 1 £* "\Wf*l 1 5,200 390 Dry
«/
16 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

REFERENCES FOR NEVADA

Site 1 is on the south edge of the valley
about 5 miles southwest of site Dl where a
Hains, C. F., Van Sickle, D. M., and Ryals, well drilled into the alluvium (of the same
W. G., 1949, Range water resources of a valley) should be successful.
part of the Elko Grazing District, Elko
County, Nevada: U.S. Geol. Survey open- East side of the Owyhee River
file rept., 84 p.
Granger, A. E., Bell, M. M., Simmons, G.E., This area (2, fig. 1) was visited in July 1960
and Lee, F., 1957, Geology and mineral re- and three locations (2 4, table 6) were exam-
sources of Elko County, Nevada: Nevada ined. The area east of the Owyhee River
Bur. Mines Bull. 54, 189 p. between sites 2 and 3 is underlain by flat-
lying beds of lava and volcanic ash that have
been deposited over older volcanic rock that
OREGON has been tentatively identified as rhyolite.
The flat-lying beds above the rhyolite are
By C T. SNYDER permeable and carry water at or below the
level of the river. The rhyolite is exposed
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT VALE GRAZING
DISTRICT
only at scattered locations in the canyon
walls. It is believed that the flat-lying beds
The Vale Grazing District includes all of were deposited over an old land surface of
Malheur County. Explorations for water in moderate relief, which had been formed on
1960 were made in four areas where seven the rhyolite. The ryholite is usually massive
well sites were examined. Information on and is not known to be water bearing. Lim-
seven wells drilled as a result of recommen- ited occurrences of Quaternary alluvium are
dations made in 1960 and previous years is found on top of the flat-lying beds of lava and
given in table 6. Recommendations for stock- volcanic ash. These bodies of alluvium are
water sources were based on a field examina- small and may or may not contain water.
tion by the author and on a report by Baldwin Site 2 was recommended for exploratory
(1959). drilling into beds underlying a lava-capped
plateau between the Owyhee River and Jordon
Rattlesnake Creek area Creek. A well drilled here probably will be
successful unless the rhyolite is above river
This area (l,fig. 1) was visited in Septem- level, in which case the chances for obtaining
ber 1959 and in July 1960, and two well sites water are small. The estimated drilling
(1, Dl, table 6) were selected. Site Dl is on depth is 400 to 500 feet.
a sagebrush-covered flat near the edge of
Rattlesnake Creek and beside a dry stream Sites 3 and 4 are on a lava-capped plateau
channel coming from the east. Rattlesnake east of the Owyhee River Canyon. A large
Creek occupies an alluvium-filled valley that body of rhyolite is exposed in the canyon
has been cut in flat-lying older rocks. The where the river has cut through several hun-
alluvium is a widespread but fairly thin de- dred feet of the non-water-bearing material.
posit, largely restricted to the valley bottom, Site 3 was rejected because the rhyolite ex-
and underlain by a sequence of Tertiary vol- posed in the canyon nearby very likely ex-
canic rocks and lacustrine sediments. These tends under this site. Moreover, the total
rocks, consisting of tuffaceous silt stone and drilling depth to river level, about 1,200 feet,
sandstone with interbedded basalt flows, oc- is prohibitive. Site 4 was selected as a place
cur over much of the area east and south of to explore the shallow alluvial fill of a small
U.S. Highway 95. Their water-bearing prop- closed basin lying just east of the Owyhee
erties are not well established, but in other Canyon. No other well sites appear feasible
areas similar rocks are known to be perme- so exploratory drilling at this location may
able and will yield enough water for stock. be justified. The alluvial fill here probably
Water occurs as underflow in the alluvium of is not thick. Deeper drilling into the rocks
Rattlesnake Creek, usually less than 1 foot underlying the alluvium is not justified.
below the surface. Wells El and E2 (table 6)
are in this alluvium. It was concluded that Oregon Canyon Creek
water was moving from the southeast and
east toward Rattlesnake Creek. A well was Oregon Canyon Creek (3, fig. 1) is a south-
drilled at site Dl and water was reached at a ward-flowing, ephemeral stream in the north-
depth of 295 feet. ern end of the Quinn River Valley. Well site 5
 OREGON 17

Table 6. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Oregon, 1960

[Site number without prefix indicates site only and depth of well and depth to water are estimated
and aquifer is inferred; E with site number indicates existing well at time of examination; D
with site number indicates well drilled in 1960. Names of aquifers are shown by standard sym-
bols for formations: Qal, Quaternary alluvium; TV, Tertiary volcanic rocks, undifferentiated]

Location Eleva-
Depth Depth
Site tion of of to Yield
Remarks
No. Area Section Name land well water Aquifer (gpm)
on T. R. surface (feet) (feet)
fig-1 Quarter No. (feet)
Bureau of Land Management Vale Grazing District

