Measurment point

at land surface

Water level outside

multiport casing

Water level inside

multiport casing

Pressure transducer

sensor at measurement

port coupling

Pressure 

transducer

sensor

Backing shoe

Center of 

measurement

port inlet valve

Measurement port valve

Multiport casing

Measurement 

port coupling

Wireline-communication cable

Wirelinecommunication

cable

Packer

Port coupling

Port coupling

(optional)

Multiport

casing

Multiport casing

Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy

Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and 

Temperature in the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, 

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5259

DOE/ID-22221
Cover: Photograph of U.S. Geological Survey drill rig derrick (left side) setting a 

multilevel monitoring system packer. Multilevel monitoring system components and 

pressure transducer (right side) used for collection of pressure and temperature data. 

Photograph taken by Brian Twining, U.S. Geological Survey.
Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of 

Hydraulic Head and Temperature in the 

Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho 

National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10

By Brian V. Twining and Jason C. Fisher

Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy

DOE/ID–22221

Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5259

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living 

resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS.

For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, 

visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod

To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government.

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Twining, B.V., and Fisher, J.C., 2012, Multilevel groundwater monitoring of hydraulic head and temperature in the 

eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Report 2012-5259, 44 p., plus appendixes.
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................4

Geohydrologic Setting .........................................................................................................................4

Previous Investigations........................................................................................................................7

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................7

Profiling and Completions ...................................................................................................................7

Quality Assurance...............................................................................................................................10

Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements.................................................................................13

Quarterly Measurements...................................................................................................................13

USGS 103..............................................................................................................................................23

USGS 105..............................................................................................................................................23

USGS 108..............................................................................................................................................26

USGS 132..............................................................................................................................................28

USGS 133..............................................................................................................................................28

USGS 134..............................................................................................................................................28

USGS 135..............................................................................................................................................32

MIDDLE 2050A.....................................................................................................................................32

MIDDLE 2051........................................................................................................................................32

Borehole Profile Comparison............................................................................................................36

Summary........................................................................................................................................................40

Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................40

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................40

Appendixes ...................................................................................................................................................43

Appendix A. Data Used to Calculate Pressure Probe Transducer Depths at

Measurement Port Couplings, Boreholes USGS 105, USGS 108, and USGS

135, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10...............................................................43

Appendix B. Field sheet used for data collection at multilevel monitoring boreholes,

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho.......................................................................................43

Appendix C. Calibration results for fluid pressure sensor, a component of the

sampling probe used in boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132,

USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho

National Laboratory, Idaho, 2008–11..................................................................................43

Appendix D. Barometric pressure, water temperature, fluid pressure, and hydraulic

head data from port measurements for boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS

108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE

2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.............................................................43

Appendix E. Lithology Logs for Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring Boreholes

USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135,

MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2007–08.........43
iv

Appendixes—Continued

Appendix F. Vertical hydraulic head gradient data between adjacent monitoring

zones for boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133,

USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010 and September 2010 for USGS 108 ................................43

Appendix G. Quarterly mean and normalized mean hydraulic head values for

boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134,

USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, 2007–10........................................................................................................................43

Contents—Continued

Figures

Figure 1. Map showing location of selected facilities, multilevel monitoring wells, and

volcanic highlands bounding the Big Lost Trough, Idaho National Laboratory

and vicinity, Idaho ........................................................................... 2

Figure 2. Diagram showing open-hole and multi-packer borehole completions, eastern

Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, Idaho ............ 3

Figure 3. Diagram showing typical olivine tholeiitic pahoehoe basalt flow ..................... 5

Figure 4. Map showing water-table contours and monitoring wells, Idaho National

Laboratory and vicinity, Idaho, March–May 2010 ....................................... 6

Figure 5. Diagrams describing terms used in the calculation of hydraulic head based on

the portable probe position when coupled with a measurement port in the

multilevel monitoring system............................................................... 9

Figure 6. Graph showing hydraulic head differences between paired-ports and

measurement ports in the same monitoring zone in boreholes USGS 103, USGS

105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, and USGS 135, Idaho National

Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10 ............................................................... 11

Figure 7. Graphs showing vertical hydraulic head and water temperature profiles at

boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134,

USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho ... 18

Figure 8. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 103, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, June 2010 ........................................................................... 24

Figure 9. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 105, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, June 2010 ........................................................................... 25

Figure 10. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 108, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, September 2010 ..................................................................... 27

Figure 11. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 132, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, June 2010 ........................................................................... 29
v

Figures—Continued

Figure 12. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 133, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, June 2010 ........................................................................... 30

Figure 13. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 134, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, June 2010 ........................................................................... 31

Figure 14. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 135, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, June 2010 ........................................................................... 33

Figure 15. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole MIDDLE 2050A, Idaho National

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010............................................................... 34

Figure 16. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma

dual density; lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and

water temperature profiles for borehole MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010............................................................... 35

Figure 17. Comparison among borehole lithology logs and mean-shifted hydraulic head

and water temperature profiles for boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108,

USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051,

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010 .......................................... 37

Figure 18. Graph showing quarterly values of the normalized mean hydraulic head at

boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134,

USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, 2008–10 .............................................................................. 39

Tables

Table 1. Data for multilevel groundwater monitoring wells and boreholes, Idaho

National Laboratory, 2009–10 ............................................................ 13

Table 2. Data for multilevel well completions, boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS

108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and Middle

2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10 ....................................... 14

Table 3. Minimum Pearson correlation coefficients for hydraulic head and temperature

profiles at selected boreholes, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10 ......... 21

Table 4. Lithologic composition in selected boreholes, Idaho National Laboratory,

Idaho, 2009–10 .............................................................................. 22

Table 5. Vertical hydraulic gradients at major inflection points for depth interval and

hydraulic head profiles, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010 ............... 22

Table 6. Summary of depth range, hydraulic head statistics, fluid temperature

statistics, water-level depth, and saturated thickness of the aquifer at each

borehole, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010 .............................. 26
vi

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations and 

Acronyms

Conversion Factors

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Pressure

pound per square inch (lb/in2) 6.895 kilopascal (kPa) 

Density

pound per cubic foot (lb/ft3) 16.02 kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m3)

Hydraulic conductivity

foot per day (ft/d) 0.3048 meter per day (m/d)

Hydraulic gradient

foot per mile (ft/mi) 0.1894 meter per kilometer (m/km)

Transmissivity*

foot squared per day (ft2/ d) 0.09290 meter squared per day (m2/d) 

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F=(1.8×°C)+32.

*Transmissivity: The standard unit for transmissivity is cubic foot per day per square foot times 

foot of aquifer thickness [(ft3/d)/ft2]ft. In this report, the mathematically reduced form, foot 

squared per day (ft2/d), is used for convenience.

Datums

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

(NGVD 29).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27).

Altitude and hydraulic head, as used in this report, refer to distance above the vertical datum.
vii

Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations and 

Acronyms—Continued

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviation or 

acronym

Definition

ATR Advanced Test Reactor Complex

bls below land surface

CFA Central Facilities Area

ESRP eastern Snake River Plain

head hydraulic head

INL Idaho National Laboratory

INTEC Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center

MFC Materials and Fuels Complex

MLMS multilevel monitoring system

NRF Naval Reactors Facility

PBF Power Burst Facility

PCC Pearson correlation coefficient

psi pounds per square inch

psia pounds per square inch absolute

RWMC Radioactive Waste Management Complex

TAN Test Area North

USGS U.S. Geological Survey
viii

This page intentionally left blank.
Abstract

During 2009 and 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey’s 

Idaho National Laboratory Project Office, in cooperation 

with the U.S. Department of Energy, collected quarterly, 

depth-discrete measurements of fluid pressure and 

temperature in nine boreholes located in the eastern Snake 

River Plain aquifer. Each borehole was instrumented with 

a multilevel monitoring system consisting of a series of 

valved measurement ports, packer bladders, casing segments, 

and couplers. Multilevel monitoring at the Idaho National 

Laboratory has been ongoing since 2006. This report 

summarizes data collected from three multilevel monitoring 

wells installed during 2009 and 2010 and presents updates to 

six multilevel monitoring wells. Hydraulic heads (heads) and 

groundwater temperatures were monitored from 9 multilevel 

monitoring wells, including 120 hydraulically isolated depth 

intervals from 448.0 to 1,377.6 feet below land surface. 

Quarterly head and temperature profiles reveal unique 

patterns for vertical examination of the aquifer’s complex 

basalt and sediment stratigraphy, proximity to aquifer 

recharge and discharge, and groundwater flow. These features 

contribute to some of the localized variability even though 

the general profile shape remained consistent over the period 

of record. Major inflections in the head profiles almost 

always coincided with low-permeability sediment layers 

and occasionally thick sequences of dense basalt. However, 

the presence of a sediment layer or dense basalt layer was 

insufficient for identifying the location of a major head change 

within a borehole without knowing the true areal extent and 

relative transmissivity of the lithologic unit. Temperature 

profiles for boreholes completed within the Big Lost Trough 

indicate linear conductive trends; whereas, temperature 

profiles for boreholes completed within the axial volcanic high 

indicate mostly convective heat transfer resulting from the 

vertical movement of groundwater. Additionally, temperature 

profiles provide evidence for stratification and mixing of 

water types along the southern boundary of the Idaho National 

Laboratory.

Vertical head and temperature change were quantified 

for each of the nine multilevel monitoring systems. The 

vertical head gradients were defined for the major inflections 

in the head profiles and were as high as 2.1 feet per foot. Low 

vertical head gradients indicated potential vertical connectivity 

and flow, and large gradient inflections indicated zones of 

relatively low vertical connectivity. Generally, zones that 

primarily are composed of fractured basalt displayed relatively 

small vertical head differences. Large head differences were 

attributed to poor vertical connectivity between fracture 

units because of sediment layering and/or dense basalt. 

Groundwater temperatures in all boreholes ranged from 10.2 

to 16.3 ̊C.

Normalized mean hydraulic head values were analyzed 

for all nine multilevel monitoring wells for the period of 

record (2007–10). The mean head values suggest a moderately 

positive correlation among all boreholes, which reflects 

regional fluctuations in water levels in response to seasonality. 

However, the temporal trend is slightly different when the 

location is considered; wells located along the southern 

boundary, within the axial volcanic high, show a strongly 

positive correlation. 

Introduction

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) was established 

in 1949 by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, which is 

now the U.S. Department of Energy, for the development 

of peacetime atomic-energy applications, nuclear safety 

research, defense programs, and advanced energy concepts. 

The INL covers an area of about 890 mi2 and overlies the 

west-central part of the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) 

in southeastern Idaho (fig. 1). Over half a century of waste 

disposal at the INL has resulted in measurable concentrations 

of contaminants in the ESRP aquifer beneath the INL. 

Contaminants include several radiochemical, inorganic, and 

organic constituents (Mann and Beasley, 1994; Cecil and 

Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head 

and Temperature in the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, 

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10

By Brian V. Twining and Jason C. Fisher
2 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Figure 1. Location of selected facilities, multilevel monitoring wells, and volcanic highlands bounding the Big Lost Trough, 

Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, Idaho.

tac12-0763_fig01

MFC

CFA

INTEC

NRF

RWMC

TAN

ATR

PBF

Selected facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory

 Materials and Fuels Complex 

 Central Facilities Area

 Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center

 Naval Reactors Facility

 Power Burst Facility

 Radioactive Waste Management Complex

 Advanced Test Reactor Complex—formerly known as 

 Reactor Technology Complex (RTC) and Test Reactor 

 Area (TRA)

 Test Area North

Idaho National Laboratory boundary

Well instrumented with multilevel monitoring system

Big Lost Trough

Volcanic highlands bounding the Big Lost Trough

Pleistocene rhyolite dome

EXPLANATION

IDAHO

BOISE

EASTERN 

SNAKE RIVER

IDAHO PLAIN

NATIONAL

LABORATORY

Twin

Falls

Pocatello

Idaho

Falls

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000 and 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 12

Datum is North American Datum of 1927

0

0 10

10

20 KILOMETERS

20 MILES

Mud

Lake

Big

Lost

River

Little

Lost

River

Birch

Creek

Mackay

Reservoir

Camas

Creek

Big 

Southern

Butte

East

Butte

Middle Butte

BITTERROOT

RANGE

LEMHI RANGE

LOST RIVER RANGE

PIONEER MOUNTAINS

WHITE KNOB

MOUNTAINS

TAN

ATR

INTEC

CFA

NRF

RWMC

MFC

PBF

Big Lost River

playas and sinks

Birch

Creek

sinks

SPREADING

AREAS USGS 103 USGS 132

USGS 134

MIDDLE 2050A

MIDDLE 2051

USGS 133 

USGS 135 USGS 108

USGS 105

113° 45’

44°

45’

43°30’

113°30’ 15’ 30’ 112°15’

Atomic

City

Howe

Arco

Mud

Lake

Terreton

Mackay

USGS 132

Axial Volcanic High

Arco Rift Zone
Introduction 3

others, 1998; Bartholomay and others, 2000). The primary 

sources of contaminants are facility wastewater disposal sites, 

such as lined evaporation ponds, unlined infiltration ponds 

and ditches, drain fields, and injection wells. Determining the 

long-term risks associated with contaminants in the aquifer or 

that might be in the aquifer in the future is difficult because 

of slow releases of residual contamination in the unsaturated 

zone or waste buried in shallow pits and trenches.

Since 1949, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has 

maintained a network of monitoring wells that record water 

levels and water quality in more than 200 boreholes with 

varying periods of record. Most monitoring wells are open 

boreholes, and groundwater flow is unrestricted into or 

out of the open wells (fig. 2). The fractured basalts of the 

ESRP aquifer are well-suited for this type of completion. 

However, measurements collected from open-hole wells are 

independent of depth and represent a composite value that 

is a transmissivity-weighted average of all hydraulically 

conductive features in the borehole.

