Premium
Hydrogeology of Desert Basins a
Author(s) -
Maxey George B.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1968.tb01660.x
Subject(s) - groundwater recharge , hydrology (agriculture) , arid , drainage basin , environmental science , hydrogeology , water resources , groundwater , structural basin , base flow , geology , population , drainage , aquifer , geography , geomorphology , ecology , paleontology , demography , geotechnical engineering , cartography , sociology , biology
Hydrologic systems in arid lands normally include a recharge area in mountains and a discharge area in lowlands often with an intermediate area of lateral flow between recharge and discharge areas. This system is often modified by local geologic, climatic, and physiographic factors. Most water‐supply, contamination and disposal problems arise from a combination of features superimposed on this system by concentration of population and agricultural activity in the discharge areas. Also most of our data on the system comes from the lowlands and little data is available from the recharge areas. In the Great Basin two general categories of ground‐water flow systems are recognized: (1) local flow systems where drainage areas are usually small, flow paths are relatively short, interbasin flow is uncommon, springs have large fluctuations in discharge, water temperature is low, and concentration of Na, K, Cl, and SO 4 is low, and (2) regional flow systems, where drainage areas are large, flow paths long, interbasin flow common, springs have large discharge, and the water is characteristically of higher temperature and contains higher concentrations of K, Na, Cl, and SO 4 . Hydrologic approaches used, in addition to conventional methods, include hydrologic budget, water‐potential, and water‐chemistry studies. Although detailed delineation of most flow systems in Nevada has not been accomplished, integration of hydrologic, geologic, and chemical methods allow approximate portrayal of many systems, both local and regional. Adequate methods upon which to base planning for optimum development of water resources in desert basins are now available. A conceptual model of optimal ground‐water reservoir development illustrates how to determine optimum use of storage and perennial yield provided the use to which the water is to be put and the time of withdrawal are known.