1 1 SE 21 35S. 41E. 4,125 Qal

?, 2 NENE 35 SOS. 41E. 3,900 400- TV
500
3 2 6 33S. 45E. 4,700 TV Drilling not
recom-
mended.
4 2 SW 35 32 S. 44 E. 4,620 Shal- Qal
low
5 3 Center 18 38 S. 41E. 4,850 <100 Qal
R 4 1 3RS. 37E. 4,300 100- Qal Place where
200 water is
needed mo st.
E1 1 SE 13 35S. 41E. D. Bankofier. 4,100 7 Qal
E2 1 NENE 27 34 S. 41E. Bowden 3,925 12 7.0 Qal
Ranch.
E3 3 SW 28 38S. 41E. School 4,870 7.71 Qal
House Well
E4 3 NE 32 38S. 41E. Echave Bros 4,885 9.4 Qal
E5 4 SW 11 3RS. 3RE. 4,180 <10 Qal
Dl 1 SW R ^Q 42E. ri-rnffrm Wpll 4 n^n 315 295 TV

Bureau of Land Management Prineville Grazing District

7 5 SE 14 23S. 21E. 4,540 TV

8 5 27 23S. 21E. 4,510 Qal,Tv
9 5 NW 28 23S. 21E. ___________ 4,ROO _»._____ _____ Qal,Tv _____

10 5 SW 30 23S. 21E. ___________ 4,820 _______ _____ Qal,Tv __ __ _

11 5 SW 23 23S. 20 E. _________ __ 4,810 _______ _____ Qal, TV __ ___
12 5 3 23S. 20E. 4,550 Qal,Tv
13 R NENW 30 21S. 21E. ________ 4,950 _______ _____ Qal,Tv _____

14 7 NW 30 19S. IRE. ___________ 4,400 _______ _____ Qal,Tv ____

15 7 SW 13 19S. 15E. ___________ 4,420 _______ _ ____ Qal,Tv _____
1fi 7 NW 18 19S. IRE. 4,590 TV
17 7 NW 21 19S. 16E. ........... 4,550 _______ _____ Qal,Tv _____

18 7 15 19S. IRE. 4,RRO Drilling not

recom-
mended.
E6 5 NE 19 23S. 20E. 120 Qal
E7 6 swsw 10 21S. 21E. R,050 <15 Qal
E8 7 14 19S. IRE. 850
18 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. 1960

(table 6) lies beside an unnamed tributary of faults that have a northwest ward trend across
Oregon Canyon Creek. This part of the Quinn the area. Water has been obtained by digging
River Valley is filled with alluvium that con- or drilling wells into the surficial alluvium
tains water at a fairly shallow depth as shown and deeper drilling into but not through the
by two nearby wells (E3, E4, table 6) in both underlying beds of lava and volcanic ash.
of which water stands at less than 10 feet Marked differences in depth to water between
below ground surface. Water probably is neighboring wells both of which are drilled
moving southward through the alluvium from to water in the volcanic rocks are common-
the mountains toward Quinn River Valley. place; differences as great as 200 feet have
been reported. These differences are caused
Whitehorse Ranch basin by faults offsetting the water-bearing beds.
It is possible that water may occur in the
Well site 6 (table 6) is in a small closed alluvium at sites 8 13 in the Hampton area
basin known informally as the Whitehorse and at sites 14, 15, and 17 in the Millican
Ranch basin (4, fig. 1). This basin has no area. If water does not occur near the base
known outlet to nearby valleys. The valley of the alluvium, the possibility still remains
has been filled with a considerable thickness that water may be found at depth in the vol-
of alluvium. Surface water enters the basin canic rocks.
from hills to the south and southeast through
a well-defined drainage system, but most of
it goes into the ground near the southern REFERENCES FOR OREGON
edge of the valley where the valley floor is
covered with sand dunes that absorb water Baldwin, F. M., 1959, Geology of Oregon:
rapidly. Water should be found here at less Oregon Univ. Press, 136 p.
than 100 feet below the surface. Russell, I. C., 1905, Geology and water re-
sources of central Oregon,U.S. Geol. Sur-
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PRINEVILLE vey Bull. 252, 138 p., 24 pis.
GRAZING DISTRICT

ThePrineville Grazing District comprises UTAH

parts of Crook, Deschutes, and Lake Countiea
Explorations for water were made in October By CHARLES E. SLOAN
1960 for 12 well sites (table 6). Recommen-
dations for stock-water sources were based Grazing Districts 6 and 9 are in San Juan
on a field examination by F.F. Zdenek of the and Grand Counties, Utah, respectively. Ex-
Geological Survey and reports by Baldwin ploration for water in 1960 was made in five
(1959),Bowman1 , Lowry 2 ,and Russell(1905). areas where nine well sites were located.
Recommendations for stock-water sources
Dry River valley area were based on field examinations by the
author and M. C. Van Lewen.
The Dry River valley area in central
Oregon was visited by Zdenek in October, at
which time seven well sites were examined BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 6
near Hampton and five were examined near
Millican. Geologically this part of central The Bluff area
Oregon is a transition zone wherein the rocks
of the Columbia Plateau are broken by faults The Bluff area (1, fig. 1) is north of the
of the Great Basin type. Rocks underlying San Juan River in the vicinity of the town of
the area consist of basaltic and andesitic Bluff and extends from Butler Wash on the
lava flows with interbedded tuff and agglome- west to Recapture Creek on the east. Sites
ate. Locally alluvium has accumulated in 1 and 2 (table 7) were selected on Bluff Bench,
some of the fault-enclosed valleys. Continu- a mesa underlain by the Bluff Sandstone that
ity of the volcanic formations has been in- extends from Cottonwood Creek to Recapture
terrupted by numerous high-angle normal Creek. Sites 3 and 4 were selected on Tank
iBowman, F. J., 1940, Geology of the north half of the Hamp- Mesa, a counterpart of Bluff Bench, that ex-
ton quadrangle, Oregon: Oregon State College, unpublished tends from Butler Wash to Cottonwood Creek.
masters thesis.
*Lowry, W. D., 1940, Geology of the Bear Creek area, Crooks The formations in this general area dip
and Deschutes County,Oregon: Oregon State College, unpublished gently eastward from Comb Ridge monocline
masters thesis.
 UTAH 19