In 2005, the USGS INL Project Office began monitoring 

the vertical distribution of fluid pressures and chemistry using 

multilevel monitoring systems (MLMSs) completed within 

the ESRP aquifer. Previous monitoring information on six 

MLMSs was given in Fisher and Twining (2011). These data 

have been used to better characterize, manage, and remediate 

contaminated groundwater within the ESRP aquifer. The data 

analysis provides quarterly, depth-discrete measurements 

of vertical hydraulic head (head) and temperature in cored 

boreholes drilled to depths ranging from 818 to 1,427 feet 

below land surface (ft bls).

Figure 2. Open-hole and multi-packer borehole completions, eastern Snake 

River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, Idaho.

Packer

Measurement port coupling

Multiport casing

Borehole wall

Multiport

casing

Measurement

port inlet valve

Packer

Well casing

OPEN-HOLE

COMPLETION

MULTI-PACKER BOREHOLE

COMPLETION
4 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to summarize quarterly 

measurements of head and water- temperature data collected 

from nine MLMS boreholes during 2009 and 2010. This report 

also summarizes the methods used to collect depth-discrete 

measurements of hydraulic head and temperature from the 

nine MLMS boreholes along with a brief description of the 

lithology and multilevel completion design for three of the 

nine boreholes that were new completions during 2009–10. 

In addition, normalized mean hydraulic head values were 

analyzed for the period of record (2007–10) to conduct a 

comparative analysis of existing data.

The USGS INL Project Office collects various data 

from several hundred monitoring wells at the INL; however, 

most monitoring wells within the network are completed 

or screened into the ESRP aquifer to depths of less than 

200 ft. The data collected from these wells are insufficient 

to accurately describe the vertical movement of water 

and contaminants in the ESRP aquifer, where downward 

contaminant movement persists. The MLMSs provide the 

necessary means to better characterize the areal extent 

and shape of contaminant plumes originating from the 

INL facilities because they allow for monitoring of head, 

temperature, and vertical chemistry concentrations in response 

to changes in geology. Completion depths for MLMS 

boreholes far exceed those of the average INL monitoring 

wells; therefore, any additional information pertaining to 

deeper flow and contaminant transport conditions will support 

ongoing numerical modeling efforts.

Geohydrologic Setting

The study area is in the ESRP in Idaho, a relatively flat 

topographic depression, about 200 mi long and 50–70 mi 

wide (fig. 1). The INL lies within the west-central part of the 

plain, and all MLMSs are within INL boundaries. Streams, 

some ephemeral, tributary to the ESRP and near the INL, 

originate in mountain ranges north and west of the study site 

and include the Big Lost River, the Little Lost River, Birch 

Creek, and Camas Creek. Streamflow-infiltration recharge 

fluctuates greatly in response to seasonality, such as spring 

snowmelt. Episodic recharge from the Big Lost River channel, 

spreading areas, sinks, and playas represent the largest 

transient stress within the ESRP aquifer at the INL (fig. 1). To 

prevent flooding of downstream facilities, a large percentage 

of the flow from the Big Lost River is diverted to a series 

of interconnected spreading basins near the southwestern 

boundary of the INL (fig. 1). Episodic flood events can result 

in large pulses of surface-water infiltration near the southern 

boundary and have been shown to affect both the saturated and 

unsaturated zones in this region (Nimmo and others, 2002).

The ESRP is bounded by faults on the northwest and by 

downwarping and faulting on the southeast, and the basin has 

been filled with basaltic lava flows interbedded with terrestrial 

sediments. The basaltic rocks and sedimentary deposits 

combine to form the ESRP aquifer. Volcanic landforms of 

the ESRP include: (1) rhyolite domes (Kuntz and others, 

1994), (2) sedimentary troughs (Gianniny and others, 1997), 

(3) vent corridors, and (4) volcanic highlands. The volcanic 

highlands are areas of focused volcanism resulting in high 

concentrations of volcanic vents and fissures (Anderson and 

others, 1999, p. 13; Hughes and others, 1999, p. 145), which 

are the major sources of basaltic rocks on the plain. A typical 

basalt flow has vesicular zones and cooling fractures on the 

top and sides, with vesicle sheets, pipe vesicles, mega vesicles 

in the interior, and a diktytaxitic to massive core (fig. 3). The 

Big Lost River has been the primary source of sediment since 

late Pliocene time, resulting in a depocenter known as the Big 

Lost Trough (fig. 1; Geslin and others, 2002). The Big Lost 

Trough contains significantly greater amounts of sediment 

than have been measured in boreholes in other parts of the 

INL (Anderson and others, 1999, fig. 9, table 2; Hughes and 

others, 2002; Welhan and others, 2007). Sediments penetrated 

by boreholes on the INL range in thickness from equal to or 

less than 1 to equal to or greater than 313 ft and are thickest in 

the northwestern part of the INL (Anderson and others, 1996; 

Welhan and others, 2007).

The ESRP aquifer is one of the most productive aquifers 

in the United States (U.S. Geological Survey, 1985, p. 193). 

The 2010 water-table contour(s), represented in figure 4, 

shows a southwestern regional flow direction in the aquifer 

that eventually discharges to springs along the Snake River 

downstream of Twin Falls, Idaho—about 100 mi southwest 

of the INL (fig. 1). Along the northwestern mountain front, 

surface-water and groundwater underflow enter the aquifer 

system from three tributary valleys—Big Lost River, Little 

Lost River, and Birch Creek. Groundwater moves horizontally 

through basalt interflow zones and contact between basalt 

flows, and vertically through joints and fracture zones (fig. 3). 

Infiltration of surface water, heavy pumpage, geologic 

conditions, and seasonal fluxes of recharge and discharge 

locally affect the movement of groundwater in the aquifer 

(Garabedian, 1986). Recharge primarily is from the infiltration 

of applied irrigation water, streamflow, precipitation, and 

underflow from the tributary valleys to the plain.
Introduction 5

Figure 3. Typical olivine tholeiitic pahoehoe basalt flow. (Modified from Self and others, 1998, p. 90, fig. 3.). The basalt flow is 

divided into three sections on the basis of vesicle characteristics and fracture frequency. Hydraulic conductivity is highest for the 

fractured upper crust, moderate for the lower crust, and lowest for the diktytaxitic to massive interior. Photograph of the pahoehoe 

lobe surface courtesy of Scott Hughes, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho.

tac12-0763_fig03

Pahoehoe

Lobe surface

Unfractured

Highly

fractured

0 1 2 3

Fracture frequency Vesicle characteristics

Fractured

upper crust

(Infers higher

groundwater flow)

Diktytaxitic

to massive

interior

(Infers lower 

groundwater flow)

Lower crust

(Infers moderate

groundwater flow)

Fracture

Mega vesicle

Vesicle cylinder

Pipe vesicle

Vesicle sheet

Vesicle zone

Vesicle zone

Vesicle zone

Vesicle zone

0 40

Percent

volume

0 1 2 3

Mean diameter, in inches

4 20
6 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Figure 4. Water-table contours and monitoring wells, Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, Idaho, March–May 2010. 

tac12-0763_fig04

Mud

Lake

Big

Lost

River

Little

Lost

River

Birch

Creek

Camas

Creek

Big 

Southern

Butte

Middle

Butte

BITTERROOT

RANGE

LEMHI RANGE

LOST RIVER RANGE

IDAHO NATIONAL 

LABORATORY BOUNDARY

33

26

26

20

20

Atomic

City

Howe

Arco

Mud

Lake Terreton

SPREADING

AREAS

East

Butte

Big Lost River

playas and 

sinks

4,390

4,400

4,410

4,410

4,420

4,430

4,440

4,450

4,460

4,470

4,480 4,490

4,500 4,510

4,520

4,520

4,530

4,540

4,550

4,560

4550

4560

USGS 103

USGS 132

USGS 134

MIDDLE 2050A

MIDDLE 2051

USGS 133

USGS 108

USGS 105

USGS 135

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000 and 1:100,000

Albers Equal-Area Conic projection, standard parallels 42°50’N, 44°10’N; central 

meridian 113°00’W; North American Datum of 1927.

113°15’ 113° 45’

44°

43°30’

45’

112°30’

0 5 10 MILES

0 5 10 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

4,400

Water-table contour—Shows altitude of the

 water table, March−May 2010. Contour intervals 

 are 10 feet. Datum is National Geodetic 

 Vertical Datum of 1929.

Interpolated water levels—in feet above mean sea level and based on National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929

Well instrumented with multilevel

 monitoring system

Well in the U.S. Geological Survey water-level 

 monitoring network at which water level was 

 measured

4,380 4,400 4,420 4,440 4,460 4,480 4,500 4,520 4,540 4,560 4,580
Methods 7

Across the INL, borehole water-table altitudes range 

from about 4,560 to 4,410 ft (fig. 4). Depth to the water table 

ranges from about 200 ft BLS north of the INL to more than 

900 ft BLS in the southeast. Ackerman (1991, p. 30) and 

Bartholomay and others (1997, table 3) reported a range of 

relative transmissivities for basalt in the upper part of the 

aquifer of 1.1–760,000 ft2/d. The hydraulic gradient at the INL 

generally flows from northeast to southwest and ranges from 

2 to 10 ft/mi, with an average of about 4 ft/mi (Davis, 2010). 

Horizontal groundwater flow velocities ranging from 2 to 

20 ft/d have been calculated based on the movement of various 

constituents in different areas of the aquifer beneath the INL 

(Robertson and others, 1974; Mann and Beasley, 1994; Cecil 

and others, 2000; Busenberg and others, 2001). Localized 

tracer tests at the INL have shown vertical and horizontal 

transport rates as high as 60–150 ft/d (Nimmo and others, 

2002; Duke and others, 2007).

Previous Investigations

Several reports describing the geology and hydrology 

of the ESRP at the INL have been published; copies of these 

reports may be obtained from the USGS INL Project Office 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2012). Water-quality data collected 

from MLMSs have been used to describe vertical movement 

of contaminants in the ESRP aquifer (Bartholomay and 

Twining, 2010), along with hydraulic head and temperature 

data (Fisher and Twining, 2011).

Fisher and Twining (2011) documented use of MLMSs 

to examine hydraulic head and temperature for six boreholes 

from 2007 to 2008. They described the MLMS components 

and specified the installation process. Additionally, they 

presented the methods used to construct head and temperature 

profiles and outlined quality-assurance methods that are 

summarized in this report.

Bartholomay and Twining (2010) documented the use 

of MLMSs to examine vertical changes in groundwater 

chemistry for six boreholes from 2007 to 2008. They 

examined water-quality samples from multiple water-bearing 

zones in the ESRP aquifer completed within about 350 –700 ft 

of the aquifer. The water-chemistry results were used to define 

movement of wastewater constituents in the aquifer. 

Methods

The methods used to collect depth-discrete measurements 

of hydraulic head and temperature are described by Fisher and 

Twining (2011). Fisher and Twining (2011) also defined the 

modular system components (MP38 versus MP55), sampling 

probe, acquisition system, system dimensions, and installation 

of the MLMS. A general summary and update to the methods 

for this report include: (1) “Profiling and Completions,” which 

describes the methods used to construct head and temperature 

profiles within a borehole; and (2) “Quality Assurance”, which 

describes the accuracy and precision of head and temperature 

measurements. 

Profiling and Completions

An individual head or temperature profile represents a set 

of measurements collected over a relatively short time period. 

The actual time required for each measurement period varied, 

and was dependent on the quantity and spacing of ports within 

a MLMS. Profile measurements in this study were less than 2 

hours, a period considered instantaneous when contrasted to the 

slow response times of groundwater systems.

Fluid pressure and temperature measurements were made 

using a portable sampling probe, a wireline-operated probe that 

is lowered into the multiport casing from the land surface and 

positioned at a selected measurement port coupling (fig. 5). 

The positioned probe is then coupled with the measurementport inlet valve to allow monitoring of groundwater outside 

the multiport casing and within the monitoring zone, so that 

groundwater in this zone is vertically isolated between upper 

and lower packers. Coupling the probe with the measurement 

port inlet valve is done by extending the backing shoe on 

the probe to create a hydraulic seal between the probe and 

the port and to open the port. Fluid pressure and temperature 

measurements are then transmitted to the land surface through 

the wireline communication cable, processed using a data 

acquisition system, and recorded on a datalogger. The hydraulic 

head at each measurement port, assuming 100 percent 

barometric efficiency, was expressed as:

2 Atm

2

w

2

P P

H Z D 144 Z D

where

H is the hydraulic head, in ft,

is the pressure head outside the multiport casing, 

in ft,

Z is the altitude of a referenced land surface 

measurement point, in ft,

D is

  − =Ψ + − = × + −  

γ  

Ψ

−

( )

2

Atm

 the depth to the pressure transducer sensor at 

the measurement port coupling, in ft bls,

P is the fluid pressure measured outside the multiport 

casing in pounds per square inch absolute psia ,

 P is t

3

w

he atmospheric pressure measured at land

surface,in psia, and

γ is the specific weight of water, in lb / ft .

(1)
8 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Atmospheric pressure was monitored at the land surface using a 

hand-held barometric sensor. The specific weight of water was 

calculated as a function of temperature only (McCutcheon and 

others, 1993), assuming negligible salinity and gravitational 

differences between measurements, and expressed as:

 ( )

( )

w

2

T 288.9414

62.42796 1 508929.2 T 68.12963

T 3.9863

      +      

γ= × −     × +     × −    

(2)

where wγ is in units of lb/ft3 and T is water temperature 

measured inside the multiport casing from the bridge of the 

pressure transducer in degrees Celsius. The depth to the 

pressure transducer sensor at a port coupling was measured 

once (appendix A) and calculated as:

1 Atm

1 1 1

w

1

1

P P

D L 144 L

where

D is the depth to the pressure transducer, in ft bls,

 is the pressure head inside the multiport casing, 

in ft,

L is the depth to water inside the multiport casing, 

i

  − =Ψ + = × +  

γ  

Ψ

1

n ft bls, and

P is the fluid pressure measured inside the multiport 

casing, in psia.

