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The water need at Bryce Canyon National Park in 1957 was about 1.3 million cubic feet for a tourist season that lasted from the middle of May to the middle of October. To evaluate the adequacy of water-supply sources, a hypothetical future need of 5 million cubic feet of water per season is used. This amount of water might be obtained from the East Fork of the Sevier River, from wells in the alluvium of the East Fork, from Yellow Creek Spring and nearby springs, which are below the canyon rim, or from a well drilled about 2,000 feet to the top of the Tropic shale. Although the present source of water, consisting of wells in the alluvium of East Creek valley, may be an important supplemental source in the future, it will not yield sufficient water in dry years to meet the total demand for water at the park. The yield of Yellow Creek Spring and nearby springs is estimated at a total of 7.8 million cubic feet of water per season. The springs provide water of satisfactory chemical quality, and are a reliable source even in times of drought. A serious disadvantage of using this source of water is the difficulty of constructing a pipeline over extremely rugged terrain from the source to the lodge and headquarters area. A well drilled to the top of the Tropic shale of Cretaceous age in the lodge and headquarters area might penetrate two or more aquifers, one at the base of the Wasatch formation of Eocene age and one or more in the Wahweap and Straight Cliffs sandstones of Cretaceous age. The yield of this well would depend to a large degree on the number of fractures encountered. To assure the most favorable conditions for intercepting fracture zones in the bedrock, a test-well site is proposed near the crest of a gentle anticline where tension fractures in the rocks should be common. Shallow wells in the alluvium of East Creek valley cannot be depended upon to yield sufficient water in times of drought, but they are nevertheless an important source. The water-storage capacity of the alluvium of East Creek valley in the vicinity of the wells of the Utah Parks Co. is estimated at 1.4 million cubic feet. By lowering the water table in the valley uniformly without creating excessively large cones of depression, the alluvium could supply the 1.3 million cubic feet of water per season estimated as the water need in 1957. However, in times of drought this alluvium cannot supply the hypothetical future needs of 5 million cubic feet of water per season. 441 442 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN INTRODUCTION PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this investigation was to appraise the ground-water resources of Bryce Canyon National Park area and vicinity. This appraisal is intended to furnish sufficient information to enable the National Park Service to develop an adequate water supply. The water system of the National Park Service, which is the only one available for year-round use in Bryce Canyon National Park, consists of 1 well (headquarters well) that yields about 160 gpd (gallons per day), enough to supply the needs of 1 family; one 5,000gallon storage tank; and pipelines for the distribution of water. The Park Superintendent estimates that about 1,000 gpd was needed to supply the seven families of the National Park Service that domiciled in the park during the winter of 1956-57. During the summer the water system of the National Park Service is connected into the water system of the concessioner (the Utah Parks Co.), and the shortage of water for these families is alleviated. The water-supply system of the concessioner, however, is inadequate to supply all the water needs of the park for an entire season in times of drought. Because the Mission 66 program includes plans for the expansion of the overall facilities at Bryce Canyon National Park, a water supply much larger than that now provided by the concessioner is needed. Figure 51 shows the general increase in the number of visitors to Bryce Canyon National Park in past years and the estimated future range of attendance under the Mission 66 program. Any water supply that is planned should be able to meet not only the present water needs of the park but also future needs. The principal objectives of this investigation were to determine the quantity, quality, and dependability of all possible sources of water supply for the park. Because the water supply is needed in the lodge and headquarters vicinity, special emphasis was placed on sources that are within several miles of that area. LOCATION OF THE AREA The area of this report is in and adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park in the Paunsaugunt Plateau region (pi. 24). The park is in Kane and Garfield Counties, south-central Utah, between 37°42' and 37°26' north latitude and 112°05' and 112°17' west longitude. It is also on the divide between the Paria River, a tributary to the Colorado River, and the East Fork of the Sevier River, which drains into the Great Basin. N U M B E R O F V I S I T O R S , I N T H O U S A N D S 1 9 3 0 1 9 3 5 9 4 0 1 9 4 5 1 9 5 0 1 9 5 5 9 6 0 1 9 6 5 \ \ \ v % \ \ ^ < x ^ ' v s a v N O A N . V O 444 HYDROLOGY OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS The geology of the Paunsaugunt Plateau region was described by Herbert E. Gregory in a report (1951) that includes brief discussions of the ground-water resources of the region and of some of the most important wells and springs, and a geologic map that was used extensively in carrying on the present investigation. Williams (1954) gave a synopsis of the stratigraphy and structure of the Paunsaugunt Plateau region. A report by Gregory and Moore (1931) referred in part to the geology of the area. In 1939 the U.S. Geological Survey published a topographic map of Bryce Canyon National Park and adjacent area, which was extremely useful in the present investigation. A 3-day reconnaissance of the Campbell Canyon Spring and Bryce Canyon Spring areas was made in April 1954 by Ben E. Lofgren, engineer, U.S. Geological Survey. This reconnaissance included no discharge measurements, but on the basis of it Mr. Lofgren suggested to the National Park Service personnel that the Campbell Canyon Spring might be used for a park water supply. PERSONNEL AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This investigation was made under the direct supervision of Herbert A. Waite, district geologist of the U.S. Geological Survey in charge of ground-water investigations in Utah. Glen T. Bean, Superintendent of Bryce Canyon National Park, and employees of the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon rendered valuable assistance in all phases of the investigation. Donald Price, geologist, Ground Water Branch, assisted the writer for 2 weeks in the field investigations. Robert Burns, former Supervisory Park Ranger, and Robert Ott, of the National Park Service, were very helpful in guiding the writer to significant springs in the area. GEOGRAPHY Bryce Canyon National Park lies at the east edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, one of the high plateaus of southern Utah, and includes part of the plateau, the rim, and the foothills bordering the plateau at a lower elevation. The altitude of the plateau top in the park ranges from about 7,600 to more than 9,000 feet. The climate of this part of the park is generally cold except in the summer months. The relief in the foothills below the rim is as great as 1,000 feet. The temperature below the rim is generally higher than that on the plateau, and the summers are longer. Figure 52 shows the annual precipitation and departure from normal at Bryce Canyon National Park from 1933 through September 1957. It also shows cumulative departure from normal precipitation. The weather station is at the headquarters, on the plateau. GROUND WATER, BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK AREA, UTAH 445

Ground water resources of the Bryce Canyon National Park Area, Utah: With a section on the drilling of a test well