toward the Sage Plains down warp. Springs logs from the Southern Union Oil Co. Federal
of low discharge (S1-S3, table 7) occur in No. 1 oil test well in sec. 22, T. 38 S., R. 16 E.,
most of the canyons that dissect the mesa also suggest that water may be obtained from
indicating that there is a thin body of perched this perched zone in the Cedar Mesa Sand-
ground water in the basal part of the Bluff stone Member. This zone would be reached
Sandstone of Late Jurassic age. The under- at the proposed site at a depth of about 475
lying Summerville Formation of Late Ju- feet.
rassic age is a relatively impermeable bar-
rier that retards or prevents the downward Harts Point area
movement of ground water.
Harts Point (4, fig. 1) is a high, elongate,
Lime Ridge area northwest trending finger of land between the
canyons of Harts Draw and Indian Creek
The Lime Ridge area (2, fig. 1) is in the about 15 miles east of the confluence of the
rugged canyon country north of the San Juan Colorado and the Green Rivers. Harts Point
River between Comb Wash and Lime Creek. is immediately underlain by the Navajo Sand-
Water is needed (site 5, table 7) on an anti- stone which dips about 1° NE toward Harts
cline more than a thousand feet above the Draw. The Navajo Sandstone (Triassic(?) and
level of the nearby San Juan River. In addi- (Jurassic) in txirn is underlain by shale of the
tion to the unfavorable topographic and struc- Kayenta Formation (Late Triassic) that is a
tural setting of the site, the general area is barrier to the downward movement of ground
under lain to a considerable depth by the rela- water. Springs (S7 and S8, table 7) in Harts
tively impermeable Cutler (Permian age) and Draw on the downdip side of the point, and
Rico (Pennsylvanian and Permian(?) age) well (El) on Harts Point, indicate locally
Formations. Electric and radioactivity logs perched water in the lower part of the Navajo
of Pan American Petroleum Corp. Lime Ridge Sandstone. Well site 7 was located so as to
No. 1 oil test about a mile east of the site tap this water-bearing zone.
show no indication of water-bearing beds to
a depth of about 1,500 feet.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 9
Red House area
The area examined (5, fig. 1) is at the north
The Red House area (3, fig. 1) is near the end of Dome Plateau about 6 miles west of
head of Steer Gulch at the northern end of Dewey Bridge where Utah Highway 128
Grand Gulch Plateau where the broad plateau crosses the Colorado River. The site pro-
surface abuts the higher surface of Red House posed by the Bureau of Land Management (8,
Mesa. Well-site 6 (table 7) was selected table 7) is on the north flank of a large domal
on the plateau surface just north of Clay Hills structure in what is considered a very un-
Road in a small erosional reentrant in the favorable geologic and topographic setting.
mesa. Therefore, an alternate site (9) was selected
about li miles southwest of site 8 near the
Grand Gulch Plateau is underlain by the axis of a syncline that separates the larger
Cedar Mesa Sandstone Member of the Cutler structure from the comparatively small Yel-
Formation, which locally reaches an esti- low Cat dome. Site 9 is both topographically
mated thickness of 900 feet. Three small and stratigraphically lower than site 8 so
springs (S4 S6, table 7) issue above a shale that chances are much better that water will
parting in the sandstone at the head of Grand be found at comparatively shallow depth in
Gulch and are interpreted as an indication of the lower part of the Entrada Sandstone of
perched water. Electric and radioactivity Late Jurassic age.
 CO
Table 7. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Utah, 1960 o
[Site number without prefix indicates site only and depth of well and depth to water are estimates and aquifer is inferred; E with
site number indicates existing well at time of examination; S indicates spring. Aquifers are indicated by standard formation
symbols: Pec, Cedar Mesa Sandstone Member of Cutler Formation; J1 n, Navajo Sandstone; Je, Entrada Sandstone; Jb, Bluff
Sandstone]

Location Eleva-
Depth Depth
tion of of to Yield
Site
Area Section Name land well water Aquifer Remarks
No. (gpm)
on T. R. surface (feet) (feet)
fig.l Quarter No. (feet)
Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 6