(3)

The depth to water inside the multiport casing (L1) was 

measured using an electronic measuring tape and corrected for 

borehole deviation. Simultaneous measurements of P1, PAtm, 

and L1 were made at each port coupling to account for (1) 

temporal changes in atmospheric conditions, and (2) depth to 

water that was dependent on the volume of water displaced by 

the wireline communication cable.

Multilevel completions included the location of 

measurement port valves, port couplings, packers, and 

monitoring zones in the borehole (where a monitoring zone 

describes the volumetric space between consecutive packers 

outside the multiport casing). The location of a multilevel 

component in a borehole is based on the measured depth to the 

pressure transducer at a port coupling (eq. 3) and its position 

within the MLMS installation log. For example, the length 

of a monitoring zone is defined as the distance between two 

consecutive packer seals and calculated by subtracting the depth 

at the bottom of the upper packer from the depth at the top of 

the lower packer, or:

z z1 ( ) ( z ) z1 z

z

z

M D abcd D abc D dD

where

M is the distance between packer seals in monitoring 

zone z, in ft,

D is the depth to the pressure transducer sensor in the 

upper port coupling of zone z, in ft b

= −−−− − −−− = −− − −

z 1

ls,

D is the depth to the pressure transducer sensor in the 

uppermost port coupling of zone z 1, the zone 

located directly beneath zone z, in ft bls;

a is the distance between the pressure transducer 

s

−

−

ensor and the center of the measurement port 

inlet valve, in ft, 0.17 ft in both MP systems,

b is the distance between the center of the 

measurement port inlet valve and the top of the 

measurement port coupling, in ft, 0.50 ft in the 

MP55 system and 0.38 ft in the MP38 system,

c is the distance between the uppermost measurement 

port coupling and the bottom of the adjacent 

packer, in ft, 0.60 ft in both MP systems, and

d is the thickness of the inflated packer seal, in ft, 

3.00 ft in both MP systems.

(4)

Parameters a, b, c, and d were defined using nominal 

component lengths specified in the MLMS installation log 

(fig. 5); however, actual parameter lengths may vary because 

of component deformation in the multiport casing and port 

couplings that results from mechanical stretch and thermal 

expansion during MLMS installation. However, destressing 

during packer inflation was used to reduce the total strain on 

the system. Measurement errors associated with component 

deformation were assumed to be negligible because nominal 

component lengths were relatively small when compared to 

the measured depth to a pressure transducer (D).

Standard procedures for collecting profile measurements 

were first described in Fisher and Twining (2011). The steps 

are summarized as follows: (1) the sampling probe is lowered 

to the deepest measurement port in the MLMS; (2) the probe is 

coupled with the monitoring port to continuously monitor fluid 

pressure and temperature; (3) measurements of fluid pressure, 

atmospheric pressure, and water temperature are recorded 

on a field sheet (appendix B) after temperature readings 

stabilize with fluctuations of less than 0.1°C (generally in 30 

minutes or less); and (4) after fluid pressure and temperature 

measurements are recorded, the probe is decoupled from 

the port and raised to the next highest measurement port. 

The process is repeated until all ports are measured and final 

measurements are recorded.
Methods 9

Figure 5. Terms used in the calculation of hydraulic head based on the portable probe position when coupled with a 

measurement port in the multilevel monitoring system (Fisher and Twining, 2011). 

tac12-0763_fig05

Measurment point

at land surface

Water level outside

multiport casing

Water level inside

multiport casing

Pressure transducer

sensor at measurement

port coupling

PAtm

D

Ψ1

Ψ2

Z

Definition of terms

D Depth to the pressure transducer sensor at the measurement 

port coupling in feet below land surface (ft bls)

Ψ1 Pressure head recorded inside the multiport casing in feet (ft)

Ψ2 Pressure head recorded outside the multiport casing in ft

PAtm Atmospheric pressure measured at the land surface in psia

Altitude of a referenced land surface measurement point in 

feet above mean sea level and based on NGVD29

Z

Pressure transducer

sensor

Pressure and temperature probe

Backing shoe

Center of measurement

port inlet valve

Top of coupling

Distance from the pressure transducer sensor to the center

of the measurement port inlet valve is 0.17 ft (2 in.)

a

b

a

Measurement port valve

Multiport casing

Measurement port coupling

Bottom of coupling

Wireline-communication cable

Wireline-communication

cable

L1 Depth to water inside the multiport casing in ft bls

L1

d

c Top of

coupling

Bottom of packer

Top of packer

Packer

Distance from the top of a measurement port coupling to the

bottom of the uppermost adjacent packer is 0.60 ft (7.2 in.)

c

d Packer seal length is 3.00 ft (36.0 in.)

A

A’

A

A’

M

Port coupling

Port coupling

(optional)

Top of packer

M Distance between packer seals or zone length in ft

Bottom of borehole

Multiport

casing Multiport

casing

Distance from the center of the measurement port inlet valve

to the top of the measurement port coupling is 0.50 ft (6 in.)

in the MP55 system and 0.38 ft (4.5 in.) in the MP38 system

b
10 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Custom computer programs were developed using the R 

programming language (R Development Core Team, 2010) 

to process and graph the head and temperature profiles in 

each borehole (Fisher and Twining, 2011). In theory, head is 

equivalent throughout a monitoring zone with flow dominated 

by the most transmissive feature penetrated by the borehole 

in this zone. Head values reported at monitoring zones 

containing a second measurement port reflect an average of 

the two head values. 

Quality Assurance

The first effort to quantify the accuracy and precision 

of MLMS head measurements was described by Fisher 

and Twining, (2011). Hydraulic head was examined for 

five variables based on equations 1 and 2: (1) the water 

temperature outside the multiport casing measured indirectly 

by the temperature sensor inside the multiport casing and in 

the sampling probe; (2) the fluid pressure outside the multiport 

casing measured by the sampling probe; (3) the atmospheric 

or barometric pressure measured at the top of the multiport 

casing at the land surface; (4) the altitude of a reference point 

at the land surface; and (5) the vertical depth, or distance 

between the land surface reference point and the pressure 

transducer sensor in a measurement port coupling.

The cumulative error of all five variables for independent 

head readings is ±2.3 ft; a value determined by summing 

measurement accuracies for fluid pressure head (±1.15 ft), 

atmospheric pressure head (±0.01 ft), land-surface altitude 

(±0.01 ft), and pressure transducer sensor depth (±1.17 ft) 

(Fisher and Twining, 2011). Many of the sources of 

measurement error are diminished when considering the 

differences between two closely spaced readings of head, 

where head values are monitored using the same pressure 

probe, at similar depths, and at similar water densities. 

Under these conditions, vertical head differences have much 

less error than the error associated with any single head 

measurement because some sources of error subtract (for 

example, drift, offset, temperature effect) and are equal or 

nearly equal for adjacent port readings. Therefore, a ±0.1- ft 

measurement accuracy was assumed for vertical head 

differences (and gradients) calculated between adjacent 

monitoring zones.

Calibration of the fluid pressure sensor was performed 

by the probe manufacturer; calibration test results are shown 

in appendix C. Each test was run over a referenced pressure 

range from 15 to 500 pounds per square inch absolute (psia), 

with probe temperature held constant at about 10 and 20°C. 

Accounting for the range of fluid pressures measured in the 

field, from 30 to 350 psia, the calibration tests gave a standard 

deviation for the measurement accuracy of ±0.101 pounds 

per square inch (psi) (or ±0.23 ft at 10°C) and ±0.098 psi 

(or ±0.23 ft at 20°C). Tests indicate that fluid pressure error 

remained well below the specified accuracy of the sensor 

during the duration of the study. Calibration corrections were 

not applied to fluid pressure measurements because of the 

relatively high specified accuracy of the reference pressure 

sensor at ±0.100 psi (or ±0.23 ft at 13°C, which is the average 

ambient temperature in these boreholes).

The precision of the fluid pressure measurement was 

determined by comparing fluid pressure measurements 

between consecutive profiles. Repeat measurements were 

made for each of the nine MLMS boreholes, with two 

repeat measurements for each profile. A 0.01-ft mean 

difference between consecutive measurements and a 0.04- ft 

standard deviation indicate consistently high precision for 

the instrument. Measurement precision was tested again 

by comparing head values between paired ports, with two 

measurement ports located in the same monitoring zone 

(fig. 6). Theoretically, the distribution of head within a 

monitoring zone should be uniform; therefore, any significant 

head difference between paired-port measurements provides 

evidence of a malfunctioning measurement port, a well 

construction anomaly, or groundwater density variations 

because of differences in total dissolved solids. Paired–port 

head differences generally were small with an average value 

of 0.03 ft and a standard deviation of 0.17 ft. Relatively large 

head differences ranging from 0.28 to 0.81 ft were measured 

between paired–ports in monitoring zone 15 of borehole 

USGS 134. These head differences were first described in 

Fisher and Twining (2011) and were attributed to an improper 

seal while coupling the probe with port 20 and (or) a water 

density distribution within zone 15 that varied over space and 

time. 
Methods 11

Figure 6. Hydraulic head differences between paired-ports and measurement ports in the same monitoring 

zone in boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, and USGS 135, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.

tac12-0763_fig06a

2009−04−14 

2009−06−30 

2009−08−24 

2009−12−07 

2010−03−31 

2010−06−22 

2010−09−29 

2010−12−01

USGS 103 

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

3 6 9 12 15 17

Hydraulic head difference between paired ports, in feet

USGS 105 

2 5 8 11 13

USGS 108 

1 4 7 9 11

2009−04−15 

2009−06−30 

2009−08−26 

2009−12−10 

2010−04−01 

2010−06−16 

2010−09−28 

2010−12−01

USGS 132 

Monitoring zone number

1 5 8 11 14 17

2010−09−23 

2010−11−22

2009−09−16 

2009−12−10 

2010−03−31 

2010−06−15 

2010−09−23 

2010−11−30
12 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Figure 6.—Continued.

tac12-0763_fig06b

2009−04−17 

2009−07−01 

2009−08−19 

2009−12−15 

2010−03−30 

2010−06−29 

2010−09−30 

2010−12−02

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

Hydraulic head difference between paired ports, in feet

USGS 133 

1 7 10 6 9 12 15

USGS 134 USGS 135 

1 4 7 10

2009−04−17 

2009−06−29 

2009−08−17 

2009−12−15 

2010−03−30 

2010−06−21 

2010−10−01

2009−09−14 

2009−12−08 

2010−04−01 

2010−06−14 

2010−09−28 

2010−11−30

Monitoring zone number
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 13

Hydraulic Head and Temperature 

Measurements

Hydraulic head and groundwater temperature 

measurements in the network of MLMSs are presented for 

2009 and 2010. The nine boreholes instrumented with MLMSs 

include USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 

133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 

2051 (fig. 1; table 1). Head and temperature measurements 

were recorded in 120 hydraulically isolated monitoring zones 

located 448.0–1,377.6 ft bls (table 2). Detailed descriptions 

of the geophysical traces, lithology log, completion log, and 

profiles are provided for boreholes USGS 105, 108, and 135. 

Geophysical descriptions for boreholes USGS 103, USGS 

132, USGS 133, USGS 134, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 

2051 are provided by Fisher and Twining (2011). Profile 

shapes and inflection points were analyzed both temporally 

and spatially for each borehole.

Quarterly Measurements

During the 2009–10 multilevel monitoring period, 

120 profiles were collected; these profiles represent 2,104 

individual measurements of head and temperature from 9 

MLMS boreholes (fig. 7; appendix D). With the exception of 

boreholes USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 134, and USGS 135, 

profiles were measured each quarter during the 2009 and 2010 

calendar years. Profiles were started in USGS 105 and USGS 

135 after installation in the third quarter of 2009, and they 

were started in USGS 108 after installation in the third quarter 

of 2010. No data were collected from USGS 134 in the fourth 

quarter of 2010 because weather conditions prevented access. 

Throughout the 2-year monitoring period, head at all MLMS 

boreholes ranged from 4,416.8 to 4,463.6 ft (appendix D), with 

the smallest head at USGS 135 and the largest head at USGS 

133, respectively. The lowest head values were measured in 

the farthest downgradient boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, 

USGS 108, USGS 132, and USGS 135 (near the southern 

boundary); the highest head values were in the farthest 

upgradient borehole USGS 133 (fig. 4). Water temperature 

ranged from 10.4 to 16.3°C at boreholes MIDDLE 2051 and 

MIDDLE 2050A, respectively (appendix D), which is within 

the reported range for temperatures measured in the ESRP 

aquifer at or near the INL—8.3–19.5°C (Davis, 2008).

In order to quantify the amount of temporal variability 

in MLMS head and temperature profile shapes for each 

borehole during 2009 and 2010, a Pearson correlation 

coefficient (PCC) was computed for each profile, as described 

by Fisher and Twining (2011). The PCC ranges from -1 to 1; 

however, the closer the PCC is to either -1 or 1, the stronger 

the correlation. To evaluate the correlation among all head 

or temperature profiles in a well requires the calculation of 

PCC for all permutations of profiles taken two at a time for 

each port; the minimum of these values reflects the poorest 

correlation between profiles in a borehole. The minimum PCC 

values associated with head and temperature profiles for each 

borehole are summarized in table 3. The aquifer’s complex 

basalt and sediment stratigraphy, proximity to aquifer recharge 

and discharge, and groundwater flow contribute to some 

localized variability even though the general profile shape 

remained consistent over the measured time frame (fig. 7). 

Table 1. Data for multilevel groundwater monitoring wells and boreholes, Idaho National Laboratory, 2009–10.

