Quality of ground water in the Payette River basin, Idaho

Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4013
Prepared in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources
By:

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Abstract

As part of a study to obtain groundwater quality data in areas of Idaho were land- and water-resource development is expected to increase, water quality, geologic, and hydrologic data were collected for 74 wells in the Payette River basin, west-central Idaho, from July to October 1982. Historical (pre-1982) data from 13 wells were compiled with more recent (1982) data to define, on a reconnaissance level, water quality conditions in major aquifers and to identify factors that may have affected groundwater quality. Water from the major aquifers generally contains predominantly calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate plus carbonate ions. Sodium and bicarbonate or sulfate are the predominant ions in groundwater from 25% of the 1982 samples. Areally, groundwater from the upper Payette River basin has proportionately lower ion concentrations than water from the lower Payette River basin. Water samples from wells < 100 ft deep generally have lower ion concentrations than samples from wells > 100 ft deep. Variations in groundwater quality probably are most affected by differences in aquifer composition and proximity to source(s) of recharge. Groundwater in the study area is generally suitable for most uses. In localized areas, pH and concentrations of hardness, alkalinity, dissolved solids, or dissolved nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen, sulfate, fluoride, iron, or manganese exceed Federal drinking water limits and may restrict some uses of the water.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Quality of ground water in the Payette River basin, Idaho
Series title Water-Resources Investigations Report
Series number 86-4013
DOI 10.3133/wri864013
Year Published 1986
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s) Idaho Water Science Center
Description Report: iv, 85 p.; 2 Plates: 20.77 x 25.18 inches and 20.62 x 25.73 inches
Country United States
State Idaho
Other Geospatial Payette River Basin
Scale 250000
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