Saline water in the foothill suture zone, Sierra Nevada Range, California

Abstract

Research Article| July 01, 1979 Saline water in the foothill suture zone, Sierra Nevada Range, California SEYMOUR MACK; SEYMOUR MACK 1School of Natural Sciences, Department of Geology, California State University, Fresno, California 93740 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar LORRAINE M. FERRELL LORRAINE M. FERRELL 1School of Natural Sciences, Department of Geology, California State University, Fresno, California 93740 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information SEYMOUR MACK 1School of Natural Sciences, Department of Geology, California State University, Fresno, California 93740 LORRAINE M. FERRELL 1School of Natural Sciences, Department of Geology, California State University, Fresno, California 93740 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1979) 90 (7): 666–675. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1979)90<666:SWITFS>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation SEYMOUR MACK, LORRAINE M. FERRELL; Saline water in the foothill suture zone, Sierra Nevada Range, California. GSA Bulletin 1979;; 90 (7): 666–675. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1979)90<666:SWITFS>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Thirty-one wells yielding sodium chloride water and dissolved solids averaging 1,300 mg per liter have been drilled into granitic rocks of the western Sierra Nevada foothills of Fresno and Madera Counties, California. Their chemistry contrasts sharply with that of thousands of other wells tapping granitic rocks in the area which yield good quality bicarbonate water that is low in dissolved solids. The sodium chloride wells are along a N30°W, 85-km-long trend, herein referred to as the “foothill lineament.” The foothill lineament appears to be an extension of the foothill suture into the intervening granitic terrane between the Melones Fault on the north and the Kings-Kaweah suture on the south. Based on various chemical parameters such as B/Cl and Br/Cl, the sodium chloride waters appear to be marine connate in origin, albeit strongly diluted with meteoric water. Several hypotheses are advanced to explain why saline waters are concentrated along the foothill lineament, although all arguments have serious drawbacks. No matter how the sodium chloride waters have originated, the foothill lineament is believed to define a profound structural element, possibly contiguous with the early Mesozoic foothill subduction complex, along which these waters have migrated toward the surface. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.