[Local name is the local well identifier used in this study. Location of boreholes is shown in figure 1. Site No. is the unique numerical identifiers 

used to access well data (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis). Latitude and Longitude is in degrees, minutes, seconds and based on the North 

American Datum of 1927 (NAD27). Land-surface altitude is in feet above National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29). Base of aquifer 

altitude is in feet above NGVD29 (Whitehead, 1992; Anderson and Liszewski, 1997). Hole depth is in feet below land surface (ft bls)]

Boreholes

Local name Site No. Latitude Longitude

Land-surface 

altitude

(ft)

Estimated 

base of aquifer 

altitude

(ft)

Hole depth

(ft bls)

USGS 103 432714112560701 43°27'13.57'' 112°56'06.53'' 5,007.42 2,470 1,307

USGS 105 432703113001801 43°27'03.40'' 113°00'17.78'' 5,095.12 2,540 1,409

USGS 108 432659112582601 43°26'58.79'' 112°58'26.34'' 5,031.36 2,495 1,218

USGS 132 432906113025001 43°29'06.68'' 113°02'50.93'' 5,028.60 2,540 1,238

USGS 133 433605112554301 43°36'05.50'' 112°55'43.80'' 4,890.12 3,960 818

USGS 134 433611112595801 43°36'11.15'' 112°59'58.27'' 4,968.84 3,960 949

USGS 135 432753113093601 43°27'53.47'' 113°09'35.62'' 5,135.94 2,675 1,198

MIDDLE 2050A 433409112570501 43°34'09.48'' 112°57'05.38'' 4,928.22 3,790 1,427

MIDDLE 2051 433217113004901 43°32'16.93'' 113°00'49.38'' 4,997.31 3,270 1,179
14 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Table 2. Data for multilevel well completions, boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, 

USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and Middle 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.

[Local name is the local well identifier used in this study. Location of boreholes is shown in figure 1. Site No. is the unique numerical 

identifiers used to access port data (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis). Zone No. is the identifier used to locate monitoring zones. Zone 

depth interval limits are in feet below land surface (ft bls) and length is in feet (ft). Port No. is the identifier used to locate port 

couplings. Port coupling depth is the depth to the top of the measurment port coupling in ft bls]

Boreholes

Local name Site No. Zone

No.

Zone depth interval Port

No.

Port coupling

depth 

(ft bls)

Bottom

(ft bls)

Top

(ft bls)

Length

(ft)

USGS 103 432714112560702 1 1,279.4 1,257.4 22.0 1 1,258.0

432714112560703 2 1,254.4 1,242.9 11.5 2 1,243.5

432714112560704 3 1,239.9 1,184.4 55.6 3 1,209.7

432714112560705 4 1,185.0

432714112560706 4 1,181.4 1,115.2 66.2 5 1,115.8

432714112560707 5 1,112.2 1,100.6 11.5 6 1,101.2

432714112560708 6 1,097.6 1,063.2 34.5 7 1,086.8

432714112560709 8 1,063.8

432714112560710 7 1,060.2 1,045.5 14.7 9 1,046.1

432714112560711 8 1,042.5 1,016.5 26.0 10 1,017.1

432714112560712 9 1,013.5 958.0 55.4 11 992.9

432714112560713 12 958.6

432714112560714 10 955.0 948.4 6.6 13 949.0

432714112560715 11 945.4 922.6 22.8 14 923.2

432714112560716 12 919.6 891.6 28.0 15 908.7

432714112560717 16 892.2

432714112560718 13 888.6 862.6 26.0 17 863.2

432714112560719 14 859.6 835.1 24.5 18 835.7

432714112560720 15 832.1 766.9 65.2 19 801.9

432714112560721 20 767.5

432714112560722 16 763.9 694.3 69.7 21 694.9

432714112560723 17 691.3 669.6 21.7 22 680.3

432714112560724 23 670.2

USGS 105 432703113001802 1 1,290.1 1,279.2 10.9 1 1,279.8

432703113001803 2 1,276.2 1,224.8 51.4 2 1,242.2

432703113001804 3 1,225.4

432703113001805 3 1,221.8 1,165.9 55.9 4 1,166.5

432703113001806 4 1,162.9 1,105.4 57.5 5 1,106.0

432703113001807 5 1,102.4 1,034.6 67.8 6 1,071.6

432703113001808 7 1,035.2

432703113001809 6 1,031.6 1,005.1 26.5 8 1,005.7

432703113001810 7 1,002.1 985.4 16.7 9 986.0

432703113001811 8 982.4 929.3 53.1 10 951.6

432703113001812 11 929.9

432703113001813 9 926.3 909.6 16.7 12 910.2

432703113001814 10 906.6 865.3 41.3 13 865.9

432703113001815 11 862.3 830.4 31.9 14 851.2

432703113001816 15 831.0

432703113001817 12 827.4 754.9 72.5 16 755.5

432703113001818 13 751.9 706.9 45.1 17 727.6

432703113001819 18 707.4
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 15

Boreholes

Local name Site No. Zone

No.

Zone depth interval Port

No.

Port coupling

depth 

(ft bls)

Bottom

(ft bls)

Top

(ft bls)

Length

(ft)

USGS 108 432659112582602 1 1,191.9 1,160.9 31.0 1 1171.8

432659112582603 2 1161.5

432659112582604 2 1,157.9 1,121.6 36.3 3 1122.2

432659112582605 3 1,118.6 1,062.6 56.0 4 1063.2

432659112582606 4 1,059.6 1,018.0 41.6 5 1028.8

432659112582607 6 1018.6

432659112582608 5 1,015.0 980.4 34.6 7 981.0

432659112582609 6 977.4 906.7 70.7 8 907.3

432659112582610 7 903.7 872.0 31.7 9 887.7

432659112582611 10 872.6

432659112582612 8 869.0 832.7 36.3 11 833.3

432659112582613 9 829.7 791.4 38.3 12 808.8

432659112582614 13 792.0

432659112582615 10 788.4 681.8 106.6 14 682.4

432659112582616 11 678.8 642.1 36.7 15 661.1

432659112582617 16 642.7

USGS 132 432906113025001 1 1,213.6 1,152.3 61.3 1 1,173.0

432906113025002 2 1,152.9

432906113025003 2 1,149.3 1,144.1 5.2 3 1,144.7

432906113025004 3 1,141.1 1,134.3 6.8 4 1,134.9

432906113025005 4 1,131.3 1,046.1 85.3 5 1,046.7

432906113025006 5 1,043.1 984.3 58.7 6 1,011.6

432906113025007 7 984.9

432906113025008 6 981.3 953.2 28.2 8 953.8

432906113025009 7 950.2 938.4 11.8 9 939.0

432906113025010 8 935.4 911.1 24.3 10 918.7

432906113025011 11 911.7

432906113025012 9 908.1 876.7 31.4 12 877.3

432906113025013 10 873.7 866.8 6.8 13 867.4

432906113025014 11 863.8 811.5 52.3 14 827.3

432906113025015 15 812.1

432906113025016 12 808.5 801.6 6.9 16 802.2

432906113025017 13 798.6 790.1 8.5 17 790.7

432906113025018 14 787.1 726.6 60.5 18 765.4

432906113025019 19 727.2

432906113025020 15 723.6 672.5 51.1 20 673.1

432906113025021 16 669.5 662.6 6.9 21 663.2

432906113025022 17 659.6 623.6 36.1 22 637.9

432906113025023 23 624.2

Table 2. Data for multilevel well completions, boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, 

USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and Middle 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.—Continued

[Local name is the local well identifier used in this study. Location of boreholes is shown in figure 1. Site No. is the unique numerical 

identifiers used to access port data (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis). Zone No. is the identifier used to locate monitoring zones. Zone 

depth interval limits are in feet below land surface (ft bls) and length is in feet (ft). Port No. is the identifier used to locate port 

couplings. Port coupling depth is the depth to the top of the measurment port coupling in ft bls]
16 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Boreholes

Local name Site No. Zone

No.

Zone depth interval Port

No.

Port coupling

depth 

(ft bls)

Bottom

(ft bls)

Top

(ft bls)

Length

(ft)

USGS 133 433605112554301 1 766.4 724.8 41.6 1 745.5

433605112554302 2 725.4

433605112554303 2 721.8 715.0 6.8 3 715.6

433605112554304 3 712.0 698.6 13.4 4 699.2

433605112554305 4 695.6 685.5 10.1 5 686.1

433605112554306 5 682.5 618.2 64.3 6 618.8

433605112554307 6 615.2 593.7 21.6 7 594.3

433605112554308 7 590.7 555.5 35.2 8 569.6

433605112554309 9 556.1

433605112554310 8 552.5 539.1 13.4 10 539.7

433605112554311 9 536.1 483.2 52.8 11 483.8

433605112554312 10 480.2 448.0 32.3 12 469.1

433605112554313 13 448.6

USGS 134 433611112595801 1 886.8 881.0 5.8 1 881.6

433611112595802 2 878.0 871.0 7.0 2 871.6

433611112595803 3 868.0 846.0 22.0 3 856.1

433611112595804 4 846.6

433611112595805 4 843.0 831.0 12.0 5 831.6

433611112595806 5 828.0 821.0 7.0 6 821.6

433611112595807 6 818.0 782.0 36.0 7 806.6

433611112595808 8 782.6

433611112595809 7 779.0 747.0 32.0 9 747.6

433611112595810 8 744.0 723.0 21.0 10 723.6

433611112595811 9 720.0 690.9 29.0 11 706.5

433611112595812 12 691.5

433611112595813 10 687.9 664.9 23.0 13 665.5

433611112595814 11 661.9 654.9 7.0 14 655.5

433611112595815 12 651.9 638.9 13.0 15 645.5

433611112595816 16 639.5

433611112595817 13 635.9 604.8 31.0 17 605.4

433611112595818 14 601.8 592.8 9.0 18 593.4

433611112595819 15 589.8 553.8 36.0 19 578.5

433611112595820 20 554.4

Table 2. Data for multilevel well completions, boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, 

USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and Middle 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.—Continued

[Local name is the local well identifier used in this study. Location of boreholes is shown in figure 1. Site No. is the unique numerical 

identifiers used to access port data (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis). Zone No. is the identifier used to locate monitoring zones. Zone 

depth interval limits are in feet below land surface (ft bls) and length is in feet (ft). Port No. is the identifier used to locate port 

couplings. Port coupling depth is the depth to the top of the measurment port coupling in ft bls]
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 17

Boreholes

Local name Site No. Zone

No.

Zone depth interval Port

No.

Port coupling

depth 

(ft bls)

Bottom

(ft bls)

Top

(ft bls)

Length

(ft)

USGS 135 432753113093601 1 1,136.6 1,105.6 31.0 1 1,116.4

432753113093602 2 1,106.1

432753113093603 2 1,102.6 1,054.8 47.8 3 1,055.3

432753113093604 3 1,051.8 1,010.6 41.2 4 1,011.1

432753113093605 4 1,007.6 967.5 40.1 5 988.1

432753113093606 6 968.0

432753113093607 5 964.5 923.3 41.3 7 923.7

432753113093608 6 920.3 864.2 56.1 8 864.7

432753113093609 7 861.2 822.6 38.6 9 836.7

432753113093610 10 823.1

432753113093611 8 819.6 790.0 29.7 11 790.4

432753113093612 9 787.0 765.3 21.6 12 765.8

432753113093613 10 762.3 727.0 35.3 13 737.9

432753113093614 14 727.5

MIDDLE 2050A 433409112570501 1 1,377.6 1,267.5 110.1 1 1,268.1

433409112570502 2 1,264.5 1,229.7 34.7 2 1,230.3

433409112570503 3 1,226.7 1,179.7 47.0 3 1,180.3

433409112570504 4 1,176.7 1,081.3 95.4 4 1,081.9

433409112570505 5 1,078.3 1,043.6 34.7 5 1,044.2

433409112570506 6 1,040.6 998.7 41.9 6 999.3

433409112570507 7 995.7 843.1 152.6 7 843.7

433409112570508 8 840.1 810.4 29.8 8 811.0

433409112570509 9 807.4 790.0 17.4 9 790.6

433409112570510 10 787.0 719.5 67.5 10 720.1

433409112570511 11 716.5 706.4 10.2 11 707.0

433409112570512 12 703.4 643.3 60.1 12 643.9

433409112570513 13 640.3 623.7 16.6 13 624.3

433409112570514 14 620.7 541.6 79.0 14 542.2

433409112570515 15 538.6 464.9 73.7 15 516.8

MIDDLE 2051 433217113004901 1 1,176.5 1,140.3 36.2 1 1,140.9

433217113004902 2 1,137.3 1,130.5 6.8 2 1,131.1

433217113004903 3 1,127.5 1,090.5 37.0 3 1,091.1

433217113004904 4 1,087.5 1,002.2 85.3 4 1,002.8

433217113004905 5 999.2 879.4 119.8 5 880.0

433217113004906 6 876.4 826.2 50.1 6 826.8

433217113004907 7 823.2 791.9 31.4 7 792.5

433217113004908 8 788.9 773.8 15.0 8 774.4

433217113004909 9 770.8 748.4 22.4 9 749.0

433217113004910 10 745.4 646.7 98.8 10 647.3

433217113004911 11 643.7 612.2 31.5 11 612.8

433217113004912 12 609.2 561.8 47.4 12 602.9

Table 2. Data for multilevel well completions, boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, 

USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and Middle 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.—Continued

[Local name is the local well identifier used in this study. Location of boreholes is shown in figure 1. Site No. is the unique numerical 

identifiers used to access port data (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis). Zone No. is the identifier used to locate monitoring zones. Zone 

depth interval limits are in feet below land surface (ft bls) and length is in feet (ft). Port No. is the identifier used to locate port 

couplings. Port coupling depth is the depth to the top of the measurment port coupling in ft bls]
18 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Figure 7. Vertical hydraulic head and water temperature profiles at boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, 

USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho. Profiles are based on quarterly measurements made during 2009–10.

tac12-0763_fig07_p1

4,419.8 4,420.2 4,420.6 12.2 12.4 12.6 12.8 13.0 13.2 13.4

3,700

3,800

3,900

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

1,300

1,200

1,100

1,000

900

800

700

USGS 103 USGS 103

4,419.4 4,419.6 4,420.0 4,420.4 4,420.8

2009−04−14 

2009−06−30 

2009−08−24 

2009−12−07 

2010−03−31 

2010−06−22 

2010−09−29 

2010−12−01

EXPLANATION

4,419.0 4,419.5 4,420.0 12.0 12.4 12.6 12.8 13.0 13.2 13.4

4,500

3,800

3,900

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

1,300

1,200

1,100

1,000

900

800

700

USGS 105 USGS 105

4,418.5

2009−09−16 

2009−12−10 

2010−03−31 

2010−06−15 

2010−09−23 

2010−11−30

Erroroneous 

data pont

EXPLANATION

12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7

3,900

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

Altitude, in feet 

1,200

1,100

1,000

900

800

700

Depth, in feet below land surface Depth, in feet below land surface

USGS 108 USGS 108

4,418.5 4,419.0 4,419.5 4,420.0

2010−09−23 

2010−11−22

EXPLANATION

Depth, in feet below land surface

Altitude, in feet Altitude, in feet 

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 19

tac12-0763_fig07_p2

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

4,452.0

USGS 134 USGS 134

4,453.0 4,454.0 4,455.0 13 14 15 16

800

700

600

900

2009−04−17 

2009−06−29 

2009−08−17 

2009−12−15 

2010−03−30 

2010−06−21 

2010−10−01

EXPLANATION

10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5 13.0

3,800

3,900

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

Altitude, in feet

1,200

1,100

1,000

900

800

700

600

Depth, in feet below land surface

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

4,500

700

600

500

400

10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5

USGS 132

USGS 133

USGS 132

USGS 133

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

4,418.5 4,419.0 4,419.5 4,420.0 4,420.5

4,456.0 4,458.0 4,460.0 4,462.0 4,464.0

2009−04−15 

2009−06−30 

2009−08−26 

2009−12−10 

2010−04−01 

2010−06−16 

2010−09−28 

2010−12−01

2009−04−17 

2009−07−01 

2009−08−19 

2009−12−15 

2010−03−30 

2010−06−29 

2010−09−30 

2010−12−02

EXPLANATION

EXPLANATION

Depth, in feet below land surface

Depth, in feet below land surface

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Altitude, in feet Altitude, in feet

Figure 7.—Continued.
20 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

tac12-0763_fig07_p3

USGS 135

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

4,200

4,100

4,000

4,417.0 4,417.5 4,418.0 4,418.5 4,419.0

USGS 135

800

900

1,000

1,100

11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8

2009−09−14 

2009−12−08 

2010−04−01 

2010−06−14 

2010−09−28 

2010−11−30

4,300

4,400

EXPLANATION

3,800

3,900

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

4,500

3,600

3,700

3,500

Altitude, in feet

3,800

3,900

4,000

4,100

4,200

4,300

4,400

4,500

MIDDLE 2050A MIDDLE 2050A

800

700

1,000

600

500

900

1,100

1,200

1,300

1,400

Depth, in feet below land surface

800

700

1,000

600

900

1,100

4,444.0 4,445.0 4,446.0 4,447.0 4,448.0 11 12 13 14 15 16

MIDDLE 2051 MIDDLE 2051

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

4,424.0 4,426.0 4,428.0 4,430.0 4,432.0 4,434.0 4,436.0 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

2009−04−17 

2009−07−01 

2009−08−18 

2009−12−14 

2010−04−02 

2010−06−24 

2010−09−30 

2010−12−02

2009−04−15 

2009−06−30 

2009−09−02 

2009−12−14 

2010−04−02 

2010−06−29 

2010−09−30 

2010−12−02

EXPLANATION

EXPLANATION

Hydraulic head, in feet Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

Depth, in feet below land surface

Depth, in feet below land surface

Altitude, in feet Altitude, in feet

Figure 7.—Continued.
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 21

Minimum PCC values for head profiles ranged from 

0.52 at borehole USGS 103 to 1.00 at boreholes USGS 108, 

USGS 133, USGS 135, and MIDDLE 2051 (table 3). In three 

boreholes (USGS 103, 105, and 132), the minimum PCC 

was less than 0.9, and is attributed to small vertical head 

differences and a relative uncertainty for head differences 

between adjacent zones of ±0.1 ft; under these circumstances, 

measurement error can produce a lower PCC where a strong 

correlation exists. Additionally, borehole USGS 134 has a 

minimum PCC of 0.82, partially because of the large head 

difference between paired ports in monitoring zone 15 (fig. 6). 

This head difference is believed to suggest evidence of a 

pressure response to mountain front recharge events. All 

other MLMS boreholes resulted in minimum PCC values 

greater than or equal to 0.90, which suggests a strong positive 

correlation among head profiles. 

Calculation of the minimum PCC values for temperature 

profiles ranged from -0.57 in borehole USGS 135 to 1.00 

in boreholes USGS 134 and MIDDLE 2051 (table 3). The 

minimum PCC values for temperature profiles were relatively 

strong, except for borehole USGS 135. Temperature in 

borehole USGS 135 indicates groundwater is slightly warmer 

by about 0.2°C during third and fourth quarter measurements 

for 2010; however, the source of the warmer water is not 

well understood. The negative PCC suggests groundwater 

temperature at this location has not reached equilibrium.

For eight of the nine boreholes, head and temperature 

were examined for the June 2010 profile. The exception was 

borehole USGS 108, where the September 2010 profile was 

examined because the installation was not completed in June. 

The profiles for all nine MLMSs are presented with their 

corresponding borehole information in figures 8–16. Borehole 

information includes four geophysical traces, a lithology log, 

and a multilevel completion log. The information for six of 

the wells (USGS 103, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, 

MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051) also was previously 

given in Fisher and Twining (2011), but are presented here for 

comparison with new head and temperature profiles from June 

2010. The geophysical traces are:

1. Natural gamma is a measure of the gamma radiation 

emitted by the naturally occurring radioisotopes within 

the rock material composing the borehole wall. Elevated 

natural gamma readings typically indicate the presence of 

a sedimentary layer.

2. Neutron is a measure of the hydrogen content of the rock, 

which, when saturated, is directly related to the porosity 

of the porous medium. A high neutron porosity indicates 

the presence of highly fractured basalt or sediment; 

whereas, a low neutron porosity would indicate an area of 

dense basalt.

3. Left and right caliper uses three extendable spring loaded 

arms to measure drill-hole diameter with an accuracy of 

±0.15 in. Changes in the regular drill-hole diameter may 

be due to collapse of the loose or highly fractured rock 

formations—areas unsuitable for packer placement. 

4. Short-spaced and long-spaced gamma-gamma dual 

density, also known as the induced gamma-density, is 

a measure of the bulk density of a rock material near 

a borehole wall. The bulk density of a rock material is 

inversely related to its porosity.

All geophysical traces, along with the borehole video 

and a visual inspection of the core, were used to construct 

the generalized lithology log for each MLMS borehole 

(figs. 8–16; appendix E). Generalized lithology for six of 

the wells (USGS 103, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, 

MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051) previously was 

given in Fisher and Twining (2011) and is not included 

in appendix E. The lithology logs for all boreholes were 

described using three lithologic units: (1) dense basalt, a rock 

material of moderate to low horizontal hydraulic conductivity 

and low to very low vertical hydraulic conductivity; (2) 

fractured basalt, a rock material of high to very high hydraulic 

conductivity; and (3) sediment, a fine-grained sand and silt 

mixture of very low hydraulic conductivity. The percentage of 

lithologic composition in each borehole is provided in table 4. 

The reported effective hydraulic conductivity for the basalt 

and interbedded sediment that compose the ESRP aquifer at 

or near the INL ranges from about 1.0×10-2 to 3.2×104 ft/d 

(Anderson and others, 1999). Reported porosity of the aquifer 

based on a cumulative distribution curve for more than 1,500 

individual cores showed that the central 80 percent of samples 

had porosities between 0.08 and 0.25 (Knutson and others, 

1992, figs. 4–10).

The multilevel completion(s) are displayed for each 

borehole (figs. 8–16) and include the location of measurement 

ports, packers, and monitoring zones. Measurement ports and 

monitoring zones are labeled using ‘P’ and ‘Z’, respectively, 

Table 3. Minimum Pearson correlation coefficients 

for hydraulic head and temperature profiles at selected 

boreholes, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.

[Local name: Local well identier used in this study]

Local name

Pearson correlation coefficients

Hydraulic

head Temperature

USGS 103 0.52 0.97

USGS 105 0.64 0.96

USGS 108 1.00 0.99

USGS 132 0.84 0.99

USGS 133 1.00 0.97

USGS 134 0.82 1.00

USGS 135 1.00 -0.57

MIDDLE 2050A 0.93 0.99

MIDDLE 2051 1.00 1.00
22 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

followed by a unique index number that increases with 

decreasing depth. For example, P3 is the third measurement 

port from the bottom of the hole, and Z4 is the fourth 

monitoring zone from the bottom.

The shapes of the head profiles were analyzed using 

major head inflections for the June 2010 dataset in eight of 

the nine multilevel monitoring wells. The exception was 

USGS 108, for which the September 2010 dataset was used. 

These inflections were identified using the difference between 

head measurements of adjacent monitoring zones. Head 

inflections were considered major where head differences 

exceeded ±0.1 ft, the relative uncertainty for head differences 

between adjacent zones. The head inflections were labeled 

using ‘H’ followed by a unique index number that increases 

with decreasing depth. For example, H1 identifies the vertical 

location of the first head inflection from the bottom of the 

hole. Vertical head gradients were calculated across the 

3.0-ft-thick inflated packer length that separates monitoring 

zones (table 5; appendix F). 

Table 4. Lithologic composition in selected boreholes, Idaho 

National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10.

[Local name is the local well identifier used in this study]

Boreholes

Local name

Percentage of lithologic unit

Dense

basalt

Fractured

basalt Sediment

USGS 103 55 41 4

USGS 105 45 52 3

USGS 108 49 46 5

USGS 132 35 63 2

USGS 133 56 34 10

USGS 134 46 51 3

USGS 135 52 45 3

MIDDLE 2050A 51 35 14

MIDDLE 2051 64 33 3

Table 5. Vertical hydraulic gradients at major inflection points for depth interval and hydraulic head profiles, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

[Major inflection points were identified using the differences between hydraulic head (head) measurements of adjacent monitoring zones. Head inflections were 

considered major where head differences exceeded the relative uncertaining for head differences between adjacent zones, ±0.1 foot. Local name is the local well 

identifier used in this study. Location of boreholes is shown in figure 1. Inflection index No.: Identifier used to locate major inflection points in the head profile. 

Zone No.: Identifiers used to locate monitoring zones. Port No.: Idenifiers used to locate port couplings. Depth interval: Depth to the bottom and top of the 

inflated packer separating the adjacent monitoring zone. Hydraulic head: Negative (-) and positive values indicate heads decreasing and increasing with depth, 

repectively. Abbreviations: ft bls, feet below land surface; ft, foot; ft/ft, foot per foot]

Boreholes

Local name Inflection 

index No.

Zone

No.

Port

No.

Depth interval Hydraulic head

Bottom

(ft bls)

Top

(ft bls)

Length

(ft)

Difference

(ft)

Gradient

(ft/ft)

USGS 103 H1 15, 16 19–21 766.9 763.9 3.0 -0.4 -0.1

H2 16, 17 21–23 694.3 691.3 3.0 0.3 0.1

USGS 105 H1 10, 11 13–15 865.3 862.3 3.0 0.2 0.1

USGS 108 H1 2, 3 3, 4 1,121.6 1,118.6 3.0 -0.2 -0.1

H2 6, 7 8–10 906.7 903.7 3.0 0.3 0.1

H3 9, 10 12–14 791.4 788.4 3.0 0.3 0.1

USGS 133 H1 4, 5 5, 6 685.5 682.5 3.0 -4.8 -1.6

H2 5, 6 6, 7 618.2 615.2 3.0 -0.6 -0.2

H3 6, 7 7–9 593.7 590.7 3.0 -0.8 -0.3

USGS 134 H1 9, 10 11–13 690.9 687.9 3.0 -0.7 -0.2

H2 10, 11 13–14 664.9 661.9 3.0 0.8 0.3

H3 14, 15 18–20 592.8 589.8 3.0 -0.2 -0.1

USGS 135 H1 1, 2 1–3 1,105.6 1,102.6 3.0 1.5 0.5

MIDDLE 2050A H1 1, 2 1, 2 1,267.5 1,264.5 3.0 -0.4 -0.1

H2 11, 12 11, 12 706.4 703.4 3.0 -0.4 -0.1

MIDDLE 2051 H1 4, 5 4, 5 1,002.2 999.2 3.0 3.3 1.1

H2 10, 11 10, 11 646.7 643.7 3.0 -6.3 -2.1

H3 11, 12 11, 12 612.2 609.2 3.0 -0.8 -0.3
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 23

USGS 103

Borehole USGS 103 was established along the southern 

boundary of the INL about 5.5 mi south of the Central 

Facilities Area (CFA) (fig. 1). The land-surface altitude and 

the estimated altitude of the base of the aquifer at this location 

are 5,007.42 and 2,470 ft, respectively (table 1). The MP55 

system extends to a depth of 1,279.4 ft bls and includes 23 

measurement ports and 17 monitoring zones; 6 of these zones 

contain paired ports. Zone lengths range from 6.6 to 69.7 ft 

(fig. 8; table 2). 