1 1 SENE 20 40 S. 22 E. Bayles _____________ 4,660 150-175 150-175 Jb

2 1 SWNW 5 40 S. 22 E. West League ________ 4,800 275-325 275-325 Jb
3 1 NESW 10 40 S. 21 E. Tank Mesa 1________ 4,830 175-210 175-210 Jb
4 1 NENE 21 40 S. 21 E. Tank Mesa 2________ 4,975 275-325 275-325 Jb
5 2 NENW 6 41 S. 20 E. Clarence Perkins ___ 5,020 Site not recommended owing
to the lack of permeability
and unfavorable geologic
setting,
6 3 SE 9 38 S. 16 E. Irish Cove __________ 5,410 450-500 450-500 Pec [f yield is inadequate at 500
feet, additional drilling of 400-
500 feet will be necessary.
7 4 NESE 24 30 S. 21 E. Kenneth Summers ___ 6,300 200-240 200-240 JUn
El 4 NE 6 31 S. 22 E. 6,460 175 JH n
SI 1 SESE 20 40 S. 22 E. 4,500 Jb 1 Spring issues at contact of
the Bluff Sandstone and the
underlying Summerville
Formation.
S2 1 NWNW 7 40 S. 22 E. 4,545 Jb 1 Do.
S3 1 NENE 22 40 S. 21 E. Buck Creek. ________ 4,615 Jb 1 Do.
S4 3 SE 32 38 S. 16 E. Collins _____________ 5,050 Pec 1 Spring issues above a 3 -inch
shale parting about 360 feet
below top of formation.
S5 3 NW 4 39 S. 16 E. 5,100 Pec 1 Do.
S6 3 SE 4 39 S. 16 E. 5,150 Pec Do.
S7 4 NWNW 30 30 S. 22 E. 6,050 1 Spring issues from base of
Navajo Sandstone at contact
with underlying shale of
Kayenta Formation.
 WYOMING 21

CUD curt WYOMING

(U
'>S ^ o 1 0) fj
o « CUD o 5 'o BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT 2
<u -^nJ
'"O O -r-l ra '.
(U T3 ?
By M. C. VAN LEWEN
uand
nfg
avorable underlying For
be
red C
io
el
matarm
notrecom en 1
Bite lthe
to
imrecited Drhoulil idng reach
sbe tinupon
ued The Bureau of Land Management Grazing
District 2 comprises parts of Fremont and
Natrona Counties. Explorations for water in
setting. 1960 were made in 2 areas where 11 well
o* sites were located. Information on eight
Q wells, drilled as a result of recommenda-
i r tions made in 1960 and previous years, is
r-H
given in table 8. Recommendations for stock-
water sources were based on field examina-
tions by the author and R. W. Lichty and on
fl reports by Thompson, Troyer, White, and
<U
I-D I-D Pipiringos (1950), Thompson and White (1954),
and Tourtelot (1953).
O5
m
<M
Government Draw area
-t-l
O
r-l

4-1
2t-
M
r-l
r-H
Well sites 1, Dl, and D2 (table 8) east of
m Lander are near the drainage divide that sep-
Q (M
cuo (M
arates Government Draw and Beaver Creek
d J,
r-l
IS1 t- (1, fig. 1). This area is underlain by, in de-
0
O 0
g o
00
r-H

0
t-
scending order, the Wind River (Eocene),
Fort Union (Paleocene), and Mesaverde (Late
t 1 -H (M r-H

CO
k
M
(U m
i
m
«k
Cretaceous) Formations and the Cody Shale
a
(U
(Late Cretaceous). These formations all
strike northwestward and dip northeastward.
be i
art
^H
d
0
ra£-1 ^
i
An angular unconformity exists between the
Wind River Formation, which dips 2° 3°, and
^H o> the Fort Union Formation, which dips 12°
_«
y
<U
<~\ ^(U
rt PH (U _; 14°. Angular unconformities of about 2° oc-
J O § o cur between the Fort Union and Mesaverde
" ra
<4H
O i ^ Formations, and between the Mesaverde For-
jj <U d 43 mation and the Cody Shale. All these forma-
rt S
(U <U (U % tions contain permeable beds that, if satu-
h <U *^
§
5 rated, will yield water to wells.
m <J
W W W Although there are two stock-water wells
r-H (M (M
(M (M (M in the area (El, E2) that obtain water from the
CO* CO* CO* Wind River Formation and from the Cody
0 CO CO Shale, the results of drilling at sites Dl and
CO (M (M
D2 indicate that wells drilled on or near the
^ (M ^ drainage divide may not obtain an adequate
CM T-H T-4
yield. A much better place for developing
successful wells is in the Wind River Forma-
tion on the broad surface that dips northeast-
W wCO w ward to Beaver Creek. Future wells should
*
W
CO
W
£
w
CO be drilled at least half a mile, and preferably
a mile, northeast of the drainage divide in
* m
m order to obtain a yield adequate for stock
needs.
00 00 O5
CO
22 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

