Geology topics

B. W. Drost

Publications and source records attributed to B. W. Drost.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

USGS1979

Seepage study for unnamed tributary to Alder Creek, Stevens County, Washington

Analysis of seepage measurements in the Alder Creek basin, Stevens County, Wash., shows that approximately 50% of 0.2 cubic foot per second taken from an unnamed tributary and used for the 1978 irrigation season would have reached Alder Creek as surface flow. Differences in discharge and specific conductance are explained by the basin geology, physical characteristics, climate, and water use. Only general conclusions could be made from data collected for five seepage measurements because irrigation activities could not be scheduled to allow the hydrologic system to reach equilibrium. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1977

Preliminary assessment of the water resources of the Tulalip Indian Reservation, Washington

In 1974 about 30 percent of the nearly 600 acre-feet of water used on the Tulalip Indian Reservation was obtained from a surface-water reservoir, while nearly 70 percent was obtained from ground-water sources. Domestic use accounted for about 93 percent of total water use. Nutrient (phosphorus) concentrations measured in most surface-water samples were less than the maximum limit recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, whereas the recommended maximum limit for total coliform bacteria was never exceeded. Ground water is withdrawn from aquifers in unconsolidated deposits. Shallow aquifers, which provide about 45 percent of the total ground-water supply, are tapped by about 250 wells and yield 5 to 20 gallons per minute to 30- to 42-inch diameter dug wells. Deeper aquifers yield about 55 percent of the ground-water supply to about 125 wells that are mostly between 100 and 150 feet deep. Yields are generally at least 20 gallons per minute to 6- to 8-inch wells, and several wells have yields exceeding 300 gallons per minute. Water in the shallow aquifers generally had an excessive concentration of dissolved iron, often exceeding the recommended maximum limit of 0.30 milligram per litre, and total coliform bacteria in water from six wells exceeded 1 colony per 100 millilitres of water. Some wells in the deeper aquifers yield water with dissolved iron and (or) manganese concentrations exceeding the recommended maximum limit of 0.30 and 0.05 milligram per litre, respectively. Although many deep coastal wells bottom far below sea level, only two wells indicated local saltwater intrusion. An aquifer underlying the central plateau and an artesian aquifer in the northeastern part of the reservation appear to offer the best potential for development of additional ground-water supplies.

Washington↗

USGS1977

Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer, Washington and Idaho

The Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer is composed of unconsolidated Quaternary glaciofluvial deposits underlying an area of about 350 square miles. Transmissivities in the aquifer range from about 0.13 million to 11 million feet squared per day and ground-water velocities exceed 60 feet per day in some areas. The water-table gradient ranges from about 2 feet per mile to more than 60 feet per mile, and during a year the water table fluctuates on the order of 5 to 10 feet. For most of the aquifer the water table is between 40 and 400 feet below land surface. The aquifer is recharged and discharged at an average rate of about 1,320 cubic feet per second. Water is presently (1976) pumped from the aquifer at an average rate of about 239 cubic feet per second for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses. Most of this is discharged to the Spokane River, lost to evapotranspiration, or applied to the land surface with little or no change in quality. However, about 34 cubic feet per second becomes waste water generated by domestic and industrial activities and is returned to the aquifer by percolation from cesspools and drain fields. The quality of water in the aquifer is generally good. Less than one-half of 1 percent of the 3,300 analyses available exceeded the maximum contaminant levels specified in the National Interim Primary (or Proposed Secondary) Drinking Water Regulations (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1975) for constituents which may be hazardous to health. Of the 6,300 analyses for constituents considered detrimental to the esthetic quality of water, about 1.4 percent have yielded values which exceeded the recommended levels. Alternative water sources for the area supplied by the aquifer are the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers, lakes adjacent to the aquifer, and other aquifers. All of these potential sources are less desirable than the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer because of insufficient supplies, poor water quality, and (or) remoteness from the areas of need.

Idaho, Washington↗