Two inflections were identified in the borehole USGS 

103 head profile (fig. 8): (1) H1, located across the 3-ft packer 

separating zones 15 and 16 with a -0.4 ft (downward) head 

loss; and (2) H2, located between zones 16 and 17 with a 

0.3-ft head gain (fig. 8, table 5). The H1 and H2 inflections 

occur where the MLMS enters steel casing near 760 ft bls; 

therefore, change in head pressure is likely the result of 

borehole construction and not attributed to aquifer response. 

This anomalous head inflection near zone 16 only occurs in 

two of eight profile events (fig. 7). The borehole, starting at the 

bottom near zone 1 up to and including zone 15, shows a high 

degree of vertical connectivity among adjacent fracture sets. 

The range of head in the profile was relatively small at 0.6 ft 

and indicates flow that is dominantly horizontal. Sediment 

layers in the borehole had no apparent effect on head. Water 

temperatures in the borehole USGS 103 temperature profile 

ranged from 12.4 to 13.2°C and averaged 12.6°C (fig. 8). 

Temperature generally decreases with depth in the upper part 

of the profile and increases with depth in the lower part with a 

transition near 1,100 ft bls. 

USGS 105

Borehole USGS 105 was established along the southern 

boundary of the INL about 5.9 mi south of the CFA (fig. 1). 

The land-surface altitude and the estimated altitude of the 

base of the aquifer at this location are 5,095.12 and 2,540 ft, 

respectively (table 1). The borehole was air-rotary drilled 

in 1980 to a depth of 801 ft bls and completed as an 8-in. 

open-interval monitoring well. In 2008, the borehole was 

rotary drilled to 1,409 ft bls and then reamed to 1,300 ft bls 

to allow installation of a MP55 MLMS. Prior to reaming, the 

5-in. casing was permanently set to a depth of 801 ft bls to 

allow proper packer inflation during the May 2008 MLMS 

installation; the MP55 system required a borehole diameter not 

to exceed 6.25 in. Perforations in the 6-in. casing were placed 

within monitoring zone 13 (fig. 9) to allow measurement ports 

17 and 18 access to free moving groundwater, although the 

vertical isolation of groundwater within zones 12 and 13 was 

compromised by the annular space between the 5-in. casing 

and the 8-in. borehole wall. Therefore, measurements collected 

from ports 16, 17, and 18 reflect a vertically averaged value of 

head for the interval between the water table and the bottom of 

zone 12. The MP55 system extends to a depth of 1,290.1 ft bls 

and includes 18 measurement ports and 13 monitoring zones; 

5 of these zones contain paired ports. Zone lengths range from 

10.9 to 72.5 ft (fig. 9; table 2).

The lithology log of borehole USGS 105 (fig. 9; 

appendix E) shows units that range from 3 to 25 ft for dense 

basalt, 1 to 93 ft for fractured basalt, and 2 to 7 ft for sediment. 

The composition of lithologic units in the borehole is 45 

percent dense basalt, 52 percent fractured basalt, and 3 percent 

sediment (table 4). Six sediment layers are in the borehole at 

depths of 816, 873, 879, 993, 1,132, and1,252 ft bls (fig. 9). 

Sediment recovered during drilling was described as eolian 

deposits of fine- grained sand with silt. The layers of fractured 

and dense basalt are numerous and seem to be well distributed 

throughout the borehole.

A single inflection was identified in the borehole USGS 

105 head profile (fig. 9): H1, located across the 3-ft packer 

separating zones 10 and 11 with a 0.2 ft head gain (fig. 9, 

table 5). The H1 inflection coincides with layers of lowpermeability sediment —where the sediment at this location 

obstructs the vertical connectivity between adjacent fracture 

sets. The range of head in the USGS 105 profile was relatively 

small at 0.4 ft (table 6) and indicates flow that is dominantly 

horizontal. Sediment layers in the borehole show minimal 

effect on hydraulic head. Water temperatures in the borehole 

USGS 105 temperature profile ranged from 12.4 to 13.0°C 

and averaged 12.7°C (fig. 9). A reversal in the temperature 

gradient occurred at about 1,000 ft bls, with the coldest water 

temperature reported in the lowest ports (12.4 to 12.5°C at 

ports 1 through 4). Generally, water temperature increases 

with depth; however, this trend mirrors that seen in borehole 

USGS 132 (fig. 7).
24 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Figure 8. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology log; 

multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 103, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig08

P23

P22

P21

P20

P19

P18

P17

P16

P15

P14

P13

P12

P11

P10

P9

P8

P7

P6

P5

P4

P3

P2

P1

Z3

Z2

Z1

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

Z11

Z12

Z13

Z14

Z15

Z16

700

750

650

800

850

900

950

1,000

1,050

1,100

1,150

1,200

1,250

1,300

H1

H2

0 125 0 1,700 6 3 3 6 30,000 90,000 4,420.0 4,421.0

0 100% 0 1,500 12.3 13.3

Depth, in feet below land surface

Z17

USGS 103

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

DEN(SS)

DEN(LS)

HYDRAULIC HEAD

(feet)

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

CAL(L)CAL(R)

LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Perforated well casing

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P1

Z1

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 25

Figure 9. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology log; 

multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 105, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig09

(feet)

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

0 100 0 2,000 7 4 4 7 30,000 70,000 4,419.3 4,420.3

0 100% 0 1,500 12.3 13.3

USGS 105

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

DEN(SS)

DEN(LS)

CAL(L)CAL(R) HYDRAULIC HEAD LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

P5

P7

P8

P9

P6

P1

P11

P14

P10

P12

P13

P15

P16

P17

P18

P2

P3

P4

Z3

Z2

Z1

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

Z11

Z12

Z13

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

750

850

950

1,050

1,150

Depth, in feet below land surface

1,250

1,300

H1

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P2

Z1

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
26 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

USGS 108

Borehole USGS 108 was established along the southern 

boundary of the INL about 6.3 mi south of the CFA (fig. 1). 

The land-surface altitude and the estimated altitude of the 

base of the aquifer at this location are 5,031.36 and 2,495 ft, 

respectively (table 1). The borehole was air-rotary drilled 

in 1980 to a depth of 760 ft bls and completed as an 8-in. 

open interval monitoring well. In 2008, the borehole was 

deepened to 1,218 ft bls using rotary coring and then reamed 

to allow installation of a MP55 MLMS. Prior to reaming, the 

5-in. casing was permanently set to a depth of 760 ft bls to 

allow proper packer inflation during the August 2010 MLMS 

installation; the MP55 system required a borehole diameter not 

to exceed 6.25 in. Perforations in the 5-in. casing were placed 

within monitoring zone 11 (fig. 10) to allow measurement 

ports 15 and 16 access to free moving groundwater, although 

the vertical isolation of groundwater within zones 10 and 11 

was compromised by the annular space between the 5-in. 

casing and the 8-in. borehole wall. Therefore, measurements 

collected from ports 14, 15, and 16 reflect a vertically 

averaged value of head for the interval between the water table 

and the bottom of zone 10. The MP55 system extends to a 

depth of 1,191.9 ft bls and includes 16 measurement ports and 

11 monitoring zones; 5 of these zones contain paired ports. 

Zone lengths range from 31.0 to 106.6 ft (fig. 10; table 2).

The lithology log of borehole USGS 108 (fig. 10; 

appendix E) shows units that range in length from 3 to 33 ft 

for dense basalt, 1 to 25 ft for fractured basalt, and 3 to 7 ft for 

sediment. The composition of lithologic units in the borehole 

is 49 percent dense basalt, 46 percent fractured basalt, and 5 

percent sediment (table 4). Six sediment layers were identified 

near depths of 854, 878, 888, 1,000, 1,103, and 1,169 ft bls 

(fig. 10). Sediment recovered during drilling was described 

as eolian deposits of fine-grained sand and silt. Layers of 

fractured and dense basalt are numerous and seem to be well 

distributed throughout the borehole. 

Three inflections were identified in the USGS 108 

head profile (fig. 10): (1) H1, located across the 3-ft packer 

separating zones 2 and 3 with a -0.2 ft downward head loss; 

(2) H2, located between zones 6 and 7 with a 0.3-ft head gain; 

and (3) H3, located between zones 9 and 10 with a 0.3-ft head 

gain (fig. 10, table 5). The H1 and H2 inflections coincide with 

layers of low-permeability sediment—where the sediment at 

this location is believed to obstruct the vertical connectivity 

between adjacent fracture sets. The H3 inflection occurs 

within the upper part of the MLMS, where zone 10 is a long 

vertically averaged interval (fig. 10). Borehole construction 

can not be ruled out as the controlling factor for the H3 

inflection, however; dense basalt strata within the bottom of 

zone 10 may result in a pressure change. The range of head 

in the profile was 0.9 ft (table 6) and indicates flow that is 

dominantly horizontal. Sediment layers in the borehole had 

minimal effect on head change. Water temperatures in the 

borehole USGS 108 temperature profile ranged from 12.4 to 

12.7°C and averaged 12.6°C (fig. 10). Temperature generally 

increased with depth within a very small range at 0.3°C.

Table 6. Summary of depth range, hydraulic head statistics, fluid temperature statistics, water-level depth, and saturated thickness of 

the aquifer at each borehole, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

[Local name is the local well identifier used in this study. Location of boreholes is shown in figure 1. Depth interval is measured from the top of the uppermost 

monitoring zone to the bottom of the lowest zone in feet (ft). Hydraulic head statistics include the mean in feet above National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 

1929 (NGVD29) and the range in ft. Fluid temperature statistics include the mean and the range in degrees Celsius ( ̊C). Water-level depth is in feet below 

land surface (ft bls). Saturated aquifer thickness in feet is determined from subtracting the water-level depth from the aquifer thickness (appendix A)]

Boreholes

Local name

Interval

length

(ft)

Hydraulic head statistics Fluid temperature statistics Water-level

depth

 (ft bls)

Saturated

aquifer

thickness

(ft)

Mean

(ft amsl)

Range

(ft)

Mean

( ̊C)

Range

( ̊C)

USGS 103 610 4,420.2 0.6 12.6 0.8 584.63 1,950

USGS 105 583 4,419.8 0.4 12.7 0.5 675.32 1,950

USGS 108 550 4,419.2 0.9 12.6 0.3 612.16 1,950

USGS 132 590 4,420.0 0.3 11.9 1.9 607.10 1,880

USGS 133 318 4,460.6 6.2 11.6 1.2 427.61 500

USGS 134 333 4,453.6 0.9 13.8 2.1 513.70 500

USGS 135 410 4,417.7 1.6 11.5 0.2 718.24 1,870

MIDDLE 2050A 913 4,446.5 1.1 13.2 5.2 479.94 660

MIDDLE 2051 615 4,428.9 7.2 13.3 4.5 569.48 1,160
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 27

Figure 10. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology log; 

multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 108, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, September 2010.

tac12-0763_fig10

P1

P15

P6

P7

P5

P8

P9

P10

P11

P12

P13

P14

P16

(feet)

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

0 40 0 3,500 7 3 3 7 50,000 95,000 4,417.0 4,420.0

0 100% 0 2,500 10.0 13.0

USGS 108

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

DEN(SS)

DEN(LS)

CAL(L)CAL(R) HYDRAULIC HEAD LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

P2

P3

P4

Z3

Z2

Z1

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

Z11

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

600

750

850

950

1,050

1,150

650

Depth, in feet below land surface

H1

H2

H3

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Perforated well casing

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P1

Z1

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
28 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

USGS 132

Borehole USGS 132 was established about 0.9 mi south 

of the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) 

(fig. 1). The land-surface altitude and the estimated altitude 

of the base of the aquifer at this location are 5,028.60 and 

2,540 ft, respectively (table 1). The MP55 system extends to 

a depth of 1,213.6 ft bls and has a total of 23 measurement 

ports and 17 monitoring zones; 6 of these zones contain paired 

ports. Zone lengths range from 5.2 to 85.3 ft (fig. 11; table 2). 

No inflections were identified in the USGS 132 

head profile (fig. 11). The absence of inflections and the 

abundance of fractured basalt indicate a high degree of 

vertical connectivity among adjacent fracture sets. The range 

of head in the profile was relatively small at 0.3 ft (table 6) 

and indicates flow that is dominantly horizontal. Water 

temperatures in the USGS 132 temperature profile (fig. 11) 

ranged from 10.6 to 12.5°C and averaged 11.9°C. A reversal 

in the temperature gradient occurs at an inflection point about 

850 ft bls, with temperatures decreasing with depth below the 

inflection point and increasing with depth above.

USGS 133

Borehole USGS 133 was established about 1.9 mi north 

of the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center 

(INTEC) (fig. 1). The land-surface altitude and the estimated 

altitude of the base of the aquifer at this location are 4,890.12 

and 3,960 ft, respectively (table 1). The MP55 system extends 

to a depth of 766.4 ft bls and includes 13 measurement ports 

and 10 monitoring zones; 3 of the zones contain paired ports. 

Zone lengths ranged from 6.8 to 64.3 ft (fig. 12; table 2). 

Three major inflections were identified in the borehole 

USGS 133 head profile: (1) H1, located across the 3-ft packer 

separating zones 4 and 5 with a -4.8 ft downward head 

loss; (2) H2, located between zones 5 and 6 with a -0.6 ft 

downward head loss; and (3) H3, located between zones 6 

and 7 with a -0.8 ft downward head loss (fig. 12; table 5). The 

source of inflections H1, H2, and H3 is the 33- ft sediment 

layer—where the sediment behaves as a confining layer, 

isolating fractured flow within the upper and lower parts of 

the aquifer. The integrity of this confining layer potentially 

was compromised by allowing downward flow to bypass the 

sediment layer through the open borehole of monitoring zone 

5, as first described by Fisher and Twining (2011). The H1 

inflection directly coincides with this sediment layer and has 

a downward vertical hydraulic gradient of -1.6 ft/ft. Vertical 

gradients above the large sediment layer are somewhat 

less in magnitude at -0.2 and -0.3 ft/ft for the H2 and H3 

inflections (negative values indicate a downward gradient), 

respectively, and reflect a transition from low- permeability 

sediment and dense basalt to high-permeability fractured 

basalt. Head differences below the H1 inflection and above the 

H3 inflection remained relatively small, indicating flow that 

is dominantly horizontal. Water temperatures in the borehole 

USGS 133 temperature profile (fig. 12) gradually increased 

with depth, ranged from 11.0 to 12.2°C, and averaged 11.6°C.

