Laserfiche WebLink
<br />o <br />o <br />"::l" <br />r.'.,l <br />o <br />c;;; <br /> <br />SALT AND l~ATER BUDGET STUDIES <br /> <br />Following the investigation described in the preceding chapters, <br />a detailed study of the hydrosalinity balance of the Lower Virgin <br />River was undertaken. The purpose of the study was to develop addi- <br />tional hydrologic and water quality data along the river, to analyze <br />the routing of salt through the valley, to determine whether salt <br />loading occurs from any source in the valley, and if so, what the <br />mechanics are of such salt loading. Special attention was given to <br />irrigated agriculture in the Lower Virgin Valley. <br /> <br />The reach of river studied extended from Littlefield Springs at <br />the upstream end down to the point where the river discharges into <br />Lake Mead, about 30 miles along the meandering course of the river. <br /> <br />The Water Resources Center of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) <br />of the Uni vers ity of Nevada system was reta i ned by the Bureau of <br />Reclamation in 1980 to perform the study [7]. The duration of the <br />study was slightly over 1 year, providing time to observe the year's <br />cycle of hydrology in the river. The DR! began field work in <br />May 1980, and completed field work in April 1981. The approach used <br />by DRI in conducting the study was to gage and monitor the salinity of <br />surface flows and sample ground water in the Virgin Valley, particu- <br />larly in irrigated areas and phreatophyte areas. Water quality is <br />based upon laboratory analyses supplemented with field conductivity <br />measurements. The data were used to prepare salt and water budgets <br />for the Lower Virgin River Valley. <br /> <br />Surface Water <br />The inflow to the river reach consists of the riverflow from the <br />Upper Basin, Littlefield Springs discharge, inflow from Beaver Oam <br />Wash just upstream from Littlefield Springs, and ground-water inflow <br />along the river itself. <br /> <br />19 <br />