Shoshone-Moneta area consists of indurated sediments of the Wa-

satch, Green River, and Bridger Formations
Well sites 2, 3, and D3-D8 (table 8) in the all Eocene age that were deposited in and
northern part of the Wind River basin (2, fig. along the margins of the ancient Green River
1) are underlain by the Wind River Forma- Lake. Bradley (1926) and Donovan (1950) de-
tion, which consists of pockets and lenses of scribed the depositional environment that re-
sandstone erratically distributed throughout sulted in the intertonguing of the Wasatch and
a thickness of several thousand feet of multi- Green River Formations. Gordon and others
colored shale. Because the lithology of this (1960) describe the occurrence and quality of
formation changes radically within short dis- water in the northern Bridger Basin.
tances, it is generally not possible to predict
closely the required drilling depth at a parti- Both the uppermost part of the Green River
cular location. The results of drilling at six Formation and the overlying Bridger Forma-
of the above sites (D3 D8) show that, if sev- tion consist of interbedded standstone and
eral wells are to be drilled, the total footage shale, and these units contain many more
drilled will be reasonably close to the total permeable beds than does the main body of
estimated footage. the Green River Formation. An analysis of
driller's logs of numerous wells drilled in
Water found at shallow depth in this area is the Little Colorado Desert west of Farson
frequently of poorer quality than water found between Sandy Creek and the Green River
at greater depth. Where this happens, the permits some generalizations of the lithology
water obtained at shallow depth is usually and water-bearing properties of the forma-
cased off and drilling is continued until water tions. Rocks found near the axis of the basin
of better quality is obtained. Water in the are not readily correlated with exposures
Wind River Formation in this area is com- along the margin of the basin. Sandstone
monly under artesian pressure. beds are generally not continuous from one
well to another only a few miles away.
Yields in excess of 40 gpm have been ob-
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GRAZING DISTRICT
4 and 5 tained from the Bridger Formation and from
the upper part of the Green River Forma-
By M. C. VAN LEWEN tion from wells along the major ephemeral
streams tapping these horizons. Wells in up-
The Bureau of Land Management Grazing land areas away from the stream valleys,
Districts 4 and 5 comprise parts of Sweet - however, obtain only small yields from these
water, Lincoln, Uinta, and Sublette Counties. same stratigraphic horizons. To obtain
Explorations for water in 1960 were made in yields in excess of 20 gpm in these parts of
the Bridger Basin (3, fig. 1) part of which is the area, it is generally necessary to drill
in the northern part of District 4 and the re- much deeper, probably to a tongue of the
mainder of which is in District 5, where 36 Wasatch Formation.
well sites were located. Information is given
on 7 wells drilled as a result of recommenda- Along the east and west margins and
tions made in 1960. Recommendations for throughout the northern part of the northern
stock-water sources were based on field ex- Bridger Basin the Wasatch Formation is re-
aminations by the author and R. W. Lichty charged by perennial surface streams, so
and on reports by Bradley (1926, 1959), Dono- that stock-water wells of adequate yield are
van (1950), and Gordon and others (1960). usually obtained at a depth of less than 200
feet. A few wells drilled into the Wasatch
The well sites (4-29, D9-D18, table 8) ex- Formation on the mesa south of Pinedale in-
amined are all in the northern half of the dicate that small amounts of water may be
Bridger Basin. Ground water occurs under obtained at elevations considerably above the
sufficiently similar conditions throughout the level of the nearby New Fork and Green
area bounded by the Wind River Mountains on Rivers.
the northeast, Steamboat and Essex Mountains
on the southeast, the township line between Water in^the Wasatch, Green River, and
Townships 21 and 22 north on the south, and Bridger Formations is-Ordinarily under ar-
the Wyoming Range on the west that it may tesian pressure, and some flowing wells
be described as a unit. Bedrock in this area have been developed. All water obtained
 WYOMING 23

from these formations in this area is suitable slopes between the site and the river and un-
for stock use. derlie this general area to a depth of several
thousand feet.