USGS 134

Borehole USGS 134 was established about 1.8 mi 

northwest of the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) (fig. 1). The 

land-surface altitude and the estimated altitude of the base 

of the aquifer at this location are 4,968.84 and 3,960 ft, 

respectively (table 1). The MP38 system extends to a depth 

of 886.8 ft bls and includes 20 measurement ports and 15 

monitoring zones; 5 of these zones contain paired ports. Zone 

lengths range from 5.8 to 36.0 ft (fig. 13; table 2). 

Three major inflections were identified in the borehole 

USGS 134 head profile: (1) H1, located across the 3-ft packer 

separating zones 9 and 10 with a -0.7 ft downward head loss; 

(2) H2, located between zones 10 and 11 with a 0.8 ft upward 

head gain; and (3) H3, located between zones 14 and 15 with 

a -0.2 ft downward head loss (fig. 13; table 5). The vertical 

hydraulic gradients for the H1, H2, and H3 inflections are 

-0.2, 0.3, and -0.1 ft/ft (positive values indicate an upward 

gradient), respectively. The response of inflections H1 and H2 

result from a localized head increase in zone 10. This head 

increase probably is hydraulically isolated in zone 10 because 

of the relatively small 0.1-ft head difference between zones 

9 and 11, and possibly because of fractures in this zone that 

are poorly connected to the larger hydraulic system. The H3 

inflection occurs near the top of the aquifer; fractures within 

zone 15 appear to be partially isolated by dense basalt. The 

location of the H3 inflection and proximity to mountain fronts 

(fig. 1) may suggest the upper aquifer is responding to periodic 

tributary valley subsurface inflow. Excluding zone 10, the 

variability in head was small, with a range of 0.9 ft. Vertical 

head remained relatively stable below H1 and gradually 

decreased with depth above H2. Water temperatures in the 

borehole USGS 134 temperature profile (fig. 13) gradually 

increased with depth, ranged from 12.8 to 14.9°C, and 

averaged 13.8°C.
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 29

Figure 11. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology log; 

multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 132, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig11

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

600

750

850

950

1,050

1,150

650

P5

P7

P8

P9

P6

P1

P11

P14

P10

P12

P13

P15

P16

P17

P18

P19

P20

P21

P23

P22

P2

P3

P4

(feet)

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

0 70 0 1,700 7 3 3 7 30,000 70,000 4,419.5 4,420.5

0 100% 0 1,500 10.5 13.0

Depth, in feet below land surface

Z3

Z2

Z1

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

Z11

Z12

Z13

Z14

Z15

Z16

Z17

USGS 132

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

DEN(SS)

DEN(LS)

CAL(L)CAL(R) HYDRAULIC HEAD LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P2

Z1

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
30 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Figure 12. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology log; 

multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 133, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig12

0 100 0 1,600 10 3 3 10 30,000 70,000 4,456.0 4,464.0

0 100% 0 1,500 10.0 13.0

Depth, in feet below land surface

USGS 133

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

DEN(SS)

DEN(LS)

CAL(L)CAL(R) HYDRAULIC HEAD LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

500

525

550

575

600

625

650

675

700

725

750

775

450

475

425

Z3

Z2

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

P13

P12

P11

P10

P9

P8

P7

P6

P5

P4

P2

P3

P1

H1

H3

H2

Z1

(feet)

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P2

Z1

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 31

Figure 13. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology log; 

multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 134, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig13

600

650

700

750

800

850

550

900

0 75 0 1,700 5 3 3 5 30,000 65,000 4,453.0 4,455.0

0 100% 0 1,500 12.5 15.0

Depth, in feet below land surface

USGS 134

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

DEN(SS)

DEN(LS)

HYDRAULIC HEAD

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

CAL(L)CAL(R)

LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

(feet)

P20

P19

P18

P17

P16

P15

P14

P13

P12

P11

P10

P9

P8

P7

P6

P5

P4

P3

P2

P1

Z3

Z2

Z1

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

Z11

Z12

Z13

Z14

Z15

H1

H2

H3

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P2

Z1

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
32 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

USGS 135

Borehole USGS 135 was completed along the 

southwestern corner on the INL, about 5.0 mi southwest of the 

RWMC (fig. 1). The land-surface altitude and the estimated 

altitude of the base of the aquifer at this location are 5,135.94 

and 2,675 ft, respectively (table 1). In 2007, the borehole was 

continuously cored to a depth of 1,198 ft bls, and in July 2009, 

an MP55 MLMS was installed to a depth of 1,136.6 ft bls. The 

borehole was completed with 14 measurement ports and 10 

monitoring zones; 4 of these zones contain paired ports. Zone 

lengths range from 21.6 to 56.1 ft (fig. 14; table 2).

The lithology log of borehole USGS 135 (fig. 14; 

appendix E) shows units that range in length from 2 to 49 ft 

for dense basalt, 1 to 38 ft for fractured basalt, and 1 to 5 ft 

for sediment. The composition of lithologic units in the 

borehole is 52 percent dense basalt, 45 percent fractured 

basalt, and 3 percent sediment (table 4). Six sediment layers 

in the borehole are at approximate depths of 854, 856, 871, 

919, 960, and 972 ft bls (fig. 14). Sediment recovered during 

drilling was described as eolian deposits of silt with clay. 

Layers of fractured and dense basalt are numerous, with high 

concentrations of fractured basalt starting near 875 ft bls.

A single inflection was identified in the borehole USGS 

135 head profile: (1) H1, located across the 3-ft packer 

separating zones 1 and 2 with a 1.5 ft head gain (fig. 14; 

table 5). The H1 inflection has a vertical hydraulic gradient 

of 0.5 ft/ ft and coincides with layers of fractured basalt 

(starting near 1,115 ft bls) overlain by a 50-ft-thick layer of 

dense basalt. The low permeability associated with dense 

basalt creates a hydraulic disconnect between the highpermeability fractured basalt, resulting in a measurable head 

gain. Excluding zone 1, the variability in head was small and 

vertical head remained stable above H1. Water temperatures in 

the USGS 135 temperature profile (fig. 14) gradually increased 

with depth, ranged from 11.4 to 11.7°C, and averaged 11.5°C.

MIDDLE 2050A

Borehole MIDDLE 2050A was established about 0.8 mi 

west of the INTEC and 0.22 mi southeast of the Big Lost 

River (fig. 1). The land-surface altitude and the estimated 

altitude of the base of the aquifer at this location are 4,928.22 

and 3,790 ft, respectively (table 1). The MP55 system extends 

to a depth of 1,377.6 ft bls and includes 15 measurement ports 

and 15 monitoring zones. Zone lengths range from 10.2 to 

152.6 ft (fig. 15; table 2). 

Two major inflections were identified in the MIDDLE 

2050A head profile: (1) H1, located across the 3-ft packer 

separating zones 1 and 2 with a -0.4 ft (downward) head loss; 

and (2) H2, located between zones 11 and 12 with a -0.4 ft 

head loss (fig. 15, table 5). The vertical hydraulic gradient 

of the H1 inflection was -0.1 ft/ft and coincides with the 

100-ft-thick layer of sediment. The head in zone 1 likely is 

controlled by the units of fractured basalt above and below 

this sediment layer, where flow is allowed to bypass the 

low-permeability sediment through the open borehole (Fisher 

and Twining, 2011). The inflection near H2 resulted in a 

vertical hydraulic gradient of -0.1 ft/ft, and coincides with 

layers of low-permeability sediment—where the sediment at 

these locations obstructs the vertical connectivity between 

adjacent fracture sets. Head differences between the major 

inflections remained relatively small and indicated flow that is 

dominantly horizontal; however, head decreased incrementally 

with depth in the borehole, creating the potential for 

downward flow. Water temperatures in the borehole MIDDLE 

2050A temperature profile gradually increased with depth, 

ranged from 11.1 to 16.3°C, and averaged 13.2°C (fig. 15).

MIDDLE 2051

Borehole MIDDLE 2051 was established about 2.75 

mi northeast of the RWMC and 0.16 mi southeast of the Big 

Lost River (fig. 1). The land-surface altitude and the estimated 

altitude of the base of the aquifer at this location are 4,997.31 

and 3,270 ft, respectively (table 1). The MP55 system extends 

to a depth of 1,176.5 ft bls and includes 12 measurement ports 

and 12 monitoring zones. Zone lengths range from 6.8 to 

119.8 ft (fig. 16; table 2). 

Three major inflections were identified in the borehole 

MIDDLE 2051 head profile: (1) H1, located across the 3-ft 

packer separating zones 4 and 5 with a 3.3 ft downward head 

gain; (2) H2, located between zones 10 and 11 with a -6.3 ft 

head loss; and (3) H3, located between zones 11 and 12 with 

a -0.8 ft head loss (fig. 16; table 5). The H1 inflection has 

a vertical hydraulic gradient of 1.1 ft/ft and coincides with 

layers of fractured basalt separated by a 5-ft-thick layer of 

sediment and a 75-ft-thick layer of dense basalt (zone 5). 

The low permeability associated with these layers creates a 

hydraulic disconnect between the high-permeability fracture 

sets above and below zone 5. The H2 and H3 inflections have 

vertical hydraulic gradients of -2.1 and -0.3 ft/ft, respectively, 

and also result from a restriction in vertical connectivity—

where fracture sets coinciding with zones 10 and 12 are 

hydraulically isolated from one another by two layers of 

low-permeability sediment (5- and 7-ft thick) within zone 11. 

Head differences below the H1 inflection and between the H1 

and H2 inflections remained relatively small, indicating flow 

that is dominantly horizontal. Water temperatures generally 

decreased with depth, ranged from 10.5 to 15.0 °C, and 

averaged 13.3°C. 
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 33

Figure 14. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; 

lithology log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole USGS 

135, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig14

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

(feet)

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

0 40 0 3,500 7 3 3 7 50,000 95,000 4,417.0 4,420.0

0 100% 0 2,500 10.0 13.0

Definition of terms

USGS 135

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

DEN(SS)

DEN(LS)

CAL(L)CAL(R) HYDRAULIC HEAD LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

P8

P1

P2

P3

P4

P6

P7

P5

P9

P10

P11

P12

P13

P14

Z3

Z2

Z1

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

750

850

950

1,050

1,150

Depth, in feet below land surface

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P2

Z1

H1

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
34 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Figure 15. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology 

log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole MIDDLE 2050A, 

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig15

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

500

450

1,300

1,400

600

750

850

950

1,050

1,150

1,250

550

1,350

650

P15

P14

P13

P12

P11

P10

P9

P8

P7

P6

P5

P4

P3

P2

P1

Z3

Z2

Z1

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

Z11

Z12

Z13

Z14

Z15

H1

H2

0 125 0 1,400 25 4 4 25 4,445.5 4,447.5

0 100% 10.5 16.5

Depth, in feet below land surface

MIDDLE 2050A

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

HYDRAULIC HEAD

(degrees Celsius)

CAL(L)CAL(R)

LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

TEMPERATURE

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P2

Z1

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 35

Figure 16. Geophysical traces of natural gamma, neutron, caliper, and gamma-gamma dual density; lithology 

log; multilevel completion; and hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for borehole MIDDLE 2051, 

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig16

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

600

750

850

950

1,050

1,150

650

550

0 100 0 1,700 9 5 5 9 4,426.0 4,434.0

0 100% 10.0 15.5

Depth, in feet below land surface

MIDDLE 2051

GAM(NAT) NEUTRON

POR(NEU)

HYDRAULIC HEAD

(feet)

TEMPERATURE

(degrees Celsius)

CAL(L)CAL(R)

LITHOLOGY

(inches)

MULTILEVEL

COMPLETION

Zone Port

GAM(NAT) = Natural gamma radiation

NEUTRON = Hydrogen index

POR(NEU) = Liquid-filled porosity

CAL(L) = Left side caliper

CAL(R) = Right side caliper

DEN(SS) = Short-spaced density

DEN(LS) = Long-spaced density

EXPLANATION

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Lithology

Definition of terms

Well completion

Packer

Measurement port and index no.

Monitoring zone index number

Multiport casing

Multiport-casing end cap

P2

Z1

Profile

H1 Major hydraulic head inflection 

index number

P12

P11

P8

P7

P6

P5

P4

P3

P2

P1

P9

P10 H2

H3

Z1

Z3

H1

Z2

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8

Z9

Z10

Z11

Z12
36 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Borehole Profile Comparison

Hydraulic head and temperature profiles were compared 

between boreholes to better understand the groundwater flow 

system near the INL. The lithologic logs and profiles for all 

MLMS boreholes are shown in figure 17. The methods used 

to evaluate head profile comparisons were first described in 

Fisher and Twining (2011). Head values for the June 2010 

measurement period (September 2010 for borehole USGS 

108) were normalized to the mean head value for each zone. 

The mean-shifted hydraulic head of a profile, Hˆ , is expressed 

as:

( )

i i

i

H H H for i 1, , m ˆ

where

H is the head measurement at port i in ft,

m is the total number of port head measurements 

in the MLMS, and

H is the mean head value in the profile table 6 

in ft, and define

=− = 

d as :

(5)

m

i

i 1

1 H H

m =

= ∑ . (6)

The degree of vertical head change in a profile was 

evaluated using the range of its head measurements (table 6). 

