Exploration of groundwater flowpaths and effective recharge in the Amargosa Desert, Nevada, using multivariate statistical analysis and elevation-dependent chloride mass-balance method

Abstract

Estimation of groundwater flowpaths and effective recharge was performed in the vicinity of Amargosa Desert, Nevada, USA, using multivariate statistical methods (MSMs) and a simple elevation-dependent chloride mass-balance method modified by estimating a minimum effective recharge elevation (MERE). MSMs were applied to major ion data to explain the relationships among different groundwater chemical species, define hydrochemical facies needed to determine groundwater flowpaths and evolution, and identify the influence of surface and geologic features on groundwater. For each defined watershed, an average groundwater chloride concentration is used and the chloride deposition rate is assessed in the subject watersheds over all land elevations above the estimated MERE by assuming two constant spatial and temporal concentrations of chloride in precipitation which is a function of elevation. The MERE for the Amargosa Desert was appraised as 1200 m above mean sea level (m-amsl), based upon the elevation of the orifice of Cane Spring (1237 m-amsl), one of the lowest elevation, permanent springs, on the Nevada National Security Site. This minimum elevation is the cutoff altitude for our calculations at which precipitation is considered to make a significant contribution to recharge. Elevation-dependent precipitation was evaluated relating elevation data from the online mapping software ACME Labs Mapper 2.1 and precipitation data from the PRISM Climate Group’s PRISM. These analyses provide further insight into the hydrology of the region and demonstrate the strong impact surface and geologic features can have on surface water infiltration and groundwater in arid regions. Specifically, evidence is presented of past focused recharge around the ephemeral Fortymile Wash and interaction between geologic faults and groundwater infiltration and flowpaths. In addition, groundwater flow, based upon water chemistry, appears to be segmented by major faults. Groundwater recharge in the vicinity of the Amargosa Desert has been estimated around 15,280 acre-ft/year.