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GBAZING DISTRICT 6 Well ESS, about half a mile east of the site,
indicates that permeable beds occur locally
By CHARLES E. SLOAN
within the Wasatch Formation, and that below
the level of the Powder River these beds
Bureau of Land Management Grazing Dis- should be water bearing.
trict 6 comprises parts of Johnson and Na-
trona Counties and scattered land utilization Williams Draw area
tracts in eastern Wyoming and adjacent
States. Exploration for water in 1960 was Three well sites (32 34,table 8) were exa-
made in three areas where six well sites mined in August in the Williams Draw area
were chosen, one of which was drilled in 1960. (6, fig. 1) which is immediately east of the
Recommendations for stock-water sources Powder River in the central part of the Pow-
were based on field examinations by the der River basin. The Wasatch Formation,
author. consisting largely of interbedded sandstone,
siltstone, shale, and coal, underlies the area
Alkali Creek area to a depth of several thousand feet. Data
from wells E39 E41 indicate that the Powder
Two well sites (30 and D19, table 8) were River reflects the general level of saturation
selected in August in the Alkali Creek area in the Wasatch Formation. Thus, successful
(4, fig. 1) near Arminto in the eastern part well completion depends on penetrating a
of the Wind River Basin. Both sites are un- permeable zone below this level. Owing to
derlain by the Wind River Formation of Eo- the dip of the beds and the confining effect of
cene age, which has accumulated to consid- the shales, the water apparently is under
erable thickness in a deep, northwestward artesian pressure throughout the area.
trending synclinal trough that separates Ce-
dar Ridge on the southwest from Arminto an-
ticline on the northeast. The Wind River REFERENCES FOR WYOMING
Formation locally consists of interbedded
shale, siltstone, sandstone, and conglomerate Bradley, W. H., 1926, Shore phases of the
of fluvial and lacustrine origin. Both sites Green River formation in northern Sweet-
were chosen on the basis of three wells (ESS- water County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey
ES?) that obtain water at a comparatively Prof. Paper 140-D.
shallow depth from sandstone lenses in the ___1959, Revision of stratigraphic nomen-
Wind River Formation within a few miles of clature of Green River formation of Wyo-
the sites. However, the well drilled at the ming: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists
Donlin 1 site (D19) penetrated only "blue clay" Bull., v. 43, no. 5, p. 1072-1075.
to a depth of 300 feet where drilling was dis- Donovan, J. H., 1950, Intertonguing of Green
continued. Thus, the distribution of sandstone River and Wasatch formations in part of
lenses in the Wind River Formation appears Sublette and Lincoln Counties, Wyoming, in
to be erratic and not locally predictable. Suc- Wyoming Geol. Assoc. Guidebook 5th Ann.
cessful completion of wells in this area in- Field Conf., Southwest Wyoming, 1950: p.
volves an element of risk, therefore, as water 59-67.
can be found only in permeable sandstone Gordon, E.D., King, N.J., Haynes, G.L.,Jr.,
lenses below the local level of saturation. and Cummings, T.R., 1960, Occurrence and
quality of water in the northern Bridger Ba-
Bonnidee area sin and the adjacent overthrust belt: Wyo-
ming Geol. Assoc. Guidebook 15th Ann. Field
Well site 31 near the head of Curtis Draw Conf., Overthrust belt of Southwestern Wyo-
in the southern part of the Powder River ming and adjacent areas, 1960: p. 226-247.
Basin (5, fig. 1) was examined in August. The Thompson, R.M., Troyer, M.L., White, V.L.,
site is about 4 miles west of the Powder River and Pipiringos, G. N., 1950, Geology of the
and 250 feet higher. Westward dipping, in- Lander area, central Wyoming: U.S. Geol.
terbedded sandstone, siltstone, shale, and coal Survey Oil and Gas Inv. Map OM-112.
of the Wasatch Formation crop out in the
 Table 8. Well and spring locations examined or drilled in Wyoming, 1960
[Site number without prefix indicates site only, and depth of well and depth to water are estimates and aquifer is inferred; E with
site number indicates existing well at time of examination; D with site number indicates well drilled in 1960; S with site number
indicates spring. Names of aquifers are shown by standard symbols for formations: Kc, Cody Shale; Tw, Wasatch Formation;
Twn, New Fork Tongue of Wasatch Formation; Twdr, Wind River Formation; Tgl, Laney Shale Member of Green River Forma-
tion; Tb, Bridger Formation; Qal, alluvium]

Location Eleva-
Depth Depth
tion of
Site of to Yield
Area Section Name land Aquifer Remarks
No. on well water (gPm )
R. surface
(feet) (feet)
fig. 1 Quarter No. (feet)

Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 2

1 1 SWNE 6 33 N. 97 W. Government Draw 2__ 5,570 200-400 Twdr

2 2 SWNE 32 38 N. 91 W. Dry Gulch __________ 5,650 550-700 350- Twdr
400
3 2 NENE. 25 38 N. 93 W. Ocla _______________ 5,350 400-550 <300 Twdr
El 1 NW 3 32 N. 97 W. 5,660 107 55 Twdr
E2 1 NENE 19 32 N. 97 W. Nine Mile __________ 5,960 224 48 Kc 5 Sandstone bed.
E3 2 SENW 15 36 N. 91 W. Harmes ____________ 5,620 171 Twdr 5
E4 2 SWNE 23 37 N. 91 W. Moneta Cafe ________ 5,435 265 10 Twdr 10+
E5 2 SWNW 25 37 N. 91 W. Kanson _____________ 5,480 113 40 Twdr 10+
E6 2 NENW 18 38 N. 92 W. Picard _____________ 4,950 368 30 Twdr 10+
E7 2 NENE 17 38 N. 93 W. Fuller _____________ 4,900 417 Twdr
-
E8 2 swsw 20 38 N. 93 W. 5,200 465 Twdr
TTQ 2 NESW 14 39 N. 94 W. 4,860 160 48 Twdr
E10 2 SWNE 6 38 N. 93 W. H. R. F ____________ 4,980 565 110 Twdr 20 1 gpm at 134-143 feet.
Ell 2 NWSW 15 39 N. 93 W. Shell Oil Co ________ 5,350 491 Twdr 9 1 gpm at 33-40 feet.
OJL

E12 2 SENE 17 36 N. 92 W. 5,425 275 77 Twdr

Dl 1 NWSW 5 32 N. 97 W. Government Draw 5,870 520 Twdr .5 Hole abandoned.
D2 1 NWSW 17 33 N. 97 W. Monument Draw_____ 5,700 430 Twdr 1 Do.
D3 2 NWSE 35 37 N. 91 W. Poison Creek 1 _____ 5,560 118 77 Twdr 15
D4 2 NWNE 34 37 N. 92 W. Poison Creek 2 _____ 5,350 90 42 Twdr 8
D5 2 SENE 26 38 N. 92 W. Gates Draw. ________ 5,520 405 100 Twdr 8
D6 2 SWNW 28 38 N. 93 W. Fuller _____________ 5,290 730 480 Twdr 9-10
D7 2 SWSW 28 39 N. 92 W. P. andH ___________ 5,420 336 175 Twdr 24 4 gpm at 218-235 feet, 20
gpm at 320-336 feet.
D8 2 NENE 29 39 N. 94 W. Herbst _____________ 4,760 81 37 Twdr 12 12 gpm at 75-78 feet.
<31 1 SWNW 6 33 N. 97 W. 5,570 Twdr Undeveloped seep in stream
channel.
 WYOMING 25