The range in head for all MLMS boreholes was from 0.3 

to 7.2 ft for boreholes USGS 132 and MIDDLE 2051, 

respectively. Previously reported head ranges were from 

0.2 to 7.4 ft for boreholes USGS 103 and MIDDLE 2051, 

respectively (Fisher and Twining, 2011). The head range 

presented for June 2008 (Fisher and Twining, 2011) and the 

range presented in table 6 showed only slight variations, which 

is evidence that the profile shapes are relatively stable with 

time. 

Lithologic units that appear to influence major head 

inflections typically coincided with sediment layers and dense 

basalt sequences that display minimal fracturing. For example, 

a 33-ft sediment layer in borehole USGS 133 and a 50-ft 

dense basalt layer in borehole USGS 135 account for about 

99 percent of the total head change. Without knowing the true 

areal extent and transmissivity of lithologic units, it is difficult 

to determine where head changes might occur in a borehole. 

The determination is especially difficult in the ESRP aquifer 

because of its high level of heterogeneity, which is indicated 

by the large variability in profile shapes among boreholes. 

The vertical connectivity between fracture networks 

of adjacent units is controlled by the geologic setting. 

Groundwater can move through vertical joints in dense basalt 

or through gaps in sediment layers that are not evident in 

core samples or geophysical data; however, MLMS data can 

detect slight variations in pressure. Low vertical gradients 

generally indicate potential vertical connectivity and flow, 

and large gradient inflections indicate zones of relatively 

lower vertical connectivity, where vertical flow is potentially 

retarded (Fisher and Twining, 2011). The MLMS data reveal 

that zones that primarily are composed of fractured basalt 

displayed relatively small vertical head differences and flow 

was dominantly horizontal. For example, in borehole USGS 

135, the head range above the H1 inflection was 0.1 (fig. 14). 

Other MLMS boreholes that displayed relatively small vertical 

head differences include USGS 103 (0.6 ft), USGS 105 

(0.4 ft), and USGS 132 (0.3 ft) (table 6). Relatively moderate 

head ranges were reported in boreholes USGS 108 (0.9 ft), 

USGS 134 (0.9 ft), and MIDDLE 2050A (1.1 ft). In borehole 

USGS 108, inflections H1 and H2 occur at or near sediment 

layers; however, inflection H3 occurs where steel casing is 

extended to a depth of 760 ft bls, so borehole construction 

may have contributed to localized change in head (fig. 10). 

In borehole USGS 134, head values gradually decreased with 

depth above the H2 inflection and remained relatively constant 

below; whereas, in borehole MIDDLE 2050A, head values 

incrementally decreased with depth and remained relatively 

constant between large sediment layers (figs. 13 and 15). The 

highest head ranges were in boreholes USGS 133 (6.2 ft) and 

MIDDLE 2051 (7.2 ft) (figs. 12 and 16). The high head ranges 

for these boreholes are attributed to poor vertical connectivity 

between fracture networks, the result of sediment layering 

restricting vertical flow.

Mean groundwater temperature for the nine MLMS 

boreholes ranged from 11.5 to 13.8°C for boreholes USGS 135 

and USGS 134, respectively (table 6). Vertical connectivity 

between adjacent aquifer units controlled the degree of 

convective or conductive heat transfer. In an idealized 

aquifer-confining layer system, where groundwater is mostly 

confined in aquifers and flow is dominantly horizontal, the 

temperature profile is dominated by upward conductive heat 

transfer and distributed linearly. When confining layers are not 

perfectly impervious, however, the temperature profile will be 

affected by convective heat transfer resulting from the vertical 

movement of groundwater (Bredehoeft and Papadopulos, 

1965; Ge, 1998). 

Temperature profiles in boreholes USGS 133, USGS 

134, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051 mostly follow a 

linear conductive trend with temperatures increasing with 

depth (fig. 17). These trends were similar to those reported 

in Fisher and Twining (2011), suggesting temperature in 

the ESRP aquifer remains constant with time near these 

locations. In borehole MIDDLE 2051, the limited vertical 

connectivity between adjacent aquifer units produces a strong 

linear conductive trend; however, within each aquifer unit, 

convective heat transfer dominates and temperatures remain 

relatively stable. The proximity of borehole USGS 134 to the 

northwest mountain front (fig. 1), where the saturated aquifer 

thickness thins and groundwater velocities are relatively small, 

results in an overall temperature that is approximately 1.5°C 

higher than the average groundwater temperature of the ESRP, 

medium aquifer temperature from 127 monitoring wells on the 

INL was 12.7 oC (Davis, 2010).
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 37

Figure 17. Comparison among borehole lithology logs and mean-shifted hydraulic head and water temperature profiles for 

boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, 

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010.

tac12-0763_fig17

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,300

USGS

133

USGS

134

MID

2050A

MID

2051

Water temperature, in degrees Celsius

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Mean-shifted hydraulic head, in feet

Dense basalt

Fractured basalt

Sediment

Water level

EXPLANATION

USGS

103

USGS

132

Regional Flow Direction

Hydraulic head inflections

H1-H2 USGS 103 

H1-H2 USGS 134

H1-H3 MIDDLE 2050A

H1-H3 MIDDLE 2051

Lithology Boreholes

-4 -2 0 2 4 6

USGS

108

USGS

105

USGS

135

H1

H2

H1

H1

H2

H3

H1

H2

H3

H1

H2

H3

H1

H1

H2

H1

H2 H3

H1 USGS 105 

H1-H3 USGS 108 

H1-H3 USGS 133 

H1-H2 USGS 135 

Depth, in fee below land surface

USGS 103 

USGS 105 

USGS 108 

USGS 132 

USGS 133 

USGS 134 

USGS 135 

Middle 2050A 

Middle 2051 
38 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

In boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, 

USGS 132, and USGS 135, temperature profiles were 

mostly dominated by convective heat transfer, where fluid 

flow through the fractured media significantly altered the 

geothermal field (fig. 7). All five boreholes were completed 

within an area identified as the axial volcanic high (fig.1), a 

region characteristic of high volcanic activity and minimal 

sediment deposition. Lithologic data for all boreholes reveal 

sediment content of 5 percent or less and MLMS hydraulic 

head data suggest good connectivity between fracture 

networks of adjacent units.

Groundwater temperatures in boreholes USGS 132 and 

USGS 105 show a reversal in the convective heat transfer 

gradient in the lower half of the borehole profile; whereas, a 

similar reversal (opposite direction) was observed in the upper 

half of borehole USGS 103 (fig. 7). These temperature profiles 

suggest a stratified groundwater component and mixing of 

water types along the southern boundary of the INL (fig. 1, 

fig. 7). The decrease in temperature with depth in boreholes 

USGS 132 and USGS 105 is attributed to the location of the 

boreholes in a transition area; where the aquifer thickness 

(table 6) and transmissivity rapidly increase, flow has a 

downward component, and low-velocity tributary water mixes 

with high-velocity regional groundwater (Fisher and Twining, 

2011). The vertical head and temperature characteristics of 

the regional groundwater are best reflected in the profiles of 

borehole USGS 103, the farthest MLMS borehole from the 

tributary valleys along the northwestern edge of the ESRP. 

The groundwater in borehole USGS 108 reflects an isothermal 

temperature profile that is well mixed, as it only changes 

0.3°C in about 500 ft. 

The mean groundwater temperature in borehole USGS 

135 is 11.5°C, and shows a range of 0.2°C over about 400 ft. 

The groundwater temperature reflects convective heat transfer, 

the result of well-connected fracture networks for most of 

the borehole. The low average temperature and range suggest 

borehole USGS 135 is affected by groundwater originating 

from tributary valley inputs to the north (fig. 1).

The temporal correlation among MLMSs was analyzed 

for head data collected from 2007 to 2010 using the 

normalized mean hydraulic head, ˆ

H ; these values of head 

were calculated for each MLMS and are expressed as:

( )

t t

t

ˆ H H H for t 1, , n

where

H is the profiles mean head for measurement 

event t in ft eq. 6 ,

n is the total number of measurement events at 

the borehole,

H is the mean of the profiles mean head value

s

− = = 

s for 

all measurement events in ft and defined as

(7)

n

t

t 1

1 H H

n =

= ∑ ; (8)

And s is the standard deviation of the profiles mean head 

values for all measurement events in ft and defined as

( ) n

t

t 1

1 H H

n

s

=

= − ∑ . (9)

The values of ˆ

H for each of the MLMS boreholes (fig. 18; 

appendix G) suggest a moderate positive correlation among all 

boreholes, which reflects regional fluctuations in water levels 

in response to seasonality. The temporal correlation is stronger 

when the location of boreholes in the aquifer is considered. 

For example, boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, and USGS 

108, and USGS 132 are in an area of highly permeable media 

with a relatively large saturated thickness, and a relatively 

rapid groundwater flow. As expected, the correlation between 

these four wells is strongly positive with a temporal trend that 

differs slightly from the other boreholes.
Hydraulic Head and Temperature Measurements 39

Figure 18. Quarterly values of the normalized mean hydraulic head at boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, 

USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 

2008–10.

tac12-0763_fig18

Year 2007 Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

ONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJMAMJJASONDJF

USGS 103 USGS 105

USGS 108 USGS 132

USGS 133 USGS 134

USGS 135 Middle 2050A

Middle 2051

Normalized mean total head

EXPLANATION
40 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

Summary

During 2009–10, quarterly depth-discrete measurements 

of hydraulic head (head) and water temperature were collected 

from multilevel monitoring systems (MLMSs) installed in 

nine boreholes at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in 

cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy. The cored 

boreholes are located in the fractured basalts and interbedded 

sediments of the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and were 

completed to depths ranging from 818 to 1,427 ft below land 

surface. Head and temperature measurements were recorded 

in 120 hydraulically isolated monitoring zones located 448.0 

to 1,377.6 ft below land surface. The MLMS provides an 

approach for measurement of heads in the aquifer system that 

is needed as part of the characterization of the areal extent 

of contaminant plumes at the INL. Completion depths for 

MLMS boreholes exceed those of the average INL monitoring 

wells; therefore, the additional information on deep flow and 

contaminant transport conditions will assist ongoing efforts 

to better characterize the potential for downward plume 

migration and the extent of contamination in the aquifer. 

Quarterly head and temperature profiles reveal unique 

vertical patterns for examination of the aquifer’s complex 

basalt and sediment stratigraphy, proximity to aquifer 

recharge and discharge, and groundwater flow; these features 

contribute to some of the localized variability even though the 

general profile shape remained consistent over the measured 

time frame. Major inflections in the head profiles almost 

always coincided with low-permeability sediment layers and 

occasionally with thick sequences of dense basalt. However, 

the presence of a sediment layer or dense basalt layer was 

insufficient for identifying the location of a major head change 

within a borehole without knowing the true areal extent and 

relative transmissivity of the lithologic unit. Temperature 

profiles for boreholes completed within the Big Lost Trough 

indicate linear conductive trends; whereas, temperature 

profiles for boreholes completed within the axial volcanic high 

indicate mostly convective heat transfer resulting from the 

vertical movement of groundwater. Additionally, temperature 

profiles provide evidence for stratification and mixing of 

water types along the southern boundary of the Idaho National 

Laboratory.

The amount of vertical head and temperature change 

were examined for each of the nine multilevel monitoring 

systems. The vertical head gradients were defined for the 

major inflections in the head profiles and were as high as 

2.1 feet per foot Groundwater temperatures in all boreholes 

ranged from 10.2 to 16.3 ̊C. Low vertical head gradients 

indicate potential vertical connectivity and flow, and large 

gradient inflections indicated zones of relatively lower vertical 

connectivity. Generally, zones that primarily are composed 

of fractured basalt displayed relatively small vertical head 

differences, inferring flow is dominantly horizontal. Large 

head differences were attributed to poor vertical connectivity 

between fracture units which are the result of sediment 

layering and/or dense basalt.

Normalized mean hydraulic head values were analyzed 

for all nine multilevel monitoring wells for the period of 

record (2007–10). The mean head values suggest a moderately 

positive correlation among all boreholes, which reflects 

regional fluctuations in water levels in response to seasonal 

climatic changes. However, the temporal trend is slightly 

different depending on the well location; wells located along 

the southern boundary within the axial volcanic high show a 

strongly positive correlation. 

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Matt Gilbert and 

Jayson Blom of the USGS INL Project Office for their help 

with the installation of the MLMSs, and Jayson Blom, Amy 

Wehnke, Neil Maimer, and Betty Tucker, also of the USGS 

INL Project Office, for data collection. The authors also would 

like to acknowledge Schlumberger Water Services for their 

technical assistance with the WestbayTM Systems.

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Appendixes 43

Appendixes

Appendix files are available for download at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2012/5259.

Appendix A. Data Used to Calculate Pressure Probe Transducer Depths at Measurement Port Couplings, Boreholes USGS 105, USGS 

108, and USGS 135, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10

Appendix B. Field sheet used for data collection at multilevel monitoring boreholes, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

Appendix C. Calibration results for fluid pressure sensor, a component of the sampling probe used in boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, 

USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2008–11

Appendix D. Barometric pressure, water temperature, fluid pressure, and hydraulic head data from port measurements for boreholes 

USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National 

Laboratory, Idaho, 2009–10

Appendix E. Lithology Logs for Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring Boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, USGS 133, 

USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2007–08

Appendix F. Vertical hydraulic head gradient data between adjacent monitoring zones for boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 

108, USGS 132, USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, June 2010 and 

September 2010 for USGS 108

Appendix G. Quarterly mean and normalized mean hydraulic head values for boreholes USGS 103, USGS 105, USGS 108, USGS 132, 

USGS 133, USGS 134, USGS 135, MIDDLE 2050A, and MIDDLE 2051, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2007–10
44 Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head and Temperature, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10

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Twining and others— Groundwater Monitoring of Hydraulic Head in the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho, 2009–10—Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5259