| Abstract: | The 15,600 square-mile Snake River Plain in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon was studied as part of the U.S. Geological Survey‘s Regional Aquifer-System Analysis program. Quaternarybasalt of the Snake River Group underlies most of the 10,800 square-mile eastern plain and constitutes the most productive aquifers.Transmissivity of the upper 200 feet of the basalt aquifer commonly ranges from 100,000 to 1,000,000 feet squared per day. Vertical hydraulic conductivity is several orders of magnitude lower than horizontal hydraulic conductivity and isrelated to the degree of jointing. Alluvial sand and gravel in the Boise River valley constitutes the most productive aquifers in the 4,800 square-mile western plain. Along much of its length, the Snake River gains ground water.Between Milner and King Hill, the river gained 4.7 million acre-feet in 1980, mostly as spring flow from the north side. The chemical composition of ground water in the plain is essentially the same as that in streams and ground water from tributary drainage basins. The use of surface water for irrigation for more than 100 years has caused major changes in the hydrologic system on the plain. During that time, recharge in the main part of the eastern plain increased about 70 percent, discharge about 80 percent. In 1980, about 8.9 million acre-feet of Snake River water was diverted and 2.3 million acre-feet of ground water was pumped from 5,300 wells for irrigation. |
| Genre: | USGS Numbered Series |
| ProdID: | 39631 |
| Citation Author: | Lindholm, G. F. |
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| Citation Language: | ENGLISH |
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| Citation Phsyical Description: | p. A1-A59; 1 plate in pocket |
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| Citation Series: | Professional Paper |
| Citation Series Code: | PP |
| Citation Series Number: | 1408-A |
| Citation Search Results Text: | Summary of the Snake River plain Regional Aquifer-System Analysis in Idaho and eastern Oregon; 1996; PP; 1408-A; Lindholm, G. F. |
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| Citation Year: | 1996 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Summary of the Snake River plain Regional Aquifer-System Analysis in Idaho and eastern Oregon; 1996; PP; 1408-A; Lindholm, G. F. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1408a/report-thumb.jpg |
| URL (DOCUMENT): | http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1408a/report.pdf |
| URL (PLATE): | http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1408a/plate-1.pdf |
| URL (INDEX PAGE): | http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_4855.htm |
| Date Other: | Wed, 1 May 1996 00:00 -0500 |
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http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr9198
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