aa is a
*Q
tuo §<» a
co m CO rf\

if if I f
CD

CD f
>> 0 j>i O & °
&
o > o S
cd cd cd cd cd cd a $ 'O
CD
O
rt cd cd cd cd cd cd cti cd cti cd

w f1
bfl
c 28|
!tH **"" 3 <*H «*H
§ . 8 .a 8 O
_
O
CO CD
rl

O &H u $H o ^ a
o CD CD CD CD CD CD O CD CD CD CD CD CD

ena a ena a
p t f^ t >J
fa CO £ fa en en en en
+
ooo omm o m o o o o o o
csimcsi ocsico Tt<iHcsi CM Tt< CSI Tt< CSI

d c d c
> bfl ^ > $ £
H H EH EH EH EH
EH EH EH EH

oo oom I m o m csi to to e- ot-o Tt< l> O ir- CO O o

m csi in csi m csi £ ^2 m o> t- co CO t- CO
I v t- CM v V o o TH *H (M
o
i-H
to
iH fa
Q
tuo o m o o o o o o o co o o co CO CO CO O O iH o o o m CSI 00 CO CSI o
G
'N m o csi co o oo O> tH 00 CO 00 CO o to o csi CO CSI .H ,-H CO
oo CO CO CO

22
1 1 1 I

cd cU oI oI oI oI oI
O c<i
Z ooooooo moooom ooo ooo ooo oo o o o mo o
CD
oo co c3 ^t^ oo co m fp co oo c^ csi in Tt^ csi ^^ ^^ ^t^ co Tt^ csi oo oo co oo co csi co co in
csicocsit-ooooo) iHiHCJcncooo oomm ooooo CDOO om co o> oo ^^ °*
""co"
t t t CO CO CO CO t t t CO CO CO COCOCO COCOt co t- ir- co CO CO CO CO

*Q

cd to
bfl^
Ig. a a tn
On.'S >H csi ax! CQa a
u
000
UUU
000
UUU § A
o
U
o
U
O O
U U a
CD CD CD CD CD CD bfl CD CD CD
-H
CD
rt rt >H &H SH rt ni .IH tn t< tn
<! <! fa ffi ffi J JJJ JJJ W en fa W
m m IH co rt< CD co oo m oo oo co o> oo
o o o o o o ooo o o o o o

oo oo CD m m co co 00
IMlMlMlMIMlMlM CSI CSI CSI csi csi (M CSI CSI

CSI o m CO o>
cci co c<i CO CO >H CO IM

t^
* &
ft
rncncn cncn SW^;OT OT cncncn en en co
g^^w^^w |wgww^ w^£ W w w ^
cncncn^cncn^; cn^cnco^w £cncn en en en en
COCOCOCOCOCOCO COCOCOCOCOCO COCOCO COCOCO CO CO, CO CO CO CO

i-(C<|COTt<lOCO O >H IM co Tt< m CSI

Tjf m co t- oo o> ^H CSI CSI CSI
www
IN N CSI
WWW WWW 3 Q Q
26 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

a d
H
f
C1 Sp^
a tifl
so M
C-
ir5
CN] m
d rH C
5 d ° d
5 -5
>y^ r-H r*> O K ^0^0
rr1 0 * > tJ *J 'XJ -*-* 'XJ
!H
ri 0 X! O 15 cJ 15 o £
a d X!
0 a
ri ri c i ri ri ri
a fH C

$ ri ri 'O r
o cJ O
s
rH
w) o o ci O fi O
ri
o H 0 .rH 0

i i H iH
0 rH
TH
CJ
t*H
fH
-iH
0 fH
iH 0 0 C J U CU CU
a a a cx a & ex
r^ CO co a3 CO

-o
2?
0 a,
co in
rH rH
o o
O t-
o
CM
c3
r- H
O
rH
o> -H tuo rH
a
c
!H
c
r-H
ri S 15
1 cr ^ ^^gg^^ggg ^^^^^ H O EH tH H
o *^H
m
en
^ SH ' o 0
<3) "cL iH

£
0 "*"o £sj £
tJ fH

CO
(-jinrHdooo
uot-inmom
V V V rH
coin-^o
cocomos
CO CM CO
CO rH t-
ut ^
«3
-i
in
CO

;»->
Q iH
Q
t!E
bD mm moooooooooo ooooowm o^-i in 05 co <r3 O
c cl _j *T7* d CMC~ (Minouninoooinino oooinoosco in-^t t- CM in T< 0
M ' ' 0 rH
rHrH ^-(rHC>]rHCMCMCMT*rHrHCM COO]Tt'CMCM T-1 rH rH C* 3 (M
T3
W
O V 0 IS)

