Quality of surface and ground waters, Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington, 1973-74

Open-File Report 77-128
Prepared in cooperation with the Yakima Tribal Council
By:

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Abstract

This report describes the quality of the surface and ground waters of the Yakima Indian Reservation in south-central Washington, during the period November 1973-October 1974.

The average dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 48 to 116 mg/L (milligrams per liter) in the mountain streams, and from 88 to 372 mg/L in the lowland streams, drains, and a canal. All the mountain streams contain soft water (classified as 0-60 mg/L hardness as CaC03), and the lowland streams, drains, and canal contain soft to very hard water (more than 180 mg/L hardness as CaC03). The water is generally of suitable quality for irrigation, and neither salinity nor sodium hazards are a problem in waters from any of the streams studied.

The specific conductance of water from the major aquifers ranged from 20 to 1 ,540 micromhos. Ground water was most dilute in mineral content in the Klickitat River basin and most concentrated in part of the Satus Creek basin. The ground water in the Satus Creek basin with the most concentrated mineral content also contained the highest percentage composition of sulfate, chloride, and nitrate. For drinking water, the nitrate-nitrogen concentrations exceeded the U.S. Public Health Service 's recommended limit of 10 mg/L over an area of several square miles, with a maximum observed concentration of 170 mg/L. (Woodard-USGS).

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Quality of surface and ground waters, Yakima Indian Reservation, Washington, 1973-74
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 77-128
DOI 10.3133/ofr77128
Year Published 1977
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Description Report: ix, 215 p.; 3 Tables
Country United States
State Washington
Other Geospatial Yakima Indian Reservation
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