Donald J. Bills

Hydrogeologic framework and characterization of the Truxton Aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation, Mohave County, Arizona

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, developed this study to determine an estimate of groundwater in storage in the Truxton aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation in northwestern Arizona. For this study, the Truxton aquifer is defined as the unconfined, saturated groundwater in the unconsolidated to semiconsolidated older and younger basin-fill deposits of the Truxton basin overlying bedrock. The physical characteristics of the Truxton aquifer have not been well characterized in the past. In particular, the depth to impermeable granite bedrock and thickness of the basin are known in only a few locations where water wells have penetrated into the granite. Increasing water demands on the Truxton aquifer by both tribal and nontribal water users have led to concern about the long-term sustainability of this water resource. The Hualapai Tribe currently projects an increase of their water needs from about 300 acre-feet (acre-ft) per year to about 780 acre-ft per year by 2050 to support the community of Peach Springs, Arizona, and the southern part of the reservation. This study aimed to quantitatively develop better knowledge of aquifer characteristics, including aquifer storage and capacity, using (1) surface resistivity data collected along transects and (2) analysis of existing geologic, borehole, precipitation, water use, and water-level data. The surface resistivity surveys indicated that the depth to granite along the survey lines varied from less than 100 feet (ft) to more than 1,300 ft below land surface on the Hualapai Reservation. The top of the granite bedrock is consistent with the erosional character of the Truxton basin and exhibits deep paleochannels filled with basin-fill deposits consistent with the results of surface resistivity surveys and borehole logs from wells. The estimated average saturated thickness of the Truxton aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation is about 330 ft (with an estimated range of 260 to 390 ft), based on both resistivity results and the depth to water in wells. The saturated thickness might be greater in parts of the Truxton aquifer where paleochannels are incised into the granite underlying the basin-fill sediments. The estimated groundwater storage of the Truxton aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation ranges from 420,000 to 940,000 acre-ft and does not include groundwater storage in the aquifer outside the Hualapai Reservation boundary. In addition, the calculation of Hydrogeologic Framework and Characterization of the Truxton Aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation, Mohave County, Arizona By Donald J. Bills and Jamie P. Macy total storage in the Truxton aquifer does not determine nor indicate the availability and sustainability of that groundwater as a longterm resource. These results compared well with studies done on alluvial-basin aquifers in areas adjacent to this study. The part of the Truxton aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation represents about 20 percent of the entire aquifer. Introduction The Truxton aquifer is an unconfined groundwater-flow system in Upper Cretaceous to Pliocene aged unconsolidated to semiconsolidated younger and older basin-fill deposits of the Truxton basin, one of several structural basins located in the northwestern part of Arizona (fig. 1; Billingsley and others, 2006). The aquifer supports groundwater discharge from a few springs at the margins of the Truxton basin, the intermittent base flow of Truxton Wash in Truxton Canyon at the west end of the basin, and groundwater discharge from Peach Springs in the Peach Springs Wash watershed. Throughout the 20th century, groundwater use from this aquifer has been minor, consisting mostly of small community public supply, domestic, agricultural, and limited industrial uses (railroad). The northern part of the Truxton aquifer underlies the southern part of the Hualapai Reservation and is the main source of water supply for the tribal community of Peach Springs, Arizona (fig. 1). The aquifer also provides part of the livestock water supply for this area of the reservation. The Redwall-Muav aquifer is the only other aquifer system on the southern part of the Hualapai Reservation. It is located at the northern and eastern margins of the Truxton aquifer and consists of partly saturated Mississippian and Cambrian aged Redwall and (or) Muav Limestone (Twenter, 1962). The physical characteristics of the Truxton aquifer are not well known. In particular, the depth to bedrock, thickness of the structural basin, and its groundwater-storage capacity are known in only a few locations where water wells have penetrated to bedrock. Given the future water needs projected by the Hualapai Tribe, there is concern that the Truxton aquifer might not be a sustainable source of water supply for the community of Peach Springs and the Hualapai Tribe. 2 Hydrogeologic Framework and Characterization of the Truxton Aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation, Mohave County, Arizona Figure 1. Map of the Hualapai Reservation in northwestern Arizona showing the approximate boundaries of the Truxton basin, the Truxton aquifer, and the study area. 0 10 5 MILES 0 5 0 1 KILOMETERS C av e C an ya n Pr os pe ct V al le y M oh aw k V al ley

Energy and Minerals Science at the U.S. Geological Survey

The economy, national security, and standard of living of the United States depend on adequate and reliable supplies of energy and mineral resources. Based on population and consumption trends, the Nation’s and World’s use of energy and minerals is expected to grow, driving the demand for scientific understanding of resource formation, location, and availability. The importance of environmental stewardship and human health in sustainable growth emphasizes the need for a broader understanding of energy and mineral resources. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is a world leader in conducting research needed to address these challenges and to provide a scientific foundation for policy and decisionmaking with respect to resource use, sustainability, environmental protection, and an adaptive resource management approach.