*~*
ri in in o o o o o o o o in o o o o o o
~
U fH C-CM ooinoinoooc-oun oooun
O

0 "d mo oinoooinoooom ooomooomoo o O 0 c3 0

O ri c? _- Q ^^* CO O CM t** O3 ^ CM CM CO CO CM t"* CM O5 CM CO CM CO CO t"* ^H O CT 0 CM 05 CO
T3 £ ri 0 rHCM CMrHCOrHrHrHOCMOrHTJH ^f'CM^'COCMrHrHCM^'CO in CM TF (M

C
c- t- C- t t-
r-l C> r5 ^ «2
0
£ W >
4! 5} bD
H
ri
W d cd ^ '
ri
Sm S<» !' 1
CQ
CO
^^
O ^ ri
T3
a -2 M s S S ri CJO
o 0
J PQ
1
.3 rn § 0 ^
d-«l
g ^6 >
rio "
3
ri^rH Q y
/illiviou_.ni
553 'o CJD Wheat
Crested
5
i_
SX
<U J ^W£^^ M ri^ J 2w^«^m^&
S .
V)
T3
ri 11
OO ^l^_§-^^Q^^rl^
Cd^^KoSrikr! ri !> -, r«H ri Q S
0 §
rH HH
n, ,11 rH S,
CO
<H
s SH sa -1^SS.s2g5lS^5S«l|^«
^>
PQ 11 Hl£|«lSS^Q|l53!^|||
rfe §co Wpqcofe |!2; r<co<lWrJ<l §r5<lr<pqEHcocoI§ CO f
1 15 15
CO « C-CO COCOC-C-O5OOOO5O5O5 OOOOC-C-C-C-O5C
o-> t- t~ c35 t-
a> OO OOOOOrHrHrHOOO rHrHrHrHOOOOO'~< c) C) O CD O
H rH

0
g Z Z Z Z ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft £ ft ft & ft ft ft ft Z rZ rZ ; ft s
r1
CMCM COCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCO COCOCOCOCN1CN1COCOCOC»- <r) P" > CO CO CO

e
o o" O^1 CMrHO5O5^CMCOCOCOCOr-l COrHrHinint-CMCO^lT > <r) CC ) CO Ln CM
rHCM rHCMrH rHCMCMrHCMCM rHrHrHCO rH rH I 1 C*" > <r) r- 1 CO
C
o ^
o iH JL,

u
r-l

w8 tri H£
co^;
gww r^ g^H^g^
^coco^.w^^coiziiz;
S^l^SSww^g^
Swco^^Wiz;^^^
15
. cr:1 H fS
5 W
co
«
Hpq HHHi^i^i^fqfqWWfq t>^fL]W!>^fLi!>Wts rt 1 H !5 H
Of !z;co &&&&&&&&&&& !z;coco!z;!2;coco!z;!2;!2; £ ; co
J rZ 5Z ft
ri I-H COCO COCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCO COCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOC*" ) <r) <r) CO CO CO
0 d

CO-^l incOC-COO5OrHCMCO-^lin COC-OOO5C-COO5OrHCNi <r5 ^1 < CD t>. CO

0 .
CO S
H H H H H EL1 &1 ri 3 Q (3 Q
S3 3 SENE 33 33 N.|l07 W. Butts Spring _________ 7,360 Tw 1-2 Small seep area; dries up
in summer.

Bureau of Land Management Grazing District 6

30 4 NENE ?,8 37 N. 87 W. Donlin 2 ____________ 6,040 200-225 100 Twdr

31 5 NENE 8 46 N. 78 W. Hess ________________ 4,450 325-375 100- Tw
125
*}9 1,600- 0- Tw Electric logs indicate water-
6 NWSW ?,1 50 N. 76 W. Walker oil test _______ 4,425
1,660 200 bearing bed from 1,600
1,660 feet.
33 6 SWSW 1 0 50 N. 76 W. Pncst Offipp 4,390 450-500 300- Tw Alternate site (Government
350 24) selected owing to ex-
cessive pumping lift.
?4 6 SENE ?,4 50 N. 77 W. Government 24 _______ 4,230 300-350 175- Tw
225
E35 4 SWSE 17 37 N. 87 W. Carlson _____________ 5,960 60 5 Twdr 5 Seismograph hole drilled to
100 feet; caved below 60
feet.
E36 4 NENW 31 37 N. 87 W. Donlin ______________ 6,240 150 Twdr
E37 4 NWNW ?,3 37 N. 88 W. Sullivan _____________ 5,900 168 Twdr
E38 5 NENW 9 46 N. 78 W. 4,350 240 30 Tw
E39 6 NWSW ?,5 50 N. 77 W. Williams Draw_____-_ 4,090 1,067 Flows Tw 2-3
E40 6 NENW 17 50 N. 76 W. 4,140 1,054 Flows Tw
E41 6 NW q 50 N. 76 W. 3,870 Flows Tw
D19 4 NWNW 1Q 37 N. 87 W. Donlin !_____________ 5,945 300 Twdr Hole dry and abandoned.
 EXPLORATIONS FOR WATER SUPPLIES ON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, 1960

Thompson, R.M., and White, V.L., 1954, Geol- Tourtelot, H. A., 1953, Geology of the Bad-
ogy of the Riverton area, central Wyoming: water area, central Wyoming: U.S. Geol.
U.S. Geol. Survey Oil and Gas Inv. Map Survey Oil and Gas Inv. Map OM-124.
OM-127.

INT,DUP.,D.C.62-»876